#long one shot

[samandcolbyownme]

Summary: anon request - "y/n (she's dating Colby?) is with them when they finally go to the basement in the conjuring video and y/n tells him she went to the basement without them like how Sam did and he gets super upset/mad at her?"

This one shot will contain things some readers might find unsettling and/or triggering.  PLEASE DONT READ IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH!!

Warnings include: strong language, being alone in the conjuring house basement, reader being touched and spoken to, hair pulling, pushing, reader feeling like they're being controlled by spirits, reader having visions, angry Colby, mild fighting, arguing, mentions of puking, general spooky stuff - read with care my lovelies ily! 

I will be using Sam and Colby's SAWATCH Part 3: The Basement as reference in this one shot but only for when the three go to the gravesite and then into the basement together. I will be adding some stuff in to make it flow since the reader is being written in, so everything won't be 100% accurate to the video itself.

Word count: little over 13.k | not edited 

╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗

You don't know how Sam and Colby were asleep right now. You don't know why you even agreed to coming here for a few nights - if you can even last that long. 

Maybe because you were more worried about Colby? 

Maybe because you were actually really interested in the history that surrounds the house itself? 

You were also an investigator. You'd think you'd be used to this stuff by now? But you're not. Nothing could have prepared you for what this house holds within the walls. 

You sit up, glancing over at Colby who's softly snoring on his cot that, is in fact, under the table like he said he was going to do. You smile slightly as you lay back down, snuggling into your blanket.

You try to remind yourself that Abigail is there to protect you, and that helps, but only a little bit. 

You suddenly felt a chill roll over your body, one that a few blankets wouldn't be able to calm. 

"Y/n." 

You slowly turn over on to your back, sitting up slowly, "Colby?" You whisper, but he doesn't move, "Sam?" He continues to lay there and you take a deep breath, realizing that it wasn't them who said your name. 

"Y/n." 

Your head tilts slowly as you watch a figure walk past the door frame, left to right, "Hello?" You call out quietly, but nothing answers. 

Sam stirs in his sleep slightly, but nothing drastic. 

Your eyes shoot back up to the door as you felt like you seen something in the corner of your eye, a face peaking around. 

The spin chilling creak of a door opening slowly causes you to freeze, even your breath is held. 

You stare at the dark opening for a few seconds before letting out the breath you've been holding. 

You go to lay back down and you hear another whisper, "Go." 

Your legs swing over the edge, feet planted flat on the floor as your hands move the blanket. Your stare is held on the darkness on the other side of the dimly lit door frame. 

Mind on one thing. The basement.

You walk past Sam's cot, glancing back at Colby before slowly looking back into the darkness. 

You know you shouldn't go down there at all, let alone by yourself. 

Colby made you and Sam both promise not to go down there before going together. He even promised both of you that he wouldn't either. 

As you round the corner, you stop as your eyes fixate on the specific door - that you know for a fact opened by something that wants you down there. 

Are you going? 

You wish you didn't, but you feel like you don't have any other choice. 

You walk over to the door, placing a hand on the knob as you look around the door and down the lit stairwell. 

Without taking another glance back towards the boys, you're heading down to the basement. 

Alone. 

But in reality. You're never alone when you're at the conjuring house.

You step gently on each step, careful not to make any loud noise. As you reach the small platform mid way, you stop, staring at the half lit room. 

Part of you wants to turn around, high tail it back up the steps and go back to bed, but a bigger part of you wanted to try and get answers. 

You wanted to know why, ever since you arrived, the basement has been - literally, calling your name. 

You didn't want to give them, too much of your trust, no matter how human they sound.

"Abigail. Are you here with me?" You whisper, snapping your head to the table and chairs when a knocking sound comes from that area, "Knock again if that was you." 

Another knock sounds and you walk over, slowly sitting down in the chair. Your eyes move from the well back to the table, "why am I here?" 

"The woods." 

Your body settles back into the chair and you get a sudden flash of the tree line, "The woods." You repeat, but in a much quieter tone, "Why?" 

"Meet us." 

You tilt your head, smiling slightly, "You're the trickster, Dave. Aren't you?" 

It's silent for a few second, but then you're left in total darkness as the light turns off. 

You can feel your heart rate pick up slightly, "I'm not going to the woods alone." Something clinks on the ground and you blow air through your nose, "Dave. Did you call me down here?"

You feel a light brush on your shoulder, but you don't jump. Something in you knew it was a loving touch, from Abigail. 

"Do you want me to leave?" You lay your hands flat on the table, getting ready to stand up. A loud whisper in your hear causes you to sit right back down, "No!" 

You close your eyes, slowly reopening them. You turn towards the direction of the stairs, staring for a few seconds before turning back to the table.

How did I get here, you think to yourself, but you already knew the answer to that. 

Even though you were fully aware of what you were doing and what was happening around you, you didn't feel like you right now. 

You knew you were sitting in the place you shouldn't be, but it's like you didn't have control over your mind and body. 

As you're sitting there waiting for anything else to happen, you get a chill up your spine, and a feeling in the pit of your stomach that you cannot shake off. 

You hear foot steps upstairs and your eyes are glued to the ceiling, waiting for either Sam or Colby to call for you, but nothing sounds. 

As you turn your head, you get a quick vision of a soldier standing outside of the upstairs window, looking in. 

"Are they watching Sam and Colby?" You ask and you can feel your hands start to shake. You wait for an answer but then it feels like you were released from your hold. 

You shake your head and take a deep breath, "What am I doing here?" You stand up, laughing slightly as you turn to walk towards the steps. 

Footsteps sounding behind you cause internal panic, now that you're.. yourself again. 

You book it up the steps, quickly turning out to close the door and holding it closed for a few seconds before you turn and make your way back to where the boys were. 

Still sound asleep. 

You push your cot closer to Colby, what just happened in the basement haunting you. You lay down, facing him and basically bury yourself in the blanket. 

Every little noise causes your body to jump ever so slightly. 

Why did I do that? 

Why did I break a promise? 

It wasn't you, you try to convince yourself, it wasn't you. 

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

You barely got any sleep the rest of the night. You were awake when you hear Sam stir around and sit up. 

You closed your eyes, pretending to be asleep. 

Colby moves his arm from over your body and you pretend to stir. He brushes hair from your face, "Hey." 

You open your eyes, pretending that you just woke up, "Mm, hi." 

"Get scared last night?" Colby asks with a quiet chuckle and your heart starts to pound, "Yeah, I couldn't really sleep without being close to you." 

He nods, "It's understandable." He leans in, pecking your forehead with his lips. You sit up, forcing a stretch before standing up to move your cot. 

"How'd everyone sleep?" Sam asks slipping on his sweatshirt. 

"I honestly don't think I woke up once." Colby stands up, stretching, "I think someone got a little spooked in the middle of the night." 

He nods towards you and you laugh slightly, trying to cover up your nervousness, "Yeah. It was pretty creepy." 

"Glad to know that there was a cuddle party going on while I was over here all alone, hot and ready for whatever wanted to drag me away." Sam holds his arms out, trying not to laugh, "What the fuck?" 

Colby tilts his head, walking over and hugging Sam, "Oh I'm so sorry, brother. Come here." He squeezes him and you laugh, shaking your head as you grab your little travel bag and head for the bathroom. 

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

You felt different all day and you were scared either of them would pick up on it, more Colby than anything. 

You kept drifting off, thinking about everything that happened when you were down there. How you felt, what you heard. 

You were torn between telling Colby and just waiting until they were done filming for the night, but at the same time, he'd probably find out regardless because of the cameras the owners have set up in the corners of the house. 

So you decided it'd be better to tell him sooner rather than later, but that was going to have to wait as you were on your way to check out the graveyard. 

You kept thinking about how mad Colby was going to be. He was going to be far from happy. You hated when you argued, which honestly wasn't that often, but you knew this was going to be a big one. 

"Hey." Sam bumps into you, "You alright?" 

You look up at him, "Oh yeah. I'm just anxious because of the woods and it being dark, ya know?" 

He nods, "I know what you mean. I'm actually quite nervous myself." He chuckles and looks behind him, "You ready Colby?" 

Colby walks up, wrapping his arm around your waist, "Yes." He nods, "I am." 

You lay your head on his shoulder, taking in the happy Colby as much as you can before your words, eventually, ruin his mood. 

Sam turns the camera on, light shining towards Colby as he walks forward, "Before we go to the grave site, we thought we'd stop where I talked to Dave, under the Estes method, earlier this week." 

You follow behind them, shining your light on the trees. You feel like your eyes are playing heavy tricks on you, but after that night, you just felt like you were going nuts. 

"So again." Colby's voice causes you to snap out of your thoughts and you walk up next to Sam as Colby continues talking, "After the past few days, we've heard the name, Dave." He points, "Specifically, super clear, on the Alice box, in the forest over there when we camped out. But, we were introduced to him right around these graves, so.." 

Colby steps back, opening his arms as he moves around, looking side to side, "Dave.. if you're around, or any other soldiers. Feel free to follow if you can hear me." 

"We have a long hike." Sam says and you groan, "Oh great." 

Colby chuckles, "I mean the last investigation last night.." he looks at Sam, "Come find out? Thats like, the scariest thing they can say." 

Sam laughs, "that's like, the most ominous thing any spirit has ever told us." 

As you walk, you keep hearing things in the woods behind you, "Jesus fuck." You whisper, walking quicker to be closer to Colby. 

He reaches his hand back, wiggling his fingers for you to take his hand. 

You grip his hand, not letting go for anything. You shine your flashlight with your other hand and it starts to flicker before going out then turning right back on.  

Sam and Colby stop, turning back to look at you then down to your flash light. 

"I'm not even going to say anything." Sam says and you nod once, "please don't." 

Colby squeezes your hand and you look up at him, smiling slightly at him, "You're good." He nods, "I got you." 

That made you feel ten times worse. 

You feel like you could puke. 

Your nerves, between the basement and walking through the woods you were warned not to go into, were almost shot. 

"Here's what scares me.." Colby starts out as he stops walking. You let go of his hand as Sam turns the camera to him, "Most of the spirits have these, like quiet knocks, but the one downstairs was way louder. It had more power. It had more energy, and we were on concrete." 

"Last time we were.. in the woods, the only things we really heard was that it wanted to attack and stalk us.." 

Sam's words cause your heart to beat faster - now you really felt like you were going to puke. 

What if you're what they, the spirits, were attacking, stalking? 

You feel dizzy, but you weren't sure if it was from the woods or just your guilty conscience. 

".. man in the woods might be following us right now." Sam finishes and you lay a hand on your head, thinking that it might just be whoever Sam is talking about. 

"Y/n." Colby's voice causes you to lift your head, "Are you okay?" He walks up to you and Sam shines the light on you, "What's going on?" 

"I'm just.. dizzy right now." You shrug, "It started when Sam said they wanted to attack and stalk us." 

Now you're just totally confused on why you're dizzy because there's a dozen things that could be causing your dizziness right now. 

Colby wraps an arm around you, "Do you need to sit or anything?" 

You shake your head, "It went away now, let's just keep moving." You motion forward and you all walk on. 

A little bit later, you push through some brush and Colby shines his light, "Oh god. Where'd the path go?" 

Sam turns around, "This is where we came from, but there's three paths." 

"Pink ribbons right?" Colby asks and Sam nods, "Yeah I think, they're supposed to be pink ribbons." 

"There's a blue ribbon over here." Colby shines his light and Sam walks down another path, "I can't see anything down here." 

You follow Colby and he yells to Sam, "Oh, here we go. Here we go!" 

"Pink?" Sam asks walking over and Colby nods, looking back towards him, "Yeah." 

Colby grabs your hand, leading you down the path as Sam points the camera to the pink ribbon on the tree. 

"It's like a river up here." Colby says, "Oh I remember this from two years ago!" 

"Yeah isn't there some sort of.. like pond? Or something?" Sam asks and you stare at the ground, trying not to trip over the rocks that are sticking out. 

"It's right there." Colby points and Sam nods, "Oh, oh oh yeah! I-I just remembered going to the side of that. So we just gotta figure out - Wait." Sam says and you jump slightly as he turns the camera towards you. You laugh, "Just frogs, Sam." 

"Oh god, that scared the fuck out of me." Sam laughs slightly you guys keep walking. 

"Okay so you said this way?" Colby points his flashlight and Sam nods, "Well, we just gotta get to the other side of this." He points, "If I remember." 

As you're walking through trees, Colby shines his light, "Oh yeah pink ribbon." 

"Pink ribb-" Sam stops, "Wait." You and Colby stop, both looking at Sam as he walks up to Colby, "What the fuck was that dude?" 

Colby looks at him confused. 

"I hear two of your voice, like in that research section.. where like, it echoed." Sam says and Colby looks out in  front of him, "Hello?" 

Sam pans the camera and you guys wait for a second before Sam shrugs, "I don't know, that was weird." He sighs, "Let's keep going." 

"I don't know why I agreed to coming here." You shake your head, laughing. Colby stops waiting for you to catch up to him and he leans in, kissing your head as he gives you side hug, "You love the adventure." 

You smile, nodding, "Yeah, I guess so." 

After a little bit more walking, the feeling of it being just the three of you, quickly started to subdue. 

"We are really in the middle of nowhere." Sam says and Colby blows out air, "We've been walking, guys, for like ten minutes maybe? Fifteen?" 

"fifteen." Sam nods, "Yeah probably. I just checked though, we have zero service, too." 

Sam pans the camera, "We are really out in the middle of the woods, alone." 

Suddenly a noise from the woods catches all of your attention, getting you all to stop in your tracks. 

"What the fuck was that?" Sam whispers and Colby shrugs, whispering quickly, "Wait, whoa whoa." He turns, pointing to the woods. 

Sam steps around and you move close to Sam. 

"What? What was that?" Sam whispers and Colby presses his finger to his lips before pointing, and staring out at the woods. 

Sam pans the camera to the direction Colby's pointing. 

All you hear right now is the crickets and buzzing of other insects. 

You feel a slightly eerie feeling wash over your body and you take a quiet and slow deep breath. 

Colby's stare is held on the woods as he brings his hand to the side of his neck, "Alright, let's just.. keep moving, I guess?" 

You walk down the dark path, all on high alert. 

The woods were scary, and being told not to go there was even scarier. 

"I think I see it." Colby said and you feel a slight bit of relief, mainly because you were over walking right now. 

"What?" Sam questions and Colby shines his light ahead of him more, "I think that is it up here." 

"Oh fuck dude." Sam says and you and Colby stop and look at Sam. 

"What?" You and Colby say in unison. 

"This-this light just died." Sam says and you take a deep breath as you tilt your head back, "Great." 

"You're lying." Colby says, walking up to Sam. Sam shakes his head, "No this light had like thirty five minutes of battery left.. look at it." 

Colby walks up to Sam and looks down at the camera that's pointed to the ground, "Let me look." 

"Look. It's out of battery." Sam states and Colby shakes his head, "Okay. Let me film that because no body is going to believe that." 

"Right there." Sam points to the screen, "That is actually so strange." 

"Is this one charged at least." Colby questions and you lay a hand on your forehead, looking around. You feel eyes on you but you don't see anything whatsoever. 

"Yeah, that one is charged." Sam nods, "That's the graveyard?"

"I think." Colby answers and Sam points to the camera, "And this just died?" 

"What the fuck." You mumble, running a hand through your hair, "what the fuck." 

There's a sound behind you and you all turn around, "What was that?" Sam whispers and you shrug, staring out into the woods. 

Sam lays his arm over you, moving you back with him as he steps backwards, "Footsteps, footsteps." 

Colby grabs your hand, pulling you with him as you run away from where the sound came from. 

"I'm just scared of like, what's taking the energy. Like why did we get lured out here? And then what's like-" 

Sam cuts Colby off, "Wait, dude. What if all of our lights just go out? Like there's no way we're gonna be able to get back." 

"No I know." Colby nods as he continues walking, "that's why we should make this quick." 

You walk up to the gravestones and sam shines the camera, "Here it is." 

"This is it." Colby adds, "This was like, a lot more overgrown last time we were here." 

You walk ahead a little more, shining your light on the stones as you walk by to stay with Sam and Colby. 

"All the graves, guys." Sam says as he shows the camera. 

Colby bends down in front of one, "George. George baker." 

Sam whispers the camera away, "What the fuck was that?" 

Colby continues, "Another George." You tap Colby to get his attention and you point to Sam as he speaks, "Footsteps. Footsteps. Footstep, dude!" 

Colby shines his light into the trees and Sam follows it with his camera, "What the fuck is that? Dude." 

You move between Sam and Colby, your heart beating faster and faster with each second. 

You're all silent for a little bit as you look around to try and find the source of the sound. 

"Is that tree-" 

Sam cuts Colby off, "Something moving in the tree." He shakes his head, "Alright, let's just go over to James."

You move around to walk over and Sam sighs, "oh god, I can't see shit, dude." 

Colby shines his light, making sure you're good before shining it onto a grave, "Oh wait, it's this one." 

Sam points the camera, "There it is." He bends down slightly, "James had a god dang pentagram as if he was getting summoned into the house." 

Sam talks about James and you zone out, the guilt of going to the basement slowly consuming you again. 

"Eighteen sixty five. That's a hundred years before the Perron's were even here." Colby faces the camera and Sam nods, "These people might know, what's been in the woods. You know, if they've been here for this long.." 

Colby nods, "okay so we have the EMF and we brought the Alice box, right?" 

Sam nods, "Yeah." He looks to you and you raise your hand, "Yeah, I have it." 

"Last time the Alice box gave us pretty much the direct intentions-" Sam stops talking, panning the camera out into the darkness. 

You and colby shine your lights on the tree before Sam goes back to talking, the direct intentions of the people that were out in the woods so hopefully they can give us that again." 

You walk over, standing next to Colby as he takes the camera from Sam. You take your backpack off, getting out the Alice box for him. 

Sam takes it before walking over to crouch down in front of James' headstone, "James. We came here a couple years ago. I don't know if you recognize us, you came back to the conjuring house with us. We're really just.. coming out here to look for some answers." 

He pauses before speaking again, "lot of people are scared of the woods." 

The box beeps and Sam looks down, "Oh fuck." He stands up, looking between you and Colby, "Dude." 

"What?" Colby asks and Sam holds the box up slightly, his stare on Colby. 

"Knife." The box plays and Sam repeats it, "Knife." 

"Knife!?" You and Colby ask at the same time. 

"First word is knife?" Sam asks, completely shocked. 

"What's that even mean?" Colby asks and Sam looks back down at the box as it beeps, "Late." He looks up, "Late at night?" 

Colby shrugs and you wrap your arms around yourself as Sam asks more, "Do you happen to have any idea who the man from the woods is? He's being very cryptic with the way he was telling us to come out to the woods." 

You press your fingers to your lips, watching as Sam moves around to set the equipment against the stone. 

After a few minutes, the box beeps again. 

Sam leans down and Colby gasps, reaching out to point, "Oh that just spiked up!" 

"Violent?" Sam reads and the box replays the word, "Violent."

All three of you shout out the word, shocked. 

"What ever was out here." Sam starts, "In the woods, a couple of days ago, was trying to attack us." 

"You said, violent-" 

The box beeping cuts Colby off and Sam leans down, "Violent land!" 

A sound causes Sam to look to his right, and Colby moves the camera, "What!? What!?" 

"I saw- I just saw something move to the right." Sam points and Colby taps you with his hand, "Wait, point your flashlight over there." 

You point your flashlight and the Alice box beeps again, "Spell." 

Colby whips the camera back to the stone and you keep your light to where Sam saw something, but you look over at the boys. 

"Spell." Sam says and Colby tilts his head, "The alphabet." 

You stare out at the trees, zoning out for a second before the beeping of the alice box causing you to look over, "Levitation." 

"Levitation!" Colby says loudly as Sam yells, "Oh my fucking god." 

"Oh fuck." You shake your head, "There's no way." 

"Wait wait wait." Sam whispers quickly, "does that mean from the thing from the woods, was the thing that caused the levitation of the seance in Nineteen seventy four?" 

"I don't know." Colby answers, "But it's like threatening a violent levitation, like I can do that, too." 

Sam covers his mouth, same as you, "Oh my god." 

"Or it, it, it's just mocking the story." Colby says quickly, right before the Alice box beeps again, "Cycle." 

"Oh fuck." Sam says looking up at Colby. Colby holds his hand out, "It's like it's gonna happen again." 

Sam repeats, "It's gonna happen again." 

You shiver slightly, "This is fucking wild. What the fuck, I don't like this." 

Colby looks at you and Sam, "I don't like this." Sam nods, "I don't like this at all." 

The box beeps again, "Alignment." 

All three of you repeat the word in unison, "Alignment." 

"Something's about to happen." Sam waves his hand in front of him, "Levitation. Violent land." 

"Colby. Colby." You tap him a few times and point, "There's like.. a light or something over there." 

Sam stands up, walking over to you guys and turning to look where you're pointing, "A light? Where?" 

"Yeah, there's like a flash of light over there." Sam point and you and Sam shine your flashlights in the direction it's coming from. 

Your flashlight dies and you look up at Sam shocked, "What the fuck?" You look down as you tap it a few times against your hand, "it's.. it's not working." 

Colby scoffs, "I don't like that we only have one flashlight now." 

"I'm actually really anxious about that." You say and the Alice box beeps, catching all of your attentions. 

Colby bends down with the camera, "Fight."

Sam repeats the word in a whisper and Colby stands back up, "What's that mean?" Sam shakes his head and Colby sighs, "We're gonna have to fight? It- dude. It's all like, malicious words. The fact that it said levitation, and cycle, and alignment?" 

"Yeah, it's like something's about to happen." Sam stares up at colby who nods, "Yeah, it's like this is about to be the same thing, every few years." 

Colby takes a deep breath, "So how do we figure out who we're talking to? I think that's the main thing here." 

Sam stands up, looking at colby, "How bout this.. we're not talking to anybody else. Just you..." 

As Sam continues asking questions and talking, you start to feel dizzy again. 

Your heart starts racing and you can feel your hands start to shake, just like they did in the basement. 

You close your eyes, trying to calm yourself down, but you start to feel like not yourself anymore. 

You can tell that you're taking slow steps backwards, and you know that you shouldn't do that. You don't want to do that. 

You open your eyes and gasp for air, it was almost like your breath was being held. 

Sam and Colby's whip their heads around and Colby walks back to you, "Whoa, hey. What's happening?" 

You shake your head, breathing heavy, "As.. Sam was.. talking.." you take a breath, holding it for a few seconds before you blow out the air, "I felt myself get dizzy, so I closed my.. eyes to try and get it to stop and I felt myself taking steps backwards. It felt like I wasn't breathing because when I-I opened my eyes I just gasped." 

Colby wraps his arm around you, looking back at Sam, "okay, let's just go ba-" 

"No." You cut him off, "I'm fine." 

Colby states at you, "Y/n. I don't want you getting hurt. That's not why we're doing this." You nod, "I know, Colby. I know, but I want to keep doing this. This is.. this is stuff we need to get. If anything else happens, I'll tell you but.. I'm not stopping here, we're already deep into this." 

Colby glances back to Sam and Sam shrugs, "She knows her limits, Colby. If she wants to keep going, I say we move to another spot because we aren't getting any names here." 

Colby nods, looking back at you, "You sure you're fine?" 

You nod, "Yes, Colby. I'm good." 

He nods, taking your hand in his as you follow Sam to a new area. As soon as you stop walking, Sam holds up the Alice box, "Dog." 

The Alice box goes off, "Dog." 

Sam's head snaps to his left and Colby moves the camera to his right, "What is that!?" He asks, fear coating every word. 

Sam shines his flashlight and Colby gasps, "What the fuck is that!?" 

"That.. sounds like breathing." You whisper, holding onto Colby's arm, "What the fuck." 

"Yeah, that sounds like.. h-heavy breathing." Colby pulls you close to him as he keeps the camera on Sam who tries to mimic the sound. 

"Dog." Colby whispers after a moment of silence. Sam stares at Colby with his jaw slightly dropped. It drops more when the heavy breathing sound happens again. 

"That's fucking insane." You whisper leaning out around Colby to look where Sam has his light shining. 

Colby puts the camera back on Sam as he speaks, "Wait, that sounds like.. like an, instrument or something." 

Sam imitates a horn sound and Colby nods, "Yeah, that's like a bass. I don't even know how to describe that." He walks a few steps away and Sam continues to ask questions, "What is that coming? Do you know?" 

Colby stop, turning back around. Sam's voice goes down to a whisper, "Wait, wait. Voices." 

Colby nods, "Voices, voices, voices. Wait!" He turns the camera to his right and then back to Sam, "I'm turning this off." 

Colby switches the camera light off and Sam turns his flashlight off, leaving you in total darkness. 

You get a strange feeling, feeling like you're back in the basement of the house. 

You keep yourself calm, trying not to panic because this is a feeling you do not like, at all. 

"Fuck." Sam curses, "What do we do." 

It's quiet for a few seconds, then Colby speaks up, "Is that you, in the woods?" 

The Alice box beeping causes you to jump, "Shit." 

Sam whispers right before the Alice box says the word, "Teacher.. who is the teacher?" Sam switches his flashlight back on, 

Colby gasps, his voice slightly louder, "What was that? That- dude." 

"It's coming." Sam whispers and the next thing you know, Colby grabs your arm and is pulling you along as he walks away, Sam following.

"I don't want to go too fast." Colby whispers, turning back to look at Sam, "Because like, I actually think somebody's over there." 

You stop and Colby shakes his head, "I'm not kidding." 

The light turns off and you listen for a few seconds before Colby whispers, "You hear that?"

"No." You answer in a whisper. Sam shakes his head, "No, no I don't." 

"Just wait. Just wait." Colby whispers quietly, squeezing your hand that's clinging to his, "Something is making noise." 

"Something over there." Sam says as he's lit up by the red light blinking. Colby turns his head, "Now it's this way." He turns his body and sam turns too, "There's more voices?" 

Colby turns again, "Now it's this way." 

"Okay." Sam starts, "We're getting fucking surrounded." 

"Again, again, again." Colby says taking over talking, "Okay." 

The Alice box beeps and everyone waits for it to speak, "Dave." 

Your heart falls into your stomach and you instantly feel your mouth watering like you're about to throw up. 

"Oh my god." You lay your hand that isn't in Colby's, on your forehead. 

"Dave, if you want to come back to the conjuring house with us, please follow us right now, we gotta go back." Sam speaks in one quick sentence. 

"Please." Colby pleads and Sam keeps talking, "there's people surrounding us, we gotta go" 

Colby holds your hand tight as he pulls you along with him, running after Sam. 

"Wait, we don't have a light!" Colby yells after Sam to get him to stop. Sam turns around as you and Colby catch up to him, "Then we gotta stick together real close." 

You guys run a little bit further before slowing down, "Look dude I don't want to go too fast."

The Alice box beeps and Sam looks down at it. Colby moves closer and the box sounds, "Special." 

"Special?" Colby asks and Sam looks around, "Dave is special?" You walk a little bit more and Sam looks around, "there's probably actually people or something in the woods because we're hearing like weird voices-" 

"Wait, wait, wait." Colby whispers, getting everyone to stop. You press your body against his back, closing your eyes as the feeling of puking returns. 

What?" Sam asks and Colby leans in to whisper, "I just wanna see if we can hear what's actually out here." 

It's silent, nothing but the insects for a few minutes. 

"Is that a dog?" Colby asks, "It said dog." 

"Dogs." Sam says with a nod. 

"We're in the middle of the woods. That makes no sense." Colby whispers and Sam looks at Colby, "We're two miles in the middle of the woods-" 

Sam stops talking as a noise close by makes you all freeze. 

"What was that?!" Colby asks loudly. 

"It literally sounds like a war horn or something." Sam says and Colby mimics the sound, "rrrrrrr." 

"Like I said. Something is fucking about to start-"

Colby cuts sam off, "That's not like a car engine." Sam shakes his head, "No way. We should probably actually get back." 

Sam looks at the battery percentages of the lights, "And our light's like halfway done, yours is out. Hers is out, too." Sam looks around for a second, "There's tons of dogs around." 

Colby nods, "Okay. Let's go." He squeezes your hand, "Let's go." 

The main focus for all of you right now, is getting back to the house. 

Which you do, about twenty minutes later. 

You make your way into the house, your eyes land on the door to the basement as soon as you walk in. 

Your mind flashes back to you sitting down there in the chair, and you shiver as you remember the clinking sound that happened all over again. 

"Everyone alright?" Sam asks as he walks through the door. 

"Yeah I'm good. Are you good?" Colby pokes your shoulder and you nod, forcing a smile up at him, "Yeah, I'm good." 

He nods, looking to Sam, "Ready?" Sam nods and Colby holds the camera up towards Sam. 

Sam sighs, "Dude. We just got back to the house." He reaches back to close the door, "And it says one start of battery. We left and it was full. These things should last like, five hours?" 

"Something was draining our power out in the woods." Colby's says and Sam nods, "genuinely. All of it. Something was taking a lot of the energy to follow us back. We invited it back." 

Colby tilts his head, laughing slightly, "That could have been a mistake." 

Sam pauses for a second, glancing over at you then back to Colby, "Well find out." 

Colby turns the camera off and looks at Sam, "Are we ready?" 

Sam stares at Colby and laughs nervously, "Now or never right?" 

Colby looks at you, "Are you ready?" 

You swallow, "I'm making myself not have a choice." You laugh and Colby walks up to you, embracing you in a hug.

You could cry. 

You could puke. 

You knew once you said something it was going to be a rough next couple of hours, even a day. 

"Alright." Sam claps his hands together, "Let's do this."

Sam takes the camera and walks over to the door. 

Colby walks over, standing off to the side and you're right next to him. 

It felt like your heart was going to beat right through your chest. You weren't afraid of the basement. You were scared of how much disappointment Colby was going to feel when you finally told him. 

Which you decided was going to be right now.

Sam reaches forward, grabbing the knob to twist. He pulls the door open.

Colby takes a deep breath, "Ahhh, my heart.. started beating faster as soon as I looked down there." He nods, looking to Sam then back to the stairs, "Abigail. Hopefully you were following us in the woods, but please, please please, I know you don't like it in the basement.. please follow us down here. We won't be too long. We need your help." 

You get into a line, Colby first. Then you. Then Sam. 

You felt like you were shivering because you were shaking from being so nervous. 

Your heart was beating loud and hard. 

Colby glances back, "Ready?" 

Sam answers, but all you do is nod one time. 

Colby goes down the steps, you force yourself to follow and Sam is right behind you. The camera light illuminating the stairwell. 

You completely miss their commentary about the stairs. Your heart was now beating in your ears. 

You knew that it wasn't you, that was down there last night. But you know Colby wasn't going to focus on that right away. 

His mind is going to go to you being down there in general. 

You reach the bottom and you lay your hand on your cheek. You can feel how nervous your arm by the warmth on your hand. 

"Wait." Colby looks at you and Sam, "It's just us this time. This is the first time we're alone in the basement." 

You sigh, forcing the words to come out of your mouth, "it's not." 

Colby's head snaps towards you, "What did you just say?" 

You clear your throat, "It.. um.. it's.." your voice goes quieter, "Not the first time.. for me." 

Colby just stares at you, trying to fathom what you just said to him. 

"Wait.. so.. you came down here? Alone? When?" Sam asks and you look at him, voice still quiet, "Last night." 

"What do you mean last night?" Colby asks, "I don't.. I must not.. understand what you're saying." 

"It wasn't.. um.." you wipe the sweat from your palm onto your jeans, "It wasn't me.. like.." you sigh, "It was me.. but it wasn't me, like I didn't feel like myself." 

Colby looks away, jaw cocked slightly as he tries to wrap his mind around what's happening. 

His silence was deafening. 

After a few moments, Sam breaks it, "Can you elaborate, like what do you mean it wasn't.. you?" 

You look down, trying to not look at Colby because it would just make it harder for you to talk, "I.. um. I heard my name.. being called. A few times actually. Um, then I seen a figure walk past the door way." 

"Wait. Something walked past the door?" Sam asks and you can feel Colby's eyes on you, so you just nod. 

"And then what happened." Colby states, his voice a little deeper, clearly with anger. 

You look up at him, "I heard a door open, I wasn't sure which one u-" 

"Until you got up and came down here?" Colby scoffs and Sam sighs, "Colby, just let her explain."

Colby motions and you swallow again "I tried waking both of you guys up, but neither one you heard me." 

"Obviously you didn't do a very good job, now did you?" Colby shakes his head and you sigh, "Colby, I'm telling you. Something took over me. Something made me come down here. I was sitting up for a few minutes, I tried laying back down but something actually told me, whispered, go, and I just.. went." 

"That's so weird." Sam says and you nod, looking at him, "Sam. I am deathly afraid of this basement, I told you guys this when you asked me to come out for a night or two. I never wanted to come down here, let alone all by myself. When I tell you that I had absolutely no fear at all about coming down here in the middle of the night, that honestly scared me more than this because you both know I wouldn't just do that." 

"Where did you go?" Sam asks and you point to the table and chairs, "I literally just sat, right there in that chair." 

You look at Colby and he smacks his lips as he wipes his face. He stares at the place you pointed to and stays silent for a few seconds before breaking his own quietness, "I just.. thought.. when we, uh.. first came here that we made a promise to each other not to come down here alone." 

You clench your jaw, "Colby." Your voice breaks slightly, "I didn't feel like I had much of a choice." 

He licks his lips, looking down at the items in his hand. 

"I-I felt like I needed to come down here, like I just-" you sigh, "If I could have just went to sleep I would have done that." 

Colby leans back as he looks at you, not saying anything. 

He was mad. Disappointed. 

He pushes his lips together, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he thinks about what he wants to say next. 

"Colby.. she said something to- you can't blame y/n." Sam sticks up for you, "You and I both know that this house is.. this house is way beyond something else." 

Colby sighs, "I-" he pauses, "I get that.. but like.." he looks at you then to Sam, "We said we would go to the basement, together for the first time." He looks to you, staring at you for a few seconds before speaking, "So that's like.." he shakes his head, "I'm not gonna lie, it still just.. sits a little bit wrong with me." 

He shrugs, "and that you wouldn't try and wake one of us up harder, you know?" His arms fall to his sides, "This was, like.. a big moment.. for us, Sam." 

"I don't think you're actually under-" Sam is cut off by Colby, "She took that.. for herself." 

You close your eyes as they start to burn, "I'm sorry." Your voice cracks again, "To both of you."

You open your eyes looking up at Colby slowly. He has his jaw clenched, lips pressed tightly together as he avoids looking at you. 

"Do you know what time it was when you got up?" Sam asks lowly and you shrug, "I think it was almost three, or maybe three exactly?" 

Colby nods, looking towards you but his eyes are on the floor. 

"I just heard my name a few times and then something whispered go and that's when I just wasn't me, Colby. You have to believe that I mean it when I say I'm sorry." 

He nods, running his tongue along his teeth on the inside of his lips, thinking about the situation, "I mean.. I just wish.. you know, that you would have woke me up before.. like, it would have been nice to know that something was trying to take over my fucking girlfriend." 

"I know." You whisper looking down and Colby shakes his head, letting out a sigh, "Honestly I don't even really want to keep talking about it right now. So let's just.." 

"Colby." You walk up to him and he avoids eye contact, "I didn't do it for the camera, or for the channel, or for my channel. I didn't even do it for me." 

"But you knew what you were doing?" He looks at you and his stare sends a shiver down your spine, causing the words you want to say to disappear. 

You nod, "Yeah bu-" 

He cuts you off, shaking his head, "It's fine. I get it. It's all good." He walks into the room with the table and chairs and you look at Sam. 

He walks up, laying a hand on your back, rubbing gently, "It's fine. We'll talk more about it after we're done here." 

You nod, wiping under your eyes before you follow Colby into the room. 

"Dave, the trickster.. Abigail. Whoever's down here, we are gonna be doing the Estes method, and we also believe this is the easiest way of communication." Sam says and you just stand there, staring at the table. 

"I actually have an idea." Sam points to Colby, "Before we do the estes method." 

A sound causes Colby's eyes to go wide and he points at Sam and Sam gasps, "What the fuck was that?" 

Colby holds his hand up, listening to see if the sound happens again. 

You were honestly terrified to be down here again. You wanted to move next to Colby but you weren't sure how that would go. 

You wrap your arms around yourself, trying to console yourself silently as they continue. 

"Dude." Sam says quietly and Colby leans back, "Footsteps." 

"What the fuck is that?" Sam whispers quieter and Colby answers, "That was footsteps." 

You step closer to the table, voice as quiet as theirs, "I heard footsteps when I was down here, right after I had a vision of a soldier looking in the upstairs window." 

Sam snaps his head towards you, "No fucking way." 

You nod, glancing over at Colby. He looks at you and looks away, not wanting to talk about it. He points to the wall, "But it sounded like it was in the wall." 

Colby reaches out, knocking on the wall, "It was like deep inside." 

Sam pans the camera, "If that was you knocking.." he pauses, looking down. Colby steps towards him, "What?" 

"I don't know." Sam shakes his head, "just felt like something was grabbing my foot." 

"Your foot?" You and Colby say at the same time, but Colby doesn't laugh like usual. 

"Yeah, it was like hard to-" 

Colby yells, cutting off Sam, "Oh fuck. There's something on me." 

"What? For real?" Sam asks walking over you move closer to Sam and lean over to look at Colby's leg. 

"For sure, there's some-" he sets his stuff on the table and leans down, pulling up his pant leg slightly, digging in with his fingers. 

"what is it?" Sam asks and Colby stands up, putting something on the table, "I don't know." 

"Tick?" Sam asks and Colby points with his two fingers, "It was a fucking tick." 

"Oh god." Sam groans and you cover your mouth, paranoid that you have one or two on you. 

"I knew there was something on me." Colby exclaims, stepping back. He leans down, "Shit man, that is so gross dude. I hate ticks." He picks it up and leans over, flicking it down the well, "go in the well." 

"Speaking of the well." Sam starts, " A lot of the things that we've gotten, and a lot of things we've talked about, is the water could be the catalyst for activity." 

You raise your brows, "Oh shit." 

"What if we.. kinda like how we did in the Dracula's castle episode, why don't we grab some of the well water and use that to maybe like, summon something here." Sam pauses, "If things are coming from that well, at least maybe that's like a trigger object, you know?" 

Colby nods, "Yeah. Do we have anything to get the water out with?" 

You look around for something and Sam scoffs, "wait, dude. This just turned off." He looks up at Colby, "As soon as you touched- it just did it again." 

"See!" Colby says with his hand pointing to Sam. 

You walk over to Sam, looking down at the camera and he nods, "Yeah, it just turned off again!" 

"It's not just me." Colby shrugs while holding his hands out to his sides. Sam nods, "It's not just you." 

Colby nods, "So maybe it was a warning, not to do that." 

"Are you still going to do it?" You ask looking between them. Colby looks down at the well for a few seconds before looking up at Sam with a smirk on his lips. 

His eyes go to you then back to Sam, still smirking, "Yeah." 

"Oh god." You laugh slightly, "How the fuck are you going to get it?" 

Sam looks from you to Colby and Colby laughs, "Sam. Hold my ankles." 

Sam hands you the camera and walks around to Colby and bends down. Colby gets down on his stomach and grabs the cup. 

Sam grips Colby's ankles as he inches himself forward a little bit more. He blows out air, "Catch yins on the flip side." 

He leans down, groaning as he stretches to reach the water, "Oh god " 

"I promise you're not going anywhere." Sam says, groaning as he holds Colby's ankles down. You can't help but laugh at this situation. 

It's just so.. them. 

Colby's saying something but you can't really understand him because he's laughing. 

"You good?" Sam asks and Colby answers, "Yeah I'm just gonna go forward a little bit." He inches forward some more, stretching down more. 

As they're getting the water, you feel an uneasy feeling, but you just brush it off. 

"You got it?" Sam asks. 

"Yeah, I got it." Colby answers. 

In a strained voice, Sam says, "He got the well water." 

Colby comes back up, setting the cup of water on the ground with a groan. You put the camera on Colby and he sighs, pointing to his shirt, "XPLR merch, down below." 

You hand the camera back to Sam and step to the side. Sam looks at you, "You good." You sigh quietly, nodding, "Yeah." 

"Shit dude, I ruined everything." Colby says as he brushes himself off. Sam tries not to laugh, "It was well worth it." 

Colby looks up, glaring at Sam and Sam laughs, "get it?" 

You laugh and walk around to sit down in a chair and you watch as Colby moves to sit next to you, Sam next to Colby. 

Sam leans forward, setting the camera down on the other side of the table to get you all in frame. 

"This looks oddly familiar." Colby says and Sam nods, "literally learned the Estes method in this house, two and half years ago." 

You watch as Colby puts on his blindfold and you hand him the headphones. 

Sam looks at Colby, "Let's try and figure out who's trying to fuck with us." 

"Weird full circle moment." Colby says as he brings the headphones to his ears, but stops, resting his hands back on the table, "Yeah, so as a recap real quick.. Dave.." 

Your stomach drops when you hear his name now. 

".. is the soldier.." Colby continues but Sam butts in, "Who's been following us for like four days." 

Colby continues, "For four days, but we initially talked to him with the Estes method out in the back yard, and then he follows us to the woods by the campsite.." 

You look around, squinting your eyes behind Sam. You stare for a few seconds before looking away. 

"Hopfully Abigail is still here and guides us in the right direction. Please, Abigail." Sam looks up at the ceiling and you turn your head slightly, smiling as you feel the same loving brush on your shoulder, "she's here."

Sam looks at you and Colby turns his head towards you, "How do you know?" 

"She touched my shoulder." You swallow, "She did it before." 

"And you know it's her?" Sam asks and you nod, "Oh yeah." 

"Hmm. Alright. That makes me feel a little bit better." Sam laughs slightly, "Alright. You ready?" 

"Let's do it." Colby says and as soon as he puts on the headphones, "Reason." 

"Yeah we're trying to figure out the reason why you like us so much." Sam starts, "Why you want us out into the woods." 

"Works." 

Sam reaches over between you and Colby, whispering as he moves the cup of water towards Colby more, "We also have the well water." 

"What do you want with us?" Sam asks and Colby answers right away, "Sex." 

You raise a brow, "Huh?" 

Sam blinks, smirking slightly, "Alright, are you just fucking with us? Are you the trickster spirit?" 

"Me." 

"Can you give us a name?" Sam asks and Colby is silent. Sam looks up, "Okay. Are you a solider?" 

It's silent again and you lean forward, "Sam." He looks up at you, "What's up?" 

