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natsaffection · 1 month

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I’m sorry if this is too much to ask

I recently went through a breakup with my girlfriend (recently as in last night) and I need some Natty fluff and comfort. For an idea reader and nat are bestfriends and have been through S.H.I.E.L.D for many years before Nat was promoted to an Avenger and reader was left behind as an agent.

Reader broke up with their relationship a day before Nat got home from a mission(clarification that nat n reader share apartments) injured and its just the two worrying about eachother to mindlessly cuddle and comfort eachother.

could add in soft sex for plot but ill let you decide the rest 😞✊

Held Together. | N.R

Warnings: friends brake up, injury

Word count: 2,3k

A/n: Hey you. I know this isn't going to help you much, and I definitely want to lend you my ear if you ever want to talk about things like this. I know how it feels, and I also know that saying it will get better doesn't exactly help. So please don't hesitate to write to me. 🩵

The first time you saw Natasha, you were both in the S.H.I.E.L.D. training facility, hidden deep within the confines of a classified location. The facility was stark, all concrete walls and fluorescent lighting, with the faint scent of sweat and determination lingering in the air. You were new, just another recruit with a mysterious past, handpicked for reasons that weren't fully explained to you. But then again, secrecy was the foundation of S.H.I.E.L.D., and you had learned quickly that questions were often better left unasked.

Natasha stood out immediately. Not just because of her striking red hair, which seemed to catch the light even in the dullest corners of the room, but because of the aura of quiet confidence she exuded. She moved with a precision that spoke of years of experience, each step deliberate, each movement economical. It was clear that she was in a league of her own. But it wasn’t her skill that drew you to her, it was the look in her eyes. Beneath the stoic mask, there was a flicker of something familiar, something you recognized in yourself. The guarded pain of someone who had seen too much, too soon. The training sessions were brutal. S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t coddle its recruits, and you were pushed to your limits, physically and mentally. But every time you faltered, Natasha was there, a silent presence at your side, pushing you to keep going. She wasn’t the type to offer comforting words or a reassuring pat on the back, but her actions spoke louder than any words could. She trained with you, sparred with you, and when you were both covered in bruises and gasping for breath, she would sit with you in the quiet moments, a rare smile tugging at her lips.

Over time, what began as mutual respect grew into something deeper. You found yourself seeking her out, not just in training but outside of it. Late nights in the common room, nursing cups of coffee and talking about everything and nothing at all. You learned that Natasha wasn’t just a hardened spy. She was fiercely intelligent, with a dry wit that could cut through any tension. She had a past that she kept close to the vest, but in those quiet moments, she would let slip little pieces of herself, and you would do the same. It was during one of those late-night conversations that you both discovered just how much you had in common. You shared a dark sense of humor, born from lives that had demanded you grow up too fast. You both knew what it was like to be used as a tool, to have your choices stripped away, and to fight tooth and nail to reclaim some semblance of control.

The turning point in your friendship came during a mission in Prague. You had been sent in as backup for Natasha, who was deep undercover, trying to extract a high-value target from an enemy compound. The mission had gone south, bad intel, compromised routes, everything that could go wrong did. Natasha was pinned down, outgunned and outnumbered, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, you thought you might lose her. But you didn’t hesitate. You stormed the compound, using every skill you had learned, every lesson drilled into you during those grueling training sessions. You fought your way to her, the two of you battling side by side, back to back, until you managed to extract the target and make your escape.

When you were safely back at the extraction point, covered in dust and blood, Natasha had turned to you, her eyes fierce with a mix of adrenaline and gratitude. She didn’t say anything, but the look she gave you was all you needed. From that moment on, you were partners in every sense of the word. There was an unspoken understanding between you..a bond forged in the heat of battle, one that neither of you questioned. Over the years, that bond only grew stronger. You became the team that everyone wanted on their mission, the pair that could get the job done no matter the odds. You were the calm to her storm, the steady hand that balanced her fierce determination. And she was your anchor, the one person you knew you could rely on, no matter what.

But it wasn’t all about the missions. There were moments of light in the darkness inside jokes that no one else understood, late-night movies when you both should have been sleeping, and the kind of trust that only came from knowing someone inside and out. You knew her favorite coffee order, the songs she hummed when she thought no one was listening, and the way she always checked her weapons twice before a mission, even when she didn’t need to. And she knew you, knew the nightmares that woke you in the middle of the night, the reason you kept your distance from most people, and the way you always carried that one memento from your past, a small token of a life you barely remembered. She never pushed, never pried, but her presence was a constant reassurance, a reminder that you weren’t alone in this world.

Then came the day when everything shifted. Natasha was summoned to Nick office a meeting that would change the course of both your lives. When she emerged, she looked different, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, but there was something else too a distance, a sense of something slipping away. She told you about the Avengers, about the offer Fury had made. You could see the excitement in her eyes, the way her posture straightened as she spoke about it. And why wouldn’t she be excited? It was a chance to be part of something bigger, something that could change the world. You listened, nodded in all the right places, and when she asked what you thought, you plastered on a smile and told her how proud you were.

But inside, your heart ached. You knew that things would never be the same. You didn’t want to hold her back, didn’t want to be the reason she missed out on something extraordinary, but the thought of losing the connection you shared filled you with a dread you couldn’t shake. And slowly, that fear began to materialize.

As Natasha got more involved with the Avengers, the calls became less frequent, the visits even more so. You found yourself spending more time alone, throwing yourself into missions to drown out the loneliness. The once unbreakable bond you shared felt like it was fraying, the threads pulling apart one by one. The more you tried to reach out, the more distant she seemed, until one day, you realized that the Natasha you knew was almost a stranger to you now. She had new friends, new responsibilities, a new life. And where you once stood side by side, you were now watching from the sidelines, unsure of where you fit in her world anymore.

But the memories remained. Every time you walked past the training room, you could almost hear the echoes of your past conversations, the laughter that once filled the empty spaces. The ghost of what you had once had lingered, haunting you in the quiet moments. You didn’t know what the future held for you and Natasha, but one thing was certain: the bond you had shared was changing, evolving into something you couldn’t yet understand. And as much as it hurt, you knew that you had to find your place in this new reality, even if it meant doing it without her by your side.

The apartment felt too quiet, the silence oppressive as you sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the empty walls. Your things were mostly packed, boxes lining the hallway, and the last remnants of your life here waiting to be sealed up and carried away. You had made your decision the day before, the weight of it still sitting heavily in your chest.

You had ended it. Ended the friendship, the partnership, the life you had built with Natasha. The pain of watching her drift further away into her new life as an Avenger had become too much to bear. Every day had been a reminder of how much you were losing her, and it had finally reached a breaking point. You couldn’t stand being the one left behind anymore, always wondering when or if things would go back to the way they were. So, you had left a note on the kitchen table, explaining as best you could, trying to make her understand why you needed to leave, why you couldn’t keep living in the shadow of her new world. You couldn’t bring yourself to say it to her face, not after everything you’d been through together, so you had written the words, packed your things, and left the apartment.

But now, sitting in the empty space you once called home, the reality of what you’d done settled in, and it hurt more than you could have imagined. You didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to give up on what you had with Natasha, but you didn’t see any other way to protect your heart from breaking further. It was supposed to be simple. You would leave, and Natasha would come back to an empty apartment, read the note, and understand. She’d move on, and so would you. That was the plan.

Except plans never go the way you expect them to.

The sound of the front door creaking open jolted you from your thoughts. Your heart stopped as you heard footsteps heavy, uneven. Natasha was back. You weren’t supposed to be here. You were supposed to be gone, far away, already beginning the process of moving on. But you couldn’t bring yourself to leave. Not yet. You stood up, feeling your heart race as you heard Natasha’s familiar footsteps drawing closer. When she finally appeared in the doorway, your breath caught in your throat. She looked exhausted, her skin pale, and there was a grimace on her face that she couldn’t quite hide.

But what really terrified you was the blood on her jacket and the way she was cradling her side as if trying to hold herself together. “Natasha..” you whispered, the word barely audible as the shock of seeing her like this hit you. Her eyes flicked up to meet yours, and for a moment, she just stared, as if trying to process that you were really there. “Y/n..?”

“You’re hurt.” you said, your voice trembling as you took a closer look. "It’s not as bad as it looks..” she replied, trying to offer a reassuring smile, but it faltered as she winced in pain. “Stop pretending.” you snapped, though your voice was laced more with worry than anger. “Why didn’t you go to the medbay?”

Natasha shook her head, letting out a strained sigh “I just..needed to come home.” she said softly, her eyes flickering around the room, taking in the packed boxes, the half-empty closet. “I thought you would be gone..?” The words hung in the air between you, heavy and filled with the tension of everything that had happened, everything that hadn’t been said.

“I was supposed to be..” you admitted. “Come here, let me help you with that.” She didn’t resist as you guided her to the bed, her breaths coming in shallow gasps as she tried to stay composed. You carefully unzipped her jacket, wincing at the sight of the blood-soaked bandages underneath. It wasn’t the worst injury you’d seen her with, but it was bad enough to make your hands shake as you reached for the first aid kit. She winced as you peeled the blood-soaked fabric away, revealing a nasty gash along her side. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it was deep enough to require stitches.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?” you asked, your voice thick with emotion as you began to clean the wound, trying to keep your hands steady. “I didn’t want you to worry..” Natasha replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I guess that plan didn’t work out too well.”

“Damn it, Natasha..” you muttered, blinking back tears as you worked. “You can’t just..you can’t just keep doing this. Keeping things from me. Pushing me away.”

“I wasn’t trying to push you away.” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “I just..I didn’t know how to handle all of this. You, the Avengers, everything. I thought I could balance it all, but I was wrong.” You paused, your breath hitching as the weight of her words settled over you. “Nat-” you started, but she cut you off.

“I read your note.” she said, her eyes glistening as she looked down at you. “I know why you left, and I can’t blame you. I’ve been so caught up in everything else that I forgot about the one person who’s always been there for me. And now I’m scared I’ve lost you.” Tears slipped down your cheeks as you finished dressing her wound, your hands lingering on her skin for a moment longer than necessary. “You haven’t lost me.” you whispered, your voice shaking. “But I can’t keep living like this, Natasha. It’s tearing me apart..”

She reached out, her hand trembling as she cupped your cheek, her thumb brushing away your tears. “I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice breaking. “I never wanted to hurt you.” You leaned into her touch, closing your eyes as the warmth of her hand seeped into your skin. “I know.” you whispered. “But things have to change. We can’t keep going like this.”

Natasha nodded, her own tears spilling over as she pulled you into a gentle embrace, her arms wrapping around you as if she was afraid to let go. You buried your face in her shoulder, the scent of her familiar, comforting even through the layers of blood and sweat. You both held on to each other as if it was the only thing keeping you grounded, the only thing keeping you from falling apart. For a long time, neither of you spoke. The silence was filled with the sound of your combined breaths, the rise and fall of your chests in sync, the steady beat of her heart against your ear. “I don’t want to lose you..” you whispered, your voice trembling with the weight of everything you hadn’t said.

“You won’t.” she promised, her voice filled with quiet determination. “I won’t let you.” There was a moment of silence, thick with unspoken emotions, and then, before you could second-guess yourself, you leaned in, pressing your lips softly to hers. The kiss was tender, hesitant, as if you were both afraid to break the fragile connection between you. But the moment your lips met, it was like something inside you both clicked into place, the distance and the pain melting away, replaced by the familiar warmth of being with each other. Natasha kissed you back, her lips moving slowly, carefully, as if savoring the moment. When you finally pulled away, you rested your forehead against hers, your breaths mingling in the small space between you.

“I’m sorry..” you whispered, your voice barely audible. “Shh..” Natasha murmured, her hand moving to the back of your neck, pulling you closer. “We’ll figure it out.” You nodded, unable to speak as you felt the tears slipping down your cheeks. Natasha gently wiped them away, her touch so soft it made your heart ache. You didn’t know what the future held for you both, but in this moment, with her arms around you and her lips still tingling from the kiss, you felt a glimmer of hope.

Carefully, you helped her lie down on the bed, her head resting on the pillow as you pulled the blanket over her. But before you could move away, Natasha caught your hand, her grip surprisingly strong despite her exhaustion. “Stay with me.” she whispered, her eyes pleading. You nodded, your heart swelling with emotion as you crawled into bed beside her. Natasha immediately curled into you, her head resting on your chest, her arm draped over your waist. You wrapped your arms around her, holding her close, as if you were afraid she might slip away if you let go.

The two of you lay there in silence, the only sound the soft rhythm of your breathing and the steady beat of your hearts. The tension, the hurt, the fear..it all seemed to fade away as you held each other, the warmth of her body against yours a balm to the wounds that had been festering between you for so long. You pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, your fingers gently stroking her hair as she sighed contentedly against you. “I love you, Nat..” you whispered, the words slipping out before you could stop them. “I love you too.” she murmured, her voice filled with so much tenderness it made your heart ache. You tightened your hold on her, burying your face in her hair as you let the weight of the day finally slip away. For the first time in a long time, you felt a sense of peace, a sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, you could find your way back to each other. And as you both drifted off to sleep, wrapped up in each other’s arms, you knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, you would face them together.

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff #natasha romanov x reader #nat x reader #natasha romonova #the avengers #natasha

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marzipanandminutiae · 2 months

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Maybe I’m wildly misunderstanding what people who like the dark academia aesthetic are going for but I always thought the aesthetic was specifically about romanticizing those universities in England (or Europe in general) that were founded in like 1736 and the main building was originally a castle that belonged to the family that founded it or something like that. Obviously that’s a very niche university environment but I never thought that fans of the aesthetic thought that every single university looks like that. My university was built in the 70s and looks like a small town’s airport so I understand the appeal of escapism in pretending that you go to university in a marble building that has a secret library or something. I’m not criticizing your post btw I agree with you i guess I understood the purpose of the aesthetic wrong. I thought they just liked the old money aesthetic of those schools, not that they believed you’re not truly academic if your school doesn’t look like an ancient university in Prague.

So, yes, that is where the term came from

my issue with it is that they don't seem to know any other term for aesthetics they happen to have seen in a fancy university, anymore and totally unrelated things get slapped with the "dark academia" label

Oxford doesn't look like that because that's an ~academia aesthetic~. it looks like that because those were popular architectural styles of whenever X building was constructed. you are going to see those styles in other places! that doesn't make like...an 18th century commercial building "dark academia!"

like I've seen the term applied in completely random and incomprehensible ways. a marble bust is Dark Academia? HOW? is it in a university? or is it in an art museum where people are there to look at it, not to study it? is it in Mr. Darcy's house, where that classification makes even less sense? why is it somehow Academia when no Academia is in evidence?

an Art Deco theatre lobby. no joke. saw that tagged "dark academia." it could not have been more clearly a theatre lobby. I asked OP why they called it that, and they said it was just "the vibe." academia is not a vibe!!!! the word has a definition and the definition has nothing to do with aesthetics!!!!

my favorite movie, Crimson Peak, gets slapped with the DA label a lot. because...I don't know; there are ghosts and books in the same building? the heroine is a writer, sure, but absolutely none of it takes place in an institution of public scholarship or higher learning. there's a publisher's office, a doctor's office, and a private library in a house (that doesn't even get used for its intended purpose beyond a single scene). that's it. it's a pretty standard Victwardian Gothic.

the term DOES have function as a fictional genre; it describes a story pretty well. what happens? Dark Stuff. where? Academia. okay, I'm intrigued. but for aesthetics? no meaning or use at all, IMO

so I know they're not saying that ALL universities look like that. they're somehow saying that EVERYTHING that looks like that is University. which annoys me

(I also think "old money aesthetic" is more TikTok brainrot. I work a lot of museum benefits with old money people. they dress in many different ways, very few of them like a Kennedy vacationing on the Cape in 1965. just say "preppy" if that's what you mean!)

(and as with Dark Academia, it leads to a lot of things that have nothing whatsoever to do with the oldness of one's money getting labeled that way. which is annoying.)

#ask #anon #long post #tiktok brainrot

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wraithdance · 1 month

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The Five Year Plan | Gaz x Reader

Synopsis: When your fiancé breaks up with you, you start to question your timeline; who needs a man when you can have a baby yourself? Who better to ask for help on creating one than your arch-nemesis Kyle Garrick?

Note: F!Reader, Fat/Plus sized Reader, Reader is implied to be Black but can be read as WoC, Readers nickname is 'Siggy', there will be no y/n use Content warning: none; besides a terrible grasp of british-isms, this is a poorly edited filler pov for Kyle because I'm burned out from prepping for the semester start next week :'(

Chapter Two: Should I Get Her Cake?

Kyle was deeply confused.

He stared at the sad little wreath on Siggy's door (a relic from Christmas she never took down) pondering what exactly he did to set her off this time.

He's of course not thrown off by the door being slammed in his face or being told to piss off, as Siggy was prone to dramatics and made it a mission to do one (often both) at least thrice during the week. Kyle furrows his brow trying and failing to understand what cake had to do with anything.

He hadn't mentioned it whatsoever, just the tea.

He'd really never say anything about cake as he didn't really enjoy it very much, or really any crumbling confection. He'd been on one too many ends of an ear cuffing as a child for getting sugar or icing on his school uniform. His solution was to avoid the matter altogether.

With his arms crossed and head cocked in thought he tries to replay the last 15 minutes in his head again.

He'd come back from his run, said hello to the doorman, chatting with him about Kyle's mum and her new found bridge obsession. Then he'd checked the mail (nothing but junk so he tossed it with a sigh) and had come back upstairs. He wasn't exactly surprised to see Madelyn crying, she often cried, often cried on this floor in particular for some reason.

It'd been how he'd met the younger woman actually. He'd opened his door to her knocks and come face to face with big green eyes and a quivering lip.

Kyle had not been in the best mood- honestly he'd been murderous, one would be after being in fucking Urzikstan of all places, where he'd been a stones throw away from death by falling out of a helicopter. He'd finally gone to a dreamless sleep after returning home from the nightmare of an operation, when he'd woken to the timid knocks. He'd landed on his ass from the couch and cursed every deity known to man as he stomped to the door.

