#part the fear the other two will join this hunt as well. the other part is that theyll be in danger if talon asks for help... | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

starlight-and-whiskey · 4 months ago

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Seams are Torn

When a hunting trip with Arthur goes bad, you find yourself holed up miles from camp and inches from death. This story takes place in the cabin you take refuge in, with fear burrowing into your bones, Arthur's honeyed reassurances, and the threatening icy embrace of death's hand looming at your shoulder.

Tags for: hurt comfort, angst, fluff, caretaking of reader, and Arthur Morgan crying. A03 Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

For the second morning in a row, you woke to the soft rustling of wind through the trees. The hunting trip Arthur had persuaded you to join him on had come as a welcome respite, and as you woke once more to the lack of clanking of pots and pans, the absence of shouting and a day’s rigid plans, you hoped you wouldn’t have to turn back too soon.

Stretching the stiffness from your limbs, you sat up and brushed back your hair, stealing a glance at the sky as it bled into soft blue and gold. Arthur was already up and pottering by the small fire, but that was hardly a surprise. With a deep yawn, you pushed yourself up on your elbows to watch him. It was something you’d never admit, not to him, not to anyone, but you enjoyed watching Arthur more than you should.

Arthur had been an enigma when you’d first joined the gang. A gruff, taciturn presence that people either feared or dismissed. Some thought him mean; others thought him stupid.

You knew better.

After eighteen months of riding together his wariness of you had waned inch-by-inch, replaced gradually by a trust that you felt sometimes even teetered on the edge of respect. Long hours spent on watch had taught you how to tease out the lighter side of him, how to coax a smirk or a chuckle when no one else could. Hushed conversations by a campfire when sleep just wouldn’t come had forged a bond. A bond that month by month had blossomed into teasing that bordered on flirtatious. Over a year and more, Arthur had grown on you like a limpet, latching on without you even realising.

Sometimes, you felt like the only person who truly saw him. He wasn’t cruel, and he certainly wasn’t dumb. Not to you.

When you’d first met, he seemed this sullen mountain of a man, but about eight months ago you’d noticed him. Really noticed him. And then his self-deprecating humour was no longer funny to you.

Amidst the bustle of the camp, you found yourself noticing the way his shoulders shifted as he hauled hay bales, each ridge of muscle flexing beneath the taught confines of his shirt. The way his hands moved with practiced ease as he saddled his horse, gentle fingers stroking along her neck. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled in the rare moments when he laughed – really laughed – the sound full-bodied and rich. Even now, crouched with his back to you, hat tilted low over his brow and brewing coffee against the backdrop of a painted sunrise, you found yourself noticing him.

Feeling a blush rise to your cheeks, you scrubbed the back of your neck and tossed off the blanket, hauling yourself to your feet.

The sun had fully risen by the time the two of you reached the patch of land Arthur had been keen to hunt. Dismounting and leaving the horses to trail languidly behind, the crunch of leaves and twigs beneath your boots filled the quiet as you moved through the dense forest, the air thick with the scent of pine and damp earth.

Arthur walked ahead of you, rifle slung over his shoulder, his broad frame cutting an easy path through the undergrowth. You followed a few steps behind, not because you needed to, but because, well… the view wasn’t half bad.

“You starin’ at my ass again?”

Your eyes snapped up, his words jolting you from your thoughts.

“What? No!”, you retorted a little too quickly, your voice coming out a touch higher than intended.

Arthur glanced back, smirking.

“You sure?” He slowed his pace just enough to fall in beside you, that knowing grin still tugging at his lips. “’Cause I swear I felt your eyes burnin’ a hole back there.”

You rolled your eyes, huffing for effect. “Arthur Morgan, I do not spend my time ogling your backside.”

Arthur chuckled, low and warm, clearly enjoying himself. “That so?”

“Damn right,” you shot back, stepping over a fallen branch. “I’ve seen better.”

Arthur let out a soft hum, his smirk pulling at dimples in his cheeks as he nodded thoughtfully. “That’s right. Didn’t you see Bill drop his towel last week?”

“Ugh! Arthur!”, you grimaced through a whine, barging your shoulder into his as you pulled a face. “I only just got that image outta my head!”

Arthur’s grin spread wider, and a deep rumbling of laughter emanated from his chest as he adjusted the rifle on his shoulder, turning his gaze back to the narrow path winding through the trees. You side-stepped a patch of brambles, the sharp thorns tugging at your pant leg.

“Yeah, well,” he said after a moment, “I still say you were starin’…”

“Oh, you sure are full of yourself today.”

The trees thinned slightly as the two of you moved into a small clearing, and that’s when you saw it – a small house, isolated and nestled against the slope of the hill. It wasn’t grand, barely more than a cabin, but there was something about it that made you smile. It looked as though it belonged there with its moss-covered roof sloping down in such a way that it seemed it had grown right out of the hillside, settled into the land rather than imposed upon it.

Arthur let out a low whistle. “Well, look at that.”

You tilted your head, intrigued. “Huh. Wonder who lives there?”

Arthur didn’t even pause. “No one.”

You frowned, looking up to Arthur with knitted brows. “How do you know?”

“’Cause I know things.”

“Oh, well, that’s specific.” You narrowed your eyes at him and crossed your arms. “What is it? What do you see?”

Arthur’s eyes flicked to you, then back to the house with the tugging of a smile at the corner of his lips and an exaggerated shrug. “Nothin’.”

Leaving you with mouth hanging open, he adjusted his rifle and flashed you that shit-eating grin once more before trudging back towards the trees.

With an exasperated sigh and a final glance at the house, you followed after him, jogging a little to catch up to his long strides.

“You seen it before? That’s it, isn’t it?”

“Nope.”

You narrowed your eyes at the back of his head, quickening your pace until you were walking beside him again. "Liar."

Arthur smirked but kept his eyes ahead. "Ain’t lyin’. Swear on my life, I ain’t seen that house before.”

“Alright. So, Hosea or someone’s seen it?”

“No. I told you, I just know things.”

“Oh sure, you obviously have some ancient cowboy wisdom”, you drawled with a scoff, waving your arms.

Arthur turned to you with an exaggerated, patronising smile. “Finally, you get it.”

You groaned. "You are impossible."

"I dunno why you’re gettin’ so riled up over my knowledge of homesteads”, he chuckled.

"You just like seein’ me annoyed," you muttered, kicking a rock out of your path.

Arthur grinned and nudged your shoulder. "I do enjoy that, yeah."

“Fine”, you huffed. “Keep your spooky cowboy secrets.”

Arthur huffed another laugh, his smirk softening. “I plan to.”

You’d just about opened your mouth but before you could speak, a sound shattered the tranquillity of the woodland, sharp and unnatural against the soft rustling of the leaves. Twigs snapping, louder than any deer could have made it. Deliberate. Close.

In a split second, Arthur's smile faltered, his body tensing like a coiled spring as he swung down his rifle. You hesitantly followed suit, eyes flicking through the trees.

Like shadows shifting, three men stepped from the trees with slow, casual arrogance and weapons drawn. Their grins wolfish. Hungry.

“Ain’t often we see folks wanderin’ out this way.”

Arthur exhaled slowly through his nose and shifted his stance ever so slightly, placing himself just a step in front of you.

The rustle of boots against fallen leaves behind you made your stomach twist. Slowly and steadily turning your head to look over your shoulder, your mouth went dry as a fourth man took a few steps closer to the rear of you.

“Arthur…”, you murmured through trembling lips.

Arthur’s gaze flicked behind you for just a second before snapping back to the three men in front. His jaw tightened, and you could almost feel the tension rolling off him.

“It’s okay”, he said firmly, just loud enough for only you to hear.

For a split second, everything was still. The trees themselves tensed. The wind held its breath.

Then… everything happened at once.

Once again, you’d failed to see something could Arthur sense before it happened. As one of the bandit’s fingers moved to squeeze the trigger, Arthur reacted in the same heartbeat. Rifle coming up, braced tight, the crack of the shot split the air.

Arthur shoved you down behind cover, bullets splintering bark around you as chaos erupted. Adrenaline surged through your veins as you ducked behind a tree and fired back. Time seemed to slow along with your breath as you aimed and fired again. Missed. The yell that echoed through the leaves told you Arthur hadn’t though.

Your world tunnelled into a blur. There was shouting, but it didn’t make sense. Just noise, just static. Bullets tore into flesh. Bullets missed. You didn’t think, didn’t feel, as you reloaded and took aim again, losing your sight of Arthur. Men lunged. Men fell.

Your bullet hit its mark, and a figure jerked, crumpling into the dirt. You didn’t register his face, didn’t watch him fall. You were already moving.

Spinning from behind the tree, you spotted Arthur on the ground, a man atop him. Grunting through bared teeth and biceps flexing, Arthur struggled for leverage against the man straddling him, boots digging into the dirt. Both broad hands were wrapped around the man’s wrist, around the hilt of the knife that was edging ever closer to his chest, fighting against the downward force of the blade.

You didn’t hesitate.

The shot rang out.

The impact snapped the man back, his body slumping sideways onto the ground as silence fell.

And just like that, it was over as quickly as it had begun.

Arthur shoved the man’s dead weight from him off with a grunt, chest heaving as he pushed himself up. His eyes darted up, catching yours for the briefest of moments, before chuckling under his breath and hauling himself to his feet.

"Well, ain't never a dull day with you around”, he exhaled, wiping the sweat from his brow and shaking his head as he retrieved and shouldered his rifle. "We better get outta here before more –“

Arthur stopped dead in his tracks when he saw you.

You were stood still as stone, staring down at the hand clutching at your side.

Arthur's expression shifted instantly. The breath he had just exhaled, the tension he had just begun to shake off, all of it returned in a crushing instant.

His steps were cautious - deliberate - as if moving too fast might make it worse, his eyes not leaving you for a beat and palm outstretched. You didn’t hear your name when he said it, only the unfamiliar tinge to the softness of it.

You forced a weak smile as you looked up at him, now inches in front of you. "I… it's okay."

Arthur’s jaw clenched. "Let me see," he murmured, gently wrapping his hand around your wrist.

You resisted for half a heartbeat, eyes stinging, but then you let him guide your hand away from your side and saw the exact moment his stomach dropped.

“Goddamnit”, he muttered, voice low and tight. “You’re hit.”

The blood seeped freely now, darkening the fabric of your shirt, blooming like ink on paper. You barely registered the way it painted his fingers as he pressed your hand back over the wound, his own palm tightly covering yours.

Funny. You hadn’t even felt it.

If Arthur felt panic, he certainly didn’t show it as his eyes darted over his shoulder, locking onto the house just through the trees before exhaling a cool, measured breath and turning back to you.

“We’re gonna get to that cabin, and we’re gonna fix you up.”

“You just wanna prove you were right that it was abandoned…”, you half smiled through a hollow chuckle, but Arthur didn’t seem to hear you. That or he chose to ignore you as his hand searched your back for an exit wound.

“You’re gonna be alright.”

“Well,” you blinked, feeling your lips twitch, a sickening heat rising upwards through your body, “that’s… good news.”

Arthur huffed, shaking his head, but the usual amusement that danced in his eyes wasn’t there. “Ain’t funny.”

Your breath stuttered, a weak chuckle escaping even as blood oozed, hot and sticky between your fingers, even as the edges of your vision dimmed. “S’a little funny.”

Arthur’s jaw tightened but his voice was soft. “Not even a little.”

It wasn’t even cold out, but suddenly you couldn’t stop shaking. The tremors started slow - just a slight shiver in your fingers - but within seconds they were rolling through you, unstoppable. A deep, bone-deep chill settled in, creeping outward, numbing your limbs.

Your breaths were coming faster now, shoulders shaking as you suddenly felt the cold. Your heart pounded in your chest, the blood rushing too loud in your ears, your limbs buzzing with a strange, disconnected kind of numbness. You felt the shivering now, the way it rattled through your limbs, making it hard to think, hard to focus.

You blinked again, slower this time, trying to focus through your narrowing vision on the lines of worry etching his face as he gripped you tighter. Arthur never looked worried. For some reason, you found it deeply amusing.

“It…it doesn’t even hurt…”, you whispered just as your treacherous knees gave out beneath you.

Arthur grunted a curse at the sudden weight, adjusting quickly, one arm scooping beneath your knees, the other locking around your back as he pulled you against his chest. As he started towards the house, your head lolled against his shoulder, staring up at him with half lidded eyes.

“You’re gonna be just fine”, he said, readjusting his grip and casting a quick glance down at you.

A pulse of warmth flickered through you - somewhere between panic and a strange, deep sense of safety. Your lips trembled, and you swallowed hard before whispering. “…Okay…”

“You look at me, darlin’”, he said firmly. “You just keep lookin’ at me.”

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unconventional-lawnchair · 9 months ago

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A Second Chance pt.1 {Blurb}

Poly!Marauders+Lily x Fem!Reader - Zombie Apocalypse Au

New Perspective Noah Kahan

Masterlist

Summary: You find a group of survivors who could really use your help}

Cw; Guns, death, animal death, hunting, cussing, minor character death, insinuations of abuse (reader is worried about Lily alone with the boys), Zombie apocalypse typical violence, reader is crushing on Lily, infants)

Wc- 2091

In the heart of the wilderness, there was a serene and tranquil grove. Tall, majestic trees stood like sentinels; their branches reached towards the sky. Dappled sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting a gentle glow on the moss-covered ground below. The air was cool and crisp, carrying the refreshing scent of earth and pine, it was getting later.

There was suddenly a sharp and ear-piercing shot that rang out. You lifted your head from the scope of the ancient rifle, looking across the beautiful thicket, and eyes falling on the limp body of your prize.

You had been at it for hours, avoiding the doe’s, knowing they had young hidden deep within the grass, much like yourself now. You stood up, lifting the bandana over your nose and hurried down the hill you were perched on. Pulling out your carvers knife as you got to work on the old buck at your feet.

“I'm telling you, it was a gunshot.” You heard whispers from behind you, the sound of fresh grass making way to footsteps. Two of them.

You quickly packed your plastic lined pouch and turned around, training your gun on the approaching forms behind you.

“Fuck-”

“What did I tell you!?”

There were two men. Great. Men. This close to your hideout? You needed to make your next move count. You could let them go, and risk them coming back to find you. You could shoot them both now and waste your very limited ammo. You could escort them out of the area but that would waste a day of travel. She couldn't wait. Your eyes scanned over their figures. The first one you saw had long black hair, a thin frame, tattooed pale skin and seemed to be the more pissed of the two. Seemed to be the one who heard the gunshot too. The other one was definitely taller, he had thick brown hair and startling hazel eyes. He seemed to be more of a threat out of the two, with his broader build and definitely gave the impression he was in charge.

You turned your gun to aim it at the taller one. His breath hitched and they both stared at you in panicked fear. “Wait wait wait.” He quickly pleaded, hands up and taking a small step back.

“Don't move or I'm pulling the trigger.” You threatened and he winced.

The black haired boy moved to step in front of him, but you cocking your gun seemed to knock some sense into him.

“Please, please don't shoot.” He pleaded. “I have a son, he's only a few weeks old. We have two other men in the group who are bedridden and injured. My wife is still recovering. We can't risk it.”

His pleading made your heart stop. It was so familiar it made your body ache.

~~~

“Please, please don't shoot.” He pleaded with the men in front of him. The camp was ransacked and some of the tents were set ablaze.

You and Regulus had made your way out of the camp late at night. You were going out patrolling, unable to sleep, and as usual, Regulus didn't want you going alone.

On your way out Barty joined you. So of course, Evan wanted to tag along as well. You attempted to convince them that one able bodied person should stay behind. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had just brought a beautiful baby girl into the world, so Mr. Granger was hardly focused on watching the camp.

A few others were there to watch over as well, but it was a big camp, and they needed all the help they could get. Evan teased you for your worry, no one had even passed your location in days. He still, however, promised to stay close to camp with Barty to patrol. Leaving you and Regulus to walk along the outermost parts of the camp.

Regulus eventually headed back, you stayed out. You loved the idea that people were still growing their lives even in such a desperate situation. But God, that baby did not know how to shut up. She was precious, from a distance.

You regretted that night.

You regretted so much of it.

When you made your way back the smell of burning flesh hit your nose first. You had to hold back the bile in your throat. You had come to be familiar with the stench of rot, but not when it was set ablaze.

You ran to camp and heard the commotion. You were gone for no more than ten minutes, and the sight of the dead bodies of your friends around you would be permanently etched into your mind.

You couldn't focus on anything through the chaos, until you heard Mr.Granger pleading. He had his hands up, standing outside one of the only standing tents left. You snuck around, taking in the situation from outside of your clearly useless walls. He was cornered, four men around him while one of them held the arm of Mrs. Granger like a vice, taunting her husband.

You made eye contact with Mrs. Granger and hers widened. You slowly reached for your gun and her expression shifted to pure desperation. She kept glancing at the tent and your heart fell. Hermione was still in there.

You took a deep breath and cursed. Hurrying to sneak behind the tent and cut into it from the back. You gathered what you could, what little you were able to scavenge from towns for Hermione as well. You heard two gunshots, but you didn't want to think about it. Quickly covering Hermione’s mouth with your hoodie to keep her cries muffled.

You didn't look back, running as far away from the camp as possible. You came back the next morning and eventually managed to find your own supplies and one of the several cars they seemed to have left behind. Worrying they may come back for it, you packed up what you could and left in the dinghy vehicle.

That was only a month ago.

~~~

You couldn't do it. You couldn't pull the trigger. You slowly sighed and lowered your gun, much to the startled surprise of both boys. There was a loaded silence between you three before you bit your lip. Looking down at your bag you gestured to the venison on the ground. “You can have what’s left. I can only carry so much.”

“W-what?” The black haired boy muttered out and the brunette seemed to lighten up at your offer. Eyebrows raised and mouth slack.

“On one condition. I want to know where your camp is. And.. I want to meet the mother.” You gestured to the deer again, as if to entice them, and the brunette narrowed his eyes in confusion but the other seemed to catch on. Giving a firm nod and walking over to the buck. You flinched heavily to the side so as to not be too close to him.

“What's your name?” The taller boy asked and you snapped your attention to him. You creased your brow in suspicion but, what could they really do with just your name?

“{Y/N}.”

“{Y/N}? Nice to meet you. My name is James.” He introduced and offered his hand, You simply stared at him and he cleared his throat and tried to play off the obvious rejection. “A-and this is Sirius!”