"When I came down here last night, I asked if it was the trickster spirit. And whoever, whatever it was kept telling me the woods." You say and he tilts his head, "Huh, that would make sense. Wait, is that why you got dizzy in the woods?" 

You shrug, "I don't know. It could be. I was thinking about that, though." You nod, "I just thought I'd tell you now so you know who didn't get mad again." 

He nods, "Yeah, I get it." 

"Run." 

"What do you want us to run from?" Sam asks, "unless it's Abigail?" Sam looks over at you, "like warning us?" 

You shrug, "That, I don't know." 

"Is it something dangerous?" Sam asks and there's no answer for a little bit. 

"Injury." 

You and Sam both look up at the ceiling confused.

"Science." 

"Oh my god." Sam whispers and you look at him, "what the fuck was that?" 

Sam looks from Colby to you, "everything's moving." He goes to say something else but Colby cuts him off, "Us." 

Your eyes stay on Colby and you get a sick feeling in your stomach. 

"Fall." 

"Do you want to hurt us?" Sam asks and you lean in, "Sam, I feel sick." He looks at you, "Are you okay? Do you need to step out or something?" 

"I'm not going alone. I'll be fine." You take a deep breath, "I'm good." 

"Friendly." 

"Okay. So you're friendly. Is this Abigail? Are you trying to lead us somewhere else, make sure y/n is okay?" Sam looks at you and Colby answers, "Stone." 

"There's a lot of stones around here." Sam says and his tone makes you want to laugh, he sounded so done. 

"Oh, Sam. Another thing. When I got that vision of the soldier looking in the window, there were footsteps before and then I asked if it was watching you and Colby.." you start and Sam nods, "Yeah?" 

"That's when that weird hold on me went away and I booked it back upstairs because footsteps were coming towards me but I couldn't see anything." 

"Stab." 

Sam keeps his stare on you, "it said knife in the graveyard." You nod and Colby speaks up, "He had to go." 

"Are you a murderer?" Sam asks and there's no answer from Colby for a little while. 

"James." 

Sam's eyes go wide and he jumps back, "James!" He covers his mouth with his hands. You cover your mouth, eyes wide, "No fucking way!" 

"That's the soldier from the secret grave." Sam looks to you and over to Colby before looking back at the table, "James. Is this you that we're talking with?" 

Instantly, Colby answers, "yes." 

Sam's mouth drops open, "Fuck yeah." He rests his hands against his chin, "Okay. Thank you. Who is this man from the woods?" 

You start to feel dizzy again. You lay your head in your hand as Sam continues to ask questions. 

"Here." 

"James thinks the man from the woods is here." Sam says and you lift your head. 

"He's pointing fingers." 

"What does he want with us?" Sam asks and it's a few minutes before Colby answers, "Rule."

"He wants to control this.. area? Is the man from the woods actually powerful, or is he just tricking us?" Sam pauses, "James can you answer? Are you just fucking with us?" 

You shake your head as you look away from Colby to Sam, "I feel.. like there's something here, like.. around us." You motion, "Like a constant presence that's moving around." 

"Yes." 

Sam stares at you, "He's not actually gonna hurt us, right? Nothing can happen?" 

You wipe your hands on your thighs, "This is fucking scary." You take a slow, deep breath and exhale quietly. 

"Future." 

A minute or two of silence goes by, "Use." 

"What, are you gonna use us?" Sam asks confused and Colby answers, "Help." 

You and Sam both look at Colby, staring at him. 

"James, do you need help?" Sam looks away and back to Colby, "How can we help you?" 

You both stare at Colby, waiting for a response but nothing. 

"Tell us how we can help, actually this time." Sam looks around and you feel like hairs on the back of your neck stand up. 

"There's definitely something here, Sam." You whisper so quiet you weren't sure if Sam actually heard you. He looks over at you, nodding and his voice is just as quiet as you, "Yeah." 

"Water." 

"Is that how you get your power?" Sam motions to the cup, "We got a little of the well water right here." He looks at you and his eyes move up to above your head, like he's following something that's moving away from you. 

"You." 

"Are.. are both James and the man from the woods still here?" Sam asks and there isn't a response from Colby for a few minutes. 

"Yes." 

Your mouth, along with Sam's, drop open, "Oh shit." 

"Dave." 

You and Sam look at Colby, asking in unison, "Dave?" 

Sam looks at you, "are there three people now?" Sam asks, "James. Dave. The man from the woods?" 

"Fool." 

"Fool." Sam repeats slowly.

"I'm back." 

"I'm back.. as if he's been talking with us." Sam looks up at you and back down to the table, "Man from the woods, have you been with us this entire time?" 

Sam pauses, waiting for a response but nothing happens for a few minutes, "You." 

"Yeah, have you been with me and Colby?" He looks up at you, "or have you been with y/n?" You tilt your head down, shaking your head as you blink slowly. 

"Woods.. Us.." 

"Us and the woods? We were all in the woods." Sam says and there's a knock, causing you to jump slightly, "Fucking hell." 

"In." 

"We were all in the woods." Sam repeats, "Man from the woods, what is your name?" Colby instantly answers, "Yeah." 

"I don't-." Sam rests his hand on his chin, totally consumed and Colby speaks, "Me." 

"Yeah yo-" 

Colby cuts Sam off, "I am." 

"Are you-" Sam stops talking, looking at you confused, "Have you been-" 

"Hello?" 

You and Sam look at Colby and Sam stares at him as he speaks, "Hello.. have you been with us the whole time, It-" Sam is completely baffled by what you're getting back from Colby. 

"Are you Dave?" Sam asks, keeping his stare on Colby. 

You're so scared that you know you're going to jump when either Colby or Sam breaks the silence. You were so on edge right now, you didn't want to sit through another Estes method. 

But you are. 

"No." Colby moves his head slightly, "It's meee." 

Sam looks away, letting his hands fall in front of him, "What the fuck?" He looks at you and you lay your hand on your mouth, shrugging as you shake your head. 

"No, then it's me?" Sam whispers and Colby butts in, "Moon." 

"Dave. Are you a soldier? Answer me. Who are you Dave?" Sam asks and another few minutes of silence go by, "Don't." 

"You've been following us for four or five days." Sam leans forward, resting on his elbows. 

"Again." 

"Why don't you want to tell us who you are?" Sam asks, set on finding out who this spirit is. 

"Sam." You lift your finger, pointing to the green camera light that's getting brighter by the second. 

He shakes his head, letting out a sigh and Colby speaks up, "Yours.. friend." 

"You want to be our friend?" Sam asks and Colby instantly answers, "Happy." 

"Okay.. you like when we come talk to you Dave?" Sam asks and there's more silence before Colby answers, "Lake.. turn around." 

You and Sam both instantly look behind you, a weird feeling in your stomach building up. You look forward at Sam and sigh, "This is intense." 

He nods, "Are you.." he looks to his other side, "Are you right behind us?" Sam stays looking behind him as Colby answers, "Unlock." 

"Unlock? Thats what it said about the door. Is the person down here right, the person that locked the door on us two years ago?" 

"What?."

"Do you remember us? Cause we were here two ye-" 

Colby cuts Sam off, "Yes." 

"So were you the person th-" 

"Yeah!" 

Sam covers half of his face, "Fuck.. Dude.." He turns to Colby, fighting back the urge to tap Colby. He lays his hands on the table and before he says anything else, Colby speaks, "Here.. This.." 

"Are you calling-" 

Colby cuts Sam off, "Friend." 

"His friend, was the one who locked us in the basement two years ago." Sam looks at you and taps the table with his fingers, "Is this friend of ours, this happy friend, the same person as the man from the woods? Are you the one calling us to the woods?" 

"Yeah." Colby answers and you get a chill down your spine. That feeling like you're about to puke returns. 

"Fuck." Sam leans forward. 

"Smile." 

Sam reaches out, grabbing Colby's shoulder speaking quickly, "Dude. Dude dude dude." 

You lay your hand on Colby's opposite shoulder, "Colby." 

Colby takes off the head phones and pulls the blindfold down. His hand lays over his eyes as Sam grabs the camera, "I actually think this thing that's been following us the entire time, Dave.." 

Colby keeps his hand over his eyes, "Mhm." 

Your fingers rub gently over his jacket as Sam continues to speak, "Is.. the man from the woods. I don't think Dave is a soldier." 

"Wait, why do you say that?" Colby asks, blocking the light with his hand.

You keep your stare on Colby, making sure he's good as Sam keeps talking. 

You feel that guilt feeling all over again. You don't want to feel it, not only does it make you feel upset, but you didn't want the spirits feeding off the negative emotion. 

"But Dave was the soldier, because when we talked to him with the Estes method, like he was the one that came from underground." Colby says and Sam nods, continuing to talk. 

Colby leans back and you drop your hand, leaning back as he speaks, "Wait. So you're saying he's been the one that's been stalking us since day one?" 

You look from Colby to Sam, sitting there listening to them talk back and forth about what happened while Colby was doing the method. 

You feel goosebumps form on your skin and you shiver. 

"Let's check if he locked the door one more time." Sam says and you all get up, walking over to the steps. 

Colby reaches back, grabbing onto your hand to pull you in front of him so you're not last on the stairs. 

You look up at him and he just stares down at you, fighting back a smile because he still wants to seem mad. 

You smirk slightly and walk ahead of him. 

"The doors wide open? That's also bizzare, too. I thought we closed it." Sam says, turning around to look at Colby.

"When we went up and got.. the water cup? We might have-" Colby's cut off by Sam, "Oh, okay." 

"You know what I just realized, too?" Colby asks as you walk out into the room, "when we first came to the basement, yesterday." He closes the door, but then opens it back up, "We did a ritual where we were saying soldier, soldier, soldier. What if that was just instantly telling, like the trickster as well, that we were trusting the soldiers too much?" 

Colby closes the door, "Like duh, he's gonna act like a soldier to get on our good side." 

Sam switches the green light back to the regular, white light, "Wait, the first day we did an investigation right here with Amanda. We opened the basement door and something came up and hit the REM pod." 

"So you could have just let out, Dave, the trickster spirit from the basement and then ever since then he's been following us."

A knock causes you to jump and Colby wraps his arm around you, "What was that?" 

"What was that?" Sam asks turning the camera, "It was like a knock on the front door." 

Colby walks over, checking it out and you watch, making sure you don't see anything in the windows. 

After a few minutes, Colby walks back, "Okay. Are we ready to go back down?" 

Sam nods and you stand there, hesitating on how you want to answer, "Um.. I don't.. know." 

"Do you feel comfortable going back down?" Sam asks and you sigh, "I mean.. yeah.. I just.." you shake your head, "Yeah. Let's just do it." 

"Y/n. If you don't-" 

You cut Sam off, "I'm good." 

They don't argue anymore and walk over to the door. Colby first, then you, then Sam. 

You make your way back down, sitting down at the same like you were before going up stairs. Sam ties the blindfold on and Colby looks at him, "Ready?" 

Sam nods, "Yeah." 

Colby switches on the static sound, "See how loud that is guys?" He looks into the camera and Sam puts on the headphones, immediately saying something, "Two." 

"Two." Colby thinks, "there's still two of you here? I believe we were just talking to-" 

Sam interrupts Colby as he continues to speak, "Young." 

"Out." 

"Hi." 

You get instant chills and Colby looks at you, "Every single time I talk it's just talking over me." Colby looks up, making his voice louder, "Dave. Are you with me?" 

A few minutes goes by, and Sam breaking the silence causes you to jump, "Here." 

"Why do you want us to go to the woods so bad?" 

You close your eyes, trying to keep that sick feeling at bay as Colby keeps trying to get answers. 

"Evil girl." Instantly after, "Abigail." 

You open your eyes, looking at Colby and you repeat her name at the same time. 

"He would.. the trickster, or Dave, would think that Abigail is evil-" 

"Dead." 

"Dave I need you to be clear with me, why do you want us to go to the woods?" 

Sam doesn't say thing for a few minutes, but within those few minute, you reach out, laying your hand on Colby's arm and his hand goes to lay on yours, "What's up?" 

"I don't feel like it's just us again." You shake your head, "Someone else is here. Something else, or whatever. We're not alone." 

"Down." 

"Person."

Colby looks from you to Sam, and back to you. 

"Blame." 

"So if there's other people down there as well, is that what you're saying? Other spirits that you know?" Colby asks and Sam responds, "Seven." 

Colby's mouth drops and he leans back, "we've been getting seven all the time.." 

"Line em' up." 

"Are these seven spirits dangerous?" Colby asks and you jump as something brushes against your leg. You refuse to look, mainly because you're scared. 

"Who are these seven spirits in the woods with you? Are they other earth bound spirits, possibly?" Colby asks and you sit there in silence, awaiting a possible answer from Sam.

"With you." 

You look at Colby, "Is that why I don't feel like it's just us?" 

"If there's seven spirits with us now.. I mean.." 

"Basement." 

Your eyes go wide, "seven spirits here. In the basement." 

"Do you have a plan to do something to us is we go to the woods?" 

Sam answers Colby immediately, "Spooked." 

You nod, your voice quiet, "Yeah, we're for sure spooked." 

"Why didn't you scare us when we were there earlier tonight?" Colby asks and you look between him and Sam, wishing you weren't scared enough to leave the basement alone. 

"Was that you making noises in the woods? Were you trying to scare us?" 

Sam doesn't answer, he just sits there. 

"Find out." 

You feel like your skin is crawling with the cryptic responses. You were so on edge right now, you wanted to leave and never come back. 

Colby looks at you, "That's the same thing is said yesterday.. come find out." 

You place your elbows on the table, holding your head between your hands. 

"Are you okay?" Colby whispers and you nod slightly, "I'm starting to get a headache." 

"I promise." 

"What's gonna happen?" Colby asks and there's another long pause, the pain in your head growing worse by the second. 

"Trauma." 

You look up at Sam and you close your eyes. 

"Stone." 

"Stone?" Colby questions and you lean back slowly, taking a deep breath as you rest your hands on the table. 

The pain in your head is slowly dying down. 

Colby continues asking questions and you feel that feeling of not being alone creep in again, this time it's more of a heavier feeling. 

You can feel it, weighing down on you like something is pressing on your shoulders and you're resisting. 

"It's time." 

"I can sense." 

The feeling disappears and you slam your hand on Colby's arm, "I just felt like something was weighting down my shoulders and when Sam said it's time, it went away." 

"Is that plan happening now? When is it going to happen? Were you just touching y/n?" Colby asks, glancing from Sam to you, "Why would we come back there if you're saying you're going to attack us?" 

"Pause." 

"Dude." Colby rubs his eyes and you sigh, "i have a question, were you the one we were talking to two years ago?" 

"You're scared." 

Colby laughs slightly, "we were terrified." 

"Don't record." 

You glance to the camera and back to Colby. 

"Dave.. do you call yourself Beelzebub?" 

"I dare you." 

You all sit there in silence, you mainly thinking about everything. 

"I like you." 

"At this point, we just know you're trying to get on our good side. So, it's not gonna work." 

"Family." 

"Do you do this for a specific reason?" 

You lay your hands on your head, resting your elbows on the table. 

Your headache returns. 

"Heaven." 

"Do you get power from scaring people?" Colby asks and you swear you hear a knock, but before you can say anything, Sam cuts you off, "Come in." 

"It's the same thing. He's not answering any questions. It's the same things.. just come to the woods." 

"My head hurts again." You look at Colby and he leans in, "Do you need to leave?" 

"I'm not going by myself. I'll be fine." You take a deep breath, "it was hurting just a few minutes ago.. stopped, and now it hurts again." 

"Did it do this when you were down here-"

Sam cuts Colby off, "Alone." 

"No." You answer quickly, "It didn't." 

"You know, that makes sense though, the owner did say the best way to get evidence is to be alone." Colby looks at you, snapping his head to Sam. 

"He's ready." 

You point to Sam, "Colby. Look at him." 

Colby watches Sam and tilts his head, "He's like.. shaking.." He looks at you, "I'll pull him out of this in a second.." 

You nod, sitting up and watching Sam intently. He shakes his head back and forth, just acting weird. 

"Colby, I don't .. I don't like this." You look at Colby and he shakes his head, "Yeah neither do I." 

"Thank you." Sam says, sounding normal. 

Colby just stares at him as he places a hand on his shoulder. Sam reaches up, brushing his other shoulder before moving to take off the headphones. 

Colby moves his hand and Sam brushes his shoulder again, almost in a panic to take off the blindfold. 

"Why you acting like that?" Colby asks, kind of worried. 

"Dude." Sam shakes his head, hand still on his shoulder, "I-" he stumbles over his words before he stands up, moving behind Colby, "It felt like someone was leaning in like this." 

He demonstrates and Colby looks at you, eyes wide, "Isn't that-" 

"Uh huh." You nod, "I felt that same thing." 

"It felt like it was pushing me down." Sam moves to sit down and Colby nods, "Yeah your legs were shaking. I stopped it mostly because y/n kept getting headaches and I wanted to see, like what you were doing." 

"I don't think I've ever felt an Estes method like that.. I don't.." he looks between you and Colby, ".. Was I like.. it literally felt like-" 

"Just pressure on your neck and shoulders?" You ask and Sam nods, "Yeah, the pressure." 

"It was your legs that were freaking me out because you were just like starting to twitch and like-" 

Sam cuts Colby off, "that's what I'm saying like, the Zack Bagans thing.. my legs were tensing up as if I needed to like, move or I'd get up.. it was just fucking weird." 

"Okay let's just.. get out of here. We can talk about it all upstairs." Colby stands up, "How's your head?" He looks at you and you nod, "It's fine again."

"The camera turned off." Sam says and Colby goes to grab it. He turns it back on and it shuts off again, "it just turned off twice, in a row, right when I grabbed it.." 

"Alright let's just get upstairs." Sam says and you all start to gather the things from the table. Colby yelling causes you to jump, "Three times!?" 

"Let's just go. Let's go." Sam says and it turns off again, "What's fucking happening? I'm holding it with my left hand because I'm holding this." Colby shows his hand and you turn your head, almost like a scuffling abound capturing your attention. 

"Guys." You hold your arm out towards them but the camera shutting off has their attention. 

You look back at them, then back into the darkness and the same footsteps that came after you while you were down here alone, come after you again. 

You let out a yell, moving to stand between Sam and Colby.

"What!? What what?!" Colby asks wrapping his arm around you. 

"Footsteps. Like footsteps running towards me just happened and that same thing happened last night when I was coming back up the steps." You lean into Colby and he sighs, "We need to be recording." 

"Here. I'll just.." Sam starts recording on his phone. He explains what you heard and Colby holds the camera out, "Guys. Look look." 

"It's just turning off." Sam says and Colby holds it back up, "Look watch. Are you gonna do it again? Turn off the camera." 

Sam shakes his head, "Dude, I just don't think we should fuck with it like that." 

"No that was five times in a row, Sam." Colby argues, "You got that right?" 

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I got it." Sam says. You sigh, "I think we just need to get out of here." 

You all go up the steps, stepping out the door way and you take a deep breath, "Oh my god." 

"It's still turning off." Colby says, and suddenly the light goes off, causing you all to yell. 

"This is a brand new light." Sam says, "let's just go outside." 

As you go outside, Sam pulls the door shut, "What the fuck is happening." Colby shrugs, "I don't know dude. Something is trying to delete the footage." 

They go back and forth about it for a second and then Colby looks at you, "Are you okay?" 

You nod, "No, yeah. I'm good. I feel better now that we're out here." You walk over to him, "Are you still mad at me?" 

He pulls you into a hug, "Were definitely going to talk about everything in detail when we get a second, but as of right now I'm just glad that nothing serious happened to you." 

"So you still love me?" You look up at him and he looks down at you, "Yes. Of course I love you. I love you, even when I'm mad at you." 

He smiles and leans down to peck your lips, "so are you sleeping with me tonight or are you-" 

You cut him off, "Going to a hotel? Yes. I'll see you in the morning." 

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

I hope you enjoyed this. I wrote so much my Wattpad started to slow down and didn't keep up with me so I'm sorry if there's any major mistakes. 

Thanks for reading! Love yas! 

Likes and reblogs are majorly appreciated!

[lenny-thequeen1]

Unexpected Joy Married!LeonX F!Reader

Author: I hope you guys enjoy this! Truly<3

You and Leon had just gotten back from your honeymoon and you have a pleasant surprise

FLUFF! talk of pregnancy and birth. 8.8K words

You had been back in Raccoon City for a few days, and the weight of reality was slowly settling in after the blissful escape of your honeymoon. The buzzing of city life was a stark contrast to the tranquil seclusion of the island you and Leon had just left behind. But amidst the hustle and bustle, something felt different within you.

As you settled into your new home with your husband, you couldn't shake the strange sensation in your stomach. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was persistent, like a fluttering of butterflies that refused to settle. At first, you attributed it to the excitement of your recent nuptials and the transition back to everyday life. But as the days passed, the sensation only grew stronger.

You tried to brush it off as just an odd feeling, but as you lay in bed one morning, you realized that the sensation was accompanied by waves of nausea and dizziness. You sat up in bed and rubbed your temples, trying to shake off the feeling. Maybe it was just a mild flu or something you ate.

One evening, as you and Leon were sitting on the couch watching TV, he noticed the pensive look on your face and asked, "What's wrong, babe?"

You turned to him, hesitating for a moment before confessing, "I don't know. Something just feels different within me. I can't quite put my finger on it."

Leon's expression softened, and he took your hand in his, "Do you want to talk about it?"

You nodded, feeling relieved to have someone to confide in. As you explained the strange sensation in your stomach, Leon listened intently, his brow furrowed with concern.

After a few moments of silence, he spoke softly, "Have you taken a pregnancy test?"

You froze for a moment, your mind racing. You hadn't even considered the possibility. But as you thought back to the symptoms you had been experiencing, it suddenly made sense. "No, I haven't yet." You let your voice get soft and barely heard.

Leon's eyes searched yours, filled with concern and a glimmer of hope. "Do you want to take one now?" he asked, his hand gently resting on your knee.

You nodded, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. You and Leon had talked about starting a family, but you didn't expect it to happen so soon after your honeymoon.

Leon stood up from the couch and offered you a hand, helping you up as well. You gently take his hand and smile at him to try and hide your growing anxiety.

"Let's go get a test," he said with a reassuring smile, his eyes full of love for you. "we'll figure it out together."

His words brought you a sense of comfort and relief, knowing that you weren't alone in this. It wrapped around you like a warm fuzzy blanket. You nodded and followed him out the door, still feeling the fluttering sensation in your stomach.

As you walked to the store, you couldn't help but think about the potential changes that could be coming your way. Being a parent was a huge responsibility, and the thought of it made your heart race with excitement and nervousness. You both knew Raccoon City would make it more of a challenge to raise a child in but you knew you'd have Leon there.

Once at the store, you and Leon quickly found the pregnancy test aisle, and he picked out a few different tests for you to try. You felt your nerves getting the best of you as you headed to the checkout, hoping that nobody would notice the items in your basket.

As you were about to pay, you heard a familiar voice call out your name. "Hey, (Y/N), is that you?"

You turned around to see Chris Redfield walking towards you, a surprised look on his face. "Chris!" you exclaimed, happy to see your friend but also nervous about him noticing the pregnancy tests in your basket.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Chris asked, walking up to you and giving you a friendly hug.

"We were just getting some things," you replied, trying to sound casual. "you know? The usual."

Leon stepped forward and extended his hand. "Hey, Chris. We just got back from our honeymoon and needed to restock on some essentials."

Chris shook Leon's hand, his eyes flickering over to the items in your basket. "Oh, I see," he said with a small smile. "glad to see you guys back here!"

You felt yourself blushing, knowing that Chris had likely noticed the pregnancy tests. "Well, it was great seeing you Chris!" you said quickly, hoping to move on from the awkward moment.

But Chris wasn't ready to let you go just yet. "Hey, why don't you guys come over to my place later? I was going to grill up some burgers and catch up on old times."

You looked over at Leon, who gave you a small nod. "Sure, that sounds great," you replied.

"Awesome, I'll text you my address," Chris said, grinning. "See you later!"

As you left the store and started to walk home, you felt relieved that the awkward encounter with Chris was over. But at the same time, you couldn't shake the feeling that he had noticed the pregnancy tests and that the news of your potential pregnancy would soon spread beyond just you and Leon.

You and Leon continued to walk back home, and as you entered your house, you couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The thought of having to face Chris later and possibly having to reveal your pregnancy made you anxious.

Leon sensed your unease and wrapped his arms around you. "Don't worry about Chris. He's just excited to catch up with us. And if he does find out about the pregnancy, it's not a big deal. We were going to tell people eventually anyway."

You nodded, grateful for Leon's reassurance. You knew he was right, but you still couldn't help feeling nervous about the prospect of telling others. "I guess I should take these huh?" You awkwardly laugh as you dig out the pregnancy tests from your bags.

Leon chuckled softly and kissed your forehead. "Yeah, I think that would be a good idea. It'll put your mind at ease." He pulls you into a tighter hug and rubs your back before continuing. "I'll be right outside the door waiting for you baby, I promise."

You nodded and headed to the bathroom to take the tests, with Leon following close behind. You turned into the door and flicked on the light, a small click sound can be heard. The warm light revealed that the bathroom was a cozy space, painted in soft shades of blue and white, with a large frosted window letting in natural light. The tiled floor was cool underfoot, and the white porcelain sink and toilet gleamed in the light. A small wooden cabinet hung on the wall, stocked with various toiletries and essentials. A framed painting of a serene beach scene hung above the toilet, providing a calming presence in the space. The bathroom was small but functional, and you felt comfortable and at ease as you prepared to take the pregnancy tests. You turn to close the door and notice Leon sitting right in front of the door on the opposite wall, giving you a smile of reassurance.

As you took the pregnancy tests out of the bag, you felt a surge of nerves wash over you again. You had been trying to conceive, but the reality of potentially being pregnant was hitting you hard. You opened one of the test boxes and read the instructions carefully, trying to follow them to the letter.

As you worked on taking the test, you could hear the sound of water running from the kitchen sink as Leon washed his hands. His presence gave you a sense of comfort, and you appreciated that he was giving you space while still being there for you. You finished taking the test and set it aside to wait for the results, feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety and a slight pang of excitement.

Looking around the bathroom, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the peaceful space. The serene beach painting and soft blue tones of the walls helped to calm your nerves, and you found yourself taking deep breaths to center yourself. The bathroom felt like a safe haven, a space where you could process your emotions and thoughts.

As you waited for the test results, you couldn't help but think about the changes that could be coming. A baby would mean a whole new chapter of your life, with its own joys and challenges. But you knew that whatever the test revealed, you and Leon would face it together.

As the tests processed, you found yourself lost in thought. But soon enough, the results appeared, and your heart raced as you looked at the small screens. Positive. Positive. Positive.

You gasped, feeling a mix of shock and excitement. You sat on the floor for a few minutes, staring at the tests. Your thoughts get interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Baby?" Leon's voice calls through the door to you. "My beautiful lady? Is everything okay in there?"

You quickly composed yourself and stood up, tucking the tests into your pocket. "Yeah, everything's fine," you called back, trying to keep your voice steady. "I'll be out in a minute."

You took a deep breath and opened the door to find Leon standing there, looking at you with concern etched on his face. "What happened? Did something go wrong?" he asked, taking your hand in his and gently kissing the top of it.

You smiled at him, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "No, everything's okay," you said, holding up the tests. "I'm pregnant, Leon. We're going to have a baby."

As you looked into Leon's warm blue eyes, you felt your anxiety start to melt away. He always had a way of making you feel safe and loved, no matter what was going on in your life. You could practically see the gears turning in his head as he looked at you. It felt like a dream to you both and you weren't sure if its true.

"I'm pregnant," you whispered, showing him the positive pregnancy tests once more. Leon's eyes widened in surprise, but then a huge grin spread across his face. This snapped you both back into reality, it wasn't a dream. It was true.

"We're going to have a baby!" he exclaimed, pulling you into a tight embrace.

You couldn't help but smile at his excitement, feeling your own joy and anticipation grow. You and Leon had talked about starting a family before, but the reality of it all was still sinking in around you both. "What if Chris DID see the tests earlier?"

"Of course, we'll tell Chris when we're ready," Leon continued, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. "And until then, let's just focus on us and our little miracle. We have so much to be grateful for, and I can't wait to start this journey with you."

You looked up at him, feeling a rush of love and gratitude for the man in front of you. "I love you," you said, your voice filled with emotion as he rubbed your back.

As you hugged him back, you felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over you. No matter what challenges lay ahead, you knew that you and Leon would face them together, as a team.

"I love you," you whispered again, feeling tears of happiness starting to form in your eyes. "I love yo so much!"

"I love you too, my beautiful lady," Leon replied, kissing the top of your head. "Let's go celebrate our new little miracle."

Just as soon as he finished his sentence your phone pinged with a message from Chris, containing his address details.

You felt a small pang of nerves at the thought of facing Chris, but the excitement of the news soon overpowered it. You grabbed your bag and headed out of the bathroom with Leon, feeling his hand warm and reassuring in yours.

As you made your way to Chris's house, you couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation building up inside you. You were excited to share the news with your friend, and you knew that he would be over the moon for you both. You both park the car right in front of Chris's house and begin to walk up to the door, hand in hand.

Chris opened the door before you even had a chance to knock, a wide grin spreading across his face as he pulled you both into a tight embrace. "Welcome back, you two!" he exclaimed, giving you both a quick hug before stepping back to take a good look at you.

"Something's different," he said, his eyes scanning over you both. "Did you get a new haircut or something?"

You couldn't help but laugh at his remark, feeling your nerves start to dissipate. "Actually, Chris," Leon said, a smile spreading across his face. "We have some big news to share with you."

Chris's eyes widened with excitement as he gestured for you both to come inside. "Well, don't leave me hanging, guys! What's the big news?"

You exchanged a quick glance with Leon before taking a deep breath. "We're expecting," you said, your voice filled with emotion. "Actually just found out today."

Chris's face broke out into a wide grin as he pulled you both into another hug. "Congratulations, you guys! I'm so happy for you!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine joy.

You both step into his cozy living room, taking in the familiar surroundings. The couch is adorned with fluffy pillows, and the walls are lined with bookshelves filled with books of all genres. Chris offers you both seats, and you sit down next to each other on the couch. As you all sat down in the living room, Chris couldn't stop asking questions about the baby - when it was due, if you knew the gender yet, what names you were thinking of.

"Hey hey woah, slow down cowboy." Leon chuckles and holds your hand, gently rubbing circles on the top of it with his thumb. "We haven't found all of that out yet."

"I can't wait to meet the little one," Chris says, grinning from ear to ear. "I know you two just found out but we need to plan the baby shower!"

You couldn't help but feel grateful for his excitement and support, and as you looked over at Leon, you knew that this was only the beginning of a long and beautiful journey together.

You smile at Chris's enthusiasm, but couldn't help feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the questions. "We just found out, Chris," you say, trying to keep your tone light. "We haven't even thought about those things yet."

Chris nods understandingly, but you can see that he's still bursting with excitement. "I can't help it, I'm just so happy for you guys," he says, leaning back on the armchair across from you. "I've known you both for so long and I've seen how much you love each other. This baby is going to be so lucky to have you as parents."

You feel your eyes starting to tear up at Chris's words, and Leon squeezes your hand again. "Thank you, Chris," he says, his voice filled with emotion. "We're so grateful to have you as a friend."

Chris smiles, his eyes sparkling with warmth. "I'm always here for you guys, you know that," he says. "Now, let's celebrate! I've got some snacks and drinks in the kitchen, and we can start planning the baby shower while we're at it. I don't care if I'm grilling. I want to help you guys!"

You laugh at his excitement and look over at Leon, who's eyes are sparkling with as much joy as Chris. You feel a surge of gratitude for Chris, how excited he was for the both of you all over again since the time he found out you two were engaged. You stand up from the couch, feeling Leon's rough but gentle hand in yours, and follow Chris to the kitchen. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm cinnamon rolls fills the air, and you can't help but feel comforted by the homely aroma.

As Chris starts pulling out plates and cups, he turns to you both and asks, "So have you thought about any names yet? Boy or girl?"

You and Leon look at each other, smiling at the thought of naming your future child. "We've talked about a few names," you say, feeling a sense of warmth spreading throughout your body. "But we want to wait until we find out the gender first."

Chris nods, taking a sip of his coffee. "Well, let's brainstorm then. We'll come up with the perfect name together."

As you all sit around the kitchen table, snacking on the delicious treats and brainstorming baby names, you couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the love and support of your closest friends. This journey may have just begun, but with Leon and Chris by your side, you knew that everything would be alright. "Okay, what if you have the girl be Lillie, or Laila?" Chris says as he slowly takes a drink of his tea.

Leon looks at you, a soft smile on his face as he says, "I like those names, but what about Emilia or Isabella?"

You nod in agreement, feeling a sense of excitement building up inside you. "I also really like the name Ava," you suggest.

Chris nods, "Ava's a beautiful name. And for a boy, what about Ethan or Samuel?"

Leon chimes in, "I also like the name Aiden or James."

You smile and chime in. "Well I was thinking maybe if its a girl her name would be Kaieda or even Kinsley and if its a boy I was thinking maybe something along the lines of Darian or Maverick."

Chris looks thoughtful for a moment and then nods. "I like those names, they're unique but not too out there. And they all have a nice ring to them." He takes another sip of his tea and looks over at Leon. "What do you think, man?"

Leon smiles and squeezes your hand. "I love them. Especially Kaieda and Darian. They're beautiful names."

As you all continue to chat and snack, the topic of the baby shower comes up again. Chris pulls out a notepad and pen and starts jotting down ideas. "Okay, so we need a venue, a theme, decorations, food, and games. And of course, we need to make sure it's perfect for our little miracle!"

Leon laughs and looks at Chris. "Already deciding the little one will call you uncle now?"

Chris chuckles and shrugs. "I mean, I'm just putting it out there," he says, grinning. "But seriously, I'm so excited for you guys. Being a parent is the best thing in the world, and I know you two will be amazing at it."

You smile at Chris's words, feeling a warm sense of pride and joy. "Thanks, Chris," you say, giving him a grateful smile. "It means a lot to have your support."

Leon nods in agreement. "Yeah, we really appreciate it," he says. "And we couldn't do this without you guys. You're like family to us."

Chris smiles, looking genuinely touched. "You guys are like family to me too," he says, his voice filled with warmth. "And I can't wait to watch your family grow."

Leon grins and nods. "We're definitely going to need all the help we can get," he says, giving your hand a squeeze.

Chris nods in agreement. "Anything you guys need, just let me know. I'm happy to help with anything, from planning the baby shower to babysitting once the little one arrives."

You feel your heart swell with gratitude as you look around at your two closest friends. They were both so excited for this new chapter in your lives, and you knew that their love and support would be invaluable.

As you continue to snack and chat, the conversation turns to more practical matters, like decorating the nursery and finding the right pediatrician. You take notes on Chris's suggestions for baby-proofing the house, while Leon talks about his research on strollers and car seats.

As the evening wears on, you all start to feel a little tired, but the excitement and happiness of the evening makes it hard to leave. Finally, you all exchange hugs and promises to keep in touch, and you and Leon make your way back home, feeling grateful for the support of your closest friends. You both unlock the front door to your home and are greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The living room is spacious and cozy, with soft lighting and comfortable furniture that invites you to sit down and relax. The walls are adorned with beautiful paintings and photographs of you and Leon on countless trips and a lot of wedding photos, each one holding a special memory or meaning.

The kitchen is modern and sleek, with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods fills the air, making you feel right at home. The dining area is just off the kitchen, with a large wooden table and matching chairs that can comfortably seat your family and guests.

As you make your way upstairs, you'll see the bedrooms. Each one is unique, with its own style and personality. Your bedroom is peaceful and calming, with soft colors and comfortable bedding that invite you to snuggle up and unwind. The spare bedroom is full of boxes that hold more memories, but soon it will be the nursery for the baby.

Leon takes your hand and leads you to the spare bedroom. "We have some work to do," he says with a grin. "We need to start clearing out this room and making it a nursery. But we can start tomorrow, we've had a long and exciting day today." He pulls you in from behind and holds you, planting soft kisses on your head and neck as you both take in the final look of the spare room now.

You lean back into Leon's embrace, feeling safe and loved. "Tomorrow we can start planning and designing the nursery," you say, turning around to face him. "But tonight, I just want to be with you."

Leon nods, his eyes sparkling with understanding. "Of course, my love," he says, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "What do you want to do tonight?"

You think for a moment, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. "Maybe we could watch a movie or just talk," you suggest. "Just something low-key and relaxing."

"Sounds perfect," Leon says, giving you a soft smile. He leads you to the living room, where Chris is sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in his hand. You and Leon look at each other, surprised since you both just managed to settle back in for the night.

"Hey lovebirds," Chris says with a chuckle as he notices your entrance. "What's the plan for the rest of the night?"

"Just a low-key night in," Leon replies, sitting down next to Chris. "Maybe watch a movie or something to unwind before sleeping. I didn't know you came by to check on us."

Chris nods, taking a sip of his wine. "Sounds good to me and I thought maybe i could stay over tonight and be able to help you guys tomorrow," he says with a grin. "What are we watching?"

You and Leon exchange a look, both grateful for Chris's presence and his willingness to help. "We were thinking of watching something light and funny, maybe a romantic comedy," you suggest, settling into a cozy armchair. "Its been a wild day."

Chris nods in agreement. "Sounds perfect to me. Let me go grab my bag from the car and I'll be right back."

As he leaves, Leon takes your hand and gives it a gentle squeeze as he brings it up to his lips before kissing the top of your hand. "I'm so glad Chris is here," he says softly. "I feel like we're not alone in this journey."

You nod, feeling the same way. With your home, your friends, and each other, you knew that you could handle anything that came your way. As Chris returns and the movie starts, you all settle in for a relaxing night in, filled with laughter, love, and the comfort of knowing that you had each other. You sat across Leon's lap as he gently rubbed your shoulders, occasionally leaning down to kiss your head and back. Chris smiles and laughs at the corniness of the movie.

The room is cozy, illuminated by the soft glow of the TV and the warm ambiance of the lamps around the room. The sound of the movie fills the air, occasionally interrupted by laughter and playful banter between the three of you. You feel grateful for these moments, these simple moments that bring you so much joy and contentment.

As the movie nears its end, Chris yawns and stretches his arms. "Well, I think it's time for me to hit the hay," he says with a smile. "But I'll be up bright and early to help with the nursery."

"Here let me get you some spare blankets and pillows." You smile and slowly get up before you go into the downstairs hallway closet and open it up. Soft blankets and pillows were stored in there and you carefully pulled out two pillows and a thin blanket to give Chris.

You and Leon thank him and bid him goodnight as he heads off to the guest room. Leon turns off the TV and takes your hand, pulling you into a warm embrace. "Let's head to bed, love," he says, his eyes shining with tenderness. "I need you well rested."

You nod, feeling the exhaustion of the day catch up to you. You follow Leon upstairs to your bedroom, where he helps you change into your pajamas before joining you in bed. He kneels before you and gently kiss your belly. "Hi my little one, its daddy. I'm sure you cant hear me just yet, but I am so ready to meet you. Uncle Chris is already helping us prepare for you." He softly whispers against your stomach and gently rubs it. "And between you and me. Your mom will always be the most beautiful mom. No matter what. Now don't give her too much trouble as you grow inside of her okay?" He gets up and kisses you softly and lovingly.

As you snuggle up together, you can't help but feel grateful for the love and support of your partner and friends, and the cozy sanctuary of your home. You drift off to sleep with a smile on your face, ready to take on whatever comes your way with your loved ones by your side.

The morning sun filters through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room. You stretch and yawn, feeling well-rested and refreshed. As you sit up, you take a moment to look around the room. The soft colors and comfortable bedding make you feel at ease, and the sunlight streaming through the windows fills the room with a peaceful energy. You slowly wiggle your way out of Leon's sleeping grasp and gently place a kiss on his temple before opening your bedroom door. You step out into the hallway, feeling the plush carpeting under your bare feet as you make your way to the spare room.

You notice the spare bedroom door slightly ajar, and you remember the work that you and Leon had planned to do. You find Chris already hard at work, moving boxes and furniture around. The room looks vastly different from the night before - the boxes have been cleared away and the space is now a blank canvas, ready for you to transform it into a nursery. You look at the light beige walls that welcome the room.

"Good morning," Chris greets you with a smile as he wipes the sweat from his forehead. "I assume Leon's still sleeping so I figured I'd get a head start on this."

"Thank you Chris, I couldn't have asked for a better friend. " You smile and start to pick up the lighter boxes and take them next to the attic drop down stairs.

Chris nods and continues moving the larger furniture pieces. "No problem, happy to help out. You two have done so much for me over the years, it's the least I can do."

As you work together to clear out the last of the boxes and clean up the room, you start to discuss ideas for the nursery. You both agree that you want it to feel warm and welcoming, with a touch of whimsy. You discuss colors, themes, and furniture options, bouncing ideas off of each other until you come up with a plan that you're both excited about.

As the morning turns to afternoon, Leon finally wakes up and joins you in the nursery. He looks around with a smile, impressed by the progress you and Chris have made. "Wow, you guys have been busy," he says with a grin as he walks over to you and kisses you all over your face then your stomach. "It's starting to really look like a nursery now."

You fill him in on the plans for the space and he nods in agreement, happy with the direction it's heading. As the three of you work together to bring your vision to life, you can't help but feel grateful for the support of your loved ones and the excitement of starting this new chapter of your lives together. You excuse yourself to go sit down for a few minutes and take some deep breaths, hoping to calm your stomach.

Chris notices your distress and comes over to check on you.

As you take a few deep breaths, you notice Chris bringing over a glass of water and a pack of crackers. "Thanks, Chris," you say, gratefully taking the offering. You nibble on the crackers and sip the water, feeling the nausea slowly subside. Leon comes over and sits next to you, rubbing your back gently.

"Are you feeling better, sweetheart?" he asks with a concerned expression as he gently tucks a stray (h/c) strand away from your face.

You nod, feeling the support of both of them lifting you up. "Yeah, it's passing. Thanks for being here for me."

Chris smiles warmly. "Of course, that's what friends are for. And we'll be here for you every step of the way."

As the three of you continue to work on the nursery, you feel a sense of joy and excitement build up inside you. This is not just about preparing a room for a baby, but also about building a future as a family. As you decorate the room with cute baby furniture and toys, you can already imagine your little one growing up and playing in this space. You can't help but smile at the thought.

"Hey, do you guys want to take a break and grab some lunch?" Chris suggests, breaking your train of thought.

"Sounds good to me," Leon agrees, standing up and stretching.

