#pretty sure the moon's covering the sun up??? or it's moving directly in front of the sun

[urlocalwormtoday]

When can we have our wedding? :c

on Monday maybe?? :o

getting married under the light of a partial eclipse sounds very poetic lol

[anaiswriterr]

The Dragon Kings Queen

Pairing: Dragon King!Bakugou x Queen!Reader

Rating: M

Warning: This is part four, I’d like to point out be aware: 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝗼𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝗺𝐞𝐬, 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞, 𝐠𝗼𝐫𝐞, 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐭𝐜. Please don’t read if you are not comfortable with it, and if you’re under the age of 18+ I will give a warning when it becomes NSFW but at the moment it’s SFW. Todays chapter does include gore, death, killing, hunting, sickness, etc.

<masterlist>

Synopsis: ➪ When the word marriage crossed your mind, you believed you’d marry someone you loved. Not this brute of a King. So here you are standing at the end on an alter, pushing away the urge to run and fight. Possibly start a new life, instead of being dragged into a loveless marriage. But for the sake of your people.. They say he’s not what rumors make him out to be, but how can you believe that when his eyes burn into yours; just as fiery as before. How could you, ever love someone as barbaric as him…

- chapter five: the blood a trickster spills -

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You grab onto a tree branch, grunting as you pull yourself up. It has been an hour since you've been aimlessly walking through the enchanted forest, your feet already burn in exhaustion. You managed a to find a stream, the land was smooth - perfect for a fire in the morning but right now your main priority:

Is to somehow climb this tree without breaking a leg.

You grumble incoherent words to yourself, enraged by the stubborn bark your hand could not grasp. You opted for another tree branch, pulling yourself up to a reasonably thicker branch - which you deemed was thick enough to wait the night out. Though sleep was definitely out of the question for you, a fall from this height was enough to put you out of commission and paint you dead.

You wrap your arms carefully around the trees trunk taking deep breathes in attempt to sooth your beating heart, "don't look down.. don't look down." you chant, the words stitching together like a prayer. But your eyes glance down - for only one second. One second and suddenly your breath hitches and fear burrows into your stomach. One slip and it was over. Your hands grasp hard onto the trees bark, imprinting your hand with small indents of patterns.

Your eyes grow heavy with sleep, exhausted from climbing. You mentally curse yourself for not taking advantage of the time you had in the carriage ride.

From beneath you, bushes rustle and heavy footsteps emerge.

Yet, you don't dare look down to peep what roams the dark night; growling and far away howls creep up your skin as you shiver. You were in a long night - a cold grueling night.

***

You shiver against the bark, as rain pours down from above soaking your boots and clothing. The rain clouds cover up the moon - as if the night couldn't get worse - you feel small rain drops drizzle down from the skyline. Tapping your nose and cheeks, falling hard onto the ground after a few seconds. You roll your eyes in annoyance, tightening you grip against the tree bark as the rain soaks you from head to toe. In this case you were going to get sick if you didn't dry up soon - and sickness in the kingdom was a true tragedy. Your grip is slippery, chunks of bark peels off the tree and onto the ground below. Startling the animals that roamed below - one snarls as it's hit on the head with one piece. Tightening your legs and arms you realize if you fall now, in this darkness, at this moment..

You would never see another night again.

Determined to survive you travel even further up top into the tree line, it wasn't the smartest idea, staying put in the position you were in and waiting the rain out seemed like a logical solution.

But you needed to get to the tree line.

The sky could tell exactly what time it was, where the rain was coming from, and when it would end. It was better visually, other than waiting for you to fall.

But that also was a thought, what if your foot slipped when you were trying to get further on top, surely by that height you wouldn't have to worry about getting eaten alive by creatures of the night - you'd simply die just by hitting the ground. In all actuality, you didn't wanna think about it, but each time your damned eyes just peered down you saw death. This entire forest reeked and felt like death, or was it a curse, a game? A game to see which Queen can be the most traumatized?

If so, you were pretty sure by the end of this you'd have to see the royal therapist. If there even was one in this kingdom you served.

Grunting you pull yourself up, cheering yourself on internally. You're just nearly there, one more step and the sky line would be clear!

Rain droplets splatter your face, gliding across your cheeks and drenching your hair. Just a few more branches, a few more pulls. The dark clouds peer through leaves above, and you can already see the rain clouds gathered together. You sigh in relief, the rain would stop soon, you estimated the rain would most likely stop in approximately five minutes. And the moon would shine down again. the clouds were just passing by.

You breath in the fresh air, ignoring the pelting rain.

You just simply needed to breath, tears run down your face as you stare off into the Kingdoms silhouette - staring angrily at the sky refusing to place your fate in another persons hands. Clutching onto your dagger your carve into the tree branch.

"I will not accept the fate you place me under, you scoundrel pieces of shit!" You say quietly under your breath, a promise you will get to retell to your future children when the time came.

***

Birds chirp all around you, it's officially the first day.

The beating sun scorned your skin, but the cough in your throat is enough to pull your attention away from the scorching heat. You are developing a cold.

Your throat tickles and your nose feels stopped up, your hand shoots up to cover the suns beating  rays off your face. It was early, if you had to estimate most likely seven in the morning. The sun came down behind the kingdom at exactly seven thirty, (you made sure to observe), which only meant you had had twelve hours and thirty minutes to find food, make a fire, track down a goblin, and lastly if you were lucky enough to stumble upon safe herbs to create a tea that would soothe the pending cold.

If an infection didn't kill you, it'd be a cold that would have a final say, but the cold was the least of your worries.

You had a goblin to track down, and those tricksters could kill you faster than any fever.

You slowly move down the tree, checking your surrounds.

You found yourself a loose rabbit wandering off into its borough, noting your next meal for the day was only a few feet away. Your boots crunch onto the dried leaves and wet dirt, you search for dried logs that survived the rain fall, along with rocks that you could create a pit with. You set up directly in the sun in hopes to dry out a few damp logs. In the meantime you went to the rabbits borough - it had two entrances and from what you learned from Kirishima it would attempt to escape from the back. You stealthily placed a large heavy rock at the back entrance blocking its way.

Intricately you back away, you weren't so immune to dead animals. Your father went on annual hunting trips all the time, but, this would be the first time you are hunting out of survival.

The entirety of the "game" was survival.

You check up on your logs, noticing they are now dry from the suns heat. You grab your sticks rubbing your hands up and down to create a spark - fire blazes in front of you. Normally you'd say it was to hot to start a fire, but at night you rather face the cold than a grueling hungry Ogre. Of all things you had to deal with in life at this moment, a bitch ass Ogre was not one of the problems you had the proper strength and patience to deal with.

You grab an end of a stick, lighting the other half on fire. Waving it as a torch, your meal for the day would be served.

You rush over to the borough, lightly throwing the stick into the hole before closing it off with the boulder. Running over to the other end you hold your dagger.

You felt bad for the poor thing.

But a girls got to eat.

***

You have no idea where to start.

When one thinks of a goblin one would refer to the story books that claimed they lived under bridges - shunned away from society maybe even deep into forests. But those were simply just stories, if you had to think like a goblin you'd live far away from the kingdom in fear of being killed.

Nobody prepared you for the hunt, only survival.

You decide you should move, being stuck in the same place wouldn't get you very far. The herbs you were in search for in the meantime for your throat weren't found so you inevitability gave up on the luxury of a warm leaf of tea. You cough into your arm, sniffling your nose from running. The heat rose your temperature to the point you had to stop your travels to lie down, mentally cursing yourself for wasting time.

Heaving, you look up towards the sky, noticing the sun has moved positions. Only a few hours away of setting and you have yet found a single clue where you could find a goblin. You crouch down beside a creak, cupping your hands and drinking away the water from your palms. Splashing your face with it as well to cool the rising fever you felt approaching. You only had three days and if you were gonna make it back to start on time by the third day the heart must be in your possession. Your feet ache, and your calves muscles cramp. The lower part of your back is sore and the sun is burning the sides of your feet - you were in complete misery.

Black dots appear in your line of sight, you stumble onto your feet holding back the urge to vomit what little food you had left in your system.

Your hand quietly slaps over your mouth, clamping it shut.

"Well well well... what do we have here?"

Before you can even answer your sight goes dark, and you feel your head hit the ground. It falls silent.

***

Humming.

The sound of a cackling fire.

And the warm rich scent smell of hazelnut soup.

You slowly open your eyes, "What the-" your heart rate rises in fear, where were you? Who's here? Why are you here, how are you here? You search for the dagger but are left bewildered when the sharp blade is nowhere to be found. You shuffle backwards, your hands running over the wooden floorboards - splinters penetrate your skin. But you could careless, you remember passing out from the heat - or was it from a fever? You didn't know, footsteps approach you.

"Oh well it seems like you're awake!" A females voice cheers, you scan her body, taking in her frame. She was tall, and very beautiful, her striking long brown hair and dark green eyes, a dark red gown adorned her body. Narrowing your eyes in suspicion, you bark at the woman, "Who are you-"

"Now, that isn't a way to speak to a woman who saved your life your Majesty."

"How do you know who I am-"

The woman chuckles, "Well I hear everything! The forest, it speaks to me. And not to mention the witches that live here love to gossip!" You stare at her, blinking your tired eyes. It still didn't make much sense, yes technically you ruled this land as well but it's so far away. You can feel your pounding headache even worsen, "So you're a witch?" You ask, pulling your feet in.

"Ha! You think I'm one of those people! How rude. See I'm just a modern lady sitting in a cottage, I don't suppose you would know that kind of lifestyle." The woman shrugs, sipping her cup of tea.

You nod, "I'm afraid.. I don't actually." All your life you were surrounded by jewels and gold's, fed the most expensive meats and the most tasty fruits. Living a fast paced life of "don't say that." "don't touch that." "sit like this." and "who told you to speak." Speaking to Mina about eventually running away from marriage, even planning to take her too.

"Well it seems to me you are part taking in those heinous games the Dragons throw women into. What a shame, you are beautiful too."

You arch a brow in curiosity at her, "What do you mean?"

"I mean this isn't going to end well for you. I mean, look at you! You look like you couldn't hurt and fly, I wonder what King Bakugou must be up to? You wouldn't stand a chance against a goblin!" The woman laughs manically placing her cup of tea onto the table, she steps towards you. "I managed to survive one night alone-"

"Oh please, If I didn't take you in the wolves would've had a feast. You should be thanking me." You roll your eyes in annoyance, "Now dear," she grins, "you look parched. How about some tea."

Tea.

Your body is practically begging for a warm remedy to sooth your raw sore throat, oh.. you realized that you're actually growing sick. The headache on the sides of your temples is beating - pounding against your brain. Your vision is cloudy. How could you not of realized. You were so distracted by where you were you barley remember you couldn't find the herbs you searched for.

The lady wags an empty cup in your face.

"Come on. Your cheeks are burning red, and whether that's just a sun burn or fever I'm sure you need a sip. You're burning up a storm."

A part of you wonders her name, but was it truly important? Could she possibly show you were you could find a goblin? You look over your shoulder out of the window realizing the sun was just barley going down.

"H-How long was I out?" You shakily ask, pulling your hands into your chest.

The woman arches a brow, "You know for a Queen you surely do stutter a lot. You've been out since noon."

Lord if you didn't have strength to be patient you probably would've thrown a wooden slab at her by now, you breath in heavily through your stopped up nose; coughing in despair. Blowing out a few pieces of hair from your face. "Well, then do you want the tea or no - your royal highness?" She asks in a taunting matter.

"No. I'm fine." You huff.

"More for me then-"

"What's your name?" You interrupt, "Id love to know the name of the woman who saved me after all." You grin tilting your head to the side. The lady clears her throat, "Marigold. My name is Marigold." You nod, finally knowing her name. "Well Marigold, do you know where I can find a goblin?"

The word seems to stop Marigold in her tracks. Her face grows pale for a second before returning back to her natural nonchalant expression. Blowing a raspberry she proceeds to laugh, "Well honey, that's a days trip. They live deep into the forest. You wouldn't make it there in time."

Hmm, you nod suspiciously. Recalling the last conversation you had with Kirishima.

"What do goblins look like? I've only ever read about them." You asked, moving beside him following him into the horse stall. He combs out the mane of his horse, "Well that's a tricky question my Queen. They are real tricky and can spew lies just to get you where they want... they promise you things. You have to be real smart to not fall for it - I've encountered one in my youth. It didn't look anything like those storybooks."

Your eyes wander her body; she looked normal. But to trust her would be a stretch, one that could kill you. Her voice sound normal. You watch her closely, "Where's my stuff?" You ask. Marigold arches a brow and shrugs her shoulders; "What stuff?"

You bark, "My dagger! My holster for it! Where is it?"

"Oh those things.. why do you need them?"

"I need to leave-"

"It's dark out, you wouldn't want yourself to increase your fever now would you. I promise this tea will sooth all your pains away. Even the ones deep in your heart."

You arch a brow, narrowing your gaze. Even the ones deep in your heart. Your brush her off as a bluff, "You don't know what you're talking about." You push yourself up from the floor, stumbling from the sudden wave of nausea. Sweat beats run down your forehead as you attempt to stand up straight. Marigold clicks her tongue, her long fingers run through her long brown locks. "No. No. It seems that... I do know what I'm talking about. A Queen who's too good for her new kingdom, thrown, stuck and forced into a loveless marriage; suddenly thrown into the enchanted forest to find a heart that she will be forced to eat? Poor unfortunate girl, you were better off dead."

Her words cut deeply, anyone could figure that out though. She didn't know you, how could she possibly think she had your life figured out. You were a Princess made into a Queen; it wasn't that hard to understand. To create peace between your kingdoms you had to marry Bakugou.

"Darling... you are unhappy." She takes small sips of her tea, "I can help you escape.. you don't love him you don't even know him. Come with me, and I can help nourish you back to health. You won't even have to return, I'm quite lonely myself. Now, have some tea. Your cheeks are practically scarlet." Marigolds grin is sinister, she taps her nails slowly against the table; that's when you realize:

Her fingers and nails are sharp, green, and coated with old blood.

Her green eye sharpen with each passing second - her pupils are almost snake like. You gulp down the fear that rose in you, ignoring the raging pound against your chest. What do you do? You can tell she's growing impatient, if you run out now with no weapon you could kiss your life away. If you stayed... no. You needed a knife, your dagger, anything even a wooden stake would do fine. "I don't bite, sit down." Marigold says menacingly, your feet  scuff the floor as you make your way to her. This is the time where you're supposed be strong, you guess.