Said boy, Sirius, finally managed to get the deer over his shoulder before gesturing in front of him for you. “I’d rather stay behind you.” You huffed and he gave a brief nod. Turning with a hmph as he steadied the kill on his shoulder.

~~~

You quickly learned, in your brief walk, just how much James seemed to like talking. You were starting to genuinely believe that he wasn't a threat, but more wondering how on god's green earth he survived this long with a trap like that.

Sirius, on the other hand, was quiet for the most part. He would ask you questions to gauge how comfortable you were and how much you were willing to share with them. Mostly nothing.

When you passed by a certain stick standing in the ground, James gestured ahead. You peaked past him and saw the camp.

It was decent, but exposed. A large tent you assumed housed all of them, with a table and a campfire, the set up even allowed for the most sight around them. It was certainly temporary. The thought comforted you, but the idea they were traveling with an infant made you nervous.

“This is all?” You asked in a not intentionally condescending tone.

Sirius brushed past you and walked into the center of the clearing, dropping the load and standing up with a stretch. The tent door opened and you fixed your grip on the rifle, James grabbing the barrel and lowering it, earning a glare from you. Out limped a rather tall boy. Tanned skin, scar ridden, messy sandy blonde hair, and a clearly mangled leg. You took a deep breath.

Okay, they housed the injured and kept them around. The leader of the group was rather charming but that could go both ways. You needed to see the girl.

As if he could read your thoughts, Sirius spoke up and drew Remus’s startled expression from you. “Remus, can you get Lily?”

“She's reading to Harry.” Who you assumed to be Remus muttered and glanced back at you. Sirius shook his head. “Just a moment.”

Remus eyed you for a second before he peaked back into the tent and muttered something. Eventually, a tall red head stepped out of the beige shelter and she looked at Sirius, clearly annoyed. “What? I just got Harry down.”

“We have a visiter. Wants to make sure you aren't being held here against your will.” Sirius cheeked and you gave a glare his way, he simply winked back. Much more playful in his own domain.

“What?” Lily muttered and looked up at you. Your eyes locked for a moment and her jaw rolled as she sized you up. You suddenly felt extremely self conscious. Then, the most dazzling smile appeared on her face. “You wanted to check on me? How old are you sweetness?”

Her tone gave you such a rush of comfort you didn't even think before you spoke. “N-nineteen,” You whispered and she placed a hand over her chest and cooed at you. “You're just a baby. Are you alone?”

“No, not… not really.”

Merlin, her voice was like a siren song. Your shoulders went limp and the gun lowered. James gave a knowing smirk and Sirius looked offended at your compliance with Lily’s questioning. How does she do that?

“Shouldn't you be heading back? Someone must be looking for you.” She fretted and you tried to steady your breath. Remus looked between you two and slowly settled against the base of a tree with a wince.

“N-not yet, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” You mumbled before you looked at James. He was smirking at you. He was smirking at you like your friend would in elementary before declaring he knew who your crush was.

You snapped out of your trance and quickly took a few steps back. “Actually-”

Your remark was interrupted by a loud bout of thunder. You looked to the sky with the rest of the group and you heard a loud cry from inside the tent. You felt your stomach drop. You could care less about the boys, but you couldn't leave a week old child in the middle of a thunderstorm.

You watched as the tend opened again and a sickly, pale boy stepped out. He was taller than you with a bit of a belly, he seemed friendly to a fault, a small smile growing on his sleepy face. Lily walked over to him and picked up Harry with a thank you to Peter.

“We need to get to some serious shelter soon.” James huffed and you looked around at the worry on everyone’s faces. You finally let your morals win over your common sense.

“I have a place.” You mumbled and Lily looked at you, startled.

“Honey, you really shouldn’t offer up-”

“I know, I know. Just..” You looked at Harry and Lily slowly smiled. She looked at the rest of the group and nodded. Peter seemed startled as he just noticed your presence, James seemed surprised just like Sirius. Remus seemed in distress, rubbing his leg as the storm grew closer.

“We would love your help.”

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writingdevil · 28 days ago

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Clinging to the Nest (STP) (PT.1)

(I'd like to dedicate this fic to @flowersandmiel and this post for nudging me to make this little Oppy hurt comfort piece. It's people like you that keep me insane about that little rat and make me love him even more. So I hope you all enjoy!)

(Warning-Injuries (broken bones), violence)

(Part One of Two)

Opportunist loved to be busy, to be working hard at something that would make the flock happy. There were a lot of things Opportunist could do- he could help Smitten gather ingredients for dinner, he could help spot Stubborn while he was working out, and he's even offered to join Hunted while he was doing his patrols around the house.

It made Opportunist feel good to do these things for the others, to give them his service whenever they struggled, so that they could all work in harmony, because they were all valued for their skills and considered useful. Especially Opportunist.

It's definitely not because Opportunist worries about his place in the flock. What would Opportunist have to fear, when there was clearly no need for someone who's skills specialised in backstabbing and lying? He could still be useful!

Like today-Opportunist was being extremely helpful to the flock.

They had decided that they needed more space, because their current garden for farming was becoming too small, so they needed to build a bigger one.

They didn't want to build the garden too far away, but with the woods surrounding almost every corner of their home and their current garden taking up the one patch of empty land , there weren't many options.

So they decided to make room.

There was a cluster of boulders next to their house, and Stubborn had the bright idea to simply just move the boulders aside- by throwing them.

One group, consisting of Hero, Skeptic, Cold and Stubborn, were in charge of the boulders and making sure that Stubborn didn't hurt himself in the throwing process. Well, Hero and Skeptic were in charge of that. Cold just wanted to see what happened.

Unfortunately, Opportunist knew that he would be of no use to that group, but he could do other chores around the house now that others were more preoccupied.

He and a few others decided to get everything ready for when the new patch of land was ready to be used for gardening-particularly Smitten.

"Oh, I cannot wait!" Smitten exclaimed happily, gazing ahead at how Stubborn picked up a boulder with a grunt, and then tossed it far into the distance.

"What do you think we should plant when the garden is ready?" Smitten asked them, but before someone could even open their mouths, he was already off babbling again.

"Should we make a pumpkin patch?" Smitten asked excitedly, giving Cheated an intense look while holding a bag of seeds to his chest.

Cheated just smiled nervously at Smitten's expression and nodded without saying a word, and that was enough for Smitten, who started to pace around outside their house, going on and on about the new garden.

"I've always wanted to try and grow watermelons, and now we'll finally have the space!"

Contrarian, who had been resting on the grass, chuckled at Smitten's enthusiasm. "You're really that excited about mud and leaves?"

Smitten gasped dramatically as he spun around to face Contrarian. "Of course I am! Now we can grow and nurture even more beautiful creations! Does the thought of bringing something to life with your bare hands not spur you with love and excitement?"

Contrarian shrugged, and Opportunist winced at how Smitten deflated at that response.

Contrarian then shot to his feet, stretching his arms out with a loud and satisfied whine. His eyes were immediately drawn to the bag in Smitten's hands, and he asked, "What ones are in there?"

"These?" Smitten said, looking down at the bag, and then handing it to Contrarian which Opportunist knew was a terrible idea.

"These are just carrot seeds, my dear," Smitten answered as Contrarian took the bag.

But the second Contrarian heard that, he made a loud gagging sound, sticking his tongue out and all. "Ugh! I hate carrots!"

"Are you a fledgling?" Cheated snapped at him with a scowl. "Are you that childish that you won't even eat vegetables?"

Contrarian started to toss the bag between his hands, and Opportunist saw the way Smitten looked at it in worry.

"Not all vegetables. I like tomatoes-they're good for throwing."

"Tomatoes are actually fruit, you know" Smitten piped up, but deflated once he realised that neither one of them were listening to him.

"About that- stop throwing shit at people! You'll hurt someone!" Cheated snapped, and Contrarian rolled his eyes, his tossing getting longer in length.

"It's not like I'm throwing rocks at anyone," Contrarian argued, "and besides, it's funny to see people's reactions- like this!"

Then Contrarian grinned cheekily as he pulled his arm back, and then threw the bag of carrots straight up into the air, coincidentally lining up exactly for when Stubborn grunted as he threw another boulder.

Contrarian giggled, until he realised that the bag was actually going way farther than he thought, and then his laughter died completely.

Cheated immediately launched into a rage, lashing at Contrarian and defending Smitten at the same time, but neither moved to actually retrieve the bag.

Opportunist, on the other hand, took one look at Smitten's downcast eyes, and sighed.

"Don't worry! I'll get the bag back," Opportunist reassured them all with a confident grin, spreading his wings wide and hitting Cheated in the face.

Smitten's face perked up instantly as Opportunist's feet began to leave the ground. "You would do that for me, friend?"

"Of course," Opportunist said, shooting Smitten his most caring smile that he could muster. "Don't you worry a pretty little feather on your pretty little head. I'll get your precious seeds back in no time."

With that, Opportunist swiftly launched himself into the air.

Opportunist took a moment to just enjoy the feeling of the wind against his feathers, before he quickly got to work, flying in the direction that Contrarian threw the bag.

It was relatively easy to find the bag-it being a spot of dark brown amongst all the rich green. He swooped low, snatching the bag up and then gliding back up and around to the others.

He held the bag up victoriously, soaking in the cheers that Smitten let out for him. He took a moment to just stay like that, letting the feeling of pride and warmth flow through him.

Opportunist was needed here, which meant that he was wanted here.

He decided to show off, doing a few impressive spins in the air which both Smitten and Contrarian cheered at- and that Cheated was rolling his eyes at, most likely.

Opportunist chuckled to himself, thinking of what other flying tricks he knew- when Smitten's cheers suddenly turned into terrified screaming, waving at him in a panic, and even Cheated and Contrarian started to yell for him.

Opportunist wasn't sure what was going on, but he wasn't left in confusion for long, as he turned around just in time when he heard something approach him.

He twisted around, and was immediately met with a boulder slamming into him, pain exploding all over his body as he rapidly approached the ground.

The last thing Opportunist heard was a blood-curdling, "OPPY!" before everything soon went dark.

Opportunist groaned, waking up to aching pain and a spinning head. He was laying on something soft, but it was hard to feel comfortable with how stiff his body felt, like his limbs had been tangled into an uncomfortable knot and they hadn't moved in hours.

It took a few minutes- or it felt like a few minutes- but Opportunist eventually managed to open his heavy eyelids, blinking furiously as the room blurred around him, and all he could make out was a dark figure in the room with him.

He groaned again, letting his head fall back into something soft- pillows, he assumed. He then felt a hand grip his, and Opportunist was filled with relief at the fact that he wasn't alone right now, that someone was here by his side.

Slowly but surely, Opportunist came back to reality, taking deep, steady breaths in, squeezing the hand to ground himself to this moment.

Finally, Opportunist felt awake enough to attempt opening his eyes again, and when he lifted his head, the room didn't immediately spin wildly for him.

He was in his bedroom, but it looked like a tornado had gone through it, drawers flung open and blankets either half hanging out or scattered at the bottom of his bed.

Opportunist would normally be horrified at the fact that someone had gone through his room, if it weren't for Hero sitting on the edge of the bed in front of him.

As soon as their eyes met, Hero released a shaky breath of relief, giving him such a soft look that Opportunist wasn't used to.

He gripped Opportunist's hand tight, as if he'd disappear if he let go, and even put his other hand on top for good measure.

"Thank goodness you're awake, Oppy," Hero said, small remnants of fear in his voice. He scooted closer to Opportunist, smiling down at him in a way that made Opportunist's chest feel warm. "I was so afraid we'd lost you. You've been out for days."

"Days?" Opportunist whispered, voice hoarse and leaving his throat with a sting. Hero saw this, and had a glass of water in front of him in the blink of an eye.

Opportunist tried to lift his right arm to accept the glass- but he couldn't.

Opportunist made a noise of confusion, trying to sit up and move his body, but that was when his body reminded him of the pain he was in, and he tried his best not to let the pain show on his face, but he obviously wasn't in the best shape right now to achieve that.

Hero quickly set the glass down, cooing at him softly as he helped Opportunist sit up. "Hey, hey, take it easy, mate. You're okay, you're gonna be okay."

Opportunist shouldn't have relaxed at those words. He should've tried to show Hero that he was completely fine and not freaking out, but his brain was still too muddled to do anything but let Hero sit him up on his bed.

His body ached with the movement, but he tried to keep in any noises of discomfort from Hero, but he was probably failing in that regard, judging by the way Hero whispered reassurances to him and handled him so delicately.

Once he was sitting him up properly, Opportunist sighed, already feeling exhausted just from that, and he finally took that moment to look down at himself.

He blinked, but the wrappings around his left foot didn't go away.

It was at that moment that Opportunist realised that he couldn't really feel much from his left foot, other than a faint ache and a tingling sensation. He tried wiggling his toes, but the wrappings were so tight that it didn't leave much room for movement.

He then looked down at himself, noticing some bandages wrapped around his sides, but the main thing that Opportunist was concerned about was the handmade sling around his right arm, and that same soreness as in his foot.

He felt his breathing begin to pick up, but before he could spiral and panic, Hero leaned forward and rubbed his back, and Opportunist hated how much that worked.

"I know it looks bad, but you're gonna be just fine. I promise you."

"What happened?" Opportunist whispered, not able to take his eyes off his broken body.

Hero sighed in irritation, but his hold on Opportunist remained soft and firm. "You got hit with one of the boulders."

"What?" Opportunist blurted out, his body trying to lean forward in shock, but Hero's hands kept him in place.

Hero shook his head in annoyance as he said, "It was this dumb bet that Stubborn made with Cold. Cold wanted to see how far Stubborn could throw the boulders, but when that wasn't entertaining him anymore, Stubborn thought it meant Cold wasn't impressed with his strength or something. So he decided to do a little trick for us. He bet that he could throw one of the boulders straight over our house."

Hero sighed. "He didn't even notice you were in the air when he threw it."

Opportunist got hit with a boulder? Well, it definitely felt like it, but still- it was hard to process.

He tried to smile, to let Hero know that everything was okay and that he was absolutely not freaking out- but then he felt a small sting on his cheek, and Hero gave him a small smile, cupping said cheek with his hand, making Opportunist freeze.

He didn't know why he froze. It was just Hero being concerned for him. Hero was like that with everybody, it shouldn't have made Opportunist crave his warmth and touch, especially when he hasn't done anything to deserve it right now.

"Both your arm and foot are broken, and you've got a few cuts here and there as well, but Paranoid and Hunted say that you'll be better in a few weeks, maybe a month or two."

"A month or two?" Opportunist blurted out in shock, and Hero winced in sympathy and nodded.

Okay-okay-this was fine. This was completely manageable. Opportunist's gone through worse. He can handle some broken bones- that won't stop Opportunist from doing his part and proving his worth to to the flock. If anything, living with these injuries will make him seem even more useful to the others.

He chuckled, if only to get rid of the nerves in his chest, and he tried to distract himself by reaching for the glass of water, but his body immediately screamed in protest at the tiny movement.

Hero was instantly up and moving as Opportunist accidentally let a whimper out, reaching over to grab the glass himself, but instead of just handing it to Opportunist, Hero lifted the glass up to his lips with a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Oppy- we'll take care of you. You won't have to do anything while you're recovering, so just relax, yeah?"

Hero was smiling as he helped him take a drink of water-but the only thing that Opportunist was feeling in that moment was horror.

Opportunist couldn't do anything for himself now. He couldn't work or help out or do anything to show that he was useful to the flock now.

If Opportunist couldn't prove that he was worth keeping, then what was the point of him being here?

An hour or two later, Opportunist was greeted with Paranoid and Hunted coming into his room, worry evident in both of their eyes.

He tried to flash them a confident smile, ignoring how that only made the cut on his cheek hurt more. "Hello, gentlemen!" he greeted cheerfully, but they both clearly had a mission on their minds, giving Opportunist nothing more than a nod and a mumble of a hello in return.

Opportunist had a fairly good idea of what they were here to do. He knew it would be better to just play along.

"How has your day been?" he asked them, watching as Hunted lingered near the end of the bed, while Paranoid walked up to him.

He met Paranoid's gaze, who just gave him the most scathing look he's ever seen. His eyes scanned up and down Opportunist's body with a clinical edge, and Opportunist fought the urge to squirm on the spot.

Paranoid then sat near him on the bed, his attention on the various cuts around his body. "My day," Paranoid slowly said, an underlying tone of anxious frustration to be heard, "started with watching one of my flockmates almost get crushed by a rock."

Paranoid shot him a glare, before taking out a roll of bandages, and Opportunist struggled to keep the smile on his face.

"I need to change the bandages for your cuts," Paranoid explained, and Opportunist just gave him a nod as if he had any say in the matter.

He distracted himself by looking over at Hunted, who's attention was on Opportunist's foot, while holding a pillow to his chest.

Opportunist quickly connected the dots and flashed Hunted a smile that he hoped reassured the other, trying to lift his injured foot up. "Let me help you there-"

But he suddenly hissed in pain as his foot throbbed in protest, and Paranoid sat up with a scowl, putting his hands firmly on his shoulders to stop him from moving too much.

"Stop moving, you idiot!" Paranoid hissed at him, and he felt a gentle hand around his ankle, softly rubbing it up and down, and Opportunist hated that it worked.

While Opportunist waited for the pain to die down, Hunted was quick to carefully rest his foot on the pillow, while Paranoid kept one hand on his shoulder and the other to start unwrapping the bandages.

He felt Hunted's alert eyes on him, and he tried to laugh all of their worries off, trying to ignore any lingering pain.

"I'll be fine, you guys! You don't have to worry so much." He felt Paranoid's hand squeeze his shoulder in annoyance at his wording, but he just continued, "You saw what happened. I got hit by a boulder and I'm still basically in one piece, only some minor injuries to be had. If you ask me, I'd say that just means I'm that sturdy. I could probably endure anything that the flock faces-"

"You were lucky."

Opportunist froze, eyes staring at Hunted in confusion. "W-What?"

"You were lucky, not sturdy," Hunted corrected, keeping a protective hand atop his foot. "If you hadn't turned around when you did, you might not be here right now. Your spine would have snapped in half most likely-not to mention that it would've destroyed your wings beyond repair."

Opportunist suddenly looked down at his wings, trying and failing to imagine a world where he didn't have his wings to flaunt, or to make him look good in front of others. Could that have actually happened to him?

He felt a reassuring pat on his foot, and when he looked up again, Hunted gave him another pat with a nod. "But don't worry," he said. "We won't take that luck for granted."

Paranoid spoke up then, almost finished changing his wrappings, "We're gonna make sure that you heal all in one piece," he promised, and Opportunist believed that that was the nicest thing Paranoid has ever said to him.

But then he continued with, "For once, you don't have to do anything to get us to help you. You just get to sit back and let us do all the work."

That- didn't sit right with Opportunist. The longer he did nothing, the sooner everyone would realise that they didn't need him at all.

Surely they'd understand that, in time? Opportunist couldn't afford to let himself relax, not when his position in the flock was on the line. What if the others started thinking that Opportunist isn't actually that important, or that they don't want a repeat of this incident, or that Opportunist was weak for letting this happen to him?

So many possibilities for how this could go, and Opportunist couldn't even attempt to play the game in his favour. He had to just let his worries fester in his head while Hunted and Paranoid tended to him like a helpless fledgling.

One of the things that Opportunist hadn't been prepared for while being bedridden, was how incredibly bored he would be.

Over the past few days, Opportunist has done nothing but sit and stare at the door, waiting for someone to walk in and talk to.

Hero checked in on him every morning, but Opportunist tried to keep their chats short because Hero kept giving him soft and sympathetic looks, offering to help him into more comfortable positions with a gentle touch that made Opportunist tense up.

He didn't like how nice Hero was being, especially when all Opportunist was doing was taking up Hero's day.

Hunted and Paranoid saw him everyday as well, and Opportunist always tried to convince them that his pain wasn't that bad today and he can walk around, or that his healing was going great and that he'd probably be recovered by the end of the week.

They never bought it.

Opportunist couldn't exactly hide a broken bone, and every time that his pain got bad enough that he needed to call for Hunted to bring him a salve, he felt it was just another betrayal of his body.

He hasn't seen Stubborn yet.

Right now, he was flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling and trying to come up with excuses to leave his bedroom. It wasn't going well.

"You've certainly looked better."

Opportunist lifted his head, seeing Cold and Contrarian standing at the foot of his bed, both giving him a curious look.

This was officially his lowest point.

"How's it going there, patient?" Contrarian cheerfully asked, strolling up to him and giving his bandaged foot a interested glance.

"I never thought I'd see the day that you had even a feather out of place," Cold commented, trailing a finger from Opportunist's foot all the way up to his knee. "You've always liked to keep a perfect appearance."

Opportunist shivered at the touch, hoping it didn't show.

"Is there anything I can help you boys with?" Opportunist asked, hearing the sleepiness in his voice, but praying the other two didn't.

Contrarian shook his head, deflating any hope that Opportunist had left. "Nah, we just wanted to see how you were holding up."