You nod in agreement, feeling a little hungry now that the nausea has passed. You pack up the tools and supplies and head out to a nearby café, laughing and chatting all the way there. This is exactly what you need - the support and love of your friends and partner as you embark on this exciting new journey together.

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

A couple months pass and your belly has started to show just a little bit. Leon has taken a liking to gently holding it and walking in front of you if you guys walked any where together.

As your pregnancy progresses, Leon becomes even more attentive and loving. He's always there to help you with anything you need, from rubbing your feet after a long day to bringing you a glass of water in the middle of the night. He even takes up cooking, experimenting with new recipes that he thinks will be good for you and the baby. Constantly making sure your prenatal vitamins are all stocked up and making sure you eat healthy.

One day, as the two of you are out for a walk in the park, Leon takes your hand and places it on your belly after you two sat down since your feet where hurting and he had finished rubbing your stomach. "Do you feel that?" he asks excitedly. "That's our little one, kicking."

You smile, feeling a flutter in your stomach. "Wow," you say, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "This is really happening."

Leon leans down and kisses your forehead. "Yes, it is," he says. "And we're going to be amazing parents."

You smile and look down, seeing the little kicks roll over your stomach. You looked at it with awe and pure bliss.

As the months go by, your belly grows and your baby becomes more active. Leon takes a liking to holding your belly and walking in front of you whenever you're out together, as if he's protecting both you and the baby from the outside world.

Chris, too, is excited to be an uncle and is always eager to help out in any way he can. He even comes with you to some of your doctor's appointments when Leon is away at work on missions, taking notes and asking questions so he can better understand what you and the baby need.

Together, the three of you prepare for the arrival of your little one, painting the nursery a soft, calming blue and filling it with everything your baby could possibly need. As the due date approaches, you feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness, but knowing that you have the love and support of Leon and Chris makes everything feel a little less scary.

You also attend prenatal classes together, learning about everything from childbirth techniques to newborn care. Leon is a bit apprehensive about the process, but with Chris, he jumps in with enthusiasm, eager to learn as much as he can to support you and the baby when you guys go over the lessons with him.

As your due date gets closer, Leon takes on more tasks around the house, making sure everything is clean and organized. Chris brings over meals and helps with any last-minute preparations, all while making you laugh with his jokes and stories. Leon lets you do light cleaning but whenever you try and do more than that he gently takes your hand and sits you on the couch with your current cravings and puts on your favorite show, even giving you your favorite blanket to cover up with. "You have to take it easy my love. You can pop any day now and I don't want you to run the risk of getting hurt." He looks at you with loving eyes.

You'd only sit for one episode before you got right back up and started to clean again.

As you clean up, Leon suddenly stops and turns to you with a mischievous smile. "Hey, love, we never did our gender reveal. Should we do it now?"

Your heart skips a beat as you realize he's right. You had both decided to wait until the baby shower to find out the gender, and with all the excitement of the day, you had completely forgotten.

Without hesitation, you both rush to the nursery and grab the large box that's been sitting in the corner for weeks. You call Chris over to help you set up for a gender reveal party and baby shower the next day for the next day.

You spend the rest of the evening decorating the nursery with blue and pink balloons and streamers, trying to keep the gender reveal a secret until the big moment. Chris suggests making cupcakes with blue or pink filling inside, and you all eagerly get to work in the kitchen.

As the cupcakes bake, you start to feel a mix of excitement and nerves. What if you don't like the gender? What if you're not ready for a boy or a girl? Leon senses your worries and pulls you into a tight embrace, whispering sweet nothings in your ear until you start to feel calm and reassured.

As the due date draws closer, the baby shower had begun by inviting all of your closest friends and family to celebrate the upcoming arrival of your little one. The living room is decorated with balloons, streamers, and a banner that reads "Welcome Baby!".

Your heart swells with happiness as you see everyone gathered together, excitedly discussing the baby's gender and making guesses about what he or she will look like. You feel so blessed to have such a wonderful support system around you, and you can't wait to share this new chapter of your life with them.

The gifts start pouring in, ranging from practical items like diapers and onesies to sentimental gifts like hand-knitted blankets and handmade toys. You feel overwhelmed with love and gratitude as you open each one, knowing that your baby will be surrounded by so much love and care.

you all gather around the table, holding your breath as you take your first bites. Chris takes a bite of his cupcake first, and a few moments later, he lets out a whoop of excitement. "It's a boy!"

Everyone erupts into loud cheers and clapping, mixes of congratulations and

Tears of joy flood your eyes as you look over at Leon, who's grinning from ear to ear. He scoops you up in his arms and spins you around happily, laughing with delight and his face lit up like the morning sun on a summer morning that shines bright and early. "We're having a boy, my love! I can't wait to meet our little man."

Chris joins in on the celebration, hugging you both tightly. "Congratulations, you two! This is going to be one loved and spoiled little boy."

You all spend the rest of the evening in the nursery, imagining what your little one will look like and what kind of person he will grow up to be. As the night winds down and everyone heads home, you feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for the next chapter of your life with Leon and your baby boy. Leon comes into the nursery and sits on the floor in front of you before kissing your hand.

"I can't believe we're going to be parents soon," he says, his eyes filled with love and wonder. "I can't wait to meet our little guy and watch him grow up."

You smile, feeling a wave of emotion wash over you. "Me too," you say softly, reaching out to stroke his hair. "I'm so lucky to have you by my side through all of this."

Leon leans in and kisses you deeply, his arms wrapping around you in a warm embrace. "I love you," he whispers.

"I love you too," you reply, feeling grateful for this moment of intimacy and connection.

Chris walks in and sees the two of you embracing. "Hey lovebirds, save some of that love for the baby," he jokes, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm sure he's wanting some attention right now."

You both laugh and Leon pulls Chris into the hug, the three of you sharing a moment of joy and anticipation for the arrival of your little one. Chris kneels and holds your stomach gently. "Hey little bug. Its Uncle Chris here, your mommy and daddy are so excited to meet you, even I am. But don't you come too early now, take your time but hurry up okay?" He chuckles.

You smile at Chris's sweet words and feel your heart swell with love for your little family. "Thank you, Chris. We can't wait for him to meet you too," you reply, placing your hand on top of his as he holds your belly.

"Well, I'll be going home. You know what to do if anything happens. Call me. " Chris smiles and gives you guys one final hug.

Leon leans in and kisses your forehead before standing up. "Alright, it's getting late. We should probably get some rest," he says, glancing down at your belly. "We don't want to exhaust you, my love."

You nod in agreement and the three of you make your way out of the nursery, turning off the light and closing the door behind you. Leon softly places a hand on your back as you guys head downstairs to go lock up for the night. He sits you down on the couch and kisses your lips lovingly, leaving the sweet light feeling against your lips as he walks to the front door and locks it, a small confirming click behind him before he comes back over to the couch and wraps his arm around your shoulder and places another soft kiss on your forehead. "So how does Darian Isaiah Kennedy sound for his name?" Leon whispers into your ear.

You look up at Leon, feeling a surge of warmth in your chest. "I love it," you reply, placing a hand on your stomach. "Darian Isaiah Kennedy. It's perfect."

Leon smiles, his eyes shining with pride and love. "I'm so excited to meet him," he says, rubbing your shoulder gently. "We're going to be great parents, you know that?"

You lean your head against his shoulder, feeling content and happy. "I know," you say, feeling a sense of calm wash over you. "We're going to be the best parents."

Leon wraps his arms around you tighter, holding you close. "I can't wait to start this new chapter of our lives together," he says, pressing a kiss to your forehead. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," you reply, feeling grateful for this moment of intimacy and closeness. You close your eyes, savoring the feeling of being in his arms, knowing that no matter what comes your way, you'll always have each other. "I'm excited for us and I am so grateful to have such an amazing and loving husband."

You two share soft kisses between one another with the occasional kisses to your belly from Leon to the little one. You couldn't help but laugh when one of the times the baby kicked his nose.

Leon chuckles as he feels the baby's movements against his face. "Looks like he's got some strong kicks already," he says, rubbing your belly gently.

You both sit in silence for a few moments, enjoying each other's company and the anticipation of your little one's arrival. You couldn't have asked for a better partner to go through this journey with than Leon.

As the night wears on, Leon helps you up from the couch and leads you to the bedroom, tucking you in and making sure you're comfortable before lying down beside you. As you lay in bed that night, feeling the little kicks and movements of your baby, you feel a sense of peace and contentment. You know that no matter what challenges lie ahead, you have the love and support of Leon and Chris by your side. Leon wraps his arms around you and holds you close, his warmth and presence comforting you as you drift off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, you wake up to a sharp pain in your abdomen, causing you to gasp and grab onto Leon's arm. "Leon, something's happening," you say, your voice strained with pain as you try to fight off a cry of agony. "The bed, I think my water broke."

Leon immediately springs into action out of a deep sleep, helping you out of bed and guiding you to the car. You both drive to the hospital, your heart racing with fear and excitement as you realize that the moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived.

Leon's hands are shaking as he helps you out of the car and into the hospital, the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he rushes you to the labor and delivery ward. You're both greeted by a team of nurses and doctors, who quickly assess your condition and begin preparing for the delivery.

As the contractions intensify, Leon never leaves your side, holding your hand tightly and whispering words of encouragement in your ear. His love and support give you the strength you need to push through the pain and focus on bringing your little one into the world. You cried at the pain and kept on pushing.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, you hear the sound of your baby's cries filling the room. Tears stream down your face as the doctor places your little one in your arms, and Leon's eyes well up with emotion as he gazes at the newest addition to your family.

"Welcome to the world, Darian Isaiah Kennedy," Leon says softly, his voice choked with emotion. "We love you so much." You both share a tender moment as a family, basking in the joy and wonder of the miracle you've just experienced.

You gently look over the baby in your arms and admire him. How his face is all scrunched up and his hand gripping your finger as he's fast asleep in your arms as you hold a blanket over you and Darian for skin to skin contact. Leon had stepped out of the room to call Chris to tell him the big news.

As you sit there with your newborn son, you can't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion. You're exhausted, but the adrenaline and love coursing through your veins are keeping you alert and energized. You feel a sudden urge to cry, and tears start streaming down your face as you look at Leon, who has just walked back into the room.

"Everything okay?" he asks, concern etched on his face.

You nod, unable to speak as you hand him Darian. Leon takes the baby in his arms and sits down next to you on the bed, tears of his own streaming down his face. The three of you sit there for what feels like hours, just staring at each other and marveling at the new life you've brought into the world.

As the sun begins to rise outside the window, a nurse comes in to check on you and the baby. She congratulates you both and informs you that everything looks good with Darian's health.

Leon leans over and kisses your forehead as he is gently rocking your son in his arms. "You did amazing, my love. I'm so proud of you."

You smile weakly at him, feeling a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that you've never felt before. You know that this is only the beginning of a long and challenging journey, but you feel ready to take it on with Leon. You slowly drifted off to sleep as Leon put your newborn son in the bassinet.

As you wake up from your nap, you see Leon sitting next to you, watching over Darian who is still sleeping soundly in the bassinet. You lean over and kiss your baby's forehead, feeling the warmth and softness of his skin against your lips. Leon looks at you with a smile on his face and takes your hand in his.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asks, concern etched on his face.

You nod your head and smile back at him. "Yeah, just a little tired," you reply. "and sore. The ring of fire is no joke." You laugh softly.

He stands up and walks over to you, helping you sit up and adjusting the pillows behind your back. He then hands you a glass of water and a snack to keep you energized. "You need to rest, my love. I'll take care of everything," he says, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead. "I'll wake you when he needs fed though okay?"

You lean back and close your eyes, feeling grateful for his love and support. The hum of the machines around you lull you back to sleep. After an hour or so, you woke to the sound of your son crying.

You opened your eyes and saw Leon already holding Darian in his arms, gently rocking him and cooing softly to him. "Hey there, little guy," Leon said, smiling down at the newborn. "It's okay, Daddy's here."

You watched as Leon expertly soothed your son, his confidence and tenderness filling you with warmth and admiration. As Darian's cries subsided, Leon carefully placed him back in the bassinet and turned to you, his face beaming with pride and love.

"He's perfect," Leon said, leaning in to kiss you on the forehead. "And you're doing great, too. You're a natural."

You smiled at him, feeling your heart fill with joy and contentment. As you watched your newborn son sleeping peacefully, you knew that this was only the beginning of a lifetime of love and adventure with Leon and your growing family. You couldn't think of anyone else in the world who you'd want more than to be the father of your child. You hear a soft knock on the door and it slowly opens to reveal Chris who had brought Darian a big dog plushie and you some food and flowers as a push present. "I hope I didn't disrupt, I wanted to come see the little bug." He smiles and looks at how messy you look and over at how tired Leon's eyes were.

Chris walks over to the bassinet, looking down at the sleeping newborn with wonder and awe. He reaches out a hand to gently stroke the baby's cheek, a smile spreading across his face.

"He's beautiful," Chris whispers, turning to you and Leon. "Congratulations, you guys. You did it."

"He defiantly has his fathers features." You smile and look over tiredly, before going to take off your breast pumps.

"Yeah, but I'm sure he will have his mothers eyes and smile." Leon softly laughs and looks at his son.

You and Leon both smile back at him, grateful for his presence and kind words. Chris then hands you the flowers and the bag of food, carefully placing the plushie in the bassinet next to Darian.

"I brought you some food and flowers as a push present," Chris says, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "And of course, the little guy had to have a big dog plushie to keep him company."

You thank him with a warm smile and take the bag of food, feeling your stomach growl with hunger. Leon leans over to give Chris a fist bump, thanking him for coming.

"It's the least I could do," Chris says, his expression turning serious. "You guys have been there for me through thick and thin, so I'm happy to be here for you now. Anything you need, just let me know."

You and Leon both feel touched by his words, knowing that you have a true friend in Chris. As you settle back into your comfortable position with your newborn, you feel grateful for the love and support of your chosen family. You open the bag of food to find that Chris had cooked you a steak and some fries, and even had packaged some fruit for you to eat. He even made extra for Leon to have too.

You thank Chris for the delicious meal and he sits down next to you on the bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping baby. "So, have you guys thought about what's next?" he asks, looking at both you and Leon.

You and Leon share a glance, knowing that there are so many things to think about now that you're parents. "Honestly, we haven't had much time to think beyond the hospital stay," Leon replies, his voice still hoarse from the emotion of the last few hours. "I just know that we need to make sure the baby monitor is working properly."

Chris nods in understanding. "Well, I'm sure you guys will figure it out. And don't forget, I'm always here to help with whatever you need," he says, giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze.

You feel a wave of gratitude wash over you, knowing that you have two amazing men in your life who will always have your back. As you sit there with your family, enjoying the warmth and comfort of their presence, you feel confident that you can handle whatever comes your way.

[red-jaebyrd]

A New Bird in the Nest

Summary: What if Jason survived Ethiopia and Bruce adopted Tim early? Jason has many insecurities about the new addition to Wayne Manor and it doesn’t help that Bruce has been avoiding Jason since he came back from the hospital. The fear of being replaced and pushed out looms over Jason and it all starts when a kid named Tim Drake moves in. This fic was inspired by this beautiful piece of art by @ky-landfill

It had been almost three months since Ethiopia and Jason was still walking on eggshells around Bruce. Lately Bruce was all clipped tones and clenched jawed whenever Jason attempted to start a conversation with him.  After a while Jason gave up trying to talk to Bruce altogether. With a heavy heart Jason came to the harsh realization that Bruce was obviously still mad at him about Ethiopia.

Bruce was always busy now that Jason was home from the hospital. And while Jason was no longer confined to a bed and could now get around with the help of crutches, Bruce was hardly home. When he was home, Bruce was either holed up in the Cave or his study at all hours. At mealtimes he was constantly hiding behind a newspaper or hyper-focused on a tablet to avoid talking to Jason. Whenever his eyes would wander and meet Jason’s, it was always met with worry lines and a furrowed brow. It got on Jason’s nerves. He didn’t want Bruce’s pity. He just wanted Bruce to talk to him without snapping.

The only time they had talked was in the car on the way to Jason’s PT or to various doctor’s appointments. The conversations always mainly focused on the progress and recovery of Jason’s leg and nothing else. Jason figured it was probably easier for Bruce to talk to him if he didn’t have to actually look at him.

Since Jason had come home from the hospital Bruce had restricted Jason’s access to the Cave. He had told Jason that he didn’t want him to be in the Cave using numerous excuses like the flooring was unstable and would interfere with his crutches. There were also no handrails or any feasible way to install them.

Bruce’s cutoff of Robin spoke volumes to Jason without Bruce ever having to say much to him.

Continue on A03

Dick was visiting at the Manor today. Jason always looked forward to Dick’s visits, but he would never admit that to his older brother. When Jason had arrived home from the hospital, Dick had temporarily moved back into the Manor to help with Jason’s care.

At first Jason resented the gesture, mostly because he thought Dick was doing it out of guilt, but after a while it didn’t matter why Dick decided to stay at the Manor, Jason liked having him around. Not to mention Dick was a great buffer between him and Bruce.

Last week Dick had moved back to his apartment in Bludhaven. It was time for Dick to go back to his city and as much as Jason didn’t want him to go, he knew Dick had responsibilities he needed to get back to. Jason missed hanging out with his older brother every day, but Dick had promised to stop by and visit at least every other weekend.

This weekend Dick came, and they were hanging out the kitchen munching on Alfred’s delicious chicken salad sandwiches when Dick surprised Jason with a question.

“Have you and Bruce talked at all about what happened in Ethiopia?” Dick broached, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

“No,” Jason swallowed, putting his sandwich down and grabbing some chips. “We haven’t talked about that day. He doesn’t really talk to me anymore. Not that he ever talked a lot before, you know, but this is different. He snaps at me sometimes and stops mid-sentence. It’s like he wants to say something to me, but then he doesn’t.” Jason’s shoulders were inching toward his ears. “I think – I think he’s still mad at me.”

“He’s not mad at you,” Dick sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration and muttering a ‘Dammit Bruce’ under his breath. “Believe me. He’s – he’s just overwhelmed with what could have happened and he’s bad at communicating that fear to you.” Dick rubbed his hands together over his plate to discard the crumbs. He put his hand on Jason’s shoulder and squeezed. “You almost died, Jay and for him it wasn’t the first time he’d almost lost his kid to a rogue. He’s not upset with you. Give him time.”

Jason scowled at Dick. How much more time did Jason need to give Bruce? It had been at almost three months. Jason pushed his plate away from him and rubbed the crumbs from his hands onto his jeans. The sandwich now felt like stone in his stomach.

“He won’t let me back in the Cave. Do you think – do you think he’ll take Robin away?” Jason inquired, picking at his sandwich just to give his hands something to do.

“The truth?” Dick asked, leveling a look at Jason.

Jason nodded.

“He should. At least for –,“

“But I didn’t mean to –,“ Jason interrupted, his eyes wide at Dick’s answer.

Dick held up his hands in a placating manner “Let me finish. He should take it away at least for now. Maybe allowing a kid at 13 to fight dangerous criminals wasn’t the brightest idea on his part.”

“You did it at 9 years old,” Jason argued, clenching his fists at the table.

He couldn’t believe the hypocrite Dick was being when it came to Robin. He thought Dick would understand.

“Our situations were different,” Dick countered, raising his voice a little. “I didn’t give Bruce a choice in the matter. I was going to find my parents’ killer with or without his help. Robin was a way for me to be out there making a difference and seeking justice for my parents.”

“I don’t know why I even asked you,” Jason snapped, crossing his arms. “You never liked me being Robin in the first place.”

“No, I didn’t,” Dick retorted, his jaw clenching. Jason recoiled at the quick response. “Robin was mine. It was my mantle to hand over to a successor, not Bruce. I was replaced before I even got a say in the matter.”

Jason lips parted to say something but all he could do was glare at Dick. Dick had never let him forget that he had been replaced.

Dick got up from the table and placed his plate and glass in the sink.

Jason chanced a look at Dick who had his back turned to him with his arms braced at the sink edge. His shoulders tense. After a while Dick turned on the faucet and began to wash his dishes.

Now Dick was going to give him the silent treatment just like Bruce. Jason sighed and rubbed his forehead. He really did have a knack for messing things up and pissing people off. He couldn’t afford right now to have yet another person in his life not speaking to him; especially Dick. They just started getting to know each other again.

He never should’ve said anything to Dick about Robin.

“I never liked that he made you Robin, but…” Dick admitted, breaking the silence and turning off the water.

Here we go, Jason thought, bracing himself for Dick to lay into him.

“I quickly saw in you what Bruce did, that you were the right choice for the mantle,” Dick continued, his voice gentle and even. Jason blinked and looked up at Dick. The older man was now facing Jason drying his hands on a dishtowel. All signs of anger gone as the brightness returned to Dick’s eyes.

Jason gave him a small smile. Dick didn’t have to say that last part to him. Jason picked up his plate and limped to a drawer next to the sink for a Ziploc bag. He placed the reminder of his sandwich in it and hobbled to put it in the fridge. Dick took his plate, turned on the water, and began to wash it. Jason headed back to his chair at the table.

“Do –,” Jason hesitated, steeling himself for his next question. He padded his finger against a scratch on the wood. “-do you think he’ll replace me too?”

It was a question he hated asking out loud, especially to Dick, he didn’t even know why he asked it. Maybe he was hoping for some support, a counter argument in his favor, a lie, or a platitude. However, Jason knew deep down Dick wouldn’t sugar coat his words.

“Not unless he decides to adopt another kid,” Dick snorted, turning off the water and drying his hands. “And I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

“Thanks for the reassurance, Dick,” Jason retorted, rolling his eyes.  

“Jay, I’m kidding,” Dick teased, throwing a dish towel at Jason. “He’s not adopting another kid, okay?”

Jason nodded. He wanted to believe Dick, but Dick had now planted a seed of doubt. Considering Bruce’s track record there was always the possibility of Robin being replaced looming over Jason.

Two weeks later Jason was blindsided by the introduction to Tim Drake. A boy he had met briefly at a gala that Jason had attended with Bruce last year. He remembered trying to make conversation with the kid, but the interaction was awkward. The kid hadn’t been very talkative. While he had an overly friendly smile and gave Jason his full attention, the kid only nodded and gave Jason one word answers. Jason wasn’t sure if the kid was just shy or stuck up. Jason had concluded that the kid likely didn’t want to be seen talking to a street rat from Park Row and was just humoring him.

Bruce informed Alfred and Jason that Tim’s stay was a temporary emergency foster placement until a relative could be contacted.

Jason could deal with having a stranger in his house for a week or two, it didn’t mean he had to like him or spend time with him.  

For the next several days, Jason avoided the new kid at all costs except at meal times, which were unavoidable. Alfred and Bruce wouldn’t allow him to take meals up to his room. Bruce even stopped hiding behind newspapers and tablets at the table futilely trying to engage the kid in conversation. The kid hardly talked but answered questions when asked. Bruce still sometimes stayed in his study, but he now started opening the door again. It was something he hadn’t done since Jason had come home from the hospital.

The changes in the house were obvious, and it stung that the kid was getting Bruce’s undivided attention.

Whatever.

The kid had exceptional table manners, which was expected considering where he came from, but it still rubbed Jason the wrong way. What was this kid trying to prove anyway, that he was better than Jason? No shit, Sherlock, that much was obvious.  But it didn’t matter, the kid was soon moving out of Jason’s house and in with relatives. Jason would soon be rid of him.

It didn’t help matters that Dick and the new kid got along perfectly. Dick came over to the Manor right away to meet the new kid. The kid was completely enamored with Dick soaking up the frequent hair tousles and side hugs that Dick had always reserved for Jason.

First, the kid had stolen Bruce’s attention away from Jason, now he was stealing all of the time Jason would normally have with Dick.

About a week and half into the new kid’s stay, Bruce dropped the bomb that plans had changed, and the kid would now be staying with them at the Manor permanently. The kid was soon moved from a bedroom in the guest wing to a bedroom in the family wing next to Jason.

Jason’s stomach dropped. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Bruce had actually done the very thing Dick had teased him about almost two weeks ago, ‘not unless he adopts another kid’. It was actually happening.

Jason was being replaced! It was only a matter of time before Jason was completely out of the picture and the new kid became the new Robin.

He phoned Dick right away yelling at him that Bruce was replacing him with this new kid.

“This is all your fault,” Jason barked on the phone, slowly pacing his room.

“What’s my fault?” Dick asked.

“’Not unless he adopts another kid’ bullshit. Well it’s happening, because you’re the one who said it out loud,” Jason argued, clenching his jaw in frustration. It was a weak argument, but it was all Jason had at the moment. He had to blame someone.

“Jay, you can’t speak something into existence,” Dick snorted.

“I – I know that, dumbass,” Jason growled, irritated that Dick wasn’t taking him seriously. “I just didn’t think he’d –.”

The lump in his throat cut off his words and made his breath hitch. This was all happening too fast for Jason. Bruce wasn’t supposed to get another kid this fast or at all. The kid was supposed to move in with relatives. Jason knew he wouldn’t be Robin forever, but he thought he’d have enough time to get used to not being Robin before Bruce went and replaced him.

“Jay, are you still there? Talk to me, bud,” Dick said, breaking the silence, all teasing gone from his voice. “Bruce isn’t replacing you, Little Wing. He’s simply giving a kid something he needs right now, a home and a family. Nothing more. Besides, Tim is harmless and a great kid. I hope you’re being nice to him.”

“Why does he need my home and my family?” Jason whined, sagging onto his bed. His leg throbbing in time with his heartbeat.

Jason knew he was being unreasonable. This kid had done nothing wrong except existing, yet Jason couldn’t bring himself to be nice because this kid was getting the one thing Jason had been wanting for the last two months – Bruce’s undivided attention; and now stealing the only thing he had left - his brother’s devotion.

“Because his family failed him, Jay,” Dick replied, his tone matter of fact yet gentle. “You know what that’s like. Just talk to him and try to get to know him. He’s a great kid.”

Jason couldn’t bring himself to start a conversation with the kid, not yet anyway, but he no longer glared at the kid at meals or slammed his door in the kid’s face. He’d nod whenever the kid said, ‘Good morning’ and no longer avoided the library when he saw the kid sitting in his favorite chair. He even kept his mouth shut when he saw the kid sitting in Bruce’s study just feet away from the Grandfather clock entrance to the Cave.

The more Jason paid quiet attention to the kid, the more he saw things that reminded him of his own upbringing with Willis and he didn’t like it. The kid knew how to stay out of the way. When he was not occupied elsewhere with Bruce or Alfred, the kid spent most of his time in his room. The kid never really ventured within the Manor by himself beyond the library or kitchen, even though he was given permission and encouraged to explore his surroundings.

At first, Jason actually liked it. It meant he didn’t have to run into the kid or spend any time with him. But soon Jason realized that the kid’s avoidance of everyone was a definite problem.

The kid was quiet and never brought any kind of attention to himself. He never complained about the food given to him, ever; and ate everything on his plate, even the gross under-seasoned brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Bruce didn’t even eat the brussel sprouts on his plate. Jason knew the kid hated them because he noticed the kid struggling to swallow every single one, but he never said anything to Alfred or Bruce. Bruce eventually told the kid that he didn’t have to eat anything he didn’t like, but it was like the kid didn’t hear him. The kid also never asked for seconds but would say yes when they were offered to him.

The weirdest thing of all, the kid never initiated any conversation with Bruce or Alfred unless they spoke to him first. The kid was literally the poster child for that saying, ‘children should be seen and not heard’.

He didn’t even speak up one particular evening when he started breaking out in hives at dinner.

Jason was the first one to notice something was wrong with the kid. It was only for a split second and the kid must have realized something wasn’t right either because he instantly put his head down. But it was too late, Jason had seen the red raised splotches on the kid’s neck and face. The kid was white-knuckling his cutlery, a piece of Alfred’s Pesto Penne was still dangling off his fork.

If Jason had the height and the strength, he would have kicked the kid under the table.

Say something, kid!

Jason wasn’t sure why he was getting so mad, but it was pissing him off that this kid was going through what looked like some sort of anaphylaxis episode and staying quiet. Jason still might not know how to talk to the kid, and maybe he was still a little angry at him for stealing Bruce and Dick, but he didn’t want him to die.

Could it be that the kid was genuinely afraid to disrespect adults that he’d put his health in danger and eat whatever was put in front of him?

Didn’t the kid know by now that Bruce wasn’t going to be mad at him for speaking up about an allergy? Hadn’t the kid spent enough time with Bruce to know that he’d never be shamed for something he couldn’t control.

“Bruce!” Jason yelled, finally getting the man’s attention. Bruce gave him a puzzled look. “Your new kid needs you.”

Just then the kid cleared his throat and made a weird and alarming wheezing sound. Bruce’s fork clattered on his plate the moment he laid eyes on the kid.

“Tim, are you okay?”

The kid’s eyes went wide. His eyes scanned frantically at Jason, Bruce and then Alfred, but he didn’t say a word.

“Tim, I need you to answer me, okay,” Bruce asked, keeping his voice low and calm. “Are you allergic to pine nuts?”

“No, I…I don’t know,” The kid swallowed, tears pooling in his eyes. “I’m…I’m allergic to almonds, but I’m…I’m okay.”

It was obvious to Jason and everyone else in the room that the kid was anything but okay.

“Alfred, get two epi-pens and call Leslie,” Bruce ordered, making his way to a chair closer to Tim to examine his face and neck.

“Right away, sir.”

“I’m okay,” The kid wheezed, moving his face away from Bruce. “Really, it’s f-fine.”

Jason couldn’t take it anymore. The kid was obviously not okay. Nothing about this was fine. The sooner he realized that the better.

“You’re not okay, you dummy! You don’t fuck around with food allergies!” Jason bellowed, banging his fists on the table to emphasize his point. “If you’re not feeling good because the food is making you sick, you fucking say something.”

“Jason,” Bruce warned, keeping his voice even while also leveling Jason with a glare.

He could see Bruce clenching his jaw as he went back to examining the kid. Jason ignored him. He didn’t care that he was making Bruce mad. Jason needed to finish telling the kid what he needed to hear.

“If you’re still hungry, ask for more food,” Jason continued, his voice getting louder. “If you don’t like the food, don’t eat it. Either way Bruce and Alfred won’t get mad!”

“Jason, you’re yelling,” Bruce stated, his voice low and gravely. “Lower your voice or you’ll need to leave the table.

Jason didn’t even know why he was yelling at the kid, but it felt good to get it out. A part of him was frustrated that the kid still didn’t see what he had here with Bruce – safety. Another part of him was irritated at himself for acting like a complete asshole hating this kid for no reason other than existing and taking up space. Realizing too late that this kid was just like him when he first came to live here, scared and mistrustful of adults.

Jason wasn’t done yet. There was one last thing Jason needed the kid to hear and understand about the way things worked with Bruce and Alfred. Something Dick actually told him when Jason first came to the Manor.

“No one here is going to make you do what you don’t want to do,” Jason emphasized, grabbing his crutch, and getting up from his chair. “But they won’t know what you want if you don’t fucking say something.”

He added that last bit.

“Jason, that is enough,” Bruce scolded, his voice loud enough to make the crying kid next to him jump and Jason flinch.

Before Bruce could tell him to go to his room, Jason was already making his way to out of the dining room.

“I’m sorry, Bruce,” the kid sobbed, his breaths hitching, while Bruce continued to examine the hives on his face and neck. “I’m so sorry for making a scene. Please…please don’t be mad. I’ll…I’ll do better. I promise.”

The last sentence was said in a whisper, but Jason heard it loud and clear. It felt like a punch to the gut. He couldn’t get out of the dining room fast enough. If only his stupid leg would let him run. He made his way out of the dining room and into the hallway. He leaned against the wall taking deep breaths.

What kind of parents did this kid have that he was scared of adults and knew nothing about his own food allergies?

Jason saw the signs once he had started to pay more attention. The obvious signs of abuse. They were right there at every meal, every encounter, plain as day, but Jason was too preoccupied with his own paranoia of being replaced, and blinded by Tim’s rich kid status and upbringing to think that someone of his background was being mistreated by his own parents.

Jason was an asshole.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Alfred walked briskly passed him into the dining room with the two epi-pens for Tim. Jason proceeded to head for the stairs.

Jason made it as far as the bottom of the stairs. He sat down on the steps and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the banister. The familiar throbbing of a migraine radiated from his left temple to the back of his head. After a while he heard familiar footsteps approaching him. It was Bruce.

“How’s the kid?” Jason asked, squinting at the harsh light of the chandelier above him.

“The epi-pens helped. Alfred is monitoring him in one of the downstairs bedrooms,” Bruce answered, sitting down on the step next to Jason. “Leslie is on her way to check on him.”

“Good,” Jason replied, nodding his head. “That’s…that’s good.”

They sat there on the steps in companionable silence. Jason could feel a lecture coming from Bruce. The migraine made it hard for Jason to care. Right now, all the fight in him had left.

“You can’t yell at him like that again, Jay,” Bruce warned, breaking the silence. “He didn’t deserve that from you at all.”

“I know,” Jason groaned, leaning his head against the banister again. “And I didn’t mean to yell, but the k-,“ Jason stopped himself, the kid had a name and he should probably start using it. “Tim needed to hear it. I’m not sorry for what I said.”

“You need to be nicer to your brother, Jay,” Bruce sighed, his shoulders sagging in exhaustion. “We need to make him feel welcome here.

Brother.

Jason let the word wash over him. He hadn’t really allowed himself to think of Tim in that way even though it was obvious that he’d be staying at the Manor permanently. It was all too much for Jason to think about at the moment.  

“Bruce,” Jason breathed, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. “I don’t want to talk about him right now. My head is killing me.”

He knew he needed to talk to Bruce about Tim, but he couldn’t do it tonight. Right now his throbbing head wouldn’t let him think straight.

“Okay get some rest,” Bruce suggested, brushing Jason’s bangs from his forehead. “We definitely need to have a conversation. We’ll do that in the morning when you’re up for it.”

The next morning Jason took his time making it to Bruce’s study.

He had most of the morning to think about what he was going to say to Tim and Bruce. Jason wasn’t sure if he’d actually have the guts to admit out loud certain thoughts that had been rummaging around in his brain the last few weeks. Especially the big one concerning Robin.

Would Bruce take Robin from him and give it to Tim?

Before Jason realized it, he was in front of Bruce’s study. The door was opened. Bruce had always told Jason to feel free to come inside if the door wasn’t closed. His door hadn’t been opened in the months before Tim came to the Manor. Jason peeked inside from the doorway.

Bruce looked deep in thought as he perused over various papers from different file folders stacked on his desk. Jason was starting to have second thoughts. 

“Hey Jason, what can I do for you?” Bruce asked, not looking up from what he was reading.

It always weirded Jason out when Bruce knew it was him without even looking at him. It was likely the squeaking sound from his crutch that gave him away.           

“You look busy,” Jason observed, giving Bruce an out and hoping that he’d take it. He turned to leave. “I’ll come back.”

“I’m not busy, have a seat,” Bruce acknowledged, motioning to the sofa. He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He closed the file folder he was reading, stood up from his desk chair, and stretched. He soon followed Jason to the sofa. “How’s your head, kiddo?”

“Better. I think I just needed to sleep it off,” Jason answered, sitting down and leaning his crutch against the arm of the sofa. Once he got a closer look at Bruce he could see dark circles under the man’s eyes. “Have you been here all night?” Jason gestured to Bruce’s desk.

“Pretty much. Though I did spend some of the night looking in on Tim,” Bruce sighed, sitting down on the sofa with Jason and rubbing his tired eyes.

“How’s he doing?”

“He’s much better, just tired. He’s back in his room if you wanted to go see him later and talk.”

Jason nodded. It was Bruce’s way of telling Jason that he needed to apologize to Tim. He had planned on visiting Tim after this, though he’d understand if Tim wasn’t up for it considering the way Jason yelled at him last night.

“Anyway, I’m just trying to see if I had missed something in any of Tim’s records,” Bruce continued, leaning back on the sofa. “They’re all pretty vague and don’t go back that far. There aren’t any details about any known allergies or yearly well checks, no documentation about any allergy testing except the most recent one that revealed an allergy to almonds. His immunization record stops at 5 years old.”

“But his parents have money, right? If they live in this neighborhood,” Jason snapped, folding his arms. “How could they just not take him to the doctor?”

“You’d be surprised by the priorities some people have in this town,” Bruce criticized. “Sadly, their children are not on the top of that list.”

Jason shook his head. It didn’t make any sense to him. Tim’s parents had money. Maybe not as much money as Bruce, but they could afford to take Tim to the best doctors for yearly check-ups and specialists to help him with his allergies. Instead, they chose to prioritize their jobs and lifestyle instead of their kid.

“Is that the reason he’s living here with us now? Because his parents didn’t take good care of him?”

“Among other things, yes,” Bruce answered. “Tim’s home life wasn’t great. From what little he told me his parents left him home alone for extended amounts of time at a fairly young age. For his safety and wellbeing, it was necessary for him to be removed from his parents. He needed a home with stability and most of all a family. I felt that we could be all of that for him.”

Jason’s shoulders dropped hearing all of this from Bruce. Tim was a lonely and abused kid, just like Jason had been. Bruce opened his heart and his home again to a boy in need. It now all made sense why Bruce had been spending so much time with Tim. He wasn’t trying to replace Jason. He was trying to make Tim feel at home; just as Jason should have been doing instead of slamming doors in the poor kid’s face.

“I realize now that the timing of his arrival was awful, and I’m sorry,” Bruce continued, interrupting Jason’s thoughts. He placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder and squeezed it. “I know this type of major change was the last thing you needed while you are still recovering.”

Jason nodded. He leaned his head back on the pillows to process everything Bruce had just said. Bruce wasn’t wrong, the timing of Tim’s arrival did suck as it played on Jason’s already frayed emotions. But after last night it made it easier to understand Tim’s sudden placement with Bruce.

Bruce saw a kid in trouble and did what came naturally to him. He did the same for Jason four years ago, of course he would do the same thing for Tim. Jason rubbed his face harshly. He felt like an idiot for not making this connection much sooner. Bruce had reached out to be Tim’s family, just like he had done for Jason, because Tim needed a family. Bruce didn’t need another kid.  It was all about helping a kid in need.

So, he’s not here to replace me.

“What? No, Jason, I would never do that– what made you think I would –,” Bruce stammered, his wide eyes searching Jason.

Oh shit.

Jason didn’t mean to say that out loud.

But before he could think of something else to say, all the thoughts that had been festering in his brain since Tim had arrived came pouring out of his mouth.

“– because you weren’t talking to me. I thought you were still pissed at me for running away. And when Tim came you were spending all your time with him that you used to spend with me,” Jason blurted out in quick succession. His vision started to blur with tears. He really didn’t want to cry, but the tears were already flowing down his cheeks. “and – and maybe I thought that you liked him better because – because he’s a good kid with perfect manners who never talked back or complained, and he’s not – not a mouthy screw up like me who messed everything up.”

Jason’s eyes widened as his brain caught up to the words that had just come out of his mouth. Every thought and fear that he had been dwelling on these past several weeks came out faster than he could contain them. There was no taking it back now.

“Jason, you’re not a screw up and you didn’t mess up anything.” Bruce affirmed, gently pulling Jason into a hug. Jason held on to Bruce like a lifeline, his tears continuing to fall. “Son, you didn’t mess up anything.”

Jason shook his head, but who was he kidding. He made a pretty big fucking mistake that almost got him and Bruce killed. How is Bruce not furious with him?

“It’s true that choices were made by both of us, good and bad and things took a serious turn, and – and for a second I thought I’d lost you,” Bruce sniffed, breaking the embrace to look at Jason. “But I didn’t. You survived and I’m so grateful every single day that you are here with me.

Bruce moved his hands to cup Jason’s face. He gently wiped away the tears from Jason’s cheeks with his thumbs. Jason kept trying to calm his breaths but they were still hitching with every sob. Why couldn’t Bruce have said all this to him sooner?

“I’m so thankful I get to watch you grow and see the person you will become,” Bruce continued, embracing Jason again and rubbing soothing circles on Jason’s back. “I’m so proud that you’re my son, and I love you just the way you are so please, don’t think for one second that I would ever want to replace you with someone else.”

There was still something that Jason needed to know from Bruce. A question he needed answered because he was tired of the subject being avoided and ignored. He was ready to take responsibly for his actions. He just needed Bruce to be straight-forward with him.

“Are you still mad at me?” Jason stammered, his bottom lip trembling. “About Ethiopia? It’s my fault –,”

“Oh, Jay, lad, no,” Bruce interrupted, his shoulders sinking. He hugged Jason tighter resting his cheek on the top of Jason’s curls. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I made you think that I was ever mad at you.”

Jason straightened in surprise at the words ‘I’m sorry’ coming from Bruce. Not that Bruce wasn’t capable of apologizing, but did Jason deserve it? It felt misplaced. He was the one that ran away and got himself in trouble. He was the one that nearly got himself killed and needed rescuing.

“I don’t blame you for what happened,” Bruce continued, interrupting Jason’s thoughts. “I blame the people who hurt and betrayed you. I’m mad at myself for not giving you the answers you needed at the time that you were seeking them. I feel responsible for making you think that you had to go halfway across the world in search of those answers. I’m angry that the one person who should have cherished you for the gift that you are betrayed you to a madman.

“I allowed my anger toward them to fester and instead of talking about what had happened in Ethiopia with you, I internalized it. I’m sorry, Jason,” Bruce apologized. “I am so sorry for pushing you away at a crucial time when you needed me; that will never happen again. Understood.”

“Understood.”

Jason blew out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. He wasn’t expecting Bruce to say all of that to him, but it was a relief to hear that Bruce’s anger wasn’t because of him. It felt like an invisible weight had been lifted from Jason’s shoulders. Bruce wasn’t mad at him, and he didn’t blame Jason for what had happened in Ethiopia.

“I’m so grateful that you’re alive and here with me,” Bruce repeated, pulling Jason in for another hug.  

They still hadn’t discussed Robin, but right now Jason felt that Robin could wait.

“I love you so much, Jason.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

Later that afternoon Jason headed to Tim’s room. Jason still wasn’t sure what he was going to say to Tim. The kid was likely scared of him now from all the yelling that had happened last night. He couldn’t blame the kid if he now hated him. Jason kind of deserved whatever attitude the kid gave him.

Jason took a deep breath before knocking on Tim’s door.

“Who is it,” a faint voice answered from inside the room.

“It’s Jason. Can I come in?”

“Yes,” Tim answered almost immediately.