They'd both been confused by the other upon his answering, Madelyn more so then him. The petite woman had squeaked up at him in fear. With an eye twitch Kyle had asked Madelyn what the issue was. She'd simply burst into tears and said something about her sink being broken.

He'd calmed her down eventually, neck heating from embarrassment when she'd launched herself into his arms. Siggy had chosen that moment to walk by and had given him a look of complete judgment- eyebrow raise and a look up and down- and all. He'd tried to explain that he didn't know what was happening and Siggy had just snorted, crab walking inside with her obscenely large shopping bags of clothing and slammed the door.

(She really was big on that.)

Kyle had gotten Madelyn to calm down enough for him to learn that the building's handyman had lived in Kyle's apartment previously. Madelyn had thought to ask him for assistance on fixing the overflowing sink in her bathroom but hadn't known he'd moved out.

That was strange to Kyle as he'd been living in the flat for at least two years at that point.

Madelyn had explained that away saying she'd been on an extended sabbatical in Prague helping rescue stray cats. Kyle didn't really want details on that, so he'd offered to help her with her sink in the interim. She'd bounced about happily when he'd tightened the loose handle of her faucet. Ever since she'd been coming to his floor for different odds and ends or to drink tea and watch Downtown Abbey.

He hadn't known she knew Siggy at all, so he was completely taken aback by what he would consider a low threat hostage situation. Considering Kyle's career he knew this was nowhere on the scale for dangerous situations but Siggy looked ready to jump out of the nearest window.

He'd thought he was being helpful by offering himself up to Madelyn as a distraction but that had only seemed to make Siggy angrier. Her lips had curled up in utter disgust the moment he'd offered tea for Maddy and it had avalanched into his current confusion about the cake.

He gives up figuring it out after a spell, turning towards his door with a furrow in his brow. He reaches for the handle when a sudden thought stops him in his tracks.

Siggy was vengeful.

In a way that put some of his more mischievous methods of retaliation to shame. He'd thought he had reached peak pettiness when he'd gaslit Johnny into believing he was prematurely balding for three weeks straight. He'd done it by shaving small coin sized spots of hair on the Scot's body and keeping a poker face when accused.

(Soap should have learned not to wake Kyle up at ungodly hours with useless chatter. Then to have the nerve to make fun of a man's silk bonnet of all things?)

(Besides, if anyone was traumatized it was KYLE, the hyperactive man was hairier than a dog and Kyle still had nightmares about it, but he digresses.)

When Siggy was upset and feeling particularly vindicated about it, she had a nasty habit of playing mind games or being an outright bully. She was single-handedly responsible for more than one neighbor’s decision to move out after declaring war on them for some reason or other.

He'd witness her stealing welcome mats, making noise complaints, using her law degree to intimidate, or getting into outright yelling matches with offenders. Hell, Kyle had suspected she was behind the great trash bin brawl.

Trash bins on the floor had gone mysteriously missing and reappeared in odd places within the building. The result was accusations being thrown and Mr. Haversack and Mr. Dudley coming to blows.

Kyle, who had come off of another long mission abroad, had walked into the aftermath of the chaos. He'd sidestepped the police who'd had his neighbors in cuffs and were taking down statements, to stand at a self satisfied Siggy's side as she watched on.

She was eating a sweet and chuckling to herself. She'd been far too invested in the goings on to be unkind to him standing so close, she'd even told him what happened.

Kyle wasn't an idiot, far from it and he prided himself on that fact. It's what got him into such an elite military squad in the first place. One does not get awarded medals for their counter-terrorism efforts by being a numpty. So he without a doubt, knew Siggy had been the one behind the trash bin debacle and told her so.

She'd gazed at him under lowered lashes and cocked a brow as if to say 'Oh, really?'

Kyle won't admit he was a bit lightheaded watching her lick icing from her fingers while maintaining eye contact with him. Instead he'd told her of his thought process on why he thought she was the culprit. Siggy had shrugged neither confirming nor denying, and very obviously did not care about his opinion on her innocence.

He'd still given it nonetheless, she hadn't taken well to being called childish.

Siggy had sworn at him (again something Kyle will never admit got his blood racing) and had gone on a tangent about the neighbors she'd been menacing. It took Kyle awhile to stop watching her flashing eyes and heaving chest in interest to understand what she'd been saying to him.

According to Siggy, some of the neighbors had been reporting the only Asian family on their floor to the home office for made up infractions. Mr. Dudley had rallied up a few others sympathetic to his cause, to assist in the targeted harassment of the family of four.

Siggy was enacting justice on the scared families behalf as they'd been frightened about possible retaliation impacting their immigration status if they spoke up.

Kyle had felt like a right dick and apologized to Siggy profusely.

She'd tilted her chin to look down her nose at him, preening at his groveling. She'd accepted after some time and Kyle had asked about Mr. Haversack's part in the fray. Siggy had just shrugged, polishing off her sweet, citing that Mr. Haversack had closed the lift on her when she'd been attempting to juggle groceries.

Her bag with her carton of eggs and strawberries had dropped when she'd raced to the lift trying to make it before the doors closed. She claimed Mr. Haversack had given her a dirty look and pressed the buttons to close the doors when she'd stared down at the mess on the floor.

The memory gave Kyle a pause.

Siggy did seem to take food related offenses very personally. Kyle looks at her door again in consideration.

“Should I get her some cake?” he questions into the air of the silent hallway.

After a beat he makes plans to pick some up at the market next to the shady burger shop in the morning, as an apology for whatever he’d done. The last thing he needed was another reason for Siggy to steal his paper off his doorstep.

With that in mind Kyle finally walks inside his flat to join Madelyn for tea.

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#the five year plan #kyle garrick x black reader #kyle garrick x reader #baby face #kyle gaz garrick

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frenchkisstheabyss · 1 month

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♱ ＣｉｔｉｅｓＩｎＤｕｓｔ ♱

♱ Pairings: vampire!hyunlix x chubby!fem!vampire!reader, vampire!bang chan

♱ Genre: vampire au/horror/angst/fluff

♱ Summary: After their lover’s taken by vampire hunters, Hyunjin and Felix are willing to do anything to get her back but finding her is only the beginning of a journey down a twisted, blood soaked path where they find there are much scarier things in the world besides them and the biggest threat of them all may be closer than they think.

♱ Word Count: 3.9k-ish

♱ Warnings: vampires, blood, violence, expressions of pain/loneliness/heartbreak, some fluffy kisses. this chapter’s more emotionally driven than ultra bloody (future chapters will for sure get a lil gory), & that’s all

♱ A/N: I’m literally so nervous posting this. It’s the first fic I’ve written in a while and moody vampires are my happy place so I really hope this finds the people who love them too and you guys enjoy it.

I'm also thanking @anyamaris for giving me the confidence to post my writing and for always taking the time out to read my stuff🖤

A vampire can meet her end in any manner of ways. She might find a sharp object driven through her chest, the bones of her ribcage fractured around her faintly beating heart.

Or she could find herself cast out into the sun for a minute too long where she’d roast fiercely from the inside out until she was nothing more than ash in the wind.

The list goes on, if only briefly, and every hunter knows these methods like a prayer. But there’s another list. One that only certain hunters hold knowledge of. Not a list of ways to kill a vampire but of ways to make them wish you had.

You had the misfortune of coming across the latter. For you there was no archaic wooden post whittled into a stake, no afternoon spent sunbathing in the park. Locked away in the mausoleum of a dead man you've never met, you’re as alive as you’ve ever been.

Alive but paralyzed by the deprivation of the only two things that made eternity worth living. The taste of blood, warm and sweet on your tongue, and the euphoria of a love whose absence has rotted a hole in your heart.

100 days you’ve been here, turning to stone like the angelic statues that guard your tomb, and the pain grows impossibly deeper as the next approaches.

But you’ll not have to suffer another night in this hell. You’ll be free, you’ll taste blood again, feel truly alive. Your loves will see to it.

Standing at 712 ft tall, the Žižkov Television Tower looms above the romantically gothic city of Prague. It’s breathtaking beneath the night sky. Endless miles of beauty in every direction begging to be admired.

Most humans couldn’t dream of ever reaching the heights necessary to indulge but one man’s found himself lucky enough to take it all in. Maybe dangling upside down by your leg doesn’t technically count as luck but it’s all about perception.

“Please! Just let me go!” the bloodied man begs, the wind cold and sharp as it whips his tears back against his red cheeks. All of the blood’s rushed to his head and his view of the horizon has blurred into something reminiscent of watercolor painting.

“Let you go?” Hyunjin giggles, perched atop a platform. “That’s a really bad choice of words but okay.”

The dark haired vampire loosens his grip on the man’s ankle, reveling in the cry of desperation that leaves the man’s lips. Hunters are always this way when you catch them. So very pathetic. So weak.

“Wait! No! No! Please!” the man cries in the split second before his ankle’s secure in Hyunjin’s grasp again. “I don’t know where she is. I swear to God.”

“You swear to god when you lie?” a deep voice questions, unamused with his hypocrisy. “Do you not claim to do his work? And you take his name in vain?”

Hyunjin looks to the blond haired companion at his side, “Felix, are you telling me you don’t believe the words of this upstanding gentleman?”

“I’m telling the truth!” the man insists, his nose beginning to snot, turning him into a blubbering mess. “I don’t know where they put her. After we took her…”

Felix’s eyes pulse a deep, electric red at those last four words. After we took her. “So you took her! Where?” he shouts, his voice near animalistic as he reaches down, grabbing the hunter by the neck.

It’s dizzying for the man to find himself upright for the first time in what seems to be an eternity but there’s no time to breathe a sigh of relief. Indeed, he can’t breathe at all. Felix’s hand is tight around his neck, crushing his windpipe at a torturously slow pace.

When he saw these creatures cloaked in back, their elegantly sharp features forming in the darkness of his apartment, he knew what they were and what they wanted. Who they wanted. And death inevitably lay before him.

Truth or lies? Would either change his fate? He hasn’t come to decide and there’s little time now for contemplation.

“You need to calm down” Hyunjin cautions, razor sharp nails drumming against the metal railing.

“Calm down?” Felix snaps, his fangs glinting in the moonlight, “You heard him. They took her. He took her! Why aren’t you angrier? Or do you even care?”

In the blink of an eye Hyunjin is on his feet, his hand hovering near Felix’s throat, prepared to choke him the way he does the poor limp man he dangles like a ragdoll.

“Bad things happen when we let our anger get the best of us and we don’t want that. Do we?” Hyunjin warns through gritted teeth.

His gaze still locked on the man, Felix’s rage calms barely enough to sense. Hyunjin rests his hand against the porcelain skin of Felix’s neck, violence melting into its own strange form of empathy as he pats it gently.

They came here for the same reason and the success of this, like all they’ve ever done in their afterlife, depends entirely upon their ability not to kill each other. But other people? Well, that’s a different story.

“One last chance. Where’d you take her?” Hyunjin presses the man, knowing every second spent here is a second wasted.

With two sets of immortal eyes burning a hole through his very soul, the man makes a decision on his life. A decision he regrets in an instant.

“Don’t r-remeber” he croaks out.

“Yikes” Hyunjin hisses, disappointed but almost equally excited to finally be rid of this scumbag, “Wrong choice of words yet again. Seems to be your thing.”

Felix frees the man from his grasp, tossing him out into the night like garbage. It’s been said that when you fall from a building you black out before hitting the ground but there’s much more that happens before that final moment.

A fear so overwhelming you find yourself going borderline insane. Collapsed blood vessels. Rupturing cells. All before you hit the ground and become a piece of abstract art to be washed away in the morning. Messy, messy stuff.

As the hunter’s screams fade into the distance below, the two vampires are left in an uncomfortable silence heavy with the weight of questions unanswered. They dropped everything to come here, chased down every lead possible, and now their most promising one is hurling towards the ground at 120mph.

“I know she’s here somewhere” Felix sighs, breaking the silence, “I can feel her. She’s so alone, Hyunjin. She thinks we forgot about her. I can’t let her think that.”

Felix’s voice begins to crack, the heartbreak almost bringing him to tears. 101 days and every single one of them has been like a living hell. Getting closer was supposed to make things better but the closer they get the more the pain clouds their vision, thickening like fog until it’s impossible to see beyond it.

Hyunjin can only wish for the words that will make this all better. Anything at all to cool the pain searing through their chests. Even with Felix’s eyes almost pleading for him to say something that will make him feel less alone—less like he’s the only one hurting—Hyunjin can’t manage to let the wall down. Building it was all he could do to keep from burning this city to dust and any chance of finding his love right along with it.

“Right. Why do I bother? Why don’t you go back home, Hyunjin? Go rot with all your paintings. You always did like them better.”

Hyunjin parts his soft, rosy lips to issue another passive threat but, as quiet as his next breath, Felix disappears, abandoning him to a new brand of silence. The kind that leaves Hyunjin’s mind to race uninterrupted, sending memories washing over him so viciously he can’t resist being swept away.

Painting by moonlight.

Hyunjin has done it countless times in the last 300 years and it never loses its charm. There’s something so romantic about it. So relaxing. Tonight’s hunt had demanded a brutality of him that he seldom likes to reveal but with every stroke of the brush against canvas the beast within him calms, lulled back to sleep by the sound of water rushing from the ornate fountains of the back garden.

The subject of Hyunjin’s painting sits peacefully in the distance. A sprawling English manor that he’s called home for the past 50 years. Despite an external appearance that might have one think people were once beheaded on these grounds by some temperamental tyrant—they likely were—it emanates a sense of warmth from within and the source of it just sped past in a blur of light, nearly knocking his painting over.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” you apologize, stopping to catch your breath. Carefully straightening the canvas back out on the easel, another blur whisks by, knocking you into the grass.

“Tag! You’re it now!” Felix declares gleefully, his limbs intertwined with yours as you struggle to sit up.

“I can’t be it if you break my back.”

“Your enemies don’t care if they break your back, my little flower” Felix hums, picking blades of grass from your hair.

Hyunjin rolls his eyes, turning his attention back to his painting as he mouths every word that Felix says next.

“You have to keep your endurance up. Never let anyone get the advantage. Life may seem sweet behind these walls but trust me…”

You let out a giggle at the faces Hyunjin makes as he mimics a dead serious Felix. It isn’t that you don’t take Felix seriously. He’s lived much longer than you have, gone through things you couldn’t imagine. All he wants to do is protect you, it’s more than anyone ever did for you in your mortal life, but sometimes you wish he’d stop worrying. For his own sake.

Felix frowns, your giggles drawing his attention to Hyunjin. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Making fun of you?” Hyunjin gasps, crossing his legs. “I’d never make fun of you baby brother.”

“Baby brother? You’re older than me by 5 months!”

Hyunjin grins, never bored with his ability to get under Felix’s skin. “5 months and 26 days. Can’t forget the 26 days.”

As much as you adore their trademark bickering, the grass is itchy and your back actually hurts. You’re hardly in the mood for this tonight.

Grabbing Felix by the collar, you kiss him before he can take Hyunjin’s bait. You only intend for it to be the faintest peck, just enough to shut him up, but he wastes no time pulling you on top of him and enveloping you in his arms.

The kiss deepens as his fingers massage the fullness of your figure through the plush cotton of your dress. His touch makes any bit of pain you feel melt away, replacing it with a tingling sensation that spreads throughout your entire body.

You forget in this moment that anything else exists in the world. There’s only the feeling of his lips pressed against yours, your hearts matching each other’s rhythm as the heat grows between you.

Hyunjin can feel it too. Every sensation Felix takes in. It snuffs out his own senses, replacing the feeling of the carved wooden brush in his hand with the sinfully tempting softness of your flesh. He can taste you on his tongue, smell the delicate floral scent of your perfume. It’s everything he wants and nothing he needs right now.

“I guess I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it. Go hurl myself into the sun or something.”

Hyunjin makes no attempt at hiding his irritation as he walks off, leaving his things behind.

“Is that jealousy I sense?” you tease, appearing in front of him with an innocent pout on your face.

He shoos you away, offended at the accusation that he’d ever waste his energy on such an insignificant human emotion.

“No. Just bored” he lies, attempting to step around you.

You block his way, placing a hand on each of his cheeks to keep his eyes fixed on you. “You’re both very special to me. I love you and I never want you to get so…bored that you forget that.”

It’s silly to imply that your love is something he could ever question. There are many things he’s come to question in this world but the day will never come where that’s among them.

No matter how close he finds himself teetering on the edge of that thing called jealousy. Just having you near him, staring at him with stars in your eyes like he’s the center of the universe, is enough to bring him back from it.

Hyunjin takes you by the waist, pulling you closer and into a kiss much deeper than the last. He has a way of enchanting you so completely that you’d swear you were under a spell. A spell cast on your soul, laced within his kiss, and sealed with the fingertips that trail their way up your spine. If there’s a way to break it may that secret remain buried for the length of eternity.

“I love you too” he whispers, sending all of the blood from your last meal rushing to your cheeks.

“Good because you…are…it!” You tag him on the shoulder and disappear into the surrounding forest, cloaked by the shadows of the trees.

Felix hops to his feet, knowing Hyunjin’s competitive streak won’t let him sit this one out. “Do I get a head start?”

Hyunjin laughs, baring his fangs, “Just shut up and run.”

Felix follows your lead and Hyunjin wastes no time taking off after the two of you. Suspecting that you’ve found yourself a hiding space by now, Hyunjin focuses on who he senses closest to him. Maneuvering through the trees with a graceful swiftness, Hyunjin zones out the symphony of the night to isolate the sound of Felix’s breathing.

Felix has managed to make it imperceptible enough that a less experienced vampire may not know he was breathing at all. Picking up speed, he circles around Felix, slamming into him as he jumps to perch atop a branch.

Felix hits the ground with a thud, rolling through the dirt and into a small pile of leaves.