Marigold lifts up her tea kettle, you notice her teeth for the first time.. how sharp they were.. separated and long.. how could she disguise herself as someone so beautiful?

"Remember.. they are tricksters. They are going to tell you things you wanna hear, they can be anyone and anything." Kirishima's words rang through your head, "Well wouldn't that make them a shape shifter? I've heard those are a thing too, how can I be certain?" You pout, how would you know. The creatures of the Enchanted Forest were so complex. He crosses his arm, "You'll know when they begin to turn.. back into the creature they were originally. Don't catch yourself entertaining, they'll slice your throat in a second."

Your breathing grows heavy, she's a goblin. She's what you've been looking for, her name wasn't Marigold - Marigold was a the woman who the face, the body belonged too. This thing... is morphing. You choose your words carefully, slowly reaching out for an empty tea cup and quietly asking her to fill it. If you could just lead her into the kitchen somehow you could possibly get a knife, "Well now that's the spirit my Queen. I promise this tea with sooth everything away, melting all the overwhelming emotions you may be feeling." The woman mutters before pulling back a hot tea kettle.

Hot.

Tea.

Kettle.

Boiling water is in there. Your heart prancing in joy, you have a chance. You had an opening, quickly, you stop her with your hand. "Actually, may I poor it? I-I sometimes like mines a little more full than usual." You smile nervously, "Oh why of course, here. Have as much as you'd like - it came right off the cauldron."

You nod, taking the handle away from her and carefully pouring the boiling tea into your cup. You make note of her wandering eyes, you've got to make this quick. You finish pouring, opening the kettle lid you ask aloud, "What kind of tea is this? It smells wonderful." You needed a distraction, a reason to open the lid.

"Lavender green tea with a speck of rose water-"

Your throw the boiling water over her head, her screams erupt in the as dining room; as her skin bubbles up. You throw the kettle at her head and knock back your chair, running towards the kitchen. "You wretched! Horrid- I'll slice your throat!" The Goblin screeches, you search the drawers and cabinets for something, anything! But to no avail you didn't find a single thing. Now you were completely done for.

Heavy footsteps and angered huffs make their way towards the kitchen - it's now or never. Throwing pots and pans you make sure to strike the goblin in the face, "After I saved your life! This is the thanks I get?" You hear, bending down to hide underneath the counter your eyes lock with a shining blade.

Your dagger!

Hidden behind the cauldron, you just needed a way to get back there. You needed a way to grab it, the goblins footsteps grow heavy. You silence your breathing with your palms, "I could've helped you, I could've been your escape. You greedy rat!" You hear tables being flipped over, cabinets being thrown open violently, "Wait till I get my hands on you.. I'll cut you open and gut you like a fish."

You attempt to keep calm, either way you were a goner if you hadn't left in that moment. When you hear the goblins footsteps move away in distance you shuffle onto your feet and zoom towards the cauldron. The crackling fire and boil contents bring you an idea. You hurry for the dagger, flipping it between your hands.

"There you are.." you hear a snarl from across the room, readying your blade to attack, you throw your hands up, "Thank you for the hospitality, but it looks like you have something I need." You point towards the goblins chest, the heart. A viable beating heart, only feet away. In mere seconds the goblin launches at you, reaching out to tackle you. You swiftly move out of the way throwing yourself to the ground, your palms throb in pain from the splinters lodged deep into your flesh - but that's the least of your worries. You scurry to your feet and push over the boiling cauldron over the goblin and stab your dagger deep into its head. Blood splatters your face in small droplets, staining your face and clothes.

You've never killed a "person" before.

Never did you think you could actually do it, but the small sigh of relief escaping your throat tells you that you are finally safe.

You proved what you had to prove. And for the night you had sanctuary.

Your mind races in adrenaline, you're alive.

Yet you had to kill in the process, does that make you one of them? No, you did what you had to do. It was a matter of kill or be killed. You pull your dagger away, out of its head, you didn't kill an innocent women. You killed a beast. Small gurgles and a moan fall from its mouth, the sound of death. You wipe away the blood on your forehead with your forearm and roll the dead corpse to the side.

The heart...

A token for the kingdom.

***

Blood stains your chest; dried up to the color brown as you stumble through the forest. Your eye lids feel heavy with every step you take yet you fight off the urge to fall to your knees and succumb to the dark black dots in your vision. It's tempting, yet you are so close to the finish.. you walked the full second day. With no breaks and no source of water on the way, your fever had returned full force as the sun blazed down your body.

You cough into your arm as your second hand clutches onto the heart you were meant to return. Fresh blood coats your hands from the animals you had to fight off for the heart, the trip back was just as worse, your eye lids flutter, opening and closing with each step you nearly fall to the floor.

You look like a dead girl walking.

Your feet shuffle and kick at the ground below.

Your back is sore and your throat feels dry from the cold of the night - the forest was ruthless. You can hear the tribal drums from afar, the sound edging closer and closer, increasing its volume with each step. You stumble to the ground, exhausted, thirsty, and sick. You consider staying down, to tired to even pull yourself up. You hear voices, they sound so close.

"I told you already, she'll be here."

Bakugou?

The king, your husband.

"Give her some more time."

It must be near afternoon then, you push yourself up when you heard Kirishima's voice agree with your husband. Providing you some more time to make it to the finish line - you assume the politicians want to speed up the process. You swore they must have something against you.

Your body feels sticky from the old, dried blood on your chest. Fingers still freshly coated in blood and dirt you push yourself off from a nearby tree - edging closer to the entrance of the Enchanted Forest. The setting suns sunlight peers through the small branches and leaves of the trees above, kissing your exposed shoulders, reddened from the sunburns that littered your skin. You wipe the sweat off your forehead; smearing a combination of dried and fresh blood all over your face. But you don't care, you just had a few more step till sanctuary.

The entrance is clear, open to the trail you followed.

You can see Kirishima from a distance, his rough shoulders tense in worry. Beside him, Bakugou stands with his arms crossed over his shoulders. An expression you couldn't make out contours his face.

You know you've finally made it out when a wave of heat smacks your face even harder - the setting sun beating on your body you stumble over to the King.

A smirk on your face as you hold up the heart, his eyes widen in surprise, taken aback you watch his lips move. But no sound comes out, it's all muffled around you. Black spots collect in your vision, "I-I did it.." you mumble, falling into his chest his hand reaches out to touch your forehead.

You lie passed out in his arms as he calls out to his guards, Kirishima collects the heart from your hand just before it could fall. "What do we do?" The dragon frantically says, Bakugou looks out for the Counsel men, his eyes fall onto the President. Glaring he announces, "We're taking her back to the Palace now!"

"You will do no such thing, your Majesty! She will be brought to the plaza hall, your people are waiting! Handmaidens, guards, take Queen Y/N, preserve the heart and bathe it in pigs blood. We are continuing the ceremony."

Your fever rose with each passing minute, and the exhaustion you'd expedited already was enough to kill. Bakugou breathes in heavily knowing he had no say in the ceremony. There was no way he could just simply override the parliament. Arms wrap around your body as the guards and handmaidens assist in take you.

They rip you away from Bakugou's arms.

"We'll take care of her after the ceremony-"

Kirishima interrupts the Counsel man, bearing his sharp teeth he growls, "I believe you will. I don't necessarily like the taste of humans." He threatens as they user you off. Bakugou stares in annoyance at the carriage that rushed you off to the plaza. Nightfall was close, and he could already feel the rumbling of ceremonial drums beneath his feet. A hand comes to pat his shoulder, the Counsels president, Hagoku Tekona, smiles. "You should probably head back to the plaza.. she might wanna see you as soon as we wake her up."

"You're just gonna wake her up?"

"We'll just drench her in pigs blood to wake her, she'll anyways have to. The tradition calls for the Queen to bathe in pigs blood as she intakes the heart to be fully part of the dragon clan-"

Bakugou, walks away, reaching out for Kirishima he taps his back.

"Make sure... they don't throw her around too much."

Nodding in agreement Kirishima fetches their horses, "I'll take care of her. Make sure she's conscious." The two jump onto their horses settling into the saddle, Bakugou mutters to himself, incoherent words bungled all in one sentence, he pulls back on his horse. Kirishima arches a brow in worry, eyeing his friend he doesn't know what to say neither what to do, the dragon mutters, "You seem surprised. Did you think she wasn't going to make it?"

Nodding Bakugou turns to face Kirishima, with notable surprise written on his face. "I thought I was going to have to find another wife..."

Chuckling Kirishima shakes his head before taking off with his horse, "Depending on how well tonight's ceremony goes.. it appears Bakugou that you have a wife beside your side."

"It appears.. so."

AUTHORS NOTES: Yooooooo! How are you guys, sorry for taking to long. This chapter was longer than the others so I’m happy with where this is going. I have been going through a few things, remember guys I’m just a teenager so it can be hard to fit things in on time. I just got a job, just waiting for the orientation, I have school work and I’m glad I have all A’s! Anyways I hope you liked it!!

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[serzhantkris]

Hands All Over- XII

Summary: Zhi Zi Zhi Shou, Yu Zi Xie Lao: To hold hands and grow old together.Thirteen times Matt Murdock touched your hand- and the one time he didn’t couldn’t. A drabble series.

Matt Murdock x Reader

For @howlingbarnes birthday challenge “Languages of Love”

AN: holy shit, I started this sooo long ago and just... Have not gotten around to it, I guess? Anyway I'm pretty sure this is the cutest shit I have ever written, so have this.

Masterlist

It’s late. Later than he usually goes out, but still early enough. The moon is still a wide, silver spectre in the sky, looming over Hell’s Kitchen like a watchful eye. He can’t see it, of course, but the moonlight isn’t all that different from the sun- it was softer, sure, but he could still feel warmth when he was standing high on the rooftops under its glow.

From here, at the kitchen island where he stood with one hand wrapped around a sweating glass- it was hot, so hot tonight, the black fabric was already clinging to his skin with a fine layer of sweat and he hadn’t even opened the window yet- he could hear the muffled sounds of New York, waiting for him to open his senses. Waiting for the Devil to perch himself up high, where he could feel the moonlight and the hot summer breeze.

The floorboards creaked like violin strings as he moved to the sink, turning the water on low to rinse out his glass. He left it there, shutting off the faucet and moving toward the steps, drying his hands on his pants as he stalked toward it. The stairs gave under his weight, each letting out a sleepy groan as he moved toward the roof access, and the door opened with light protest. Funny, how things like that were always louder when you were trying to be quiet.

Matt paused to listen as the sounds of the city met his ears more directly, not entirely sure why he’d stopped moving. Cars, their exhausts spurting, tires screeching, horns blaring, stereos thumping; voices shouting, some slurred, some filled with boisterous laughter, and some- some laced with malicious intent. Screams echoed from far away, and somewhere, a gun fired.

“Daddy?”

His whole body froze, the muscles in his arms clenching, knuckles turning white. He didn’t move, even the air in his lungs became stagnant. He’d been so focused, so fixated on where he needed to go, that he’d stopped paying attention to where he was. Swallowing thickly, his tongue caught a bead of sweat on his lip and he let the door fall shut. His fingers flexed as he reached up and swiftly ripped the mask off his face, balling it up in a fist as he turned toward the living room.

Soft, wobbling steps moved toward him. She was rubbing her eyes, one small fist pushing hard against her copper eyes as she yawned. The shirt she wore- an old one of her brother’s, too big for her- danced around her knees.

The flashing red and blue lights in the window rubbed out the tension in Matt’s shoulders, but his chest was still tight as he moved carefully back down the stairs. It was too dark for her to see him very well, thankfully, and through the sleep in her eyes, she might have been dreaming.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he mumbled, flicking the mask aside as he neared. She didn’t see it land on the steps behind him, her bleary eyes following her father’s face as he knelt in front of her.

“Hey,” he repeated, reaching up to smooth the hair back from her face. It was a tangled mess, and damp with sweat, but soft under his fingers as he tenderly cupped the back of her head. “It’s late, Maggie.”

“I know,” she said, her voice matching the whisper of Matt’s. Her hands curled around a teddy bear, holding it close to her chest. “Daddy, where are you going?”

The air caught in his chest. “Daddy has to go out,” he said, letting the half-truth out through his nose. “But I’ll be back when you wake up tomorrow.”

“I can’t sleep,” Maggie frowned, tilting her head down toward the floor. Matt adjusted his feet more comfortably, tilting his head. Her little heart was beating, slightly fast. His stomach sank, shoulders sagging. She was afraid.

“Did you have a bad dream?”

She paused, and Matt’s hand fell away from the back of her neck. He reached out with both hands, pulling her small body toward him. She stepped into him, gripping the bear with one hand as the other wrapped around his neck. Her cheek pressed against his collar bone, and he lifted her up in his arms and carried her, carefully, back to the bedroom. He found himself glad he didn’t need to turn on the light as he stepped over the pile of toys and dolls and stuffed animals between the door and the bed, and carefully lowered himself onto the mattress. He kept an arm around Maggie and pushed back the covers behind him.

“You want to tell me about it?”

Maggie shook her head, and made no move to get into the bed. Instead, she kept her head against her father’s chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as he held her in his lap.

“Daddy?”

A low hum rumbled in his chest in response, and Maggie reached up to pinch the black shirt Matt was wearing between her tiny fingers. “Are you a superhero?”

Matt Murdock was used to taking a beating. He had been kicked and punched and stabbed and shot and beaten in the chest a hundred, a thousand, times. He had been thrown against buildings and falled from high places, had the wind knocked out of him by fists and crowbars and baseball bats; but he was not expecting the air to get knocked out of him by a six year old girl. His six year old girl.

Her eyes were moons as she looked up at him, the glow of a neon sign outside her window refracting in her kaleidoscope eyes as she searched his face for answers. He turned his head toward her, listening to the steady, unafraid rhythm of her heart. Whatever her nightmare had been, it had been snuffed out now, and all she felt was curiosity.

“No,” Matt finally said, lips twitching into a smile. Beyond Maggie’s door, he heard the floorboards creak. A familiar heartbeat, the smell of vanilla and honey, a sleepy sigh. “Sorry, Maggie. I’m just your daddy.”

Maggie’s turn to sigh, as she finally relented and crawled out of his lap. “Okay,” she said, disappointed. Matt’s smirk turned into a grin as she shoved her feet under the covers and pulled them up to her chin. He handed her the teddy bear, and leaned down to press his lips to her forehead. “You’d tell me if you were?”