Jason wondered if Tim had ever said no to anyone. He felt it was best to give this kid a way out just in case he’d rather be alone.

“It’s okay if you don’t feel up for visitors,” Jason added, still not opening the door. “I can come back whenever you’re up for it.”

“I’m okay, you can come in.”

Jason opened the door and hoped the smile on his face looked genuine and didn’t scare Tim. It appeared that just him being in the room was enough to have the kid sitting up, hiding behind his knees and blankets.

“You’re not going to yell at me again, are you?” Tim asked, hugging his knees.

“No, Tim,” Jason laughed, making his way closer to Tim’s bed. “Not unless you give me a reason too.”

Tim’s eyes went wide.

“That was a joke,” Jason interjected quickly, before Tim burst into tears. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s try this again, how are you feeling?”

“Better, just tired. I’m not itching anymore, so that’s a relief. This one hit me harder than the almond reaction.”

Bruce had told Jason that it was only a few weeks ago that Tim had experienced anaphylaxis while home alone. This incident had prompted Tim’s removal from his parents and placed with Bruce.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Jason said, shifting his weight off his bad leg. It started throbbing in its standing prone position. “Allergic reactions suck.”

Just then the pain in his leg radiated from his hip to his knee. Jason couldn’t hide the hiss of pain that escaped between his clenched teeth. He looked up to see Tim looking at the long scar on his face and then his leg. Jason hated it when people stared.

“I think you need to sit down. You look like you’re in pain,” Tim suggested, gesturing to the armchair next to his bed. “This chair is really comfortable. I like sitting in it while I’m reading.”

“Thanks,” Jason breathed, trying to ignore the throbbing in his leg while making his way over to the chair. He noticed a familiar copy of ‘The Lightning Thief’ on Tim’s nightstand and picked it up.

“Bruce bought me the entire series. I just started it when I came here,” Tim explained. “I really like the story. I wasn’t allowed to read it before – before I came here.”

“Let me guess, your parents think gods and goddesses are evil?” Jason smirked.

“No, mother said ‘fantasy books are frivolous nonsense and not becoming of a future businessman.’”

Jason scowled. He was deeply insulted that the adults in Tim’s life had disparaged Jason’s first favorite genre of books. How dare they. It appeared that Jason had some work to do.

“I can recommend other fantasy books if you like the genre,” Jason offered, setting the book back on the nightstand. “When you’re feeling better we can go to the library. I’ll show you the fantasy section. It’s huge.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that,” Tim shrugged. “I know you don’t like me.”

Hearing Tim say it like that, so matter of fact and accepting, wiped the smile off Jason’s face.  It sucked to know that he had left such a horrible impression on Tim and that Tim was giving him a way out. It was a pre-emptive strike to avoid the disappointment of rejection.

Jason was all too familiar with this tactic – he used to do it all the time to Bruce and Dick when he first came to live at the Manor.

He wondered how many times Tim had been hurt by the people closest to him to easily brush off simple offers and attention from others. It didn’t help that Jason’s actions over the past few weeks solidified Tim’s assumption that Jason really didn’t want to spend time with him.

Jason needed to fix this fast.

“I know I don’t have to show you the library, but I want to,” Jason cleared his throat, stretching his sore leg. “We can make up for lost time, okay?”

Tim nodded.

“Is there anything you want to ask me?” Jason offered, sitting back in the chair. Tim wasn’t lying, this chair was comfortable.

Jason’s brain was screaming at him for daring to open himself up like this to Tim, a kid he hardly even knew. But deep down in his heart, Jason knew this was the right thing to do. It was a fair exchange. He couldn’t expect Tim to open up to him, if he didn’t budge himself.

“Um,” Tim hesitated, wringing his hands and looking anywhere but at Jason. He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to Jason. “What happened to your leg and –,“ Tim gestured to the left side of his own face which was the same place as Jason’s noticeably long scar.

Jason took a deep breath to steel himself. He knew this was going to be a question Tim would ask. He was hoping he wouldn’t ask this question right out of the gate, but he did open himself up to be asked any question. Jason wasn’t stupid enough to give Tim details but since this kid was his new ‘little brother’ Jason should probably be somewhat honest with him.

“It’s a long story, but the short version is I went and did something I shouldn’t have, and this happened,” Jason explained, gesturing to his face and his leg. “Can I ask you a question?”

Jason wasn’t sure the kid was going to answer his question once he heard it, but he had to give it a shot.

“Sure, what do you want to know?”

“I want to know why you didn’t say anything to anyone at dinner when you were having a serious allergic reaction?” Jason asked, maintaining eye contact and using his best Robin voice.

Tim stayed quiet and Jason realized that maybe he had pushed too far with his first question. Part of him definitely wanted to give Tim an out, but the other part of him felt it was important for Tim to answer the question. Jason strongly believed that Tim needed to know from him that Tim would never be shamed or scolded by Bruce for speaking up when something was wrong.

“Mother says,” Tim swallowed, fisting his blankets and then hugging his knees again. “That making a scene at the dinner table in front of guests is rude; under no circumstances should I bring any kind of attention to myself.”

Jason had to take a few deep breaths to calm his rage and quiet a few choice words he wanted to voice out loud about these absurd rules and Tim’s parents.

“Tim, you were going into anaphylactic shock,” Jason explained, keeping his voice level like he does when talking to victims as Robin. “Saying something is always okay. Especially if you are in danger, or you just don’t feel good. You wouldn’t have been making a scene. Bruce doesn’t care about decorum all that much just as long as you don’t say ‘fuck’.”

The last sentence made Tim giggle. It was nice to know he could make the kid laugh.

“You’re safe here, Tim. I know firsthand that concept will take some getting used to but believe me. This place is safe. Bruce and Alfred like having you here and so do I,” Jason confessed. “It’s true. I know I didn’t show it in the beginning, and I’m very sorry about that. So, if you want, we can start over.”

Jason held his breath, pleading internally that Tim would forgive him for how Jason had treated him. He truly wanted to start over with Tim. Jason was looking forward to having a little brother.

 “I’d like that”, Tim smiled. It was a smile that reached his eyes and brought out the dimples in his cheeks. “I just have one more question.” Tim hesitated, biting his lip. “It’s sort of a favor. It’s no big deal. You can say no if –,“

“Tim, I’m not going to say no unless you want me to move furniture,” Jason joked, trying to make Tim laugh. “What do you need?”

Tim looked longingly at the book sitting on his nightstand and then back at Jason.

“Can you read a bit of the book to me?” Tim begged. “I’m still dizzy from last night and every time I try to read, I get a headache.”

Jason blew out a breath and smiled. This request he had no problem saying yes to. He was just glad Tim didn’t ask him to leave.

“Of course,” Jason accepted, taking the book and thumbing to the page that had the bookmark. “How are you liking this book so far?

“I like it. I already liked Greek mythology, but this makes me like it even more. I don’t trust Luke,” Tim voiced off handedly. He looked at Jason nervously like he was waiting to be shut down for his opinion. “I know I probably should, but I don’t. I don’t care how much he’s helping Percy. There’s something not right about him.”

“I’m liking you more and more, Timmy,” Jason praised, giving him an easy smile. Tim definitely had a future in this family with those deduction skills. “Maintain that energy and sit tight. We’re gonna be here a while.”

Jason and Tim hung out more and more dividing their time together in the library, playing video games in the den, or hanging out in the kitchen baking cookies with Alfred. Jason helped Tim slowly come out of his shell around Bruce and Alfred. A red-faced Tim eventually confessed to Alfred that he hated fish, couldn’t tolerate the texture of carrots or brussel sprouts but loved broccoli, chicken, steak and pasta.

Having Tim around became the very thing Jason had needed all along. Hanging out with Tim kept him more active, which in turn helped the mobility in Jason’s leg. Even his physical therapist was impressed with the progress Jason had made over the past couple of weeks.

Jason liked being a little brother, but he liked being a big brother even more.

[emberfrostlovesloki]

Life Can Be Terrible, but at Least You're In It [Hotch x Reader]

Prompt: This is a mix of two of @imagining-in-the-margins Meet Cute writing challenge dialogue prompts. I’ve mixed the two prompts: “Do you believe in Fate” and “This was way too cliched” to write this fic. 

Category: Angst/Comfort/Smut

Word Count: 9.2K

Content Warnings: Canon typical violence, U.S. police, hatred/violence against a religious group, light drinking, mention of self-harm (cutting - healed scars and one instance of open scars in the past), brief mention of childhood abuse, sex (oral -- fem and masc receiving, p in v). 

A/N: Oh boy, I have lots to say. To start, this is another @imagining-in-the-margins inspired fic for her Meet Cute writing challenge. Moving on from that: first off, this is an 18+ story, minors DNI. I love engagement, but if you’re a minor this is not for you. Thank you for respecting this boundary. Second, this turned into a bit of trauma dumping for me. I’ve been having some thoughts about my past choices and decided to write them out with Hotch as a character (you know he’s a great listener.) Third, this is my first time posting smut, if it’s not great, please forgive me. I hope to get better at it as I keep writing for Aaron. Last, this turned out wayyyyy longer than I anticipated. As I’ve stated before, I find it hard to characterize Hotch if I’m not writing a ton which is evidenced here. 

Please, please, please read the content warnings. If reading about scars and past self-harm might trigger you, please pass this one by. If you are thinking about engaging in self-harm, please reach out to a loved one or someone you trust. You deserve support. If all else fails, here is a support number you can call to get some help: Self Harm Crisis Line. 

On a more positive note, If you enjoy this fic, likes, reblogs, and comments are appreciated. I hope you all have a great night. 

List with all stories 

y/n = your name 

_y/b/f_ = your best friend 

_y/f/a_ = your favorite author 

_y/f/f_ = your favorite flower 

_f/c_ = your favorite color

Aaron was nervous about tonight. It was the first time that y/n was coming over to his place before a date. Normally he would offer to meet her at her apartment and they they would go out from there, or just hang out around the warm space doing something relaxing like cooking dinner or watching one of their favorite movies or TV shows. But last Thursday she had shown an interest in seeing his place and honestly, he didn’t have a valid excuse for why she shouldn’t come over. He kept his space neat and clean, he just thought that it didn’t have that much personality, but it would have to do and he knew she wouldn’t judge him if his taste was metrosexual. y/n had given her care and affection to him, not his apartment. 

He hadn’t meant to have feelings for his newest agent. In fact, he made it a point to not fall in love with any of his agents or the women at the bureau as the idea of mixing work and pleasure felt all too unsure. If something went bad, or the relationship faltered, the fallout to the team would be immense, and he didn’t want to risk his own career for the sake of his team. However, when y/n had hastily been added on after a case that required a domestic terrorist and cult specialist, y/n had joined the team for what Aaron had assumed would be just the one case. He was hesitant to add someone new, but Strauss had him cornered on the issue and he agreed because he didn’t have a choice. He was weary of y/n -- not willing to trust someone he hadn’t vetted or already knew. However, y/n had sat back and didn’t assume a commanding role at all during the case. She paid attention to the facts and then looked at them from her lens of expertise. When she needed help she had asked JJ or Emily, and one time when it had only been him and y/n at the precinct, he had asked, “How are you feeling?” y/n had looked up and faced the intensity of his gaze and said, “I’m a bit lost, to be honest. I didn’t know it was going to be like this, but I think I’ve found some things that match the preliminary profile that would confirm the unsub was the leader of a religious cult with white Nationalist ideologies.” Hotch nodded. He might have been weary of y/n but at least she was honest and hadn’t done anything foolish or detrimental to the team yet. He pulled his eyes away from her gaze and moved closer to her saying, “Show me what you have?” He could see her physically relax as if she was expecting a reprimand instead of him wanting to listen to her, and he wondered if this was the natural response he got from most people who didn’t know him. At this, his internal monologue answered, “How can people get to know you, Aaron? You don’t open up.” Hotch pushed the thought aside and nodded that he was ready to hear what she had. 

y/n observations had been instrumental in finding the unsubs and his compound's location. y/n just didn’t know how to slip her information in with the current profile. When the case was finished, Aaron sincerely extended a hand and said, “Thank you for your help, y/n, your insight was needed in solving this case. I may call on you again if another case like this comes to our team.” y/n had taken his hand and given in a firm shake, slightly awed by what she assumed was praise coming from someone as important and well-known as Agent Hotchner. She had replied, “It would be my honor, Sir.” With that he let the woman leave the tarmac. Once y/n was inside the bullpen, she checked to make sure Agent Hotchner wasn’t nearby, and she approached Emily, who was packing to go home. Emily looked at her and smiled, asking, “What’s up y/n?” y/n faltered for a second before saying, “Is Agent Hotchner always that, intense?” Emily smiled softly and replied, “Yeah, pretty much.” The brunette added, possibly because she was working through her own feelings for the team's enigmatic leader, “But he’s a good man and a good leader. In the end, he puts this team above everything else.” y/n blushed, realizing this was more than just a simple observation about Agent Hotchner. At this point, Aaron returned to the bullpen after calling Hailey to let her know that he was back and would be home that evening. He nodded at Emily and when she nodded back, y/n couldn't help but turn and see who Emily was looking at. Once she realized it was Agent Hotchner she snapped back to looking the other way; something Aaron hadn’t missed. 

Aaron had called y/n for two more cases over the next three and a half months. y/n was a quick learner and during the next case, she was more prepared and tried to participate with the team more, willing to offer a comment that she thought would be useful. She still stood in the background most of the time, but it was clear she had improved from the first time she was on the team. When y/n and Derek were standing by the coffee pot at the local precinct, Morgan said, “y/n, I notice you’re a lot more on top of things this time. You’re doing a good job, that’s not always easy on a team like this.” y/n smiled and replied, “Well I did sort of research the team after the first case. You know not like stalking you or anything, I just read over a few of the previous major cases and stuff.” Derek nodded his approval and said, “Well it looks like the work is paying off.” While y/n thanked Derek, Aaron was standing a few feet away in the hallway and had heard the entire conversation. It wasn’t uncommon for people who spent a brief time on the team to do this. He got emails all the time from those who had had their brief stint on a case asking for a transfer. He also got emails from agents that had never set foot in the bullpen and to those he sent an automatically generated reply and then he would delete the email. Those who had worked for the team before might come back for a case, but rarely did he find them improved. Aaron realized that this felt callous maybe, but it was his job to have a cohesive team. A team that worked together in the worst possible circumstances and he wasn’t going to throw that away just because someone wanted to work with him or the team. However, Derek was right and he took a moment to look over at y/n wondering if just once, he was going to be proven wrong. 

The third case Aaron called y/n into was a bad one. A group of domestic terrorists were kidnapping, torturing, and killing men from Middle Eastern countries, particularly those that were influential in the Islamic religion. The police were stumped, but y/n immediately said, “This is probably extremism based off of post-9/11 sentiments. The two-year anniversary is coming up and this could easily be someone affected on the ground or someone that got sent back from Iraq during Desert Storm.” The New York Police had a lot of opposition to the idea, but Aaron was aware that they would be very biased in their opinions on the matter as it was so close to home. He assuaged their fears, but later he pulled y/n and Spencer aside and told both of them to keep running with y/n’s initial theory. As it turned out the call was coming from inside the house, or rather the police station as the unsub was one of the officers on staff at the station. He had spiraled quickly as the team got closer and closer to finding him. As a last desperate act, the officer, Monroe, had found another victim and pulled them to the station, threatening to bomb a religious building in the city and shoot the innocent victim if the BAU didn’t find someone else to blame for his crimes in an hour. y/n had been in the lady's room as this unfolded in the main lobby, but she heard the gunfire and quickly and quietly moved closer. She overheard the last of the unsubs plan. As Spencer tried to talk the man down, y/n had slipped her sidearm out of its holster and removed the safety. She looked into the mirror that showed the main room to pinpoint the location of Officer Monroe. For a moment before she made the final move into the open space, she looked to the side and caught Hotch’s eye. He gave her a minuscule nod, telling her to go ahead. Aaron jumped and pulled Spencer to the ground and the millisecond they were both in the clear before the unsub could figure out what was happening, y/n shot the man’s right hand which was holding his sanctioned firearm, and then y/n shot his shoulder, fully incapacitating officer Monroe. When this was done, Derek rushed forward and pulled the unsub away from the victim. Emily and JJ moved toward the victim and after she had re-engaged the safety and put her gun away, y/n helped Hotch and Spencer to their feet. 

Aaron looked over y/n for signs of shock or distress given that she had just been in a highly dangerous position and that she had just shot a man twice. He didn’t see any of those signs in her as she let go of Spencer's hand and moved toward JJ and Emily to provide some help with the victim who was now in hysterics. Instead, Aaron saw a steely calm resolve in y/n’s demeanor, indicating that this was hardly the first time she had been put under this kind of pressure. As Hotch moved toward the cuffed unsub he noticed the clean shot to the hand and shoulder, not meant to kill but incapacitate the unsub. Officer Monroe was screaming a stream of obscenities and racial epitaphs at anyone in earshot but mostly directed at the victim and y/n. Aaron and Derek roughly grabbed the man’s arms and moved him to another room. As they walked, Aaron turned to the man and said, “Shut up, or I’ll wait to call the paramedics until it’s too late to save your hand. 

A few hours later after the unsub had been transferred to the hospital in custody he overheard some of the officers speaking negatively of the team, and particularly of y/n who had been the one to originally spot the ‘bad apple’ among their ranks. Aaron was overly familiar with the police and justice system and he knew that the police unions and members were a big boys club where they would do almost anything to protect their paychecks, reputation, and each other. Bitterly he thought, 'Well if you’re so concerned, maybe stop perpetrating injustice.’ As Aaron entered the room with the officers he realized that y/n was in the same room speaking with JJ. The officers had been speaking just loudly enough for y/n to overhear their comments. Something in Aaron twitched uncomfortably. Maybe it was the fact that y/n wasn’t even a real member of the team and was being villainized, or the fact that there was nothing he could do to stop the officers from their conversation. When he passed by the men he frowned at them, and for a moment they grew silent as he passed. As he approached the two women, they made space for him to stand, and he turned his gaze to y/n saying, “Good shooting today. Especially given the fact that you only had that mirror to guess your angles and distance. A lot of innocent people would be dead if it hadn’t been for you.” As much as Agent Hotchner’s complement burned her insides in a pleasant way, she replied in a controlled manner, saying, “I was just doing my job, Sir.” Aaron nodded slightly and he intentionally caught her gaze and when he was sure he had it, he looked over to the men who had been making vitriolic statements toward her. y/n followed his eyes and when he was looking at her again she just gave a small shrug of the shoulders, as if saying, ‘Yeah, I heard, but what can you do?” This response tugged a small smile from him, and he cleared his throat and turned to JJ to ask her a question about the media response. Although y/n and even Aaron might not realize it, y/n had passed most of his internal tests for the Agents he allowed on his team. 

When y/n received an email from Hotch asking her to meet him at his office two days from now, she worried that something had happened. That she had made some kind of error. y/n arrived at the Bureau at the designated time and knocked on the door that was slightly ajar. Hotch called her in and said, “Take a seat, Agent y/n.” y/n did as asked and felt an uncomfortable churning in her stomach. After a moment of silence, y/n couldn’t take the anticipation anymore, making the first rash move she had while being around the BAU team and Agent Hotchner in general. She asked, “Have I done something wrong Agent Hotchner?” Again there was a lingering silence that felt like it lasted ages before Aaron replied, “If I sent you a transfer request to the BAU to join my team, would you accept?” The words took a moment to register, and y/n’s eyes went wide. It took all her strength from not letting her jaw drop at the very suggestion. Needing another moment to let the words process, she gave the throw-away comment, “Sir?” Aaron knew she had heard him and if there was one thing about him, it was that he didn’t repeat himself if he knew the other party had heard him. Even for someone as new as y/n. There was yet another silence and finally, y/n had the brain function to say, “Well if that transfer request were to happen, then I would have to have the sad and uncomfortable conversation with my own unit chief and let them know that I would be accepting a new position in the Bureau.” Hotch caught onto y/n’s hypothetical language but could see in her eyes that she would accept his offer. He cleared his throat and pulled an unnecessary piece of paper in front of him for some reason, moving his eyes to the random form in front of him. He looked back up and there was that kind of shocked look that people got around him sometimes. It was odd for him to see this one y/n’s face, but he couldn’t blame her. Offers like his came once in a lifetime. Less than that really. He gave her one last look before stating, “You’ll receive an email from me on Monday.” 

The transition from the terrorism unit to the BAU was good for the team as a whole. Having a new set of eyes on the cases and a new dynamic shook up the team in a way that reinvigorated their brains. y/n wasn’t perfect. She made mistakes and she owned up to them. Hotch reprimanded her like he would any old or new member of the team. With time she became an integral part of the unit. And in that time Hotch couldn’t help but be drawn to her. It wasn’t like a magnet or love at first sight; he was far too cynical to believe in things like that, but Hotch had paid attention to her in a way that he hadn’t with the other team members. Maybe it was because he hadn’t needed to train and mentor a new member of the team since Emily had joined and he had told himself, ‘There isn’t a valid reason for you to not pay closer attention to y/n.’ As it would turn out, this would be a recurrent theme with him and his thoughts toward y/n. 

The first time Aaron knew he was in trouble in regard to y/n was after she had been with the team for a few months. She had started to do this ritual where after each case when each member of the team had gotten home, she would text them all individually simply asking, “Are you doing okay?” Or some variation of that simple, yet loaded question. The first time Aaron had received that message he was confused for a second, but simply responded, “I’m fine.” To which y/n had simply replied, “Good.” The second time it had happened Aaron realized that she was being very intentional with this message, both in its simplicity and when she was sending it. Often after a case, even up until the team had arrived back at the emotions and adrenaline ran high, either because of the excitement or sheer rush of feelings that could overwhelm someone when dealing with such difficult circumstances. But getting a message like that after a few hours, after getting to a safe space and the real underlying emotions had a chance to set in allowed the team members to give an honest response - not one based off of heightened states. Similarly, the simply worded message allowed for a range of responses from a two-word sentence to full-fledged conversations if wanted or needed. After two more cases, Aaron indulged in the possibility of opening up. 

Hailey had recently left him and y/n was the only one who seemed, even if not directly relating to his recent separation, to provide a space for him to open up. He replied, “I’m home safe. I have some conflicting feelings about the outcome of this case. I don’t feel the closure that I sometimes do when we finish with a case.” Aaron sent the message and wondered if this sounded desperate? If his own personal experience was on clear display, and if it was, how _y/n_ was going to respond. He didn’t have to wait long as his phone pinged and he read y/n’s reply “It’s good to know your home. Would you like to talk about the case? It was a rough one, even by the team's standards.” Aaron slumped down onto his couch letting out a long breath. If y/n had read deeper into his personal life, she hadn’t highlighted it and was still providing space for him to continue talking either about what this was really about, or the case itself. Aaron realized that he needed to take a deeper look at himself if a case and Hailey leaving was having such a profound impact on him. He realized that y/n’s checking in was very likely a way that she coped with the horrors she saw on the job, and he didn’t want to burden her with his personal problems along with the darkness that their work included. He typed out, “No. Not really,” and sent that message out to the ether. Aaron closed his eyes as he waited for a response. It came in a few minutes, and he looked at his phone. The message from y/n read, “Okay. Take care of yourself, please.” Hotch’s heart gave a tiny tug that she would say something so candid and caring toward him. He typed out, “Thank you, y/n,” and his thumb ghosted over the send button before he changed his mind and deleted the message and typed out instead, “See you on Monday, y/n.” Aaron realized that if he sent the other message the hint of feelings that he was just becoming aware of might bubble up bigger than the tiny drip they were at now might emerge. Hotch stood and undid his tie and the buttons on his shirt. A last ping of his phone made him look at it one last time with tired, blurry eyes. The response read, “See you Monday, Hotch.” Aaron clicked his phone off as he pulled off his shirt to go and take a hot shower. Again there was that nagging tug at his heart because in her letting him go for the night, she was also trying to give him what he wanted, space. 

But texting wasn’t the reason that he was now straightening the pillows on his couch and, God knows why, moving into his bedroom and smoothing the sheet and comforter on his bed. He didn’t expect them to end up there at the end of the night, in fact, he expected that y/n would go back to her place and he would stay here, missing her. Anyway, he did it just in case. As he reflected back to the moment that had really made him start having serious feelings for y/n was when she called him and used his first name for the first time. It had been a bad case. A case involving kids being killed and manipulated by the unsub. After not taking the deal with Foyett, Aaron’s brain constantly swirled with thoughts of his son, and any case involving kids made him tense up and made him question his choices. Anytime he had interacted with the children who had been affected and traumatized by the unsub he saw Jack’s face there. He was overwhelmed with emotions, anger, fear, and sadness. It was all too much for him. When the team arrived home after the case and he had made his way to his apartment he fell into bed exhausted. He had forgotten that y/n would text and he was even more surprised when he was woken by his phone ringing. He clicked answer and pulled it to his ear. With a gentle voice, y/n had said, “Hotch, Aaron. Are you going to be okay?” Hotch’s sleep-addled brain took a moment to register his first name on y/n’s lips, but the feeling it provoked was still surprising. Not that he was unaware of his growing feelings for her, just that he had been suppressing them; holding them tight to his chest in his innermost being. He realized after a moment that he hadn’t responded to y/n’s question and finally, he said groggily, “Sorry, I was just taking a nap.” There was a pause and then y/n replied, “No, I’m sorry. I can let you go.” Without even thinking Hotch with a note of desperation said, “No, please. I, I’d like to talk. 

Hotch couldn’t see it, but on the other end of the line, y/n moved to her couch and sat down, doing her best to be present with Aaron through the phone. She could tell that this was different. He was being real with her. This wasn’t, Agent Hotchner, leader of the most important team in the FBI, this was just Aaron. She took a moment to think of what to say. She knew what this was all about and decided to share honest thoughts and said, “Hotch, you’re a good father.” 

Hotch blinked surprisingly at y/n’s choice of words, and the honesty in them. Incredulously he replied, “On who’s authority?” There was a sigh on the other end of the line and he wanted to hear what _y/n_ was going to say. Her response was, “I mean, I’m not a parent. Maybe it’s not my place to comment on parenting, but I see how you interact with Jack. When you’re with him you give him everything that’s in you. You don’t even notice that you’re doing it Hotch. And yeah, nobody’s perfect, not even you, but when you’re with him -- it’s all I can see. You’re doing the best with what you have, financially and emotionally and that’s all anyone can ask for. People like to say that you can give a hundred and ten, a hundred and twenty percent to people and relationships, but I just don’t think that’s possible with people. And in our line of work, it’s hard to give seventy percent to anything other than the job. But, Jack, Jack always gets a hundred percent from you.” y/n realized that she was being highly personal with her words, to her boss. She stopped what might have been a rambling mess of words and bit the inside of her lip. Maybe she would get a real reprimand from Hotch for this. He had corrected her before in his stern authoritative manner, but he had never really been mad at her. She also tried hard not to think about the fact that she wanted to give him a hundred percent too. She knew she couldn’t have that. She could never have that. 

In the lingering silence between y/n’s comments, Aaron closed his eyes and tried to see it from her point of view. Was she really looking at him that closely so that she could catch all of these things? He knew she was speaking honestly, she really spoke from a place of untruth, and she did that only when she had to on cases. He wondered if people ever threw her honesty in her face. As someone so closed off, it was hard for him to believe her in a way. With a hint of hesitation, he asked, “Do you really think so?” A second later, y/n said, “Of course. Of course I do, Aaron.” He relaxed further in the bed as she used his first name again. It sounded so lovely coming from her. They spent another half hour talking, more about the case than his parenting, and when Aaron hung up, he felt decidedly lighter than he had when he had originally come here. 

The next Monday, when Aaron found a quiet moment in the office where the rest of the team wasn’t paying attention, he moved to y/n’s desk and she looked up at him with a smile. Aaron clenched his hand before releasing the final tension he felt in what he was about to do. He raised his hand and placed it on her shoulder. That familiar warmth they both felt when they came into close contact seeped through both of them. All Aaron said was, “Thank you, y/n.” With that, he removed his hands and walked up to his office. He knew that his actions weren't profoundly romantic or anything. He hadn’t swooped down and kissed y/n and pulled her body close to his, but in his actions, he had opened the floodgates for what might come. 

It happened slowly, like most things in his life. Both because y/n and Aaron needed to be cautious for work's sake, but also because neither of them could really believe it was actually happening after so long. The first almost date had been when she got two tickets to see her favorite author do a reading with her best friend. Unfortunately _y/b/f_ had to cancel two days before. y/n was really bummed about it and Aaron could tell. He had approached her and said, “Would you like me to come with you? I don’t really know anything about _y/f/a_, but I can tell that it’s important to you.” Her eyes glistened at the idea and she said, “You’d do that?” Aaron let out a laugh and said, “Of course if you want me to.” y/n had beamed at him and for a moment he felt stunned at how beautiful she looked when she was this happy. He wished he could see her like this more. The reading was great, y/n had cried and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, letting her feel her emotions. They had gotten coffee after and as he walked y/n back to her apartment, she stopped at her door and turned. y/n went out on a limb and stepped closer to him. She was close enough to feel the heat emanate from his body. With a last moment of deliberation, she closed the gap and wrapped her arms around him, tucking her head into his chest. Aaron tensed for a moment before he let his body naturally respond. He gently wrapped his arms around his form and held her close to him. 

Oh God, it felt so good to have her that near to him, to be able to actually hold her. Surprisingly it had been Derek who had encouraged him to make the leap of making y/n a more permanent fixture in his life. The team had all been at Rossi’s for dinner and y/n and Emily were at the wine bar pouring themselves another glass of red. Aaron was unknowingly looking at y/n longingly and Derek sat down next to him with a shot in his hand. The younger man said, “Are you ever going to tell her how you feel?” Aaron was pulled from his thoughts and looked over to Derek saying, “Sorry, what was that?” Derek chuckled and said, “Hotch, you deserve to be happy after everything you’ve been through.” At this Aaron made a face, but Morgan kept talking saying, “If you’re afraid that she’s not going to reciprocate your feelings, I see the way she looks at you. She likes you too.” Aaron let out a sigh and Derek put a hand on his shoulder saying, “Just think about it. A lot of people would be happy to have y/n, but she’d be happy to have you.” That evening as y/n dropped him off they had kissed for the first time outside in the parking lot. 

The light knock on his door pulled him from his memories, and he stood and neatened his trousers and shirt as he opened the door for y/n. He opened the door and let y/n in. She smiled at him handed him a wrapped bouquet of hyacinth and baby breath and said, “For you, Aaron.” He smiled and leaned down giving her a kiss. He had brought her _y/f/f_ when she had first invited him to her apartment and she was returning the gesture. As he found a vase to put the flowers in, he offered her a chilled glass of water, and y/n moved around the space observing his neutral-toned apartment. After he set the flowers on the table, he came up beside her and slipped his hand around her waist. He was looking at his wall full of pictures. They were mostly of Jack, but there were a few of him and Hailey and a few he had taken on an old camera that was still around the apartment somewhere. She turned to look at him and said, “Jack’s grown up so much since some of these were taken.” Aaron hummed in her ear and said, “It’s crazy to think about. He’s going to school and making friends. When I talk to him on the phone I can hear him becoming his own person.” y/n turned back to the photos and found one where Hailey was particularly radiant, and she commented, “She looks so…” There was a pause as beautiful seemed to fall flat as a superlative. y/n finished the sentence with, “luminant here.” Hotch’s eyes moved from her to the picture and back to her. He deeply appreciated that y/n included Jack and even Hailey in her consideration of him and his life and happiness. Her comment made him look over y/n in her _f/c_ turtle neck and back corduroy skirt and said, “You look lovely tonight, y/n.” The flush on her face always made him feel a certain way, and as she turned to look over the space again she said, “I like it, Aaron. It’s calming and I think almost anyone could feel safe here.” Hotch hadn’t particularly decorated the space with that in mind, but again he didn’t have the eye for fashion or design that y/n had. He simply said, “I’m glad you like it, and that you feel safe here.” He took a breath and then asked, “You ready to head out, or do you want to sit for a bit?” y/n took his hand and replied, “Let’s head out, our reservations are in a half hour, and just because it’s Friday night and there might be traffic.” Hotch nodded and he moved to the counter and grabbed his coat and car keys. They headed out to the wine tasting at a jazz club that they both liked. 

The date went well and as they arrived back at Aaron’s place he got out of the car and opened the door for y/n. They were both slightly buzzed, but not inebriated or without their wits. As y/n got out of the car he asked, “Would you like to come back inside for a bit or do you want to get back to your place?” y/n smiled and said, “I’d like to be with you for a while longer?” They left the crisp autumn air behind as they reentered Aaron’s apartment. He grabbed them both a glass of water and they sat on his couch y/n turned her head to him and he leaned down kissing him. His lips were so soft and warm on her mouth. The taste of him was a craving, a desire she couldn’t easily let go unless they were like this. Aaron could feel her love and longing in the way she moved her mouth over his. He wanted more, needed more of that feeling that he had been missing for the last few months. He slipped his tongue out of his mouth and over her bottom lip. y/n sighed, surprised by this new action from him, but opened up to his request. Aaron moved into the space, moving his tongue over hers and the contours of her mouth. As he explored this new space, y/n let out a small moan into his mouth. She moved her right hand to his thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze letting him know that she was enjoying this moment. Her hand on his leg, so close to his groin made his cock twitch and he felt embarrassed for a second because something as small as her hand on him had elicited a response. y/n felt Aaron’s body tense under her hand and could imagine what had happened with this body. When they broke apart for air, y/n shifted from his side and moved so her legs were straddling his on the couch. She didn’t put any weight on him, wanting to make sure he was comfortable with this. Hotch’s eyes widened at the change of position and he sucked in a deep breath, his body already flushing. y/n placed her hands on the couch just above his shoulders. Her eyes glistened in the soft light of his lamps and she asked, “Is it too fast for you Aaron?” Hotch made a small sound, it was so quiet that it was almost unnoticeable in the space. He nodded his head no and replied, voice low, “No. It’s not. As long as you're comfortable with what we’re doing. We can take it at your pace. I want you, y/n.” At hearing his words and seeing the hunger in his eyes, she lowered her body until it was pressing close to him. 

Her skirt was short and fitted and as her knees spread to sit on him it shifted up to her waist. Aaron was a bit too preoccupied to notice this yet as kissing him again; first on the mouth and then his earlobe sucking and lightly nipping the soft flesh. He let out a groan that was louder than he was expecting. His body was really reacting to her touch. What had been a twitch in his pants was now throbbing against the waistband of his pants. y/n felt his erection growing under her. While she moved to his jawline and began half-open-mouth kisses and licking the area, she shifted her weight again and moved her hand to the buckle of his dark brown belt. She fumbled with the metal as she continued her work on his face. She similarly undid the button and pulled down the zipper of his pants. Once his member was freer, y/n pressed against him providing him with some much-needed friction. Again made that low noise that made her core tingle and burn at the same time. At this, Aaron couldn’t take it anymore, he needed to be touching her. Aaron shifted strongly but carefully picked y/n under the thighs and he moved so that they switched spots. Now that he was the one above her, he moved to pull at the edge of her shirt. y/n raised her arms for him and the fabric came easily over her head. He leaned down and kissed her hungrily. His hands found traction on her waist and the warm feeling of them resting there made y/n make a small sound into his mouth. Aaron moved his mouth away from hers and placed a hand over her _f/c_ lacy bra. Her breasts and nipples were visible to him through the semi-sheer fabric and lace and he marveled down at her form laid bare to him. He gently massaged the right breast in his hand and he felt her nipple harden under his touch. For the first time that night y/n whispered his name in a way that made Aaron feel more alive than he had in a long time. With his other hand, he took y/n’s left hand and slowly started kissing up the side of her arm. He looked over the litany of healed scars crisscrossing the warm skin under his mouth. 

He had noticed them the first day he had met her. Although they weren’t pronounced as they were old and healed, he still saw them. How couldn’t he see them running up her arm and under her three-quarter sleeves? He was a profiler after all. He never said anything about them. He’d never heard the team talk about them either. It would be rude to of course, and really it had been none of his business at the time. But not that he could see them so clearly running up her arm he had to wonder. He sucked on the hollow spot of her elbow joint, and y/n bucked slightly, moving her hand down to this clothed groin. He let out a gasp as her hand began moving over his hard penis. Her hand traced the line of his arousal and he had to hold back from bucking under her touch. He kept moving as her hand worked over him. As he moved up her arm to her shoulder and collarbone, he moved his other hand to her left breast, massaging the tissue with his deft hand. With his other hand, he pushed down the strap of her bra and again started kissing her chest. Once more he kissed over her chest and noticed that the scars weren’t only endemic to her left arm. They were scattered haphazardly over her shoulder and collarbone. These marks had healed darker than the ones on her arm. He realized that if he paid close attention to his mouth, which he was, he could feel the difference between the smooth skin and that which had been opened many years ago. They were both making soft, needy noises and their movements grew more urgent. Aaron was now moving himself along her hand and y/n tipped her head back and said, “Aaron, please. I need more. I need you.” Hotch nodded and again, he stopped his frantic body and hooked his arms under her legs, now picking her up and moving into the bedroom. She clung to him, arms wrapped around his neck. He set her gently on the bed and almost immediately pulled at her skirt. She rested the heels of her feet on the mattress and lifted her hips, so he could get rid of the fabric now bunched around her waist. Once the skirt was discarded, Aaron pushed her back onto the mattress. He also pulled off his shirt and discarded his pants in two fluid motions. y/n looked at the bulge in his briefs and smiled to herself. She knew he must be impressive, but being so close to seeing it in full confirmed her assumptions. Hotch leaned down and began sucking at the soft, flushed skin of her thigh. 

The fact that Hotch’s mouth was breathing hot and loud against her leg and that he was moving steadily toward her center, made her arch her back in pleasure and the feelings of warmth continued to move through her. As Aaron’s mouth got closer to her black underwear, he was faced with the presence of scars once more. There were less of them here on her thigh, close to her center, but these seemed deeper, more deliberate. He wanted to kiss these, to continue the path of pleasure he was on, but it felt wrong. For him to be doing this without acknowledging something, to check in with her before he continued. y/n could feel his hesitation. She saw how he had paused each time he noticed a new area affected by her prior self. Her voice cut through his fog as she said, “I’m not embarrassed by them anymore you know. I used to be, but not now.” Hotch lifted his body and chest upright looking deeply into her eyes. He knew this was important to her, but also to him. For him to understand if she wanted to talk about it. He shifted and placed a hand on her thigh, just below her panty line, indicating that he wasn’t finished yet, just taking a break. All he could think of saying was, “I’m sorry.” y/n scoffed at this, not at him but, more at the idea. She placed a hand on his cheek and said, “You know no one ever talks to me about them. Not even when they were red and bleeding did anyone say anything. I thought certainly my parents, or teachers, or friends would say something, but they didn’t because they didn’t know how.” y/n looked away and removed her hand from his face saying, “Sorry. I’m kind of being a buzzkill, aren’t I?” Aaron’s eyes deepened, and he took both her hands in his and said, “No, no it’s not to me. Please, you can talk to me if you want.” 

She looked back to his face and it was clear to her that his desire for her wasn’t ebbing with this conversation. He was still Aaron, the Aaron she had spent months with, but this was different and she knew it. y/n let out a breath and said, “I got so good at hiding them that when I stood naked in front of a mirror I would flinch at my own reflection.” Hotch nodded slightly and asked, “Did they hurt you a great deal?” y/n took her bottom lip in her mouth for a moment before replying, “Not really. At least not until the next day. I was just looking for a release you know? Something to distract me from what was happening.” Aaron’s hand on her thigh gently started tracing over the scarred tissue with his thumb and he said, “Well I’m still sorry that you felt you needed to do that. Even if it was to protect you emotionally.” y/n gave him a small smile. She looked up at him with her large eyes, sincere in their clarity as she said, “You don’t have to apologize, Aaron. I’ve forgiven the younger version of me that made the choice to hurt herself. She was scared and angry and didn’t understand what was happening to her.” Aaron could ask about what exactly had been going on in her younger years. But he didn’t. He wanted her to be in control of this conversation, and a moment later, she said, “Plus, there are better ways to find release than when I was in high school.” 

Aaron flushed and felt his erection which had gone semi-soft twtich again. He reached out for her and said, “Are you sure? We can stop for tonight if you like.” y/n shook her head no and replied, “No, I want to keep going. I want to go all the way with you, Aaron.” Aaron nodded and pulled her close again, embracing her mouth with his. His right hand slipped behind y/n’s back and he deftly undid the clasp of her bra. He pulled far enough away to pull the intimate article off, and he said, “Just let me know if you need me to stop, alright. At any point, we can take a break.” y/n hummed her agreement and threaded her hands through his short hair. Aaron moved his face lower and he breathed warmly over her right breast. The warm sensation over her sensitive skin caused her nipples to grow taught again. Aaron leaned in and took the tissue in his mouth. He swirled the nipple with his tongue and y/n let out a sound so desperate and beautiful that he grew rock hard again in an instant. He kneaded the other breast with his hand and his left hand slipped under the waistband of her panties. She was desperately wet as he moved his pointer and middle fingers over her folds and heat. After a moment of this, Aaron pulled his face from her chest, wanting to get more of those sounds from her mouth. He got her out of the last piece of her clothing and he looked over her bare sex for a moment before diving in with his mouth. The taste of her on his lips was intoxicating, more intoxicating than the wine they had imbibed earlier that night. He moved over her wetness with an urgency. Again, y/n spoke his name with a need he didn’t know he needed to hear. She arched her back against his strong and accurate tongue. Hotch pressed her stomach back flush with the mattress and he reveled as her body twitched beneath his hand. As his tongue began entering her most intimate area, she moaned. She could feel herself coming close and wasn’t ready for the feeling to stop. She called his name and he stopped immediately, checking in with her. He looked up at her and his face and nose were wet with her excitement. “What is it, y/n. Do you want to stop?” He said it rather breathlessly as he had been very intent in his work. y/n replied, “Far from it, but I want to taste you too. I want you in my mouth.” 