“I really have to learn how to fall.”

Hyunjin helps him to his feet but not without rubbing it in.

“All these years and you still can’t outrun me.”

Felix shrugs, dusting himself off, “Maybe I just wanted to slow you down.”

“Betrayal!” Hyunjin gasps, “You’ll pay for this later.”

He turns to chase after you, determined not to let you get one up on him, but Felix grabs him by the arm, a look of concern painting his face.

“Do you smell that?” Felix frowns, sniffing the air.

His nostrils are assaulted by the bitter smell of something burning nearby. He takes a few steps back towards the house and the air grows thicker with the scent of wood burning like kindling for a campfire. But it’s more than that.

Hyunjin picks up on it too, glancing back to spot flames dancing in the windows of the place you call home. Without thinking, they race back through the forest, effortlessly closing the distance between them and the burning manor.

They make it to the backdoor in time to see it engulfed by flames that climb the side of the building, torching the rose vines you spent all summer tending to.

“Stay back here!” Felix shouts, already charting an alternate course into the house, “I’ll go around front and find another way in!”

Hyunjin watches in shock as the windows of the top floor shatter, sending glass cascading to the ground. The way the fire’s burning, it doesn’t make sense. There’s no pattern. No source. Something’s not right.

And that’s when the true panic sets in. The realization that something’s missing. Someone’s missing.

“Where is she?” he asks, his heart sinking.

The question stops Felix where he stands and his eyes drifts back to the forest. He may nag you about the need to sharpen your abilities but you’re the most perceptive vampire he’s ever met. If they picked up on the scent of smoke you would’ve too. You’d be here by now.

A new possibility opens up, turning his stomach. You wouldn’t have gone back into the house. You couldn’t have. He shakes it off, venturing back into the garden to find you.

Hyunjin has the same worry but can’t bring himself to quiet it. Taking a few steps back, he closes his eyes and hurls his body through a first floor window. His body slams against the floor, dislocating his shoulder. The pain is blinding, shooting through his right side like a jolt of electricity.

Flames roar around him, swallowing up everything he ever held dear and none of it means a thing. There’s only one thing he cares about and he’ll lose himself before he loses you. Crawling to his feet, cuts littering his once perfect face, he calls out to you but is met with only silence.

Outside Felix has abandoned the garden to search for you in the woods where the only creatures returning his cries are those of the woodlands. They scream for you until their throats are raw. Beg for any sign you’re there until tears sting their eyes and stain their cheeks. Until the flames eat the walls like acid and the forest becomes a black barren sea.

They search for you, weep for you, but you’re gone—ripped away from them—and the pain they feel now is nothing compared to what’s to come.

Flowing through the city’s center, the Vltava River is said to be a place where one can find peace. Amongst all the lights and buzzing tourism, this spot on the bridge was supposed to be soothing but, unfortunately for Felix, he can only muster up annoyance and something he’s yet to recognize as a drop of envy.

Below him private yachts and ferry boats float their way up and down the river. They’re brimming with humans laughing and partying. Their joy permeates everything, giving the city a feeling of lightness that he promptly rejects.

A few months ago he might’ve found this city charming, maybe even smiled at the simple joys humans seem to find in life, but now all that’s beautiful feels tainted.

“It doesn’t have to be,” a friendly voice reassures him.

Felix jumps back, startled by the sudden appearance of a young man not much older than he is. Dressed in all black designer clothing from head to toe, he still manages to carry himself with the laid back energy of the type of guy who’s everyone’s best friend. But there’s something off about him and it makes Felix’s skin crawl.

He extends a hand to Felix, a peace offering of sorts before the war has even begun.

“It doesn’t have to be what?” Felix asks, staring at his hand as if it were laced with poison.

“Tainted. Darkness and beauty can coexist, yeah?”

“How’d you…”

The man’s eyes pulse red, answering Felix’s question in an instant. Another vampire? He recognizes that accent. It’s similar to his own. This one’s not from here.

“I’m from Australia. Name’s Chris. Nice to meet you, Felix.”

Felix’s skin’s no longer crawling, it’s crawling off.

Chris keeps his hand out, a sugary sweet grin stretched across his lips. He’s immovable and something tells Felix if he doesn’t give in now they’ll be here all night.

He cautiously shakes his hand, trying to assess the vampire’s intentions without giving too much away. Mind reading isn’t a gift all vampires have. It’s a power said to fall to the eldest or craziest amongst them and it’s much too early to say which to file this one under.

“A vampire who can read minds,” Felix sighs, unimpressed. “I’ve never met one of you before. So is this what you do? Just go digging around in people’s minds without their permission? I already hate it.”

“You’re sassy. I like you” Chris laughs, taking a moment to admire the view. “Too uptight though. It won’t kill you to unwind a little. Take in some of the sights. Ever been to Olšany Cemetery?”

“A vampire hanging at the cemetery?” Felix scoffs, turning back to the river. “A bit cliche, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know. Would you risk being cliche if it meant finding her?”

Felix’s blood runs cold, rage melding with confusion. Chris pats him on the shoulder, a superficial display of familiarity for the blissfully ignorant humans walking by.

“Probably wanna rip my head off now, hmm? But you can’t” he taunts, “Not in front of all these people and even if you tried to fight me I can assure you that you’d lose and your little Hyunjin would be left all alone in the world again. How depressing.”

Felix grabs him by the wrist, threatening to crush it as he peels his hand away from his shoulder. “What are you talking about?”

Amused by the whole ordeal, Chris sees no reason to hold out. That isn’t why he came here after all.

“In Olšany Cemetery there’s a mausoleum. It’s guarded by two marble angels. An architect’s buried there” he trails off in thought, pretending to forget where he was going with this, “Oh yes, but he’s not there anymore. There’s somebody else.”

“Somebody like who?”

Bone should be splintering right now from the force of his fingers contorted around Chris’ wrist but nothing’s happened. It hurts like a pinch from a child, barely enough to bat an eye at, let alone inflict genuine pain. Maybe this vampire isn’t older or crazier than he is. Maybe he’s both.

“The girl you’re searching for. Go there and you’ll find her but be careful…” Chris warns but his words fall on deaf ears as Felix shoves past him, having heard everything he needs to abandon the unpleasantness of this interaction.

There’s nothing about this stranger that he trusts. In fact, he’s never met anyone he disliked so much so soon but this isn't a lie. There’s no logic for it, no sound reasoning to justify why he’s digging his phone out to find the fastest way to some old cemetery on the edge of the city.

He knows nothing of the vampire’s motives or how, even with his abilities, he knows all that he does. They’re questions whose answers will have to wait until he finds you and nothing in the world, not even his own doubts, can stop him.

“I was just gonna tell you to be careful. She’s not who you think she is anymore” Chris mumbles to himself. “Actually I think she’s something far better.”

#stray kids x female reader #stray kids x you #stray kids x reader #stray kids angst #stray kids fluff #stray kids au #hyunjin x female reader #hyunjin x you #lee felix x female reader #lee felix x you #stray kids x chubby reader #chubby reader #hyunjin angst #hyunjin fluff #lee felix angst #lee felix fluff

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peachhcs · 4 months

Note

Luke is definitely upset for Sammy, especially after what went down in the gling to worlds fic

He knows she was so excited to spend time with Will

even though we saw some of luke’s reaction already, here’s a small blurb of him calling will about it:

the phone rang four times before will finally picked up. luke paced around his room with anger written all over his face because even though samy and him mom said not to be mean, luke was gonna be mean.

“dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?” luke spat out without even a hello or a how are you, similarly to how ryan greeted will the other night on the phone.

the blonde flinched, “you’re gonna be on my back too?”

“what the fuck do you mean i’m gonna be on your back?! of course i am! you spend an entire month with my sister in prague and then you go and break up with her as soon as we get home? what the fuck?” luke wasn’t having any of it. he’s known this kid for his entire life so the older boy was very confused on what got into him.

will flinched again at luke’s harsh tone, but he knew he deserved it. “i’m sorry,” was all the boy could manage.

“jesus christ, sorry? that’s it? did something happen between you two or what? i’ve never seen my sister this sad about something before and that’s saying a lot,” luke continued, his tone cooling off just the slightest.

“no nothing happened. i just..i don’t know man,” will frowned at the idea of samy being upset because of him.

“i’m giving you thirty seconds to come up with a better excuse than whatever you just said to me,” luke grew a bit impatient. when will didn’t say anything more, the brunette scoffed in annoyance. “look, i’ve known you your whole life. i won’t pry into things, but i never ever thought you and my sister would break up or stop being friends for that matter. you don’t have to tell me, but i’m worried for my sister and you,” the older boy’s tone softened out even more.

a sigh escaped will’s lips, “there’s just a lot going on, i guess. i can’t be the great boyfriend she wants me to be when we’re across the country from each other. she doesn’t deserve that from me. she deserves someone who’s there for her all the time. i can’t do that from california. i just..it’s for the best.”

“so said she cared about that? she doesn’t care about any of that, will. you’re all that has mattered to her. the distance..fuck that. she knows you have obligations to your sport. i don’t think she would’ve started dating you if she knew that,” luke tried.

“that’s the problem, though. i know her to know that the distance bothers her sometimes too but she’d never say any of that to me. i just thought doing it now would save us from something worse later on,” will tried explaining his reasoning.

“i think the worse has already happened, will. your logic is like highkey shit. she was so excited to be in worlds with you and support you and then you just turn around and do this shit?” the brunette shook his head in disappointment even though will couldn’t see.

“look, i already feel worse, okay? but no one’s changing my mind about any of this. she deserves better,” will stood firm on his decision.

"you're actually the stupidest person i've ever met. i'll talk to you later, man," luke didn't have anything else to say, so he ended the call.

a frustrated sigh left the boy's lips knowing will and samy were definitely not getting back together anytime soon.

#will smith hockey #hughes!sister x will smith au #samy x will #samy hughes #boston college hockey #boston college #will smith x oc #will smith imagine #uofmichigan #umich hockey #san jose sharks #sjs #ws6 #bc eagles #bc hockey #luke hughes #boston college hockey blurb #will smith hockey angst

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statelysapphic · 1 year

Text

Made for Me

Alex Blake x Reader

Summary: After risking your life to save a victim, Alex shows you the comfort you need. Soulmate AU. Covers a square for @prentiss-theorem’s bingo!

Warnings: Typical BAU case talk, mentions of violence. Hurt/comfort. Slight angst.

A/N: I just thought Alex Blake deserved her own Soulmate AU, so I wrote one. I’d absolutely love to know what yinz think because I got SO carried away while writing this. But, I am happy with how it turned out. As always, feedback is always appreciated! Thank you<3

Word Count: 3k

Ao3 Link

“What were you thinking?” Hotch gritted through his teeth, clearly trying not to lose his temper entirely. You knew he was more frustrated than angry, and you supposed he had every right to be. Instead of heading back to the precinct to wrap up an excruciating case, you were sitting on the back bumper of an ambulance, nursing a fresh oxygen tank, drenched and freezing. “Well?”

“Oh, that wasn’t rhetorical?” You quipped, moving the mask away from your face. “Figured it was a nice evening for a swim,” dripping in sarcasm.

“This isn’t the time.” Hotch snapped, rolled his eyes, and shot you a stern look. You weren’t having it, though, wishing until you were at least dry to reprimand you. You looked at him, disgust washing over you.

“Well, I was thinking about the unconscious, tied-up, redhead Nichols tossed off the dock, when none of the women in the county missing reports had red hair! He abducted her this morning, Hotch, she hadn’t even been missing long enough to file a report!”

“You unnecessarily risked your own life to ‘rescue’ a dead body from fourty degree water,” he barks back, not thrilled with your response. “The ME said she won’t be able to verify it until the autopsy, but she’s almost certain the victim was dead before she hit the water. Your decision was reckless and uncalc-”

“And what if she hadn’t been?” You interrupt. “What if she had still been alive and she drowned, huh? What then?” You knew you shouldn’t have been pushing his buttons like you were, but then again, he came in swinging. “I watched him toss her in the river and reach for his gun, Blake and I fired, and when he went down, I dove in after her. You may disagree, but I would do it again without hesitation.” You stood firm, reminding him that you were not the inexperienced agent you once were.

“I’d rather have river rescue only looking for one body as opposed to two. Get some rest. Wheels up at 8.”

You watched Hotch as he walked away and stopped to talk to Alex. Alex. She witnessed everything. She was still somewhat new on the team, but the two of you clicked instantly. You could listen to her talk about everything and nothing, for hours on end, and be simply enthralled every second. And though she was older than you, you had a lot of mutual interests. You also thought she was beautiful. For a moment, you wondered if she could be your soulmate, but that thought was quickly forgotten when you reminded yourself that she was married, and that almost no one actually finds their soul mate. You knew you weren’t lucky enough to be the one in a million. Besides, you and Alex had been working in tandem for the past month, and though you can’t recall specifics, you’re certain the two of you have touched at some point in passing, and you lacked a soulmark.

Dylan Nichols, the unsub, had been one of the lucky ones. His luck, however, ran out when his soulmate had an affair, left him, married the other man a few months later, and moved to Prague. Heartbroken and enraged, Nichols began abducting and murdering surrogates. Six of his seven victims had similar physical features to his estranged soulmate. The seventh woman, Anna, fell victim to his very rapid and extreme escalation. It was an exhausting case, and though you don’t enjoy having to play the role of executioner, you knew this was probably the best outcome.

“You look cold,” Alex said, catching your attention and breaking your train of thought, raking her eyes over your visibly shivering figure. Without another word, she held up a blanket, unfolded it, and wrapped it around your shoulders. “Here, I found this in the back of the SUV. It won’t dry your clothes, but it should help keep the wind off you until we get back to the hotel.” She smoothed out the blanket where it was lying on your shoulders, allowing her hands to linger for just a moment. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t struck with terror when you jumped into the river to save the victim. Even though it was spring, the water temperature was still near freezing. It was close to midnight if that hadn’t been enough, meaning the ordinarily murky water was pitch black.

“Thanks,” you said, grinning, trying not to focus too hard on Alex’s lingering hands. She was gentle, but firm. Possessive, almost. You examined her face as she took a seat beside you. She was trying to hide the worry, but you could see right through her. “You think I’m an idiot, don’t you?” You asked, preparing for her to lecture you just like Hotch.

“I think your dedication to your job is admirable,” she said, her gentle tone did not falter, “Just don’t make a habit of scaring me like that, okay?” She grinned, one hand still on your shoulder. Whether or not Alex would admit it, the physical contact was grounding her after the intense showdown with the unsub. She cared about you, she reminded herself that you were okay. “I’m going to go start the SUV, get it warmed up for you. Finish up with the paramedics and we can head back to the hotel.”

“You’re too good to me, Blake,” your chuckled, cracking a small grin, “Thank you, seriously. I’ll be there soon.” She smiled at you for a few seconds longer before she stood up and made her way to the car. You smiled as you covered your face with the oxygen mask, thinking only of the warm SUV (and Alex Blake) that awaited you.

The paramedics released you shortly thereafter. Alex drove you back to the hotel, but not before she stopped at the convenience store a few blocks away. You had been so lost in your own thoughts that you hadn’t realized you stopped. You didn’t even realize the car was in park until Alex closed her car door and walked into the store without a word. When Alex returned, she placed two small, styrofoam cups in your respective cup holders.

“What’s this?” You asked, picking up the cup and soaking in its warmth.

“I figured we could use some hot chocolate. You especially. It’s shitty convenience store hot chocolate, but it’s what I have to offer at the moment,” she said, “When we get back to Virginia, I’ll make you the best coco you’ve ever had.”

“Be careful, Blake,” you joked, “You may end up stuck with me at this rate. Thank you, I didn’t realize you were a world class hot chocolate chef.” Not that that was the worst thought in the world, spending the rest of your days with Alex. You imagined they would be filled with domesticity: Sunday grocery store trips, evenings in bed reading the same book (you’d buy two copies, of course) and comparing notes along the way, and people watching on the front porch together while you had your morning coffee. It felt easy, existing with Alex. She brought you a peace that only existed with her, and it was unlike anything you had ever known. Such a stark contrast from the day to day chaos of your job.

“You think I’d mind?” She asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking. “And I have to keep you on your toes somehow. The recipe is from my mother-in-law. Apparently James used to love it as a kid, but lost the taste for it as he grew older.” James. Right. The husband. Jealousy washed over you, and you quickly reminded yourself that she wasn’t yours. You didn’t understand how you formed such a connection with Alex in the month she had been with the BAU, but you felt drawn to her from the moment she walked into the bullpen. She was, undoubtedly, the most beautiful woman you had ever seen, and when you heard her voice, you thought you had died and gone to heaven. You wouldn’t say you were in love with Alex, but you were falling for her. There was no denying that.

You wondered if James was her soulmate, if she had a soulmark that beautifly painted her skin. It wasn’t something people talked about very often, many not even believing in such a thing, because of it’s rarity. You weren’t sure if it was appropriate to ask either, so you opted to stay quiet.

The ride back to the hotel was silent. You were too lost in your own thoughts to hold a conversation, and Alex could tell. This was a behavior you hadn’t exhibited before. She hoped you were just exhausted and that you hadn’t been traumatized by the evenings events, though she knew it was fueling your thoughts. She didn’t want to pry, but she was worried, so she parked the car and spoke up. “What’s on your mind, Agent?” She lightly teased, hoping it would help you open up, “And you can’t tell me nothing, because I can tell it’s something.”

“I guess,” you paused, wanting to provide a coherent thought while still being vague, “It’s the whole soulmate thing. I guess I just think it’s a little fucked up the universe handcrafted the perfect other half for every single person on Earth but couldn’t even make the bond between them unbreakable.”

“I supposed I’d have to agree with you,” she replied, pulling into the hotel parking lot “I also think it’s a bit cruel that the chances of finding ones soulmate is as low as it is. At least give people a chance.” You chuckled at her sentiment.