“Absolutely,” Matt says, tucking the blanket around her elbows and shoulders. “You’d be my sidekick.”

“Daddy?”

“Yes, Maggie?” Matt trailed the tip of his index finger down the center of Maggie’s forehead, along the bridge of her nose, and stopped at the tip. Maggie giggled, and reached up to run her finger down Matt’s forehead and nose.

“I love you,” she whispered, like it was a secret, part of their bedtime ritual. Matt stood up and her hand dropped away.

“Love you, Magpie.”

She was on the couch when the bedroom door closed behind him. He’d known she was waiting, her legs tucked under her and a blanket over her shoulders. The smell of honey was strong as he sighed, smiling sadly in her direction. She had the teacup raised to her lips and smiled at him over it.

“Always knew the devil had a soft spot,” she teased, putting the mug on the coffee table between them.

“He has three,” he corrected, scratching at the back of his neck. “I’m already late.”

“I know,” she stood up, rounding the table towards him, raising a hand. The mask dangled from her fingertips and he chuckled quietly. “Better get going, superhero.”

Matt wrapped his hand around hers, holding it for a moment before he took the mask in his hands. “Not a hero,” he said, adjusting it to cover his eyes. A soft sigh passed her lips, and she rested her hands on his shoulders. “Just a man.”

“A good man. And you’re Maggie’s hero. Jackson’s too,” she corrected. He could feel her looking into his eyes, the warmth radiating from her as she stepped in close. She stood on her toes, pressing her lips to his. Even as she spoke into his mouth, he could taste the truth of her words. “And especially mine.”

Matt’s hands found her waist and held her close, breathing her in as she kissed him, there, in the darkness just outside their daughter’s door. When he finally pulled away, her forehead pressed against his, and he allowed his senses to stop reaching, stretching, clawing at the world outside the rooftop door and the windows. He felt the moon, the beams of light falling on his face and hers, and he listened to her heart beating and the soft snores coming from both children, and let himself be Matt Murdock, hero of Maggie Murdock and Jackson Murdock and Y/N Murdock for just a moment longer.

[one-small-nightmare]

One Small Nightmare

Based on One Small Dream by @calcium-cat

Chapter 3

A few seconds of silence passed by. The younger version of nightmare blinked and finally spoke. “who.....WHO ARE YOU GUYS?!? W-WHAT IS THIS PLACE.” He pointed at them and then saw his hand “w-wait why is my hand.....” He looked at the rest of his body. “Wait why am I covered in black goo?!? W-what did you guys do to me!?!” “W-we didn’t do anything! Don’t you remember me nightmare?? It’s me, Dream.”

“D-dream....?” The goopy skeleton said. “Yeah it’s me! Don’t you remember?” Dream replied. “You do look like my brother, but how can I be sure that your not pretending to be him?!?” Nightmare crossed his arms. “B-besides he’s not a grown up yet.” Dream tried to think what he should say. He decided to say some of the truth but if he said all of it maybe it would be too much right now. “Well s-something happened that made me a grown up...” Dream Lied about that part. “And why your all goopy is because back at the village...you were guarding our tree because I was doing something else....and then the villagers came....they...cut down the tree and you tried to save an apple but...it was corrupted and you...ate it...” Nightmare looked at Dream with some tears starting to form. “I-I ate......it?” Nightmare asked. Dream nodded with a sad expression. “then you....scared the villagers away and I tried to stop you...but-“ Dream was cut off by Nightmare starting to cry. “D-Dream *sniff* I *hic*...I’m...I’m sorry!“ Nightmare said while crying. He went over and hugged Dream tightly, his tentacles subconsciously curling themselves around them. Dream looked down at nightmare a little bit surprised but then smiled. “Nightmare it’s ok! I forgive you” Dream said with a smile. “Y-you do..?” Nightmare asked. “Of course I do!” Dream said while hugging nightmare. Nightmare wiped his tears. “*sniff* O-ok.....so then where are we.....” Nightmare asked. “We’re at....uh....our new home! With two of my friends..” Dream replied. Nightmare looked at blue and ink. Blue waved while smiling. Ink seemed to still be processing what just happened. “I don’t trust them.........” he finally said. “Don’t worry they’re good! They won’t hurt you!” Dream responded. Nightmare still looked unsure of the other two. Dream spoke “You can..um..stay in my room!” “Ok..” Nightmare replied. Night,are got of the sofa and went over to Dream. He hid behind Dream and looked at Blue and ink. He then followed Dream to his room.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting that to happen...” Blue said. “Right Ink? ........Ink?” Blue looked at Ink. Ink was still staring unblinkingly. “iiinkk” Blue waved his hand in front of Ink’s face. “INK!” blue shouted. “HUH, WHAT, WHERES THE FIRE- oh” Ink said. “You were kind of zoned out” blue told him. “Oh...wait where did nightmare and dream go?” Ink asked. “They went to Dream’s room. Nightmare doesn’t seem to trust us though.” Blue responded. “Then again he hasn’t met us before so we just need to get him warmed up to us!”

Nightmare hurried to catch up to dream, his head hurt and he couldn’t remember much for some reason. Maybe he had a bad headache? “M-my head hurts.......” Nightmare finally said to Dream. “Don’t worry, You can rest in our new bedroom!” Dream replied. They walked down the hallway until they reached a white door with yellow star stickers on it. Dream opened the door and let nightmare go in first. Nightmare slowly stepped into the room looking around as Dream turned the lights on. The room was painted gold and white with a sun and moon glow in the dark sticker on the ceiling surrounded by star stickers that also glowed. He went over to the bed and sat on it, leaning on one of the pillows. “S-so you said your head hurts..?” Dream asked. “It does but I guess it’s not as bad right now. It hurts more when I try to think back on what happened before you found me. But I can’t remember anything from there......” Nightmare responded. “It’s ok, atleast we found you! And your not hurt apart from I guess a headache.”

Dream replied “I guess, but this is all really new. I don’t even know what these things do.” Nightmare lifted up one of his tentacles which where moving around by themselves. “And now I’m also covered in some weird goo and there’s two new monsters here. I thought we were the only skeletons in the village.”

“W-well I saw them one day and they’re nice and we became friends. You don’t have to worry about them!” Dream responded. “I still don’t really trust them...” Nightmare said. Dream walked over to the bed and sat next to Nightmare. Nightmare leaned on Dream. Dream had a slight smile.

Dream opened his phone and texted the star sans group chat. Hey blue, can you make some lunch for all of us including nightmare? Then he quickly added to the text Something EDIBLE. He turned off his phone and looked at his brother, who had fallen asleep. He gently placed laid his brother under the sheets and quietly walked over the door. He turned of the lights, the stickers glowed as Dream silently closed the door.

About an hour passed. Nightmare was thrashing around in the bed. A loud noise had waken him up earlier. He didn’t see Dream anywhere so he tried to go back to sleep but was unable to. He was bored anyways so he decided to get up and explore.

He opened the door a crack to see if anyone was infront of it. No one was there so he opened the rest of the door slowly and stepped outside. He found himself in the corner of the hallway. There were two ways he could go, forward and right. He decided to go forward. The hallway was pretty long with some locked doors until he found a big door. He decided to open it to see what was there, and there was a small library section there. It looked so cool!

He went inside and saw a ladder. It was hard to push but he was strong! He pushed it over to a section of a bookshelf filled with many colorful books. He climbed up the ladder as it wobbled slightly and looked through the books. He saw a book called The Moon and Sun and decided to take it along with two other colorful books. He climbed down and went to go back to the bedroom when he heard a sound coming from the other part of the hallway that he didn’t go to. Whatever was happening over there must’ve been what woke him up in the first place. He decided to leave the books on the bed and then go and investigate. He peeked from a corner and saw one of the skeletons that Dream said were some of his friends. The skeleton was wearing a short blue scarf and had blue eye lights. It looked like he was cooking something. He looked around the room until he found a skeleton with a stain on his cheek bone looking directly at him. “AAAAAH-“ Nightmare yelped while stepping back. “Hey there, Don’t be afraid!” The skeleton responded with a slight worried expression but also slightly smiling. “Ink, remember! He’s not used to us yet.” The other skeleton yelled. Nightmare ran away to him and his brother’s bedroom and closed the door. He could hear some muffled voices as he sat on the bed and turned a lamp on. He didn’t trust those skeletons, he would’ve stood his ground and been brave. It’s just that they caught him off guard is all.

He heard the bedroom door open and braced himself. He then realized that it was just his brother coming in. “Dream!” Nightmare ran over to him hugging his leg. Dream smiled. “Lunch is ready!” Dream said.

“Lunch?” Nightmare asked while looking up at Dream. “Yeah! One of my friends prepared lunch for all of us!” Dream replied.

“O-oh. I saw them earlier, one of them spoke to me.” Nightmare said. “Oh yeah, Ink said that he saw you and said hi but then you ran away.” Dream responded.

Nightmare became a bit embarrassed. “W-Well they just scared me a little bit is all. I-I wasn’t expecting him to talk to me all of a sudden.”

“Well, come on! Let’s go eat lunch!” Dream said. “O-ok..” nightmare said with a bit of an unsure expression.

He followed Dream to the dining room where the other two skeletons were waiting. The one with the blue scarf waved at him. The other one named Ink smiled at him. He sat down as Dream handed him a sandwich for lunch with a cup of orange juice. “Thank you...” he said to his brother.

Dream sat down and they began to eat. Nightmare took a bite out of the sandwhich. It was good! Then the skeleton with the blue scarf spoke to him. “Hi there!”

“H-hi..” Nightmare shyly replied. “My names blue! I made lunch for us. And this is ink, he’s the one who spoke to you earlier.” Blue said. Ink waved and then spoke. “Sorry if I scared you!”

“I-it’s ok...” Nightmare said. “I just wasn’t expecting-“ he was interrupted by him sneezing. “Bless you!” Everyone said. Nightmare was a bit embarrassed. He also coughed a little bit and sneezed again. His nose was getting stuffy. “Nightmare are you ok?” Dream asked worriedly. “I-I...I’m not sure....” nightmare felt a bit dizzy.

“Nightmare? Nightmare!” He heard dreams voice say as it faded away and he passed out.

This one is a bit of a long one but I finished it! Hope you guys enjoy :3

Also remember to go check out one small Dream!!

Previous Chapter ( 2 )

[fallingfor-fics]

Teachers Pet- chapter 4: introductions

All chapters

chapter 3

I woke up to the Grandfather clock in Dumbledore's office chiming, if I counted correctly, 6 o'clock. The sunlight beaming in through the small circle cleared on the window. Although I was still dreading this day I figured I'd want to be ready and awake when it was time to begin my very first day at Hogwarts. I laid on my back looking up at the ceiling getting lost in thought for a moment thinking of all the things that could go horribly wrong. 

Eventually I lifted the covers off myself and swung my legs out of the bed stepping on the cold stone flooring. I yawned, stretching my arms up and cracking my neck and back. I got up and went to my luggage. I paused for a moment wondering what I should wear since I didn't have a uniform yet. I looked over what I had and contemplated my choices. I wanted to try to look the part and not stand out too much. I grabbed my black boots and a simple dark green turtleneck sweater I had that used to be my grandpas that I snagged from my dad's closet since he never wore it. I looked over my bottom options trying to remember what the students were wearing. I remembered seeing some in skirts and some in pants. I just decided on some simple black leggings and figured I would have my coat on anyways so it didn't matter a whole lot and once I got my uniforms I would change into them as soon as possible. Probably as soon as I purchased them in the nearest restroom. I took my clothes in the bathroom and went pee and got dressed. I then brushed my teeth and splashed my face with some cold water.

As I exited the bathroom I stopped and grabbed my hairbrush and some makeup from my bag, I didn't wanna look too rough on the first day. Thinking of that made me think of all the new people. There are a ton of students here, girls and boys. What if they make fun of me for not being in a uniform. No, no they wouldn't, Albus wouldn't run a school that bullied people. And if they do that fine ill just hit them with a hex or something. I can defend myself just fine. I always did at Beauxbaton's. I remember my first year there were some girls that messed with me for having a hole in my tights since I knew my mom couldn't afford to buy me new ones after she explicitly told me to not rip them. And they would continue to tease me for other things, anything. But one day in my second year I got tired of it and turned all of their hair green. Of course they screamed and freaked out and I got in trouble, but I didn't care because no one messed with me after that. There was still the occasional comment or unsolicited opinions but I like to think I'm pretty smart and quick witted so I usually always had a response to them.

   I grabbed the brush and brushed my h/c hair and pulled some from each side back into a small clip. I grabbed my makeup bag and applied some concealer here and there, brushed my brows out, and curled and applied mascara to my lashes. I contemplated some light eyeliner but I didn't wanna risk messing it up and running late, I hadn't done any in awhile and probably fell out of practice. I figured this was decent enough and put on some simple pearl earrings and a silver necklace that had a small sun and moon charm. It was a gift from my sister years ago and I would wear it almost everyday. She said it reminded her of us, the sun and moon, she liked to think she was the sun and I was the moon but I said I didn't revolve around her, but she was older so it made sense she was the sun. I took one last look in the mirror, some of my shorter hairs falling from the clip and I tucked them away from my face. I didn't really like stuff in my face. I contemplated putting on my glasses or my contacts. I figured the last thing I needed was to look like a nerd so I put my contacts in and exited the bathroom. Just as I was packing up my things I heard Dumbledore knock on my door. "Come in," I answered. He opened the door and smiled at me. "Well you're up and at em" he snickered. I smiled at him as I applied chapstick and sprayed on some perfume. It smelt like roses and an old lady. But I still liked the smell. It was like my signature scent. "Are you ready for your first day here at Hogwarts my dear?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully. "A little nervous, but mostly ready" I sighed. "Ok well to give an overlay of your day, you can leave all your belongings here and I will have one of the house elves bring it over to your dormitory when you get sorted. And then I have arranged a student to show you around and then travel with you to Hogsmeade to get your uniforms and stationary items once you are given your schedule. It should only take but half the day, at least up until lunch and then from there you can go to the remaining classes of the day." he said with a witty smile standing in the doorway with his hands together. "Wow sounds like a plan!" I said nervously. Realizing this was actually happening there was no stopping it, and I would have my first day at Hogwarts starting in the next thirty minutes. I looked over to the clock and it read 6:30. "Oh and breakfast is from 6:30-8:30am so we should probably head to the Great hall now so we can get you sorted and seated in time" he added. I felt a nervous tingle spread in my chest at the thought of being sorted again in front of different people, having no idea how their sorting ceremonies went. I was gonna ask but I didn't wanna look stupid so I went with it. "Wonderful I'm all ready to go." I smiled putting my coat on, tucking my wand in my boot and grabbing my bag from the post and throwing it over my shoulder.