"I'm fine," he lied, switching his attention from Contrarian to Cold, who was just staring at his injuries in intrigue.

Opportunist tried to lift his head up enough and put on a steady enough smile as he asked, "Are you here to thank me?"

Cold stopped, blinked, and then looked up at him.

Opportunist smiled wider. "I was told you wanted Stubborn to entertain you. Surely this was the most amusing outcome for you." Maybe if Opportunist just made himself favourable, or at the very least, amusing to these two, then maybe they'll help him get out of the room.

Was it obvious that Opportunist was running out of options?

Cold held his stare for a few seconds, before Contrarian broke the tension by bursting out laughing.

"Oppy!" Contrarian exclaimed in joyous shock. "I didn't know you made jokes like that!"

"I'm a bird of many talents," Opportunist replied, and Contrarian snorted with a shake of his head.

His attention was brought back to Cold when he hummed in thought, and Opportunist watched as Cold studied him, getting closer and closer to his side.

Cold walked until his shadow was practically covering Opportunist completely, and then all he said was, "I would hate to be stuck in this stuffy room all day."

That- sounded like Cold was sympathising with Opportunist. But why? Why weren't they laughing at his pathetic state? Why weren't they giving him something that he could use?

"Yeah," Contrarian agreed with a grimace, glancing around the room. "I can hardly stay still for even two minutes. I dunno how you can deal with this, Oppy."

Quickly, Opportunist shook off the confusion and frustration, giving Contrarian a wink and saying, "Well, you know me- I have impeccable patience, and I have a million ideas for the flock in my head. I'm constantly thinking about how to improve our lives."

Yeah, sure, he was laying it on thick, but how else was he going to convince them that he was trying to be useful even in this state?

Contrarian shrugged as a response, and Cold just stared at him, so maybe his efforts were wasted on these two.

Cold looked him up and down, gaze lingering on the many cuts on his body, making Opportunist squirm and want to just turn invisible at this moment, and said, "The last thing I would be thinking about in your state, would be other people's lives."

Opportunist gulped, trying not to let his nerves and fear show in that moment, at the fact that not only did Cold and Contrarian not care about his problem, but that they were also seeing through his words.

Maybe Opportunist was too emotionally and physically tired to notice how bad his persuasion had gotten, but it was clear that these two would be of no use to him.

He waited for them to grow bored and leave, but instead, Contrarian smiled down at him and said, "Well, it's your lucky day, dear patient, because we've decided to keep you company!"

"What?" Opportunist blurted out, unable to hide his surprise. Cold and Contrarian wanted to hang out with him?

"Yeah," Contrarian said with a grin, and then casually sat on Opportunist's left, making himself comfortable as he leaned back against the bedrest. While Opportunist was struggling to sit up properly, Cold silently came up to sit on his right, effectively trapping him between them, with no way to sit up and face them normally. Great.

Contrarian continued, "We figured that you'd be going crazy in here all on your own-"

"I am perfectly fine-"

"-and we decided to hang out here with you."

Opportunist waved his good hand in the air. "Oh, you boys really don't have to do that. I'm managing quite well on my-ow!"

Opportunist glared up at Cold, who had started to poke at his broken arm, and he attempted to lean his body away from Cold's curious fingers, but then that only pushed him further into Contrarian's side, and that instantly had him flushing in mortification.

"Could you please stop doing that?" Opportunist asked sternly, and Cold obliged, but his finger still hovered in the air menacingly.

Opportunist sighed deeply. "Look, I appreciate the concern, boys, but-"

"What was it like when your bones snapped in half?" Cold suddenly asked, and Opportunist was left dumbfounded for a second, before he collected his thoughts and shrugged. "I don't remember much of the moment. It was like I blinked and then there was darkness."

Cold slumped back against the bed. "That's disappointing."

"Yeah," Contrarian agreed, folding his arms behind his head. "I bet it was like, the second you touched the rock, because Hero said birds have hollow bones, so it must've been easy to break."

"Do you think you would've lost consciousness?" Cold asked, and Opportunist just stared at the ceiling, wishing he could contribute something meaningful to the conversation, but coming up with nothing.

"I don't think I would've," Contrarian replied, "I would've wanted to see all the action, from start to finish!" Then Contrarian lightly nudged Opportunist as he added, "I would bet an arm and a leg on it!"

Then Opportunist laughed.

No, what's worse-he snorted.

He froze as soon as the sound left his mouth, and then there was silence in the room, and Opportunist could feel their shocked eyes on him.

He blamed his boredom. He blamed the exhaustion and pain his body was in. He blamed anything and everything because how could he have slipped up like that?

Opportunist waited for the moment that they started to mock him-but to his surprise, Contrarian just chuckled, ruffled the top of his head, and kept talking.

Opportunist didn't trust himself to speak from that moment on, so he just kept quiet, letting Cold and Contrarian talk amongst themselves, appalled at himself for doing something so stupid and unheard of from him?

But as the minutes passed, Opportunist's mind was struggling to continue berating him, as he was slowly being lulled to sleep, the warmth of the other two pressed against him, and the gentle sound of their voices, all helped to make Opportunist fall asleep.

He knew it was dangerous to fall asleep so vulnerable around others, but the other two just made everything feel so light and carefree, and Opportunist's mind was starting to feel calm for once.

He fell asleep between Cold and Contrarian, and it was a much more peaceful sleep than he's had in a long time.

(To be continued)

#slay the princess #stories #my writing #stp opportunist #stp #stp voices #stp hero #stp hunted #stp cheated #stp cold #stp contrarian #stp paranoid #stp smitten #Wow Devil why do you keep slamming Oppy into rocks? It's because I couldn't come up with another way to break that rat's bones

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nsharks · 5 months ago

Note

pls give us some blurb😔 I'm so sad today😔😔😔

Here is my revised preview for the next part!

"Hold him close to your chest, or he'll jump out of your arms. Here—like this."

Blue gently cradles the rabbit against her chest, then carefully tucks him into Ari's arms, guiding his hands to scoop under Grim's fluffy rear. She can't help but find it amusing that the boy who had taken her riding on such a large animal yesterday looks so wary holding a harmless bunny. A giggle bubbles up, and she bites her lip to keep it in.

"He's so... squirmy."

Blue keeps her hand on Grim, reassuring both the rabbit and him. "He's just ready for his breakfast. Want to help me feed him?"

"Sure."

Blue leads Ari to the hutch where the other rabbits are. She explains her morning routine, showing him how to supply the rabbits with enough grass, leaves, and berries to keep them healthy and plump. Not long ago, she was explaining this to Twix—the very person she forgot to say good morning to in a rush to find Ari outside. This time around, she wonders if Ari is genuinely interested or just being polite. She finds herself stealing glances at his face, studying his expressions perhaps longer than she should. His almond-shaped eyes and dark pink lips catch her attention.

He's cute.

It's not the first time the thought has crossed her mind since these strangers appeared. Cute like the men in her magazines, though he's not quite a man. Not in the way Ghost is. But he's taller than her by a head and two years older, evident in the notch on his throat and the deeper timbre of his voice.

But it doesn't matter. They are only here for a few days.

Blue closes the hutch and rocks on the soles of her boots. "Well, that was probably boring, huh? We could, um, go hunting if you want. Or to the pond. It's fun to swim there. Or maybe—" She pauses, mentally sifting through the limited activities available, frustration creeping in as none of them seem particularly impressive.

"This wasn't boring," Ari says with a chuckle. "Now I know rabbits are just as friendly as horses."

"They are... except when Grim gets mad. Then he can be a bit of a jerk. Like if you accidentally step on his tail."

"I'd be pretty pissed if someone stepped on my tail, too."

"You don't have a tail."

"It's just a joke."

"Oh..." she fidgets with a strand of hair. "Right."

"The pond sounds good. It is fucking hot." Ari blows out a breath and swipes at the back of his neck.

"I know. So hot. Hot as balls."

Ari raises an amused brow. "Yeah, uh, hot as balls. Are you allowed to go by yourself, or do we need to ask your dad?"

"I get to do what I want," she lies easily with a shrug. "Buuuuut, we can ask Twix to go with us."

As long as Twix is with her, she suspects she can get away with not asking Ghost, who luckily is hunting with his old captain. It's not that he seems distrusting with these people as he did those first few months with Twix. Rather—she isn't thrilled about him knowing every little thing she does. She's never had anything just to herself.

Twix is sitting on the porch, looking rather deep in thought as she skins a squirrel. Her hair is long, curtaining her face. When Blue asks if she wants to go to the pond, she agrees easily, claiming she has been meaning to cut her hair anyway with the encroaching warmth of summer. Nereida joins, too.

The pond water is cool to the touch. Ari rips his shirt off and jumps in without even a second to waste. Blue usually swims in her underwear and shirt, but she hesitates with her thumb in the belt loops of her jeans. She didn't consider that he would see her in her underwear.

A soft touch to her shoulder. It's Twix. "Want me to grab you shorts real quick?"

"Um... yes. Yes please."

She changes into the shorts behind a tree. There is an odd pit in her stomach when she gets in the water. She doesn't quite know what it is, but it's similar to how she feels when she's scared sometimes. Ghost always tells her fear is a useless thing. It doesn't keep you alive. So she ignores it, shoves it down deep, and swims over to Ari with a purposeful splash that even wets Twix, who sits at the edge sharpening her knife.

"Damn. That's gonna cost you."

A splash is given in return, and then they are playing. High noon bounces shimmering light off the water as she tries to keep up with him, but at one point he sneaks up on her and she ends up with a mouthful. Nereida spends her time picking at some bunches of rosemary and Twix cuts her hair. But Blue doesn't notice any of that too much. When the water stills and they pause to catch their breath, Ari climbs onto a rock and shakes out his wet curls. She is quick to find a perch beside him. Absentmindedly, she pinches the bottom of her wet shirt to keep it from sticking to her chest.

"It's nice to have some place to swim so close by. Back at our old camp, there was lake but it was a few miles away, so my mom rarely let me go."

"I'm sorry, you know. About your mom. Mine is dead, too."

He half-smiles. "Thanks. I don't think about it too much anymore. My uncle and I have always been close so it helped to have him there." He nudges her shoulder. "You're damn lucky to have such a cool dad, huh?"

"Ghost?"

"Yeah, that guy is a beast. My uncle says they called him Ghost because no one could ever see him coming before suddenly, they were dead."

"Oh, yeah, he is super cool," she quickly agrees. "He has taught me a lot."

"Shit, really?"

Nibbling the inside of her cheek, she nods. "I know... I know how to throw knives pretty well."

"I gotta see that." His eyes flash behind her. "So what's up with his girlfriend?"

"Huh?" A divot forms between her brows before she follows his gaze, landing on Twix, whose hair is now just past her shoulders. She is wetting it, running her fingers through the newly cut strands. "Oh—Twix. That is not his girlfriend. She is my friend."

"You mean they don't sleep together?"

"Like in the same bed?"

"That's usually where people fuck, yeah."

He seems ready to laugh. She frowns, head tilting as confusion hums in her chest. "You mean like sex?"

He nods. "You know what that is, right?"

She quickly recovers. "Yeah, of course. Ghost told me all about it."

"You know they're probably doing it, right?"

"Ghost and Twix? No—no," she forces a laugh. "I mean, sometimes I catch him staring at her all weird. But I don't think—I mean, they hardly like each other and she is my friend, really, not his. He used to make me stay away from her, even. But I mean, they do spend a lot of time together now. It's usually to practice fighting and defense. Not to have...sex."

"Don't they share a room?"

"Just right now, because you guys are here."

Ari chuckles. "You really think they aren't doing it in there? She's really pretty. There's no way they aren't."

Blue looks back at Twix. She is pretty. And she has actual boobs. Blue's fingers curl into the soaked fabric of her top.

Her eyes flick back to him. "She would've told me if they were."

#ask #simon ghost riley #zombie apocolypse au #simon ghost riley x reader

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usomads · 5 months ago

Text

Sanctuary // Tama Tonga x Reader

Author’s Note -> I’m not sure if I like this or not but I’ve had so many Tama requests that I have to feed y’all rq 😂 it’s short but hopefully y’all enjoy! maybe this gets a part two?

Plot -> The Wyatt Sicks have made you their newest target, and you need some protection. Desperate, you approach the Right Hand Man of the New Bloodline. But protection comes with a price…

Pairings -> Tama Tonga x Fem!Reader

Warnings -> Cursing, Hickies, Unprotected P in V, Creampie, Suggested Threesome, Not Proofread, MDNI

Word Count -> 1.7k

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…” You’re so screwed. Beyond screwed, actually. You were starting to regret turning on your tag partner mid-match as the lights went out and fireflies illuminated the arena, the eerie notes of the piano playing as you were now surrounded by these freaks they call the Wyatt Sicks. Abby the Witch, otherwise known as Nikki Cross, crawled toward you at a painstakingly slow pace while the others stood on the ring apron– staring a hole through you. You thought being on Smackdown you were safe from their vigilantism, but boy, were you wrong. You were now prey, being hunted by a group with no real compass– nothing to lose. And the thought of becoming a victim just like Chad Gable, like The Miz, like The Final Testament, like so many others who had to atone for their sins before the Wyatt’s had you motionless; a deer in the headlights. The sounds of the arena roaring for your demise filled your eardrums and had your heartbeat pounding to the rhythm of the piano keys that played over the speakers. You had to get out of there, and fast. The entire group was going through the ropes attempting to circle you in the ring but before they could, you found a hole in their formation and snuck through it, allowing you to escape without a scratch. There was no time to gloat over your elusiveness, nor did you want to stall out there where they could still reach you, so you ran as fast as your legs could carry you to the backstage area. You continued looking behind you, hoping to God that they weren’t following you as you were now sprinting, looking for somewhere– anywhere, to hide.

You came across the door to the Bloodline’s locker room, halting as you approached it. You remembered they had a match prior to yours, realistically they should be out of the arena and on their way to their plane by now. Perfect. You quickly pushed the door open and slammed it shut, leaning your head against it and letting out deep breaths to slow your heart rate.

“Well, look who it is… nice of you to join us, Y/N.” Your eyes snap open as Solo speaks, fear washed over your face. Shit.

“I– I’m so sorry, I d–didn’t know you were still here… I was just–”

“Oh we saw, sweetheart. Pretty stupid of you to go around betraying your partner, knowing those freaks are lurking around.” Solo approaches you, grabbing your chin and turning your head to look at all sides of your face. You swallow hard, your throat feeling dry as nerves overtook you. “It’s funny you stumbled in here, Tama over there was just telling me about you. You were right,” he looks behind him to his Right Hand Man, “she’s bad as hell.” You make eye contact with Tama, who has been looking you up and down since you burst into the room, his eyes dark and a smirk painted on his lips– nodding at his Tribal Chief.

“I– I can find somewhere else to go, I just–”

“Leaving so soon? But you just got here. And besides,” he pauses, “I think you need us. You leave here and who knows, you might get yourself snatched up. Sounds to me like you need some protection… am I right about that?” You nod slowly as he removes his grip on your chin, walking backwards towards the couch in the middle of the room. “Now, usually I’m not one to deal in negotiations, but I have some things that need taken care of… and I think you could be of service to us. Have a seat, Y/N. Let’s chat.”

Anxiously, you walk yourself over to the couch where Solo sits, glancing cautiously at Tama before sitting down across from him. You swallow the lump in your throat, fidgeting with your hands as you wait for him to speak.

“So, you have a Wyatt Sicks problem, huh? And what would you like us to do about that?” You look at him through your lashes, listening intently as he continues. “Clearly you ain’t got nobody in your corner, and if you try to go after ‘em yourself… I imagine you won’t get very far alone. So what do you want us to do, take ‘em out? Send them packing back to Raw? Because if that’s the case we can definitely do that…”

“Right… yeah. I would apprecia–”

“Let me finish,” you closed your mouth quickly, not wanting to test the Tribal Chief’s patience. “If we help you, you’re gonna have to give us something in return… now I don’t necessarily need anything from you, but Tama here,” he gestures to his Right Hand Man, who is still eyeing you like a hawk scoping its prey, “might have something in mind.”

“Oh, I have plenty of ideas…” A shiver traveled down your spine as he sits next to you, his hand traveling to your knee– his thumb rubbing the skin slowly. Your eyes travel from his hand and up his arm, moving up his body until you’re looking into his eyes. You chew on the inside of your lip, weighing your decision as his hand rides up your thigh, inching higher.

“I think you understand what he’s getting at, don’t you?” Your head snaps back to Solo as you nod slowly. You know what Tama wants, you’d be lying to yourself if you said you didn’t. You noticed the way he stared at you the moment you entered their locker room– noticed the adjustment of his pants he tried to conceal when your body was pressed against the wooden door, and especially noticed his hand threatening to reach your core.

“So,” you finally found the words to speak, your throat feeling tight as you forced them out, “if I do this… you’ll help me?”

“You have my word, Y/N. But,” he pushed off the couch, rising to his feet. “As much as I’d love to stick around and enjoy the show, I’ve gotta make sure I hold up my end of our little deal. And Tama,” he focuses his attention on the man next to you, “don’t play too rough, we might need her… services again soon.” He winked at you, extending his hand for you to take, shaking your hand as a means to confirm the deal before walking out of the locker room and shutting the door– locking it behind him. Your head is then turned by Tama, who looks deeply into your eyes.

“If you don’t want this you can tell me now, I’ll just–”

“No, no, it’s okay,” you smile softly at the man in front of you, “we made a deal, right?”

“Well yeah, but this wasn’t really what I had in mind when I thought about getting you alone…”

“Mmm, so you’ve thought about this before?” A wave of embarrassment washes over Tama’s face, softening as your hand finds his cheek. “Then show me.” His eyes darken at your words, nearly pouncing on you as he pushes you down on the couch and climbs on top of you. His lips crash into yours roughly, hands wandering your body as a moan spills from your lips. The two of you frantically strip yourselves of your clothing, nearly ripping it off of each other as your tongues battle for domination. His hips grind into yours, the growing wetness between your thighs only getting stronger as your core aches to be touched. Whines fall from your lips as his connect with your neck, finding the sensitive skin under your ear and marking you with purplish bruises.

“Fuck, Y/N, I can’t wait any longer. Come here.” He pulls you off the couch and onto his lap, your thighs straddling his as his tip pokes at your entrance. His hands move to your hips, crashing them down onto his cock as he fully enters you. A loud moan spews from your throat, as he wastes no time to guide your hips. His cock stretches you completely, feeling as he drives deep inside you with the combined movement of your hips and his matching each other's thrusts. You were fully bouncing on him, the sounds of your cries echoing the locker room as your hips connected. It was frantic, desperate, needy of release as your skin slapped together. He pulled you into his chest, holding you as his hips thrusted into you from underneath. Your orgasm approached faster than you could realize it, his cock teasing your g-spot as he pounded you mercilessly. You knew he was close too, his groans in your ear vibrating through your body and to your core, the slick from your pussy creating wet sounds with each snap of his hips.

“Fuckkk, your pussy’s so wet f’me. You were made for me. Shit, Y/N, you want me to fill you up, don’t you?” You moaned in response, that being the only form of words you could muster as he drove you closer to release.

“I–”

“Mmm, go ‘head and cum f’me. I gotchu, baby girl.” Your orgasm rips through you at his words, your head nestling into his neck as you cry his name and release on his cock. He follows suit, a low groan reverberating through your ears as his cum paints the inside of your walls. His hips slow their rhythm as he helps you ride out your orgasm before pulling out of you, a whimper coming from your mouth.

“Oh, baby, you think that was it? We’re just getting started,” his voice oozes with lust as he flips you onto your hands and knees, continuing right where he left off. As he does the door unlocks and in comes Solo, a shit-eating smirk painted across his face.

“They’ve been handled,” he walks over to the two of you, undoing his belt as he reaches the couch. “Now it’s your turn.”

#wwe #wwe fanfiction #wwe fic #wwe imagine #tama tonga x reader #tama tonga fanfiction #tama tonga imagine #tama tonga smut #tama tonga #tama tonga x oc #the bloodline #the bloodline wwe #jey uso #jey uso smut #roman reigns #jey uso fanfiction #jey uso fic #jey uso imagine #roman reigns smut

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woso-fan13 · 8 months ago

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Whumptober 2024: 14 (Barca)

No. 14: LEFT FOR DEAD

Hunting Gear | Blackmail | “Because I want you to know what it feels like to be haunted”

Frido and Ingrid share a look, communicating across the gym. They’ve been watching as you work yourself way past your limits, and they’ve been trying to hold themselves back from saying something.

You started playing with Frido on the national team when you were 15, and the two of you clicked instantly. As time went on, she introduced you to Ingrid. The women adored you, and you them. They were overbearing and overprotective, but you wouldn’t change it for the world. The two women became your family, and they were a big part of why you joined Barca.

Ingrid and Frido knew this. They knew that you probably would have preferred to stay closer to home, to stay at teams that weren’t as good as Barca but were near family. Instead, you took the leap knowing that the two women would catch you.

So, as they watched you work yourself to an unhealthy place, they couldn’t help but feel like it was their fault. There was a clear understanding as they locked eyes- they got you into this situation and they would be the ones to help you out.

“Skatt,” Ingrid breaks the silence, interrupting your workout, “come sit with me for just a second.”

You want to protest, but you know that Ingrid hasn’t phrased it as a question on purpose. You would end up sitting with her, it was easier to not argue.

As you got up, Frido stood and grabbed a water bottle before taking long strides across the room. She nudged you from where you had sat, scooting you so you were sitting in between them before passing you the water.

“Älskling,” Frido pauses to ensure she has your attention, “Ingrid and I love you very much, and we care about you. You know this, yeah?”

You nod your head, staring at your feet. You can’t look at them.

“I’m saying this because I love you and I care about you, Y/N, you need to take a break.”