“Is James your soulmate?” The words are out of your mouth before you can even begin to debate asking her. Your eyes go wide and your stomach twists into a knot. Panicking, you manage, “Fuck, you don’t have to answer that. That’s super personal and I shouldn’t have asked.” Alex didn’t seem to be phased by your question, though.

“No, he’s not. And that’s okay,” she smiled, “But, secretly, there is a part of me that hopes I do someday.”

“Me too,” you replied, “Ever since I was little. I’ve always remained realistic about the odds of it actually happening, but I allow myself to dream a little.” You chuckled for a moment before lifting your styrofoam cup and pushing it towards Alex, “Here’s to dreaming, cheers.” Alex lifted her cup, bumping it into yours with a laugh.

“Cheers.” You both take hefty swigs of your now lukewarm hot chocolate before heading into the hotel for the night.

Conveniently, you had been bunked up with Alex for this case, so she was able to ensure you made it to bed safely. She walked you into the hotel room, her hand at your lower back, guiding you forward.

“Go take a warm shower and get out of those wet clothes. You’ll feel much better, trust me.” She took the blanket from you as you unwrapped yourself, and placed some fresh towels in your hand. You felt your eyes begin to well up and burn; the care she was showing you was unlike any you’ve received before. You felt safe and loved. You quickly turned your head to try and hide your emotion and made your way to the bathroom.

“Thank you again, Alex. I hope you know how much I appreciate your kindness.” you said before closing the bathroom door and clicking the lock.

Finally.

You were alone. Tears began to stream down your face as you looked at your reflection in the oversized bathroom mirror. You looked like hell. You were damp, muddy, and cold to the touch. Your lips, though returning to their normal pink, were still a light shade of blue around portions of their perimeter. All in another days work you think to yourself. You open the door to the walk-in shower and turn the water on to let it heat up. You inhaled deeply and closed your eyes as you began to remove your soiled clothes. Once your shirt and slacks were off, you made your way back over to the mirror to check for any cuts or bruises. Amongst your dirty form, however, sat two golden yellow and orange hand prints on either shoulder.

It can’t be. You stop dead in your tracks, unsure of what to do next. Instinctually, you rubbed your hand over your shoulder, trying to clean the print off, but it wasn’t working. Then you jumped into the shower, thinking the hot water and cheap hotel soap might do the trick. Of course that didn’t work, ruining your hopes it was just a sick prank or some sort. They were your soulmarks, and Alex was your soulmate. You knew instantly, remembering how she covered you up earlier. There was no denying it. Now you were faced with the task of telling her. You know it isn’t something you can hide forever. Panic takes over you. You know she wants to know who her soulmate is, and she deserved that, but you also know that she wouldn’t choose you. She said it herself, James wasn’t her soulmate, but she was okay with it. A knock at the door grabbed your attention.

“Everything okay in there?” She yelled,” You’ve been a while. I just started to worry, that’s all.” You hadn’t realized how long you had been in the shower, and now you felt guilty for keeping Alex up so late.

“All good, sorry, I’ll be out in a few.” You quickly turned the shower off and grabbed a towel to dry off. As you walked from the shower to the bathroom sink, you realized you forgot to grab your pajamas, so you were going to have to face this head on and nude. “Fuck,” you whisper to yourself. You looked back at your now clean reflection, admiring the marks on your shoulders. You couldn’t help but smile. Though you knew it would hurt like hell, you knew Alex deserved to know the truth. You took a deep breath and made your way into the room.

Alex was sat on her bed, hair pulled back in a clip, glasses hanging low on her nose, reading the book she usually saves for the plane ride home. She looked beautiful. You enjoyed this image of Alex for a moment longer. “Alex?” You said softly, drawing her attention away from her novel. She looked up at you and smiled. Her eyes flickered to each of your shoulders and then back to your eyes. Wordlessly, she placed her book on the nightstand, followed by her glasses, and stood from the bed. She slowly made her way over to you, never breaking eye contact. You were frozen in place, thoroughly studying her face. She didn’t seem to be upset in any capacity, nor was her emotion negative. She seemed curious and, dare you say, excited? The tightness in your chest loosened and your face flushed red.

Once in front of you, she paused for a moment before slowly raising her hands and placing them on your shoulders, perfectly covering your soulmarks.

“I knew it,” She whispered, smiling softly as tears prickled her eyes. “I knew you were made for me.” She moved one hand to cup your cheek, while the other remained on your mark. Alex had thought once or twice that you might have been her soulmate. There was no denying the connection she had with you, nor the attraction she felt towards you. And though she didn’t talk about it, she knew her marriage to James was over before she even started at the BAU. She cared about James, yes, but the two had grown apart over the years. She loved him, but she was no longer in love with him. You, however.

“I’m not sure what to say,” you replied, your smile wavering slightly. She was everything you wanted, but she was a married woman and your colleague, no less. You knew what you wanted, but you weren’t sure she would want the same. Would she think you were worth it? Alex noticed your hesitation, and pulled you closer. Her grip on you was possessive, as if she feared you would vanish from her arms.

“Tell me what you’re thinking, sweetheart.” You melted at the sweetness in her voice

and her choice of nickname. You would do anything she told you to, and that was a fact. “I need to know what’s going on in your head so that I can help.” She was so gentle. You knew if she rejected you it was going to hurt like hell and you didn’t want to risk losing a great friend.

“I don’t want to lose you, Alex. I know this changes things, but you’re too good of a friend to risk losing. You don’t even have to tell James. If you don’t have a soulmark already, I just won’t touch you and it’ll all be okay. But, I would be lying if I told you it wouldn’t hurt me. I care about you so much.” As you choked out your thoughts, you felt yourself begin to cry, but you didn’t stop yourself. Alex felt her heart breaking. “I wasn’t even going to tell you. I was going to try and hide it, but then I remembered what you told me in the car, and I didn’t think it would be right. I’m so sorry, Alex.”

“Sweetheart,” she says, interrupting your rambling, “Hold me.”

“What?” You weren’t sure you heard her correctly.

“I said,” she enunciated, closing the already small gap between the two of you, “Hold me. Please.” She grabbed ahold of your wrists and slowly wrapped your arms around her body. Your hands settled on her back knowing her soulmark would appear, and you pulled her close anyway, not that she could get much closer. You relaxed at her touch, as her hands returned to your shoulders and she rested her forehead against yours. “I want this,” she said, “Us. You and I against the world.”

“Alex,” you paused, “Are you sure? You have a husband and a stable life. I’m just me. This doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to.”

“I’ve been falling for you since the first case we worked on together.” she jumped in before you could get another word out, “I don’t think I’ve been more sure of anything. Besides, only an idiot would pass up a life with their other half.” She smiled and you followed suit. You were shocked that she felt the same, considering it seemed all odds were against you. The two of you stood in each others arms there for a few minutes, basking in the love and excitement of the moment, before you broke the silence.

“Alex?” You asked.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Kiss me,” You said. And without hesitation, Alex cupped your face and her lips were on yours. They were soft, like the fluffiest pillows money could buy. You fit perfectly together. No other kiss had ever felt anything like it, and you could tell Alex was pouring her heart and soul into it. You knew she was trying to tell you that this was real for her. You didn’t need much convincing though. Breaking the kiss, you smiled at Alex, and she smiled back.

“Let’s get some rest,” she whispered. And you did, better than you probably ever had before, thanks to Alex. She had fallen asleep laying on your chest with an arm around your waist. When you woke up the next morning, she was still in the same spot. You felt whole knowing that you had she wanted you just as you wanted her. Though you didn’t like to think about the future too much, in that moment, you knew there wasn’t anything you couldn’t do with Alex by your side.

#alex blake x reader #Alex Blake #criminal minds fanfiction #wlw fanfiction #raeswritingbingo #Mack Writes

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lightsoutletsgo · 6 months

Note

mimi congrats on 500 <3, sending this for your event!!! (1) ship pretty pls :3 i listen to everything? mostly fall out boy, joji and the cure <3 i am a graphic designer. kinda hate dessert but i am addicted to energy drinks HEH. i love traveling to big cities! so very anti beach ❌. i’m lowkey introverted but very very extroverted online 😭 HEDJSIFKS dream date???? museums!!! very very into staying in but not against to going out? i’m very passionate about the things i like? but kinda sensitive to every other thing HEHEHE tysm! congrats again!

awi!! omg omg omg hi sweets!! tysm for sending this in - I'm so excited to do it for youuuu! (I got your other request about the nsfw bit dw) happy reading! mimi 🤍

MAX VERSTAPPEN ᝰ.ᐟ₊ ⊹ - calls you schat or liefje - has an obsession with your legs. loves having them in his lap when you're cuddling or wrapped around his waist - his love language is physical touch! he's a man of few words so it's small touches like a hand on your back or a quick kiss to your hand that let you know he's there and how he feels - max will do anything for you and he cannot help but spoil you. you barely have to mention something once before he's driving to the store or ordering it online for you. nothing is too big or too small for him to get for you.

max's music taste is... limited? so anytime you're driving anywhere, he's more than happy for you to have aux! he loves discovering new artists through you and with you and anytime you make him a playlist he always listens to it pre-race. of course he has to let everyone know that his amazing love made it for him. to which they usually reply "we know max, we heard the first time." (really they think it's sweet that he's so dopey for you)

he literally supplies you with all the redbull you could ever want! sometimes he 'jokes' that you're only with him for that reason but a quick kiss to his cheek has him blushing and flustered and the thought has left his head. speaking of blushing and flustered, max loves when you play dangerous games with him. sliding your hand higher and higher up his thigh at dinner before sneaking off to the bathroom with him.

max is obsessed with watching you come apart underneath him and he puts as much determination and passion into making you cum for him as he does into his driving. he loves how fucked out you look and he can't get enough of gently holding your throat and telling you to open before spitting, relishing in the way he feels you swallow under his hand. he also can't get enough of watching you in the mirror. bending you over the sink, putting you on your hands and knees on the bed, bending you over against the hallway wall; anywhere there's a mirror, max is sliding into you from behind and whispering filth into your ear as his hips roll into yours.

he loves jetting off to city breaks for the weekend with you when he can; new york, paris, seoul, budapest, prague, tokyo, florence, krakow, chicago, seville, nice; your passport is full of stamps and stickers from your trips with him. you've started a scrapbook together with a postcard and a polaroid of the two of you in every city you've been to!

he loves taking you to various art galleries and museums in the countries and cities you visit and he's become surprisingly good at being an instagram bf and taking aesthetic pictures of you in galleries and exhibits. max loves watching you as you look around, the way your face scrunches when you're focusing, the way your lips move as you read the placards, the way you excitedly tell him all you know or you've read about the exhibit and the way you're moved by the things you see. cosy date nights are a must with him whenever he's home and most nights (whether wild nights out or dinner dates at home) end with you cuddled into his side on the couch and the cats on his lap. it's his ideal evening and he won't tell you yet but he plans on hopefully making it a permanent fixture in his life soon.

max loves your passion for life and your passion and drive for the things you love, even if he doesn't love them in the same way or understand them. he learns so many new things through you and with you. he loves the way that you light up his life and make him feel warm. max swears he could never win another race for his whole career and he'd still get that world champion feeling just by looking into your eyes.

"schat, what do you think about going to paris next weekend?" max asks. you giggle and look at him leaning against the bedroom door frame as you lie on the bed, with jimmy curled up on top of your feet and sassy cuddled into your side, "max!" you point at the still half-unpacked suitcases at the foot of the bed, "we just got back from prague!" he shrugs, seemingly un-phased by your argument, "your point is?" "we can't go away again! what about the cats?"

max sighs and crosses the room to plop down onto the bed next to you, sassy glaring at him as he accidentally shifts her from her cosy spot at your side, you stroke her back absentmindedly as she takes up a new spot on your stomach, "we can ask lando to cat-sit!" you roll your eyes with a smile, max is grinning like a child, "you've already booked the tickets haven't you?" "nooooo..." "max." "maybe..." "baby!" he pouts at you and you can't help the way you laugh, leaning to kiss his cheek, "you're trouble, you know that?" he gently pushes sassy and jimmy out of the way and they almost huff at him before stalking out of the room as he rolls on top of you, pressing a dangerous kiss to your neck, "you love that I'm trouble liefje..."

#mimi's 500 celebration ₊˚⊹ ᥫ᭡#mimi.writes #mimi.thirsts #f1 x reader #max verstappen x reader #awi #omg you need to pick an emojiiiiI!!

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galexystern · 8 months

Text

wait for me

pairing; dad!steve harrington/reader

rating; T

warnings; ANGST, fluff, happy ending, pining, getting together, steve has a daughter, reader's nickname is Poppy

word count; 4.2k

desc; an examination of your and steve's friendship leads to something on a random halloween night.

a/n; this was based off a dream i had that contained the titular phrase as written in the fic

read on ao3 / masterlist

The metal chain squeaks as you gently rock the front porch swing back and forth. You watch neighborhood kids run down the blocked-off street, parents trailing behind and holding their coats, unable to coax the children into wearing them and covering up their costumes. It’s a chilly Halloween night, and when the various witches, ghosts, and angels come visit you for candy they have red cheeks, sniffing snot back into their noses. But they’ll be fine. Kids are resilient.

You wave to a couple you vaguely recognize, as their daughter, dressed in a very elaborate princess costume, races back to them to show off her treasure. Steve’s house is known for handing out full-size candy bars, so the kids are eager to come here. Melissa used to complain about buying such expensive stuff just to hand it out to ungrateful kids, but you’ve always liked it. The kids of Hawkins deserve it after everything this town has gone through.

The front door opens next to you, and you glance over to spot the host himself, flushed and tipsy on wine. He spots you, grins widely, and walks over to sit on the swing with you, making it sway with his added weight.

“What’re you doing out here?” He asks, pushing hair out of his face.

“Just needed some air,” you reply, trying to project that everything is okay, that you’re okay.

Steve hums like he doesn’t quite believe you, but doesn’t push it further. You both watch as a pair of siblings come up the drive, adorably dressed as Batman and Robin. They stop a foot away from the swing.

“Trick or treat,” Batman, clearly the elder brother, says. Robin doesn’t join him, and Batman elbows him gently. “Go ahead.”

“Trick or treat,” Robin adds, very quietly, and you smile.

“You two look great,” you reply, and hold out the bowl for the boys to choose. Their eyes grow wide at the selection–they must be newcomers. “One for each of you, go on.”

Batman picks out a full-size Hershey’s bar while Robin goes for a Kit-Kat. “Thank you!” They chorus before leaping off the porch and running away. You and Steve both laugh. When it dies down, you let the silence linger, still half-inside your own head.

“Hey,” Steve says softly, and you look at him. You’re caught by his eyes, as usual, somehow always shining no matter the amount of light. You think they’d glow even in the pitch-black dark, and you’d get lost in them then too. You blink to keep from drowning and pay attention to the rest of his face. His expression is one of concern and worry, and your heart clenches. He continues, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you insist.

“Bullshit,” he shoots back, immediately looking around to make sure he hasn’t taught any kids a new curse word, and you huff a giggle. But it fades when he turns to you again. “I know you better than anyone else. I can tell when something’s up.”

“You do, don’t you?” You murmur. Steve Harrington still knows you best, maybe even better than you know yourself, even after everything. It’s kind of astounding. It was true when you were in school together, best friends from 7th grade on, ever since you shared Mr. Duncan’s science class and found company in misery. It was true when King Steve ruled the school, only talking under the cover of night when no one could see him interacting with you–which you gave him plenty of shit for when he was dethroned. It was true even when you left Hawkins and went off to college, Steve unable to follow, since you two had talked on the phone nearly every day, all four years minus the semester you studied abroad in Prague (you sent letters to each other instead). And it’s still true now.

There’s always been something between you, a tension, an electric current that you feel even now. You’d both danced around it, never quite acknowledging it, never doing anything about it. Sure, there was flirty banter, that’s always been around, but nothing physical. No kissing, no hand-holding, no cuddling–no matter how much you wanted to, or how many times the opportunity arose, or how many people asked when you two would get over yourselves and just get together already.

Being away from Hawkins and him was the cincher for you. You loved Steve as a friend, but resisted letting it blossom into romance. You knew you were leaving for a while and didn’t want the two of you to hold each other back, because maybe you’d find something better. You should’ve known–there’s nothing better than Steve. You realized your first year away. You thought about confessing your feelings, but never actually did, reassuring yourself that he would be here when you returned and if it was meant to be it will.

But when you came home, ready to pick up where you’d left off, hoping to be something more, you’d found Steve seriously dating a pretty girl with a baby on the way. It’d thrown you for a loop. You two were meant to be. Why weren’t you?

He hadn’t mentioned Melissa or the pregnancy to you at all. You’d wanted to ask why, felt desperate with it, but he was panicking about becoming a father and needed his best friend more than a confrontation. Besides, clearly the ship had sailed. What did it matter if he hadn’t told you about her? He wasn’t yours anymore. You stayed by his side during the pregnancy, but after the birth he’d drifted, caught up in the joys of new parenthood with Melissa. You two had spoken here and there, phone calls that lasted a few hours every couple of months, but you didn’t really see him anymore.

You’d felt lost then, unmoored without the constant presence of your longtime best friend. Your “almost mine.” Your “it should’ve been you.”

Now, you look over your shoulder, into the living room through the window. Robin and her girlfriend Abby are on the couch, snuggling and talking to Nancy and Jonathan. Their kids are on the floor, sorting through their candy and trading away the ones they don’t like, Steve’s own Penny partaking. You watch as she trades a Snickers for an Almond Joy with Brian, Eddie’s son with his fiancée Natalie. Eddie’s absent from the room, but you know he’s in the basement with Dustin and all of them, playing D&D.

Melissa isn’t here. She and Steve broke up a year ago, too different to make it work. She didn’t like Steve’s chosen family and he didn’t like her real one; she thought he was a pushover and he thought she was a bitch. It wasn’t because of you. You have to keep reminding yourself that you didn’t break them up–a relief and a heartache. Relief because you weren’t the cause. Heartache because you weren’t the reason.