He headed out towards his office and I silently followed behind all the way down those odd stairs again and down the hallway. After what seemed like quite some time we approached large doors that were open, which I assumed was the so-called great hall, and kids were shuffling in and taking their seats. Some saying small good mornings to Dumbledore. He went into the great hall and I followed directly behind him, my heart suddenly beginning to beat faster. What looked to be most of the school had already arrived to their seats and conversed amongst each other. Some I could tell were obviously first years by their innocent faces, and others I could tell had seen some shit and were at least 5th years. I took deep breaths as I followed him up some stairs to where the teachers sat, where I presumed, to eat. I looked over at some of them and back to Dumbledore. He walked me over to the table to do some quick introductions. "Good Morning everyone this is my Goddaughter y/n that I told you all about" Dumbledore said to them they all smiled and said small hellos to me. "This Professor Lockhart teaches Defense against the dark arts" he said as I looked at the very interesting man. He was smiling largely up at me, almost to largely, it was kind of creepy. "Hello" I said softly. He then took my hand and shook it and then brought it to his mouth to kiss it. I tugged it away quickly after he did so and he said "Good morning y/n! It is so wonderful to meet your acquaintance, I can not wait to have you in my class! I have heard so many things about you and you are much more grown than Dumbledore had described." I looked at him and just gave a soft smile not really knowing how to respond to that. I lightly and discreetly pushed Dumbledore's side to encourage him to keep moving so I didn't have to retain eye contact with this Lockhart fellow. "And this is Hagrid as you met yesterday" "Good Morning Hagrid it's good to see you again." I smiled at him "Pleasures all mine, I teach care of magical creatures" he boomed. "Oh nice" I said as we kept going with our introductions. "This is Professor McGonagall she teaches Transfiguration" She gave a simple nod to which I returned. "And this is Professor Flitwick he teaches charms" I smiled and nodded at the small man with a thick mustache. "Oh and It appears Professor Snape has not joined us yet, but he teaches potions, and this is Madam Pomfrey the matron here at Hogwarts, and last but not least Professor Trelawney who is the Divination teacher" he said I smiled at the kind looking woman who had rather large hair and glasses. She looked like a lot of fun.

"Ok now that all the introductions have been made, it's already," he stopped to look at his watch " 7 o'clock I would say this would be a good time to get the show on the road" he said smiling down at me. I laughed nervously and realized no one had paid any attention to me yet, but that was about to change. Don't get me wrong sometimes I love to be the center of attention, but not in strange and new places. He stepped past me and up to his podium, I stood kind of behind him and waited to see what was next. He cleared his throat and began. "Good Morning students, I hope you have all had a good weekend, before we get breakfast started I have an announcement to make, or rather an introduction. We have a new student joining us today, she has transferred from Beauxbatons. And let me add she is my Goddaughter and I am very pleased to have her here with us at Hogwarts." he looked over at me and nudged his head for me to come up next to him, I did so and looked over the full room of students, making sure to not make eye contact with them. Some were still having quiet conversations but halted when I stepped up, and turned their attention to me. "This is y/n, she is in her 6th year and has not been sorted yet but we will do that in just a minute." I smiled a small smile at the students or should I say my new classmates overlooking the rows upon rows of them "I have high hopes that you will treat her with respect and make her feel welcome!" he spoke loudly. Some of the more obnoxious students yelling "hellos" from their tables. "Now come sit and we will sort you into your house" he said as I followed him around the podium and to a chair in front of it.

Unbeknownst to me Professor Snape walked in out of my view, as I was focused on the students that I was displayed in front of and took his seat behind me. I sat nervously watching as Dumbledore walked over and grabbed an old dusty faded brown witch hat and carried it over to me, he is putting this thing on my head? I sat still and upright as he gently placed it atop my head. All of the sudden the thing began to speak, startling me a bit. "Hmmm very interesting," it said and I sat patiently wondering what that was supposed to mean. "Tough one, compassionate but stubborn" I rolled my eyes at that comment, even an old hat could tell I was hard headed? "Smart but will do anything to be proven right" how dare he expose me like this, I was beginning to think this was some trick to humiliate me, a few of the students snickered at that and I shot them cold looks. "No doubt, clear to see...SLYTHERIN!" The hat yelled and an uproar of cheers came from the table on the far right, I didn't know if this was a good or bad thing but based on the looks of some of the students and Professors faces it was probably not the most popular. Dumbledore took the hat from my head and I shot him a concerned look to which he just winked and smiled. I smiled and looked over the tables, the Slytherin one still cheering. "This is going to be interesting"

[nsheetee]

pairing: prince!yangyang x princess!reader genre: fluff, angst, medieval au (but not really), royalty au word count: 4.4k details: female reader, some cursing, other nct/wayv members as characters (jeno is kind of a douche), duel scene (mentions of blood/weapons), inclusivity notice; to the best of my awareness, I wrote this without mention of reader’s height, weight or skin/hair color. summary: yangyang is not pleased about being forced to marry you, the princess from the next kingdom over who is widely unliked. yangyang never expected to fall in love at first sight, and never expected to fight to the death for you, either. 

the kingdom of wheyshen needs wheat

they always have, ever since the time that the kingdom boundaries were drawn between wheyshen and encity

not just wheat, but metal and fabrics as well, which were made in high quality by the people of encity as time went on and the separation between the two kingdoms widened

for several decades, wheyshen traded with the lee kingdom from far away

it became hard to transport goods, especially during winter and when the rogues in the forests would interfere with the shipping

so, one of the first things that kun did when his father handed him the king’s position in the kingdom was to strike up a deal with the neighboring kingdom for the highly necessary products

due to the complicated past of the two kingdoms, and because kun was willing to do anything to make the lives of his people easier, the deal was struck on one condition

the prince of wheyshen would have to marry the princess of encity

and kun knew he was about to get an earful from his little brother when he told him the news

“what?!” yangyang almost threw his chair back as he stood up, “who gave you the permission to marry me off to some stranger??”

“the divine right to rule directly from the gods,” kun states monotonously, “and dad”

“I don’t care about the gods, they can go pull themselves out of their own asses. I'm not getting married.”

“you are. you don’t have to do it, like, tomorrow but you will get married to their princess.” kun explains 

he moves closer to yangyang’s desk where he’s currently standing, tearing off grapes from the bowl of fruits on the desk and starts popping them into his mouth

“I heard their princess is a witch.” yangyang mumbles through his hand that’s supporting his cheek

kun gives him a blank stare, mouth filled with grapes, “she’s not a witch.”

“how do you know? have you ever met her?”

“no,” kun stops eating, “but if she is, wouldn’t you be the person to think it’s cool to have a witch princess as a wife? she could, like, make potions for you and stuff.”

“that’s not the point.” yangyang whines, dropping back down into his seat, “she’s not even liked by her own kingdom because of all the rumors around her. people haven’t seen her since she was a baby.” yangyang whispers the last part

“you sure do know a lot about your future wife already.” kun laughs

“the prince’s club talks about her a lot.”

the prince’s club is a group of all the prince’s in the area, not minding any kingdom boundaries or past histories

kun was once a part of the club, he knows what goes on during their meetings and what is talked about during the club’s horse rides

he’s 99.9% sure everyone is just over exaggerating

“well, you’ll be the first person to see her and find out for yourself. their whole family is coming over to sign the final contract in a few days.” kun puts his foot down on the matter

“I hate you.” yangyang says in a cutesy and high-pitched manner

“I hate you, too, demon child.” kun replies back as he walks out of yangyang’s study, “and don’t think even about running away or I'll chain you to your bed for the next few nights.”

“kun.... don’t say it like that.”

the few days between kun’s conversation with yangyang and the arrival of your family goes by quick, and pretty soon, yangyang is standing outside of the front doors of the wheyshen castle waiting for you

his family aren’t the only ones out here

there are servants, noble men and women, and knights who have all gathered this morning to catch the first glimpse of you 

your carriages are like a parade through the front yard of the castle, and finally they all stop and the driver of one carriage opens the door

first steps out the king, your dad, after that the queen, and after that their oldest son, who is next in line for the throne

yangyang remembers his name is doyoung; he has never met him personally, but he heard that there is a very big stick up his ass

yangyang wonders if you’re like your older brother

everyone holds their breath when another hand pops out of the carriage, covered in a glove and grasped by your brother’s grip

he helps you step out, and the whole lawn of people greeting you gasp in wonder as everyone sees you for the very first time

you are the definition of a princess

the aura around you, how you hold yourself and how you hold a strong gaze with the people around you shakes everyone with curiosity and adoration 

yangyang doesn’t even notice what you’re wearing or the tiara on your head, he can only see the gaze you send him as your feet delicately touch the ground

murmurs rise out of the crowd but quickly end when your family moves closer to yangyang’s, people dropping down to their knees to bow at royalty

your father politely greets kun, exchanging some words of congratulations to kun’s new position as king 

there’s some more greetings exchanged between queens and yangyang’s father as he sits in a chair, too frail to stand up, but yangyang is only looking at you

warmth seeps into his chest and down to his stomach, like a flood of feelings he has never felt before

the flood covers his heart and makes it beat faster

it’s a scary feeling, but so exhilarating and addicting, as if yangyang is riding his prized race horse as fast as he can go through the fields behind the castle

the chatter between your families dies down and the attention suddenly turns to you two, making yangyang even more nervous

if you’re feeling any emotion similar to the ones that he’s feeling, you’re hiding it pretty well

yangyang feels kun lightly push on his shoulder and it effectively snaps him out of his reverie 

“I'm pleased to meet you.” yangyang can barely get the words out of his mouth, feeling like peanut butter is stuck to his tongue 

he reaches forward and gently takes your gloved hand in his, kissing the top of your knuckles, looking up at you afterwards

“it’s a pleasure to meet you, too.” with your angelic voice and your soft smile towards him, yangyang feels like he just got KO-ed

his head is fuzzy and he’s sure he looks like a fool with his jaw slacked and gapping at you

however, both families start to move inside before yangyang can really process his embarrassment 

people on the lawn start to scatter, still trying to get one good look at you as you walk side by side with yangyang into the castle

he almost jumps out of his skin when you talk to him, not expecting to hear your voice so close to him

“I heard you like horseback riding?” you ask, and yangyang can feel himself heat up

mentally, he’s beating himself up for reacting like this to a girl

he’s been around PLENTY of girls, but something about you is so highly and elevated that yangyang can’t help but fall into your palm and cozily stay there

“y-yeah. I do.” he answers simply, but the words felt like they took hours to think of and leave his mouth

“I do, too! we should go riding tomorrow after brunch.” you propose

“how about we go riding for brunch? we could have a picnic.” yangyang suddenly remembers a spot in the mountains where the sun isn’t blinding and the breeze is cool during this time of year

and then he realizes he just asked you to brunch and made plans with you as if you didn’t just meet 5 minutes ago

he heats up again, suddenly remembering who you are and who he is, and questioning how in the hell you can have him in a vegetative state in one minute and absolutely head over heels for you in the next

“sounds like a date!” you send him that smile of yours once again

yangyang trips over his shoes, sliding along the castle’s tile floor before quickly picking himself up again and walking forward as if nothing happened

(you try not to notice his fall, biting back a laugh)

yangyang can barely sleep that night, and when he does fall asleep, the moon is already lowering in the night sky

maybe that’s why yangyang is almost late to your brunch date

he’s running out of his room, pulling on his riding boots and practically launching himself around every corner of the castle

he runs into the kitchen and thanks the cooks who hand him a picnic basket (he’s moving too fast to see them roll their eyes at him)

sliding into the barn, yangyang breathes a sigh of relief when he doesn't see you waiting for him, taking a second to catch his breath

a second is all he gets before you open the barn door, looking around the place and then at him

“oh, you’re already here. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.” the apologetic tone you use makes yangyang shake his head

“no, no. believe me when I say I just got here.”

after preparing your horses, you follow yangyang out of the barn and through the backyard of the castle until you’re no longer on the property

you ride through a small forest, over some fields, and then up one big hill before stopping and tying your horses to a nearby tree

laying down a blanket and the food yangyang picked up earlier, you begin eating brunch

and it hits both of you at the same time

you’re alone

in the middle of nowhere

together

yangyang, no matter how awkward the air around you begins to feel, can’t help but think that you really are so, so beautiful

these types of thoughts are new to him

maybe it’s because he knows he has to marry you one day, and his brain is tricking him into making this easier?

yangyang doesn’t have time to think further when he realizes he has been looking at you and you caught him in the act

“oh, sorry,” he panics, “there’s a bug on you.” he swats the imaginary bug off of your shoulder, mentally applauding himself for his quick thinking

that is, until his cuff catches on your sleeve and he’s left leaning over the food, tugging his wrist while trying not to rip your clothing

he begins to laugh nervously, eyes switching from looking at you to your sleeve before your hand covers his own

he stops moving, he stops all laughing, he doesn’t even think he breathes when you carefully pull his cuff off of your sleeve and let go of his hand gently, letting him fall back onto his side of the blanket

“I-I’m sorry, I just, I—” yangyang sighs at his own stuttering

he realizes he doesn’t feel like himself

why is he trying to shape himself into something he’s not when he’s around you

he decides that stops now

“honestly, I'm not sure how to act around you.” yangyang begins, watching how your face turns to look at him, “you’re my fiancé, but I don’t know you at all. I don’t even want to marry you.”

yangyang says the last sentence timidly, but bewilderment replaces the timidness when you sigh in relief

“that’s good because I don’t either.”

“wait, really?” yangyang perks up

“yes, really. I’ve lived my whole life without a fiancé, and one day one just falls into my lap. that’s how deals work with kingdoms, and that’s how I've been thinking about you for the past few days, just as a deal my dad is making with your brother. no offense, really, you seem like an awesome guy, but I'm just not interested in a relationship right now.”

you add on that last bit as a second thought, but yangyang caught the gist

somehow, your words make him relax tenfold and he doesn’t feel like someone else is talking and moving for him

however, there is that one part of him that aches when you call him “just a deal”

yangyang decides to deal with it later, taking things one step at a time for now

“my brother threw this onto my lap, too. it makes me less lonely knowing that I'm not the only one who’s feeling this way.”