At the use of your full name, you look up at Frido. This was serious. Both Frido and Ingrid used almost exclusively pet names for you, so hearing your name was somewhat shocking.

“Søta,” Ingrid pulls your attention now, “you’re working yourself too hard. You need to rest before you hurt yourself.”

“I’m not going to hurt myself, I promise. I need to keep practicing, though, please don’t make me stop,” you beg.

Both women watch as your eyes well up with tears but you force yourself not to cry.

Frido slings her arm over your shoulder, pulling you against her side. For a brief moment you tense up before you relax fully against her. Your voice wavers as you begin to speak.

“Everyone here is so good. I’m trying so hard to keep up and I feel like I’m always two steps behind them. I can’t take a break, I can’t. I’ve worked too hard for them to cut me.”

Silence, for just a moment.

“They’re not going to end your contract,” Frido reassures you. You lean into her slightly more, relaxing at the way her chest vibrates as she speaks, “you’re a good player, and you’re going to be a great player. But you’re not going to get there by overworking yourself and burning out.”

You want to protest, you really do. But your body is slumped onto Frido as she supports your full weight and Ingrid is gently rubbing your back with her warm hand and it’s the best you’ve felt in weeks.

You shake your head slightly, pulling away from Frido.

“I’m not going to burn myself out, but I need to practice. I need to get better if I’m going to be the best.”

The two women look at each other again, clearly unsure as to what to do next. Eventually, Ingrid stands and holds her hand out to you. You give her an uncertain look.

“We’re going to find Ale,” she insists, “if you’re not going to listen to us, you’ll have to listen to her. And I don’t think your captain will like to hear about your reckless behavior.”

Your eyes widening slightly is the only show of fear. You don’t think Ingrid will actually tell Alexia, but you can’t be sure. You’re in so deep now, though, that you don’t really have a choice.

You reach your hand out, latching onto hers and being pulled to your feet. The two of you look to find Frido standing up and following you. You hear her clicking away on her cell phone and you cast a questioning look.

“I’m just calling Magda,” Frido says offhandedly, “Ingrid’s right, I don’t think either of your captains would like to hear about your reckless behavior.”

You freeze now. The tears that you have worked so hard to push down are spilling onto your cheeks and you’re loath to stop them.

Ingrid releases her hand from where you’re clutching on to hers only to pull you into a tight hug. Your arms wrap around her, fists tightening around the material of her shirt.

Footsteps approach from behind you before a hand lands on your back, nails scratching up and down your spine. You melt into Ingrid as Frido continues, the two women keeping you confined from the world for just a moment.

Eventually, your tears fade and you pull away from Ingrid just enough to tuck yourself under her arm and into her side. Frido takes your other side, wrapping her arm over you. You’re easily a head shorter than both of them and something about it makes you feel so safe.

The women begin directing you towards the locker room, clearly ready to get everyone’s things and head home. You knew you weren’t going back to your apartment- not that you really wanted to. Maybe you’d go with Frido, and settle on her sofa. You could doze as she made you food that tasted like home. Or maybe Ingrid would take you home, tucking you into the corner of her sofa and tasking Mapi with distracting you while she made you hot cocoa.

Or, maybe (you secretly hoped) that the two would take you back to Ingrid’s apartment and cocon you in the middle of them. You could relax surrounded by your family. And, after taking one look at your red eyes, you knew Mapi would be up and busy in the kitchen. She’d give you space with the women that you needed before appearing in the door with a tray of some sort of comfort food that she would deposit before grabbing the remote and turning on some mindless tv for the four of you.

“You know,” Frido’s voice breaks the silence, “if I had known all it took was a little bit of blackmail to make you take a break, I would have done it ages ago.”

Thinking back that night, you would have to disagree with her. It wasn’t the blackmail that made you stop, it was the comfort that you knew was coming.

The comfort that embraced you as you leaned into Frido and Ingrid, watching as Mapi tried to get Bagheera to sit- a trick she claims to have taught him.

This was so much better than upsetting your captains.

#womens soccer #woso imagines #reader insert #woso x reader #woso imagine #woso #woso soccer #women football #woso fanfics #woso community #barcelona femeni #barca women #barca femeni #barca #barca femini x reader #reader

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rahuratna · 2 months ago

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Part 2

Synopsis: Hunting never quite prepared you for this; for falling in love. You're uncertain about the true nature of your relationship with Olivia, now that you've both expressed your passion in the most primal, fundamental way possible. She takes steps to rectify that.

[MH Wilds Olivia x Fem Hunter/Reader]

Content: Romance, angst, humour, falling in love, W/W, courtship, lovers' spat, smut (in previous and next chapter).

Dividers by: @saradika-graphics

(Kudos to @that-basic-simp who's headcanon that Olivia was a wildcard in her youth has now become canon in my mind. It just makes sense!)

A hunter is accustomed to living rough, to take pleasure in the few luxuries they are afforded once their reputation has been established.

You've had your fair share of days under unforgiving sun, skin sand-blasted as you forged through parched desert landscapes, or tugged your boots from the powerful suction of a mire with each draining step.

Yes, you'd known hardship and toil, the way most hunters had.

So why was this so difficult to navigate?

Perched on your seikret as you patrolled the Scarlet Forest for tempered monsters, you were aware of her eyes scanning the trees around you, as well as the exact moments that they landed on you, tracing over your form in the saddle.

She didn't mean anything by it.

Olivia was merely performing her due diligence; remaining vigilant, taking stock of your current environs, maintaining a steady watch for her companions, including you.

You envied her, somewhat.

You weren't able to clear your mind so capably of your intimate encounter with her after the battle against the Ajarakan at Azuz City.

You were the one who found yourself watching after her while you were all at camp, watching the way she polished her weapon and shuddering as you remembered the way she'd handled you.

You were the one who caught a glimpse of her training, the bare lines of her powerful shoulders visible as she swung her hammer with practiced ease. And you couldn't help but remember how those same shoulders had felt beneath the grip of your nails, the way they'd rippled sinuously as she'd pressed you further down under the weight of her body.

You wondered what she made of all of this. You wondered why she could remain so calm, as if the current status quo was the most natural order she'd ever witnessed in nature.

Luxuries. Those that were ill-afforded to a hunter.

That's what you and Olivia had, wasn't it? A luxury of time, stolen sweetness and passion, a fleeting moment between two people who were drawn together by circumstance, nothing more.

Even as you had the thought, you recognised it for the lie it was.

Maybe it had been a culmination of physical passion on her part, but to you ...

No. It wouldn't do to dwell on that. Or the voice that whispered to you, oh so treacherously, that Olivia's steadfast and honorable personality wouldn't allow her to make such a decision without some kind of true feeling. That was not her nature, and you knew it.

On the one hand, you were crippled by the doubt of not knowing, and on the other, held back by your fear of seeming inexperienced, naive or just plain silly to be dwelling on such matters. Surely a hunter had more important things to focus on than matters of the heart (or loins)?

And yet, you sometimes found yourself questioning the unfairness of it all.

Having lived the life you had, how were you supposed to know what was right? How were you supposed to know how to navigate this new and infinitely more dangerous territory?

You could settle for the simple explanation for now; the fact that Olivia was content with things between you as they were, and would perhaps join you in your tent again, in some uncertain time in the future, that she would confine her heated words of tenderness (that you absolutely weren't pining for) to those secret hours before the dawn.

Yes, you supposed you could accept that as her current intention towards you.

If only you knew how very wrong you were.

The first hint you received that all was not playing out as you imagined was the co-ordinated patrols.

The recent upsurge of tempered and frenzied monsters across all habitats meant that the units on the ground were often stretched out, required to travel between different locales every few days in order to see to new issues that cropped up here and there.

You'd teamed up with a variety of other hunters by now, including the laid back but capable Rosso and the earnest Alessa. In recent times, though, it seemed that Olivia was almost always the squad leader assigned to your area.

If it happened a couple of times in a row, you wouldn't have given it another thought. Seven times, though? That was certainly pushing the boundaries of the probable when it came to coincidence.

After the ninth occasion when your SOS flare had seemingly summoned Olivia out of the aether, you decided to question her on it, as delicately as you could.

On the ride back to camp, you fell behind, allowing Alma and your trusty palico to take the lead. Scarlet water splashed against the soles of your boots as your rode beside Olivia in silence for a while, knees brushing companiably against hers. She seemed content to simply be at your side, but this was the best time to ask the question.

"Olivia, are you ... keeping track of my missions?"

She turned to you, the red-tinted water reflecting in faint bars across her cheeks.

"What makes you say that?"

You waved a hand between her and you.

"This is the ninth time you've answered my call. Normally, the others happen to be in the area too and - "

She raised an eyebrow.

"You'd like them to answer your call instead?"

"No! That isn't what I meant."

She regarded your flustered face with her trademark equanimity for a moment before her mouth twitched slightly and she looked away. Your eyes narrowed.

"Olivia."

"What?"

"The truth, please."

She sighed.

"If you must know, then yes. I have been keeping track of your missions, but not because I don't think you're capable."

You watched her, waiting for an explanation. The words that emerged from her next were a little stilted, as if she hadn't fully made sense of them herself.

"I always look out for my unit. Erik, Werner, and Athos, of course. You know that right?"

You nodded, a faint crease appearing between your brows. Olivia did make sure they were taken care of, going so far as to remind Werner when to eat when he was too caught up in his latest project.

"Well, the same applies to you. It may not be official orders, but I consider you to be one of our unit. And all that comes with it."

Her eyes met yours and you felt that small jolt of anticipation, that thread of golden, electric awareness that wove through your whole body every time she fixed her full attention on you like this.

"So, I'm family, then?" you asked, half teasing.

She stared back, perfectly serious.

"Yes. That's what I meant. It's not just about protection. I know you can hold your own, whoever answers the signal. I just want to be the one who responds because that's what I feel is best. That I'm the one fighting beside you."

You were silent for a minute, absorbing this. Olivia's posture had become rather stiff, and her glance raked along your face from the side, as if assessing your response to this.

You couldn't have that.

Alma had disappeared around the bend up ahead.

Leaning sideways in the saddle, you craned your neck and aimed a kiss at her cheek. Your mouth found hers instead, jostling you slightly back as she guided her seikret closer to yours.

Warm, slightly chapped, her lips were gentle, then firm, intoxicating as she always was. She released you, exhaling against your cheeks and you let out a small sound in response, tilting your head as she captured you again.

There was a shift in the light ahead, against your closed eyelids, and you drew away from her, an ache erupting in your chest that you knew no remedy for.

The brief moment of sunset-hued longing in her own gaze, the soft allure of her deepest buried self, caught and held you.

On the way back, you couldn't help the sporadic smile that would break out across your face.

Olivia could keep her composure. You were starting to decipher what lay beneath.

A ball of flame rockets over the top of the rock you're crouched behind, exploding against the cliffface. The enraged Tempered Guardian Rathalos was a foe to be reckoned with indeed, in turns burning the ground and leaving explosions of Wylk-powered energy in its wake.

Dashing out from behind cover, you witness a sight that temporarily stops your heart. Olivia, astride her seikret, charging head on at the raging creature. You could tell from the way she was standing slightly in the saddle, the line of her back and legs taut as a coiled spring, that she was attempting to mount it.

You shout to her, but your warning call is lost amidst the charging of the Rathalos' coming attack.

Whistling for your own seikret, you barely register the lurch of your body through the air as it swings you onto its back. Your eyes are completely focused on her and her damnable daredevil charge, hair flying behind her like a battle pennant as she speeds up.

Some part of your mind is telling you that this isn't out of the ordinary for her. That Olivia is constantly pushing the furthest boundaries of her abilities, always trying new attack combinations and strategies that risked life and limb, all in the name of being the best hunter she can be.

Didn't you do the same?

That didn't make it any less harrowing to watch the woman you -

No.

Focus on the beast. Focus on the swell of its fiery breath. Clear your mind, as she must be doing right now. Match the stride of your seikret with hers. Reign it slightly to the left, just as the blast exits the gaping jaws and then -

Olivia leaps, straight for the Rathalos' back. She isn't going to -

Then the reptilian gaze lands on you, and you fire off a round of Wyrmsbane from your slinger, right between the eyes. It flinches back, roaring with rage, and in this moment, Olivia lands successfully.

Her feet plant on the spiny plates of its back, hunting knife driving into the softer parts between as she lets out an answering yell. The beast attempts to buck her off, but you turn your mount sharply, firing off another round at its chest.

Olivia skirts forward to the head, shrugging off the flame that spills from the creature's mouth, and draws her hammer, landing a powerful concussive blow on the plate above the brow.

Staggering, the great, scarred body topples over, crashing onto its side. In an instant, you dismount, drawing your weapon. Olivia slides across the head, readying her own blow.

At her side, you watch the way she pivots on her heel, the powerful curve of her waist, the arc of the hammer as it comes down once, twice, three times, each strike timed with precision as you both land your attacks in tandem.

The Rathalos lies defeated, one wing extended out at your feet.

Olivia turns to you, and you see something wild, something ecstatic in her expression. Her breathing is heavy, the ends of her hair are scorched and the sleeve of the tunic she wears beneath her armour is torn, the flesh reddened with scratches.

She isn't her usual composed self as she strides across the ground towards you. You've barely sheathed your weapon before her hand grasps your hip like a steel vice and she tugs you against her, lips smashing against yours, artless, no aim other than to be closer to you.

Vaguely, you are aware of your palico asking if this is a human mating ritual.

You gasp into her mouth, your fingers scraping across her epaulettes, before you remember that stunt she pulled. You ball up a fist and bring it down with a light thump in the middle of her chest.

She separates from you, panting slightly, but doesn't release you from her grasp.

"What?"

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That jump! That was just plain reckless."

She suddenly registers that you are angry with her and her eyebrow cocks in a way that infuriates you even further. Still, she doesn't release you.

"What about it? I've been practicing that for a week now. Athos knows."

"And you decided to test it out on a Tempered Guardian Rathalos?"

You punctuated each word with a stabbing finger to the middle of her chest. It does nothing but strengthen her hold on you, your body pressed flush against hers. You see an answering fire in her glance.

"The more dangerous the better. At least I know it works when it counts."

"Did you hit yourself with your hammer during training?"

"Are you insulting the Captain of another unit?"

"Oh, you're pulling rank now, huh?"

"Well, it seems like you're forcing me to."

Your palico was now asking if fighting was also part of a mating ritual, at which Athos promptly places her paw over his snout.

You take a deep breath, attempting to calm yourself, which wasn't easy with her current proximity.

"Olivia, it was ... impressive, I admit, but - "

"So you can admit that much?"

"That doesn't mean it wasn't ill-considered!"

"You know what else is ill-considered?"

"What?"

She leans forward and captures your lips in a searing kiss again, and your resistance is sapping away by the minute. You arch under her touch, your fingers sliding up her waist.

There's something different here, something she wants you to experience first hand. She'd told you stories before, about her youth, and the way she'd taken on the most dangerous missions to prove herself.

Time and responsibility had tempered those desires, but it seemed that they sometimes simmered just under the surface, and you couldn't deny having seen it in her before.

Olivia had been a firebrand, true to form, and as she consumes you, tilting her head, pushing you back, tasting you thoroughly, a realisation strikes you.

She wanted you to see her, all of her, even the parts she kept concealed so well, the parts that nobody but you (and Athos) would witness in her now.

When her arms finally drop from around you, you place your forehead against hers, breathing her in. You offer her a half smile, nose brushing against hers.

Olivia glances sideways and Athos places her paws on her hips.

"No use asking for my approval, Livvie. Seems like mew've decided."

Your palico gawped in outrage.

"Approval? My meowster is the best of the best!"

"Eh? Anyone who gets Livvie as a pawtner is the luckiest."

"Mew want a catfight on your hands?"

"Nyah, I'd win."

Olivia clapped her hands together.

"All right, you two go on ahead and tell Alma that we're done here. We'll just carve and get cleaned up after."

Your palico shot you a look that was a little too knowing.

"Meowster, send up an SOS flare if it gets too much."

Your mouth fell open, aghast.

"You've got the wrong idea - "

Athos waved at you both.

"Happy carving."

When they are both out of sight you turn, heading straight for the Rathalos, pulling your knife from its sheathe. Olivia is close behind you, but she refrains from touching you, to your relief. You're not sure you can resist her.

After a moment of silent carving, your hands now slick with the wylk-infused secretions that pass for blood, she asks you a question.

"Are you still angry?"

"I'm not angry. I'm just ... seeing you ride right at that thing, getting ready to jump - "

"Not the first time I've done it."

She was reading your mind again. And she was right. This was the crux of the issue.

It shouldn't bother you. It really shouldn't. You remembered the feeling of deep admiration you'd had when she'd charged right at the Arkveld without even knowing the first thing about the monster.

So why would it be any different now? The world didn't change because of your feelings for her. If anything, it was you that had to adapt to the new order, to the fact that hunting would never stop being dangerous for either of you.

You paused in your repetitive action, still unable to face her.

"This isn't something that's on you. You have nothing to apologise for. It's me. I'm the one that needs to come to terms with ... some things."

So saying, you complete your task, heading to the nearby river to wash. She remains silent, but you feel her eyes watching your every move, the way she holds back the things she would say to you.

The wyverian ruins wash you both in their cold light.

Later, at camp, you try to distract yourself with boardgames with Alma. She's always been better at them than you, but you take comfort in the familiarity of defeat and her idle, warm chatter.

You can put aside thinking about more serious issues when the warmth of the brazier steals into your limb and leaves you languid, pleasantly fatigued after your bath.

Your palico is lounging at your side, head pushed into your ribs as you rub at his ears. It's as if they can all sense your inner turmoil, and are doing all they can to take your mind from it.

Someone approaches, stands just outside the ring of firelight. Alma glances up, and from the way her posture immediately straightens, you know it's Olivia.

"Ah, Olivia - "

Your palico surges to his feet, tugging on Alma's hand.

"Let's go see Gemma. I think she's made me the most purrfect breastplate."

"Oh ... of course!"

Straightening her glasses, Alma shoots you a confirmatory look and you nod, smiling slightly. Always the protective one, is Alma. She never fails to make you feel like you're in good hands.

Olivia finally steps into the warm ring of light, raising her hands to the blaze. She warms them in silence for a minute, and you wonder what she could possibly be here to say to you.

The heaviness of the day's events suddenly burdens you like a lead weight, and you feel it in the way your shoulders slump slightly.

Olivia settles onto the bench beside you, her shoulder pressing into yours.

"Forgive me for sounding forward, but shouldn't you be more pleased to see your lover?"

It's the first time she's referred to herself as such aloud, and you can't help the way your lips curve in response.

"Should I be?"

She exhales sharply and then her fingers are under your chin, turning your head gently to face her. There it is, that infinite tenderness and desire she bears only for you, the set of her mouth that makes it seem like she's almost in pain.

Her voice is low, charged with feeling, and it makes you shudder slightly.

"Please, look at me. I don't want ... this. Whatever this is. I don't want it between us."

You shake your head, patiently explaining to her yet again.

"Olivia, I said earlier that you have nothing to - "

"I do." Her grasp on your chin tightens ever so slightly. "I do have to apologise. For making you think you have to deal with this alone. I just ... I'm afraid I'm not very good at these things."

"But there's nothing you - "

"Yes, there is. I can comfort you. I can hold you. I can listen to your concerns and not behave like an idiotic youth who's just received their hunting license. I can be here when you need me the most. I can make compromises too, because if that isn't what all these years leading my own unit has taught me, then I'm a failure indeed."

Her harsh assessment of her own actions makes you reach up, wrapping your hand around her own. You bring it to your lips, speaking against her skin.

"We're both learning, Olivia. And we've got to adapt. But I suppose a little help from my own partner at times would definitely be something. And maybe ... practice those stunts a little more before trying them out in the field, yes?"

"Only if you're the one practicing with me."

"Suppose I'll have to stock up on healing potions, then."

"Am I that dangerous?"

Your laughter this time was genuine, and some of the tension she bore in her frame dissipated.

"You're the most dangerous woman I know."

Even now that you knew she was dealing with these feelings in her own way, the natural course of her actions always surprised you a little.

Your next hint that she was far more serious about your relationship than you had initially expected were the numerous small gifts that inevitably headed your way.

As Captain of her unit, and veteran hunter, Olivia had made numerous connections over her career than enabled trade deals. Shipments of goods under careful supervision would make their way to various base camps, courtesy of the deals she brokered, each containing valuable supplies and equipment for the hunters.

Sometimes, there was something rather specific for you among these shipments. And it was obvious, to anyone who cared to scrutinize, that as practical as all of these gifts were, they were tailor-made to suit you.