Steve had resurfaced after the breakup, and you’d guess Melissa hadn’t wanted you around, for reasons that are not entirely unfounded. She had you wrong though–you loved Steve but you weren’t going to do anything about it.

You’d liked her well enough. She was nice and a good mom to Penny and got along with everyone, but you weren’t surprised when the relationship ended. After all, you know Steve better than anyone else. You could tell it wasn’t working, but they made a valiant try, for Penny’s sake, who had taken their breakup much better than expected. (You suspect she’s just really excited for two of every holiday.) She’s one spoiled little girl, mostly because you like to spoil her. You love her to death–how could you not, she’s the spitting image and personality of Steve–and you’re thankful she loves you back. You once worried it was just because of all the presents you got her, but Steve reassured you that she loves hanging out with you and always asks when you’re coming over so you two can play. It still warms your heart every time she races for a hug whenever you arrive.

“Of course I do.” Steve snaps you back to the present, and you downplay your flinch. “Now tell me.”

You look at him. He’s quite serious.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Melissa while I was at school?” You ask.

Steve blinks at the unexpected question. It is out of the blue, but also a conversation long overdue. “I don’t know,” he replies, running a hand through his hair. “It just never seemed right.”

“You could’ve told me at any time. It didn’t need an introduction.”

“I know. I just…” He sighs. Looks out towards the street. You keep your eyes on him. “Whenever we talked, I kinda forgot about it.”

“Forgot about your girlfriend? Who was pregnant?”

“Come on, you know she was only a couple weeks along when you got back. Don’t act like she was about to pop.”

“It was a serious life event, Steve.” He doesn’t reply. “Okay, then just Melissa. How’d you forget her?”

“Just…whenever we talk, it feels like the outside world sort of melts away, you know? It’s you and me, in our own little universe. It’s hard to remember things outside of it.”

You nod. You know the feeling.

“And I think I always knew Melissa wasn’t right for me. But we were together and then she was pregnant and I couldn’t just leave her, I wouldn’t do that. You know I wouldn’t.” You grab his hand and squeeze, reassuring him that you do. “It felt wrong to tell you about it. You’d see right through it. I didn’t want you to.”

“Why not?”

Steve suddenly turns to face you, frustrated. “Why are you asking about this?” He huffs out. You tilt your head and admire his features in the soft light coming from the house.

“You were supposed to wait for me,” you eventually answer softly.

His face curls inward with anguish. “We never–that’s–that’s not fair.”

“I know.”

“You never said anything.”

“I know.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I know.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

You shrug. “Why didn’t you?”

“‘Cause I woulda just held you back.” He says it so quickly, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, like he’s thought about it a lot.

“No, you wouldn’t,” you reply instantly. You want to ask why he would think such a thing, but didn’t you think the same of yourself?

“I would have,” he insists. You open your mouth to retort, but he doesn’t let you. “Look, you were going places, you did go places. I wasn’t going anywhere, besides the mall for my dead-end job that only lasted like two months. I didn’t wanna be some kinda weight dragging you down.”

“You could’ve come with me.”

“You know I couldn’t’ve left with everything happening. With the Upside Down.” He sighs. “And you never asked.”

You nod sadly. “I didn’t. But I wish you’d been there.”

His eyes close, looking like he’s in an immense amount of pain. “Me too,” he whispers, voice breaking a little, making your heart break too. Then he clears his throat and blanks his expression. “Stop. I don’t wanna go down this road, of what could’ve been. It’s too painful.”

You brush away a falling tear with your thumb, trying to be subtle, but you know Steve catches it. He catches everything. “I understand,” you say quickly, to end the conversation. “I’m sorry I brought it up.” You can feel more tears coming, so you stand abruptly and take a few steps towards the stairs. “I’m just gonna go.” Steve says your name but you’re already turning away. “Tell Penny I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye, that I got sick or something. Tell her I love her.” He says your name again, more desperately, but you can’t stay here. You don’t look back, crying silently now, and just keep walking.

;

Steve watches you disappear from view and sighs, then goes back inside.

“Daddy!” Penny yells when she sees him, running over. He catches her in a leap. “Hi, baby.”

He tickles her side just to hear her laugh, and it raises his spirits a little. “Come look at all my candy!” She says excitedly, squirming to be set down.

Steve acquiesces and she darts into the living room, pulling him along. He squats next to her, admiring her haul. “You really got a lot, huh?”

She nods happily, then peers behind him. “Daddy, where’s Poppy?” That’s her nickname for you–you get a poppyseed stuck in your teeth one time—and Steve feels his heart squeeze in his chest, both at her question and the conversation he’d just had with you.

“She had to go, sweetheart, she wasn’t feeling well.” Penny pouts. “She told me to tell you sorry, and that she loves you.” That makes her smile, which causes Steve to as well. “C’mere, tell me all about your trick or treating.”

He sits in an armchair and plops Penny on his lap, who is already regaling him with a story involving the house that gave out floss instead of candy. He chuckles–must be the dentist. She keeps going–she’s a talker, a blessing and a curse–until she runs out of stories, their guests interrupting here and there to say goodbye and head out. When she’s finally silent, it’s just them in the house, and they’re watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

He can’t pay attention to it. He’s playing his conversation with you on a loop in his head. To be honest, it’d been a long time coming, and yet he’d still been caught off-guard. It was a topic he hadn’t allowed himself to think about all his life: what you and him really were.

It was innocent once upon a time. You two were just friends, bonding over your hatred of theorems and weekly Friday quizzes. He’d sit with you at lunch and make fun of the jocks and cheerleaders and their snotty attitudes. And then he became one of those jocks and he distanced himself from you to look cool. It worked, but he couldn’t let go of you completely–he made sure to see you at night, tucked away in the safety of your bedroom, or talk to you on the phone, always by himself. It was kinda miserable during the day, and sometimes he’d spot you in the hallway or across the cafeteria and remember how much fun you used to have together, how he wouldn’t have to pretend to be someone he wasn’t, and he’d miss you so much his chest hurt.

Then came Nancy Wheeler. She was partly something he wanted, someone he liked, and partly a distraction from the absence of you. She was pretty and nice and he’d found himself falling rather hard without trying, but she wasn’t you. After they slept together for the first time, all he could think about was how it should’ve been you, with him in that bed, and whether you’d lost your virginity already and to whom. He reminded himself he didn’t have the right to be upset about that, or even think about it at all, but it was true all the same. But when the Upside Down made its appearance, he was beyond thankful that you weren’t involved or anywhere near it, despite how much he missed you.

Once he was deposed as king and his relationship with Nancy went up in flames, he went running back to you. You welcomed him with open arms–along with some well-deserved anger regarding his behavior that he apologized endlessly for–and it was like nothing had changed. You two were back to how it was before, attached at the hip. Though this time, there was something else there—or maybe it’d been there the whole time, and now he knew what it was—a crackle that sparked whenever you stood too close or laid in bed face-to-face. There were a million times he’d wanted to lean forward and kiss you, but he never did. He never made a move because he knew you were leaving.

And you did, off to a fancy college where you excelled, as he knew you would. He was surprised when the friendship stayed strong, long phone calls that lasted into the night and pen pal letters while you were abroad. But four years is a long time, and he was plagued by the idea of you finding someone else. So he did it first.

It wasn’t his brightest idea, but when he’d met Melissa, he couldn’t help but try. She was sweet and funny and they could seemingly talk about anything together. It was a whirlwind romance and it felt so good to have someone again, someone he could kiss and cuddle and love, who loved him back in the same way. But when the honeymoon phase ended, he could tell they weren’t made to last–she never wanted to hang out with his friends and complained that he was “too nice” to them, for doing things they’d ask. But why would he say no to the people closest to him, his chosen family? Cracks were forming.

That’s when Melissa found out she was pregnant. It was a wake-up call for both of them, but also an opportunity to fix things. He always wanted to be a father. She wanted to keep it. They thought they should try. Which they did, for a while. He was lucky you came back when you did, near the beginning of the pregnancy, and stood by him once again. You were crucial to his confidence in parenthood and he couldn’t have done any of it without your unyielding support. And he fell in love with Penny as soon as he saw her, felt like he was floating on air whenever he held her.

When the parenting got tough, so did Melissa, and she demanded that he distance himself from you. It was just as heart wrenching as it was in high school, but he did it, because Melissa was his girlfriend and the mother of his daughter and you were…you. An enigma he’d never taken the time to figure out. And it was just as hard as in high school, but the infrequent long phone calls he had with you sustained him through the next couple of years. Years full of bickering and colic and arguing and ear infections and fighting and silence and loneliness.

He and Melissa called it quits last year, unable to even be in the same room without being annoyed with each other, and now she lives a few towns over. She’d graciously given him full custody, knowing how much fatherhood and Penny meant to him, and saw her daughter for a weekend every month and every holiday. Penny was sad, as expected, but she also bounced back faster than anticipated. Steve considers that it makes sense because Melissa was never the most present or caring mother, and because you were there.

Penny loved you more than you knew. She adored whenever you came over and cried when you left. She’d look at everything and wonder what you’d think about it, asking Steve if he knew. Thankfully, he could always answer easily, because the first thing he did after breaking up with Melissa was rekindle your friendship. You were with him once again, and he wasn’t going to let you go again. But he really wanted something more.

In the present, Steve watches as Linus sits in the pumpkin field and finally admits to himself that he’d never told you about Melissa because it wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to have been with you. He was supposed to wait for you. Dammit, he should’ve kissed you on your bed all those years ago. Steve would never give up Penny for anything, and he’s more than grateful that she’s here and she’s his, but you should be too. You should’ve been a long time ago.

Penny looks up at him from her spot on his chest. “Daddy?” He hums. “Are you okay?”

Damn, he thought he’d been hiding it well. But his daughter is one perceptive little girl, and she knows her father’s moods. “Just a little sad, honey,” he explains. He’s always as honest as possible with her.

“Why are you sad?”

“It’s complicated, baby.”

Her eyebrows furrow cutely. “No, it’s not. If something makes you sad, you fix it. Then you’re happy again.”

“Not everything works that way,” Steve replies gently. He doesn’t go any further, leaving the heavy topics of good and evil for another day, way in the future. “You can’t fix some things.”

She looks skeptical. “Well, can you fix this thing that’s making you sad?”

He’s about to say no when his brain stops him with an idea. “Maybe,” he muses. He looks at Penny intently. “Baby, do you wanna go see Poppy?”

“Right now?” She gasps.

“Right this very instant.”

“Yes!” She shouts, and then she’s off his lap, running for the foyer. He can hear her jumping to get her coat off the hook. “Come on, Daddy!” He laughs and follows her. Once they’re both ready to go, Steve’s about to open the door when she says, “Wait!” She runs into the living and then comes back out holding a lollipop. He raises his eyebrows. “You said they’re sick. They give out suckers at the doctor’s office.” Like it’s obvious.

His entire body warms with love for his beautiful daughter, and he kisses the top of her head before opening the door. They both race to the car, he makes sure she’s strapped in, and then he gets in himself. He tries not to drive like a maniac to your house, for Penny’s sake, and he succeeds but it’s a hard-fought battle. Penny’s out of the car before he is, and she’s knocking on your door loudly by the time he joins her on the porch.

You open the door with red eyes and a surprised expression. Before you can say anything, Penny is yelling, “Poppy!” and barrelling towards you. You catch and hug her, and then Penny’s leaning back and gifting you a lollipop. “So you can get better,” she explains, and your heart overflows with love for her.

“Baby,” Steve interrupts, “can you go inside for a minute? Daddy needs to talk to Poppy.”

Penny nods and you set her down. She scampers into the house, going straight for the toys she keeps here, and you look back at him. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Because we’re being stupid, you and I.” You go to protest but Steve continues. “We shouldn’t be worrying about how different everything could’ve been. We can’t change it. And I know neither of us would give up Penny for the world.” You nod in agreement. “So all we have is the present. And I don’t wanna spend another moment in it without doing this.”

Steve leans forward and kisses you. It’s soft lips and hands on hips and noses grazing gently. It’s everything you’ve ever dreamed of. It’s nothing you’ve ever felt before. It’s long overdue. It’s the perfect time. It’s what should’ve been. It’s what is.

You’re both breathless when he pulls away. “Let’s let go of the past. Let’s skip the guilt and regret and sadness. I don’t want anything to stop us anymore, because it’s always been you. It’ll always be you.”

You’re nodding before he finishes, and you’re kissing him as soon as he is. You both melt into it, grabbing at each other desperately, making up for lost time. Then there’s a loud, little-girl gasp, and you wrench away from each other; Penny is in the foyer behind you, staring with wide eyes. “Does this mean you two are together?” She demands.

You look at her with shyness, of all things. “Is that okay?”

A huge smile spreads across her face. “Yes!” She screams excitedly, and races for you. You’re laughing as you haul her up into your arms. She pulls away to look at Steve. “This is the best idea ever!”

Now he’s laughing as well. “I agree.” He gives you a sweet kiss.

“I need kisses too!” Penny admonishes, and the two of you kiss her cheeks at the same time. She erupts into giggles, and you and Steve beam at her.

“Do you wanna have a sleepover tonight?” You ask.

“Uh, yeah!” She answers, like it’s a dumb question.

You look at Steve. “What she said,” he smirks.

You huff and gently kick his foot with yours. “Come on then.” You turn and go inside, already talking with Penny about who knows what. Steve follows with a huge smile, closing the door behind him.

He later finds himself sitting on the couch, you and Penny on either side, cuddling into him. Penny yawns and blinks up at him. “Did you fix what was making you sad, Daddy?”

He looks at you, dozing on his chest, before looking at Penny, just as angelic. “I think so,” he murmurs, smiling. He doesn’t think he’s stopped since he kissed you.

Penny smiles back sleepily. “Good.” Then she’s out too, head tucked into his shoulder.

“Goodnight, my loves,” he whispers, and kisses both of your heads.

#steve harrington x reader #mine #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fic #steve harrington x you

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geralts-yenn · 3 months

Text

Believe In Me - chapter 10

chapter warnings: 18+, adult content, minors DNI! vaginal fingering, p-in-v sex, me taking even more liberties with Greek mythology

word count: 3,2k

Series Masterlist

“This is amazing! Thank you for bringing me here.” Aurora let her gaze travel over the dark wooden shelves, framed by golden ornaments. Thousands of ancient books were filling them. Her eyes wandered to the baroque frescoes that decorated the stucco ceiling. It was breathtaking.

“I’m glad you like it,” Erebus said, his deep voice reverberating through the room. “Your mother loved visiting libraries with me, and this one was her favorite.” A small smile tugged at his mouth as his look got unfocused. “Her eyes were sparkling whenever she could lay her hands on all those chronicles and tomes.”

After visiting libraries in Oxford, Venice and Vienna, this time Erebus had taken Aurora to Prague. They wandered through the rooms, even the ones that weren’t open to visitors, as those limitations didn’t apply to Erebus. He just took Aurora in his arms and in the next moment they found themselves wherever he wanted to take her.

As the sun began to rise, Aurora sat with her father on a bench, overlooking the Vltava river and the Charles Bridge in the distant. Erebus read to her, a love story, centuries old, but as she listened to him, she thought how nothing ever changed. People have always loved the same way.

Aurora had learned fast to enjoy the company of her father. He was quiet, but that never bothered her. She felt safe with him, and his serenity was a comfort she deeply needed after what had happened weeks ago.

After Erebus had finished the tragic love story and shut the book, he looked up to watch the warm colors of the morning reflect in the calm waters of the river. His face showed melancholy, a feeling that always seemed to be present with him, but this morning it was more evident than ever.

“Please tell me about her.” Aurora demanded, and Erebus turned to her.

“Your mother?”

“Maybe, I don’t know. Tell me about whoever makes you feel like this.”

A warm smile spread over the God’s face.

“Your mother definitely is part of that, yes. She was the one I could finally love, after a very long time. She taught me to be happy again. We had such a short time together, a blink of an eye, but the days I had with her meant so much to me.” Erebus took Aurora’s hand in his. “And she gave me you. This is the most wonderful gift I could have ever gotten. I wish I could thank her for it.” He pressed a gentle kiss on her temple.

Aurora savored his affection. She had never thought to experience love again from a parent after her mother had died, so the miracle of Erebus’ existence filled her heart with joy.

“Do you want to talk about what made it so hard for you to find love and happiness?” She didn’t know if her question crossed a line, but she couldn’t help it. She was so curious about this mysterious man and why he always had this sadness in his eyes.

Erebus took a deep breath. When Aurora already thought she had annoyed him, and she wouldn’t get an answer, he turned to her and watched her intently.

“Her name was Nyx” His eyes seemed to glow golden as he remembered her. “She was like me. Ancient and powerful, goddess of the night. We erupted out of pure chaos, and from the beginning of the world, my darkness and her night were always meant to collide. The love we shared can’t be described in human words. Nyx and I, we were inseparable for eons of years. But humans feared our unified darkness, and gods feared our immense power. And so a goddess and a mighty witch united to bring the most cruel curse over us.”

Aurora squeezed the God’s hand with hers reafirmingly. His gaze dropped to their joined hands, marveling how hers looked so delicate and tiny in his huge paw. And yet, her touch gave him so much comfort. He hadn’t talked about Nyx in a long time, and it cost him a lot of strength to go on.

“The curse robbed us from sensing each other. On the worst day of my life, I woke up, unable to see my lover’s beautiful face, to hear her laughter, to inhale her scent, unable to taste her sweet mouth or feel her warmth. And it was the same for her. Hundreds of years we tried to fight it, tried to break the curse. But eventually, we both gave up, our hearts broken.”

“What happened to her?” Aurora asked carefully. She hadn’t missed that Erebus talked about her in past tense.

“I will tell you another time.” Erebus patted her leg and gave her a small smile. “How about you? You’re still happy living with the vampires?”

Aurora knew her father still hoped she’d live with him. But she also knew that he’d accept her decision. And she was, in fact, very happy living with Melot.