“is your brother an uptight micro-manager with a stick up his ass?”

“yes... is yours?”

“yes!”

the more yangyang talked with you, the more he realized how similar you two are

you both loved horseback riding and pranking your older brothers

you both loved painting and eating the left over pastries that the kitchen is about to throw away

yangyang found out that you’ve been studying ever since you were little and that you wanted to be well-versed in as many subjects that you can be

and you didn’t judge yangyang when he honestly told you that he has no idea what he wants for his future

and he appreciates you for that

soon, the sun rises over the top of the sky and starts to sink back down towards the horizon, and sadly your “brunch” ends

“I'm glad we got to know each other better.” yangyang said as he rolled up the blanket you were sitting on

“me too. I'm glad I'm not being forced to marry someone who’s snobbish or boring”

yangyang laughs at the weird compliment, but that pang in his chest returns

forced...

is it bad that yangyang doesn’t feel like he’s being forced anymore?

is it bad that yangyang could.... willingly marry you?

he doesn’t feel trapped or like he would involuntarily be doing something

.... but do you still feel that way?

did the day you spend with yangyang not change your mind about your relationship like it did with his?

yangyang thinks about that the entire ride back to the castle, with secret side eyes to you and a heart that has unexpectedly sunk 

the next morning, the two royal families gather for the signing of the contract 

kun and your father are sitting at the table in one of the rooms in the castle, the two pieces of paper in front of them as they discuss the last terms and conditions

you’re standing next to yangyang and your mothers are standing only a few feet away

your brother is standing on the other side of yangyang; everyone waits patiently and silently as the kings do business

yangyang’s thoughts are still scrambled from the previous day, and he stares at the floor with his eyebrows screwed together

“are you okay?” you whisper from next to him, causing yangyang to jump slightly

“yeah, just tired.” he lies, and it makes you tilt your head at him

just as it looks like the kings have come to a final decision and they grasp their quill pens to sign the contracts in front of them, the doors to the room burst open, kun’s right hand man running into the room

“your highness, it’s the lee kingdom, they’re here.”

everyone in the room has just enough time to look at each other in perplexity before a group of your guards and the third royal family, the lees, walk into the room

king lee taeyong leads the way, along with his son, lee jeno

at the intrusion, yangyang feels you grab onto the back of his jacket, making him look at you to see uncomfortableness and slight fear in your eyes

“what’s this?” kun stands up from his chair, looking from king lee to his own right hand man to your father

“you are not legally allowed to sign that contract.” king lee states, producing a piece of paper and setting it on the table before your father 

“according to this contract, your daughter cannot marry anyone other than my son, jeno.”

your father picks up the contract and reads it over, scoffing afterward

“this contract was created by our great-grandfathers.”

“it still applies to today. my son and your daughter were destined to marry each other before they were even born.”

while the three kings argue about the validity of such an old contract, yangyang feels you tug on the back of his jacket

he turns around to see the look of fear and uneasiness still on your face

“please, do something.” you're plea stuns yangyang, his mouth opening and closing as he tries to process your request

“like what?” he finally gets out

yangyang is just a prince, practically a nobody in this room when there are three kings and two soon-to-be kings here as well

“I can’t marry him.” you step closer to yangyang, you're dress pressing against his legs and your grip on his jacket tightening, “please, I just can’t.”

yangyang only realizes now that your fear is not from the situation currently happening in the room, but rather from the prince that stands by the entrance

lee jeno

tall and muscular and smart

maybe it would be better for you to marry jeno

yangyang feels a burning at the bottom of his stomach at his next thought, but it’s no doubt that it’s true:

you fit as jeno’s wife better than you fit as yangyang’s

you’ll be a queen one day if you marry jeno, but with yangyang you’ll only stay a princess

“why not? he’s better than I ever could be.” your eyebrows furrow for just a moment at yangyang’s words but you shake your head furiously

“he’s been trying to get me to marry him for years. I don’t care about what he has to offer, I don’t want to marry anyone.”

yangyang has to take a moment to feel pity for you

you’re being pressured into marriage from all sides when you don’t even want anything to do with matrimony

yangyang remembers what you told him the day before, that you’re glad you’re being forced to marry someone like him

although the words don’t sit well with him, he’s taking them and running with the idea that you’d rather be with him than with jeno

“we need to break up this contract, it’s no longer relevant with my kingdoms current needs.” yangyang hears your father declare as he tunes back into the conversation

“we can’t just break a several decade old contract because you don’t like it anymore. we’ll have to do it properly; either a trade, a rewrite, or a duel.” king lee states

“I'll duel.” yangyang speaks up without a second thought and jaws drop as everyone turns to look at him, “I’ll duel lee jeno.”

“huh?” jeno glances at his dad to try and figure out how he just got himself into a duel

“yangyang.” kun gives a deadly glare to his younger sibling, a que to sit down and shut up, but as always, yangyang never listens

“If I win, the old contract is destroyed, if jeno wins, it stays.”

no one speaks, only turning to look at jeno for his acceptance of the deal

when he nods, the three kings disperse and kun orders the guards to get the courtyard ready for tomorrow’s duel

if yangyang thought his sleep a few nights before was bad, that night’s sleep was even worse

yangyang and jeno have been in the prince’s club for the same amount of time and have known each other for years

yangyang knows how good jeno is at dueling

the cause of his tossing and turning was not for the fear of getting hurt or nerves of not breaking the contract

it was mostly about how stupid he was to suggest to duel one of the most skilled princes in the area

the next day, yangyang is in his tent, an assistant helping him put on his protective gear when you walk in

yangyang dismisses the assistant and turns back around to put on his gear himself

you take small steps to him, clearing your throat

“thank you for doing this. you have no idea how much I appreciate it.” yangyang is reminded of the core reason for his actions:

you

and because he still gets that warm feeling whenever he’s around you and thinks of you, he pushes his nerves aside and turns to look at you

“will you help me put this on?”

you nod and step closer, helping yangyang secure one of his forearm guards 

“you’ll be okay... right?” you ask, your voice is full of jitters and you glance up at him for a second

“uh... well... jeno is pretty good at dueling and I..... have only done it three times before—”

“what?!” you yell, making yangyang jump 

he’s never heard your voice at that volume before, and now that he takes a good look at you, you seem less composed than you usually do

“how can you agree to a duel with jeno when you aren’t experienced?”

“I am experienced... I have three fights under my belt.”

“did you win any of them?”

“... I won experience...”

his answer makes you sigh, and yangyang tilts his head

“are you worried?”

“yes.” yangyang’s heart does a backflip in his chest, almost jumping out of his throat in the process, but he quickly reminds himself about what the reason for your worry could be

“I-I mean... you don’t have to. I'll make sure one way or another that you won’t have to marry jeno.” 

“that’s not what I'm worrying about right now... I don’t want you to get hurt.” yangyang feels like he’s about to pass out

you’re worried.... about him

he feels a rush of adrenaline fill him from head to toe

he thinks he might be able to do anything for you right at this moment

“I kind of made you do this, I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

“hey,” yangyang gently takes your hand in his, stopping you from fiddling with his forearm guard, “whatever happens is not your fault, I made the choice to do this, so it’s my responsibility all the way to the end.”

you and yangyang share a moment of silence; he thinks that was probably the most grown up thing he has ever said

if yangyang thought his heart was done jumping for joy, the feeling is not yet over

you reach into your dress pocket and pull out a handkerchief 

it’s plain white, but your initials are stitched into the corner in purple thread

you tuck the piece of fabric between yangyang’s forearm guard and his sleeve, tying it around his wrist so that it doesn’t move

“you have my luck. please, yangyang, be safe.” and with that, you walk out of the tent

he feels like a new man when he walks out to the courtyard, sword in one hand and helmet in the other

he’s almost blinded by the adrenaline and thoughts of you from just a few minutes ago

he feels like he actually has a chance of winning this duel

however, once his helmet is on and the duel starts, yangyang faces reality

no matter how much adrenaline and hope he has, he still sucks at using a sword

his arm seems to weight a lot more than just a few minutes ago and jeno seems to be moving a lot faster than yangyang has ever seen him move before

the sound of metal clashing against metal and grunts leaving yangyang’s mouth fill the area, what seems like everyone from the castle watching on to see who’ll win the fight

yangyang thinks he’s about to lose until jeno retreats, letting yangyang take the offense and move closer

soon, yangyang has the upper hand and, by some miracle, jeno’s sword flies out of his hand, landing on the grass several feet away with jeno surrendering to yangyang

cheers and claps break out at the ending of the duel, but yangyang can’t hear anything, his shock too great to process what just happened

he drops his own sword, instead shaking his hand with jeno’s 

jeno accepts the gesture, pulling yangyang closer by his hand and leaning into his ear

“have fun marrying y/n.” he chuckles lowly, walking away from yangyang to join his father

yangyang’s rush from victory and accomplishment die down as he watches jeno’s back retreat

.... did he just throw the duel? so that he won’t have to marry you?

yangyang can’t believe that jeno would do something like that, but the smirk on his face as he sends yangyang one more look tells him that maybe yangyang’s guess could be right

yangyang’s attention pulls away from jeno to you, already making your way down to where yangyang is standing, feet almost running to get to him quicker

you meet him in the middle of the courtyard, slowing down as you reach him 

not knowing how to show your worry and affection, you grab onto his forearms and turn him to you, looking him up and down

“you’re okay?” you ask, pleading with your eyes for him to tell the truth

“yeah, I'm fine.” yangyang laughs; you don’t let go of him yet

“good. I don’t want my future husband to be hurt by me before we’re even engaged.” you try to joke, but yangyang doesn’t find it funny

instead, his smile sobers up and he opens his mouth a few times, trying to get the words stuck in his throat out into the thick air between you two

yangyang didn’t want to deal with his feelings right now, but he’s not sure if he’ll get the courage to confront you again

“so, I know you don’t want a relationship and that you feel forced into marrying me right now... but maybe one day that can be different?”

you swallow and keep staring at yangyang in response

“maybe... we can go on some more horseback rides, or maybe we can paint together someday?” yangyang’s confidence starts to fade when you’re not saying anything in return, your face still void of emotion

“I don’t know... I think I can learn to be a good husband.” yangyang finally gets his thought out, gaze falling as he kicks the ground lightly, waiting for your response

“yeah... I think I can learn to love you, yangyang” your response makes yangyang lift his head, the dumb smile on his face matching yours

maybe it’s okay that yangyang only partially won this game 

in the end he’s the real winner, whether he truly won the match or not, because he gets to marry you

[tamakiamajikistentacles]

broken. {Dabi}

A/N: Please be sure to reblog, comment, review, and like if you enjoy! Feedback is what keeps me motivated! So sorry it’s been a while since I’ve posted- between holidays, work, and this being a generally not great time of year for me there hasn’t been much room for writing. As you can see though, recent manga events totally inspired me for one last story in 2020 for ya!

He liked going out once the sun had set. Daylight hadn’t been his friend for a long time, and whatever lurked in the shadows grew disinterested as the glow of his cigarette illuminated his staples when he passed, aware of who they were seeing but uninclined to make a report.

How could they really? By day they walked the streets freely, unassuming, but beneath the moon they found sick pleasures in ways that would make any hero grimace. As dangerous as they were it couldn’t compare to the likes of him—the deranged and recognizable with only a quick glance that sent chills down the spines of millions.

He slept during the day and rose at dusk to begin sowing chaos. After all, the freaks come out at night.

The long since burned out butt of his cigarette dropped from between his lips as he approached one of the seedier bars in the slums of town. Whatever its name is or was had been lost to time and inattention to the sign hanging askew over the door but damn, they had the strongest liquor in the city and a reputation for looking the other way when criminals passed through the door. Hazy smoke stung at his eyes and throat as he entered but he’d been used to that for nearly three decades and really, what was another lungful when they were burned to hell as it was?

The blonde bartender gave him a curt nod from across the room, already reaching for the amber bottle he knew Dabi favored. Around the room were other patrons that gave an assessing glance in his direction before turning back to their drinks. All but one turned his way.

In the darkest corner of the bar sat a woman with her back to the room. He couldn’t see her face, just the contrast of her revealing shirt against the skin of her chest, but he was interested. The mysterious chick vibe always did do him in.

“What’s a cute little thing like you doing here alone?” he asked as he approached her table.

“Cute?” she scoffed, dark-lined eye rolling in clear annoyance. “You really think that?”

In what seemed like a well-practiced move she tossed her hair over her left shoulder and pulled the already low collar of her shirt down further to expose more of her chest and shoulder. Smooth skin bled into a gradient of marled blotches of red and purple burn scars, the severity of which he’d only ever seen in the mirror.

“You wanna rethink that ‘cute’ comment?” she challenged without so much as a glance at his slightly parted lips.

“Yeah,” he breathed out with a nod. “Think I wanna change it to gorgeous.”

“Look, if you wanna know how I got ‘em just ask so I can tell you to… fuck off… already…” her voice trailed off after she looked up, haughty attitude dropping as she took in the darkened skin on his face and chest. She marveled at the handsome features still so clearly defined beneath the burns and the glint of his staples in the fluorescent lights.

Seeing interest cloud over her eyes as she trailed them over his face and down his body, he seated himself in the chair across from her and folded his hands around his glass on the table.

The rough rhythm of his hips against hers scraped her back against the gnarled wood of her bedroom door and drove the staples in his lower stomach into hers but she couldn’t find it in herself to care when it felt so good. As thin as he was he was able to lift her thighs around his waist and hold her with one hand while the other pressed against her throat.

“Fuck, please,” she panted, head spinning but wanting more.

“Ah, ah, ah,” he teased, “you already got two and I haven’t even had one yet. Not exactly fair, is it?”

“Dabi!” she groaned.

He huffed out a laugh as he buried his face in her shoulder, licking at the bead of sweat that trailed from her hairline. He was close so she really wouldn’t need to wait long considering the pleasure pooling in his lower stomach was building with each smack of skin on skin.

His hand left her throat to wrap around her other thigh so he could quickly readjust his grip. Pulling her back from the door, he bounced her against him as he carried her the short distance to her bed. He sat back against the wall and guided her hips against him, smirking at her eagerness as she started riding him desperately.