There was the new sheathe for your hunting knife, made of a beautiful dark leather that you'd once expressed appreciation for. There was a talisman of protection, woven together with feathers from a bird you'd once mentioned that was native to your home region and village.

There was a delivery of your favourite honey sweets to the Avis Tent (by the time you'd arrived, your palico had looked at you with a guilty expression and stuffed cheeks, Alma hiding a wrapper discreetly in her pocket, while Nata looked on at their antics and giggled).

There was one particular morning when you'd emerged from your tent at the Ruins of Wyveria, a short while after the Rathalos debacle, and a glorious, fresh and familiar scent had assailed your senses. Glancing around in confusion, you'd spotted a nosegay of flowers from the Plains tied across the entrance of your tent.

Your eyes widened as you took in the vivid purple hue of the flowers, remembering one particular evening when ...

A step sounded outside the sheltering canvas, and Olivia appeared around the corner, eyes flicking between you and the hanging flowers.

It was still very early, and only a few people were stirring around camp. She was out of her armour for a change, in a soft, fleece coat, belted at the waist against the cold of the ruins.

You gestured to the flowers.

"Is this ... "

The corner of her mouth quirked upward.

"Yes. Figured you could use some fresh scent after fighting that tempered Congalala yesterday."

You wrinkled your nose.

"Well, you chose right. I love the scent of these."

She was close now, her eyes drinking you in, in that manner that made your knees feel like they'd been stung by a paralytic wasp.

"I know. Do you remember that day?"

"I do."

Your voice had sunk lower, a barely audible whisper as you recalled that evening, when you'd captured a Quematrice on the Plains for Erik's study. Olivia had accompanied you, as she'd felt it her duty to oversee the mission that would benefit her unit.

You hadn't been particularly close to her, back then. She'd always drawn your attention, but she was still a colleague, a rather intimidating one too. Olivia's competence and command was unquestionable, and although she was cordial and always polite, there was an air about her that didn't exactly invite friendship.

That evening on the Plains had changed your perspective of her, for good.

The Quematrice has burned a swathe through some dry grass, and for fear of the blaze catching over the wider area, you and your trusty palico had commissioned some wingdrakes to carry large buckets of water to pour over the area from above.

By the time the exercise was over, you'd been sore of body, exhausted, covered in soot, breath raspy from inhaled smoke. Olivia rode beside you back to camp, amusement colouring her expression as you'd slumped over in the saddle and grimaced at the smell of burnt vegetation that had seemed to ingrain itself in your nostrils.

She'd spied something off the trail and made a sudden detour, returning with a small cluster of purple flowers in her hand, picking away their stems and tying them around the bunch to hold them together. She'd taken off her gauntlets to work with the delicate blooms.

"Here, these should help with the smell."

Taken aback by her act of kindness, you'd accepted the flowers and held them up to your nose, inhaling deeply and sighing. The scent was fresh, a little less sweet than you'd expected, carrying almost citrusy undertones that banished the smell of burning.

"Well now. I think this might just be my new favourite blossom."

She'd nodded, offering a small smile.

"They're similar to the Styraca flowers back in Dundorma. During festival time, they'd deck the houses with them to clear out the vapours of the last season."

Clearing her throat, she'd looked off into the distance, pausing before reciting to you.

"The crown of warmer tides awaits, their jewels scattered among the fields. Weave them into your hair, my queen, and your heart shall surely yield."

You'd almost dropped the flowers in surprise, leaning towards her, intrigued.

"I didn't put you down for a poet, Olivia!"

She'd snorted and glanced away, and you realised that she was actually slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, I'm no poet. Just have an appreciation for other's verse, I suppose. That's one that's pretty popular around festival time."

While her attention was turned away from you, you hurriedly fixed the flowers beneath your helmet so that they looked like they were sprouting over your ear. You spread your arms regally as she turned back, noting the slight widening of her eyes.

"How's this for a crown?"

" ... um. Suits you."

"Think I'll win anyone's heart this way?"

"Maybe the Quematrice."

"Olivia! What kind of person do you take me for?"

Your combined laughter echoed across the Plains, and it marked the first time in your association with her that you could relax and enjoy each other's company without the constraints of duty and mission parameters.

You remembered it now, standing before your tent in the chill morning with her, as a defining moment. That had been when you'd seen past Olivia the Ace Hunter, past the trappings of her professionalism to the sensitive heart beneath, the woman who loved to read poetry in a sunny field, the sweat of training still on her skin, the wind tousling the wheat-hued strands of her hair.

Reaching up, you plucked a bloom from the small bunch, tucking it lightly behind her ear. In the softer light of the lantern, with the pale fleece of her coat wrapping her snugly and her eyes gleaming with sage-green fire, you'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

Tilting your head, you traced the line of her chin, watching as she leaned unconsciously into your touch.

"What do you think now?" Your tone was soft, teasing. "Has your heart yielded yet?"

Her hand came up, circling your wrist, the callouses on her palms catching slightly on your skin. When she'd held you, back then in the tent after the Ajarakan fight, when she'd caressed you and bit and licked and gripped, she'd never shown any sign of hesitation, as if claiming what was rightfully hers.

So why was it this simple touch, this grip on your arm, that felt so shaky, so uncertain, like a child that grasps on too tight when you're in a crowded space, as if you'd leave them behind to face the unknown world alone?

She turned your hand over, placing her lips softly against the skin on the underside of your wrist, then again, on the centre of your palm. Something about the gesture blew the air right out of your lungs, as if she'd knelt before you and presented you her throat.

She never did answer your question.

She didn't need to.

Taglist: @rubberroomwithrats @ohgoodnesswhatdo @comradesepsis @pinkiedash101 @zephyrwolf5

@mystique-agent @moonskins @damnesis

@zellkabellk @queen-titania @moonmoonmon

@len1028 @jo-crow @ammirabilis

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kipkoh · 9 months ago

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I know it’s fairly popularized that Hunter liked being the Golden Guard but there was a line in Hunting Palisman that he says to Luz that has always captivated me: “At least you can figure out your own (future).”

This (not very subtle) statement of wishing to make his own decisions coupled with the fact that Hunter was studying wild magic even while he was still in the Coven is heavily indicative of the fact that he was dissatisfied with his role in life. I’m sure he was proud of being Golden Guard and really did want to help Belos in whatever way possible, but a big part of him did wish things could have been different for him. Those desires he announced in Thanks to Them were probably not spur of the moment ideas he wished he could have experienced before what he thought was going to be his death, but rather long term wants he’d been imagining himself taking part in even before he defected.

I’m bringing this idea up mostly because I keep thinking about Hunter’s life in the castle and the rare moments when he got to witness what normal kids lives were like. If the school tours of the castle were a common occurrence, I imagine he'd be curious enough to watch them when he could. At first he'd secretly trail them and observe how the kids interacted with each other, how they joked around with their friends, and overall how carefree they appeared. He'd watch the way they'd awe at the castle in a feeling of excitement he'd never gotten to share having grown up within those walls - the castle being all he’d ever known. Sometimes he'd imagine himself in one of their places - just a normal kid whose biggest worry was getting his homework finished before it was due instead of how he might be tossed aside and replaced by the one he called his family the second he was no longer of any use to him. At some point, maybe he would start avoiding the tours whenever they happened, not wanting to feel that painful yearning for a life that was never even within his grasp and instead choosing to try and forget about it completely in order to convince himself he was content being the person Belos wanted him to be.

Sometimes on his weekend missions he would encounter parents with their children just going about their everyday lives, smiling and happy and completely juxtaposed to his own experience with familial adults. He'd watch the ease of how a child's hand would slip into their parent's as if it was such a natural and common action, without even a hint of fear of negative consequence for the touch. Hunter would look down at his own hands mummified in leather and wonder why he'd never felt the gentle press of someone's loving palm against his own.

He'd watch two young children play fight with loose branches. He'd envy how their battle was pretend and the fact that neither of them were in any real danger. He'd silently scrutinize their battle form before offering to teach them proper tactics, only to be harshly turned away and reminded of the fact that normal kids didn't care, nor have a need, to know how to fight. He'd scoff at their lackluster ambitions and comment about how they would never join a decent Coven with attitudes like that, blatantly ignoring the fact that not everyone was forced to worry about proving their worth to everyone around them.

I don’t think Hunter going to Hexside to find new recruits in Any Sport In a Storm was just a random choice on his part. While there is some evidence that kids can choose to join the Covens early, it doesn’t seem like it’s something they’re forced to do before they at least finish school. Maybe they can be forced, which is what is implied when Hunter kidnapped the Emerald Entrails, but wouldn’t it be easier to seek out new recruits who would actually be willing to join of their own accord? Otherwise there would be no guarantee they would care enough to do their job well.

Hunter did try to recruit them naturally at first but when no one seemed interested, instead of moving on to a different group of people, he just chose to kidnap a group of kids and force them. He has this intense longing for a normal life but no way to reasonably go out and get it for himself, so instead he tries to bring that life to him instead. Maybe if there were other people his age around, it could be possible for him to experience even a taste of the camaraderie he’s seen the students on tours have towards one another. Of course a bunch of kidnapped kids might not want anything to do with him, but Hunter is probably desperate enough to where he didn’t really think it through that much. Either way, even if he can’t have that life for himself, maybe he’d feel less alone if he knew there were other kids experiencing the same struggles he was. Maybe he wouldn’t feel out of place if he wasn’t the only kid being forced to train for regular battles and missions. Maybe he wouldn’t feel as bad about not having the kind of parent-child relationships he sees in the streets if there were other kids around who never got to see their parents anyway. He wouldn’t be the only kid lost in a sea of adults at the castle who refused to respect him partly due to his age.

Of course we know it wouldn’t end up being the catharsis he’s seeking, but he’s willing to try. He’s spent over a decade in a life he wasn’t sure he wanted, constantly yearning for something more with other people always (though unwittingly) waving around their happy, normal lives in front of his face. He’s sad, he’s alone, he probably feels super guilty about it because he still wants to be what Belos wants and can’t… He’s probably spent his whole life in a constant internal struggle trying to either ignore his own desires or attempt to find a balance between his personal wants and his job that never truly existed.

#Luz was so right he is a bad but sad boy #toh #the owl house #hunter toh #toh hunter #toh headcanon #the owl house headcanon #toh talks #im extrapolating a lot from one line but listen #why include it if it didn’t mean anything #Hunter could be proud of being GG and still yearn for a different life #they aren’t mutually exclusive ideas

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invisible-lint · 11 months ago

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I Know You

AzrielxHyberns daughter!Reader

Summary: Two drabble prompts "I know you." and "You could put a knife to my throat and I wouldn't flinch."

Warnings: light angst? but like soft angst?

Word Count: 1.2k

You sit out on the balcony, lost in thought, letting the cool night breeze dance across your skin. So much had changed in your 500 years. You chew on your lip, reflecting on it as you stare at the city down below.

You had been half human, born to a human mother, fathered by the King of Hybern. It was during the war that he discovered your existence, hunting you down so he could posess you, as if you were a rare book or an exotic flower.

You had given what little humanity you had up in a vain attempt to save the Archeron sisters. You had entered the cauldron willingly, hoping that it would be good enough for the mortal queens. It wasn’t. But in becoming full fae, you had felt something shift, felt a power that you hadn’t felt before. You had realized, with dawning horror, that the same power your father held was now awakening in you.

You had helped Feyre and the Shadowsinger when they had come to rescue Elain, fleeing with them. Hybern had never been your home. You had expected it to take time for them to trust you, but between going into the cauldron for the sisters and helping rescue Elain, you were surprised to find that the High Lady of the Night Court was quick to trust you, and so the High Lord did as well by extension.

You had also become fast friends with the High Lady’s sister, Nesta. It was if there was something in each of you that had recognized itself in the other, bonding you together. Your shared love of books had only grown the bond.

When she made the killing blow, you felt it. Not because of any love you had held for your father, you hated him with every fiber of your being, but because you had felt it as the power that had once been his, became yours. And you could sense his spell book across the ocean, singing out to you. Nesta was the only one you had told.

In turn, she told you about her own power and how she had kept it at bay with drinking and fucking. And so you joined her in the evenings at taverns and pleasure halls, drinking and dancing until you could no longer here the siren’s call of the spell book, stumbling home to your shabby apartment. You would not let the power corrupt you. You would not let it turn you into your father.

When Nesta had been forced to the House of Wind, you had joined her. Not because you had been ordered, but because you would not be left behind. When you burst into Rhysand’s study, anger rushing through your veins, power churning in your chest, that was the first time you had seen fear in the High Lord’s eyes when he looked at you. He had Azriel bring you to the House of Wind later that same day.

When she had opened up training to the priestesses, Nesta had asked you to join as well. You had gladly accepted, becoming a Valkyrie along with Nesta, Emerie and Gwyn. And now, here you sit, out on the balcony, staring down at the city of Velaris, avoiding sleep, avoiding nightmares.

You were surprised to find that you don’t miss the city, not really. You miss parts of it, the window seat in your apartment, the small bookstore you had worked in, the cafe you stopped by on your way to work, but not the city as a whole. You were less worried you’d accidentally hurt someone with your power, and that made it easier to keep shoved down. Even the call of the spell book had become easier to ignore when you couldn’t easily leave the house on your own.

You’re so lost in your own thoughts, that you don’t hear the Shadowsinger’s approach until he’s right next to you, saying your name.

You’re startled, the power you keep such a tight leash on, escaping your grasp, flaring to life in a flash of white light, shoving him away from you. You manage to regain control quickly, backing away until your back hits the railing of the balcony. You look over Azriel, noting that the male had somehow managed to stay on his feet. He looks at you, expression neutral, giving nothing away. You blink rapidly, trying to banish the tears that are burning your eyes. Azriel speaks first.

“I’m okay. You didn’t hurt me.” His words make a strange tightness in your chest release, but you don’t feel any better.

“I know it was an accident. You wouldn’t hurt me.”

“But I could.” Your voice is barely loud enough to be considered a whisper, but he hears you.

“Not on purpose. Not in a way that would matter. You could put a knife to my throat and I wouldn’t flinch.” He’s moving towards you slowly, eyes never leaving your face.

“That’s because you could disarm me with ease.”

He shakes his head. “No. It’s because I know you. And I see you.”

You wish you could take a step further back, away from the way his hazel gaze is piercing you, but you are already pressed up against the railing, any further and you’d go toppling over the edge. He stops moving when he’s in front of you, flaring his wings to shield you from the gazes of Nesta and Cassian who were awoken by your outburst of power.

“How? We’ve barely spoken. How could you possibly know me?”

“Because I’ve been watching you.” His cheeks tinge pink at the admission. “What I mean is I… See the way you put others before yourself. You went into the cauldron to try to save humans you didn’t even know. You helped Feyre and I escape when we rescued Elain. Back during the first war, I had heard about you. The half-fae healer who had given herslef over to the soldiers that had been hunting her down so that everyone else could escape.” He reaches a hand out towards you, letting it drop when you lean away. “What are you so afraid of?”

The tears you had been trying to will away finally break free, rolling down your cheeks.

“I don’t want to be like him. It’s his power.” Realization dawns on his face. He gently pulls you away from the railing, turning so he’s between you and the railing. He cups your chin, wiping a tear away as he forces you to look him in the eyes.

“You could never be like him. You are too good. You are far too good.” You want to argue, but theres something about the way his hazel eyes blaze with intensity that keeps you from arguing,

“It isn’t his power anymore. It’s yours. And it’s up to you what you do with it. And I, for one, think you will do amazing things with it.”

“Why?”

Before he can speak, the cauldron does, tying the two of you together in a flare of golden light.

“Because we’re mates.”

“Oh.” You blink, your brain trying to catch up with what has happened, equally torn between wanting to kiss him and wanting to run away. You’re about to do the former when the High Lord lands on the balcony. You can feel your barely contained power tugging at its leash once again, and so you do the latter, stepping back from Azriel, turning, and running past Nesta and Cassian. Nesta follows you, leaving the three brothers staring after you, wondering what they’re going to do.

A/N: well there are two of the drabble prompts @loving-and-dreaming

Keep sending in prompts and feel free to be as specific or as vague as you'd like!

divider by @tsunami-of-tears

#azriel x reader #azriel x you #acotar #acotar fic #acotar fanfiction #acotar imagine #acotar x reader #acotar x you #maasverse #fanfiction #imagine

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yanderes-galore · 4 months ago

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hear me out, Arthur with darling who's a bounty? Like one of the posters you can get in the various sheriff's offices

Oh! I like this idea since it's a bit hypocritical of him.

Yandere! Arthur Morgan with Bounty! Darling

Pairing: Platonic/Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Stalking, Threats, Overprotective behavior, Murder, Paranoia, Coercion, Dubious companionship/relationship.

It's ironic that Arthur, an outlaw, hunts down bounties.

Truthfully he's just doing it for the money.

It's not like he's a Pinkerton or anything.

The sheriff hires him as a gun to take down other outlaws tormenting folk.

Doesn't matter what they did, as long as Arthur takes care of them then he'll get his money.

Normally this job doesn't affect him.

He's used to shooting or lassoing folk.

Usually it gets him a nice sum of money to present Dutch.

Although... What if Arthur couldn't do one bounty.

Usually with bounty hunting, the only appeal to him is the money.

What if he finds something much better than... money?

I imagine Arthur would have to find some sort of... reason between to spare you.

Like maybe you aren't even that high value a target.

Or maybe you did what you did because you had no other choice...

If you want a more platonic view, maybe you're too young for him to want to shoot or give to the sheriff.

If you want a more romantic view, you manage to swoon him enough to get away.

Either way, if Arthur is somehow intrigued by you, it doesn't take much to make him rethink taking the job.

He himself is wanted dead or alive... So he understands the struggle.

Maybe after Arthur decides against it he can't get you out of his head?

He sees your wanted posters everywhere and a small part of him is almost... concerned.

After all, if he doesn't do something... Someone else will.

Arthur's first few encounters with you are often hostile or begrudgingly neutral.

You may have even paid him off a few times from your robberies just to keep your freedom.

Eventually Arthur uses these times as alternative ways to get money.

You keep your freedom, he gets paid, he even looks forward to you two meetings.

Yet there's a nagging fear in him.

You could still get hurt due to other bounty hunters.

Just because he hasn't harmed you... They still could.

This anxious thought might be what makes him obsessive.

He's concerned about you.

You're out there all alone and you can't bribe everyone.

Arthur wasn't expecting to get so worked up about some other petty criminal.

Yet here he is, staying up in camp with a million different thoughts running through his head.

It would not surprise me if Arthur continued to track you like he did when you were a target of his.

He follows you from a distance on his horse, watching you make camp quietly.

He isn't sure how he wants to approach you and tell you he's friendly.

Will you actually trust him or still try to bribe him?

While he typically watches you from a distance, he sometimes even sits at your camp to chat.

He wants you to trust him, he isn't after your bounty anymore.

Think of him as an ally... a friend.

Sometimes Arthur even finds a few bounty hunters after you.

He ends up taking care of them before they get to you... two well placed shots in the head usually takes them out.

Is it wrong of him to do this? It doesn't matter to him.

He can't get you out of his head... He doesn't want anything wrong to happen.

You can bet that eventually Arthur will try to invite you to Dutch's gang.

He knows you'll be well taken care of there.

You'll always be under his watch, at least.

You reject Arthur a few times, but the man is quite persistent.

He may be nice now... but what if he isn't?

What if Arthur was very adamant you joined.

It starts as a suggestion.

Wouldn't it be safer to travel in a group?

Then it becomes more of a subtle threat...

Y'know... Your bounty is pretty high now....

You won't be able to pay Arthur off forever, right?

So... why don't you come with him?

He can take care of you, you'll have company and food... and somewhere to go.

Bounty hunters are too much of a danger when you're alone.

If you don't come with him, well...

He'll stop accepting your money.

Then there's nothing stopping him from turning you in, right?

It's simple, isn't it?

You either come with him to join the gang...

Or he turns you in to the sheriff.

Is that a threat? Perhaps...

But you'll thank him later.

Arthur insists he's doing this because he cares.

Like he wasn't hunting you down months ago.

He'd drag his obsession to the gang if he has to.

You don't have much of a say in the matter once Arthur starts his threats.

It seems like you join him or you die... and you happen to like what little freedom you have.

So Arthur succeeds in dragging you to Dutch, saying you can be a good help to the group.

He takes care of you like he says.

It's... actually a bit strange for you.