“I am. I was scared that it’d be lonely, not being able to leave the house. But there’s always someone to spend my time with, and I like all the vampires living there. They are all so kind to me. Maria spends a lot of time with me, too, which is awesome. She’s the best. And I started some online courses that keep me occupied.”

If Erebus was disappointed, he didn’t let it show. “Does Melot treat you well?” he asked, and Aurora blushed, as she thought about things Melot did to her that she really didn’t want to discuss with her father.

“He does! He loves me.”

And that was enough for Erebus, he just wanted his daughter to be happy.

“Good! And what about August?” Erebus eyes darkened when he mentioned the vampire king. He could never hide his animosity towards him. Another mystery Aurora still had to figure out.

“I barely see him and when he’s there, he mostly ignores me. He’s a little intimidating, but you get used to him. I just hate that I’m always cold when he’s in the same room.”

Aurora bit her lip and tilted her head, not sure if she should risk another question. But Erebus was in the rare mood of talking, so she tried.

“Why do you hate him?”

“That is a very long story that I’m not willing to share with you yet. August wouldn’t be happy if I told you, either. Not that this matters to me.” The corner of his mouth pulled up into a crooked smirk. “Enough talking, let me take you home to your vampire lover, he certainly misses you already.”

“Finally!”

Maria beamed up at them as Aurora and Melot stepped down into the lounge that was buzzed with people. “I already thought about walking into your room and dragging both of you out of your bed. If Melot wasn’t inhumanly strong, I probably would have done it.”

Aurora accepted the margarita that Maria held out for her and took a sip. Melot pressed a kiss on her forehead and left her with her friend, walking out onto the patio.

“I had an online class.” Aurora said defensively, but her blush and her eyes twinkling mischievously gave her away.

“Like I don’t know that your course ended an hour ago. On top of that, you both have sex hair.” Maria chuckled and brushed her fingers through Aurora’s curls.

It was a pleasant summer night, a warm breeze in the air, and apparently Will and Mike had decided to throw a party. This happened at least once a week, but Aurora wouldn’t complain. She had soon learned to appreciate the hedonistic lifestyle most of her cohabitants chose. The vampires were always up for a good time, and their human guests, most of them in some sort of relationship with the guys, were a welcome change in terms of conversations.

Maria and Aurora stepped out into the garden and made their way to Syverson, who was smiling contently while flipping some burgers on his beloved barbecue grill.

“Why do you enjoy this so much, Sy?” Maria asked with a grin on her face. “It’s not like you guys are keen to eat this, right?”

The huge, bearded vampire chuckled. “No, sugar, but it’s kinda relaxing. And I love taking care of you little humans. Feeding you like you’re feeding me. It’s the least I can do.”

With that, he shoved a plate of food in each Maria’s and Aurora’s hands and gave them one of his awkward winks.

The girls sat down on a lounger and dug into their burgers. Aurora talked about her new classes and her last trip with her father. Maria provided her friend with some college gossip and then gushed over the date night she had with Charles.

“Don’t know if I can call it a date, to be fair. We’re talking about Charles, and I’m not an idiot. But honestly, he really managed to make me feel like I’m the only girl in the world for him that night.” Maria sighed.

“Where is he, anyway?” Aurora asked, looking around the garden.

“He’s still in the club, but he’ll be joining us later. He still has to feed, and he signed a contract with me, saying that we’re exclusive - in terms of feeding.” The last part of Maria’s sentence lacked the enthusiasm that she usually showed whenever she talked about her new favorite vampire.

Suddenly, Mike dropped onto the lounger between the two girls. The furniture creaked under the weight of him. His shit eating grin got wider as he saw the startled expression on the girls’ faces. He loved using his inhuman speed to spook people.

“I haven’t seen Charlie dipping his dick in anyone else in a while now, so I think you can assume to be exclusive in every way,” he told Maria, wiggling his eyebrows.

While Maria just sat there with her mouth hanging open, Aurora laughed and pushed Mikey’s shoulder, as if she was actually able to have an impact on the solid body of his.

“Hey, you’re not supposed to be eavesdropping, Mike. Ever heard of privacy?” But Mike just shook his head and laughed.

“Sweetcheeks, do you remember you’re living with a bunch of vampires who have superhuman senses? There’s no such thing as privacy in this house.”

Aurora let out a groan. “Hate that you are right! Maria, we should probably switch our conversation to period cramps. That should scare him off to pry on someone else.”

The girls started to laugh but got interrupted by Mikey’s tsk’s. “Babycakes!” He raised an eyebrow at Aurora, biting back his smirk. “Vampires, blood. You get it!”

“Ugh, that’s gross, Mikey!” It was Maria’s turn to shove Mike and this time it actually kind of worked because the vampire got up with more chuckles and left the girls alone again.

As the night slowly came to an end, vampires and humans left the party and Aurora found herself alone with Melot. The vampire rested his head against the lounger, his girlfriend sitting between his legs, her back against his chest. As much fun as the parties were, this part of living with Melot was Aurora’s favorite. Spending time cuddled against Melot’s body would never get boring.

“The vampire history course I’m taking is incredible. It’s so interesting. It got me to think, how exactly did you end up with August?” She turned her head to look into Melot’s eyes. “If you want to share, of course. You don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Melot gave her a soft smile. “No, it’s fine. I would share everything with you.”

He interlaced his fingers with Aurora’s and then started to tell her:

“Guess it’s easiest to start with Charles. It was around 1500, Charles was living at the court of Henry VIII. He was a close friend of the king, and let’s just say, he enjoyed his life and the attention he got from women at court just as much as you might expect.

But this led him to one decision that changed his life forever. He bedded a woman who wasn’t what she pretended to be. The woman was a vampire. And she was so enamored with Charles’ pretty face that she couldn’t stand the thought that he would get older and his beauty was supposed to fade. So she turned him, without his consent. Without telling him anything, in fact.

And when Charles noticed that something was happening to him, that his body reacted strangely, he had no clue, and he totally freaked out. He rushed from the palace and ran through the streets of London in panic. A new vampire without guidance is something very dangerous. He might have exposed us to humans, or he might even have killed someone.

That’s why August tried his best to get him under control. On the third night that Charles slipped through his fingers, just fast enough not to get into August’s ban, August appeared at my door step. By that time, I was living a quiet life, not engaging much in vampire society. But somehow August knew about my ability to walk through daylight.

He asked me to secure Charles while he was hiding from the sun. I was surprised to see August, I had heard about him before, he was a legend, even back then. And of course, his ability to persuade others made my decision to help him an easy one.

The next day, I managed to get my hands on Charles and brought him to August. He took care of the confused Charles and to my astonishment, August asked me to stay with him and Charles.”

While Melot kept recounting stories from his past, Aurora was hypnotized by the way his face showed so many different emotions. His eyes morphed from dark pits to glowing fires or glassy orbs with every new memory.

“All the things you must have seen! I can’t really wrap my head around this,” she whispered, her fingers brushing gently through the long strands of his hair. “You must have met so many gorgeous women. Is it weird that I am a little jealous?”

Aurora sank her head, trying to hide from her lover’s gaze, but Melot didn’t let her get away with it. His fingers hooked under her chin, forcing her to set her eyes back on his.

“You don’t have to be.” Melot emphasized every of his words with a soft kiss. On her forehead, her temple, on her nose, her cheek, and finally on her mouth.

“You’re the most gorgeous woman I have ever met. And even more importantly, I have never felt even close to what I feel for you, Aurora.”

His words were enough to make her forget about her insecurities. There was nothing left inside her chest than her immeasurable, all-consuming love for Melot.

Her mouth was back on his, urgently seeking his warmth and taste. The night sky slowly changed from deep blue to paler shades of purple, while neither of them could find the strength to end this kiss.

Instead, their hands desperately sought out each other, their desire growing with every passing minute. Melot curled his fingers into the neckline of Aurora’s shirt and without hesitation he ripped the fabric in two.

Aurora gasped.“This was expensive!” she protested half-heartedly, but Melot only chuckled.

“August will buy you a dozen more of them.” He covered the newly exposed skin with his warm hands, while he sealed her lips with his mouth before she could object any further.

His fingers brushed over the tight peaks of her breasts, pinching them teasingly, before they moved lower, finding their way into Aurora’s soaked panties. A deep growl reverberated through Melot’s chest, the moment he slipped one finger into her hot, wet core. A sound that spread goose bumps all over Aurora’s body and swallowed her own needy whimper.

“I need all of you, baby!” His lips brushed over her ear, sending more shivers through Aurora’s body.

She moved to stand, dropping the ruined dress to the floor, together with her underwear. Her knees were hardly able to carry her weight, but Melot saved them from giving in. The next second, Aurora found herself back in Melot’s arms. She felt the soft hair of his chest against her back, and more prominently she felt the hard length of his cock pressing against her ass.

And even though he had told her how much he needed her, a minute ago, Melot slowed down. He took his sweet time, one hand wrapped around her heavy breast, the other playing gently with her sensitive clit.

“Shush, darling. I can hear your heart racing in your chest.” He licked from her jaw along her throat. “I can feel your pulse below my tongue.” His words only made her heart beat faster.

He pushed two fingers back into her, the heel of his hand pressing down on her swollen nub.

“Please,” Aurora all but begged, “take everything you need.”

Melot sucked on Aurora’s neck, his fangs scraping over the delicate skin, but he still didn’t give in to his urge. Instead, he curled his fingers, seeking out the spot that made Aurora see stars.

And when he kept pumping his fingers into her, he brought here there. The tension he built inside her core snapped and waves of pleasure rushed through her body. Aurora thought this was the best she could ever feel. But then Melot moved, and he sank his teeth into her neck and his cock into her still pulsing heat.

The cry Aurora let out almost sounded inhuman. The pain and pleasure running through her body was all that was left from her, and it was perfect. She was floating on a high that didn’t fade and that blurred her mind in the best way.

Melot’s thrusts got faster and harder until he shuddered beneath her, her name on his lips. It took her a while until she even noticed that Melot had stopped pounding into her. He just held her tight and pressed kisses on the wound he had left on her throat.

Lazily, Aurora opened her eyes. The sun had risen to a big red orb, covering the mountains and all the surroundings in front of them in orange and pink light. Aurora turned and admired the beautiful face of her lover in the warm light. Melot’s eyes seemed to glow in a brighter red as usual as he looked back at her with a softness on his face that was reserved only for Aurora.

“I am so grateful that I get to see this,” he told her, his voice hoarse. “And I’m glad I have you to join me.” The two of them shared a gentle kiss before they went back to watch the sun rise. Aurora sighed, snuggled deeper against Melot’s chest, and thought how she could spend eternity like this.

#melot fanfiction #melot fanfic #vampire au #vampire!melot #vampire!charles #vampire!august #god!geralt #believe in me #henry cavill fanfiction #henry cavill characters

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wardenparker · 2 years

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Down the Rabbit Hole - ch 6

Jack ‘Whiskey’ Daniels x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

When Jack accidentally shoots a civilian on a mission he takes on not only the guilt of the man’s death, but inherits his soulmate as well. To you, it’s a dream job with more perks than you can imagine - but for Jack it’s a nightmarish complication. Even more so when he starts to develop feelings.

Rating: M for Mature. But as always this blog is 18+! Word Count: 9k Warnings: *Blanket warnings - mentions of deceased spouse, a lot of food and alcohol consumption, family recipes, age gap, cursing.* This is just one big ol’ chapter full of various kinds of angst. Wholesome points for Bobby Rogers being a very good kid. Summary: As the gap widens between you and Jack, Diana’s loyalty shifts toward your budding friendship. Notes: Tensions are rising as spring gets closer and Diana is stirring the pot 😂 I just adore her. This chapter is a great little glimpse into the Rogers family and how they weave their way around the relationship between you and Jack.

Ch 1 ~ Ch 2 ~ Ch 3 ~ Ch 4 ~ Ch 5 ~ Ch 6 ~ Ch 7 ~ Ch 8 ~ Ch 9 ~ Ch 10 ~ Ch 11 ~ Ch 12 ~ Ch 13 ~ Ch 14 ~ Ch 15 ~ Epilogue

Jack can’t explain it, but he’s listless after the conversation with you. Wandering slightly as he leaves your porch and shoving his hands in his pockets as his boots slap along the gravel pathway towards the small pond on the property. Wondering why he feels like he’s done something wrong. The way that you had looked at him with your heart in your eyes and then watching it seemingly break rubbed him the wrong way. Tex had slept with you. He doesn’t understand why it sticks in his craw but it does. He wants you, physically, but he won’t touch you because of the damn ink on his skin, the invisible threads that seem to tie you together. But he shouldn’t care that Tex had spent the night in your bed. However, he can’t get the image out of his head and he doesn’t like it. Not at all. Sighing to himself, he shakes his head. Scoffing quietly at his ridiculousness. “Damn fool.” He huffs, looking out over the water.

The small pond reflects nothing but serene moonlight back at him, the young folks out walking through the green of the neighborhood or sitting in the gazebo too far from its surface to interrupt his ruminations. A few blocks away, Tex is drinking off his frustration while he packs, loud music enough to have his bookshelves vibrating but not a hint of it leaking out into the street. On the street, everything is peaceful and perfect. It’s the picture of serenity and always is - Statesman arguments happen behind closed doors because your neighbors might not have high enough clearance to be able to overhear whatever a fight is about.

Jack sighs, pulling a hand out of his pocket to drag it down the front of his face. This had been a place he loved coming, reminding him of the pond back home. The one that Abigail had loved to sit next to and watch the sun set. Now he just feels like there’s a weight on his chest, on his heart.

“Okay, Uncle Jack?” The cheery voice of Bobby Rogers is unexpected, but Champ’s son - Agent Rum - is all smiles when he waves at his father’s best friend. The junior agent’s evening walk is easily interrupted, and he strides over to the bench that Jack has sunken down on.

“Hey kid.” Despite the fact the boy is an agent and old enough to drink, he’s always called Bobby ‘kid’. A running joke because it had made the youngster laugh when he had met him. Old enough that he didn’t think about his son every time he looked at him. “I’m okay. How are you?” He asks, raising a brow in concern. He’d read the after action report from Prague.

“Just had dinner with Ginger and Gabi and the kids.” Bobby sits himself down next to Jack and leans back, surveying the older man with the same appraising expression as his mother uses, except Bobby shrugs amiably. “Itchin’ to get back out there but there’s no assignment for me right now. You know how it is.”

“Yeah.” Jack huffs under his breath, very aware of being on desk duty. He tries to avoid turning towards the boy, aware that he’s as perceptive as his mother.

“Maybe there will be something for both of us?” He suggests optimistically, having wanted to run a mission with Jack ever since his promotion to active agent status.

Jack can grin at that, a smug little smirk that is fully aware of his own strengths as an agent. “That would be fun.” He acknowledges with a nod. “Maybe Champ’ll send us out together.”

“Maybe if you said something?” It’s no secret that Bobby looks up to Jack. He always has, ever since he was small, and even now there’s a remnant of something childlike in his excited expression. “I know you usually work missions with Tequila if you do doubles but I know we could be a hell of a team.”

“Yeah.” Jack nods, although he knows he will be shot down. “I’ll say somethin’ for sure, kid.” He turns towards him now. “It’ll be good to run a mission together.”

“You comin’ over for dinner this week?” With Jack’s agreement to the idea, Bobby is beaming. “I swear I don’t mind still living so close as long as Mom keeps making meatloaf every Wednesday night like clockwork.”

Jack chuckles and rolls his eyes. “Have I ever missed a meatloaf Wednesday unless I was out of town?” He asks, leaning over and shoving at the boy’s shoulder with his own. He can’t help but wonder how you make meatloaf.

“Never.” The young man acknowledges with a snort. “Can’t exactly find meatloaf in Prague. Gotta admit that I missed it.”

“Nothin’s ever better than homemade by momma.” Jack acknowledges honestly.

“It’s true.” The smile that plays on Bobby’s lips is wistful. “God I hope I get a soulmate that can cook,” he laughs. “If she’s as hopeless as I am we’ll be eatin’ at my parents’ table or in the Statesman cafeteria our whole lives.”

The blood in Jack’s veins freezes from the kid’s innocent statement. “H-here’s hopin’.” He manages and quickly glances back at the water.

Bobby might be young, but he’s a trained Statesman agent the same as Jack and he knows his uncle is acting jumpy. Instead of needing an answer like his father might do, though, he nods and decides to give Jack some peace. “I’m gonna walk on,” he decides, Stretching his long limbs before pushing up to standing again. “Got a good book calling my name. I’ll see ya ‘round, Uncle Jack.”

“See ya, kid.” Jack nods and watches the boy as he ambles away like he hasn’t a care in the world. It makes Jack sigh heavily and he closes his eyes, thinking about Abigail. “Darlin’” he murmurs softly. “I’m doin’ what I think right, so why does it hurt?” He asks his long dead wife, wishing she could answer him.

******

It feels like you cried all night after Jack left, and for the better part of your private time for the next few days. At work you’re numb, going through the recipes that you chose with tender loving care, feeling like more machine than person. The aching in your heart just hasn’t abated, and every day you step out your front door halfway between Tex and Jack’s houses, you almost wonder who you miss more. Except that, as guilty as you feel about it, you know the answer. Today feels like a day that you just can’t get anything right, as every batch of cornbread you make seems to lack flavor, or texture, or not rise enough. You swear you might scream if another pan comes out looking deflated and overly dry - but that might also be the fact that it’s nearly two in the afternoon and you haven’t eaten yet. Matter of fact, when was the last time you ate?

Diana pushes into the main dining room, frowning slightly as she does. Something is off and after pulling the truth out of Champ over breakfast, she decided that visiting you was what she needed to do. “Darling? Are you in the kitchen?” She calls out.

Oh god… The sound of Diana’s voice is usually welcome, but you’re just not up to having company. It’s not exactly a question you can dodge, though, is it? She’ll find you here whether you like it or not. “I’m back here!” You call finally, figuring she’s already heard your music playing. The speakers are always attached to whatever is playing on your phone, which you now turn the volume way down on.