She gasped when one of his hands drifted between her legs and another type of warmth spread through her. “Fuck!”

“That’s what we’re here for,” he scoffed, his other hand coming up to grip her throat once again.

A few more rotations of her hips had him surging forward to sink his teeth into her scarred shoulder as his hand between her legs drew tight circles on her clit, both of them breathing hard as they met their ends.

She slumped forward, breathing heavily as he held her steady against him while they caught their breath and heartbeats slowed. When he finally felt the calm sweep over him he guided her down to lay beside him before reaching to her night table for the pack of cigarettes he’d spotted. Placing one between his lips, he ignited a small blue flame at his fingertip to light it.

“Is that how you got your burns?” she asked in a whisper, eyes half-lidded.

He stared straight ahead, cheeks hollowing even further as he took a drag. Without looking he took it in two fingers and passed it towards her through a cloud of smoke. She grabbed it and placed it between her own lips.

“Mine are from a hero,” she said after blowing out her own puff.

His eyebrows raised and he looked down at where she laid, interest alight in his turquoise eyes.

“I used to work in this high-rise building in the western district, did normal office type shit you know? Sent faxes and filed documents everyone thought I was too fuckin’ stupid to understand because I grew up poor and quirkless,” she started. “Some low-level villains attacked a few blocks away and when the heroes came the fight was small enough that we didn’t get evacuated. We couldn’t even see anything, all we heard were sirens and for that district its background noise anyway. But then Endeavor showed up.”

Dabi stiffened as she handed the cigarette back though she didn’t seem to notice as she continued.

“He blew the fight out of proportion to make a bigger show of capturing the villains I’m sure, but when he did it lead them towards our building. Three quarters of the floors were engulfed within ten minutes.”

“Lemme guess, your floor was lucky enough to be one of ‘em?”

She hummed. “Yeah, lucky enough to land me some wicked burns and a high as fuck medical bill.”

“What? The Hero Commission didn’t cover it?”

“Nope. None of it. Despite being told not to evacuate because we were farther from the initial attack and then being caught in the crossfire that we literally had no choice in, we were told that only loss of life would be covered by their insurance payout.”

“Zero casualties?”

“How’d you know?” she drawled, reaching for the cigarette once again. “Never fucking mind that I have limited mobility with my left arm that literally impacts my day to day life or how I can’t go anywhere without being stared at like a sideshow act or that the company I worked for dissolved their branch in the district. All because of some asshole looking for glory from a fight he didn’t need to be in.”

He chuckled as he watched her finish off the cigarette and stub out the last few embers in the ashtray on her opposite night table. This chick was something else.

“How’d you feel if I told you I got my burns from Endeavor too?” he asked.

Now it was her turn for her eyebrows to rise with intrigue. “I’d ask how, when, and why the fuck you didn’t melt his face off.”

“I was just a kid,” he shrugged.

“Endeavor—”

“—wanted to make sure his son could surpass All Might. Didn’t go according to plan, at least not with me.”

Her eyes widened.

“Pushed a bit too hard on a kid who could produce flames so much hotter than his. Surprised it took so long if I’m honest, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going to kill him.”

She sat up, slowly bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, eyes twinkling with wonder. “You’re really going to kill him?”

“It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, baby,” he said with a smirk. “What—you wanna watch?”

“Fuck yes,” she breathed out. “He needs to burn. Just like we did.”

A blue flame ignited and danced in his palm. She could feel the heat on her face but it didn’t scare her like most would assume. The fire wasn’t at fault for her pain, the false hero who wielded it had been.

She looked between the flames and his handsomely stapled face.

“How can I help? I want to be a part of taking down Endeavor.”

He closed his hand and the fire disappeared in a wisp of smoke. Reaching over, he fisted the hair at the nape of her neck and brought her closer.

“I’ll let you help sweetheart,” he laughed, “but the best thing you can do right now to help me is to put that pretty mouth to work. You’re still at three while I’ve only got one.”

“THE PAST NEVER DIES!”

The corners of her lips curled upwards in a smirk as the broadcast overtook the large billboard in downtown Tokyo, projecting the voice of a now white-haired Dabi. He steamed from his quirk being overused but also from the outpouring of emotion he was finally able to confront his family with.

“Oh Dabi,” she sighed fondly.

Vengeance years in the making was unfolding in front of the entire country in real time and she was privileged enough to know it had been coming. She knew the plan and she knew the backup plans and she was essential to the very last resort plan too. Her own revenge was being carried out though not by her own hand. At least not directly.

She looked down to the slightly rounded bump beneath her sweater, caressing it gently.

“If he doesn’t kill him, I’ll make sure you do for him,” she murmured with a smile.

A/N: Please be sure to reblog, comment, review, and like if you enjoy! Feedback is what keeps me motivated! Good heavens, its been a while since I’ve done smut so that was an experience lmao. Anyway, Dabi is such a fun character for me to write and I love exploring different emotions for him!

[out-of-jams]

Spirited Away || Final || pjm

↠ Spirited Away ↞ Part of my Ghibli Yandere Series!

You knew that you shouldn’t have gotten out of the car. Shouldn’t have followed your parents into the seemingly abandoned theme park. Shouldn’t have let them eat the food.

Because now they were being held hostage. And you were trapped. Stuck in a backwards resort for supernatural spirits, with no way out except to work to free both yourself and your parents. Until you met a mysterious Park Jimin.

Though there was something not quite right about him.

But he was your only hope of escape. You could trust him…right?

Warnings/Genre: Supernatural. Horror. Yandere!Jimin. Haku!Jimin. Spirited Away!au. Dark themes. Kidnapping. Obsessive behavior. Death of minor characters. Manipulation. Mature themes. Depiction of unhealthy relationships. Violence. Explicit language.

Word Count: 9.5k

Part 2 of 2.

A/N: Oof. This gets pretty dark towards the end. Lol so be warned. Also, this is kind of unedited. So I'll more than likely go through it and fix things tomorrow. 

All of my works are purely fiction. Everything I write is my intellectual property and therefore belongs to me. ©out-of-jams. Do not copy or repost without permission.

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You hadn’t seen sunlight for what felt like days. Weeks. Months. But had in fact, only been about twenty-four hours. Well, if time passed normally in that place.

The bathhouse had been quiet as you snuck out. Not a soul in sight. So either they were unable to appear in the daylight, or they just chose not to. Whichever, you weren’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Especially not when you felt the warm breeze brush against your exposed skin. Which was a lot since you’d been given a uniform to wear in order to match with the rest of the bathhouse workers. You weren’t sure what to call it. A yukata?

Whatever it was, walking around without shoes took some getting used to.

As your foot hit the first wooden plank of the bridge crossing over from the bathhouse to the town, you let out a sigh. You’d attempted to stay awake all night, too afraid to fall asleep with the shadow lurking outside your window. But you’d been unsuccessful. Had drifted off to sleep sometime between the moon falling and the sun rising.

And had woken up to a neatly folded note lying next to you on your pillow.

Which had scared the absolute shit out of you. Because it’d been left without disturbing you. Without you even knowing that whoever left it had been there. And when you’d unfolded it with shaking fingers and read the perfectly curved script, you’d all-but bolted out of bed and hurriedly dressed.

Crossing the bridge, you couldn’t help but feel like you were being watched. Like eyes were on you even though there was no one else around. It raised goosebumps onto your flesh and made your legs move that much quicker. Once across the bridge, you couldn’t resist the urge to look back, check over your shoulder to make sure that no one was there.

The path to the bathhouse was empty.

“There you are.”

You whipped around, hair flying into your face and heart leaping into your throat.

Standing directly behind you was a familiar head of honey hued hair. Jimin greeted your startled wide eyes with a grin across his full lips. He was even more stunning to look at in the brightness of the sun. With white, white teeth and eyes turning a light shade of umber. A different pair of silver earrings swung from the lobes of his ears, looking just as delicate as their wearer.

His warm fingers moved to intertwine themselves with yours before you had a chance to respond.

“This way.” And then he was turning to continue down the path, tugging you behind him.

You cleared your throat as you padded along after him. “Are you sure that we’re allowed to do this?”

“As long as you’re with me, you’ll always be safe.” Jimin spared you a glance over his shoulder, but didn’t slow down his fast pace. And at seeing your cautioned look, he winked. “We don’t have much time, don't worry, we won’t get caught. I promise.”

There it was again. Those two words that graced the tip of his tongue in what was starting to be a pattern. And it was a little odd, jarring. To see him spring back into the excitable persona that he’d adopted before you’d met Namjoon so easily. Replacing the intimidating spell that he’d weaved last night in the elevator like it was nothing. Normal.

It made you do a double take at the pretty smile that flashed you a crooked front tooth. Perhaps he had some kind of split personality? Or maybe he was putting up a front? If that were true, however, then which Jimin was the real one?

The path he was taking you down was unfamiliar. Soft grass tickled the bottom of your bare feet as he cut through a garden. There seemed to be a lot of gardens in that place. And flowers with brightly colored petals covered the path, a stark contrast to the monsters that lay in wait just a few meters back. Past the tall hedges, hidden away where you couldn’t see.

“Right through here.” Jimin pulled you close to his side and you followed the finger he pointed into the distance. Between a bending archway made out of one of the hedges. But he didn’t stop, just continued to urge you along until you stood atop a hill overlooking a field.

It stretched on for what seemingly looked like miles. But the thistles of grass weren’t what caught your attention. But the three long, red roofed barns that stood just below the hill. Rows of wheat and slowly sprouting vegetables spread out as far as the eye could see.

With a sharp intake of breath, you came to stand next to Jimin.

“My parents are there?”

He turned those brown eyes on you with a soft smile and a gentle squeeze of your hand. “Yes.”

You hesitated. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.” Jimin tugged you along, feet digging into the grass as he led you down the hill. “But you must never come here without me, understand? It’s too dangerous.”

You gave him your affirmation. Because you didn’t plan on being there very long anyway. Just enough to get your parents and break the hell out.

There were no doors leading inside of the barn, just a wide opened archway that you walked through. And got immediately assaulted by the foul stench of manure and dirt. Such a thick cloud of it that you had to throw an arm across your nose to stifle a cough. Though the smell had nothing on the sight.

Packed wall-to-wall past metal bars were pigs. Dozens of them. Some asleep and others wandering around aimlessly. They weren’t loud, but the occasional grunt of one of the animals spurred the rest into responding like some kind of chaotic harmony.

As the dirt stuck to the bottom of your feet, you couldn’t help but stray closer to the bars with eyes wide. “Which ones are they?”

You tried. You really did. To pick out which pair of pigs were your parents. But it was difficult when they all looked the exact same. And maybe if you were paying attention to your surroundings, had more awareness of the things around you, well. Then perhaps you would have caught the fleeting expression that flickered across Jimin’s face.

“You mean you can’t tell?”

Looking over your shoulder, you bit your lip. He was slowly walking along the opposite side as you with his ring covered fingertips lightly grazing across the rusted metal. Jimin wasn’t looking at you. Too busy eyeing the oblivious pigs as he passed them by. There was something about his tone that threw you off. A lilt to the edge of his gentle voice that made you wonder which side of him you were talking to.

“I..,” You hesitated on responding. Sent another glance at the animals a few feet away, voice quiet. “Should I be able to?”

Jimin paused in his steps and looked you over, hand coming to rest on the rail. Tilted his head. “They don’t remember that they’re human. So it’s your job to figure out which ones they are.”

He turned away to look down at a pair of pigs sniffing at his hand. “If you want to get out of here, that is.”

Eyeing the dozens upon dozens of mindless animals, you swallowed. You’d find you parents. You had to.

A pig grunted. And the rest of them followed.

The breeze was cool against the skin of your cheeks. And the ground was soft beneath your body as you sat, gaze pointed up at the clear blue sky. Jimin’s body heat was warm next to you, eyes closed but still wide awake. He hadn’t wanted to take you back to the bathhouse just yet. Instead, he’d brought you back to the garden that sat atop the hill.

And you were grateful for the few moments of peace.

Even though the man at your side felt...off...sometimes, he’d been nothing but helpful and you were grateful for all of his help. He hadn’t hurt you, unlike the others that inhabited the bathhouse. And you trusted him not to. Maybe you shouldn’t have, since you really didn’t know him, but if he wanted to harm you he would have done so already. Wouldn’t have taken you to see your parents. Wouldn’t have offered to help you escape.

Which brought on the problem of being able to. What if you grabbed the wrong pair of pigs on accident, only to escape that place to find out that they were just that--pigs? What would you do then? Maybe getting out of there wouldn’t be as easy as you’d once thought. Hoped.

The realization hit you hard.

“--ng so hard?”

You blinked. Snapped out of your thoughts and back to reality. Turned to send a questioning look to the man beside you. “What?”

Jimin smiled in amusement, eyes crinkling into little half-moons. His hair was less honey colored in the sun and more of a bright blond with the way it caught the light. A giggle escaped him. One that sounded so innocent and melodic that it pulled a smile from you in return. “I said, what’s got you thinking so hard?”

Pausing, you broke eye contact to follow a puffy white cloud as it drifted lazily overhead. “Just wondering if I’ll ever be able to get my parents out of here.”

While your voice was soft in the breeze, you knew that Jimin heard you. Because he leaned closer to you and palmed your cheek to turn your face to look at him. His warm umber eyes locked with yours, pulled you in and refused to let go. Thumb drew circles against your skin and his breath fanned across your face when he spoke. “You’ll find them, Sen.”

Your eyebrows scrunched in as a wave of confusion washed over you. Sen. He’d called you Sen. But your name wasn’t Sen. Right? It was...something else. Right? The answer sat at the back of your throat somewhere that you couldn’t quite reach. And your mouth parted as you struggled to find it. You almost had it, it was right there at the tip of your tongue. “I--”

And you would have got it if Jimin’s nose brushing against your own hadn’t distracted you.

His hand slid from your cheek to entwine his fingers through your hair. Was so close that his scent washed over you like a wall, bringing with it something familiar. Like the ocean. Waves hitting the shore. Salt in the air.

“Jimin.” You’d meant for it to come out as a question, but it sounded more breathy than anything. Got swept up with the wind.

He hummed in the back of his throat. It was a low sound, deep, as he leaned in closer. As you felt his breath fan across your slightly parted lips. You weren’t sure if he was about to kiss you or not. But you weren’t able to find out. Not when a shrill shriek reverberated through the air like some sort of high pitched alarm.