This is the very same man who hunted you down for money...

Now he's treating you like you're part of some kind of family?

You struggle to get used to the new life you were forced into...

You don't entirely hate it, but you are a bit intimidated by Arthur.

After all, now you have to be part of the gang.

At least this puts Arthur at ease, right?

Now he doesn't have to worry about you being killed as long as he keeps you in camp.

Sure, you may hate him now, but this is a good deal, right?

Arthur knows you'll come to enjoy the gang's company at some point...

You already enjoy his company too...

Isn't this better than the noose?

#yandere red dead redemption #yandere rdr2 #yandere arthur morgan #yandere arthur morgan x reader

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nephalem-da · 8 months ago

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I hope this is the ask box, I’m not exactly sure which one was correct but I saw your latest y/n x bill story and I wanted to suggest one?

Do it whenever you want but I was thinking monster falls AU where hunter!Bill catches y/n (not sure what creature, but something mythical would be cool) and he’s very proud of his catch, showing the angry y/n off to the henchmen- who are other various hunters now.

Also if you aren’t taking requests just ignore this lol

The Hunt

(Human!Bill Cipher x GN!Reader)

Time for a Human Bill fic (╯✧▽✧)╯

Genre: Monster Falls AU, Slow-burn Romance, Humor.

Warnings: Mild violence, Panic/Anxiety on the Reader's part, Mutual pining/awkward tension, Fluff with hints of playful tension.

Summary: Bill Cipher is a skilled hunter who captures you, a rare mythical Selkie, after an intense chase through the forest. Proud of his prize, he shows you off to the Henchmaniacs.

The forest was alive with sounds of pursuit. Every snap of a branch, every whisper of wind through the leaves, sent your heart racing faster than your legs could carry you. Your feet hit the damp ground in frantic steps, each stride uneven as you darted through the towering pines. Your lungs burned, muscles protesting with every rapid movement. But you couldn’t stop. Not now.

They were close.

Bill Cipher, the infamous hunter who prowled these woods, had been tracking you for days—maybe weeks. Time had blurred into a stretch of panic ever since you realized you were being hunted. And now, the moment you feared had arrived. You were the prey in a game you hadn’t asked to join.

The transformation had already begun—whether from fear or necessity, you weren’t sure. The smooth, dark skin of your seal-like form shimmered, glinting under the dappled moonlight that barely broke through the dense canopy. The dampness from the nearby river clung to your limbs, and the scent of wet earth filled the air. You could feel the shift deep within you—the urge to dive into the water, your true element, was overwhelming. But there was no time.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the night, startling you. The sound echoed in your mind, a reminder that you weren’t alone. Bill was close.

Your seal-skin was only half-formed, and you were stuck between two worlds—too slow to slip into the full speed of your natural form, too vulnerable in this half-shifted state. Panic surged through you. You had heard the stories about Bill and his relentless pursuit of mythical creatures. There were whispers among your kind about his cruel efficiency and unbreakable persistence. He never failed.

“Where do you think you're going, fishy?” Bill's voice cut through the silence like a blade, mocking and far too close for comfort. “You’re just making this harder on yourself!”

A shiver ran down your spine at his words, but you didn’t slow. You couldn’t. With your lungs burning and your legs aching, you pushed harder, veering off the path and toward the river. Water—if you could reach it, maybe you could escape. Your Selkie form could glide through it effortlessly, leaving the hunter far behind.

But Bill had been planning this for too long, and he was one step ahead of you.

Just as the sound of rushing water reached your ears, you felt a sharp pull, the ground falling out from under you as a net sprang up, tangling you in its enchanted threads. You hit the earth hard, pain shooting through your side as you struggled against the bindings. The more you fought, the tighter the net seemed to hold, cutting into your skin and sealing your fate.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Bill’s triumphant voice rang out as he sauntered into view, his human form tall and menacing against the shadowy backdrop of the trees. His hunter’s outfit was weathered but well-kept, a wide-brimmed hat casting a shadow over his eyepatch that was oddly shaped like a triangle, and a single, golden eye.

“There you are! That took longer than I thought.” He crouched beside you, tilting his head in mock sympathy. “You almost had me, you know? But no one escapes me.”

You glared up at him, your chest heaving with the effort of trying to free yourself from the net. But it was useless. The enchanted rope sapped your strength and neutralized your magic, leaving you half-shifted and vulnerable.

Bill’s grin widened. "You’re quite the catch. I was expecting something more boring, but a Selkie?” He whistled low. “That’s rare. Guess it’s my lucky day."

You growled, shifting your weight in the net, but Bill only smirked. He grabbed a fistful of the netting and yanked you upright, pulling you onto your feet. “Easy there, slippery,” he chuckled. “Wouldn’t want to hurt my prized catch before showing you off.”

As if on cue, Bill’s henchmen—the Henchmaniacs—emerged from the shadows, laughing and cheering at their leader’s success. They were rough, grizzled hunters who worked under Bill’s command, each more eager than the last to prove their loyalty.

"Nice work, boss!" one of them shouted, nudging the others. "Look at that catch!"

The others chimed in, offering their congratulations as Bill proudly dragged you toward them, your bound form stumbling in his grip. You could feel their eyes on you—hungry, calculating, and cruel.

“Hey, think it’s dangerous?” one of them asked, eyeing your Selkie skin with curiosity.

Bill scoffed. “Not anymore. I’ve got this one under control. Besides—” he leaned in close, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper—“they’re too smart for their own good, but not smart enough to escape me.”

You narrowed your eyes, but your glare only made Bill chuckle. He tugged the net tighter, making you wince.

Behind him, the Henchmaniacs began to busy themselves with camp preparations, their voices blending into the background as they moved through the clearing. A fire crackled nearby, its light casting flickering shadows across the monstrous landscape.

And just beyond the edge of the camp, you could see them—the creatures of Gravity Falls. They lingered at the edge of the woods, watching with wide, glowing eyes. They watched the hunters from afar.

You could feel their gaze on you, watching as Bill presented his latest catch. They knew the game, but none of them would step in. The unspoken rule was simple: if you were caught by the hunters, you were on your own.

Bill dragged you to the center of the camp, his grin never faltering. “Everyone, meet the new addition to our little collection,” he announced, loud and proud. “A rare, hard-to-catch Selkie. Not bad, huh?”

The Henchmaniacs cheered, but the monsters at the edge of the woods remained silent, their eyes glowing with something you couldn’t quite place—pity, perhaps? Or maybe frustration? They wouldn’t step in, but it didn’t mean they weren’t waiting for something to change.

As the night wore on, you sat by the fire, still trapped in the net and unable to shift fully into your true form. Bill hovered nearby, his smug expression softening just a bit as he poked at the fire with a stick.

“You know,” he said after a long pause, “I don’t usually keep my catches alive. But you... there’s something interesting about you. Might just keep you around.”

You glared at him but didn’t respond. Every muscle in your body was tense, your mind racing with thoughts of escape.

Bill’s eye flicked to you, studying your silence for a moment before he shrugged. “Fine. Be that way. I’ve got all the time in the world.”

But there was something in the way he looked at you that gave you pause. For all his bravado and arrogance, there was something else there—a flicker of curiosity, of something deeper. He wasn’t just proud of his catch; he was fascinated by you. And that, more than anything, made your pulse quicken.

Part 2 || Alt. Part 2

#bill cipher x reader #gravity falls #the book of bill #bill cipher #henchmaniacs #chase #awkward #selkie

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jaylver · 2 years ago

Text

CASINO LOVE AFFAIR — P.JS

SYNOPSIS: Hunting supernatural beings is not your passion at all. But somehow, you were always inevitably tied to it. To make your grudge against it deeper, someone had to drag you along a bumpy ride. Who was it? The man that broke into your house in the middle of the night to convince you to join him to save his lost brother in Sin City, Vegas. Jay had one chance to save his brother, and another one chance to rekindle something that was lost between you and him. All in that one casino.

PAIRINGS: supernatural hunter!jay x supernatural hunter afab!reader

GENRE: frenemies (with benefits) to lovers, supernatural au, inspired by tv series "supernatural", jay is based off "dean winchester", romance, angst, action

WARNING(S): profanities, drinking, mentions of death/murder, violence, suggestive content (no smut), slightly possessive jay, demons, possessions

WC: 11k

AUTHOR'S NOTE: specially dedicated to my supernatural enthusiasts, especially to my dean girlies (gn) who loves jay! rest assured, there's going to be hoon ver (based off sammy) <3 i hope you'll love this one as much as i enjoyed writing it, please leave feedbacks!!

masterlist | © jaylver 2023

In this world, accidents and tragedies were recurring happenings, but what people didn't understand was the fact that neither were coincidences. You heard that right, it might sound insanely crazy, but the supernatural exists.

There were two types of people on planet Earth. Ones that were blessed with obliviousness, unaware that the local murder case wasn't just a simple serial killer on the loose. Then, there's the ones that were rather cursed with the ability of hunting, knowing the real truths behind tragedies and solving said supernatural cases. They were known as hunters.

No, not the hunters that chase after deers with a gun, but rather chasing after demons, vampires and much more freaky stuff with more than just a single gun.

You were, unfortunately, part of the small percentage of hunters that were tasked to hunt supernatural beings and protect others. You never wanted this life, you despised it, the constant fear constantly followed. It was your father who dragged you into this, being a hunter himself, it was natural he had to train you to become one as well.

You were an only child, so it was no surprise your father ended up dragging you along to hunts and let's say the amount of therapy wasn't enough to heal the traumas you've witnessed and experienced. Dread was the feeling you carried up until your 20s, tired of this life and craving the normal college life of an ordinary being, but then that was when everything changed. Your father was killed.

You guessed it, freak accident with a vampire. Fantastic. Just to make things even more complicated, the infamous Park brothers turned up at your front door pretending to be police officers, doing their usual investigation, or rather identity fraud. What they didn't know was that you knew who they were, so they were eventually busted. You still accepted their help either way, finding the vampires and bringing your father to justice.

That all happened a few years ago, constantly staying in contact with the Park brothers while they travelled around hunting and you stayed home merrily, occasionally meeting if they were in town. Mostly, the best you could repay them was at least some help in information. You were glad to finally start afresh, getting a new job and shopping for new furniture. You thought this was it, time to settle down and put everything in the past.

But, you spoke too soon.

You were a light sleeper. From the years of your father's gruelling training, you learnt to listen for any weird noses during the night, and it surely did help. You could barely sleep, hearing odd creaks as your adrenaline increased, imagining the scenario where you had to reach for the iron knife under your bed.

Creak. Creak. Creak.

The faint footstep got closer and louder, reaching your side of the bed, standing right beside you and stopped eventually. You sensed a figure, this wasn't good. Demon? Vampire? Your hand slowly travelled down to the spot of your knife, eyes shut tight and heart beating crazily. In the count of three, strike.

One … two … three—

"Woah, woah, woah, easy there tiger,"

Your hand reacted first, thrusting the knife forward without your eyes open, but once the voice travelled into your ears and your mind turned, you opened your eyes in an instant.

This was worse than a demon.

"Jay?"

One of the Park brothers happened to be standing in the middle of your bedroom. At three in the morning. Were you going to question how he got in? Maybe later.

"Y/N," he saluted back at you, a noticeable grin on his face despite the darkness, but you remained impassive, a wary look on your face and your hold on the knife didn't relax.

“Hold on,” you said, scrambling out of bed, scepticism clear in your voice, your stance unchanged as you held tight onto the knife. “Are you really Jay?”

Jay tilted his head, an eyebrow raised. "You're seriously doubting me? Right now?"

"Hey, I'm a hunter, you're a hunter, we both know this is basic caution,"

"Alright," he threw his hands up, giving in. "Quiz me,"

"Where's my birthmark?"

"You're seriously asking this—?"

"You've forgotten it?" You stared accusingly at him, the knife in your hand was dangerously close to him and he was clearly aware of that too. "You're the only person who knows this," you narrowed your gaze.

"It's been ages since the last time we fucked—"

"Can you not bring that up?"

"Fine. On your back," he answered, his eyes flickering between you and the knife.

"Where?"

"That specific?" He whined, but once he saw you were, in fact, not kidding, he cleared his throat. "Lower back, on the right, almost at the side. It's a small birthmark that is shaped like a heart,"

You blinked. Thankful it wasn't some creature disguised as him, but also churning in slight rage that he was here. Look, you and Jay had … some interesting history. No bad blood was caused from it, but it had affected your ties with him, which explained why he was the lesser favourite brother to you. He was never going to know that though.

Just for old times sake and also not seeing him for months, you threw the knife onto the bed, engulfing him into a hug. "Gods, you're alive,"

He chuckled, his hand rubbing your back. "Of course I am. Doubting my skills now?"

"Jay, you literally died and came back before," you pulled away, staring pointedly at him.

"That was the past, this is the present," he waved it off, coughing awkwardly and you rolled your eyes. You switched on your table lamp, taking a small bottle from your bedside drawer and handing it to him.

"What's this? Complimentary water for guests?"

"Holy water, if you count that as complimentary,"

"You're kidding. I passed your quiz,"

"I'm trying to be sure there's no hidden demon inside your body, okay?" You raised the small bottle to eye level. "Drink up,"

"Fine," Jay gritted, snatching the bottle from your hand, chugging half of it down. No demon, thankfully. "See?"

"Just wanted to confirm," you tossed the bottle back into the drawer, turning to face him with a quizzical stare. "Now, are you going to tell me why you've broken into my house in the middle of the night?"

"Breaking in? Pft,"

"Jay," you said flatly, a stern look gazing back at him. "What are you doing here?"

Jay clenched his jaw, seemingly rethinking his words in his mind, calculatingly picking the right ones to make sure you wouldn't explode. "I need help,"

"No,"

"What?" He was taken aback by your bluntness. "You always helped us,"

"Busting into my house at 3 AM doesn't sound like your usual need for my help. You want me to do something more hands-on, don't you?"

Jay was silent. You got him there.

"Jay, I am always here for help. You do know I literally commit illegal things just to dig up information for you two right? But that's the most I'll do and the least I can do for you, I swore I wouldn't go back into hunting,"

"But this one's important,"

"You have Sunghoon to help you anyway,"

"He's gone,"

The next few sentences you had in mind died in your throat. The other Park brother was missing? There was no way this happened. They were skilled hunters, what went wrong?

Jay cleared his throat, shoving his hands into his jean pockets, noticing your obvious shock. "Look, that's why I'm here. Hoon's gone, poof, missing. One second he was at the motel and the next when I got back, he's gone. I should've never left,"

"Any ideas what it could've been?"

"No," he shook his head, frustration laced in the way he had his eyebrows furrowed.

"How are we supposed to find him? Jay, I'm no sorcerer or a crossroad demon that can summon him up. I could be as equally lost as you are,"

He ran his hands through his hair, heaving a deep and heavy sigh. "I don't know either. I'm fucked, okay? I don't have anyone else to find but you, and there's no one that knows Hoon as much as I do but you,"

"How do I know I can trust you this time?" You mindlessly let the words slip out, referring to the incident that caused the slight crack between you two, its effect remained even after.

"I told you I'm sorry already, Y/N," he said softly, catching on your innuendo at once.

It was the last time you went on an actual hunt with the Park brothers when it happened. Crazy monsters and demon ladies were nothing too big for you three, but the moment a human was involved, the hunt became vulnerable.

A part of you wanted to save the innocent man even though he was long gone and already affected by the creature, turning wild gradually. Being the rash and impulsive person Jay was, he demanded to kill the man at once, Sunghoon trying to calm him down while you fought back.

It was a stupid argument, you were emotional and he was aggressive, Sunghoon trying to be neutral and diffusing the tension, but failed. In the end, a cure was found but Jay had already killed the man. Even though you were able to save the others, a part of you continued to seethe with anger.

'Too emotional' was what Jay called you. Storming away was the only thing you could muster in that moment, and it took a few days before he showed up at your front door apologising with a bouquet of flowers. Were you fully satisfied? Not really. Did things change? Definitely.

As for now, you pondered thoughtfully. Despite your valiant efforts of escaping the supernatural part of your past, you knew it was imminent it would come back, just not like this. Sunghoon was a nice guy, he and his brother helped you and your family before, and some part of you wanted to do the same. You swore you didn't want to hunt with the Park brothers after that incident, and it seemed that you had no choice but to eat your words. You were going to regret your decision, you know so.

"Okay," it came out more of a whisper, which made Jay lean in closer, an eyebrow raised.

"What?"

"Okay, fine, I'll go with you to find Sunghoon. Don't make me go back on my word,"

"Right, right," Jay said rather excitedly, his eyes beaming. "Gods, how did I manage to get the Y/N L/N to hunt with me? I am a lucky man,"

"Don't test your luck," you took the iron knife from your bed and pointed it at him, earning a sleazy eye roll from the latter.

"You still have your gears with you?" He glanced around your room, not a single weapon in sight, only messy heaps of clothes.

"Duh," your hand reached for the bottom of your pillow, pulling out another blade, made purely from iron, perfect for killing supernatural beings. "When are we leaving?"

"Best before day break,"

"So … roadtrip?"

"You bet."

Begrudgingly, you shoved some clothes into a small carry on, packing guns, knives, blades, salt. Yes, salt, sodium. It might seem weird but salt literally saves lives, literally. An insignificant kitchen ingredient held a significant role by protecting people from spirits attack. Rock salts were used as ammunition as well to ward spirits off for a short time. Insane, right?

Jay helped you fit your bags into the trunk of his Chevrolet Impala, one that he has been driving almost forever. Among your bags, there were a shit ton of weapons, quite messily scattered around, some stuck on the trunk door. It was certainly a rich collection.

“Hop in, dollface. Be my guest,”

You rolled your eyes as Jay opened the car door for you. He was still the same old Jay. Promiscuous, teasing, haughty, but you supposed that was the charming point of him. You remembered the insides of the car as clear as day when you got in, almost felt like it was just yesterday when you were in it.

“Where to?” you turned to look over at Jay who had just slammed the car door shut, his hands on the wheel, a cheshire grin pulled at his lips.

“Vegas,” he flashed you a toothy smirk, but you could only mirror his expression with an unamused one.

“Sin city? You’re kidding. Why on earth are we heading there—God, Jay, don’t tell me you developed some gambling addiction—”

“No! For fuck’s sake,” Jay pulled the car to start, the headlights brightened the dark street at once. Well, goodbye to your home, you hoped you would make it back alive. “It was where Hoonie and I had our last hunt, the place he went missing, and funny thing, the hunt is incomplete,”

“So, you’re telling me you drove all the way to my house from Vegas in the middle of an unfinished hunt just because Sunghoon’s gone,”

“‘Just because’? Y/N, it’s life or death!”

“I’m not saying this isn’t important!” you bite back, sleep deprivation wasn’t helping your increased agitation. “Didn’t this happen before? One of you goes missing and the other solves the case and finds each other? What’s so big this time?”

“This did happen,” Jay sighed, the bags under his eyes obvious despite the darkness surrounding you, the tuned down rock music played faintly on the radio. “I went lost, got captured by some psycho killer, whatever, but it was traceable, it always was, but this time … something’s different and it’s definitely not only a psycho killer, it’s something stronger, darker,”

“Jolly. A demon,” you wondered aloud, Jay humming in agreement. “Mind telling me what hunt you and Sunghoon were on in Vegas before his disappearance?”

“Saw on the news about deaths in a casino, so Hoon and I decided to check it out, and guess what we found? Sulphur,” demons tend to leave sulphur around, finding sulphur basically indicated a demon’s presence, pretty basic information.

“A demon on massacre duties in a casino? I feel like this one is out for money, something to do with his greed and desire,” you speculated, unsurprised as these were common occurrences.

"Likely," Jay clicked his fingers, his eyebrows bunched together, a scheming look on his face. "Here's the thing, we were somewhat on the road to uncovering some truths, on who the real demon was, but that's when this happened, it's no coincidence that he probably took Hoonie,"

"Which means you still don't know who's the mastermind in that casino right now? Or where Sunghoon could possibly be?"

"No," he answered bitterly, his fingers strumming the steering wheel softly. "And I think the jackass jumps into different bodies working there each time, it's hard to trace,"

"Are we going around splashing holy water? How are we supposed to know whose body is being possessed?"

"We don't," he said plainly, and matter-of-factly, turning his face just enough for you to catch him winking at you. "But we do know he's a higher up, a man with a position, or maybe positions,"

"Guess it's our lucky day testing our fortune on catching demons and winning at casinos,"

"Looks just like the movies,"

Upon entering the state of Nevada at nightfall, you were welcomed with the blistering nightlife of Las Vegas, the bright lights blinding your sights and you couldn't help but be fascinated.

"Where are we heading?"

"Towards the hotel the man was murdered in," Jay nodded at one of the big and tall hotels ahead. "There's a famous casino in that hotel, lots of people constantly betting, rich and powerful men are frequently present,"

"A perfect spot for a money hungry demon,"

"Bingo,"

Jay parked his beloved car and was rather sad leaving it behind in a shabby parking lot. You knew he loved his car, sometimes clingy and attached, but he loved it a little too much.

Grabbing your bags and a seperate one full of weapons, you and Jay headed into the hotel and towards the reception, where a bright young woman named Carrie was smiling back at you both.

"You're not going to make me spray holy water at her, right?" You said quietly in hopes of the receptionist not hearing it.

"I'm not stopping you," Jay passed you an unamused half grin.

"Hello! How may I assist you?" Carrie greeted enthusiastically, but frankly, none of you could reciprocate the same energy.