“Am I interrupting you?” Concern laces her features as she pushes one of the double doors open and peers into your kitchen. It’s surprisingly empty, although with what’s been going on, she can’t blame you. “If you aren’t up for company, you let me know.”

"No, it's okay." After having barely spoken to anyone for a few days, you clear your throat and try to smile. "Come on in. I could use a break from all this cornbread." The pans sitting all around you are practically mocking you and you would be very glad to ignore them for a while.

You look devastated. Diana sighs to herself and reaches out to pull you into a brief but fierce hug. Wishing that she could wipe away the hurt and sadness. Damn Jack.

"What was that for?" You ask when she leans back to look at you. Just because you haven't said a word to her doesn't mean that she doesn't know what happened, although you would hope that Jack had enough discretion to not just go blabbing it to everyone. Who knows?

“Mother’s instinct.” She hums. “You look like you need a hug. So I gave you one.” She won’t tell you that Champ told her the situation, but she’ll listen if you need to talk.

"I was about to make myself some lunch." Wiping your hands on your apron gives you a moment to compose yourself so you don't just break down on the spot. You did need that hug. "Is it too late in the day for you to join me?"

“I’ve been running around with a tour group of two hundred.” Her eyes widen dramatically and she huffs. “Some corporate retreat and ‘team building’ thing so I’ve not had a chance to hear myself think.”

"So that's a yes?" Since cooking for people is the one thing that seems to relieve stress, it actually makes your shoulders drop a little and sloughs some tension away. "I have more cornbread than we can shake a stick at to go with it."

“Ohhh are you making cornbread fritters?” Diana asks ask she looks at the fallen pans of cornbread.

"I can if you like." It would certainly use up some of this failed baking. "How about I make us a big chop salad and we can have a basket of cornbread fritters to go along with it?"

“Do you want some help or do you want me to be your sounding board while you cook?” Diana asks, tilting her head at you, curious to see what you will decide.

“Why don’t you join me?” It’s not just anyone that you would invite into your kitchen, but you’ve become fairly attached to the older woman in just the few weeks you’ve been here. She is usually an endless source of positivity and support - two things you could really use right now even if you hate the reason why.

“Absolutely, chef.” She tosses you a grin and immediately marches over to your industrial sized sinks to wash her hands. “Put me to work.”

Everything you’ll need to road test the upscale Cobb salad for your menu is already in the fridge, so you set Diana up with a cutting board, knife, and a bowl to deposit everything into and set to work turning one skillet’s worth of cornbread into fritter mix - with some cheddar cheese added for good measure. There are a few slices of bourbon maple glazed bacon that you’ve been experimenting with that you’ll chop up as well - the perfect topping for the salad after it’s been dressed. “So a corporate tour?” You ask, trying to remind yourself to be social as the two of you start working side by side. “That sounds…sort of excruciating, honestly. Two hundred is a huge group.”

“They were more interested in tasting than the actual tour.” Diana tells you as she starts to chop the ingredients. Looking down at the cutting board and smirking to herself at how sharp your knife is. A good, proper blade.

“If I worked for a corporation doing mandatory retreats, I would be too.” It’s the closest you’ve been to laughing in days, the little huff you give as you shake your head.

“There’s some truth to that.” Diana laughs as she acknowledges it. “Although I guess it’s a good thing that the restaurant isn’t open yet or all of them would have been in here.”

“That’s fine. Customers I can handle.” Working the cornbread mixture with your hands is actually kind of cathartic. Imagining it’s the knots in your heart instead of food. “They’re particular, but in a way I can handle. I wouldn’t even know how to keep them all engaged on a tour.”

“Practice.” Diana muses, sneaking a glance over at you. “Much like wrangling cowboy soulmates.”

You sigh, a little too deeply, and turn to look at her with anxiety written all over your face. “How long have you known?”

“The tattoo?” She doesn’t suppose that you are talking about the situation you find yourself in now, but she just wants to clarify. “From the beginning.” She admits quietly. “Champ doesn’t keep much but classified information from me. And this…well, Jack is family.”

“So…” If your hands weren’t covered in edible sludge, you would be leaning on the counter while you try to collect yourself. As it is, all you can do is stare at Diana. “When was anybody going to tell me?”

“If I had my way, I would have slapped Jack upside his damned fool head.” Diana huffs, holding your gaze steadily. “But…Champ said that it was Jack’s place to figure out that he’s been given a second chance.”

That twists the knife in your heart, and you look down at your hands to avoid tearing up if you keep looking at the woman beside you. Diana is so full of empathy that it seems to just deep out of her. “Jack doesn’t want a second chance.” You murmur, head bowed like somehow it’s your fault.

“Damn jackass doesn’t know what he wants.” Diana hisses, her chopping becoming slightly less perfect through her anger. “And he likes you, so you terrify him.”

“He doesn’t like me as much as you think he does.” If he did, he wouldn’t have shattered any hope you had of something happening between the two of you somewhere down the line. “He made it abundantly clear last night that he doesn’t want another soulmate.”

“Stubborn fucking mule.” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head in disappointment. She knows that Jack likes you more than he’s willing to admit, but the damn fool can’t get past his grief.

“He seems to know his mind well enough.” If you mix this damn batter anymore it is just going to be goo, so you stop - pulling your hands away and wiping them reasonably clean so you can wash up and start portioning out the mix. “Second time I’ve lost a chance at having a soul mate in just a couple of weeks and I didn’t get a say in it either time.”

“So he told you….” Diana is shocked at that, the knife turning to the side and she looks at you in shock.

“Not in a great amount of detail.” You shrug, feeling her eyes on you as you scrub your hands clean. “But yeah. He told me. A-about Statesman being…spies. About…” Sighing makes your whole body shake. “About how he…killed my soulmate. And then inherited me.”

Diana’s face screws up in anger, promising herself she’s gonna kick Jack’s ass from here to New York and back. “Jack has killed men before and never inherited their soulmates.” She spits. “So he’s full of shit. The universe doesn’t just randomly assign soulmates, especially not second ones.”

“It doesn’t really matter, does it?” The worst part right now is how defeated you feel. How hopeless and helpless everything feels knowing that Jack’s mind was made up before he even met you. “He doesn’t want anything to do with it, but apparently the fact of him was enough to scare off the guy who did like me.”

“Why don’t you tell me what happened?” Diana doesn’t know the details, just the highlights that had been given to her and she knows it might be better for you to talk and get it off your chest. “If you want.”

Not being able to talk to anyone these last few days has been the hardest part of everything, in some ways. With no one to help lighten the burden it seems to have tripled its weight on your chest. The normal phone calls to your sister whenever something bad or complicated happened hadn’t occurred this time - because how could you explain even half of what happened while avoiding the tidbits that apparently required security clearance? It was a minefield you didn’t know how to navigate. But Diana? Diana already understands this world. She lives in it and thrives. “It goes back to when I first got here,” you explain, as if that were longer ago than a mere three weeks. “That first night…Jack came to tell me that I had gotten the job here, and we ended up going out together.” Working while you talk is the best way to keep your mind from overwhelming you, and by the time lunch is finished being prepared you’ve told Diana everything. Every last detail is laid out for her to examine, leaving you feeling both exhausted and somehow unburdened as you sit down together at the long prep counter to eat.

Diana is madder than a bucket full of hornets. Fuming as you had described the back and forth treatment from Jack, dangling you like a marionette until he’s realized he’s too close and tossing you aside. Instead of raging, she reaches over and pulls you in for another hug. “This isn’t your fault.”

“What’s worse is that I can’t even bring myself to be mad anymore.” Upset, obviously, and hurt. But anger has come and gone like a flash in a pan. “I get that he’s hurt, and that this is as much a shock to him as it is to me. But I just…” You squeeze her back, needing the hug much more than you want to admit. “I haven’t gotten a say in any of it. Even Tex wouldn’t say a damn word to me once he realized. Like in his mind Jack already owned me, or something. But all Jack wants is to be friends.” At least, that’s what he had said. And all you could do is take it at face value.

"Tex is...loyal." Diana sighs. "He's always been secretly disappointed that soulmate marks haven't shown up on his body so he could find his soulmate." She explains. "Of course, he isn't going to poach Jack's mate. Even if he wanted to, his sense of propriety wouldn't let him because he feels like Jack will want you."

“Which means that, once again, I don’t get a say in my own relationships.” It’s becoming a recurring theme and you aren’t exactly thrilled with that. “I’m sorry,” you shake your head and pick up your fork, reminding yourself that eating is necessary even when you’re annoyed. “I don’t mean to complain about people who act with what they believe are the best of intentions. But I’d give my right foot for anybody to have asked me what I wanted.” Tilting your head, though, you look around you and half-chuckle. “Except Champ. He’s given me anything I want here, and I’m grateful for that.”

“I don’t blame you.” Diana shakes her head. “Men always try to do what they think best without asking.” You are so sweet and you deserve the world. “Take back your control where you can.” She urges you.

“How am I supposed to do that?” It’s an honest question, considering you barely know what you want beyond to be loved. The fact that Jack's face is what always comes to mind now is just a complication. “Tex is in another country and Jack has made up his mind already.”

“That, I can’t decide for you.” Diana has a few ideas on what she would do if Champ had rejected her, but she wasn’t you. “But I can tell you what I would do if I were you.”

Something about the way she says it sparks your curiosity, and you tilt your head at her as you pluck up one of the fritters from the basket between you. “What would you do?” Anything is better than moping - which is all you’ve done for days.

“I would start dating.” Diana snorts and sends you a small grin. “As many dates as you want, whoever you want.” She shrugs. “If he wants to be ‘friends’, he doesn’t get a say in how you move on with your life.” She takes a sip of her sweet tea. “Operate like you don’t even acknowledge Jack Daniels wears your marks.”

“Seriously?” You’re not sure why the suggestion is so shocking to you, but you feel like your jaw drops all the way down to the counter when she looks at you with fire in her eyes. She’s angry for you, and it’s simultaneously daring and empowering. Like she has just done the emotional equivalent of offering the Revenge Dress to Princess Di. “That’s…I guess that makes a lot of sense, actually.”

“Yes it does.” She nods. “You don’t have to do it, but I would. Just to show him that he’s not going to dictate your life, just because he’s hung up on a past that is no longer reality.”

“Are you…suggesting that it might make him jealous?” You can’t imagine how, all things considered, but it would be kind of satisfying.

“If it does, it serves the fool right.” She hums, a slightly evil grin on her face. “Even if it doesn’t, it will be you taking control of your life again. You decide how you spend your time.”

“I…” Slumping slightly in your seat, you nudge your fork through your salad - it’s delicious, but you’re thinking things through. “I don’t know if I’m ready to possibly get rejected again so soon,” you admit. “I’m…I don’t think I could take it. Not this soon.”

“Let me set you up.” Her eyes light up and she grins. “Astrid’s brother is coming into town.” She gasps. “Oh that’s perfect.”

“Oh, I…” It’s guilt, this twisting feeling in your gut, and all of a sudden you sit up and shake your head. “The idea of it makes me feel guilty,” you tell Diana honestly. “Which is totally illogical, and I need to get over this fucking crush I have on Jack or it’s just going to fester and that won’t help. So…” Exhaling deeply, you nod as decisively as possible. “Tell me about Astrid’s brother.”

Diana grins and sends you a wink. “If I was twenty years younger…” she starts with a laugh, proceeding to tell you all about the handsome man that will be perfect for a good time and getting your mind off Jack.

It’s not such a bad idea, when you think about it. The trajectory of your life has taken such an obtuse turn that thinking about something like life after being rejected by your second soulmate is just a chat you have over lunch with your boss’s wife. Although, with this conversation today, Diana has become much more than just your boss’s wife. She’s your closest friend at Statesman. “Okay.” You nod, sitting up straight after she tells you all about the man she has in mind. “As long as Astrid is okay with it, I’m in.”

“Good!” Diana smirks as she picks up another fritter out of the basket. “I bet you these would be amazing as a side dish to meatloaf.” She muses before giggling slightly.

“I would make that for my staff in a heartbeat. I just need to find a good meatloaf recipe.” You ruminate on the idea for a second before smiling. “Actually, I’ve been trying to figure out one more thing for the main menu. Meatloaf and cornbread fritters might be just the thing.”

“I have a recipe.” The smile that creeps over Diana’s face is nothing short of fortuitous. “Every Wednesday it’s served at my dinner table.” She admits. “You are welcome to come, but….Jack will be there.”

For a split second you almost jump on the invitation, but even the mention of his name makes you hesitate. Especially when you realize that today is Wednesday. “Maybe next week.” Seeing him again so soon - mere hours after you’ve talked everything out - just doesn’t feel like something you can handle.

“I can understand that.” Diana nods sagely, reaching out and touching the back of your hand. “Why don’t I bring you some tomorrow and let you try it, see if you like the recipe.”

“That would be really nice of you.” You turn your hand over to squeeze hers quickly. “Thank you for this, Diana. For all of this today.”

“What are friends for?” She knows that she’s older, and she’s the boss’s wife, but she thinks of you as a friend. “Plus I’ll make sure I give you the portion that would have gone home with Jack.” She cackles and winks at you.

The two of you share a good laugh over the idea of Jack pouting over missing his leftovers, and you bite back the feeling of regret at not being able to sit at that table with him like any normal pair of soulmates. “I really…” It sticks in you, clinging to your heart unbidden. “I want him to be happy,” you tell her honestly. “If that’s not with me, then the universe screwed up.”

“Jack’s never going to be happy until he lets his wife’s ghost rest.” Diana explains exasperatedly. “The man can claim he’s happy, but he’s not. You can tell, at least those that have known him for a long time can.”

“Well…whatever it ends up meaning for him. He just…” Sitting back in your seat, you reach for what’s left of your tea and sigh softly. “Everybody deserves to be happy.”

“And that includes you.” Diana reminds you, giving you a firm look.

“I hope so.” After the last few weeks, though, you have your doubts.

******

“I shouldn’t let you in the damn house.” Diana scowls at Jack as he stands in the doorway of her house. If she had a rolling pin in her hand, she’d be hitting him with it.

In the hours since she left your kitchen, Diana has been fuming. Thank god Champ hasn’t been home until just a few minutes ago or he would have gotten quite the earful about how purely Jack had treated you.

Jack's easy smile is instantly replaced with a frown. "What did I do?" He demands, looking around. "I wasn't supposed to bring nothin'."

“What you did has nothing to do with dinner.” She tells him flatly. This isn’t a conversation for the whole neighborhood to hear, though, so she lets him inside despite wanting to wallop him. “Would you like to guess how I spent the afternoon, Jack?”

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Jack scoffs, shaking his head. "Your husband has me trainin' the young bucks on the whip and lasso." It still is a sore subject but at least he isn't stuck behind the desk for the entire day.

"I heard a little story today." Shutting the door behind him, Diana frowns and puts her hands on her hips. "From your soulmate."

"How many fuckin' times do I have to explain this." Jack's frown deepens and he rolls his eyes. "She ain't my soulmate. Second soulmates is a fucking lie you tell someone to make yourself feel better about the poor bastard losing his while yours is still happily breathin'." He scoffs. "It ain't real and I didn't fuckin' ask for her marks. I don't want 'em."

"A fact which you made abundantly clear to her." The steam pouring from Diana's ears is proverbial, thankfully, otherwise she would look like a cartoon character. "Without ever paying her the courtesy of kindness due to somebody who had their original soulmate torn from them. Instead you flirted with her, basically took her out on a date, kissed her; all the while telling her she basically means nothing to you. And then you had the goddamn audacity to make it seem like she did something wrong for finding herself likin' you at the end of the day." As it all comes tumbling out, Diana can feel herself just getting madder and madder, her blood nearly boiling all too quickly. "Second soulmates may be rare, Jack, but you're living goddamn proof that it's real. Whether you like it or not."

Shame fills Jack, but he'll be damned if he admits it. "She wouldn't have known if Tequila could keep his fuckin' mouth shut." He hisses. "She shouldn't have known, she'd have been happy livin' her life here and whatever attraction between us would have fizzled out and she could've moved on with her life." Guilt and something else twists in his gut, making it churn at the thought of that very thing happening. Shaking his head like he could shake off the feeling, he props his hands on his hips and stares at his oldest friend's wife. "Anything else you wanna lecture me on?"

"Yes, and it's ironic that you asked." The fact that he's trying to pass the buck off on poor Tequila is a whole other topic but she's too fired up in your defense right now. "Since you never once asked her how she felt about the whole damn thing."

"What does it matter?" Jack's volume creeps up in exasperation and he throws his hands up. "It's not gonna change things. It's not like I can change the fact that I'm gonna love my Abigail until the day I'm in the ground beside her. So what fuckin' good is it to ask how she feels about things that don't matter?"

"Because she's human, Jack!" Having to explain that to a grown ass man might be the most exasperating part, since Diana had always counted him as a concerned and caring friend. Apparently his blind spots when it comes to his own emotional state are even bigger than she had thought. "You don't have to love her but you do have to acknowledge that she's a grown woman with feelings and opinions all her own. And that those matter. How can you look her in the face and tell her you want to be her friend without ever once asking how she feels?"

“I can’t love her, Diana.” Jack’s frown turns into something desperate, almost beseeching as he implores her to believe him. “I can’t. I killed her soulmate.”

"Agents have killed lots of men, Jack Daniels." It's his job, and no one here is debating the morality of it. It's just a fact. "But she is the only soulmate that has ever transferred to a Statesman agent in the history of the organization." Diana shakes her head, her expression turning distinctly disappointed. "I'm not asking you what you think you're capable of. I'm saying she is alone, and she's sad, and she feels less than human because you didn't do the courtesy of just asking. You just assumed. And if nothing else, that isn't what friends do."

Jack stares at her for a long moment and sighs, his shoulders slumping and he closes his eyes. “I- I don’t know what to do.” He admits quietly. “I don’t know how to do this.”