Aaron stilled for a moment and said, “You're sure?” y/n smiled mischievously and said, “More than anything.” He felt a growl in his throat and he finally took off his briefs, freeing his cock. y/n looked him over for the first time, apparently impressed with him. He was slightly happy about this reaction, but the feeling of being pushed back and y/n taking his tip into her mouth instantly stilled that inner voice. ‘Oh fuck,’ he thought as she swirled her tongue over him in one direction for a bit, and then the other, and finally across the top. This sensation alone was enough to bring some pre-come to the tip. Aaron watched as she sucked it off quickly and then moved back onto him with her mouth. The very sight of her working over him nearly sent Aaron over the edge. His size was impressive and y/n wondered if she would be able to take all of him in her mouth. She worked fervently over him, taking more and more of his length each time she moved her head up and down him. She ran her hands over his balls as she did this, and she could feel him throbbing in her throat. Meanwhile, Aaron’s body was twitching with bliss and anticipation, and he said her name like a prayer as she finally got to the base. She continued to work on him as she sucked and licked his cock. She ran her tongue all the way up the vein running on the underside of him and again, this nearly ended him. This time it was his turn to ask her to stop, which she did. He knew that if he came now in her mouth he might not be able to do it again as intensely as the first time. Could he come again? With her, absolutely, but this was their first time and he wanted to give her his best. Breathlessly he said, “I need to be in you if you’re open to it. Please.” He realized that he was begging, but he couldn’t stop the urgency in his voice. 

y/n agreed, at this point their bodies were aching for release and she wanted him in her as badly as he wanted to be in her. She asked, “Can I be on top please?” With some vulnerability, she added, “It’s been a while since I’ve been intimate with anyone.” Hotch nodded, knowing the position would give her more control in regard to the depth and pacing. He said, “Of course. Whatever you want love.” He sat up a bit, leaning back on his palms. As _y/n_ got ready to straddle him again, he asked, “Are you on the pill, or should I get a condom?” He hadn’t made assumptions about her sexual life until recently, and asking something like this felt inappropriate unless in this very situation. y/n smiled and said, “I’m on the pill. We’re good." With this, she got back on her knees with Aaron underneath her. She used her hand to gently guide him into her entrance. She worked slowly at first. Even with just his tip inside her, Aaron had to stop himself from lifting his hips to get further inside of her. However, he kept still and let, y/n slowly take more and more of him inside her. He encouraged her saying, “That’s it y/n, your doing well. You feel so good around me.” She smiled at him and after a few moments, she was mostly seated over him. She was incredibly tight, and he was impressed that she had taken his member in as deeply as she had. There was only a tiny bit of his cock exposed. He felt her walls throb and tighten against him and he had to bite his mouth shut to stifle what he assumed was a scream of pleasure. She leaned down and took his mouth in hers, It was her turn to explore his mouth and he allowed her in easily. She was greedy with her tongue, and her breath was hot in his throat. After she pulled away for breath she assessed her comfort. Any pain that had been there when she was enveloping him had passed and she said needily, “You can move in me, Aaron. Please.” 

Aaron moaned again as he followed her command. He shifted his hips up and the feeling of his cock sliding inside her was pure bliss. It was all he had imagined and more. He started slowly, but both of them had waited and built up for the other and it was time to get their reward for their patience. Aaron built up his speed and the stream of half-contained noise that y/n made only had him quickening his pace more. As his thrusts became more urgent he felt a slight sheen of sweat covering them both. He was close, so close and he raced toward the finish. In a final desire to have him closer and deeper in her, y/n placed her full weight on his hips and leaned back, supporting herself on shaking, shuddering arms. The final shift in position allowed him that last bit of room to fully enter her and she moaned out, “Faster Aaron. Please, I’m going to come.” At her words, Aaron placed his hands on her hips, guiding their shared movement. He thrusted even faster and only a few seconds later, y/n came undone. Her body shaked and clenched around him and that was all he needed to find his release. His seed shot out of him hot and fast and he kept thrusting a few times more chasing the high, heady organism she was giving him. They both made ungodly noises as they let go and y/n quite literally collapsed on top of him. He held onto her closely as their shaky breaths intermixed. As Aaron regained his breath, the words came unbidden and he said, “I love you y/n. Oh god, I’ve loved you for so long. I’m sorry it took me this long to say something.” y/n was still shaking with her orgasm, but she managed to strangle out, “I love you too, Aaron. A hundred percent.” Aaron registered her words from a few months ago and he realized that she had been longing for him for that long and that he was a fool for not noticing before. 

Aaron was tired, but y/n was completely spent and he was still in her softening from his heightened state. With gentle strength, he grabbed her hips and lifted her off of his body. She made a small protestation at the loss of contact. However, he didn’t have any plans of letting her go soon. He pulled her to his chest and she settled contentedly next to him, her damp skin sticking to his. He was beginning to connect her comments about her scars to his own father's abuse. However, he didn’t have the head space for that rabbit hole right now. But he did say softly, “Do you think it’s fate that we met, y/n?” She chuckled into his chest and replied, “That’s too cliched coming from you Aaron.” He hummed and said, “Maybe, but am I wrong?” The question hung in the air for a minute before y/n said, “Maybe not. All I know is that life can be terrible. God knows we see the worst of it, but at least you're in mine.” At this, y/n settled closer to him; listening to his heartbeat consistently thumping in his chest. Aaron held her a bit closer. He would get up eventually to get her some towels to clean her up, but for now, having her in his arms was all he ever wanted. 

Text Break Banners by @cafekitsune

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

Just Between Us, Do You Remember It?

Author: @cryscendo

Rating: M

Status: Completed in January 2024

Word Count: 17, 040

Summary: He sat alone at a table in a quaint, little coffee shop in the city. He chose this shop, because he knew that it was never particularly crowded. He was going to need every ounce of privacy that he could get.

He was well over halfway through his first cup of coffee when a voice requested his attention — a voice that he was all too familiar with.

“Y’know, I’m honestly surprised you were willing to meet with me.”

Kurt turned, taking in a figure that he had not seen organically in just over three years. Even then, something about looking at the older man made his heart skip in ways that he did not want to think about.

Tropes/Genre: age!gap, future!fic, angst, long one shot, song fic based on Taylor Swift's All Too Well

Lynne's review: Excellent! I couldn't stop reading. Heartbreaking, yet loving. Loved it.

Read at: AO3

[naviamin]

𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐎 + 𝐋𝐘𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓

𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐎 + 𝐋𝐘𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓 ★ “SINISTER”

✿ 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆: graphic depictions of violence, mentions of gore/blood, vomiting, mentions of vomit, panic/anxiety attack, manipulative arlecchino, mentions of betrayal, upset lynette, no mentions of lyney and freminet, lore accurate arlecchino, implied mentions of pedophilia (not directed at lynette), slight implications of misogyny/weak woman.

✿ 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: hihi! my first ACTUAL writing based post on here, hope you enjoy TvT. But before we begin, I wanna say something this is not a ship one shot AND this is not in the genshin impact verse! also ty to @theshinazugawaslut for helping me edit this 🤍 go check out their works and show them support! that’s all for now, i hope u all enjoy <3

Lynette is still. So still. She stands and watches her father—no, a monster— take the life of a man. It's a selfish act in and out of itself. To kill someone.

Lynette is aware that the man is not the greatest of men; he is a man who worked hand in hand with evil. The man is a coward. The lowest of the lowest. He is happiest when hurting people, innocents; especially young women. Woman like Lynette. Women of small stature, women with nimble fingers, women with thin legs—women that could fit perfectly in the palm of his hand; the size of a snack, something to eat. Something to rip apart with teeth so sharp that-

Girls like Lynette are entertainment to him. Pretty little things to suck the blood right out off when there was no water. Just so he could watch them cower, watch them shrivel up beneath his feet.

But...

Lynette never knew someone could go grey, never knew what it meant to become a corpse, never knew what grey meant until today.

She watches the man writhe and scream in pain that went beyond simple agony.

The torture just went on and on. Endless.

At some point, beyond this grey expanse of time, the man begged to be released.

Arlecchino seemingly got upset with this simple request, and so she snatched his eyeball right out of his eyesocket. She even made a show to crush it between her black fingers, all until the eye was split into two parts of mush.

Lynette watches as the man held the empty space that once held his eye, letting out a shriek so loud—it sounded inhumane, the sort of sound a dog would make; like a dog being ran over. Lynette swore she had heard a crash of some sort. The man is hurting and... and all Lynette could do was just stand there.

She couldn't focus, she didn’t know what to focus on. The crimson blood staining her father’s once pristine white shirt? The thick, foggy haze of scarlet, like misted blood spray? All the different shades of red she could count from just one man?

The sight is grim, gory, and absolutely wretched, and seeing her saviour, the woman she calls—called—her father standing above it, was just... despicable.

Though at the time, she would've just said stammered and told you she was scared.

And the sounds she is making... Eerie.

Eerie in the way that Lynette could not put a finger on it, just wrong.

They sounded wrong—the sadistic glint in cruel eyes as Arlecchino’s actions ooze from her monstrous noises.

Like an animal.

She growls as she rips the flesh of every last bit of her prey. Greedy, like a lone wolf; she enjoys every piece of meat that she rips of the bruised bone, malice hot against her teeth.

This was all so wrong—a woman, a woman?

No...this was different.

The sounds were so terrible—they were so wrong—like a clock going the wrong way, maybe a fork scratching across a glass plate.

Each sigh, each grunt, each god-awful noise that came out her lips was nothing but a sound of murder amongst blood-curdling screams.

Arlecchino is malevolence herself.

A great, natural evil.

A natural disaster—like a the fiery depths of a volcano or the deafening sound of a merciless tsunami.

She is a great sinister.

A true embodiment of the word villan.

To be the antagonist. To be the bad guy—anything disastrous, anything twisted, anything utterly sick and inhumane—Arlecchino simply is.

She is vile, so vile, and so sickly that she began to smell putrid... the acid in Lynette’s stomach starts to churn—thicken—like a witch brewing a nasty spell in her cauldron.

Her stomach begins to growl, almost scratching against her inner skin. How awful. It's an odd feeling that Lynette hasn’t had for quite a while.

She last had this feeling when... when... oh... She was gonna be sick.

Lynette felt herself go green, acidic, felt her skin grow sick from the sight.

She knew she is a colour that no human should ever be. She grew more ill as she hears the snap of a vein. It's disgusting. She had to look away then. She hears it again—a loud snap, then a bang—and when she looks at the horror in front of her, she couldn’t quite comprehend what the man had lost this time.

Was it a limb?

Or perhaps... oh.

Oh.

No... no... no... it couldn’t be... no... this wasn’t her father. This wasn’t her father. This wasn’t her father. This wasn’t her father.

(And at this moment everything made sense. This isn’t Lynette’s father).

All those emotions, all that fear, that rage forcefully ripped its way out of Lynette, ejecting out foul somethings and bile from her mouth.

Lynette fell to her knees, looking at the gooey puddle of her own vomit below her. Rotten.

Sweat clung to her forehead as she groans. Her throat felt as if it had been shredded apart. Left panting on the floor, she listens to sounds of screaming. The screaming now sounding a little distant; far, far away. Perhaps that was better. A cold distance. A nice, cold distance.

(A nice, cold distance. A distance like the shadows beneath you. Nice. Unreachable. Black. Even though it wouldn’t last long, Lynette enjoyed the moment, the pool of sick below her entwined in such a horrible memory.)

Then it started all over again. Lynette gasped for breath as she felt her sweat become solid against her forehead. The sounds of skin clashing, scratching becoming sickening.

The distance closed in. Gone.

What a sad existence... Lynette thinks. Her father, brutally torturing someone a few feet in front of her while she cowers and shakes in front of her own... self... her vomit. Doesn’t her father know how much Lynette hates to vomit? Has she forgot? No... but Arlecchino would never forget. She promised... she had promised! Why must Lynette hang her head over her own... why must life be unfair?

Why is life so unfair...? Is the world shaped—made—to make woman feel inferior? Why did that man come near Lynette; near other young, sweet, innocent girls. Why must this happen? Why...?

Lynette’s head is a even bigger mess than that of the man before her, though perhaps such a thought is cruel.

Her vision even worse than the eyeless man. Black, splotchy dots fill her vision. Focusing then not. An array of bright colours controll her sight; grey and then becoming a kaleidoscopic rainbow. Like those sweets Lynette used to eat as she layed upon... nevermind.

Lynette’s arms go weak. They snap. The floor comes to her first, crashing mercilessly into her face. Her sick bubbles against her cheek, in front of her lips as she breathes against it. And the smell.. oh. A nauseating stench that burnt her nostrils.

Oh, she really hates vomit. She really does. It’s so... smelly and has bits in it. Oh, she doesn’t wanna be sick again. And that man won’t stop screaming... why won’t he stop yelling..?!

Lyentte has to speak. To tell her father... Arlecchino... that sinister to stop. To make it stop. Like she did all those years ago. Maybe she’ll cradle her, and sing songs to her. Oh, those beautiful memories. They aren’t distant... maybe Lynette can still reach them, if she reaches far enough...

Lynette’s brusied lips tear apart as she tries to scream. Her lips won’t divide, won't open.

They... they’re stuck! Her teeth chatter with cold fear as she tries to speak. The only sound she manages to make is a small cry, that even Lynette herself almost couldn’t hear. A swarm of wasps collects at the back of her throat. Buzzing. Loudly. Lynette despises wasps. Her throat full of ants, roaches, bees. Biting and stinging. Rendering her useless. Rendering her useless.

With each choke, with each failed whisper the anxiety rides up her spine like electricity.

Each breath, each sigh felt like a shock straight to her brain. The vomit acting like the water to the electricity riding through her body. Though riding was a soft word, perhaps obliterating was better.

(Opposites attract, her ass; they don’t, she knows that now. Arlecchino hasn’t even noticed her. How foolish was Lynette to believe a woman with eyes made of tar, deep, red crosses engraved in her eyes to show her sins, lips that stretched into such a large smile—how did Lynette think a woman with features like that could ever be trusted?)

���What is this...?”

It is like Lynette’s brain spoke for her. Because she doesn’t quite know how her vocal cords suddenly came to life after surrendering a long time ago.

For the first time in a while, a silence resounds in the dark room. But it isn’t a nice one. This silence speaks of untold horrors, of terrible outcomes, and of Arlecchino. The silence stretches out uncomfortably long.

Lynette feels herself cringe, her arms tingling, going lax. She takes a long, deep breath, coughing when she feels some of her vomit splatter against her. She breathes again, she forces herself to.

She doesn’t like this silence. Even if it can be broken by her shaky breathing, it is better than standing between reality and Arlecchino.

Lynette stops breathing loudly when she hears the shuffle of clothes. A loud clack resounds in the room; ear-piercing.

Arlecchino’s footsteps sound thunderous as she begins to approach Lynette. Like, she grew extra legs. What was just the clacking of heels against a marble floor, felt like an avalanche of feet. A stampede of frightened animals, running away. Lynette is the the only one left, laying on the ground as the others run in fright. She is left to face the ultimate predator by herself.

Arlecchino’s voice is gentle when she speaks but to Lynette, it feels more like a shriek. “Lynette...?”

Lynette doesn’t know why, but she sighs. Sighs so loudly, it clears her vision. She sighs again, feeling this awful feeling leave her body.

An abrupt sob rips through her throat. Unexpected tears roll down her eyes, mingling with vomit-stained floors.

Her sobs turn loud, booming.

Lynette begins to scratch against the floor, against her vomit. She feels the filth sink in between her thin fingers, beneath her once clean nails. Her cries turn so loud that the whimpering of the abused man turns inaudible. Her throat tears with each scream, but she still cries. She cries to her hearts content. Her whole body, her whole soul cries and screams with her. She screams like a toddler, she screams like a baby. She bangs her fists against her floor, watching her sick fly everywhere. But she doesn’t care, because, for once, crying feels relaxing.

Her cries speak for her, telling the story of her irritation, her agony, her betrayal. Lynette has no idea if Arlecchino is even listening, but the silence in the room is only filled with her despair. (So, Arlecchino must be...)

Lynette writhes in her own sort of pain. And she does that for what feels like centuries, but only a couple seconds actually pass. She brings herself to her knees, away from her sick. A few minutes ago, she would have loved that. But, not anymore.

“Why must you—why did you...” Lynette rasps, she breathes hard as she hangs her head back. Her chest heaves painfully as she gasps greedily for air. “Why did you hurt that man under my name?”

Lynette doesn’t even recognise her own voice. She sounds... different? Like... someone she knows.

“Because...” Arlecchino finally responds. And Lynette hopes she doesn’t finish, because she knows what exactly Arlecchino will say.

Don’t say it. Don’t say it.

Nononononono... don’t say it.

Please please please... no... no... don’t say what you’re going to say.

“You’re my daughter.”

Lynette can practically hear the evil grin that Arlecchino wears on her face. She can picture that unforgiving smile—lips stretched into a wide grin, too large for a human face. The blood prior from the mans torture running down her face, her skin... the skin that Lynette used to kiss and poke...

When did times change?

When was Arlecchino ever so malicious? Lynette doesn’t remember. All she remembers are the hugs, the kisses, the word of affirmation. Those kind words that dripped with the sweetest honey, the kind of words that felt like walking through a field of pretty flowers. Every day with Arlecchino felt like receiving a bouquet of stunning red roses. Since when did the moment of now spent with Arlecchino feel so... sad? Were they always this lonely?

Lynette recalls any memory of good, but at this moment, she can’t. She just can’t. All she could do is cry. And she did. She cried for God knows how long.

She cried until she felt Arlecchino’s cold hands hovering above her head. Arlecchino’s hands, despite dripping with thick blood and other unknown substances, were soft and gentle when pulling Lynette’s head down.

Lynette lazily looked at her father... or whatever... before her. She didn’t know what to say or do, so she blinked.

The expression on Arlecchino’s face was unreadable. No one knows what she will say, what she will do. So, Lynette sat still, let her head rest against Arlecchino’s hand as she waited for the surprise.

Arlecchino smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes. It was fake. Maybe real. Who knows? But, it was probably fake. Knowing her.

Arlecchino took a deep sigh, and then her smile grew larger. She exhales roughly, and then bought her other hand to rest against the other side of Lynette’s face. Then she spoke. What it meant Lynette did not know, but she hopes it isn’t as bad as it sounds.

“You’re next.”

© 2023, NAVIAMIN

[marvelwitchergilmore]

I Can Feel You

Summary; Beau Arlen x Fe!OC (or reader if you wish) -> Agent Sandy Fletcher is brought to Montana to help on a case.

Warning: Swearing, Violence (crimial minds level - not a tie in), mentions of tortue, fluff (kinda) towards the end, angst.There is also an SPN reference if you can spot it.

They had plastered her as a rookie. Made it out that she didn’t know much but she knew just over the normal amount to pass every test in the field. 

By the gods were they wrong. 

Agent Sandy Fletcher arrived in Montana in the early hours of Thursday morning. She was picked up by Deputy Poppernak who kept her both entertained and up-to-date on the case at hand. 

She had been given her orders by her Chief. He wanted her away from town for a while. And, even though he wished that he didn’t have to, he needed to. Sandy needed out of Oregon. At least for a while. 

“Tell me, is your Sheriff as talkative as you?”

Popp blushed a little. “Sorry. I’m talking too much.”

Sandy smiled. “Oh, no. It’s nice. The people I’m usually with don’t speak more than two words a day.”

Popp went on to explain a few things about Sheriff Beau Arlen and his deputy Hoyt. “I’ve heard good things so far.” Sandy assured Popp. 

By the time she arrived at her home for the following however-many weeks, Sandy managed to grab a few hours of sleep before heading into the station at 8am. 

And they got straight onto the case. 

A double act. Childhood friends turned into a serial killer duo. They’d kidnap the helpless and weak, keep them alive for a few days but in the meanwhile make them wish they were dead until finally…they’d grant the victim one final wish. 

To let them die. 

It was better than going through the pain again and again and again. 

But it was two weeks after Sandy had joined the team and was with Beau, Denise, Cassie and Jenny that she was taken from them. 

The duo had been watching Denise’s house the entire evening, waiting for someone to come outside alone and be distracted long enough to be taken out. 

It just so happened to be Sandy. 

She had offered to take out the trash since Denise had cooked, Cassie and Jenny were handling the pots and Beau was clearing the dining room. 

But after 5 minutes, Beau popped his head outside from the backdoor to shout Sandy back inside. 

“She still not back yet?” Beau had smiled as he entered and Jenny took the stacked plates from his hands. 

“Wonder if she got lost?”

Beau chuckled and popped his head around the door. “Hey, Sandy! You get lost?”

But then nothing. 

Not a single thing. 

“Sandy?”

Beau looked back inside, the other three growing a little more concerned. “Sandy?”

Beau walked outside and around the corner cautiously. 

On the floor was the trash bag open, pouring its contents onto the grass whilst the lid was thrown across the lawn. 

“Hoyt!”

Jenny shot outside of the door and came to his side. “Where is she?”

Three sets of footprints. Sandy’s and two others. 

They’d got to her. 

Storming inside the station, Beau gave out his instructions to his officers, giving Hoyt things to follow up on and asking Cassie to keep Denise by her side at all times. 

“We don’t know how long they’d been watching us but I’m gonna guess the whole night.”

“Beau?”

“I need every officer reporting back to either myself or Hoyt. You go out in pairs. You do not-”

“Beau?”

“Separate from your partner-”

“Beau!” Poppernack shouted, finally catching his boss’ attention. “Look.”

Popp picked up the remote on his desk and cast the live tape from his inbox to the Tv screen. 

Sandy. 

She was out cold. A single lightbulb was somewhere, lighting her up just enough for them to all see the damage that had been done. 

She had blood dripping from her nose, cuts across her cheeks and collar bone. She had bruises around her eye but they’d hit her so it wouldn’t swell up. 

They wanted the station to know it was her. 

Everyone watched in silence, waiting for something to happen.

“It’s live, too. They’re streaming it but I can’t get a location.”

“Keep trying.” Beau was holding back every emotion he could so he simply sounded deflated. His eyes never once left the screen, even as he walked the few steps towards a desk to sit against it. 

Popp nodded and continued to try and find her. 

For a few moments, nothing happened and then a groan. 

Slowly, Sandy was coming around. Her head felt heavy and her neck was sore. How long had she been out?

Squinting her eyes due to the light, she finally managed to find some strength again and then she saw him. 

Sandy closed her eyes and groaned. “Oh, it’s you.”

“You’re still alive I see?”

“I’m guessing you were expecting a different ending.”

The guy behind the camera stood up. “Perhaps.”

“What is it with villain's being so vague in their answers?” Sandy questioned. “You never just get straight to the point. You have to make a whole song and dance about it and even then you don’t get to your point!”

A loud smack came across her cheek. Her hair covered her face but opened up the back of her neck for the camera to see yet another cut and taser markings. 

“Well, aren’t you just the perfect gentleman?” Sandy looked back up to him. 

Sharply, he yanked at her hair and placed another hand under his chin harshly. 

“I wouldn’t speak to me like that if I were you, Alexandra.”

“Don’t call me that.” Sandy gritted. “You’re not my mother.”

“It’s your name, though? Isn’t it? Alexandra Fletcher. Special Agent. Only child- well, that’s not exactly true. Is it?”

Sandy laughed. “What? You been looking through my family’s medical records again? Wasn’t smart enough to become a doctor to get them legally so you stole them? That it? Oh, your parents must be so proud.”

He sharply gripped at her throat again. 

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Didn’t know this was your angle. Always thought this was Ernie’s method.” Sandy continued. 

“What’s she doing? She’s going to get herself killed!” That was the main comment coming from the officers until Beau shushed them all. 

“Where is Ernie by the way? I thought you two were attached by the…” Sandy looked down a little. “You know? Everything.”

He placed more pressure on her throat but before she felt herself begin to pass out, Ernie walked inside. 

“Let her go. I want to have some fun with this one. She’s special.”

“Thanks.” Sandy steadied her breathing. “Last person who called me that was my 5th grade teacher.”

“Humor? Is that your distraction?”

“More of my entertainment than anything.” Sandy shrugged. “The Sesame Street writers have really gone down the drain since they replaced some of the acts.”

Ernie threw back his head in a laugh as he picked out his tools. “Ha! Let me guess? We’re Bert and Ernie?”

“Congratulations, you have fucking ears. You mom must have been so proud when you finally listened to her.”

“Oh, she was. She asked me to kill her neighbor for her. The dog kept shitting in our garden.” He explained before lowering his top half to be eye-level with her. “Just one thing? Why Bert and Ernie?”

“Well…I’ve read your files. And you both seem to have this…ooh, what’s the word?” It hit her. “Codependency. Well, one of you does.” Sandy whispered before gesturing over to Bert. 

Ernie smiled. “Is that right?”

“Yeah.”

Ernie’s face changed, no surprise to Sandy and he swiped his knife across her as he distracted her by punching her gut. 

“Your folks ever tell you it’s not nice to beat on girls?”

“Pops encouraged it, actually. Said women needed to know their place in society. Thinking. Having an opinion. It wasn’t right.”

“Do you believe that?”

Ernie shrugged. “Not really. I have met some extraordinary women along the way.”

“Who you’ve killed along the way?”

“Most.”

“What about him?” Sandy nodded over to Bert. 

“Oh, he'd be too afraid of them to try.”

“Seems pretty confident to me.” Sandy argued. “I mean, he had me shaking in my boots before you came in here.”

“I’m sure he did.”

Beau and some more of the officers continued to watch in silence whilst Jenny stood over Popp’s shoulder, trying to find a location on Sandy. 

Beau’s eyes stayed glued to the screen in front of him looking for any sign or hint for where she might be. 

She couldn’t be that far. She’d only been gone 3 hours - although it felt longer. 

And clearly, they’d had tied for a while. 

“Where are you, Sandy?”

“Do you have anything you’d like to say? Perhaps to that Sheriff of yours?” Ernie now asked as he circled her before finally leaning down behind her. “I saw how he was looking at you at dinner.”

Sandy rolled her eyes, “Oh, brother.”

“Now, I might not be the best expert but even I know when a guy is into you.”

“Why? Did you catch yourself in the mirror when checking Bert out?”

Ernie gave a harsh, fake smile. “Funny,”

“Oh, no. Please. Do continue.” Sandy’s voice was laced in sarcasm as she watched Ernie walk away. 

“You laugh, but I guess…part of you hopes I’m right.”

Sandy didn’t say anything but simply shot him a look of slight confusion for him to continue. 

“Because I also saw how you looked at him?”

“And how did I look at him?”

Ernie turned around and lent against his weapons table as another blade sat comfortably in his hands. “Like you’d do anything for him.”

Sandy thought about it for a moment. “Hhm, maybe. But he is my colleague so…maybe not anything.”

“Please, you were planning your wedding invitations.”

“Actually, it was our joint grave stone.” Sandy corrected. “Much like you with your very own partner in crime. I mean, there is a lovely plot of land for you out in the field. I mean, watching the stars from the little pond by that old willow tree? It would be very peaceful.”

“Sounds like you’ve found your own resting place.”

Sandy smiled, “Maybe.”

She could only hope that Beau or someone caught onto what she was saying. 

And he did.

Beau gave the order and after a final few minutes, they’d found the spot. 

For any main road, it would take just over an hour. 

“Okay, I need squad cars, Popp take Alpha,” Beau then pointed to a few more officers and gave them their orders. 

“Stream this to my phone.” Beau told Popp and the moment they got into Beau’s car, Jenny turned up the volume. 

“Is she okay?”

“I think.”

“You think? What do you mean-”

“Beau, she’s okay.” Jenny assured him. “She’s just sitting there watching them.”

“Okay.”

“She’ll be okay, Beau.” Jenny reassured him. “She’s tougher than we think.”

Beau couldn’t talk. He just nodded and pressed his foot on the gas. 

By the time they arrived, Beau and the others all switched off their headlights and sirens as they got closer to the barn. 

Once the SWAT and officers were surrounding the building, SWAT kicked down the door and they all entered. 

If Beau wasn’t so determined, the sight he was met with, he would have frozen. 

SWAT took care of the serial duo whilst Jenny searched the rest of the barn for evidence to further the conviction. 

Beau searched around the place before finally reaching Sandy, holstering his gun and leaning down. 

“Beau Arlen,” Sandy smiled in a weak laugh. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

Beau smiled as he quickly untied her and let her rest her weight against his arms as he helped her stand. 

“Could say the same for you, Sweetheart.”

Sandy smiled weakly as he took her in his arms and helped her walk outside to the medics. 

“Are you sure you can walk?”

“Beau, I have been through this a million times. I’m fine.”

As much as Beau would have once upon a time pushed her comment aside, he couldn’t. “What?”

“I’ll explain later, can we just..hurry?”

By the time Beau helped her out and got her to the medics, she was being rushed into hospital. 

“They haven’t cut too deep. I should only need a couple of stitches.”

“Try 30.” The paramedic said in response. “Maybe more.”

Beau gave Sandy ‘that’ look but she just rolled her eyes. “What?”

“How can you be so calm about this? Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Beau, I told you I’m fine.”

And she said the same when he finally was alone with her in her medical room once her nurse had finished the final stitches. 

“You keep saying you’re fine-”

“Are you okay? Do you need to see a doctor?”

“Sandy.”

“Beau.” She copied his tone. 

Then he gave her that look again. 

And she folded. 

“Okay. So maybe the reason I was sent here wasn’t just to help out.” Sandy explained. “There had been a few incidences, back in Oregon. I worked a couple of cases in the Organised Crime Unit and - long story short - they found me. Tied me up in their grandmother’s basement and said if I didn’t join them I’d be…swimming with the fishes, if you will.”

“But this isn’t on-”

“My record? I know. It’s for highly classified officials to know, only.” Sandy nodded. “It was both for my protection, should any of the family somehow make their way into the databases and for any future employers I may have. Being tortured by a crime boss isn’t exactly something that would sell when trying to get a job in law enforcement.”

“When did it happen?”

“A few years back.”

“And have you-”

“Received counseling? Yeah. Just over 18 months and now we talk every couple of months.”

Beau nodded and hung his head. “Beau? Look at me?”

Beau looked up. 

“I’m here. I’m alive. And I’m okay.” Sandy assured him in a soft voice. She reached out and took his hand. “Can you feel me? I can feel you.”

Beau squeezed her hand lightly. “I can feel you.”

Beau then pulled her into a tight hug which she gave back just as tight. He almost lost her tonight and yet she had been acting like nothing had happened. 

But, just as Beau’s arms began to relax around her, Sandy’s arms tightened. 

“Not yet.”

It was only two words, but Beau knew. Beau knew she was falling. That she was about to collapse beneath the weight of everything that had just happened. 

Eventually, Sandy let go and moved back to wipe her eyes. “When these pain meds wear off, I might need your help. I love Denise but she scares me.”

Beau nodded. “Oh, me too.”

Sandy smiled. “Thank you for finding me.”

“Thank you for telling me where you were.”

[little-firestar]

Shattered Ties- A The Closer Fanfiction.

"The Major Crimes Division is faced with a case that affects them to the core when the father of Detective Christine Carter, a member of Major Crime Unit, is hit by a hit-and-run driver, perishing. While pursuing the investigation to find the person responsible for the crime, the team faces a race against time when they discover that at the time of his death the man was not alone, but with a little girl who seems to have disappeared into thin air..."

[enigmatic-mystery-777]

New Hope

You're invited to a gathering at Samantha Carter's house, something you honestly can't believe. You go, of course, but the man upon whom you have the biggest crush you've ever known is also there, and things take a turn you never expected, bringing out all your strongest inner demons in the process.

*Note: this day's prompt was originally for day 20, but the prompt for day 24 was "Book of Shadows" which I've already done previously, so I decided to just replace day 24 with day 20, thereby letting me get in the sweet one-shot I hadn't had time to get to on day 20. Rules are made up anyway lol

Taglist: @cuillere @stargaterevival @daydreampending @frostysfrenzy @geekygumiho @riverageleis @jgem87

[darkpetal16]

Schneeweißchen - Magic Mirror on the wall who’s the cherished one of all? DazaiOC complete one shot. Dazai x OC. 

Wattpad link

Ao3 link

Artwork drawn by @cantrona (tik tok link)

OC x OC

Lilly isn’t the girl. 

[samandcolbyownme]

This story will get dark and contain things that some readers might find unsettling and/or triggering.  PLEASE DONT READ IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH!!

Summary: Things get a little out of hand as you explore the Missouri Farmhouse with Sam and Colby.

Warnings include: talk of death and suicide, mentions of good and evil spirits, mentions of a brothel, reader being touched, spoken to, and tormented by spirits, mentions of being scratched, pushed, shoved, mentions of blood and puking, Estes method and other things some readers might find unsuitable - please read with caution my lovelies!

Disclaimer: everything in this story is completely off the top of my head, meaning I made it all up and also, y/n has a little thing going on with both Sam and Colby, but nothing is official. Enjoy!

Word count: a little over 16k | NOT edited

╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗

"Yeah, okay. Thanks." Sam nods his head, "Alright. See you in a few days." He hangs up and sits down, "So." He ruffles his hair and looks between you and Colby.

"What's up, man?" Colby leans forward, elbows resting on his knees, "Was that Trevor?"

Sam nods, "Yeah it was."

"Who's Trevor?" You ask looking between them. You could tell something was up, but you didn't know what, "Sam. What's going on?"

"So.. Trevor is the owner of the house we're going to in a few days, and he said that we should rethink about bringing you along."

"Bringing.." Colby points to you, "Y/n along? Why?"

Sam leans back, "I guess having a female there just won't be a good idea according to Trevor."

"Why?" You shake your head slightly and sit up. Sam shrugs, "I guess when other female investigators that went, they left pretty banged up."

You raise your brows, "Well it's a good thing I can handle a few bumps and bruises."

Colby pulls on the corner of your sweater and you look at him. You can tell that he is only concerned for your safety right now, so anything you say will just go in one  ear and right out of the other.

You look back at Sam, "So what? I'm just going to be excluded from this?"

Sam sighs, "Trevor said that it's all up to you. If you want to go, no one will stop you."

"Well I wouldn't say no one." Colby chuckles slightly and looks up at you and Sam staring at him. He quickly covers it up, "She's our best friend Sam. Why would we potentially put her in danger? Especially since the owner of the house is telling us not to bring her?"

"He said it's her choice so I mean-"

You cut Sam off, "Yes. Exactly. And I want to go."

"Have you read up on the place we're going to?" Sam raises his brows and you stare at him, "No.. but I can."

He gets up, "Look, I'm all for you going with us y/n. You're a vital part of the team, you see things we can't sometimes, so of course we want you to go." He sighs, "Just read up on it then decide whether or not you want to still go. I'm going to go make sure we have all the equipment we need."

You watch as he walks away and then you turn to Colby, "why am I getting an irritated vibe from Sam?"

Colby shrugs, "Probably because of what Trevor told him, and because he cares about you." He turns towards you, taking your hand in his, "We don't want to put you in any harms way, okay?"

"Colby." You laugh slightly, "Everywhere I go with you guys, well not everywhere but the investigations specifically.. anything could happen. I've be targeted before. I've been scratched before. I honestly think I've been through it all with you guys."

He smiles and nods, "Yeah, no you're right, I just." He pauses and lets out a sigh, "We just don't want you getting permanently affected by anything."

You nod, squeezing his hand, "How about this.. I'll go read up on the Missouri Farmhouse and then I'll get back to you guys after?"

He smirks and nods, "Okay."

"What's that smirk for?" You tilt your head and he shakes his head, "I just.. I just know that you're going to still want to go even after reading up on it."

You purse your lips together and blink a few times.

"I know you so well." Colby smiles and stands up, "I'm going to go help Sam." You watch as he walks away before reaching forward for your laptop.

The keys clack in the silence as you type in Missouri Farmhouse.

You click on a link with the same image that Colby texted you and your eyebrows raise at the first headline.

Uncovered: Multiple Prostitutes Found Dead, Miles From Missouri Farmhouse

Your eyes scan over the paragraph, Arlon Wheeler has been named leader of the satanic rituals involving the sacrifice of female prostitutes.

"Satanic rituals?" You shake your head, scanning back over the old news article, Arlon Wheeler's wife, Cordelia Wheeler, came front with authorities and confessed to everything her husband and others involved have done.

You click back, trying to find a more recent one, mainly one about people investigating it.

"Oh, yes." You click on a link and your eyes widen at the second headline.

Scratching the Surface: Ghost Investigators Leave Missouri Farmhouse Scratched and Bruised.

You scroll down, eyes widening as you read, 'Yeah, we went in knowing that it could get a little wild, but I honestly didn't think that I would be leaving with five scratches and a few bruises. I partially can't recall what happened after entering the barn, but other than that, I can tell you that if you are a female ghost hunter, please proceed with caution.' Lyvie said. I asked her about the barn and she said, 'Oh yeah.. the barn. That's where the brothel - I guess, took place. Along long with the said rituals.'

A chill is sent down your spine as you sit up, taking in what you just read, but it just seems to get worse and worse.

'With further research, it has been found that Arlon and Cordelia Wheeler would plan for Cordelia to go into town and to pick up naive females and return with them for Arlon Wheeler's sadistic needs.'

You pinch the bridge of your nose and let out a sigh.

"That doesn't sound like a sigh of relief." Sam jokes as he sits next to you. He leans over, eyes scanning over your computer, "Mm, I see. Reading up on what you're getting yourself into?" You laugh slightly and look over at him, "Yeah, yeah."

You shake your head, looking back down at your computer, "I just.. That place is full of hatred."

"What do you mean?" Sam leans back against the couch and you point to the screen, "Between Arlon being sold out by his wife to all of those innocent girls being slaughtered for absolutely no reason." You look at Sam, "It's going to be a good video, but at what cost?"

You close your laptop and lean back, "I don't want you guys going in something like that alone." You smirk slightly, "What kind of friend would I be?"

"Friend.." Sam chuckles as he extends his arm over the back of the couch, "I'm just super anxious, because with you being a living female, I just have this weird feeling as to why there's so many reports on other investigators getting injured."

You lean in and rest your head on his shoulder, "Jealousy?" You turn your head to look up at him and he looks down at you, "Oh yeah." You smile, "Why's that, Sam?"

You can see his cheeks turning red as he tries to keep his composure, "Because.. As a pretty girl walking into something like that I-"

Colby cuts him off as he walks down the steps, "I'm looking at plane tickets. How many do I need?"

You sit up, looking from Colby to Sam. He smirks and holds up three fingers, "Three."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

""What's up guys.. It's Sam and Colby." Colby motions to the empty spot where Sam should be. He looks at the camera again and sighs, "What's up guys. It's Colby Brock, And today, we are currently at the airport, waiting to board our flight to Missouri." He tilts his head, giving a confused look, "Now, you're probably wondering, guys why are you at the airport waiting to go to Missouri? Well, we'll tell you."

Sam moves into frame and gives an awkward stare into the camera, "Hi." You laugh quietly, shaking your head as they continue the intro for the video.

"Sam, do you want to tell the people why we're going to Missouri?" Colby motions towards the camera and Sam looks at Colby, leaning in to mumble, "Why are we going to Missouri?"

You and Colby laugh at Sam and he sighs, "We are heading to a massively haunted farmhouse there. It is known for leaving a, figurative and literal mark on the people that go there to investigate."

"We're super nervous about this, considering what Sam says, I will be majorly surprised if we all make it out unscathed." Colby grabs the camera, turning it around on you, "We also have the very risk taking y/n here for this trip."

You smile and wave to the camera, "Nice intro for me, Colby." You laugh and he turns the camera around on himself, "I thought it was pretty bad ass, but okay." He laughs, "See you guys on the plane." He lays his hand on the lense and turns the camera off.

Sam sits down next to you, "Is anyone else actually kind of excited about this?"

You look over at him, "I'm half and half."

He leans forward, and you both look at Colby, "What about you?" Colby leans forward and shrugs, "I'm.. here." He laughs and you nod, "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Hey, you cou-"

You cut Sam off, "I didn't want to stay home." He raises his hands, "Alright." He laughs, making you smile. He shake his head, "We couldn't get you to stay home even if we tied you to-"

"Oh my gosh!" A girl squeals, inconveniently cutting Sam off, "Are you guys really Sam and Colby? Like is this happening right now?"

Sam points to himself, "Yeah, I'm Colby and that's Sam." He points to Colby and Colby waves with a smile, "Yeah, my hair is a little darker than usual."

You smile and look up at the girl. Her jaw drops, "Oh my g- You're y/n! Are you guys making a video right now?"

You're shocked that she knows who you are, because you don't really get recognized much, "Yeah." You laugh slightly, "It's me." You glance over at Sam and he nods, "Yeah, were actually heading to Missouri right now to shoot a video."

All the girl can do is smile, "That's so freaking cool. Can I get a picture with all of you, please?"

You all agree and stand up as she finds someone to take the picture. You stand next to Colby as the girl stands between him and Sam. Colby wraps his arm around your waist, fingers gently rubbing your side as the stranger takes a few pictures.

"Thank you so much. oh my god, I can't wait to show my friends." She looks up from her phone, "They love you guys so much, they're going to freak."

"Thank you for stopping!" Colby smiles and gives the girl a hug, same with Sam, "Be on the lookout for this video. It's something you're not going to want to miss."

She nods, "I won't I promise." She looks at you, "Can I get a picture with you?" You look from her to Sam and back to her, "Of course, yes." She hands her phone to Sam and moves to stand next to you so Sam can take a few photos.

"Thank you so much, have a good flight!" She waves as she walks away and you turn to look at Colby, "Did that just happen?" He nods with a smile, "It sure did."

"Have you ever gotten stopped like that?" Sam asks as you all sit back down. You shake your head, "Nope. But I love it." You laugh slightly and Colby stands up, "I'm going to go get a drink, do you need anything?" You look over him and shake your head, "I have my water."

He motions to Sam, and Sam nods, "Just get me what you get."

You watch Colbt walk away before looking at Sam, "So what were you saying before all of that?"

He smirks and shakes his head, "About what?"

You smile and sigh, "oh you know, about me not staying home no matter what you did?" He laughs and sighs, "oh that.. Yeah, I was just saying how even if we tied you up at home you'd still find a way to come with." He leans in, "But something tells me that if we were to do that, no one would be going anywhere."

You sit up straight as his words send an intrigued shiver down your spine. You smile and look over at him, "This isn't some sort of I better say what i want now incase we don't make it back kind of thing is it?"

He laughs at your tease and shrugs, "I mean.. if it was.. I wouldn't say that and I definitely wouldn't be saying it here." He looks up as Colby walks back over, reaching up to take his drink.

Colby sits down next to you and sighs, "So what are we talking about over here?"

"Oh you know.." You look over at him, "Sam was just confessing his unprofound love for me, no biggie." You look at Sam and right before he can say anything, your flight is announced over the speakers.

"Oh look at that, perfect timing." Sam smirks and stands up. You look over at Colby and stand up, "Ready to fly into some spook-tacular fun?"

He laughs and points to you as he stands up, "You are definitely saying that on camera."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

The plane ride was quick, considering you fell asleep as soon as the plane took off. You woke up on the shoulder of a sleeping Sam.