"We'd like to book two rooms please," Jay slid the card towards Carrie, hoping to get this over with quickly.

"Just two?" She glanced between you and Jay, a question mark basically floating above her head. "We have a 'couples exclusive' promotion though,"

You and Jay shared a look, turning back to the receptionist. "Two, please,"

"There's free access to the facilities and the buffet," Carrie continued on. "Oh—uhm—there's a jacuzzi here too,"

Jay turned to you, you stared back, a knowing look passed between one another, releasing sighs of displeasure.

"We'll take it,"

It would be an understatement to just say the hotel was fancy, it was more than fancy. High ceilings, marble floors, chandeliers, everything was almost in gold. You were able to catch a slight glimpse of the casino as you passed, and indeed, it was packed with people. Boy, you were about to have a time trying to find out who's the real imposter.

"I definitely spotted some sulphur just now," Jay shook his head, his eyes scanning the floor, walls and surroundings. "I think this one has minions here,"

"Amazing," you clicked your tongue, impatiently stalking through the soundless corridor in search of your designated room. You were dying to dive into your hotel bed.

"Do you think we have enough?" Jay eyed the bag of weapons as you two stood outside your room, but just before you could answer, a stranger appeared next to you two, holding a keycard to the room next to yours.

"Oh, I'm sure it's enough," the stranger, a middle aged lady, laughed.

You glanced at Jay, a cautionary sign was understood. "W–what do you mean?" Jay chuckled nervously.

"Condoms? That's what you meant, right?" The lady snickered, and you were absolutely dumbfounded. "Just keep it down kids, it's not entirely soundproof here and I need sleep. It's nice meeting you guys!"

The lady slammed the door behind her, leaving you and Jay standing there like statues, a little confusion and surprise in the air.

"Condoms," you echoed, shuddering slightly.

Jay turned to look at you, a pensive look in his gaze, eyebrows raised slightly. "Do you … unless—?"

"Zip it," you hoisted the bags, opened the door and stormed in while Jay remained standing there, a defensive look replacing his previous one.

"Hey, I didn't even say it," he shouted from the outside, taking his bags from the floor.

"I know what you're trying to say, thank you! Now get your ass in here before I shut you out,"

"Yes, ma'am," Jay scrambled in and shut the door close, soon noticing your figure looming over the bed and was curious. "What's up?"

"There's only one bed," you glanced down at the king size bed, a heart formed from rose petals decorated it and you found it highly ridiculous. "And they made it romantic, how sweet,"

"You're kidding me," Jay ran his hand across his tired face, a weary sigh leaving his lips. "I'll take the couch,"

You stopped him there. "Dude, you're going to be hunting demons, I'm not letting you get backaches from a lousy couch,"

"There's no way you're sleeping on it either,"

You bit your lips, maybe sleeping on the same bed for a few nights wouldn't hurt, right? It certainly wasn't your first time with Jay anyway, but business was business, and this was far from being professional.

"Let's just share the same bed,"

Jay stared doubtfully at you, as if he couldn't believe those words had come out of your mouth. "You're up for that?"

"Do you think we have any other choices?" You crossed your arms, mirroring his pointed gaze.

"Touche," he nodded thoughtfully, dropping his bags to a corner. "Just don't kick me in my sleep,"

"I'll be happy to kick you now instead."

"Stop staring!"

Despite being tired and worn out, you and Jay dragged yourselves out from the room in hopes of some food and checked out the hotel and casino.

The inside of the casino was bright and painted in gold, red themed colours. It was extremely busy and crowded, many were yelling in surprise and joy, while there were those in despair over losing. Jay, on the other hand, was too busy staring at by-passing girls to focus on the real purpose.

"What?" He hissed defensively, winking at another server and you rolled your eyes at his never changing behaviour.

"You can enjoy whatever you want after everything, okay? Not to be a killjoy but there's a demon here that took your brother,"

"Hey! I'm aware,"

"Sure," you mumbled sarcastically, looking around the table and observing people's faces, but you knew none of these normal citizens were possessed.

"Do you think we can meet the host or manager tonight?" Jay made sure to whisper that quietly, glancing around warily.

"You think one of them would be possessed?"

"The chances are high. Hoon and I went over to the dead man's house the other day, the wife told us he was close to the host, something by the name Sam? Sam Clerk?"

"Looking for me?"

You've never turned around so quick, your hand instinctively reached into your pocket for the small bottle of holy water, but Jay's hand stopped you discreetly, giving you one of his 'I got this' look.

"You're Sam Clerk?" Jay laughed awkwardly, playing it cool and casual.

The man before you was tall and seemingly in his mid 30s, his smile was wide and welcomingly, but there was a malevolent energy emitted from him. "Why yes, that's me. And you two are …?"

"I'm … Jack Williams,"

Sam glanced at you expectantly, and if you could dig yourself a grave then from the embarrassment, hoy would've. You cleared your throat, "I'm Stacy … Williams, he's my husband,"

You felt Jay's gaze on you, burning into your skin, but you ignored him and looped your arm around his.

"Oh!" Sam clapped in surprise, a pleasant smile spread across his face. "You two must be new here, right? I've never seen you before,"

"Right, we are," Jay patted your hand, plastering on his most convincing smile. "That was why we wanted to find you! We heard how great of a host you were and wanted an introduction,"

"I'm pleased, but I'm a little busy tonight, so I can't assist you unfortunately," a flash of change in his eyes was barely noticeable, but you caught onto it. "But there's a charity ball we're holding in two days, I would love to invite you both to attend,"

"We'd love to," you said almost immediately.

Sam chuckled, nodding in satisfaction. "Great. I'll see you … then."

Without another word, he left in a dash, moving almost like a shadow. You unknowingly let out a shaky breath, feeling goosebumps rise. "His energy was so off,"

"I know," Jay was thinking hard, his mind working extra hours. "So, it's him … but there's definitely another one which we don't know, there's no way this would be so easy, and we also need to know where Hoon is,"

"I think I have an idea," you held onto his forearm, pulling him on and continued your walk around the casino. "I did some digging on the history behind this hotel and the casino, and it goes way back,"

"How long?"

"Centuries. It was built on a cursed ground, but they didn't care, and guess what? There were deaths here over those years too, unexplained ones. Weird, huh? But that's not the point. There's some hidden underground chamber somewhere here, built by someone from the olden days, and it's said to harbour bad energy,"

"Attracts demons,"

"Perfect hideout,"

"But why Hoon?" Jay scratched his head, eyebrows furrowed and increasingly frustrated.

"I mean, you guys were hunting the demons and they caught on. Plus, timing was bad, you happened to be out,"

"True," Jay sighed. "We should ask that Sam guy more stuff during that charity ball, and we should start doing some digging tomorrow,"

"I'll use my flirting skills and wiggle information off him," you grinned, nudging his side teasingly.

"You should use it on me instead," he grumbled noisily.

"No chance," you smiled sarcastically at him, pulling him towards the bar. "Let's just enjoy tonight and drink a little, I definitely need some before diving into … everything,"

"Get ready to drink until you fall, L/N,"

"Challenge accepted, Park."

The night faded into a blur, you and Jay somehow wandered off without one another, but stayed within the vicinity. You were drinking alone at the bar, the alcohol seemed like water to you, your tolerance coming strong.

Jay was off at the side, leaning against the wall as he openly flirts with a random blonde girl. Laughing suavely, a glass of whiskey in one hand and his charming looks sweeping the blonde off her feet.

You shouldn't be feeling this way, but you would be lying if you said you were indifferent to him and the girl. It was no surprise you and him had history, even on the intimate level, but to have feelings for him? That was something new you slowly came about to realise.

Onto your new glass of gin, Jay slid into the empty seat next to you, looking far from drunk. You forgot Jay had an alcohol tolerance that challenged yours, making him an interesting drinking partner to have on most nights.

"What happened to the girl?"

"What girl?" He craned his neck to stare off at the distance before turning back to look at you, his face inching closer to yours. "Blondie? Nah," he shook his head, a playful grin appearing on his handsome face. "Can't believe I'm saying this but are you perhaps … jealous?"

"Me? Jealous? Don't be ridiculous," you pushed his face away, eliciting a humorous laugh from him.

"I think you are," Jay said in a sing-song tone under his breath. "Rest assure, sweetheart, I never fucked anyone else ever since our last night together," he winked, taking his jacket hanging from the chair and offered you his hand, which you grudgingly accepted.

"Are you sure you're not lying to me? Park Jong Seong, the man who hunts demons and loves to fuck around hasn't been bringing girls back?"

"Don't doubt me or my feelings here," he feigned a crying face dramatically to which you pulled a face at. “You’re seriously underestimating my feelings for you,” he said, a little seriously this time, raising his eyebrows at you before letting your hands go and leading the way back to the room, making sure to turn around to check up on you from time to time.

You were tired by the time you’ve reached your room, changing out of your outfit into a much more comfortable one while Jay did the same in another room. You would be lying if you said you weren’t nervous, it wasn’t an everyday occurrence that you slept next to a man, even if he was one you’ve shared a bed with once.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” Jay yawned as he got under the sheets, you followed suit, shifting around for a better position. Your’s and Jay’s back faced each other, a distance obvious between you two.

“Night, Jay,” you switched the lights off, the room was dark, but you were wide awake. The unfamiliar bed had you tossing and turning, but also making an effort not to bump into Jay while doing so.

“We haven’t done this in a while,” Jay suddenly spoke into the darkness after barely ten minutes.

You bit back a smile, wrapping your hands tighter around yourself. “Yeah, we haven’t,”

"If I have to be honest, I miss it," you couldn't see Jay's face, only picturing it as he continued on. "I miss waking up next to you,"

"Jay …" you trailed off, heart squeezing slightly. "You know we can't,"

"I know," he repeated, a beat passed. "But what if we can?"

"You said it was too dangerous, you didn't want it,"

"I didn't say I didn't want it," he was quick to retaliate. "I want it, you know I do, but this job, this life, your life, I'll be a walking supernatural attractor,"

A short moment of silence filled the space between you and him, you let out a sigh. "Whatever it is, I'm willing to drop it for you, whether it was years ago or now, I don't think my feelings have changed. But that’s for you to accept anyway,"

Jay didn’t say anything more, your tiredness eventually brought you to sleep, unaware that he was still wide awake, turning around to glance at the back of your head, head filled with thoughts of you. Jay knew that being a hunter was a dangerous job, which meant romantic relationships and commitment were two hard things to tackle, even harder than killing supernatural things. But you were different to him. A one night together somehow turned his stone heart soft. The Park Jong Seong was truthfully in love with you. You were the angel to the devil in his heart. What’s stopping him was everything around his life, his cold demeanour, his fears.

The night melted into snores and wild dreams, the sun was soon peeking out of the horizons and sunlight streamed into your room. You were awoken by your alarm blaring by the bedside, slamming it off and trying stretching your limbs, but as you said, you tried.

Jay's arm was wrapped around your waist tightly, his body pressed against your side as its weight leaned against yours. You haven't been this intimate with him for months, and it certainly sparked something in you.

"God, Jay, wake up," you tapped his arm, trying to yank it off you, but he only retaliated by hugging your body tighter and tugging you closer to him.

"5 minutes," was all he could mumble before continuing his snores.

You scoffed, giving in with no choice. Since Jay indirectly wanted a lazy morning in, you decided it was best to call room service instead.

"Good morning, can I order some room service?" It was an awkward position with the phone against your ear, menu in your hands and a grown man's arm draped across your abdomen.

The women on the other line coughed uncomfortably. "Good morning, miss, but room service is currently unavailable. Something happened overnight …" she drifted off and your face scrunched into an expression of confusion.

"What … happened?"

"I don't know if I should be saying this—"

"I won't complain, I swear, I just want to know," you tried to be as convincing as you could, and somehow the women complied.

"A murder happened, in the casino, again," she breathed out, a pinch of disbelief in her tone. "I think it's cursed,"

Oh, you don't say.

"Is there anyone who's hurt?"

"Other than the murdered rich tycoon, no,"

Rich tycoon, as expected.

"Got it. Be safe,"

"You too."

You placed down the phone, shaking the man beside you who only let out gruff huffs of annoyance. "Hm?"

"Don't 'hm' me, get your ass up. We've got trouble."

Dragging a five foot ten grown man out of the bed was definitely a struggle, but in the end, it worked. After spilling the information you got earlier, he seemed content with just a cup of coffee and stormed towards the crime scene at once.

As expected, the police had surrounded the area and curious bystanders were peeking in from left and right. You and Jay slipped into the crowd, making sure to scan the area as much as you could, and as expected, traces of sulphur.

"Another one bites the dust, huh?" Jay hummed as you two roamed around the hotel aimlessly, unable to do much more but laying low since police officers were still around.

"Have you ever thought about there being more than one demon here?"

"Yeah, that guy we met with his demon minions, duh—"

"Forget about the minions, let's think about the powerful ones," you bite your lips thoughtfully. "Remember this hotel being built centuries ago?"

"Yeah?"

"Two brothers owned it. One was the head of everything while the other managed the casino mostly," you said, glancing around. "Ring a bell? I'm pretty sure the guy's just a vessel, they were the ones working here before they got possessed, the demon's in those bodies,"

"You're a genius," Jay gasped, coming to realisation as he pieced it one by one.

"Now, I think I also got a faint idea of the secret dungeon. Their office,"

"Any history lesson?"

"No, just a blind guess, but my sixth sense told me so and you know how trustable my sixth sense is,"

"It sure is," Jay nodded in agreement, proven by your skills in previous hunts. "Should we break into it?"

"Are you crazy? You're walking into hell," you knew it was no secret how impulsive he was, which explained why you were there in the first place. "I reckon we strike during the charity ball,"

"But how are we going to identify the other brother first?"

"Oh, speaking of the devil," you nodded over at the crime scene that was now a distance away. Two men appeared, one was Sam, and the other was someone you've never seen before, but strangely held a resemblance to Sam.

They possessed brothers? You're joking.

"That must be the man of the hour," Jay whistled, eyeing the two men conversing with the officers. The man was taller than Sam, older looking and had a similar friendly face to him that also seemed intimidating.

"They're leaving," the two brothers bid farewell to the officers, watching them leave before turning around and walking away themselves. Jay and his impulsiveness just had to strike again. "Let's follow them,"

"Huh?"

Before you fully register Jay's words, that fucker pulled you by the wrist and started sprinting off into the direction the demon brothers were heading. If you could sock Jay in the jaw at that moment, you would've.

"Are you trying to get us killed?" You hissed quiet enough to not blow your cover, following the brothers a short distance away as they headed towards their office.

"Trying not to, but shush, we need to hear what they're saying,"

The brother stopped just before the door to their office, you and Jay followed suit, your body almost crashing into him from the abrupt halt. Jay dragged you into a dingy closet packed with cleaning supplies, great, and there was barely any room to move, let alone take a step back, and thus you found yourself in a compromising position.

Jay glanced down at you, a smirk etched on his face. "Not our first time, huh—"

"One word and you're not making it out alive, now hush and listen," you glared at him, effectively shutting him up but failed at wiping off his smug smile.

From the other side of the door, you heard shuffling and the voice of Sam Clerck. "But John—"

Jay's eyes widened, and you knew what he meant, there was a name.

"—the amount of killing is making this whole thing suspicious to the mortals,"

"It's annoying that you're calling me 'John'," the latter spat.

"It's not my fault that's the name of the original bodies. Fine, Elijah, don't you think we should rest on the killings for the moment,"

"What? Elliot, here's no way we're doing that, look at the fortune we're making,"

"Mind you, we have a possible hunter captured in the office's dungeon, what are we doing with him? Oh, there's probably other hunters coming as well now that they've slowly caught onto us,"

"Brother, stop overthinking and fretting," Elijah, the presumed older brother, sighed. "We could use him as a sacrifice—"

You clamped a hand over Jay's mouth, knowing him too well that he would let out noises and maybe burst out the door, but there was no way you're letting him do either of those.

"Or just kill him. We've been treating him well with food, excluding the fact that there's no sunlight,"

"We'll see how it goes, underground or not, another killing is too risky,"

"Whatever,"

You heard the door click shut, the two brothers already entered their office. Jay licked your hand and you reacted at once, shooting him a disgusted expression and opening the door, a gush of fresh air filled your lungs and you're no longer pressed against Jay, hooray!

"You heard that? They're going to serve my brother up on a platter or just directly cook him into a meat skewer,"

You pushed Jay to move along, avoiding the risk of getting caught. "We know he's in the office now, and there's definitely a way to get him out, can you try being hopeful for once?"

"It's Hoon we're talking about, so no,"

"Look, Elijah and Elliot, they're the Vamson brothers,"

"Who?"

"They're the original owners of this hotel and they got executed from murder cases. Explains why they knew the dungeon and all,"

"What do we do now?"

"Not 'now', tomorrow," you grinned, a plan brewing in mind. "We're splitting them up,"

The day consisted of you and Jay running around as inconspicuous as you could manage. The plan was slowly forming over a glass of whiskey. Jay would be onto distracting 'Sam' while you get closer to 'John', getting him to bring you back to his office and free Sunghoon by locating the dungeon.

"Must you really flirt with him?" Jay grumbled as he sipped on his glass.

"Is it your turn to be jealous now?"

"Yeah," Jay nodded straightforwardly, catching you a little off guard. "Pains me seeing you flirt with someone other than me,"

You rolled your eyes, playing it off nonchalant and casual, but internally? Your heart was doing backflips. "It's not actual flirting anyway, you dramatic ass,"

He let out a small, humorous laugh. "I know," he hummed. "But I just don't like seeing others with my girl,"

"I don't belong to you, Jay," you raised your eyebrows, playing around with your glass, heartbeat gradually increasing.

"You've been mine since the day you let me touch you," he said almost so nonchalantly that it gave you a whiplash. His words were unexpected, and it certainly stirred something in you.

"You're insane," you scoffed, completely hiding the fact that you were secretly blushing.

He simply shrugged. "Anyway, I'd like to catch some air outside, you coming?"

"Will you be smoking?"

"I quit that shit a while ago,"

You smiled at that. "Good. But nah, you can go on without me, but come back once you're done, I don't feel safe,"

"Obviously, I'm not leaving you alone," Jay carrassed your arm slightly, a small reassuring look present in his gaze.

"Got your gun? Knife? Weapons—?"

"Chill, Y/N, I'm only going out for a while,"

"Knowing you, you're going to get into trouble,"

Jay winked, his usual playful grin on display. "You bet,"

To prove you absolutely right, he did.

Upon returning, you felt an odd shift in Jay's energy. As much as you were in denial, you knew your sixth sense was always, forever right, gut feelings never lie.

He started off normal, but then he got all … how could you put it? Sexy? Seducing? Sensual? Definitely not Park Jong Seong's normal way of seducing someone, knowing it very well especially since you were a victim to his seductions.

You played along, pretending stupid, and it gave you enough time to deduce that he was possessed. Demons that stormed the hotel got to him in the end and you had to be the one to clean the mess up? Unbelievable.

Now, here you were, in his lap back in your hotel room, making out. You heard that right.

His hands tugged your hair, yours wandered his body, lips moving passionately against one another, you had to remind yourself that this WASN'T him!

You broke the kiss, heaving slightly as you reached for the small flask on your bedside table, a plan already in your mind. "Gosh, let me take a sip, want some?"

Jay—or demon Jay—nodded at the flask in your hand with some interest. "What's in there?"

"Whiskey, your favourite," you lied cunningly through your teeth.

"I'll have some,"

You passed it to Jay, watching his every move, from him taking the flask, holding it up to his lips, to downing the contents into his mouth, then a loud scream broke out from him.

"Holy water," you clicked your tongue. "And you're so not Jay,"

You threw yourself away from him, backing away from the bed. Jay turned to you sharply, piercingly glaring at you, his eyes turned fully black, leaving no whites. Oh yeah, hundred percent possessed.

He tried charging at you, but he then hit an invisible barrier. No matter how much he lunged and punched, he was stuck, and never escaping.

"Devil's trap, whoops," it was a precaution you took, drawing a sigil trap under the bed that was designed specially to trap demons, and there was no way out unless the circle was broken. It was great luck you got the demon twisted around your finger to have him follow you into bed. "Now, what's your business? Why are you possessing him?"

"You don't want to continue doing what you're doing here," he seethed out.

"I've got someone to save,"

He cackled with a look of disdain. "You humans are so weak minded and hero wannabes. How about you save yourself and forget about the guy? You don't know who you're dealing with or what you're even doing,"

"Oh, I don't?" You pulled the bedside table's drawer open, your trusty notebook was tucked inside and you snatched it out, showing it gloriously. "Look at this!"

"A stupid little notebook? You're not scaring me,"

"Are you sure? What if I told you there were some verses in here? You know, those types of verses, the ones that can make you go away. What if I start reciting some verses?" You taunted, your innocent smile riled him further.

"Come on then," he poked, challenging you.

"Seriously? I'm giving you choices and time before I send you back to hell. I'm really kind,"

Jay gulped, despite all that, he remained a confident front and a cocky look. "Your stupid chantings won't work on me,"

"A low level demon like you telling me what I know and don't know? Please, save some talk and let me show you what I'm best at," you flipped open your notebook, following the usual ritual and started the latin incantations.

Jay stirred, yelling out and his body shuddered. As your chantings got louder and more aggressive, the demon from within seemed to be fighting to escape. Finally, with one last verse, Jay's mouth opened and a flight of black smoke escaped from within and dissolved back to, hopefully, hell.

"Fuck," you ran towards the bed as you saw his body going limp, getting there just in time for his body to fall into your arms heavily. "I got you, Jay, you're okay,"

"Huh?" His eyes were half opened, looking worse than a drunk.