"Nobody expects you to." Like a patient older sister with her petulant little brother, Diana shakes her head before reaching out to rub his shoulder softly. "But this knee-jerk anger about having her mark isn't helping anybody at all. Least of all you and her. Or poor Tequila."

"Why do I get to wear hers and not Abigail’s?" Jack demands, choking the question out. "They disappeared, gone, like she never existed."

'I don't know, Jack." When he starts to crumble, Diana moves in, offering him a place to lean against her if he wants it. "But she didn't put them on you herself. She doesn't deserve to be treated like an undesirable for something completely beyond her control."

Jack squeezes his eyes shut and takes the comfort that is being offered. "I- I'll try to - to be her friend." He swallows, hating the way his heart leaps and starts to pound at the mere thought of being around you. "Like- like it was when she showed up."

"Platonic soulmates do exist." In her heart she doesn't think that's how the two of you are meant to be, but it's not up to her to decide. No one but you and Jack can determine how you feel about each other. For now she puts one arm around Jack and gently rubs it up and down his back in a slow, soothing rhythm. "And...for the record? Tequila didn't out you. He only told her that he had seen her mark on somebody else. She figured it out herself."

"Who else would that dumb hick know that would show him a fucking tattoo?" He huffs, still sore about his damn jaw. "I really did think that he had seen her mark on the arm."

"Statesman has hundreds of employees," she reminds him gently. "It could have been anyone. And...apparently she covered it for the wedding. With makeup. Her cousin isn't a big fan of tattoos so she wanted to be courteous."

“Shit.” Jack closes his eyes, the guilt compounding when he remembers the hurt in Tex’s voice.

"It's been a rough few days." She can acknowledge that. That it's been hard for everyone, him included. Unfortunately, there isn't much more she can do but say her piece and be a good friend - both to you and to Jack. "Let's go have some dinner."

“I’m allowed to stay?” Jack asks, slightly surprised that she’s not booting him out on his ass.

“I’m upset, not heartless.” Diana tells him, though if he hadn’t showed remorse or had dug his heels in, she might have sent him on his way. “But next week she’ll be here right alongside you, so I’ll ask you to find a way to be civil by then.”

“I got no problem being civil.” Jack promises, even though he would prefer to limit his time with you until he feels like he is on steady ground. But what could a dinner hurt?

“Good.” Even if she doesn’t quite believe him, she’s already picked her fight for today.

Jack follows Diana into the house, wondering why the older woman felt so strongly about you - a newcomer. He shakes his head and shuffles towards the living room as he greets Champ.

“I won’t ask.” Champ already has a beer out for Jack, having heard the ruckus from upstairs. His wife had given him an overview of her conversation with you but mostly kept your confidence, as she always does with a friend. “The youngins do alright today, Jack?”

Jack can only be grateful that someone doesn't want to crawl up his ass and into his business. He takes the beer and nods. "Comin' along, though some of them ain't exactly cowboys."

"I'm sure we can fix that," the older man chuckles as they follow Diana into the dining room. Bobby had been getting the table set while his mother took the screws to Jack, apparently. "Most don't hang around here too long without getting the spirit."

"True." Jack can agree with that, knowing his own training had weeded out plenty of unsuitable candidates. "But you've got a family legacy here." He tells the older man as he winks at Bobby. "Like the boy here."

"He's doing fine work." Champ commends, puffed up proudly as they all take their seats at the table. "Finer than I was at his age, that's for damn sure."

Jack snorts. "Of course he is." He jokes, winking at the kid. "But that's not sayin' much."

"Alright, you three." Diana looks around the table as she starts to serve - a habit she's kept for years just to keep the men in her life from making a mess at the table. "No shop talk at dinner, you know the rules."

"Yes ma'am." Jack grins as both he and Bobby answer Diana at the same time and Champ just grins at his wife and winks at her playfully.

The meal starts with a little benign chit chat, but soon turns around to Statesman again - though the men are all careful to avoid mentioning case work to adhere to Diana's 'no shop talk at family dinner' rule. "Did I see a groundbreaking on the new apartment building this morning?" Bobby asks when he reaches for seconds. There used to be three small parks in the housing neighborhood. Soon there will only be two. "I didn't know we were expanding that much more. Is the new restaurant gonna be that big?"

Champ leans back and nods. "Figure it will be." He admits, smirking slightly at how well the projected sales are forecasting with just the traffic from the people who work at Statesman enjoying your food right now. "We got ourselves a real winner." He glances over at Jack who is looking down at his plate.

“And it’s just the start.” Diana’s pride is more for you than for the business. “When we start hosting more events than just corporate getaways and bachelor parties, things are really going to get busy around here.”

Jack shouldn't feel pride, he had nothing to do with the restaurant. It was your baby, your hard work and vision that was making it a reality. Still, he nods as he forks up another bite of meatloaf and agrees. "She will be full every day."

Across from him, Diana bites back a smirk at the pride in his voice. “Once she starts doing weddings, she’ll be lucky to have a day off.”

"She doesn't need to be overworked." Jack immediately frowns. "She needs to trust the people around her."

"She'll need a team." For the first time in a little while, Diana is in total agreement with Jack. "It's going to be time to start hiring staff soon, won't it? Including a good second-in-command."

Jack nods, keeping his eyes on his plate. “Yeah she will need that.”

"You sure you don't want the job, Mom?" Bobby grins at his mother, knowing little about the woman who will be running the new restaurant on premises except that his mother is incredibly fond of her. "You always said you wanted to be a party planner."

“Oh no,” Diana quickly shakes her head. “There’s no way that I could keep up with her.” She laughs. “She’s too energetic.”

"What about the opening night party, Di?" Champ suggests, glancing sideways to get an eyeful of Jack staring into his plate. "You're still our gal for events until we hire a full on planner. Why don't you talk to her about what she'd like for opening night?"

“Oh she should have a party, shouldn’t she?” Diana muses. “Something to celebrate the opening. We need to get her family here for it.” She turns to Jack. “You take care of that.”

"Jack's a little overqualified to be a travel agent, ain't he?" Bobby snorts, obviously not having understood the argument between his mentor and his mother, if he overheard it at all.

Jack swallows and pushes around the green beans. “Nah, kid, I’ll be happy to arrange for the family to come down.” He raises a brow. “Gonna need the jet of course. She’s got a big group.” It highlights how alone Jack is now, his own family reduced down to just him. No siblings, parents gone, wife and child gone. Alone.

"Whatever you need." Champ waves his hand like it's the easiest thing in the world, then smiles at his wife. "You, too. Whatever y'all need. Carte blanche to throw a hell of a hoedown."

“Well, that’s a mistake.” Jack snorts, shaking his head even though he’s grinning. “Your wife will invite half the state and plan on feedin’ em too.”

"I'll be damn sure to book the whole place full with reservations." And Diana won't pretend otherwise, either. She has a few strings she can pull, some friends she can call, and some favors she can call in. People enough to make the night the talk of Louisville, that's for sure.

Champ chuckles and reaches over to take his wife’s hand. “I know you will, honey. You always do a good job for us.” He praises, kissing the back of her hand and Jack looks back down at his meal, unable to rationalize the jealousy swimming through him at the causally intimate gesture.

"I'll hash everything out with her this week," Diana hums, as casually as if they were all chatting about the weather. She's interested to know just how rankled Jack will get if she takes things one step further in this conversation about you. "Before the weekend. I don't want her worrying about anything when Lewis gets into town."

“Lewis is coming?” Bobby grins, well acquainted with Astrid’s brother. “That means we need to make sure that our tab is in good standing at the bar. For damages.” He chuckles and leans back. There was always a scuffle at the bar when Ginger’s little brother came to town.

"Y'all can get into plenty of trouble on a boys' night." She laughs, shaking her head at her son even while she watches Jack out of the corner of her eye. "He's taking our favorite chef out while he's here."

Jack’s head snaps up and he almost immediately starts to protest and then he presses his lips together. Knowing that he doesn’t have any reason to argue against it. Instead he ducks his head down and stares at the meatloaf that suddenly tastes like ash in his mouth.

"Oh?" Champ nearly chokes at Jack's reaction but manages to keep his poker face. "Yes." Diana has sat back in her chair, raising her glass of wine to her lips in victory. The jealousy on Jack's face is as obvious as the shade of red he has turned. "Something about a concert he has tickets to? He was very excited."

Jack’s jaw nearly breaks; he's mashing it together so harshly, grinding his back teeth. Eyes burning a hole in his plate as he stares at it.

"Sounds like fun." The sound of chomping from Jack sitting beside him is unexpected, but Bobby doesn't call attention to it because he's not sure what the hell he just heard. "What's he up for? Just the concert?" Diana shakes her head, absorbing every single reaction she can get out of Jack. "Astrid and Gabi's oldest is turning seven next week. They're not doing a big party or anything, but you know Lewis wouldn't miss the kids' birthdays."

It hurts to sit here. Listening to Diana happily chatter about Lewis. Even if he does like Ginger’s brother, he’s suddenly a hell of a lot less happier he’s coming. Wanting to bolt from the table and the conversation but he reaches for his glass to gulp down the rest of his sweet tea, mouth dry.

“Now that we got a pastry chef on premises, birthdays for the kids are going to be a lot sweeter.” Champ nudges his empty plate back on the table after taking his last bite and pats his belly in satisfaction. He’d have to have lost his marbles to be oblivious to what his wife is doing as she harps on the topic, but he also can’t say that Jack hasn’t been damn fool enough to have it coming.

Jack nearly chokes, coughing to cover up the way that the tea manages to slide down the wrong pipe. Slapping himself on the chest and taking deep breaths when he finally finished sputtering the liquid up from his lungs.

“Alright, Jack?” Diana asks, expression washed with nothing but mild concern. She knows he’s fine, but he’s been awfully quiet while he stews - right until this.

"Fine." Jack clears his throat and shakes his head quickly. "Fine. Just swallowed wrong." He gives a bland smile and takes another sip of his drink.

“Good.” Her smile tightens just barely. “I’d hate to think anything here,” she waves her hand at the remnants of the meal in front of them. “Was hard to swallow.”

Jack's jaw rocks but he nods, understanding what is being said. "Not a damn thing." He drawls. "Everything was just as good as it's always been."

“Good.” If that’s all that Jack wants - what’s always been - he’s going to be hurtin’ watching you live your life. And if that’s the bed he’s made for himself, Diana thinks as she gives him a smile, it will be a very lonely one to lie in.

"Good." Jack nods, fully aware there is nothing good about it at all.

******

The clock on the wall reads six o’clock by the time you’re winding down for the day, exhausted from interviews and looking forward to grabbing dinner with Diana after this next one was over with. The intensive process of hiring an entire restaurant’s worth of staff hasn’t been fun, and this is the end of day three. The only thing you’re happy about is that you really do have most of your team together by now. One more line cook and maybe two more waiters and you’ll have a full house. You look down at the application in front of you - the bottom of the stack - and hope you can retain any of the information it contains while you’re talking to this guy. Tripp Tanner. You chuckle Unconsciously at the alliteration. Well…at least you’ll remember his name.

Jack decides to stop by your kitchen. Trying to make a more conscious effort to make you feel wanted, it’s been hard, but he also won’t admit that he likes checking on you. Making sure that you are enjoying your new creation. “Sugar?” He calls out. “You in the back?”

“Jack?” In the weeks since everything exploded between the two of you, you’ve been trying to be nice. To be friendly. Even though it twists your aching heart that he doesn’t see you as anything more, you’re trying to move on. Something that’s hard to do when he pops in to surprise you like this. “I’m in the kitchen!”

“Are you busy?” The last thing he wants to do is impose, but he wants to ask about the planning for the party. Talking to your brother about scheduling everyone in your family to come down is a pain. Too many people to juggle.

He strolls through the door like a cowboy rolling up to his favorite saloon and you can’t help but smile. “I have a couple of minutes before my last interview. What’s up?”

“What time are you planning on kickin’ off the festivities on your big day?” He asks, looking around the kitchen and nodding at the controlled chaos that it seems to emit.

“It’s still almost two months away.” There’s a lot of work to do before then, but you’re excited. Champ has given you everything you’ve asked for and then some. “But the party is…it’s going to be a lot of fun.” Diana’s idea to turn the one-night soft opening you had planned into a party is shaping up to be wonderful. “The whole thing will start at six that night.”

“But the opening is when?” Jack nods, filing away that information. “So I can make sure that the website is updated.”

“Six weeks from Saturday.” Which is so far away and so close all at once. “April 14.”

“Okay, so they are different days?” Jack shakes his head in confusion. “Take me through everything please?”

“The soft opening is like our trial run.” You pop up from your seat to refresh your tea and come back from the fridge with a glass for him as well. “People come by invitation and they have reservations. We’re going to offer our whole menu and have some live music that Diana is arranging. There will be thank you gifts for everyone who comes and they’re all going to get little nips of Statesman with the date on the bottle as well. Champ’s idea, of course.” With how wonderful everyone’s been, you’ve really just been basking in the support. Professionally, at least, things are wonderful. “What this does is give us a night to work out any kinks in the system and make sure all the food is perfect for the grand opening, which is the next day. That’s when we open to the public.”

“Okay, soft opening is Saturday, Grand opening is Sunday.” Jack nods, knowing he will invite the family for the entire weekend. Give you a chance to spend time with them outside of the hustle of your restaurant opening. He leans against a counter, unaware that there is a tool with a sharp edge to snag on his button down shirt. It’s too hot to wear his sports coat and he had run by after leaving the office.

“It will be a very big weekend.” You already know you won’t sleep Friday night, too excited and worried and proud and scared to rest at all. “For tonight, though? Just one more interview.”

“Who you hirin’?” Jack asks before he takes a sip of his tea. Trying to ignore the way your eyes light up and seem to sparkle talking about the opening. Too damn pretty for his peace of mind.

“My sous chef is coming from Savannah. She was the first person I hired.” The enthusiastic woman is about your age and has been doing French influenced Southern fair in Georgia hotels for her whole career. She was excitable but focused in your video interview and you hadn’t hesitated to pull the trigger. “And my front of house manager is actually my roommate from college. She was a hospitality major when I was in culinary and we always said one day if we had our own place we’d hire each other.” The stack of applications and resumes had been intimidatingly thick when they started to arrive, but with Diana’s help you’re getting through it all. “This last interview is for a line cook. I’ve had twice as many applicants as I have positions so I’ll decide this week and call everyone before the end of the day on Friday.”

Jack knows next to nothing about hiring cooks but he nods. Diana’s voice in his head about being polite. “That’s good, sugar. I’m sure you’ll find the right fit for everyone soon.” He agrees. “That sandwich you had everyone tastin’ was mighty good. I never did hear what it was called?”

“That was my version of a croque monsieur.” Having agents and office workers and everybody from the Statesman offices come down to taste test recipes has been an absolute blessing, and so far you’ve made good use of all the constructive criticisms that have come your way. Although you may have weighed opinions like Jack’s more heavily than others…

“It was damn good.” He admits, taking another sip of the sweet tea that you have down to an art form despite growing up in the North. “Hopefully that will make it to your menu at some point.”

“It was a pretty rousing success, so I think it will.” It’s such an easy moment between the two of you. Sitting there together and chatting away, you could almost be mistaken for a couple with the smiles on your faces. But you’ll never tell him just how often you harbor thoughts like that. He would despise it.

Jack hums, knowing that most days will be spent having lunch here, or at least ordering it into the office. “Good,” he leans forward and the material catches, the sounds of ripping fabric filling the air. “Shit.”

“Oh shit!” You jump up, reaching around him to snatch the corkscrew up that somehow got wedged under a stack of cast iron pans and became a weapon against men’s fashion. “I’m so sorry! Are you okay? Did it scratch you or just your shirt?”

Jack frowns, twisting his head and pulling on his arm. “Looks like it just tore my shirt.” Of course it would tear so that the tattoo he wears is exposed and he hisses. “No- it scratched me.”

“Shit,” you murmur again, turning him a little so you can see the damage. “Th-that shouldn’t have happened. I’ll replace the shirt for you. I—I’m sorry, Jack.” What a stupid thing to have ruined a perfectly nice moment, too. “It just looks like a scratch, though. Not like it will…” Even the thought of it has you cringing. “Not like it will scar.” God knows the last thing he wants is another reminder of you.

“Don’t worry about it.” The black looping scrawl on his skin is visible and it makes Jack’s mouth run dry. Your own is already visible today since you have your sleeves rolled up and Jack pulls back to hastily stand straight. “I’ll change my shirt and toss this one.” He tells you quickly. No need to buy another or triage.” He’s panicking and he knows he is, but he sends you a sickly smile.

“You’d better go.” There is no mistaking the way he jumps. The jittery way he jerks is so diametrically opposed to his normally smooth and confident movements. It’s obvious, once you see how his shirt has ripped. He doesn’t want your tattoo showing. Being nice to you is one thing, but having anyone know what you are to him is another. You cross your arms and lean against the counter, suddenly sullen rather than apologetic. “Get a new shirt on before anybody sees.”

“I– that’s not–” Jack protests and shakes his head, falling silent when your stony expression doesn’t change. “I’ll get out of your hair.” He murmurs silently. “Thanks for the tea, sugar.”

The best way to keep yourself from running after him like some godforsaken schoolgirl is to stay stone faced, and you turn back to the counter that you had been using as a desk to take a few very deep breaths before whoever the hell Tripp Tanner is gets here.

Jack curses himself as he rushes through the door, not even paying attention to the man who had come in without him hearing. Watching him through narrowed eyes.

______ Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @katheriner1999 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @hardc0rehaylz @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73

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My Masterlist!

#Pedro Pascal #Pedro Pascal character fanfiction #Pedro Pascal fanfic #Jack Daniels #Jack Daniels x reader #Jack Daniels x you #Jack Daniels x female reader #Jack Whiskey Daniels #Agent Whiskey #Kingsman Golden Circle #soulmate au

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