Jimin pulled back slightly at the interruption. Just enough to clench his jaw in annoyance, eyes flashing.

“What the hell was that?” Your voice came out a lot more winded than you’d intended.

The shriek echoed again except more drawn out that time. Which had Jimin’s head craning to stare towards the path that led to the bathhouse. “I gotta go.”

“Go?” You were confused. And a little overwhelmed if you were being honest. Still dazed from how close he’d come to kissing you.

He must have known it too, from the smirk he sent your way. Though his eyes still crinkled in the corners. “Come on, I’ll walk you back.”

The path leading back towards the bridge seemed shorter than it had been earlier. Jimin walked you all the way back to where the red painted wood first started and came to a stop. He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to your forehead that had your eyes widening in shock. “Try to stay out of trouble.”

You leaned back to stare up into his face. “I will.”

“Good.” The answer seemed to satisfy him as he shot you a wide grin. Gently ran his knuckles down the side of your face before turning to walk back the way you’d came. You didn’t watch him for long, just enough to see his back disappear behind the garden gate.

And as you began your treck back across the bridge you felt it again. Like eyes were on you even though no one was there. You tried to resist looking back, you really did. But the chills that ran down your spine had you throwing a cautious glance over your shoulder. Though what you saw wasn’t some hideous creature chasing after you.

“Oh.” You whispered.

In the sky right above where the garden hid away from prying eyes was a dragon. Glittering black and white scales stood out amongst the light blue backdrop as it spread its wings wide. Twisted through the air like it was partaking in some kind of beautifully choreographed dance. You shouldn’t have been surprised, but you were anyway. Because you were pretty sure that the man you’d just been talking to morphed into a mythical creature.

“So that’s what he is, huh?” Your unanswered question followed you all the way back into the bathhouse.

And the eyes on your back failed to remove themselves.

Four.

Four times you laid eyes on that shadow creature. The one that you’d caught lurking outside of your window last night. If you were being completely honest, you weren’t really sure why you hadn’t told Jimin about it the moment you saw him on the bridge that morning. He had told you to come to him if anything tried to go after you. Then again, that was the thing. Whatever the hell that thing was hadn’t tried anything, just observed you like some kind of zoo animal.

Perhaps it was just curious? Had never seen a human before? You weren’t sure, though you weren’t about to actively go out of your way to find out.

Which led to the second time you came across it.

“I said to fuck off.” The disgruntled bark of the horrific creature manning the task desk in the middle of the worker lobby ran through your ears for the millionth time.

You weren’t sure what, exactly, it was.

The thing had two sets of eyes, each with a different color iris. But none of them were turned in your direction as it flung red painted wooden chips into the awaiting hands of every worker that approached it’s desk. You were pretty sure that it was male since it had a deep voice with a vocal fry that turned all of it’s syllables into half-hearted growls. That, paired with four arms that ended in sharply pointed claws gave it a frightening appearance.

“Look, just give me a bath token and I’ll be out of your hair.” You begged yet again.

You’d been standing there for a ridiculously long period of time trying to get that thing to give you a token so you could finish your job. It was necessary in order to be able to scrub one of the blood encrusted, enormous tubs clean. You’d tried to clean it on your own after being forced down into it by Jin, who’d been assigned to show you the job you’d be assigned. But you were unable to scrape off the stains.

Though ‘show’ was putting it lightly. He’d more or less just shoved you into the messiest, most difficult bath to clean and told you to figure it the hell out. So you’d had to resort to stopping one of the more harmless looking creatures to help you out. Which led you to where you were now, trying to haggle a stupid token from the asshole manning the desk.

“No.” He didn’t even look at you as he dropped another token carelessly into the hands of a half-visible shadow creature.

“But I need one. Come on.” You grabbed onto the side of the desk with both hands. It was tall, so high up that you had to stand on the tips of your toes in order to see over the damned thing.

“Go tell someone who cares.” He rummaged around in the deep bowl set in front of him to pluck out something for another worker. They were all painted red, but each had a different design on them. What that was supposed to mean you hadn’t a clue.

You just needed one.

“But I--”

“Maybe you didn’t hear me with your puny little human ears.” He leaned down until his four eyes were level with your two. They were deep set into his grey skinned face above high cheekbones and heart shaped lips. The sneer on his face brought out a pair of tiny dimples that looked out of place with the rest of him. “Fuck off. Before I make you.”

Spit splattered across your face and you grimaced in disgust before wiping it away with your sleeve. He leaned back to turn his attention to the reptilian-like monster limping up to his podium. You opened your mouth to ask, yet again, for him to just hand over what you needed so you could get out of there.

But the materialization of a shadow behind his shoulder had your jaw clamping closed in surprise. Because there it was again. The same faceless being that you’d seen last night hovering over the thing obliviously handing out tokens. A white mask with holes in it for a pair of eyes and an opened mouth, though all you could see when you looked was darkness. And it was see through, not like the shadow creatures from town, but more like a jellyfish.

At first you just stared at it with wide eyes because you weren’t sure what to do. Weren’t sure what it would do. And no one else seemed to notice it there. Only you. What did it want?

You didn’t have time to ponder the answer to that question because it moved. Subtly, slowly. Outstretched what appeared to be an arm, but lacked a hand. And you watched as something pulled back it’s--skin?--and out emerged a red painted token.

What?

It bounced the token once, twice, three times before tossing it to you. You scrambled to catch it and not let it hit the ground and alert the monster manning the desk. Just as your fingers closed around it and you looked back up to send a questioning look at the faceless mask, you couldn’t.

Because it was gone.

The third time you ran into it was only a few hours later that night.

You were lost. Stuck wandering around in an endless loop in search of a way out. The bathhouse wasn’t easy to navigate, with similar looking halls and dead ends. How anyone was supposed to be able to find their way around it was a mystery.

You’d been assigned to clean yet another stupid bath and now you were attempting to put away the supplies. Because it was getting late into the morning and you didn’t have any other jobs to do. Namjoon hadn’t been lying when he’d told you that the work was rigorous, seemingly never ending. Though you had half a mind to believe that he was the one solely responsible for all of the shit you’d had to do and the monsters you’d had to deal with.

So there you were, mindlessly attempting to find your way out of the abandoned part of the bathhouse you were in when you rounded another corner. And stopped dead in your tracks, the bucked dangling from your fingertips swinging from the momentum.

There it was. Hovering in the middle of the wideset hall like a ghost. White painted mask soundless as it watched you. At least, you thought it was. Since its presence washed over you like a bad omen.

“What do you want?” You held your ground, but prepared yourself to run at any moment. Just because it’d done you a favor earlier didn’t mean that it was harmless. You were in a literal hell of soulless beings, afterall.

It didn’t answer. Didn’t make a sound. And you weren’t all that surprise.

You did, however, feel your muscles tense as it floated closer with its legless body. Hunched over as it towered over you. Adrenaline pumped through your veins and it took all you had to repress the shudder that threatened to overtake your body.

Slowly, slowly, it reached out with a handless arm. Stretched between the small amount of space between you like an offer. Your fingers clenched around the metal bucket in your grasp.

“I don’t understand.” You murmured, eyes trained on the darkness behind the mask's eye holes.

It moved again. Shook it’s appendage in front of your face and caused you to take a step back. Did it...did it want you to touch it? Yeah, no. You’d have to pass on that one. You didn’t want to accidentally offend it and turn it aggressive, but you weren’t about to willingly do whatever it wanted either.

You shook your head. “No thanks.”

It must not have liked that answer because it floated closer, extended it’s shadow arm closer to your face. Like it was going to grab you or touch you. You didn’t know. But you didn’t want to stick around and find out either. Not with the threatening aura that flooded through the air so thick that it made it difficult to breath. To think straight. To step away.

The sound of a door slamming shut somewhere behind you allowed you to snap out of whatever spell that creature had cast on you. And as you came to and saw your hand reaching out of its own volition, you scrambled backwards. Put distance between you and that thing before it could make you do something you didn’t want to do.

And it seemed angry. The air around it crackled with invisible heat. Enough to send you running off in the opposite direction. Down the twisting halls and past barely lit rooms. All while looking over your shoulder every ten seconds in fear of it being right behind you.

The fourth time and final time came when you weren’t prepared for it.

You were beginning to look forward to the daytime. When it was peaceful and all of the inhabitants of the bathhouse were asleep. To the point where you’d force yourself to stay up in order to watch the sunrise above the vast ocean that spread out beyond the building you were trapped in.

Eyes closed against the morning breeze, you let your legs dangle between the wooden bars of the balcony and over the edge of the bathhouse. The sun was almost up, sky in that sweet spot between the moon setting and daybreak. It gave you time to think, to plot a plan to escape from that place. Because you weren’t safe. Would never be safe, despite what Jimin liked to promise you.

Your constant run-ins with the faceless being was proof of that.

Which made you wonder what exactly it was that Jimin did there. Was he just another pawn to Namjoon? Had he also unwillingly gotten himself caught up in the crossfire of servitude? You weren’t sure. He seemed good, unlike some of the truly hideous spirits that you met. Even despite the oddness that surrounded him like a cloud.

Perhaps he was similar to you. Had been trapped there too. The possibility made you--

Your head snapped to the side just in time to see a flash of black and white. To let out a gasp before the giant mouth coming right for you swallowed you whole. And everything went dark.

The scent of freshly mowed grass invaded your senses. Filled your nose as you slowly regained consciousness.

You weren’t sure where you were or if your eyes were even opened. Because everywhere you looked was nothing but black. And you couldn’t breath, couldn’t suck down a breath without liquid filling your lungs. It didn’t hurt, but it did cause panic to well up.

You thrashed, shot your arms through what felt like water but was too thick. Slowed down your movements and halted momentum. Your mouth opened in a silent scream. There was no one around to hear you, to heed your call.

Maybe you were dead.

Finally freed from the place that held you captive.

But you couldn’t be.

Right?

No, you couldn’t be because you still needed to save your parents. To get them out before a fate worse than death befell them. So you tried harder, thrashed harder. Chose one direction and pushed towards it. Kept going until you felt your hand break through.

The warm outside air hit your skin and you kept going. Until your arm was freed, and then your other one, and then your head pushed through.

You didn’t know where you were, could barely see past the sun beaming straight into your eyes. But as you dangled there limply, wherever there was, all you could see was water. Blue, blue water as you passed over it. Moving slowly, yet quickly at the same time.

Where the hell were you?

Whatever energy you’d managed to summon up in your long winded escape left your body. Forced you to hang there dazed. Barely conscious.

Were you just hearing things, or was that the sound of your name being carried over the wind. And was it just you, or did you start to move faster. The ocean below flying past.

And--

There it was again.

Your name. Or at least, what you thought was your name.

You didn’t get the chance to ponder over it. Not before something hit whatever was carrying you and sent the ocean below hurtling straight towards you.

Water washed over you so cold that it sent a shock through your system, brought you closer to alertness. But you still couldn’t move, bogged down by whatever it was that held you within its grasp as you were sent drifting down to the bottom.

Until you weren’t.

You weren’t sure when it’d happened, but your limbs were free. Floating around you. And you opened your eyes in an attempt to figure out what the hell was going on. Your thoughts were murky, brain struggling to focus on what was playing out in front of you. You weren’t sure what to make of the bright flash of blue lighting up the darkness underwater.

Nor the high-pitched screams that hit your ears at such a frequency that you were worried you’d go deaf. When another bright, eye-searing light flare hit your eyes, you slammed them shut. Couldn’t bear to look directly at it.

And you weren’t sure how long you floated there, lungs screaming for air and consciousness wavering in-and-out.

One moment you were submerged, unable to breathe. And the next you were laid out on your side and coughing up water.

“There you go.”

You didn’t have time to process where that voice was coming from before another wave of coughing forced the water from your lungs. Had you bent over the arm hoisting you up as you threw it up. Had a hard time differentiating between where you were and what was going on. You could feel water covering the lower half of your body. It wasn’t deep now, however. Just shallow, but still enough to leave you wet.

“Get it all out.” A hand hit against the spot between your shoulder blades and forced out another round of throwing up. You felt like you were drowning all over again, unable to take a breath as liquid coated the back of your tongue.

You whimpered.

“I got you.” The words were murmured into the shell of your ear reassuringly. And it took an embarrassingly long amount of time for you to connect the dots of who it was.

“Jimin?” Your voice was raspy. Barely there. And scratched your throat raw.

“I’m here.” His hand rubbed at your back.

You had to pause before answering in order to fill your lungs with air.

“What’s going on?” The world blurred around you as Jimin slowly moved to flip you onto your back. You stared up at him, traced a droplet of water as it fell from his soaked hair and down his cheek.

His jaw clenched and brown eyes flashed in anger at your question. Jimin nodded his head towards something in the distance that had you craning your neck to try and see. “It ate you.”

One of his hands had come up to support your neck when you finally saw it. There in the distance. Floating on top of the water.

A white mask.

And a mass of sludge so dark that it coated the water in a layer of blackness spread out beneath it.

You looked down, took in the platform you were spread out on. Train tracks. If you squinted you’d just be able to make out the bathhouse in the distance.

Where the hell were you?

Where had that thing been taking you?

You swallowed hard, voice shaky. “Ate me?”

Jimin turned his gaze back to you and softened his hardened expression at the terror that shone in your eyes. Leaned down to press his forehead to yours. “It’s gone now. No need to be frightened.”

“Did you--” You spared a quick glance back over at the lifeless mask. “Kill it?”

He nodded slowly, breath fanning across your chilled skin.

“Why?”

Jimin pulled back just enough to stare at you in bewilderment. “I told you that I’d protect you, didn’t I?”

When your lips parted in surprise at his words, he smiled. A warm one. One that had you acting before you could fully think it through. Slamming your mouth against his. Maybe it was the adrenaline that was lingering in your system, or perhaps it was something else. You weren’t sure.

What you did know, however, was that Jimin’s lips were soft. Just as much as they looked to be. And you weren’t sure what to do because you’d never kissed anyone before. Had no idea how he’d respond until his other hand came up to caress your cheek. Kissed you back. You weren’t sure if you were doing it correctly, since you had no experience.

And never would you have thought your first kiss would be from an almost-stranger. But he’d just saved your life. And he was beautiful to look at. You’d be lying if you said that you weren’t attracted to him. Hadn’t been overwhelmed by his appearance since you’d first laid eyes on him. Especially not when you felt the tip of his tongue swipe across your bottom lip questioningly. Nor when you parted your mouth slightly and let out a gasp when his tongue met yours.