"Get some rest, we'll talk about this tomorrow. You need it."

"I got possessed, then we made out, and you exorcised me?"

"That was about it,"

It was the next morning, room service thankfully available now and you were having breakfast in bed with Jay as you poured over the happenings of the crazy night. Of course, Jay was having difficulties swallowing his food as he had zero recollections whatsoever, blacking out the moment the demon entered his body.

"So … we made out?"

"Seriously? Is that the important part to you?"

"We never did for months and the demon got to do it with you? This is trippy and I'm salty," he huffed, chewing on his sunny side egg sadly. "Anyway, did the demon say anything?"

"Right, he did. Something about how we shouldn't be doing what we're doing now, like a warning I think,"

"Eh, typical demon bullshit, they always get into your minds and spit some mind boggling ass words to get you all worked up. It's nothing,"

You were unconvinced, crossing your arms nervously. "You don't actually think there's something wrong, right? Something bigger than we think?"

"Maybe, maybe not," he shrugged, uncertainty lingered in his words. "Either way, we have bigger problems. Tonight, the charity ball, saving Hoonie,"

"You're right."

Running around the streets looking for some gown to buy was harder than expected. Buying it rather than renting was a stupid choice, a dumb and expensive one. But what could you do? You're probably going to rip it up anyway. Not in that manner.

The day was soon coming to an end. Earlier on, the two of you made sure to have your bags packed and ready, dumping them into the car in advance. God knows what's happening after the event, all you knew was that you're probably not stepping foot back into the hotel room again.

"Are you done?" Jay shouted from the other room as you finished some final touch ups.

"Can you wait for a second? Jeez!"

You burst open the door, meeting Jay's gaze at once. He was dressed handsomely in a suit, a plain black suit that hugged his muscles and body in a perfect way as if it was tailored for him.

As for you, you were in a simple floor length black gown, one with two surprises: an open back and a thigh slit. You weren't a big fan but it is what it is. It was likely made out of some cheap silk and half assed production, but this happened to be your only option.

"Fucking hell," he whistled under his breath, his eyes swept your figure from top to bottom and back to the top again to lock his gaze with yours. "Wow. You look amazing, more than amazing actually,"

He took a step, and another, until he was directly in front of you, face to face. "Is it okay if I touch you?" He whispered under his breath, something flashing in those brown irises.

"Yeah,"

His hand slithered around your waist, tugging you forward into his chest, eyes widened as it caught you by surprise. Being this close to him had you thinking of yesterday. Despite the fact that he was possessed, it was physically still him, meaning you did kiss him, and God, he missed him and his lips.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Yesterday,"

"That demon got you hooked?"

"You're annoying. I mean, kissing you," you faltered towards the end, gradually getting flustered.

"Would you like to recreate that?" Jay jokingly leaned in and you pushed his face away, laughing slightly.

"We don't have the time to, idiot,"

Jay shook his head, a small smile adorned his pretty features. "After all this … maybe we should talk it out. About us. Just you and I,"

"Definitely," you nodded, squeezing his shoulder lightly. "We should leave too, it's time,"

"You're right," he sighed, obvious disappointment in his voice as he glanced down at his wristwatch. "Let's go," he slowly let his hold of you go, but his hand remained around your waist as you two walked side by side.

That cheeky bastard's hands gradually travelled lower and lower as you walked, teasing you until it reached your lower back. Your head snapped over to give him a questioning glance, to which he reciprocated with a shrug.

"Hands up—" you moved his hands from your lower back back to your waist, eyes glaring at him, "—here,"

"You weren't complaining the last time we fucked,"

"Over a year back,"

"What do you say we relive that tonight, huh?"

"You're such a sleazebag. Oh, manwhore, and what else?"

"Dickhead, handsome jerk,"

"Okay, whatever you say, dickhead handsome jerk," you snickered sarcastically before dragging him towards the main area, making sure to not trip over your gown.

The hotel was bustling with guests from all over the world, being the busiest it has been as staff ran around frantically. The night has yet to begin and people were already gambling their minds off while drinking expensive champagne served by frantic servers.

You looked around, noticing Sam, or Elliot in actuality, conversing with someone, his brother was nowhere in sight … yet.

"Distract him, okay?" You whispered hastily into Jay's ears as you saw the man waving over at you two, possibly coming over once he's done with the guy he's talking to. "I'll try to be within hindsight, but listen to me, if I'm not back by the two hour mark, you come to the office and find me. You have the gun, right?"

"Yeah,"

"Good. I'm going to try and get Sunghoon out, but I've only got so much,"

"I'll be there, okay? I won't leave you,"

You nodded at his words, feeling his hand squeeze your arm tightly. The anxiety was pushing past its limits and you were praying everything to run your way. The moment Sam moved over to you and Jay, you exchanged friendly greetings and pretended to be interested in whatever he's trying to yap about. As he did so, Jay slowly whisked him away, luring him for a talk over some drinks. One thing Jay's excellent at was talking, and you sure hoped his charms were enough to keep the little brother at bay.

After some more digging, you found out John, aka Elijah, mostly hung around the bar area and observed his customers. Interesting man. Lo and behold, the theories were right and he was actually there, all alone, an easy target.

"Not here to gamble?" You slid by his side casually, sitting in an empty seat just a fraction of a distance in between.

"I like to sit and observe a little," he hummed, taking a sip out of his glass. "And you are?"

"Stacy Williams,"

"I'm John Clerk,"

Ironic that you two were actually lying about yourselves to each other.

"Owner of this place I believe?"

"It's true," he raised his glass up, quirking his eyebrows.

"Beautiful casino and hotel, by the way," you said sweetly, putting on your most convincing smile.

"Thank you," he bowed his head slightly. Not much of a conversationalist, huh? Maybe this was your time to strike.

"Mr Clerk, I'm sorry but is there any way I can get a short rest around here? I'm feeling a little light headed and I just wish to lie down for a while,"

The man before you remained stoic, but you could tell he was internally scrambling for ideas in his mind, and you certainly didn't miss the way he gulped. To add extra pressure onto him, you started staring at him expectantly.

"Well—uhm—there's a sofa in my office," he suggested, though reluctantly.

"That'll be great if you don't mind, I'm sorry for the trouble,"

"No worries, Miss Williams," he assured. "I'll lead you there," he got off his seat and slowly took the lead, you following behind. As you gradually made your out of the vicinity, you spotted Jay, giving him a small nod before disappearing from his sight entirely.

He took the same path you and Jay had done during the time you two snuck around the demon brothers office, except this time, you would be entering into the office.

"Here you go, the sofa's all yours," he opened the door for you, leading you into his large office and pointed at the black coloured sofa in the corner. For a murderous, plotting demon, you didn't expect him or his interior to be so simple and minimal. "Would you like anything else?"

"A drink, maybe water or something refreshing will do,"

He nodded before closing the door shut, and you could tell he was worried about leaving you alone. Not because it's dangerous for you to be by yourself, but instead, he's paranoid about his typical demon doings and that dungeon.

Speaking of the dungeon, you had no idea where it was. Upon arriving, you checked for surveillance cameras, there were none thankfully, as for the dungeon you noticed nothing, even after squinting and looking around the room for some dodgy button. What a cunning demon! Time was ticking and you were racing against time.

"Wait…" you read about some theories about the whereabouts of the entrance to the dungeon, so now, you finally had the chance to test it out.

Locking the door and making up a quick lie was easy. But searching for some clues around the room wasn't. It got to a frustrating point of testing out the stupid theories where you ended up failing. There was one more for the test: the bookshelves.

Stories mentioned John being a complete book nerd, his belongings would be chucked in between books and somewhere behind the shelves, it would totally make sense the bookshelves in his office to have some hidden functions. You tried pushing it, punching it, but it wouldn't budge.

Sighing in almost defeat, you found yourself eyeing the books instead, judging the titles and spotting an odd one, reaching out for a grab. That was when everything changed. A small pull had triggered the book shelf to raise itself off of the ground and into the wall, revealing stairs going underground. Bingo.

You defied the laws of horror movies by going down the dark stairway, quietly calling out for any signs of life. Once you descended the remaining steps, you were met with dimly lit torches, chains hanging on the wall. This did look very anciently built, replicating those tacky dungeons in movies.

It was a large underground cave, so it wasn't hard to spot Sunghoon sitting in one corner, his hand chained to the wall and he himself had dozed off.

You made your way there, your heels clicking against the hard floor but Sunghoon never woke from it. You kneeled beside him, noticing the fatigue in his expressions, looking overly worn out, attire soiled and seemingly hurt.

"Sunghoon!" You hissed, shaking him awake. There's no way you're attempting to carry him out while he's unconscious.

"Huh—what—who—" he slowly blinked, startled at the unfamiliar voice. His gaze was on you, his eyes blinking rapidly to rid of the haziness, then he finally registered that it was you talking. "Wait—Y/N?"

"You got that right. Is there a key around here?"

"What are you doing here?"

"We have no time for that! Is there a key or not?" You hissed, trying to strain your ears in order to determine if he's returned or not. Hopefully the guests were keeping him busy in the meantime.

"There is, it's somewhere in the small cupboard there," he nodded over at said cupboard that you hadn't noticed.

Say less, you practically jumped to your feet and bolted over to the small cupboard, pulled it open and the key was there. Tada! It was foolish that it was out in the open like that, but considering the fact they probably didn't expect anyone else to come down here, it was pretty valid.

Being the more thorough person you were, you checked the remaining drawers in case of any dangerous objects. Instead, you found some weapons here and there, so you tossed some over to Sunghoon before unlocking his chain. He winced the moment his wrist found freedom, rubbing it sorely. But there's not enough time, you need him out.

"Park, listen close to me," you tucked some of the knives into the garter belt around your thigh, handing Sunghoon one of the guns found in the drawer. "Your brother is here—"

"Jay?"

"Yes, now hush and actually listen, alright? The demon that captured you is coming back soon, and you're escaping before he does,"

"What about you?"

"I'll hold out as long as I can. Once you find Jay, tell him to come 'fetch' me or whatever excuse he could form. If shit goes sour, I don't think I can handle him alone,"

Sunghoon nodded as he took your words in carefully. There was limited time left, you needed to get out of the dungeon and shut it.

You helped Sunghoon up and had him lean his weight into you as you guided him up the stairs. To say you were struggling and having breathing difficulties was an understatement. He better treat you to some good food for saving his ass after this.

He fell onto the sofa you were resting on earlier as you scrambled to shut the entrance by pushing the book back in. The entrance to the dungeon closed to a shut, and you breathed a sigh of relief. Now that you got Sunghoon out, there's bigger problems to face.

"Are you able to walk?"

Sunghoon grunted, stretching and massaging his legs. "I can … I think,"

"You think?" His words weren't completely reassuring.

"I'll manage," he gritted out, but his gaze softened. "I'm only worried about you,"

"You don't think I can handle him?"

"No, not that. You're an amazing hunter, of course, but this guy—demon—he's not some low ranking one. Not some simple exorcism can cast him back to hell,"

"I know, that's why Jay's got the gun,"

"He brought the colt along?"

The colt wasn't just a normal revolver, it was the supernatural revolver. Built to kill everything and anything. No supernatural beings were able to escape the wrath of the bullet. Who else better to use it on than some powerful demons?

"He's crazy," Sunghoon breathed out after you nodded as a response to his question.

"He's just being careful. Plus, we do need it now anyway,"

Sunghoon blinked, leaning back a little with an odd expression, his eyebrows furrowed. "Oh wow, did you guys…?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, you have this look and I figured something … sparked between you and him again,"

You pressed your lips into a flat line, blinking wordlessly at him. Even he could tell you and Jay were having something?

"Let's talk about this later," you patted his shoulder, nodding towards the door. "You should definitely leave now,"

Knock knock.

"Miss Williams? Are you alright? Why is the door locked?"

You met Sunghoon's gaze, and the one thing you've managed to understand in his stare was 'we're fucked'.

"I'm—I'm not doing well,"

"What's happened? Let me in,"

"No!" You bursted out, which sounded worse than expected. "I mean, no, I got m–my period, and I'm embarrassed to come out,"

"Oh," the man on the other side of the door seemed shocked to say the least. "I'll go get you some pads, Miss Williams,"

"Thank you,"

Pressing your ears onto the door, you heard his footsteps getting further away, finally able to let out the breath you've been holding in for too long. You turned to Sunghoon, grabbing his arm.

"You know, for a demon, he's actually quite a gentleman,"

"Keeping me in his stupid dusty dungeon surely isn't a gentleman's move," he said bitterly as he got up, limping slightly. "You'll be okay, right?"

"No promises,"

"I'll be quick, I'm going to get Jay here. You saved my ass, I'm making sure I save yours," he placed a hand on your shoulder, squeezing it softly.

"I trust you," you patted his hand. "Now, go,"

Sunghoon nodded, though quite reluctantly leaving as he didn't wish to have you all alone in a demon's threshold. You exchanged a brief look with him before he slipped out of the door completely, and you prayed he made it out successfully without any complications in between.

Minutes later, you heard knocks on the door once again, which meant John was back. Bracing yourself, you turned the door open, revealing him and some pads in his hands. "Here,"

"Thanks, I'll—uh—go to the restroom,"

"You're not actually on your period, are you?" His words cut like knives, sharp and certain.

"Are you doubting my knowledge of my own body?"

"No, I'm not," he said flatly, shutting the door behind him and stepping closer. "One thing I know for sure is that you're not welcomed here … hunter," in one blink, his eyes turned black entirely, just like the time Jay was possessed.

"I'm only here for a shortstop, nothing else … Elijah," you kept your cool on the outside, but internally? You were fighting the horrors. He seemed surprised that you mentioned his actual name, but that didn't bother him.

"Oh yeah? Tell your buddies to stop coming after me,"

"How about you stop killing people?"

Your retaliation didn't help your case as it only agitated him. With a swift move of a hand, he had you pushed to the bookshelves, pinning you on there with an invisible force. No matter how you tried resisting it, you couldn't break free from the forceful hold.

"You won't understand. You humans don't," he seethed out, getting closer and closer. "You would be a great sacrifice as well,"

"Fuck you,"

Wrong choices of words. A force was wrapped around your throat and in the next second, it was constricting. Dying from getting choked by a demon wasn't on your list of dumb ways to die.

You swore you were seeing the lights of the afterlife until something intervened. Gunshots sounded suddenly, loud and clear and almost everywhere, a mix of shouts rang through. Chaos was happening.

John, or Elijah, heard the commotion outside and was taken off guard from it, his hold loosening and you were able to breathe just a little bit more. His head turned back to you, then to the door, seemingly conflicted at the two troubles on hand.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath. "For fuck's sake," he released his hold on you, resulting in you dropping to the ground in coughing fits. You take it back about him being a gentleman. "You're so dead when I come back,"

You could only glare at him and his figure as he exited through the door, but then you heard the sound of a click. No, no, no. You rushed to the door, trying to yank it open, but to your worst fears, he actually locked the door.

Jay was coming to find you, right? Doubts continuously fill your mind against your will. It pained you knowing you're stuck here all helpless, unaware whether Jay and Sunghoon were doing well or not. You could only hope for the best and not the worst.

What seemed like forever was you being trapped in this office. The books on the shelves didn't entertain you, the pictures of the actual Sam only made you sad knowing his body was being possessed by a demon. All in all, you were rotting in here.

That was until you heard grunts and some gunshots not far away, heavy footsteps thudding down the corridor. Shouts rang through the empty and quiet surroundings, your heart thrashing wildly against your chest in anxiety. There was no mistake in what you heard next. It was your name, your name was yelled.

"Y/N!" Jay's voice was hoarse as he called for you over and over.

"Jay?" You pounded on the door, shaking the doorknob that wouldn't budge.

The footsteps got closer and his voice got nearer until he was eventually standing directly on the other side of the door. "Y/N? Are you there?"

"I am," you nearly sobbed, wanting to break free and escape the office. "Jay, the door's locked,"

"You've got to be kidding me. I killed that fucker and never asked for the keys," Jay pounded at the door in irritation. "Y/N, step away, I'm going to break this fucking door down,"

You got away from the door, backing away to your previous spot at the bookshelves and crouching down. After a split second, you heard a gunshot, the doorknob rattled and loosened, but that didn't take the cake. Jay grunted, having to go for busting down the door instead.

A few kicks to the door had loosened the handles, you could hear Jay putting his whole effort into busting down the door with his kicks and the way he threw his body to the door. It was almost a while before he finally knocked the door down completely, revealing a overly worn out Jay.

He was injured, cuts on his face, arm bleeding and his fancy suit torn at some places. Despite all that, his eyes lit up the moment they landed on your figure crouched by the bookshelves. He rushed over with speed that resembled the Flash, immediately dropping down to his knees to match your position.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt right?" His hands were on your shoulder, turning you slightly to check for any visible changes.

You didn't say anything yet, just feeling glad that he's here now, safe and sound. Almost instinctively, your arms reached out and pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly.

"I got you, I'm here now, nothing's going to hurt you," Jay caressed the back of your head, pressing a soft kiss on your temple.

"I'm glad you're fine too," you slowly pulled away after a few moments, your hands cupping his cheek. "You do look really busted though,"

He scoffed, lips gradually stretched into a grin. "You'll be the one patching me up later,"

"What happened out there?"

"I killed them," he said hoarsely, his touch never leaving yours. "Little brother Elliot attacked me first after he revealed himself, then everyone ran away. I took my chance and blasted him. Sunghoon showed up not long after and that's when Elijah appeared. We managed to kill him, sent their souls back to hell,"

"That's great,"

"Did he … do anything out of line?"

"Other than choking me and saying he'll kill me? Not really,"

"He's a fucking bastard," Jay cursed, wincing slightly from the cut on his lips.

"Should we leave? The police is arriving soon, no?" You slowly got up, supporting Jay as well.

"We really should. I don't need the police on my ass again,"

"Hey guys—" Sunghoon appeared in the doorway, sweating and heaving, but once he saw the two of you together, hands around each other, his face morphed into a teasing smirk. "Am I interupting?"

You and Jay simultaneously let out a cough, facing away from one another.

"Are the polices on their way?"

"They are," Sunghoon replied hastily, ushering you two to come forward and leave the office. "I've cleaned our traces as much as I could. Now, we should just leave while people are hiding,"

"Did the bodies make it? The original Sam and John," you asked.

"No," the Park brothers answered in unison, and the three of you continued your way to the carpark in silence. It was saddening to hear that the bodies of Sam and John didn't make it, the dull atmosphere ended up befalling between you all.

"So," Jay started once you were all in the car, revving his car to a start. "Want some celebratory burgers along the way?"

"Say less."

"Ouch,"

After a long gruelling trip back to your house, Sunghoon ended up passing out in the guest room's bed, leaving you and Jay alone in the middle of your living room, where you were cleaning his injury wounds.

"I'm trying to be as gentle as I can," Your eyes flickered, wrapping his arm up and cleaning some tiny wounds. "Are you leaving after this? Go on your journey wherever supernatural cases appear like always?"

"I am," Jay said, and somewhere internally, you felt your soul crush. "But I'm staying a little longer here,"

"What?" Your mouth almost fell to the ground from the shock, unintentionally applying more pressure to the wound which made Jay wince, and you uttered a small apology, an unknowing smile forming on your lips. "You're serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be? You know how I said I wanted to have a talk after we got back, so here we are. I know our job is … complicated, but my feelings for you never changed over the years. It just took me a shit long time to come to my senses," Jay took a breath in.

"I know I've hurt you before, and I'm going to have to gain your trust back first. But I hope you'll give me a chance, and let me bring you out on a date or two over these few days,"

"You're giving 'us' a shot?"

"I am,"

You were giddy to say the least, resisting the urge to break into the biggest, lovesick smile. "I'd really love to go out on that date with you,"

"Really?" Jay seemed like he couldn't believe you actually would agree, the evident shock in his face made you laugh.

"Yes, really, you idiot. Are you going to kiss me or something now?"

"I definitely am,"

Jay's calloused fingers wrapped around your chin softly, pulling you in and crashed his lips against yours. It wasn't your first time kissing him, but this was different. Desperation, endless pining that was bottled over the years finally burst and welled over, his lips moved against yours with so much fever and intensity, it had you going insane.

Jay pulled you into his lap, your arms falling over his shoulders for support while his hand travelled from your neck to your cheek before making its way into your hair. You could feel him smirking against your lips, his other hand moving down to your waist to tug you closer to his chest, having you totally pressed up against him.

"J–Jay," before he could take it to another level, you registered that it was your living room, and Sunghoon was in the house as well, which meant the possibility of him walking in was there. "Should we move it into … the room instead?"

Jay knew what you meant, his gaze changing almost instantly, something told you that you were in for it tonight. "Oh you're nasty," he suddenly carried you in bridal style, making you yelp out in surprise and scrambling for support.

The night was going to be long, but it didn't matter anymore now that you've got to have him for a few days and nights all to yourself. Killing supernatural beings was a headache, an ill fated string tied to you, but in the end, you couldn't deny it had brought you and Jay together again. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise after all.

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