"Morning sleepy head." Colby whispers with a smile. You wipe the little amount of drool from the corner of your mouth and smile, "Isn't it like four p.m?" He laughs and nods, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

The flight attendant annouces that you'll be landing shortly so you reach over to nudge Sam, "Hey.. Hey.. Sam. Samuel. Samuel John.." You look at Colby and back to Sam, "Samuel John Golbach."

You laugh slightly, "If you don't wake up, Colby will have no choice but to kiss you."

Colby leans forward, "What now?!"

"I'd like it better.." Sam sits up straight and looks at you, "If you kissed me instead."

You smirk, looking away to hide the blush growing on your cheeks and Colby holds his hand up, "Whoa. I think it'll be fair if she just kisses us both."

"You would like that wouldn't you?" You smirk at him and he nods, "Very much so." You lean back in your seat, the anxiety of going to that house tomorrow sets in.

The news articles flash in your mind, images of the the scratches and bruises people have received slip into the mix as well.

You didn't know your leg was bouncing a mile a minute until Sam lays a hand on your knee, "You good?" He asks with a slight laugh and you look over at him, "Yeah, I just got to thinking about the house."

Sam wants to suggest you staying at the hotel, but he and Colby both know that that isn't going to happen.

"I'm just.. what you told me about what Trevor said, it's just circling in my mind and I mean, maybe.." you shrug,"..I'm having second thoughts but I just can't let you guys go alone."

Sam smiles slightly and nods, "No, I know what you mean."

You all get up and get off the plane, making your way to the baggage claim. You yawn, laying a hand over your mouth, "Thank god we don't have to go until tomorrow."

You walk up, picking up your suitcase. Sam and Colby follow behind you, "Yeah, we all need to rest up before going there." Sam says, looking at Colby, "Do you want me to film or you?"

Colby shrugs, "Doesn't matter to me." Sam nods and you follow him over to a bench before he pulls out the camera, "Well guys. We have landed here in Missouri. Going to head to the hotel now and that's where we'll give you the rundown about everything that's going on tomorrow night."

"Colby, y/n." Sam turns the camera to face you guys, "How are we feeling?"

"Tired." You say with a laugh, "And kinda nervous, because we're only a few hours away from the house and I'm just.." you shrug, "Anticipating the scariness of it, I guess."

Colby nods, pointing his thumb towards you, "Exactly what she said." He laughs and nods, "But I'm ready."

Sam turns the camera back to himself and points, "See you guys in a few." Sam turns the camera off, putting it back in his backpack, "Alright, let's get to the hotel."

You make your way to the car that they rented and throw your stuff in the trunk. You get in and shut the door, waiting as they get in.

"So how far from the house will we he once we reach the hotel?" You lean over and look forward in between them.

"Um.." Colby thinks, "About an hour and a half, two with traffic maybe?"

You nod, "okay." You get on your phone, typing in the house you're going to into the search bar again. You click on a link you haven't looked at yet and rest your head against the headrest as you bring your phone up to read.

We got in contact with a group of ghost hunters to talk about their experiences at The Missouri Farmhouse. One said, 'Yeah, I was walking towards the barn and all of a sudden I was on the ground, almost like something came barreling behind me and I was in the way.'

Another said, 'I was standing on the porch of the home, just looking out over the dark cornfields when I felt something wet on my back and my shirt was kind of sticking to me. We went in the summer so I thought maybe it was just sweat - I was wrong. I had my friend shine her light on my back as I lifted up my shirt and I still can't get the way she gasped in shock out of my mind. I had two scratches going down my back and what I was feeling wasn't sweat - it was blood. My blood. I left right then and there and I don't plan on ever going back.'

"This person said that they were scratched so bad that blood was drawn." You look up and Sam and Colby both glance back at you, "I'm reading more on the house, and everything I'm seeing just gets worse."

"It's not going to be an easy night. That's for sure." Sam shakes his head as he comes to a stop at the red light, "We have to go in with a positive mindset, because if we go in with negative one, all we're going to get is a negative reaction."

Colby nods, "That's why I'm super thankful we came a day early. Just so we can rest up and really prepare ourselves for this."

You go back to reading.

'What would you say to anyone who plans on going to see the house for themselves? Would you try to persuade them from going?'

'Personally..' Darion starts, "..I wouldn't necessarily try to persuade anyone from going, because at the end of the day, if they really want to go, they're going to go. So what I'd say, is go in there with an open mind. Don't expect the worst right off the bat because if you do, you'll get the worse right off the bat. Treat the ground you walk on with as much respect as you humanly can and don't, don't underestimate the spirits that are trapped in that house - especially the barn.'

You lock your phone and look out the window. You don't really say much because of not only being tired, but because you're really thinking about whether or not you want to go.

You wanted to go, of course, but you didn't want to put the burden of being worried about onto Sam and Colby, considering they'll already be worried about each other.

You reach the hotel and make your way inside to check in before going up to the room. You sit down on the bed and fall back, "Finally."

Colby laughs, sitting down and falling back onto the bed next to you, "Tell me about it."

Sam sits down on the other bed and falls back, "So who's sleeping where?"

"I could honestly fall asleep right here." Colby laughs slightly. You nod, "Same." Sam sits up and goes to his backpack, "I forgot. We have to do the backstory stuff."

Colby sits up, "Oh shit, that's right." He gets up, moving over to the other bed, right in front of where Sam set the camera up.

You heave yourself forward with a groan and stand up slowly. You walk over, moving onto the bed behind them.

Sam looks back at you, "You can lay down if you want."

You shake your head, "I'm good."

Colby laughs and looks at you, "You just want to say that spook-tacular line don't you?" You roll your eyes as you laugh, looking at him with a serious look, "Maybe."

He laughs and looks forward as Sam gets the camera on. Sam sighs, "we made it to the hotel." He motions around before clapping his hands together, "We are about an hour and a half, two hours give or take, away from the Missouri Farmhouse."

He motions towards Colby and Colby takes over, "So the Missouri Farmhouse was known for a few things. One thing being that it was owned by two of the richest people in this town at the time, Arlon and Cordelia Wheeler. Second thing, the barn right behind the house."

Sam looks from Colby to you, "Y/n, you were reading up on it on the way here, why don't you fill everyone in?"

You nod, slightly shifting to face the camera, "So over the last few days and even today, I've been reading different articles pertaining to the house itself and the barn." You pull up your phone, unlocking it, "The barn is where a brothel was held for a few years. Multiple people from this town, and even family members to both Arlon and Cordelia, would come and pay them to engage in sexual activity with, as the article stated, naive prostitutes that Cordelia would pick up from town and bring back."

You look at Sam and he smirks slightly, "Keep going."

You smile and shake your head, "Not only did the sexual activity take place, but the same prostitutes would then be sacrificed to bring good fortune to the very greedy couple, and to also try and bring a miracle, or whatever of fertility onto Cordelia."

"Oh yeah, they didn't have any children." Colby snaps and looks at Sam, "I read that they tried multiple times, but nothing worked so I think it was a cousin, maybe, of Cordelia who was big into secretly doing witchcraft, that told her about the human sacrifice thing and yeah."

"So it was the cousin of Cordelia that started it all?" Sam asks and Colby nods, "I'd say so. Because what I was reading, they convinced her, promised her safety after she made a deal with the devil I guess and that's when they started sacrificing everyone, but I don't know how they could have saved her from everything."

Colby shrugs, "Bottom line, this place isn't going to be like any other place we've stepped foot into before."

"Oh!" You snap your fingers, "I also read some other investigator's personal experiences and the one got shoved, knock over on to the ground hard and the other one I read, she had two.. not one, but two scratches on her back.. and they were bleeding."

"I just hope that we leave with our skin in tact." Sam rubs his arms and Colby looks over at him, "I think I would rather leave unpossessed or something of that matter."

He laughs and Sam nods, "Yeah." He laughs, "You have a point with that one." He claps his hands, "Let's just hope that we all leave the same way we go in."

Colby and you nod and he looks back at you, "Anything else you want to add in?"

You stare at him and sigh, "We'll see you tomorrow on this spook-tacular adventure."

Sam and Colby cheer and Sam reaches up to turn off the camera, "That was great. I love that." He looks back at you and you laugh, "alright. I'm going for a shower."

You grab stuff from your suitcase and walk into the bathroom.

Once you're done, you come out to both Sam and Colby asleep on the same bed in positions they probably were expecting to fall asleep in.

You pull out your phone, recording as you walk over to them, "This is how I found them when I came out from the bathroom."

You zoom in on Sam, "I don't know how that's comfortable." You move over to Colby and quietly laugh, "again, I don't even know how that's comfortable."

You stop recording and tap Sam's knee, "Hey." He opens his eyes and smiles up at you, "Hey." You laugh and motion to his position, "How is that comfortable?"

He sits up, almost falling off the bed completely, "I honestly don't even know." He looks over at Colby, "Is he kneeling on the floor?"

You nod, drying your hair with the towel, "That he is." You toss the towel onto the floor and walk over to Colby, "Hey, Colbs." You tap his shoulder and he snorts, "Huh?"

You smile, "I think lying in the bed will be more comfortable.." you laughs slightly, "Better for your knees."

He laughs as he pushes himself back from the bed, "You would know."

Your jaw drops, "Hey now. I've never fell asleep like that." He glances up at you, a smirk comfortable on his lips, "Wasn't talking about that."

You roll your eyes, "Keep it up and you won't know." You make a face at him, smiling as he shakes his head, "Don't say that."

You hold your hands up, "Sorry." You go to walk to the other bed but Sam stops you, "whatcha doin'?"

"Going to bed." You point and pull the covers back. Sam pouts, "All alone?"

You smile at him and glance at Colby, "what? Are you scared or something?"

"Oh yeah, don't you see me shaking in my boots?" Colby pretends to shake and you laugh, "Fine. You've convinced me enough."

Sam grabs your hand and pulls you over him, laying you in the middle between him and Colby.

This wasn't anything new to you guys. You shared toddler beds as kids and it just stuck. You knew the moment you came to live with them that you liked them both.

They both seem to like you, and even though nothing is official, it just works for you guys.

Almost like a well oiled machine with no labels, all three of you just know.

"Goodnight." You roll onto your side and Sam turns the light beside the bed off, "Goodnight." He lays down next to you, laying his arm over your waist.

"Goodnight." Colby turns his light off and lays down facing you. He lays a hand on your hip and with them next to you, it doesn't take long for you to fall asleep at all.

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

You hear talking, but you try to ignore it as you don't really want to get up yet.

"Today is the day we go to the Missouri Farmhouse."

Your eyes snap open the instant those words leave Colby's lips. You lift your head, slowly looking around before sitting up.

"Oh, look. She's finally awake." Sam jokes and you cover your face with a pillow, "No." you groan, "I'm not ready."

Sam goes back to talking as you sneak away to get ready for the day. After a little bit you come back out and see Sam and Colby sitting on the bed talking.

"You still up for today?" Colby looks at you and you nod, "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" You set your bag down and walk over, sitting in the chair across from them.

"Just making sure." He smiles and you nod, "I mean, I'm nervous, but I'm trying to shake that away."

"It's normal to be nervous, especially when investigating something like this." Sam starts, "You just need to go in there with knowing that you're in charge of yourself."

You let out a breath, "I'm just.." you shake your head, "When do we have to meet Trevor?"

"He said he'll meet us at noon, but if you want we can go get something to eat." Sam suggests and you nod, "Yes. Please, I'm starving."

You make your way out to the car, debating on whether or not you should tell them about the dream you had last night.

You didn't want to freak them out, but at the same time, it felt so real, like you need to tell them.

"Hey, so.." you start out, laughing slightly when Colby looks at you, "I had a weird dream last night, and I debated on not telling you but it was something about the house."

"The house?" Colby questions and you nod, "Yeah, the farmhouse."

"Do you mind if I record this?" Sam asks holding the camera up and you shake your head, "No because it might be a good thing if you do."

You wait for Sam to do his intro, "We are currently on our way to get something to eat before going to meet, Trevor. He's the owner of the Missouri Farmhouse, but first, y/n here told us that she had a dream about the house so I'm just going to let her take it away."

He turns the camera back to you and you sigh, "Okay, so first off I don't even remember falling asleep so that's kind of weird because usually I do, you know what I mean?"

Sam and Colby both nod and you nod back, "Okay, so once the dream started, it was us, standing on the front porch of the house, it's nighttime mind you."

"Extra creepy." Sam laughs and you nod, "Oh yeah. Definitely. So we go in, and for what ever reason, Colby wanted to split up and I just had this absolute gut feeling that we shouldn't. So I kept telling him no, Colby. No we can't split up and he like got, I don't even want to say mad because it was worse than that."

"Almost like something took over him?" Sam asks and you hear Colby whine from the drivers seat, "Why me!?"

You shrug as Sam puts the camera back on you, "That's what I'm saying, like you were told that you were intimidating to the ghosts, and Sam.. well.." you laugh and he moves the camera to frown into it.

"Anyway, so we stick together, but there's all these shadow things moving around and at this point in the dream, I've had enough I want to go home, I'm clinging to Sam.." you see his lips form into a smirk and you try not to smile, ".. screaming to let me go let me go."

You point to Sam, "You, Sam, You're just looking around, watching these things fly and move around us and then all of a sudden everything goes dark, it feels like you're pulled away from me. I'm pushed backwards, and then I woke up. I don't know what time I woke up, but you guys were still asleep and it was still dark out."

Colby glances back at you in the rearview, giving you a why didn't you wake us up? look.

You frown slightly and sigh, "So I don't know if that has anything to do with what we're about to experience or what but it kinda has me shaking a little bit."

"I honestly don't even know what to say to that." Sam laughs slightly, "We wanted to record that just in case anything like that happens tonight at the actual farmhouse, so."

Sam turns the camera to Colby, "Click that like button if you think it will happen and hit that subscribe button if you think it won't." Colby smirks and winks into the camera and Sam smiles as he nods his head, "I see what you did there. Nice."

You laugh and lean back against the seat, your dream replaying in your mind over and over again as you make your way to the restaurant.

After lunch, you guys head to meet Trevor and Colby starts recording as Sam takes a turn driving.

"We are now on our way to meet up with Trevor. He's going to give us the whole run down." Sam looks over at the camera and back to the road, "My hands are sweaty. I'm actually getting more anxious the closer we get to going to the house, you know?"

"No, man. I know what you mean." Colby laughs and nods. You lean over, "We can just pull up to it, you know. Snap a few pictures then leave, I mean we can still say we seen it, right?" You laugh nervously and sigh, "Fuck. I cannot believe we're doing this."

"Well, believe it. We're here." Sam pulls into a driveway and Colby leans forward, "This doesn't look like the Missouri Farmhouse."

Sam starts laughing, "That's because this is Trevor's house, you fuckin' dummy."

You lay your hand over your mouth and Colby sighs as he nods, "Yeah.." He looks down at the camera and nods, "Okay." He turns it off and looks at Sam, "Thanks for embarrassing me, Sam."

"You did that yourself." Sam laughs and gets out, opening your door for you, "Ready?" You look up at him as he shuts the door, "Yeah. Let's go get some more horrific information." Colby walks around the car and stands next to you, "Did he say if it's alright to record this?"

Sam shakes his head, "I'm going to ask him."

You follow them to the door and Sam knocks. A few seconds later, the door opens and what you assume, Trevor smiles, "Hey, Sam?" He holds his hand out to Sam and he takes it, "Yes sir, I'm Sam." He points to Colby, "That's Colby."

"Hey, how are you?" Colby shakes his hand and steps out of the way as he motions to you, "This is y/n." You step up and shake his hand, "Hi. How are you?"

Trevor nods, "I'm good." He smiles, "I'm good. Please.." He steps out of the way and motions for you all to come in. You walk in, followed by the boys and Trevor closes the door, "So what do you want to know?"

"Oh before we start, do you mind if we film this for our video?" Sam holds up the camera and Trevor shakes his head, "Not a problem at all, whatever you need." He takes you guys into his dining room and Sam sets up the camera so you're all in frame.

"These look.. old." Colby reaches out and slides a paper over towards him, "What are these names?" He looks up at Trevor and Trevor sits down, "So this right here." He points to the paper in front of Colby, "We think these are the names of the prostitutes that were taken to the house."

"Like the ones that were sacrificed?" You lean over and look at the paper. Trevor nods, "Yes. We think this was kept by Cordelia as a way for her to have leverage over Arlon."

"Almost like blackmail?" Sam asks as he looks up and Trevor nods, "Exactly. Now these.." He opens a manilla folder and slides papers next to each other, "Lean in and read this. Tell me what you think it is."

All of you lean in, eyes scanning over the semi blurred words that read;

By signing this, you have gradually acquiesced to the demands of our leader, A.W. You must now obey order. If orders are not obeyed, there will be acts of retribution.

A.W. C.W

"Was this like a contract or something? Something that the women were, I'm assuming, forced to sign so they couldn't run and tell the truth about what was happening?" You ask as you look up at him.

Trevor nods, leaning back in his seat, "Precisely."

"Its such a short contract." Colby shakes his head, "But it actually worked? Like it was a valid thing?" Trevor shrugs, "I don't think there was such thing as a notary back then, but with enough people believing in Arlon, I'm sure that didn't make much of a difference."

"Can we take a picture of this name list? Just so we know who to try and talk to?" Colby taps his finger next to the paper and Trevor nods, "Oh yeah, of course. Take a picture of it all if you'd like."

Colby works on taking pictures while you and Sam talk to Trevor, "Can you tell us about any personal experiences that you or anyone else close to you have had?" Sam asks resting his elbows on the table.

Trevor blows out air, "Gosh, I don't even know where to start." He chuckles and you sit up more, "What about the girl that got scratched so bad she bled?"

Trevor's eyes widen as he nods, "Oh shit. Yeah. The panic in her voice when I got the call about them leaving, was not a call I wanted to receive at two a.m."

You nod, "Oh I can imagine. I was reading up on the house over the last few days, and some of the stuff I've read is just.. horrifying."

Trevor nods, "They're not exaggerating it at all, either. The barn, that's where everything was held for a majority of its time. That is where most of the crazy shit happens."

He shuffles through the folder and slides over a blown up picture of a wooden beam sticking straight up out of the ground, "My brothers and I were working on patching up some of the holes in the roof of the barn one day when I suddenly got this really bad, dizzy feeling. I stepped, maybe three steps, and that beam fell straight down onto the exact spot I was standing."

You all look at Trevor in shock and he nods, "Another time, I was in the house looking around to see what we could really remodel. I was standing on the stairs and it honestly felt like someone was trying to throw me over the banister."

"What the hell." Colby shakes his head, holding up hid pointer finger, "Note to self. don't stand too close to the stairs banister."

You and Sam laugh and Trevor nods, "Another don't you should follow." He looks between the three of you, "If you go into Arlon and the wife's room, don't let the door close on you."

"I know.. I'm probably going to regret asking this.." Sam sighs, "Why?"

"I've never had it happen to me, I even went there to see for myself, but I've had multiple reports about some crazy shit happening if you let the door close. For instance." He sits forward, "Someone called me and told me that their hearing.." He puts air quotes, "Stopped working."

"Oh shit." Colby shakes his head, "Almost like they isolated them." Trevor nods, "Yeah, they also said that they've heard things being screamed into their ear. They could never tell me what they heard. Every time they thought about it, it was on the tip of their tongue but they just couldn't ever say it."

"Now that is really freaking weird." Sam shivers, "I have the goosebumps just thinking about that, like being the only one in a room, a dark room at that, and just having something scream shit into your ear that you definitely make out, but you forget about it even though you know it? Does that make sense?"

You nod, "That would drive me absolutely insane." You lean back, stretching your arms out behind you.

"Did you get pictures of everything?" Sam asks Colby and he nods, "Yes, I did. I'll send them to both of you, just in case something happens to my phone." He sends out the pictures to you and Colby and you swipe through them as they finish up talking.

"Thank you so much for meeting with us." Colby holds his hand out to shake Trevor's hand again, "We truly appreciate all the information." Trevor shakes his hand then moves onto Sam's, "Not a problem at all. Again, call if you need anything and just be cautious around and in the barn if you do go in. You never know what can happen."

You nod and walk over to the door with them, "Wait." You turn to Trevor, "You told Sam on the phone that I shouldn't come? Why is that?"

"I found that the females that come to the house are targeted the most, probably out of the dead being jealous of the living." Trevor opens the door, "Just be extra careful, sweetheart. The pretty ones get more attention."

"Oh.. Okay. Thanks." You look from Trevor and Sam and Colby are both staring at you, "Again. Thank you for the information." Colby walks out, stopping to wait for you.

Trevor hands Sam the key, "This will open the front door. Call if you need anything."

"Thank you." Sam grabs the key, "I'll be sure to let you know how it goes." He lays a hand on your back as you walk in front of him.

"Good luck." Trevor yells before closing the door.

You get in the car after Sam open's your door, "He was fine up until the very end. I didn't like that." Colby looks back at you, "I don't think he meant it in the way that we took it, bu-"

Sam cuts him off, "I still didn't like it."

You laugh slightly, "It's fine. We have something bigger to worry about now." You take a deep breath, "The Missouri Farmhouse."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

"Stop here so we can get a shot of the entrance." Colby points and you lean around, "That's actually very fucking creepy."

Colby nods, "I know, all of the trees and then just this dirt, gravel road." he rolls his window down and holds the camera out, recording as Sam drive onto the long driveway.

Your heart drops into your stomach as the house comes into view.

"There she be." Sam says and you shake your head, "I already don't like this." You laugh nervously and Colby puts the camera on you, "You nervous or something?"

You roll your eyes and clear your throat, "What? Me? No. Not at all." You look at him serious, "Yeah, very much actually."

Colby laughs and turns the camera to Sam, "Well, brother. Now that were here.. how are you feeling?" Sam parks and takes a deep breath, "I honestly don't know." He laughs and looks over, "Y/n's dream kind of has me freaked out."

"Tell me about it." You run a hand through your hair, staring at the house as Colby records it, "Well, guys. This is .. The Missouri Farmhouse."

"We are going to get our things together and we will take you guys on a tour before it gets dark out, just so you can all see how old this house really is." Sam looks into the camera and Colby tilts his head, "You mean to show them how creepy this place actually is?"

Sam nods, "Same thing." He laughs as he turns the car off. Colby shuts the camera off and gets out, opening your door for you. You move at a slow pace, not rushing to get inside. You slip on your jacket, "How cold is it supposed to get?"

"I believe low forties." Sam says as he pops the trunk. You nod as you pull the hood from your sweatshirt out of the back of your jacket. Colby walks up next to you, "You ready?"

"As I can be." You smile up at him and he lays a hand on your hip, "At anytime-"

"You tell me this every time I do an investigation with you guys, and you know that if I absolutely cannot handle it anymore, I'll tell you." You smirk as he smiles and nods, "Just like to remind you."

"I appreciate that." You smile and turn to look at Sam, "So were just going to do a walk through?" He nods, "Yeah, I figured that with it still being daylight, we can get footage of how everything looks normal because I honestly feel everything is going to intensify when the sun goes down."

Colby puts his jacket on and sighs, "Ready?"

You and Sam look at him with a nod, "Ready."

Sam starts rolling, "Alright guys. So we are on our way into the house. This is what it looks like on the outside." Sam turns the camera around, panning it over the huge farmhouse standing before you.

You walk up to the door and Sam hands Colby the camera as he pulls the key from his pocket. He slips the key into the old looking lock and turns it, "Alright." Sam looks back as the door cracks open, "We're in."

"No going back now." Colby chuckles and hands the camera back to Sam so he can walk in first. You follow, Colby right behind you.

You trip on the step and fall into Sam, "I tripped." You announce quickly, "Sorry."

"You okay?" He turns around, laying a hand on your side and you nod, laughing slightly, "Yeah. I'm good." You look away from Sam, eyes scanning over the house.

Sam pans the camera around, "It's so old, yet so beautiful."

"Whoa, look at this." Colby walks over and Sam follows him. Colby points to a portrait on the wall, it's old and kind of ripped, "I think this is Arlon and Cordelia."

As Sam and Colby are talking about the portrait, you get this unsettling feeling that you're being watching, "Guys.." your voice is almost inaudible.

You reach out, tapping Colby's arm and he turns around, "Did you just- what's wrong?"

"Something is watching us." You swallow and turn around.

A shadow moves from the top corner of the doorway and you point, "That door. There was something in the top corner."

"Oh fuck." Sam walks in front of you, camera pointed at the door, "what did it look like?" He looks back at you and you shrug, "It was just a shadow, like a head shaped shadow."

"Jesus Christ." Colby shakes his head, "So we won't be going that way." He laughs and points the other way. You nod, "Yeah, that room.. gives me a bad feeling."

"What kind of feeling?" Sam looks at you and you take a breath, "Dark, evil kind of feeling."

Sam and Colby just stare at you for a second, "Okay." Sam says breaking the silence, "Moving away from that room."

You walk down the hall, staying as close as you can to them while holding your arms around yourself. Sam and Colby explain some backstory while you can't help but continuously look around like someone else is there.

"So there's what? Two three floors to this?" Colby asks.

"Three, but the third is the attic, but I guess it's huge." Sam answers. He looks over at you, "What's going on?"

You shake your head, "It doesn't feel like we're alone. Like don't you feel that weird feeling like someone is standing like right.." you wave your hand up and down behind Sam, "Here."

Sam turns around as Colby walks over, standing right where you motioned to, "Here you said?"

You nod and Colby looks at Sam, "I don't feel-" he moves back, "Whoa." He looks around quick and moves to stand next to you, "swear to god something just pushed me."

"We saw it." Sam looks from you to Colby, "Are you okay?" You lay your hand on his arm, "You were pushed backwards, so whatever that was, it was between us."

"Fuck." Colby shakes his head, "Do you still feel like someone else is here?"

You take a deep breath, shaking your head, "No. it vanished right as you got pushed."

"You moved next to y/n. What if they think that we're trying to -" Sam puts air quotes, "-protect her?" He shrugs, "I mean, we were told that they'll go after her more because she's a girl and the spirits can have some sort of jealousy towards her."

You shiver slightly, "That just send a chill down my spine, Sam. That's honestly so bizarre to hear out loud."

You snap your head to the left, eyes focused on the staircase, "shh." You hold your hand out, frozen for a second until you look at Sam, "There was walking, like heavy footsteps on the stairs."

There's a sudden loud thump only a few feet away from you that causes you all to jump and yell out, "Oh shit."

"What the fuck!?"

"Goddammit."

It happens again, and this time you jump towards Colby, grabbing onto his arm as you look at Sam, "What the hell was that?"

He shrugs, "I don't know but we should keep moving." He nods towards the hall and you and Colby follow him, making sure to stay extra close to them.

They continue talking about the place, making sure to give you reassuring glances every so often as you explore the rest of the house.

Soon enough, you're face to face with the barn.

"I mean.." Colby starts out as he takes the camera from Sam, "It doesn't really look all the scary in the daylight."

Sam laughs slightly, "It looks, kind of pretty with the light shining down through the beams."

You get dizzy, and it happens quick.

"Oh god." You mumble as you hold your head. Sam is right next to you, arm around your waist and you lean into him.

"What's going on?" Colby asks confused and you feel Sam shrug. You take a deep breath, slowly lifting your head, "I got, really dizzy."

Sam looks up at Colby and back to you, "Are you still dizzy?" You can tell there's concern in his voice, "Do you need to sit down?"

You shake your head, blinking a few times, "No. I think I'm okay." You brush hair from your face, eyes moving past Colby to look into the death filled barn, "That's not a good place."

Colby turns around, pointing the camera at the entrance, "If you wouldn't know anything about this place, it honestly looks like a normal barn that was abandoned, you know?"

Sam nods, arm still around you, "I'm actually kind of scared for when the sun goes down."

Colby nods, "I'm sure we're all feeling that way." He looks at you then to Sam, "I'm going to walk up, get a shot of the inside, you guys stay here."

"Colby." Sam warns, "I wouldn't."

"Yeah, don't go up there alone, please." You practically beg. Colby shrugs, "I'll be fine, I'll just run up and run back."

You tighten your grip on Sam's jacket as you watch Colby walk up towards the barn. You were preparing yourself to run and help him.

You had to be on your toes while here, this place is so unpredictable.

"Yo Colby." Sam yells, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I got it." Colby yells back, "Coming."

Your eyes are focused on Colby as he walks towards you and Sam, glancing behind him every so often. He wants up, pointing his thumb behind him, "It sounded like someone, you know those loft spaces in a barn where they store the hay?"

You and Sam nod and Colby looks back before continuing, "It sounded like someone was up there, scuffling around."

"That's not surprising. That's the most active spot out of everything." Sam shakes his head, "alright. So I'm thinking we go get something to eat, calm our nerves and really prepare for what we're going to be facing tonight."

Colby nods, "That's a good idea." His head snaps towards the house, "There's no fucking way."

"What?" Sam takes the camera, "What happened?"

You stay close to Sam, looking to where Colby is staring, "Did you hear something?"

"It sounded like someone yelled back here in the distance, like they were telling someone to get back here? You know what I mean?" He looks at Sam, "We're the only ones out here right?"

"We should be." Sam pans the camera around the old farm, "Take one last look, because when we get back. Everything will be engulfed with darkness."

"Isn't it already?" Colby asks, "With the spirits and all of that?"

Sam sighs, "I mean. Yeah, I guess. But I was trying to make it thrilling." He pouts and shuts the camera off as you and Colby laugh.

"Let's go take a minute." Sam lays his hand on your lower back, "We can go over the plan of where we want to start and where we want to end while we wait for the sun to go down."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

After dinner, you're in the car heading back to the farmhouse and you can't shake the nervous feeling.

All of the news articles pop back up into your head, flipping through like pages in a book.

"Y/n?" Colby's voice makes you jump, "Fuck." You laugh slightly, "Sorry. I was thinking about everything I read."

"Yeah, us too." Colby looks to Sam and back to you, "If things go south, we're getting out of there. No questions asked, no it'll be good content, nothing."

You nod, "Deal."

"If you at anytime don't feel like you can do it anymore.." Sam starts, "Same for you Colby, we're done."

Colby nods and you sit up, "I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that that girl had blood drawn."

"Spirits are powerful things, y/n. If they don't like you, they'll make it known." Colby quickly sighs, "Sorry. I wasn't thinking. I know that's probably something you don't want to hear after-"

"No, Colby." You lay your hand on his shoulder, "You're fine. I'm fine. We're all going to be fine."

You lean back, taking a deep breath as you see a familiar sign that lets you know you're almost to the beginning of the dirt road.

"We're almost there." Sam says, "Do you want to get the camera out Colby? We need to get a shot of this." He motions to the windshield, and you look out at the dark road that's only lit by the headlights of the car.

"Oh fuck me." You breathe out, laying a hand on your forehead, "This is sketchy as hell."

"I'm going to stop and turn the lights off." Sam comes to a slow stop, looking over at Colby, "Ready?"

Colby nods, "Rolling." He points the camera forward and Sam flicks the lights off, leaving the three of you in total darkness.

"Oh m- that is fucking scary." Colby laughs, "What the hell."

"Now imagine I turn the lights on and there's something just sta-"

"Sam!" You yell, tapping his shoulder, "Don't say that!" You laugh, "I'm already peeing my pants back here."

"Are you really?" Sam teases. Even thought you can't see him, you can tell he turns around and you scoff, "No, not really."

He flicks the lights back on and thankfully there's nothing there. You let out a sigh of relief as Sam starts driving again.

Sam and Colby go back and forth about the darkness, laughing and joking like they normally do. You weren't sure if it was your dream keeping a tight hold on you, or the fact that you're a girl going to this no girls allowed club, or what.

But you were scared, and you knew that you had to pretend that you weren't and it was going to be hard.

"Alright." Sam taps the wheel, "We meet again."

"The sun going down has definitely amplified the creepiness by a thousand times." Colby adds, "I have goosebumps."

Your eyes stay on the house and you squint, "Did you guys light that candle when we were in there?"

"What?" Colby turns around and Sam comes to a stop, "I didn't light anything."

You look back up at the house and the light you thought you seen wasn't there anymore, "It's not.. maybe it was just the headlights."

"I wouldn't be surprised if anything was on in there, so maybe you did see something lit." Sam assures you, "Let's get everything ready and take final minute before going in."

Colby shuts the camera off and gets out with Sam. You sit there for a moment before Sam opens your door, leaning down to look at you, "You okay?"

You turn your head to look at him, "Yeah. Yeah. Just taking a minute for myself." You slide over, swinging your legs out, "I'm ready."

You look up at Sam and he grips your chin, "That's our girl." He winks and helps you get out, closing your door behind you.

You walk around, grabbing your backpack from the trunk. You make sure you have everything that you planned on taking, along with the boys.

"I'm good." Sam says zipping up his backpack.

Colby nods, swinging his around to put his arms through the straps, "Me too."

"Yep. Let's go." You put your backpack on and step back so Colby can shut the trunk. He sets the camera on top and turns it on.

He back up, standing on the other side of you, "We are here."

"It's dark." Sam adds before Colby picks up, "It's finally time to explore the famous Missouri Farmhouse."

You look around, nothing but the light from the camera illuminating the short distance around you.

"Did you hear something?" Sam looks at you and you look at him, "No. I'm just looking around." You laugh and look at the camera.

"So we came up with a game plan of where we want to go first, and where we want to go last." Sam claps his hands together, "We all agreed that the barn is the last place we want to go, so stay tuned for that and we'll see you in a second."

Colby walks up, cutting the camera, "alright. Let's head up."

As you walk up to the house, you look behind you, squinting at the sight of a possible figure standing still at the back of the car.

You blink and it's gone.

You shake your head, looking forward as you're met with the farmhouse door. You look up, turning to look out into the darkness.

Colby opens the door and walks on, Sam lays a hand on your back, nudging you slightly so you walk in.

I'm not scared, you think, mind over matter. I'm not scared.

The camera light shines on the dark interior and Colby bumping into you causes you to jump, "Colby!" You yell quietly with a laugh.

"Sorry. Sorry." He laughs and lays a hand on your shoulder. Sam spins around, pointing the camera on you and him, "should we bring out the Epoch box?"

"Yes. That's a good start." Colby says, "Do you have it or do I?"

"I think you do." He points to Colby and Colby nods, "Okay." He pulls his backpack off and you wrap your arms around yourself, feeling a chill creep down between the multiple layers of clothing.

You let out a sigh, stepping closer to Sam.

"You alright?" He whispers looking over at you. You nod, "Just cold. I got a chill standing over there."

"I'll get this thing going." Colby stands up, walking over to the small end table, "So this is called the Epoch box. It isn't motion censored, but it's similar to the Ovilus as it uses a sophisticated algorithm to read the environment and converts the energy into yes or no responses."

"I'm Sam, these are my friends Colby and y/n. We're here to ask some questions and with those we come in peace. We mean absolutely no harm to anyone here so if it's okay with you.." he pauses, looking between you and Colby, "Can we ask you some questions?"

The box flickers a few times before lighting up green for a few seconds then stops.

"Okay. Is Arlon here with us?" Sam keeps the camera on the box as you all wait.

The box lights up red for a few seconds before shutting off. It flickers before going dark and you sigh, "I'm y/n. I mean no harm to anyone here." You step forward, "Is this Cordelia?"

The box flickers before lighting up green for a few seconds.

"So it's her." You look at Sam and then to Colby and he nods. He looks down at the box and furrows his brows, "Sam."

"What?" Sam walks over, making sure you go with him, "did it just turn off?" Sam looks up at Colby with a shocked expression.

Colby lifts it, "That says on, right?"

"So it.. what? Died?" Sam asks confused, "what the fuck?"

A loud thump makes you jump and you look behind you. It catches Sam and Colby's attention too because they turn after you, "What was that?" Colby whispers, "Sounded like a-"

Thump!

"That." You point, "That sounds-"

Thump! Thump!

"Okay." Sam sighs, "Lets move to the den area." Sam lays his hand on your back and turns back to Colby, "Just switch it off. Maybe we can get it to work somewhere else."

Colby nods, picking it up, "You said the den area?" Sam nods and Colby pulls out his phone. Sam looks at you and you look at him, shrugging before both looking back to Colby.

He holds his phone up, "I knew I remember seeing something about a den. Look." He shows you and Sam his phone and you nod, "so he had favorites."

"Looks like it to me." Sam says as he shows the camera Colby's phone, "Hold on, I'm trying not to get a gla- oh here we go."

Colby puts his phone in his pocket and sighs, "So. To the den we go?"

"The den we go." Sam nods before you all walk towards the end of the hall. Colby opens the door, announcing that it's you guys before walking in.

You get a weird feeling, almost like you're uncomfortable.

You shift around, pulling down your sweatshirt and jacket, "This room feels.. uncomfortable." You look at them, "Like I think I can tell what happened here just by how I'm feeling."

"If he had favorites, I'm sure we can all figure out what happened in this room." Colby points to you, "Do you want to leave? Are you okay?"

You shake your head, "No, I think I'll be fine. Do you have any names?" Colby pulls his phone back out and nods, "Edith Macentire, Daisy Lovell, Lydia?" he zooms in and shakes his head, "I can't read the last one."

"I'll get out the REM pod." Sam hands the camera to Colby before swinging his backpack off. He gets out the pod and looks around, "I'm not going to put it by the door, I'll put it.." he walks over to the small stand that's in front of the window and sets it down.

"Hello, I'm Sam. Just want to ask you a few questions, I mean no harm. I just want to try and figure out what happened in here." He gently claps his hands together, "there's a light on that pod there, if you get close enough to it, a light will flash. If you want to answer any questions, all you have to do is just make that light up, okay?"

A few minutes goes by before the light turns on.

"Okay. Is this Edith Macentire?" Sam keeps his eyes on the pod, "Just touch it once for yes or-"

The light flashes once time and turns off. Sam looks back at you and Colby, "Edith, did bad things happen in this room?"

The pod lights up one time and you move your hand to tap Colby, "don't we have a spirit box?" He nods, "Yeah." You look at Sam and back to Colby, "I think we should use it. I just feel like we need it right now."

"Okay." Colby nods, "I think it's in your bag." Sam walks up behind you and the REM pod goes off constantly.

Sam leans out from behind you, "What the fuck." Colby shrugs, looking back at him, "I don't know, man." Colby keeps the camera on the pod as Sam walks over, "I'm going to shut this off." Sam grabs the REM pod and holds it in his arm as he sets the little radio box on the stand, "You will be able to tell us things through this."

Sam step back, taking the camera from Colby so he can move up, "I'm Colby, I mean absolutely no harm, neither do my friends. Can you tell us what happened in this room?"

The static sounds for a few minutes, "..Man.."

"Man?" Colby questions, "Are you talking about Arlon?"

"..Evil!.."

"Arlon was an evil man." Sam shakes his head, "Are we still talking to Edith?" The static plays in the silence for a minute longer, "..Lydia.."

"Lydia. Can you tell us what the evil man did?" Colby rests his fingers on his chin as he watches the box, "..he said.. wouldn't die.."

"Did he tell them that they wouldn't die?" Sam whispers and you nod, "I think that's what she means. Maybe he promised them a good life since he was-"

Your words are cut short by the box, ".. he wants you.."

Your eyes go wide and your heart sinks into your stomach, "Huh?" Colby looks at you, Sam, then back to the box, "Who wants who, Lydia?"

You can feel your heart starting to race and it feels like something is creeping up behind you. You glance behind you, seeing nothing as you move closer to Sam.

Sam looks down at you and wraps his arm around your shoulder as he holds the camera on Colby. Colby shake his head, "I think she's gone."

Instantly after Colby stops talking, "..run!"

You feel a gently tug on your jacket before it feels like a yank and you're pulled from Sam, both of you yelling at the same time. He grabs your arm pulling you back to him as Colby comes over, "What the fuck just happened?"

You cling to Sam as he hands the camera to Colby. Colby keeps the camera pointed down, "Sam wh-"

"..I told you.."

Colby walks over, shutting off the box, "Okay that's enough for now." He walks back over, camera still down at your guy's feet , "Are you okay?"

You keep your head pressed against Sam's chest, "When it said he wants you.. I got this feeling that there was something, I don't know." You sigh, "Creeping up behind me and then right after run was said, I got yanked backwards."

"I don't.." Colby shakes his head, letting out a sigh, "I don't want to say anything, but I know we're all thinking it.."

"He wants her." Sam says nodding down to you. Colby nods, "Mhm." You lift your head from Sam's chest and sigh as you try not to laugh, "This is insane."

Sam takes the camera back and you walk towards Colby, taking a deep breath, "Okay. Where to next?"

Colby smiles slightly and shakes his head, "You want to keep going?" You nod, "I'm not tapping out yet."

"We hit two of three places down here, I don't really want to go into that room she saw the shadow figure in. Not at night, gives me a very bad feeling." Sam says and you nod, "So, upstairs then?"

"I think we should go into Arlon and Cordelia's room." Colby raises his brows and you nod, "Just please don't let the door shut."

You make your way out of the den and into the hallway. Colby shuts the door and you all freeze as you hear something in the hallway.

You wait a few seconds before starting to walk, "So.." Colby says to the camera, "We are currently making our way up to the bedroom that housed the ring leaders to this whole shabang."

You laugh slightly, "Shabang." Sam smirks and Colby rolls his eyes as he chuckles.

Each creek of the stairs is unsettling to you. You're jumpy, really jumpy. So every little sound causes your body to feel like you're going to jump out of your skin.

"Alright." Sam breathes out, "We have reached Arlon and Cordelia's humble abode." He takes a deep breath, "We should find something heavy to put in front of the door so that way if it moves we can hear it."

Colby reaches for the handle, looking between you and Sam, "Ready?" You and Sam both nod and you walk up behind Colby as he pushes the door open slowly, "Okay. I don't see any-"

Something falls right into the door way and you gasp while jumping back. Sam groans, "Jesus Christ." Colby squeezes his eyes shut and open them, "I may have peed a little bit."

You look down and step towards Sam, "Oh gross."

"I didn't.. actually.." Colby sighs and shakes his head, "Let's just go in." Colby steps in and turns around, "The atmosphere in here is.. different."

You walk in and look at Colby, "You're right." Sam follows you and looks around, "That's actually super fucking crazy."

Colby keeps his hand on the door while you look for something kind of heavy, "Would this work? If we just pull this over in front of it?" You point to a small table and he shrugs, "I can stay by the door just in case."

You push the small table over, freezing as you hear footsteps in the hall.

"Did those come from up here or down there?" Sam whispers and Colby shrugs, shaking his head, "I-I don't-"

What sounds like running in the hall causes you and Sam to move by Colby. Sam leans forward, aiming the camera into the darkened passage, "I don't see any-"

"Did that just move?" You say cutting Sam off as you point to the bed, "The blanket. Wasn't that tucked up by the pillows nice and neat when we came in?"

"I have no idea, I didn't really look." Sam says, "It could have-" he tells jumping slightly, "Fuck."

"What what what!?" Colby yells quickly, "you good?!"

Sam nods, "Yeah, just something like drug up the back of my leg."

"Do you feel like you're scratched?" You take the camera from him and he just stands there staring at the ground, "Sam." You snap your fingers and lean in to look at his face, "Sam. Hey."

He blinks as you wave your hand in front of his face and looks up at you, "No. I'm good."

You look at Colby and Colby shakes his head, "Where'd you go man?" He looks at Colby confused, "What do you mean? I've been right here."

You slowly shake your head, gasping loudly when you see something in the slightly dusty mirror, "Oh my god. The mirror." You aim the camera at it, the light from the camera reflecting off, "A woman, was just standing there."

"Cordelia?" Colby asks and you shrug as you look to Sam, "You with us?" You reach out, wrapping your hand around his wrist.

He slides his hand into yours and squeezes it, "Yeah, no. I just. I'm dizzy. Like really dizzy."

Colby lays a hand on your back, "Let's get out of this room." You hand Colby the camera as you guide Sam out. He walks over to the wall, resting his back against it and you look back at Colby, watching as he closes the door.

"Hey, you alright?" Colby asks walking up, "Did you see anything when you spaced out?"

Sam shakes his head, "No, I just couldn't look up from the floor." He runs a hand over his face, "I could hear you calling for me, but I just-"

"Frozen." You say and he nods, "Literally, yeah. That. I didn't hear anything other than you and Colby." You step towards him and lay your hand on his shoulder.

He tilts his head back, resting it against the glass, "I'm not dizzy anymore."

"Well that's good." Colby sighs, "do you need a water or anything?" Sam shakes his head, moving to stand up straight, "No, I'm alright."

You glance to Colby and he nods, "Let's take a minute. It's been a lot for all of us right now."

"No let's just keep going." Sam insists, "I'm fine."

Colby nods and you sigh quietly, "Okay. Where to next?" Sam points down the hall, "Arlon gave Cordelia an office like room to keep things organized, I guess. We can do that then we can go outside for a minute."

"Whatever you want to do, Sam." Colby says and Sam nods, "I'm good." He smiles, "I promise."

You nod, following him down the hall to one of the doors, "Okay, so." Sam points to the door and Colby shows it to the camera as Sam continues to speak, "This is where all of the information they could get about each prostitute was kept. Cordelia, Arlon's wife was in charge of getting them to come back here."

"Do you think she talked them up wherever she found them or kind of did like an interview situation?" You look from Sam to Colby and Colby points, "That's actually a really good point, we can get the spirit box or something out and ask."

"We can try the Epoch box again. See if downstairs was just a bad spot for it." Sam says before reaching for the doorknob, "it's just us again."

He steps in and turns around, making sure you're behind him. Colby follows and pans the camera around the room, "It really is like an old timey office."

"Look, this is that same list of names, do you think this is the original?" You move over to the desk, looking at the old looking piece of paper. Sam walks over and check it out, "This might be a copy? I mean, it looks pretty real to be a copy, so I don't know."

Colby moves over, shining the light from the camera over the page so you can see it better, "I wouldn't mess with it, you know just, to be on the safe side."

You nod and hold your hand up, "Do you hear that?" Sam and Colby look to you before turning towards the open door.

The sound of a door opening and shutting echos through the hallway.

"What door is that?" Colby whispers and Sam shrugs, "Could it be the bedroom?" Colby walks over, peaking out as he aims the camera.

He leans back in quickly and exhales, "Holy fucking shit." He looks to you and Sam, "Holy. Fucking shit."

"Did you see something?" Sam asks, "Colby. What did you see?"

"The door, to the bedroom, was cracked open and a shadow came up the steps and went into the room then it shut." Colby's breath is shaky.

"No fucking way." Sam lays a hand on his mouth, "Are you serious?" Colby nods, "Swear to fucking god, Sam. I'm not shitting you, it- here." He hands Sam the camera and reenacts what he saw, "It came up the steps like this, slow. Then just turned like this.." he turns his body, "And then just went into the room."

"Jesus Christ." Sam sighs and you lay your hand on your forehead. You feel like you're sweating, "Do you guys, feel.. hot?"

Sam turns to you, "Are you- what's going on?" He feels your forehead, "Colby, she's sweating."

"How? It's like forty degrees outside." He walks over to the other side of you and you lean against him, "I think we need to take a break." 

"Yeah. I agree." Sam nods, taking the camera from Colby before Colby wraps his arm around your waist, "Come on." He walks over to the door, looking out before rounding the corner with you.

The only light you have is from the camera that Sam has behind you. He pulls his phone out, switching on his flashlight as you reach the steps.

"Careful." Sam says as you and Colby step onto the first one. These steps were old, so you had to go up and down with care.

You reach the bottom as just as you are about to make it to the front door, it feels like something grabs your arm and tries to pull you away from Colby.

A faint, "Stay.." is whispered as you pull your arm back.

"Something just grabbed me and told me to stay. It was super quiet." You grip Colby's jacket and he opens the door, "You're good. We got you." 

He walks you outside and Sam shuts the door behind him with a loud, "Holy fuck."

"Yeah. Yeah." Colby nods as he walks you over to the car, "Here." He opens the door, "Sit for a second."

You sit down and let out a sigh, "Sam, are you okay?" You look up at him and he walks over to you, "Yes, sweetheart. I'm fine."

You smile slightly and nod, "Okay." He brushes hair from your face, "Are you?" You nod and he turns to Colby, "Are you okay?"

Colby nods, "Yeah." He shakes his head, "Maybe we should do a recap before anything else." Sam nods, looking back at you, "Stay here."

"You don't have to worry about that." You laugh slightly, watching as Sam walks to the back of the car. You rest your head against the seat, listening to them talk to the camera.

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

You stand up, slinging the back pack over your shoulder, "I know it wasn't really in the plan, but I think we should do the Estes method in between the barn and the house."

Colby looks between you and Sam, "Do you think that that's really a good idea?"

Sam puts his backpack on, moving his hood out, "I mean, it can't hurt to try. Two of us will be able to see and hear."

Colby shakes his head, "I don't know. This place just makes me nervous for something like that." Sam nods, "No I understand, but I was honestly going to say something about doing that too."

Colby chews on his cheek for a few seconds, "Who ever does it, has to be prepared, that's all I'm saying." Sam sighs, "Yeah, Colby. I know."

This place was doing something to them.

To all of you.

Tensions are usually never this high. You knew you all wanted to do this for the video, but you also knew that you all didn't really want to be there anymore.

"Let's just.." Colby sighs and you cut in, getting out of the car, "Let's just take it one step at a time because we really don't know what is going to happen."

"She's right." Sam says, we can just go back, maybe set up flashlights? I don't know where but we can try that?"

Colby nods, "Yeah." He grabs the camera, "Come on." He switches the camera on as you start to walk back towards the house.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

You all stop, looking at each other before the sound of something tapping against the glass catching your attention  again, tap. Tap. Tap.

"Okay.. that's freaky." Sam laughs slightly, "What window is it?" You shrug, "It sounds close." Your eyes scan over the windows that are lit up by the camera light.

You point to the middle window, "The curtains moved in that one." Colby steps towards the window, holding up the camera to see inside when all of a sudden he jumps back after a loud thump on the glass scares him.

"What the fuck!" He yells stepping back, "That was literally right fucking there."

"There's no way that wasn't on video. Holy shit." Sam walks up to the window and looks in, "I don't.. see.. anything.."

He shakes his head and looks back at you, "Lets go around to the back." You and Colby follow him as you walk around to the back.

Colby shines the camera over towards the bar, "There it is." He shivers slightly, "Just looking at it sends a shiver down my spine."

"So what do we want to do?" Sam asks as he looks between you and Colby. You shrug, "I'm all for doing the Estes method."

Sam nods and looks at Colby, "Colby?"

Colby sighs, "I guess we can do that, but who-"

"I'll do it." You raise your hand and they both just look at you with a solid look. Sam sighs, "We can all do it. Take turns."

"I'll go first." Colby says handing Sam the camera. Sam looks at him, "You sure?" Colby nods, swinging his back pack off, "Yeah."

You look at Sam and back to Colby, watching as he digs in his bag to pull out a bandana and the equipment.

You had an eerie feeling creeping in again, maybe it was just your nerves about doing this method with the barn right there.

"Okay. So are we thinking like right in the middle?" Colby asks and Sam reaches out, pointing to a specific spot, "Yeah I'm thinking something like right in here. It looks about halfway."

Colby sets his bag on the ground and sits down next to it. He takes a deep breath, "Okay." He wraps the bandana around his eyes and ties it behind his head.

Sam sets the camera down on top of his backpack, angling it so you're all in frame as you sit on either side of Colby.

Sam leans over, showing the camera how loud the static plays through the headphones. He hands them to Colby, "Here you go."

Colby takes them and puts them on, shaking his head slightly as he gets used to them, "Pain."

You look at Sam with your eyes wide, "What the fuck."

Sam shrugs, "I know you were and still are in a lot of pain. Can you tell my friend, Colby here who is talking to us."

Your eyes move to Colby as he tilts his head, "Why?"

"Are you asking us why we're here?" You ask and Colby answers, "Yes, why?"

"We're here to figure out what to the women Cordelia brought back to this farmhouse." Sam says and Colby taps his knee with his hand, "There was like.. a scream?"

"Who are we talking to?" Sam asks looking around, "Are we talking to one of the girls?"

"In the barn." Colby says, "He wants.. you in the barn."

"Who wants us in the barn?" You ask, "Does Arlon want us to come into the barn?"

"not all." Colby states, "Just one."

Sam points to you and you shake your head, "I'm not going in there alone. I'm not."

"Yes. You are."

As soon as the words leave Colby's lips, the hood on your sweatshirt is pulled back and you slam your hands behind you to catch yourself as you let out a scream, "What the fuck?"

Sam taps Colby and Colby pushes the headphones off, "Right before you tapped me, there was a deep, manly like laugh."

"Right after you said yes you are, she got pulled backwards." Sam looks over at you, "Are you okay?"

You nod, "Yeah." You sigh, "Yeah. That just, I let my guard down for a second." You run a hand through your hair and move closer to Colby, "That barn just.." you glance back at it and your eyes focus on the dark inside.

You can't tell if your brain is playing tricks, or if you actually see things moving.

You look away, trying to focus on Sam filling in Colby on what you and him asked, but you just can't seem to stay focused.

You rest your elbows on your knees, holding your face in your hands.

You feel Colby's hand on your shoulder, but you just can't acknowledge it. You take a deep breath and manage to lift your head, "I just.. couldn't get focused there for a second."

"You good now? What happened?" Sam asks and you nod, "I looked at the barn and I just couldn't look away. It's like I was supposed to be looking at that and only that. So I just rested my head down until the feeling went away."

"Fuck." Sam whispers as he looks to the left, "That place is more powerful than people think."

"Here." You take the bandana from Colby, "I'll go."

He lets you take it, "Are you sure?" You nod as you untie it, "Yes." You wrap the bandana around your head, completely blocking your vision. You take a shaky breath as you feel Colby lay the headphones in your hand.

"Whenever you're ready." He assures and you nod before putting them on, static completely drowning out everything else.

Sam takes a deep breathe, "Can you tell us who we're talking to?"

"Sam." You straighten your back as his name rolls off your tongue, "Colby?"

"What do you want with y/n?" Colby asks, eyes glued to you, "Why do you want her?"

You try and keep your breathing under control as you do your best to listen, "You can't have her."

"No." Sam says sternly, "You're the one who can't have her. She isn't yours to touch or have, just like the innocent women that you killed years ago."

You tighten your hands into fists, "They weren't good."

"Why weren't they good? Can you tell us what was bad about them?" Colby asks as he looks around, "Arlon. Can you tell us why?"

You listen few seconds, "Arlon. He's here. It's him. Help."

Colby takes a deep breath, "Should we pull her out?" Sam shakes his head, "Not yet. Arlon, why are they so scared of you?"

You tilt your head, "Bad things happened. He did it."

"We know he did bad things. We know it was him. Can y-" Sam stops talking as you cut him off.

You speak normally, "It's almost like they're arguing with him."

Sam looks at Colby, "Arguing? Like one do the girls and Arlon?" Colby shrugs, "Can you tell us why he killed those women?" Colby pauses for second, "Why did he kill you?"

Words are shouted loudly in your ear, "He says he had to."

"Was it the cult he ran? Can you tell us about that?" Sam asks, watching you.

You shake your head, " He wanted to."

Sam and Colby look at each other, "Did Cordelia bring you to the house?" Sam runs a hand through his hair, glancing at the camera before snapping his head back to you.

"You don't love her."

"who? Who are you talking about?" Colby asks, "Who doesn't love who?"

"Sam. Colby." You pause for a second, "Y/n."

"Holy shit." Sam sighs, "Why do you want y/n?"

"Mine."

"Not a chance." Colby says looking at Sam, "I'm going to tap her leg."

"Mine. No!"

"Colby. Her hair." Sam points to your hair that's lifting off your shoulder and Colby taps your leg a few times, kinda rough.

You jump as you feel the tapping and you push the headphones off before ripping the bandana off of your head, "Okay. What the fuck?"

Sam has a shocked look on his face and Colby lays a hand on your back, "Did you not feel your hair lifting up?"

You shake your head, "Um. No." You run your hand down over your hair, "I was only focused on the arguing I was hearing, what were you guys asking?"

They fill you in and you raise your brows, "So it makes sense as to why it sounded like it was arguing." You shake your head, "That's.. actually kind of scary, not going to lie."

"I don't think you going any closer to the barn is a good idea." Colby says, "I don't want to risk you getting hurt or anything."

You nod, "No I agree. I don't even like looking at it." You look to the barn and away, shaking your head as you close your eyes, "Anyway. Sam. Are you doing this?"

Sam nods, "Yeah. Yeah." He takes the headphones, sitting down in the same spot you and Colby sat. He ties the blindfold around his head and takes a deep breath before putting on the headphones.

Instantly, his words are loud, "Help.."

"What do you need help with?" Colby asks as he sits down next to him, "Who is asking for help?"

You freeze, eyes moving from Sam to Colby as soon as Sam just starts listing off names non stop, "Kathleen, April, Eloise, Bethany, Rita, Liza, Sarah, Taylor.."

"Are you the girls Arlon sacrificed?" You ask and Sam responds instantly, "Yes, he's evil."

"Is he with us right now?" Colby asks and Sam tilts his head, "He went out."

"Where did he go?" Colby asks, and you'rere frozen with fear as you see a black shadow figure move a little being Colby, "C-Colby."

"Outside." Sam says and Colby looks at you, "Where outside?" He looks back at Sam, "Is he with us?"

Sam doesn't say anything for a few minutes.

You reach over, tapping Colby's leg, "there was a shadow figure behind you." He turns around quickly and looks back at you, "Where?"

"It was like a foot or so back from you. I don't know, I just seen it and then it was gone." You wrap your arms around your tighter, "Mayne we sho-"

"No." Sam says, "Don't go."

"Why?" You ask, "Why do you want us to stay?"

"You know."  Sam says and you shake your head, "we're not staying." You go to tap Sam's leg but it's almost like something grabs your wrist to prevent you from disturbing him.

"I can't.." you try to pull your hand away but it's like stuck there, "Colby."

"They can't help you." Sam says and then he rips the headphones off, throwing them away from him. He pushes the blindfold up and your hand drops, "Fucking no. No fucking way."

"Are you okay?" Colby grabs your hand and your hand goes to wrap around it, "My wrist is burning." Sam crawls forward, grabbing the flashlight from his bag. He shines the light on your skin and you all become shocked when you see finger marks on your wrist.

"I went to tap Sam, get him out of it, and something grabbed my wrist, I couldn't move until Sam threw off the headphones." You explain, pulling your wrist to your chest.

"No, we're done. We're leaving." Colby stands up, grabbing his backpack and it sounds like something heavy falls in the barn, causing all of you to move back a little bit.

"What was that?" Sam asks quietly and you all just stare at the dark opening of the barn, "I don't know and I really don't want to find out." Colby walks over to you, helping you stand up, "We can come back in the daytime, try something then."

"Yeah, right. Okay." Sam gets up, bending down to grab the camera after slinging his backpack on. You start to walk around the way you came, a lot slower than normal, just to be cautious if there was anyone else there.

"Right before I threw the headphones off, it was a loud, clear as day, man voice yelling death like three times in a row, like boom boom boom." Sam explains, "Ive never.. had that happen." He lays a hand on his chest, looking over at you.

He reaches out, grabbing your wrist to inspect it, "Is it still burning?" You shake your head, "No. thankfully."

"Alright. I haven't heard any-" Colby stops talking and instantly switches the light to the camera off when the sound of branches breaking sounds from the woods next to you.

"Should we call out? What if it is people?" Colby whispers leaning in to you and Sam. Sam wraps an arm around you as you huddle next to him, "We should just go."

"we're going, but like.." Colby sighs, "I think we should acknowledge that we hear it, them, you know what I mean?"

"I get what you're saying but like.." Sam pauses and there's a bang on the window, causing you all to jump and move away from the house, "we can just try to make it to the car?"

"Okay." Colby whispers, "Stay close together."

You move along the house more, your grip tightening into Sam's jacket as you see the car in view. Colby stops, "Should we just book it?"

"Yeah, but at least turn the light on." Sam says and Colby switches the light on, but it suddenly goes back out. He tries switching it on a few times, "It's not.. turning back on."

"Fuck, okay." Sam digs into his sweatshirt pocket, pulling out a flashlight. He switches it on and it stays on, "Okay. Lets go."

His arm stays around you as you guys start for the car. Sam's grip is suddenly ripped away from you when he falls to the ground with a groan.

"Sam!" You yell, turning around to go down to him, "Are you okay? What happened?"

Sam gets up as quick as he can, "I tripped or what tripped?" He shakes his head, "Let's just get-"

The door slamming shut on the front door of the farm house causes him to snap his head towards it, "Get in the car."

Colby reaches for the door handle, pulling on it a few times, "Keys. Keys. Keys."

"I thought you had them." Sam yells quietly as he pats his pockets, "Shit." You check your pockets frantically, hoping that some miracle will happen and one of you will find them.

"Backpacks. Check the backpacks." Colby drops his bag to the ground and sets the camera down before digging in his.

You and Sam do the same and you shake your head, "I checked each pocket." You sigh, "What the fuck."

"You didn't drop them in the house did you?" Sam asks as you grab the flash light. You shine it around the car and point with a slightly loud, "Ah ha. There! There."

"How did they get under-" Colby reaches under the car, pulling them out, "The fucking car?"

"We can talk about it when we get in, just unlock it." Sam says as he throws his stuff back into the backpack.

Colby unlocks it, causing the lights to flash. You all rip open the doors and get in, shutting them with a slam.

"Fuck that." Sam says.

"I honestly can't believe we stayed that long." Colby sighs, "What the fuck is that place?"

You take a few deep breathes, trying to remind yourself that you're in the car now. You're safe.

"Okay. Let's just.. Go back to the hotel and we can figure out everything there." Sam turns around to look at you, "You good? You okay?"

You nod, "Yeah. Yeah. I'm good." He nods and turns back around, buckling up as Colby starts to drive, "I just want to know if people were there. That was fucking weird."

"That whole place is fucking weird. You have to be out of your mind to go there at night." Sam pauses before laughing slightly.

You and Colby join in laughing. The feeling of relief settles in the further you drive down the gravel driveway.

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

I'm sorry that it's so long but if you made it to this point, I truly appreciate you so much. Thank you for reading.

I figured this was a good place to stop. When the time comes, I’m thinking of doing a part 2 where they investigate the barn during the day? What is think?

Love you so much 🖤

[lenny-thequeen1]

Flames Ignited. Leon X F!Reader

You go to a bar after a mission to unwind and you see Leon, who catches your eye.

author: i made this really long and tried to add as much detail into it and make it as realistic as possible. minus a couple of surprises! i appreciate comments too along with all the reposts!

FLUFF, some smut, talks of drinking, dates, (redacted) ;) 14.9K words! 18++

You walked into the dimly lit bar, the sound of glasses clinking and people chatting filling your ears. It had been a long day, and you were looking to unwind a little. The bar itself was a cozy little place, with warm wood paneling and flickering candles on every table. The smell of roasted nuts and spicy cocktails filled the air, creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. You remember feeling a little out of place when you first walked in, still dressed in your combat gear from the mission. But as soon as Leon's eyes met yours, you felt a sense of ease wash over you. As you approached the bar, you noticed a man sitting at the end of it, nursing a drink. He looked up as you approached, and your eyes met. There was something in his gaze that made your heart skip a beat.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked, a charming smile on his lips.

You smiled back, feeling a thrill of excitement course through you. "Sure, I'd like that."

The two of you struck up a conversation, and before long, you were laughing and flirting like old friends. The chemistry between you was undeniable, and it wasn't long before you found yourselves lost in each other's eyes.

As you talked, you realized that you both worked for the same type of job, but in different departments. You couldn't help but feel a little surprised, but also thrilled that you had found someone who understood the demands and dangers of the job.

"So, what kind of missions have you been on lately?" Leon asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Oh, just the usual stuff," you replied nonchalantly, not wanting to give away too much. "What about you?"

"I've been sent on a few solo missions, but my last one was a team effort. We had to infiltrate a high-security building and retrieve some important documents. It was pretty intense, but we managed to pull it off."

You were impressed, and couldn't help but feel a little envious. "That sounds exciting. I haven't been on a team mission in a while."

"Well, if you ever need a partner, I'm always up for it," Leon said with a sly grin.

You laughed, feeling a spark of attraction between you. "I'll keep that in mind."

As the night wore on, the two of you continued to flirt and exchange stories. It felt like you had known each other for years, and the connection between you only grew stronger.

Eventually, Leon leaned in close and whispered in your ear, "You know, I can't stop thinking about you. I don't want this night to end."

Your heart skipped a beat, and you felt a rush of desire wash over you. "I don't want it to end either," you replied, your voice husky with emotion.

The two of you shared passionate kiss, the heat between you intensifying with every passing moment. You feel his rough hands cup your cheek, your hand moves to rest on his chest. His lips felt soft against your own, making you want more of him. As you pulled away, you couldn't help but feel like this was the start of something special.

Leon's hand trailed down from your cheek to your neck, his fingers lightly grazing your skin as he leaned in to whisper in your ear. "You know, (Y/N), I have a feeling we might have more in common than just our love for a good drink."

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh really? Do tell."

He chuckled, the sound sending shivers down your spine. "I happen to work for a certain organization that handles some pretty top-secret missions. And I have a feeling that you might just work for the same company."

Your eyes widened in surprise. "No way. That's crazy."

Leon grinned, looking pleased with himself. "I thought you might say that. Let me buy you another drink, and we can talk more about it."

The two of you continued your conversation, talking about your experiences on various missions and sharing stories of near-misses and narrow escapes. You found that you worked well together, and before you knew it, you were throwing flirty lines at each other and making plans to work together on your next mission.

As the night wore on, you found yourselves lost in each other's company, and when it was time to leave, Leon walked you to your car. As he leaned in to kiss you goodbye, he whispered, "I can't wait to see what kind of mission we'll get sent on next."

You grinned, feeling the same excitement that he did. "Me too. And who knows, maybe we'll end up working on it together again."

The next day, you received a call from your boss, informing you that you were being sent on a mission. As you packed your bags, your mind kept drifting back to the night you had spent with Leon. You couldn't help but wonder if you would see him again.

When you arrived at the location for the mission, you were surprised to see Leon waiting for you. It turned out that you both worked for the same company, and you were being sent on the same mission. The two of you couldn't help but exchange a knowing look, the sparks still flying between you.

As you worked together on the mission, you found that your chemistry only grew stronger. You worked seamlessly together, anticipating each other's moves and finishing each other's sentences. There were moments of danger and tension, but you always had each other's back.

It was a high-stakes operation, one that required you and Leon to work closely together to achieve success. You were tasked with infiltrating a heavily guarded facility, and the two of you spent weeks planning and preparing for the mission.

Finally, the day arrived, and you and Leon found yourselves crouched behind a dumpster outside the facility. Your hearts were pounding with adrenaline as you checked your equipment one last time and exchanged a look.

"Ready?" Leon whispered.

"Ready," you replied, feeling a surge of excitement and fear.

You both made your way stealthily through the facility, avoiding guards and security cameras as you went. The tension was palpable as you approached your objective, and you could feel your heart racing in your chest.

Suddenly, you heard a loud alarm go off, and you knew that you had been made. Without hesitation, you and Leon sprang into action, taking out guards and clearing a path to your objective.

As you worked your way deeper into the facility, you encountered unexpected resistance. The guards were better trained and better equipped than you had anticipated, and you found yourselves engaged in a fierce firefight.

Despite the danger and chaos around you, you and Leon worked together seamlessly. Your movements were fluid and synchronized, and you were able to take out the guards one by one.

Finally, you reached your objective, and you quickly completed your mission before making your escape. As you fled the facility, you felt a rush of triumph and relief, knowing that you and Leon had succeeded against all odds.

The two of you collapsed against a wall, catching your breath and grinning at each other. You felt a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over you as you caught your breath. You and Leon worked seamlessly together. You moved like a well-oiled machine, anticipating each other's moves and working in perfect harmony. The danger of the mission was palpable, and the adrenaline rush was intense. The air was thick with tension as you navigated through the enemy territory, moving stealthily and silently.

As you finally reached your objective, you both let out a sigh of relief. However, your joy was short-lived as you suddenly found yourselves surrounded by enemy soldiers. The two of you fought fiercely, back to back, taking out the enemy one by one. The fight was intense, and it seemed as though the odds were stacked against you.

But you and Leon fought on, never giving up, even when it seemed like all was lost. The two of you moved like a well-oiled machine, each anticipating the other's moves, and together, you overpowered the enemy. As the last enemy soldier fell to the ground, you and Leon looked at each other, panting heavily. The relief was evident on your faces, but there was also a sense of satisfaction and pride at a job well done.

Exhausted and covered in sweat, you and Leon exchanged a look of triumph. The mission was a success, and you had made it out alive.

That night, as you sat by the campfire, Leon handed you a cup of hot coffee, his eyes twinkling with warmth and admiration. You couldn't help but feel a flutter in your heart as he sat down next to you.

"Great job today," he said, a smile playing on his lips.

You smiled back, feeling a sense of camaraderie and connection with him that was hard to explain. "You too, Leon. We make a great team."

Leon looks up at the stars that are shining with a newfound beauty. "Tomorrow we will go to the extraction site. Tonight lets celebrate." He glances back over to you, his eyes showing a playful yet mischievous glint to them.

You couldn't help but smile at his playful expression, feeling a sense of relief wash over you at the thought of the mission being over. "Sounds like a plan," you replied, feeling grateful for the chance to unwind after the intense mission.

Leon led you to a nearby clearing, where a small campfire was already burning brightly. He had set up a makeshift table with a blanket on the ground, and there was a bottle of wine and two glasses waiting for you. You took a seat across from him, feeling your heart race as he poured you a glass of wine.

As you sipped your drink and enjoyed the warmth of the fire, Leon regaled you with stories of his past missions. You listened intently, hanging on his every word, feeling drawn to him more and more. You found yourself sharing stories of your own, opening up to him in a way that you hadn't with anyone else.

The night wore on, the two of you lost in conversation and laughter. The stars twinkled above you, and the sound of crickets filled the air. You felt a sense of peace and contentment that you hadn't felt in a long time.

As the fire died down, Leon stood up and held out his hand. "Dance with me," he said, a soft smile on his lips.

You took his hand, feeling his warmth seep into your skin. You moved together, swaying to the music in perfect harmony. His hands rested on your waist, and you felt a surge of desire run through you at his touch. You looked up into his eyes, seeing the same desire mirrored back at you.

The night passed by in a blur of dancing, laughter, and conversation. You couldn't believe how easy it was to be around Leon, how comfortable he made you feel. As the sun began to rise, you both knew it was time to leave the peaceful sanctuary of the clearing and return to reality.

But as you walked away, hand in hand with Leon, you couldn't help but feel like this was just the beginning of something special.

The next day, you and Leon made your way to the extraction site, both feeling a sense of relief that the mission was over. The two of you walked side by side, sharing stories and jokes, the tension from the previous night completely gone.

As you arrived at the extraction site, you saw the helicopter waiting for you, its rotors spinning in anticipation. You climbed aboard, feeling the rush of excitement as you took off into the air. You couldn't help but smile as you looked over at Leon, feeling grateful that you had such an amazing partner to work with. As you sat in the helicopter, flying back to headquarters, you found yourself thinking about what the future held for the two of you.

As the helicopter soared through the sky, you watched as the terrain below shifted and changed, the scenery becoming more and more familiar. Before you knew it, you had arrived back at the headquarters of your company.

Once you were back at headquarters, you and Leon debriefed with your superiors, discussing the details of the mission and what had transpired. The rest of the day was a blur of paperwork and debriefings, but you couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction at a job well done. You and Leon had worked together seamlessly, and it showed in the successful outcome of the mission.

As the sun began to set, you and Leon found yourselves alone in the break room. The tension between you was still palpable, and you couldn't help but wonder what might happen between you. As you both reached for the coffee pot at the same time, your hands brushed against each other, sending shivers down your spine.

"Hey," Leon said, his voice low and husky. "I know we've got a lot of work to do, but do you want to grab dinner tonight?"

You felt a flutter of excitement in your chest as you looked into his eyes. "I'd like that," you said, unable to hide the smile on your face.

As you left the break room, hand in hand with Leon, you couldn't help but feel like the future was full of endless possibilities.

As the helicopter soared through the sky, you watched as the terrain below shifted and changed, the scenery becoming more and more familiar. Before you knew it, you had arrived back at the headquarters of your company.

As the day drew to a close, you and Leon made your way out of the building, both feeling a sense of exhaustion but also elation at the successful completion of the mission. The two of you shared a knowing smile, the kind that only comes from experiencing something intense and life-changing together.

As you walked out into the fresh air, the sun setting behind you, Leon turned to you and said, "I couldn't have done it without you."

You smiled back at him, feeling a rush of warmth and affection. "Likewise," you replied, feeling grateful for the bond that the two of you had formed.

The two of you parted ways, promising to keep in touch and work together again in the future. As you walked away, you couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for the next adventure that the two of you would embark on together.

The next day, you woke up feeling energized and refreshed, despite the previous night's mission. You checked your phone and saw a message from Leon, asking if you were free that evening. Your heart skipped a beat as you realized that he was asking you out on a date.

You quickly replied that you were free, and he suggested that you meet at a trendy new restaurant in the city. You spent the day getting ready, trying on different outfits and experimenting with your makeup until you found the perfect look. You stood in front of your full-length mirror, taking one final look at your outfit for the evening. The velvet black dress clung to your curves in all the right places, the slit teasingly revealing just enough of your toned legs. You paired the dress with a pair of sleek black heels that elongated your legs even further.

As you turned to the side, you couldn't help but admire the way the dress flattered your figure. It was classy yet alluring, the perfect combination for a date with Leon.

You spent the better part of the afternoon experimenting with your makeup, wanting to create a look that was both sophisticated and sultry. You settled on a subtle smokey eye, using shades of taupe and black to accentuate your eyes. Your lips were coated in a deep red lipstick, adding just the right amount of drama to your overall look.

As you stepped out of your apartment, you felt a surge of confidence wash over you. You knew that you looked amazing, and you couldn't wait to see the look on Leon's face when he saw you.

The restaurant itself was a sight to behold. The walls were adorned with vibrant murals and paintings, and soft jazz music filled the air. The dim lighting created an intimate atmosphere, making it the perfect setting for a romantic dinner. When you arrived at the restaurant, you saw Leon waiting for you at a cozy table in the corner. He looked dashing in his suit and tie, and you couldn't help but feel a little nervous as you approached him.

"Hi," you said, trying to keep your cool as you went to sit down before Leon stopped you and pulled out your chair for you. "Thank you handsome."

"Hi," he replied with a smile. "You look beautiful."

As you perused the menu, your mouth watered at the descriptions of the gourmet dishes. From the seared scallops to the perfectly cooked filet mignon, every dish sounded like a work of art.

When the food arrived, you were not disappointed. The flavors were rich and complex, each bite a tantalizing combination of tastes and textures. You and Leon shared the dishes, each sampling a bit of everything and savoring the flavors together.

The wine selection was equally impressive, and you found yourself entranced by the sommelier's descriptions of the different vintages. You and Leon shared a bottle of a smooth, full-bodied red that paired perfectly with the meal.

As the night wore on, the restaurant became more and more alive. The soft buzz of conversation and laughter filled the air, and you could feel the energy of the room building. Yet despite the lively atmosphere, you and Leon were lost in your own world, enjoying each other's company and the moment.

As dinner came to a close, Leon leaned in close to you, his eyes sparkling with a mix of playfulness and desire. "I had a wonderful time tonight," he said, his voice low and husky. "Would you like to do this again sometime?"

You felt a thrill of excitement run through you at his words, and you couldn't help but nod eagerly. "I would love that," you replied, your heart racing with anticipation.

The two of you parted ways that night, but you couldn't stop thinking about Leon and the amazing time you had together. You knew that this was the start of something special, and you couldn't wait to see where your relationship with him would take you next.

As you walked out of the restaurant, you couldn't help but feel like you were walking on clouds. The night had been magical, from the delicious food to the intimate atmosphere, but most of all, because of Leon. His charm and wit had left you spellbound, and you knew that you wanted to see him again soon.

As you stood outside the restaurant, Leon turned to you and took your hand, sending shivers down your spine. He gazed into your eyes, and you felt as though he could see into your very soul.

"I had a wonderful time tonight," he repeated, his voice low and husky. "You're amazing, and I can't wait to see you again."

You felt your heart skip a beat at his words, and you couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. "I feel the same way," you replied, your voice filled with warmth and affection.

The night air was cool and crisp, but you hardly noticed as you stood there, lost in the moment with Leon. You felt as though you were in a fairy tale, and you couldn't wait to see where this story would take you next.

As you walked home from the date, you couldn't help but replay the evening in your mind, every detail still fresh in your memory. The way the candlelight flickered and danced across Leon's face, the sound of his laughter ringing in your ears, the warmth of his hand as he guided you through the restaurant - it was all so surreal, like something out of a movie.

The city around you seemed to glow with a new light, as if the world had shifted and everything was different now that you had experienced such an incredible night. You walked with a sense of purpose, your steps light and buoyant, as if you were floating on air.

As you turned the corner onto your street, you saw a shooting star streak across the sky, and you couldn't help but smile, feeling like the universe was somehow in alignment with your newfound happiness.

As you turned the key in the lock, the door creaked open to reveal the cozy interior of your house. The familiar scent of your favorite candles mingled with the aroma of fresh flowers, making you feel at home in an instant. You stepped into the foyer, where the soft glow of the chandelier illuminated the walls adorned with family photos and artwork.

Walking past the hallway, you peered into the kitchen, which was still and quiet, with pots and pans stacked neatly in the sink. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of the rose bouquet that you had left on the kitchen table earlier that day. You smiled to yourself, realizing that the night was not yet over, and you had plenty of time to relive every moment of your unforgettable date with Leon.

As you entered the living room, you sunk into the plush cushions of your sofa, surrounded by soft blankets and pillows. The room was dimly lit, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. You stretched your legs out in front of you, the silky fabric of your dress brushing against your skin.

You closed your eyes, replaying the night's events in your head like a movie, savoring every detail of Leon's touch and every word he spoke. The feeling of his hand in yours was still fresh, and his husky voice echoed in your ears. You felt a shiver run down your spine, and you knew that you were falling for him more with each passing moment.

As you opened your eyes, you gazed up at the ceiling, feeling content and happy in your own home. You knew that the memories of this evening would be etched in your mind forever, and you couldn't wait to see where your relationship with Leon would take you next.

You leaned back into the cushions and closed your eyes, feeling the weight of the day slowly lifting off your shoulders. The thoughts of Leon and the amazing night you had together were still fresh in your mind, and you couldn't help but replay every moment in your head.

You reached for your phone to see if he had messaged you, but there was nothing new. A small twinge of disappointment hit you, but you quickly brushed it off, telling yourself that he was probably just as tired as you were.

As you lay there, you thought about all the possibilities that lay ahead, and a wave of excitement washed over you. What if this was the start of something truly amazing? What if Leon was the one you had been waiting for all this time?

The uncertainty of it all was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. You knew that there were no guarantees when it came to matters of the heart, but you felt confident that whatever happened, you were ready to face it head-on.

After a few minutes, you got up from the couch and made your way to the kitchen. You poured yourself a glass of water and took a sip, the cool liquid soothing your parched throat. As you stood there, you gazed out the window at the cityscape, the twinkling lights of the buildings stretching out as far as the eye could see.

You felt a sense of gratitude wash over you, for all the wonderful things that had happened in your life up to this point, and for the endless possibilities that lay ahead. And with Leon by your side, you knew that the future was looking brighter than ever.

You took another sip of water and made your way to the bedroom.

As you walked towards your bedroom, you took in the comforting details of your home: the framed photos of your loved ones on the wall, the cozy blankets draped over the back of your armchair, and the soft glow of the bedside lamp. You changed into your pajamas and crawled into bed, still buzzing with excitement from the night's events. You closed your eyes and let out a deep sigh, replaying every moment with Leon in your mind, feeling a sense of contentment wash over you as you slipped under the covers. You closed your eyes, feeling the warmth and safety of your home surrounding you, and drifted off into a peaceful slumber, your dreams filled with visions of all the adventures that lay ahead.

The next morning, you woke up to the sun streaming in through your window, casting a warm glow across your room. You stretched and smiled to yourself, feeling grateful for the amazing night you had with Leon and the comfortable home that surrounded you.

As you got ready for the day ahead, you felt a sense of excitement bubbling up inside you. You knew that the journey ahead might not always be easy, but with Leon by your side and your cozy home to return to, you were ready to take on anything.

As you finished your breakfast and got ready for work, your mind still buzzed with the excitement and possibilities of the previous night. You dressed with a renewed sense of confidence, feeling as though you could take on the world with the memory of Leon's touch still fresh in your mind.

As you got into your car and started driving to work, the morning sun rose steadily over the horizon, casting a warm glow over everything in its path. You felt the cool breeze on your face as you drove, your windows down, the sweet scent of blooming flowers wafting in through the open windows.

You couldn't help but smile as you thought about the night before, replaying every moment in your mind. The way Leon's eyes had locked onto yours when he spoke, the gentle touch of his hand on the small of your back, the way his lips had felt on yours when he kissed you goodnight - it was all still so vivid and fresh in your memory.

As you pulled into the parking lot of your workplace, you took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. You knew that the day ahead would be busy and full of tasks to complete, but you felt ready to face anything that came your way, fueled by the memory of the amazing night before.

You stepped out of your car and walked towards the entrance of your workplace, your heels clicking against the pavement. The world seemed to hum with a new energy, as if anything was possible now that you had experienced such a magical night.

As you walked through the halls of your workplace, you felt a renewed sense of purpose and determination. You knew that with Leon by your side, you could tackle anything that came your way, and that the possibilities for your future together were endless.

As you walked into the break room, you couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. You had been looking forward to seeing Leon all morning, and the thought of being able to spend some time with him during your break was enough to make your heart skip a beat.

As you scanned the room, your eyes landed on Leon, who was standing near the coffee machine, his back to you. You took a moment to appreciate the way he looked in his crisp white shirt and navy blue blazer, his hair styled perfectly as usual.

"Good morning," he said, turning around as he heard you approach. "You look stunning today."

You felt your cheeks heat up at his compliment, but you couldn't help but smile in response. "Thank you," you replied, feeling a surge of happiness at the sight of him.

The two of you chatted for a while, catching up on each other's weekends and sharing stories from your personal lives. You couldn't help but feel a sense of ease and comfort when you were with Leon, like you had known him for years instead of just a few short weeks.

As your break came to a close, Leon gave you a warm smile. "I'm looking forward to our date in two weeks," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I know just the perfect place for it."

You felt a thrill of anticipation at his words, unable to wait to see what the evening had in store for the two of you. "Me too," you replied, feeling your heart skip a beat at the thought of spending more time with him.

As you walked back to your desk, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected twist that had brought Leon into your life. You knew that whatever the future held, you were excited to face it with him.

The rest of the workday passed by in a blur as you eagerly anticipated your next date with Leon. When the clock finally struck five, you practically ran out of the office and hopped into your car, your mind already racing with possibilities for the evening.

As you drove home, you couldn't help but replay the events of your last date in your mind, reliving each moment in vivid detail. The way Leon had looked at you, the sound of his voice, the way his hand had felt in yours - it all felt like a dream.

When you arrived home, you quickly changed into a cute and casual outfit that you knew Leon would appreciate. You applied just the right amount of makeup to accentuate your features, and took one last glance in the mirror before heading out the door.

A few weeks pass and each day he wasn't at work, you noticed you missed his presence. But before you knew it the week was coming to an end and the next one was starting.

As you entered the building where your office was located, you spotted Leon waiting for you in the break room. He was wearing a sleek black suit that hugged his toned body in all the right places, his tie a deep shade of blue that brought out the color of his eyes. He looked like something straight out of a magazine, and you couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your stomach.

"Hey," he said as you approached, his smile widening at the sight of you. "You look amazing as always."

You blushed at the compliment, feeling a rush of warmth spread through you. "Thank you," you replied, feeling a little tongue-tied in his presence.

The two of you chatted for a few minutes, catching up on the latest office gossip and sharing stories about your week. It was easy to talk to Leon, his playful sense of humor and genuine interest in your life putting you at ease.

As your break came to a close once more, Leon gave you another warm smile. "I'm looking forward to our date next week," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement just like the first time.

You felt a thrill of anticipation at his words, unable to wait to see what the evening had in store for the two of you. "Me too," you replied, feeling your heart skip a beat at the thought of spending more time with him.

As you walked back to your desk, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected twist that had brought Leon into your life.

The rest of the workday seemed to fly by as you couldn't stop thinking about the upcoming date with Leon. You were eager to find out more about the surprise location he had in mind and couldn't wait to see him again.

As the day drew to a close, you packed up your belongings and headed out of the office building, the fresh air and sunlight of the early evening feeling invigorating after a long day of work.

You decided to take a detour on your way home, stopping at a nearby park to enjoy the scenery and clear your mind. The leaves on the trees rustled softly in the breeze, and the sun cast a warm glow over everything around you.

As you wandered through the park, your phone buzzed in your pocket. You took it out to see a message from Leon, and your heart skipped a beat as you read it.

"Hey there, just wanted to check in and see how your day was. Thinking of you. Can't wait to see you next week."

You couldn't help but smile at his thoughtfulness and the excitement that his message brought you. You quickly typed out a response, telling him about your day and how much you were looking forward to seeing him again.

Feeling energized and content, you continued your walk through the park, taking in the beauty of the surroundings and feeling grateful for the unexpected turn your life had taken. As you made your way back to your car, you couldn't help but feel that everything felt brighter with him in your life now.

You couldn't wait to spend more time with Leon, and the anticipation only grew as the days passed. Finally, the night of your date arrived, and you found yourself carefully selecting the perfect outfit and putting the finishing touches on your makeup. You decided on wearing a stunning black cocktail dress that hugged your curves in all the right places, paired with a pair of strappy heels that made your legs look miles long. Your hair was styled in soft waves that cascaded down your shoulders, framing your face perfectly. Your makeup was light enough to look somewhat natural, your lips a soft rose color.

As you stepped out of your car and made your way towards the restaurant, you caught sight of Leon waiting for you outside, looking handsome and dashing, wearing a perfectly tailored charcoal gray suit that fit him like a glove, paired with a crisp white shirt and a dark silk tie. He looked every bit the handsome and sophisticated gentleman, and you couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by his impeccable style. His eyes lit up as he saw you, and he stepped forward to greet you with a warm embrace.

The restaurant was dimly lit, with soft music playing in the background and candles flickering on the tables. You and Leon were seated at a cozy booth, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of intimacy as you chatted and laughed together.

The food was delicious, each dish more exquisite than the last, and you savored every bite. But the real highlight of the evening was the company, as you found yourself completely engrossed in conversation with Leon, his wit and charm captivating you at every turn.

But as the evening wore on, you found that Leon's charm and warmth put you at ease, and you were able to relax and enjoy the moment. The conversation flowed easily between the two of you, and you found yourself laughing and joking like you had known each other for years.

After dinner, you took a leisurely stroll through the city streets, hand in hand, taking in the sights and sounds around you. The world seemed to slow down as you walked, lost in your own little world.

As the night drew to a close, Leon took you by the hand and led you to a quiet spot by the river. The stars twinkled above you as he leaned in to kiss you, his lips soft and gentle against yours. It was a moment of pure magic, and you knew that this was only the beginning of a beautiful journey together. As the night drew on, you felt a sense of longing as you said goodbye to Leon, not wanting the evening to end. But as he leaned in to kiss you again, you felt a sense of reassurance that this was only the beginning of something special.

As you made your way back to your car, you couldn't help but feel a sense of joy and gratitude for the amazing night you had shared with Leon. You knew that there would be many more adventures to come, and you felt excited and ready to face them all, hand in hand with the person who had captured your heart. Driving home, you couldn't help but replay the evening in your mind, smiling to yourself as you relived every moment. You felt grateful for the unexpected twist that had brought Leon into your life, and you knew that this was only the beginning of an incredible journey together.

Once you made your way inside your apartment, you couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement still lingering from your amazing date with Leon. You slipped off your heels by the door, setting them carefully down before grabbing your phone.

Just as you were about to put it away, a notification popped up from Leon, asking if he could stop by your house for a moment. He explained that he had forgotten something important to tell you on the date, and he didn't want to wait any longer.

You couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity at his message, wondering what it could be that he forgot to mention during your wonderful evening together. You quickly replied, telling him that he was welcome to stop by.

A few minutes later, you heard a soft knock at the door, and you quickly made your way to answer it. There stood Leon, looking as handsome as ever, a small smile on his face.

"Hey," he said softly. "I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I had to tell you something. Can I come in?"

You nodded, stepping back to allow him into your cozy apartment. You couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness as he followed you to the living room, taking a seat on the couch beside you.

"I know this might sound a little crazy," he began, his eyes locking with yours. "But I just wanted to tell you that I think I'm falling in love with you."

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, the world seeming to slow down as you processed what he had just said. You looked at him, taking in the sincerity in his eyes and the vulnerability in his voice, and you knew that he meant every word.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you took his hand in yours, feeling a rush of emotion wash over you. "I think I'm falling in love with you too," you whispered, feeling your heart swell with joy. "I just wasn't sure how I should tell you."

Leon's face lit up with a wide smile as he heard your words. "You don't have to say anything else," he said, pulling you in for a tight embrace. "I'm just happy to know that we feel the same way."

You spent the rest of the night wrapped up in each other's arms, talking and laughing and reveling in the joy of your newfound love. As the hours slipped by, you knew that this was only the beginning of an amazing journey together. "Hey, (Y/N)?" Leon looks down at you in his arms.

You look back up at him with a loving smile. "Yes?"

"Would you like to become officially Boyfriend and Girlfriend? " He looks nervous asking you, but he smiles through his anxiety.

"Yes!"

The following days and weeks were filled with endless adventures, from lazy Sunday mornings spent cuddling in bed to spontaneous road trips to far-off destinations. You found yourself falling more deeply in love with Leon with each passing day, and it seemed that he felt the same way.

As your relationship continued to blossom, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected twist of fate that had brought Leon into your life. He was everything you had ever wanted in a partner and more, and you felt a deep sense of contentment whenever you were with him.

Together, you explored new hobbies and interests, from cooking gourmet meals together to hiking in the mountains. You supported each other through difficult times, and celebrated each other's triumphs with joy and enthusiasm. Your love only grew stronger with each passing day, and you knew that this was the real deal.

One day, as you were out on a hike together, Leon turned to you with a serious look in his eyes. "There's something I need to ask you," he said, taking your hand in his.

Your heart raced with anticipation as you looked up at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Will you marry me?" he asked, as he knelt on his knee. Pulling out a small velvet box from his pocket to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. The ring itself is a stunning piece of jewelry, made of white silver and adorned with a large sparkling diamond in the center. The diamond is cut in a classic round shape and glitters brilliantly in the light, catching your eye from across the room. The band itself is sleek and modern, with a minimalist design that complements the elegance of the diamond perfectly. The overall effect is breathtakingly beautiful, and you can't help but feel a sense of awe every time you catch a glimpse of it on your finger.

Tears streamed down your face as you nodded your head, unable to speak as you threw your arms around him in a tight embrace. It was the happiest moment of your life, and you knew that there was no one else in the world you would rather spend the rest of your life and work missions with.

As you walked hand in hand back down the mountain, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected journey that had led you to this moment. Life was full of surprises, and you knew that with Leon. He shown you life was beautiful.

The next day, as you walked into the break room to grab a cup of coffee, you noticed Chris, one of your colleagues, waving you over. "Hey, congratulations!" he said with a big smile on his face.

You felt your cheeks flush as you realized that the news of your engagement had already made its way around the office. "Thanks, Chris," you replied, feeling a little self-conscious. "I appreciate it."

"I'm so happy for you both," he continued, clapping Leon on the back as he walked into the room. "You two make a great team, both at work and in life. Plus (Y/N) Kennedy has a perfect ring to it."

"Thanks, man," Leon replied, beaming with pride as he looked down at you. "I couldn't agree more."

You spent the next few minutes chatting with Chris and a few other coworkers about your engagement, sharing the story of how Leon had proposed and showing off your beautiful ring. It was a heartwarming moment, and you felt overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from your colleagues. It was rare in the line of work you all shared to have happiness like you and Leon shared.

As you left the break room and headed back to your desk, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the wonderful people you worked with. They were more than just colleagues; they were friends and family, and you knew that they would be there for you every step of the way as you embarked on this new chapter of your life.

Leon and you had a brief moment to celebrate your engagement before you were summoned by your boss, who had just received news of a critical mission that required your team's expertise. It was a delicate operation, with high stakes and potential danger, but as always, you were ready for the challenge.

You and Leon quickly gathered your gear and headed to the briefing room, where your team leader outlined the mission's objectives and the plan of action. You and Leon were tasked with infiltrating a high-security facility to obtain sensitive information that could potentially save countless lives.

The mission was intense and nerve-wracking, but you and Leon worked seamlessly together, each of you relying on the other's strength and skill to navigate the dangerous terrain. As the hours ticked by, you found yourself more and more grateful for the training and experience that had brought you to this point, and for the unwavering support of your teammates.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, you and Leon emerged from the facility victorious, the information you had obtained safely in hand. As you debriefed with your team leader and exchanged high-fives with your colleagues, you couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Although the mission had delayed your wedding planning, you knew that there would always be more missions to undertake, and you were happy to share the excitement and adrenaline of the work with the love of your life.

As you and Leon made your way back to the base in the helicopter, you couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of planning your wedding. You turned to Leon with a grin, "I can't believe we're engaged! We need to start planning the wedding!"

Leon smiled back at you, "I know! I was thinking we could have it on the beach, maybe in Hawaii. What do you think?"

You nodded eagerly, "That sounds perfect! And maybe we can have a small, intimate ceremony with just close family and friends."

As you continued to discuss your wedding plans, Chris, who was piloting the helicopter, chimed in, "Hey, if you need any help planning or organizing, let me know. I have some great contacts and can even help with the catering."

You and Leon exchanged a glance and smiled gratefully. "That would be amazing, Chris! Thank you so much," you said, feeling a weight lifted off your shoulders. Planning a wedding was a daunting task, and any help was greatly appreciated.

Leon nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we could definitely use some help. We want to make it a special day, but we're both pretty new to all of this," he said, squeezing your hand reassuringly.

Chris laughed. "Don't worry, I've got you covered. I'll make a few calls and see what I can do. And of course, I'll be there to celebrate with you both on the big day!" he said, grinning.

You couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards Chris. He had always been a supportive colleague, and now he was going above and beyond to help make your wedding day special. You knew that with him on your team, the planning process would be so much smoother.

As you gazed out the window of the helicopter, you felt a sudden wave of inspiration wash over you. The breathtaking view of the sun setting over the horizon was a stunning sight, with its warm hues of pink and orange painting the sky like a masterpiece. It was as if the beauty of the world was aligning with the beauty of your love for Leon.

You turned to him with a smile, feeling your heart swell with happiness. "I can't wait for our wedding day," you said, your voice filled with excitement.

"I know," Leon replied, taking your hand in his. "It's going to be perfect."

Chris chuckled from the cockpit, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You guys are so cute," he said, teasingly.

You laughed along with him, feeling grateful for his lightheartedness. It was a welcome respite from the high-stress situations you all faced at work.

"So, have you guys thought about the venue yet?" Chris asked, turning towards you both.

You shook your head, "Not really. We were thinking something simple and elegant, maybe a garden or a beach. We want to keep it small and intimate."

Chris nodded thoughtfully, "I know of a few places that might be perfect for what you're looking for. I'll send over some options to you guys later tonight."

You thanked him, feeling relieved to have someone with his experience and expertise to guide you through the wedding planning process. It was a weight off your shoulders to know that you had his support and guidance every step of the way.

As the helicopter began its descent, you leaned your head against Leon's shoulder, feeling content and at peace. You knew that the journey ahead of you wouldn't always be easy, but with your love for each other and the support of your friends and colleagues, you were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

The rest of the flight back to the base was filled with excitement and planning as you discussed every detail of your dream wedding. You couldn't wait to start making arrangements and turning your vision into a reality. It was going to be a beautiful day, and you knew that with the help of your colleagues and, most importantly, Leon, it would be the perfect celebration of your love.

As the helicopter landed back at the base, you and Leon exchanged a kiss before climbing out of the aircraft. Chris gave you both a wave before taking off again, and you knew that the next few weeks were going to be filled with wedding planning and excitement.

You turned to Leon and grinned. "I can't believe we're really getting married," you said, feeling a surge of happiness.

"I know, it's crazy," he said, wrapping an arm around you. "But it's the good kind of crazy."

You smiled and leaned into him, feeling a sense of peace and contentment. No matter what the future held, you knew that you and Leon were in it together.

As you made your way back to your quarters, your mind buzzed with excitement as you mentally planned out every detail of your special day. You couldn't wait to start looking at venues, picking out dresses, and tasting different cakes and appetizers. Everything had to be perfect, and with the help of Chris and your colleagues, you were sure that it would be.

Leon squeezed your hand as you walked, and you looked up at him, feeling your heart swell with love. He was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, and you couldn't wait to start this new chapter together.

As you arrived at your apartment, you settled in on the couch, ready to dive headfirst into planning. Leon grabbed his laptop from his overnight bag, and together you began scouring the internet for venues, photographers, and florists.

Hours passed in a blur as you sifted through countless options, each one more beautiful than the last. You debated over color schemes, seating arrangements, and centerpiece options, and even discussed potential honeymoon destinations.

Just as you were about to call it a night, Chris sent you a text message with the contact information of a highly recommended wedding planner. You smiled gratefully, feeling a sense of relief knowing that you had even more support for your big day.

As you crawled into bed that night, exhausted but exhilarated from all the planning, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the amazing people in your life who were helping to make your dream wedding a reality. The bathroom light softly glowed into your bedroom as the sound running water filled the air. The bathroom door was opened up by a small crack allowing you to see your fiancé who was brushing his teeth, standing in just sweatpants in front of the mirror.

You couldn't help but admire how handsome he looked, with his strong jawline and chiseled features. As he finished brushing his teeth, he caught your eye in the reflection of the mirror and gave you a mischievous grin.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, jokingly raising an eyebrow.

"Just admiring the view," you replied, winking at him. "The one I'll always get to see."

He chuckled and walked over to the bed, climbing in next to you. The bed shifting with his weight. You snuggled up to him, feeling his warmth and the steady beat of his heart.

"I can't wait to marry you," he said, his voice filled with love. "but how about we destress from the day today before we sleep baby." He gently turns your head up to look deep into your eyes, his thumb gently resting on your chin.

"Me too," you replied, feeling tears prick at the corners of your eyes. "And that sounds nice."

He leaned in and kissed you gently, and you felt a rush of passion and love. As he leaned in to kiss you, you felt a familiar warmth spreading throughout your body. The way his lips touched yours was always gentle yet passionate, making your heart skip a beat every time. Your hands instinctively found their way to his hair, pulling him even closer to you as you deepened the kiss, his hands slowly glided down your body, you shivered with anticipation. The feeling of his touch was electrifying, sending waves of pleasure through your entire being. You couldn't help but let out a soft moan as he pulled you closer to him by your hips, his body pressed against yours in a way that felt both comforting and exciting.

You feel his lips travel down from your lips, leaving kisses down your chin to your neck as he gently rolls to pin you down to the bed. His lips never leaving your neck, which made you softly gasp at how he had you.

He continued to kiss his way down your neck, his hands exploring every inch of your body. You felt his fingers gently caress your skin, sending shivers down your spine. He knew just how to touch you to make you feel alive and loved, and you savored every moment of it.

As he made his way back up to your lips, you could feel the intensity of his desire for you. His eyes locked onto yours, and you knew in that moment that he was all yours. You ran your hands through his hair, pulling him closer to you as your lips met once again in a fiery embrace.

The two of you lost yourselves in the moment, the passion and desire between you growing with every passing second. The world faded away, and all that mattered was the love that you shared with each other. His hands pull off your shirt as slowly takes in how you look beneath him. His eyes wide as he realized you weren't wearing a bra underneath your shirt, your breast grabbing his full attention. Leon slowly leans down and takes your budded nipple into his mouth, softly sucking and flicking it with his tongue. You couldn't help but let out a pleasured groan.

You arched your back in response to his touch, feeling the warmth of his mouth on your skin. The sensation was overwhelming, and you felt your body respond in ways that surprised even you. Your fingers traced patterns over his back, feeling the muscles tense and relax under your touch. The world had faded away, and the only thing that mattered was the love and desire that you shared with each other.

Leon's lips continued to work their magic on your body, leaving a trail of kisses down your chest and stomach. You couldn't help but feel a sense of vulnerability and intimacy with him, knowing that he was exploring every inch of your body with his lips and tongue. The feeling was almost too much to handle, but you didn't want it to end.

As he moved his lips back up to yours, you could taste the sweetness of his desire on his lips. His hands pulling off your shorts as he stays kissing you. He breaks the kiss to gently toss your shorts off the side of the bed before he stood up and took off his sweat pants. His bulge was huge underneath his boxers. You felt your core grow more wet with desire for the man before you. His hands gently take off your panties as he admires your bare body. "(Y/N), you're so breath takingly beautiful." He softly spoke. His voice full of love as he took off his boxers.

His dick springs up under his belly button, as he climbed back onto the bed, you couldn't help but admire the sight of his chiseled body, every inch of him oozing with raw masculinity. His touch was both gentle and rough, and you loved the way he made you feel. He kissed you again, his tongue exploring every inch of your mouth as he slowly pushed himself inside of you, filling you up completely. You moaned into the kiss as he slowly started to pump in and out of your hole, making sure you stretched out to his length. The sensation was almost overwhelming, and you moaned loudly as he started to move, each thrust driving you crazy.

You clung to him, your nails digging into his skin as you surrendered yourself completely to the moment. He moved faster and harder, his breathing growing more ragged with every thrust. You could feel the tension building inside of you, and you knew that you were about to come undone.

Leon's hips moved with a steady rhythm, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through your body. His hands gripped your hips tightly, his fingers digging into your flesh as he increased the intensity of his thrusts. You could feel his muscles contracting with each movement, his abs rippling beneath your fingers as you clung to him. He slowly moved his left hand to press on your lower belly and rub your clit with his thumb. You couldn't help but let your eyes roll back and let out a louder moan with his name thrown into it.

As he continued to pump in and out of you, his lips found their way to your neck, nipping and sucking at your skin, leaving marks that would remind you of this moment for days to come. You wrapped your legs around his waist, pulling him deeper inside of you, wanting to feel every inch of him.

The heat between you grew more intense with each passing moment, and you could feel your body responding to his every touch. The sensation was almost overwhelming, and you could feel yourself getting closer and closer to the edge. You reached up to grab onto his shoulders, pulling him closer to you as he pounded into you with increasing force.

Leon's breath was ragged and hot against your neck as he whispered words of love and desire in your ear, his voice deep and husky with passion. "You feel so good, baby," he moaned, his thrusts becoming more urgent. "I can't get enough of you."

You could feel your own release building inside of you, your body trembling with anticipation. You became undone underneath him as he continued to pound into you. With each thrust, you felt yourself getting closer and closer to the edge once again, the pleasure almost too much to bear. Leon seemed to sense it too, his movements becoming faster and harder as he pushed you towards the brink of ecstasy.

"Oh god, Leon," you moaned, the pleasure becoming almost unbearable. "Don't stop, please don't stop."

He responded with a deep, throaty growl, his movements becoming even more frenzied as he took you to the edge and over it. And then it happened - a wave of pure ecstasy crashed over you, every nerve ending in your body exploding with pleasure. Leon didn't slow down, driving you higher and higher until you finally felt him explode inside of you, his body shuddering with pleasure as he found release. You felt your whole body shake with the force of your release, waves of pleasure washing over you again and again. Leon followed close behind you, his own release triggering a cascade of fireworks behind your eyelids.

The two of you lay there, panting and spent, wrapped up in each other's arms. It was moments like this that made you feel grateful for the incredible love and passion you shared with Leon. You knew that whatever the future held, the two of you would always have each other.

As your breathing returned to normal, Leon leaned in to kiss you once more, his lips still tasting of desire and passion. You could feel the warmth of his skin against yours, and it was a comfort to know that he was there with you, in that moment.

As you lay there, entwined in each other's embrace, Leon began to softly whisper words of love and adoration in your ear. His voice was deep and husky, sending shivers down your spine with every word.

"I love you," he whispered. "You're everything to me."

You smiled, feeling your heart fill with warmth at his words. "I love you too," you replied, running your fingers through his hair.

The two of you lay there, wrapped up in each other's arms, lost in the afterglow of your passion. The world outside faded away, and all that mattered was the love that you shared. You knew that no matter what challenges the future held, the two of you would face them together, with a love that was strong enough to conquer anything. You felt him pull out of you, both of your climaxes flowing out of you once he was fully out. He softly chuckled as he kissed your forehead before he picks you up out of bed. "Lets get you cleaned up again before we sleep princess."

Leon's voice was gentle and full of love as he held you close, his strong arms cradling you as he carried you towards the bathroom. He set you down on the edge of the bathtub and started the water, making sure it was just the right temperature before he carefully helped you step into the shower. He stood behind you, his arms wrapping around your waist as he held you close, the warm water cascading down over your bodies.

As he helped you wash, his touch was gentle and loving, his fingers tracing every curve of your body with a reverence that made your heart swell with love. He kissed the back of your neck, his lips soft and warm against your skin as he whispered sweet nothings in your ear, telling you how much he loved you and how lucky he was to have you in his life.

You turned to face him, your eyes locking onto his as you leaned in to kiss him again. This time, the kiss was slow and tender, a soft exploration of each other's lips that spoke volumes of the love you shared. As the water continued to flow over you, you felt his arms tighten around you, pulling you close as if he never wanted to let you go. The warmth of the water enveloped you both, soothing your skin and relaxing your muscles. You felt his hands moving up and down your back, massaging you gently as you basked in the warmth of the shower. Eventually, the two of you stepped out of the shower, dried off, and got dressed.

After the shower, he dried you off gently, his touch as soft as a feather as he wrapped you up in a towel. He led you back to the bedroom, tucking you into bed with a kiss on the forehead. As he settled in beside you, he pulled you close, his arms wrapping around you as he held you tightly, his love a comforting cocoon around you. You felt safe and loved in his embrace, knowing that no matter what challenges lay ahead, the two of you would face them together, with a love that was strong enough to conquer anything.

As you drifted off to sleep in his arms, you couldn't help but feel grateful for this moment and for the beautiful life that you were building together.

You spent the morning snuggled up in bed, talking about the future and all the possibilities that lay ahead. As you sipped coffee and nibbled on pancakes, you began discussing wedding plans, imagining the perfect day that would celebrate your love. Leon listened to your ideas, offering suggestions and thoughts, his eyes sparkling with excitement and joy.

You spent hours brainstorming, jotting down notes and making lists, discussing everything from the flowers to the menu to the music. As you talked, you could feel your love growing stronger with every passing moment, the prospect of spending your lives together filling you with warmth and joy.

After breakfast, you decided to take a stroll through the park, hand in hand, talking more about your vision for the big day. You discussed the venue, the guest list, and even the color scheme, imagining every detail down to the last petal on the bouquet.

You settled on a bouquet of soft pink and ivory roses, with a few delicate sprigs of baby's breath tucked in between. The roses were arranged in a cascading style, with the stems wrapped in a pale pink satin ribbon that trailed gracefully behind.

As you envisioned the bouquet in your mind, you could almost smell the sweet fragrance of the roses and feel the soft petals against your skin. You knew that carrying this bouquet on your wedding day would make you feel like the most beautiful and cherished bride in the world.

You and Leon had discussed many ideas for the wedding venue, but eventually, you settled on a charming outdoor garden that was surrounded by trees and blooming flowers. The vibrant colors of the flowers were incorporated into the color scheme, with shades of pink, lavender, and ivory taking center stage. The ceremony would be held beneath a beautifully decorated archway, with delicate ribbons and flower garlands draped around it.

The reception would take place in a nearby ballroom that was adorned with twinkling lights and hanging lanterns. The tables were set with elegant ivory linens, and each place setting was accented with a single pink rose. The food would be a delicious blend of local cuisine, with fresh seafood and seasonal produce taking center stage. For dessert, you had decided on a tiered cake decorated with fresh flowers and drizzled with a light glaze.

As you walked, you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with love for Leon, the thought of spending the rest of your life with him making your heart race. The day seemed to pass in a blissful haze, filled with love and laughter, until the sun began to set and you found yourselves back in bed, wrapped up in each other's arms once again.

As the days passed, the excitement for your wedding continued to build. You and Leon finalized all the details, from the flowers to the food, ensuring that everything would be perfect for the big day.

The day before the wedding, you went to the venue to do a final walkthrough with the event planner. As you walked through the space, you could see your vision come to life. The colors were vibrant, the flowers were arranged beautifully, and the tables were set perfectly. You took a deep breath and smiled, knowing that everything was going to be perfect.

The morning of the wedding, you woke up to a beautiful sunrise, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. You and your bridesmaids got ready together, sipping mimosas and laughing as you helped each other with hair and makeup. The bouquet that you had designed with the florist was delivered, and it took your breath away with its beauty.

As the time drew closer, you slipped into your wedding dress, a stunning creation that flowed around you like a dream. The ivory lace shimmered in the sunlight, and the delicate beading sparkled with every movement you made. You twirled around in front of the mirror, feeling like a princess in your own fairytale.

Your bridesmaids gasped when they saw you, tears welling up in their eyes as they took in your beauty. You smiled at them, feeling grateful for their love and support on this special day. You locked your eyes with your mom, who looked so proud and happy. Her mouth opens and closes as tears well up in her eyes.

As tears welled up in her eyes, your mom took a deep breath and stepped forward to embrace you. "Oh my darling, you look absolutely stunning," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I can't believe how grown up you are now, and how beautiful you look in that dress."

She pulled back and looked at you with such love and pride that your heart swelled with emotion. "I just know that you and Leon are going to be so happy together," she continued, her eyes shining with tears. "You make such a wonderful couple, and I am so grateful to have you both in my life."

You hugged her back tightly, feeling overwhelmed with love for your mom and gratitude for all she had done for you. "Thank you, Mom," you whispered, your voice thick with emotion. "I couldn't have done this without you."

As you and your mom hugged, your bridesmaids gathered around you, their own eyes glistening with tears. It was a moment of pure love and joy, one that you would treasure forever.

The final touches were added to your hair and makeup, and then it was time to make your way to the ceremony. You took a deep breath and stepped outside, feeling the warm sun on your face and the cool breeze in your hair.

As you walked down the aisle, you could feel all eyes on you, but your focus was on Leon, who was waiting for you at the altar with a look of love and adoration in his eyes. You reached him, and he took your hand, his fingers lacing with yours.

The ceremony was beautiful, with the gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of the flowers all around.

As the ceremony began, Leon's eyes locked onto yours and he began to recite his vows. His voice was strong and steady, filled with love and devotion.

"My dearest love, from the moment I met you, I knew that my life would never be the same. You are my best friend, my confidante, and my soulmate. I promise to stand by your side through thick and thin, to support and encourage you in all that you do, and to be your rock when life gets tough." He pauses and looks up at you, tears welling in his oceanic blue eyes before he continues.

"I vow to love you unconditionally, to cherish every moment we share, and to always put your needs before my own. You are the missing piece of my heart, and I am so grateful to have found you. I promise to always be honest and faithful to you, to make you laugh when you're feeling down, and to hold your hand through the ups and downs of life."

"I vow to build a life with you that is filled with happiness, adventure, and love. Together, we will make the most of every moment, creating memories that will last a lifetime. I love you more than words can express, and I promise to spend the rest of my days making you happy and loving you with all of my heart."

As he finished his vows, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. The ceremony was a beautiful testament to your love, filled with laughter, tears, and moments that you would never forget.

As Leon looked at you with tears in his eyes, you felt your own eyes well up with emotion. You took a deep breath and began to speak your vows.

"Leon, from the moment I met you, I knew that you were the one for me. You've shown me what true love means, and I feel so blessed to be standing here with you today. I vow to love you, to cherish you, and to support you through all the ups and downs that life may bring. I promise to be your rock, your partner, and your best friend for as long as we both shall live." You smile as a stray tear rolls down your cheek. "I promise to hold your hand through the good times and the bad, to laugh with you and cry with you, to be your home and your sanctuary. I vow to support your dreams and aspirations, and to always push you to be the best version of yourself. I promise to listen to you, to respect you, and to cherish every moment we have together. I love you more than words can express, and I will spend the rest of my life showing you just how much you mean to me. My love, you are the sunshine in my life. From the moment I met you, I knew that I had found my soulmate. I promise to always love you, to always support you, and to always be there for you. I will cherish every moment that we spend together, and I will work hard to create a beautiful life for us. You are my everything, and I vow to love and honor you for eternity." As you finished speaking, you felt a wave of emotion wash over you, the love and support of your family and friends surrounding you like a warm embrace.

Finally, the officiant pronounced you as husband and wife, and Leon leaned in to kiss you, sealing your love for all eternity.

As you kissed, you felt a wave of joy and contentment wash over you. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, the sound echoing throughout the venue. You broke the kiss, turning to face your guests with tears of happiness streaming down your face.

You could see the pride and love in your parents' eyes, as well as the joy and excitement in the faces of your friends and family. You hugged your parents, feeling grateful for their unwavering support and guidance throughout your life.

Leon's parents also stepped forward, wrapping their arms around you and welcoming you into their family with open hearts. The two families merged into one, sharing in the love and joy of the moment.

As you looked around the room, you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness. You had always dreamed of this day, and it was even more perfect than you could have ever imagined.

Leon took your hand, and the two of you made your way down the aisle, surrounded by your loved ones. You were officially husband and wife, and you couldn't wait to start your lives together as a married couple.

The reception was a joyous celebration of your love, filled with laughter, dancing, and memories that would last a lifetime. The décor was breathtaking, with elegant centerpieces and twinkling lights creating a romantic ambiance that perfectly captured the love that you and Leon shared.

As the night went on, Chris, one of your closest friends, stepped up to the mic to give a heartfelt toast to the newlyweds. With a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye, he began to speak.

"To my dear friends, Leon and (Y/N), I can't express how happy I am for the two of you. Seeing you standing here together, surrounded by love and happiness, brings tears to my eyes. You both are a shining example of what true love is all about, and I know that you will have a lifetime of happiness together. I'm so glad you two have allowed me to help you with planning this wonderful night out. Its truly an honor."

He turned to Leon, a grin on his face. "Leon, my man, I've known you for years, and I can honestly say that I've never seen you as happy as you are now. (Y/N) brings out the best in you, and I know that you will continue to make her feel loved and cherished for the rest of your lives together."

Chris then turned to you, a smile on his face. "And (Y/N), my beautiful friend, I can't imagine anyone more perfect for Leon than you. You are kind, loving, and endlessly patient, and I know that you will be an incredible wife to him."

He raised his glass. "To the happy couple, may your love continue to grow and flourish with each passing year. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy!"

As the crowd cheered and clinked their glasses, you felt your heart swell with love and joy. This was truly the happiest day of your life, and you knew that you would cherish every moment of it for the rest of your days.

The food was delicious, with a variety of dishes that catered to all tastes and preferences. The cake was a work of art, with intricate details and flavors that made your taste buds dance. You spent the rest of the day celebrating with your friends and family, dancing and laughing and enjoying the beautiful wedding that you had planned together. As the night drew to a close, you and Leon slipped away from the festivities, hand in hand, ready to start the rest of your lives together as husband and wife.

As the night wore on, you and Leon stole away for a moment alone, looking out at the stars and reflecting on the amazing day that you had just shared. You felt so lucky to have found each other, and you knew that your love would only continue to grow stronger with each passing day.

The night ended with a final dance, surrounded by the people who meant the most to you. As you held each other close, you knew that you had found your happily ever after, and that you were truly blessed to have each other.

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

As the final notes of the music faded away, Leon held you tightly and whispered in your ear, "Let's go home, my love."

You smiled and nodded, feeling a sense of contentment wash over you. The two of you said your goodbyes to your guests, thanking them for sharing in your special day. As you made your way to the exit, Chris stepped up and hugged you both, his eyes glistening with tears.

"You two are meant to be together," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I am so happy for you and I know that you will have a lifetime of love and happiness together."

You and Leon hugged Chris back, feeling grateful for his support and love. As you walked out into the cool night air, hand in hand, you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with love and joy. Leon quickly scooped you up into his arms and walked the rest of the way to the car.

The ride home was quiet, filled with contented sighs and stolen glances at each other. When you finally arrived home, Leon scooped you up in his arms and carried you over the threshold, kissing you passionately as he did so.

As you settled into your new life together, you knew that your wedding day was just the beginning of a lifetime of love and happiness.

The next morning, you woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the sun shining through the window. It was your first day as a married couple, and you couldn't wait to start your new adventure together. You and Leon spent the morning packing your bags for your honeymoon, carefully choosing the perfect outfits and accessories for your romantic getaway.

You were both so excited to explore the beautiful city of Paris, with its iconic landmarks, charming cafes, and rich culture. You had always dreamed of strolling hand in hand along the Seine River, visiting the Louvre Museum, and indulging in delicious French pastries and wines.

The hotel you had chosen for your honeymoon was a luxurious five-star hotel located in the heart of Paris, boasting stunning views of the Eiffel Tower and top-notch amenities like a spa, a rooftop bar, and a Michelin-starred restaurant. You couldn't wait to soak in the luxurious surroundings and create unforgettable memories with your new husband.

As you boarded the plane, you felt a sense of excitement and anticipation for the adventures that lay ahead. You and Leon snuggled up together, watching romantic comedies and sipping champagne, feeling grateful for the love and happiness that you had found in each other. You wondered how Chris managed to land you guys a first class private trip to Paris but you were thankful for his actions.

As the plane soared through the clouds, you both felt a sense of adventure and wonder. You had always dreamed of visiting Paris, and now you were finally going to experience it together as husband and wife.

As you landed in the City of Love, you were immediately struck by the beauty and romance that surrounded you. The quaint cafes, charming architecture, and iconic landmarks took your breath away. You and Leon checked into your luxurious hotel, complete with stunning views of the Eiffel Tower.

As you arrived at your hotel in Paris, you were awestruck by its grandeur and beauty. The lobby was adorned with sparkling chandeliers and opulent decor, and the staff greeted you with warm smiles and impeccable service.

As you made your way to your room, you were filled with anticipation for what awaited you inside. The room was spacious and luxurious, with a plush king-size bed adorned with soft, fluffy pillows and a cozy duvet. The windows overlooked the city, providing breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower and the sparkling lights of Paris at night.

The room was equipped with modern amenities, including a flat-screen TV, high-speed internet, and a fully stocked minibar. The bathroom was a spa-like oasis, with marble countertops, a deep soaking tub, and plush robes and slippers to wrap yourself in after a relaxing bath.

A bouquet of fresh flowers sat on the nightstand, filling the room with a sweet and fragrant aroma. A tray of macarons and champagne awaited you, welcoming you to the City of Love in the most delicious way possible.

Overall, the room was a perfect blend of elegance, comfort, and romance, setting the stage for an unforgettable honeymoon with the love of your life. "Wow, Leon, this is so.." your voice trails off as you look around the room. "its perfect!"

Leon grinned as he watched you take in the beauty of the room. "I wanted to make sure our honeymoon was as special as our wedding day," he said, pulling you into his arms. "And I think this is the perfect place to start our new life together."

He led you over to the plush king-sized bed, adorned with silky soft linens and fluffy pillows. "How about we take a quick nap and then explore the city?" he suggested with a mischievous grin.

As you cuddled up together on the bed, you felt the warmth of his body next to yours and the soft sound of his breathing lulling you into a peaceful sleep.

When you woke up, the sun was just beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the room. Leon had ordered room service, and the aroma of freshly baked croissants and strong coffee filled the air.

As you sat down to enjoy your breakfast together, Leon took your hand and looked deeply into your eyes. "I want this honeymoon to be about us, about our love and our future together," he said. "I love you more than anything in this world, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

With those words, he leaned in and kissed you deeply, his love for you filling every inch of the room. You sighed happily into the kiss as he slowly broke it.

Leon took your hand and led you towards the balcony, where you could see the breathtaking view of the city of Paris. The Eiffel Tower twinkled in the distance, and the lights of the city illuminated the night sky.

"Let's go out and explore the city," he said with a smile, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

You nodded eagerly, feeling a sense of adventure and excitement wash over you. You changed into something comfortable and warm, taking a coat with you, and you set off into the city, hand in hand with Leon.

The streets of Paris were bustling with people, each one seeming to have their own story to tell. You walked hand in hand with Leon, taking in the sights and sounds of the city, stopping to take pictures in front of the iconic landmarks and indulging in the local cuisine at cozy cafes and restaurants.

As you walked through the charming streets, you felt your heart swell with love for Leon, and you knew that this honeymoon would be the start of a lifetime of adventures together. The love that you shared filled every moment of the trip, making it even more special and unforgettable.

After a long day of exploring, you returned to the hotel, tired but happy. You and Leon cuddled up in the plush bed, watching the lights of the city twinkling outside the window. You talked for hours about your hopes and dreams for the future, and the adventures that you wanted to have together. As you drifted off to sleep, you knew that your love for each other would only continue to grow stronger with each passing day.

The next morning, you woke up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm croissants. Leon had ordered breakfast in bed, complete with a variety of pastries, fruit, and delicious coffee. As you enjoyed your meal, you talked excitedly about your plans for the day. You both decided to visit the famous Eiffel Tower, and explore the city's many museums and galleries.

As you walked hand in hand through the streets of Paris, Leon turned to you with a smile. "I'm so happy to be here with you, my love. You make every moment of my life so much better." His words made your heart swell with love and joy.

"I feel the same way, Leon. I'm so grateful for you, and for this amazing adventure that we're on together." You replied, looking deeply into his eyes.

As the day went on, you and Leon shared countless new experiences and made unforgettable memories. From sampling local cuisine to taking romantic walks through the city, every moment was filled with love and happiness. And as the sun set over the city, you knew that your honeymoon in Paris was a dream come true, a true celebration of your love and commitment to each other. The honeymoon slowly came to an end as you turned to look at the hotel entrance, your bags heavy with souvenirs and memories you made.

You and Leon shared one final romantic dinner in the hotel's elegant restaurant, savoring every bite of the exquisite French cuisine. You talked about the highlights of your trip, reliving your favorite moments and promising to return to Paris one day. As the night wore on, you grew more and more reluctant to leave, wishing that you could stay in this beautiful city forever.

But all good things must come to an end, and the next morning, you packed your bags and made your way to the airport. As you sat in your first-class seats, holding hands with Leon, you looked out the window at the beautiful city that you had fallen in love with. You knew that you would never forget this honeymoon, and that the memories that you had made would last a lifetime.

"Thank you for the most amazing honeymoon, Leon," you said, turning to him with a smile.

"It was my pleasure, my love," he replied, his eyes sparkling with love and adoration. "I'm so grateful to have you as my wife, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

You leaned in to kiss him, knowing that your love for each other would only continue to grow stronger with each passing day. As the plane took off, you closed your eyes and smiled, feeling grateful for the love and happiness that you had found in each other.

[sergeant-spoons]

Times Are Hard For Dreamers

The second fic in my Victorian AU one-shot collection.

Pairing: Rhea Nantucket x Floyd Talbert

Word count: 25.5k

Dios mío, New York was tremendous.

Back home in Cuba, trees boasted their height as the tallest things around by shimmying toward the sky, the sun shone near like a friend, and the breeze blew warm and sweet. Here in the city, where the buildings stretched dizzyingly far into the smog, Rhea made a point never to look up. She was terrified that the people climbing higher and higher within would be sucked right up into heaven if they went too far. All her life, she had never felt so small, not even when the skies rioted in storm and even the trees bowed to the earth in subservience. Traversing the stinking sidewalks of the city made her feel like a speck of sand being blown across an endless beach. Not even that comparison could be accurate; New York neglected to keep any proper beaches. No friends-made-family kicked a ball across the seaweed and shells, no children swam all day in the warm, clear sea until their skin glowed and smarted with the sun's kisses. No, New York kept a cold, cloudy harbor. No one swam, and there was no sand to tuck Rhea's toes into until they baked so hot she had to dance her way into the lapping surf to cool them off.

She came on a winter's morn, trembling for a good many reasons, the foremost of which was the biting cold, seconded by fear. The wolves in the wind gnawed at her face and hands and ankles as she crept through the line on that wretched concrete island they called Ellis, clutching her suitcase to her stomach and praying a thousand times over to know warmth again before the day's end. Alas, she spent the night on the island, on the ground beneath a bench, her raggedy coat tucked around her with one sleeve tied around her wrist lest some desperate person tried to thieve it for themself. The sky that night was unkind, and for a long while, she lay frightened by its unfamiliar stars and unnatural clouds. She slept face-down, in the end—or, at least, attempted to sleep—breathing against her suitcase as if her rebounding exhalations might warm her.

Read the rest on AO3.

Taglist: @thoughpoppiesblow @chaosklutz @wexhappyxfew @50svibes @tvserie-s-world @adamantiumdragonfly​ @ask-you-what-sir @whovian45810 @brokennerdalert @holdingforgeneralhugs​ @claire-bear-1218​ @heirsoflilith​ @itswormtrain​ @actualtrashpanda​ @wtrpxrks​

[mandalorianbrainweasel]

Approximately 21k

Dawn’s Mirror

Twice a year, Jocasta Nu makes a pilgrimage to an odd temple on a backwater planet that always gives more information than could be expected, especially since the Clone Wars started. This, of course, has reminded Count Dooku of the temple's existence, and he sends Dark Acolyte Quinlan Vos to intercept her and visit the temple himself, as the temple is stringently neutral. With information about Dooku's planned interference in their ears, the Council attempts to convince Madame Nu to not go to the temple again until the end of the war. Failing that, she agrees to go with a team of a few other Jedi, two Mandalorian contractors, and a team of clone commandos.

Of course, it figures that she's the only one truly prepared for not just the temple itself, but for the young guardian who lives there.

Trans Woman Spar, That's Not How The Force Works (Star Wars), Fae & Fairies, Ghosts, Hallucinations, Underage Drinking, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Fairy Tale Elements, Worldbuilding, Alien Planet, Fluff and Angst, Ballad 39: Tam Lin, halted aging, Age Difference, Time Shenanigans, Dreams and Nightmares, Alternate Universe, Fix-It of Sorts, Cameos from Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic (Video Games), Gender or Sex Swap, Fantasy Gender Transitioning, Fantasy Body Modification

Jocasta & Spar, Mij Gilamar & Spar, SparMij

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/50237506

Hello! It's me again! Anxiety is eating me up. Although it's just a small story, you should know that this is the first time I've done something like this. Kurt and Blaine inspire me to step outside the box. If you'd like to read it, here it is! Thank you if you will post this message 🩷

The beta is @special-bc-ur-part-of-it 🫶🏻

We are so excited! Thank you so much for writing - we will definitely share your story. ~Lynne

Don't let me go (cause I'm tired of feeling alone) by Falles

What if Blaine had met Kurt when he needed him most?

[luzity]

first vs last appearances