The sound you made must have ignited something within him, because Jimin’s kiss turned eager, needy almost. He tasted sweet as he snagged your bottom lip between his teeth. Licked the slight sting away as your fingers tangled themselves into the soft hair at the nape of his neck. Kissed him back just as desperately.

Jimin’s mouth caught yours in one last searing kiss before he pulled away.  “Let’s get you home, hm?”

“Okay.” You mumbled. Your limbs felt like jelly as he helped you to sit up and you watched as he stood up. Walked a few paces away. “Where are you going?”

Jimin just threw a wink over his shoulder, eyes shining with happiness. “Get on.”

“Get on..?”

Your question went unanswered. Not because he didn’t want to give you a response, but because he changed. Morphed into a dragon right before your very eyes. Maybe if you were more awake you would have been able to take in the finer details. Like how the air around him seemed to simmer with heat. Or how the water beneath him shifted until it was drawing itself towards him. How the droplets of liquid surrounded him like glitter in the rising sun.

A gasp escaped your lips when he turned, now on four legs instead of two. And you met his umber eyes. He wasn’t human anymore, not that he really had been in the first place, but a dragon now. Beautiful. Magical.

You scrambled to your feet, water sloshing beneath you, and made you way over to him. Let your hand run over the black and white scales that felt smooth to the touch. You’d seen him from far away in that form, but not this close up. To the point where you could smell the scent that floated off him in waves.

Jimin exhaled and jerked his head in a silent gesture to get on. You didn’t hesitate to throw your leg over his slim back. Even though he was a dragon, he still held the same slim frame as his human form. And you’d barely adjusted to sitting atop him when he moved. Claws scraping across the train tracks until he’d gained enough momentum for his wings to carry the two of you through the air.

A shriek of excitement tore from your throat as vertigo hit you full force. Without anything to hold onto, you reached up to grab onto the two horns that protruded from his head before you could fall. In order to feel more at ease with flying through the air at such a speed without restraint.

Though you hadn’t been prepared for what would happen when you did. Because the moment your hands wrapped around his horns, you no longer saw the water stretching out before you. You were transported to a scene that was familiar. That resurfaced somewhere deep within your memories.

The beach. No. Not the beach.

The ocean.

Wide and vast, its waves kissed the shore. Enticed your five-year-old self to step closer. To drip your feet into its cold water. To be swept up by a wave taller than you stood. Dragged along, kicking and screaming beneath the surface, until you were so far from the shore that you didn’t know how to get back.

But you weren’t afraid. Not when the water tickled the sides of your cheek or kept you afloat.

Not even when your parent’s panicked voices echoed across the large expanse. Or when they’d swam out to drag you back ashore. Hugged you close and buckled you into the back of the car with promises to never come back.

You weren’t afraid.

So you’d returned. Again and again. Waded through the water like you belonged there. And it’d greeted you each time you came back. Brushed against your skin like it’d missed you.

You were thrown back into the present time so suddenly that you gasped. Squeezed your hands tighter around the ringed horns beneath your palms. The feeling that overcame you was familiar. Intermingled with the scent of the being beneath you. Was that..? Why did you…?

“Jimin.” You breathed, leaning forward to speak into his ear in fear of your voice being lost. “Are you...a spirit of the ocean? Is that what you are?”

You paused and took a deep breath. Met one of his eyes with both of yours. God, you really hoped you didn’t sound as stupid as you thought. “From when I was little?”

He didn’t respond verbally. Not that you thought he could have. Just grumbled deep in his throat in a way that sounded a lot like confirmation. And then he ripped his attention from you to focus on the bathhouse that appeared out of the distance.

You’d be lying if you said that you weren’t still afraid. Weren’t on edge about the fact that you weren’t safe in that bathhouse. Even though Jimin had saved you, that didn’t mean that he’d be around the next time that something went wrong. That you were thrown into danger and your life was at stake.

Even as you lay there in your room, wrapped up in his arms. He’d insisted on following you back and staying with you to keep you safe. And you hadn’t had the will to deny him. Not after what had happened less than an hour ago.

However, ever since you’d kissed him, Jimin started acting differently. More clingy. Like he was afraid that if he let you out of his sight, you’d disappear. So you’d let him accompany you back to your room. And when he insisted on staying, well, you didn’t say no. Had let him tuck your weary body into bed and slide in next to you.

But you couldn’t sleep. Not with the thoughts that whizzed through your head. Because you weren’t safe. And you couldn’t get too comfortable there. Couldn’t leave your parents to suffer through the rest of their days as pigs.

Your fingers dug into Jimin’s back.

“I need to get out of here, Jimin.” You whispered shakily against the warmth of his chest. “You have to get me out of here. Before I die here.”

“You’re safe.” Jimin mumbled sleepily into the top of your head, lips pressed against your forehead. His slender fingers ran through your hair and massaged gently at your scalp. “I won’t let anything take you from me. I promise.”

You stiffened the moment that his words hit the shell of your ear. Tried to hide the expression that flitted across your face from where you pressed into the crevice of his neck. What he said didn’t sit well with you, weighed down your stomach with slowly dawning dread. “What do you mean, you won’t let anything take me from you?”

Jimin hummed and pulled you closer, rested his chin atop your head. “That spirit was trying to take you away from here. Away from me.”

Your heartbeat thudded in your ears. “Take me where, Jimin?”

He must have mistaken the shake in your voice for fear at being kidnapped again because he softened his voice. “Those train tracks? That spirit was taking you to the train. Was trying to take you away from the bathhouse, somewhere beyond my reach. But it’s okay, baby. You don’t need to be afraid, not when you have me.”

Your nails dug deeper into his skin but he didn’t seem to notice. If he was saying what you thought he was saying...then that meant…

“Nothing will take you from me.” Jimin’s statement was punctuated by the soft kiss he placed upon your cheek.

...that the no-face spirit had been trying to help you escape. To get you out of there.

And Jimin killed it.

Suddenly, the protective arms he had around you felt like a vice. Keeping you there. You weren’t safe. Not in that bathhouse. Not with those monsters. Not with Jimin.

How had you been so utterly stupid? To think that you could have trusted him? Had he even wanted to help you escape at all, or had it all been some kind of front, a lie? You didn’t know. But you sure as hell weren’t going to stick around to find out.

So you waited until he fell asleep. Until his breath evened out and his arms around you became slack. You were careful as you slipped away from his warmth and out of bed, bare feet hitting the cold floor silently. The sunlight peeking in through your window was reassuring, helped to settle your nerves just a little at the knowledge that all of the bathhouse inhabitants would be asleep.

You cracked open the door silently and threw a quick glance over your shoulder to make sure that Jimin was still asleep. And then you slipped out into the hall and closed the door behind you.

The lights were off as you crept down the hall, but thankfully the light streaming in through the windows placed periodically throughout the place was enough to see by. Your heart hammered in your chest in fear of being caught. In fear of what would happen if you were.

You maneuvered your way out of the main door and across the bridge without running into a single soul. The second that your bare feet dug into the dirt on the opposite side of the bridge, you too off in a sprint. Through the gated garden and past the hedges that towered over you mockingly.

Luckily, the path was easy to navigate even without your prior knowledge of where you were going. And you took a moment to silently thank Jimin for showing you the way as you hit the top of the hill. Slipped on your way down the steep slope and catapulted your way towards the red roofed barns. You entered the first one you came across, figuring that you’d work your way through that one and then the other two if it proved frivolous.

Only to stop dead in your tracks, feet kicking up dirt as you came to an immediate halt.

It was empty.

The pigs that used to reside behind the rusted, metal enclosed bars were gone. Though the smell of them still lingered in the air. Assaulted your nose and had you throwing a hand over your mouth. Where the hell had they gone?

You turned on your heel, rushing back out of the barn and through the opened doorway of the second one.

Empty.

Without stopping to let the information settle, you whirled around. Ran to the last barn sitting right on the edge. Didn’t stop until you were standing in the middle of it with dirt sticking to your feet and stomach dropping to the floor. Stumbled over to grip onto one of the metal bars in order to hold yourself up.

Because that one was empty too.

All of the pigs were gone. Gonegonegone.

“You’re a little late.”

A scream tore from your throat and you spun around so fast that the world blurred for a moment. Held a hand to your chest in an attempt to slow your rapid heartbeat. It wasn’t Jimin like you’d thought it was. Though you weren’t sure if what stood in front of you was any better. Safer. Less dangerous.

“Dontcha think?” The man--beast--tilted his head to the side, blond hair falling into his dark hooded eyes. He would have been handsome, what with his cupid-bow shaped lips and perfectly symmetrical face. Maybe could have even been a model back in your world. If it weren’t for the fact that he had goat legs instead of regular ones.

Hooves in place of feet.

“Who the hell are you? Do you work here?” You backed up against the metal bars behind you, gripped them until your knuckles turned white.

He simply stared at you. Almost in curiosity, but not quite. “So you’re her, huh?”

You ignored his question just like he ignored yours. “Where are all of the pigs? Who are you?”

A sound left his lips. Deep and dragging. And it took you a moment to realize that he was laughing. “Gone.”

You inhaled shakily. “Gone where?”

He stopped laughing, but still grinned over at you with a box shaped smile. “Didn’t you realize, human?”

“Realize what?” Jaw clenched, you struggled to breathe around the fear that spiked in your throat.

He tilted his head yet again and regarded you with those dark eyes of his. Sparking with something as he took his time answering you. Drew out the dread pooling in your stomach.

“What was served for dinner last night.”

The breath in your lungs froze. Tears sprang to your eyes. Alarm flooded through your veins like white hot wildefire, engulfing everything in its way. He couldn’t...he couldn’t mean.., “No.”

He turned away from you then, broke eye contact to sift through some of the farming tools hanging from the wall behind him. Spoke the words that crushed your world so nonchalantly. “Everyone loves a nice, juicy pig. So delicious.”

No. They...

They couldn’t have...right?

The world stopped. Came crashing to a halt as it dawned on you.

They ate...they ate your parents?

You didn’t even notice the tears falling from your face, nor the sob that tore from your throat. You had to get out of there. You had to get out.

The inside of the barn passed by in a blurred haze and your feet carried you back up the hill without you registering it. You didn’t have time to waste, to stop and grieve. Because you didn’t know how much time you had left before you joined them. Became a feast to the monsters that resided beyond the bridge.

You struggled to breath as you ran, sprinted through the winding town and past the empty shops. The sun beating upon your back spurred you on as you tore through the streets. Kicked up dust behind you. Made it past the food stand where you’d last seen your parents alive and human. Beyond the corner of the last bend in the road.

Ran face first into something so hard that it sent you careening backwards, hitting the dirt so roughly that it swept the air from your lungs. You could do nothing but lay there with your face tilted to the sky and coughs wrenching from your chest, dazed. Attempting to blink the stars out of your vision.

“There you are.”

You squinted as a shadow fell across your face. Stared up at the sweet smile stretched across Jimin’s pink lips. He leaned over you, delicate earrings dangling from his ears and arms folded behind his back. Like he hadn’t just knocked you down into the dirt like you were a bug beneath his feet.

“I was wondering where you’d gone off to.” Umber eyes crinkled in the corners. But he didn’t move to help you up, just watched as you struggled to get to your feet, hands scraping the ground for purchase. “Where were you going?”

“I--” You stammered, heart caught in your throat. You didn’t know how much you could trust him. Didn’t know if he was out to get you too. “I was just…”

Jimin tilted his head to the side in curiosity at your answer. He waited for you to continue with the sentence that struggled to form on your tongue. “You were just…?”

He wasn’t going to let you go without an explanation. You could see it in the way he stood in the middle of the street like a gatekeeper. Could see it in the way that emotion flickered behind his eyes too quickly for you to make out. Could tell from the calm way he didn’t move an inch.

“Jimin.” You could hear the pleading edge to your tone and you swallowed. He’d said he wanted to keep you safe...right? Maybe he’d let you go when he found out what happened. “I have to get out of here. They killed my parents and I’m probably next. I need to leave.”

“Dove.” Jimin cleared the space between you, reached out to palm the sides of your face. Scrunched his brow concern. “I promised that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

As your eyes met his, you felt hope well within your chest. Even as you pushed it down, forced the desperate expression from your face. “So you’ll help me get out of here?”

He smiled softly and swiped a thumb across your quivering bottom lip. “You can’t leave. Because then I wouldn’t be able to protect you.”

Any hope you may have had left you at his words. “What? Jimin, they’re going to kill me!”

“Sen, n--”

“That’s not my name.” You knew it wasn’t. Could feel it with every essence of your being. Because that wasn’t your name. It wasn’t. And you didn’t know why he kept calling you that.

With a click of his tongue, Jimin smoothed a finger over the crease between your eyebrows. “No? Then what is it then, hm?”

You blinked. Parted your lips as you attempted to think back. To remember what it was that you’d been called before you entered that place. And where it’d once been so easily accessible, sat just on the tip of your tongue, now hid somewhere that you couldn’t find. Why couldn’t you remember?

“I--It’s.” Your chest was heaving now as panic overrode your senses. Wide eyes met his amused gaze. “Why can’t I…”

Jimin smiled, tutted at you like you were a child. “Remember? Because your name belongs to me.”

What?

“No.” Shaking your head, you reached up in an attempt to pull his hands from your face. But he didn’t budge, just watched on in growing mirth as if you were a particularly entertaining toy. You knew his words weren’t true. They couldn’t be. Because you remembered that part at least. “Namjoon took it. When I signed the contract. Not you.”

Jimin slid one of his hands down to caress the side of your neck despite the half-moons you were digging into his skin with your nails. “And who do you think is in charge of Namjoon, dove?”

No. No. No. He had to be lying. He had to.

He raised his eyebrows. Tilted his head to the side with that eye-crinkling smile. “I can see that you’re starting to understand.”

“I don’t.” You grunted, digging your nails deeper into the flesh at his wrists. But he didn’t even flinch.

“Then let me spell it out for you. You always have been a little slow on the uptake. But that’s okay.” Jimin twirled a loose strand of your hair around his index finger. “I’m in charge of this place. Therefore, when you signed that contract, you didn’t gift your name to Namjoon. You gave it to me. It’s mine, and so are you.”

You clenched your jaw at his words, glared at the hand that brushed the side of your cheek like you were some kind of long lost lover. “Fine then. Keep my name, I don’t need it.”

Jimin sighed, shook his head like he was exasperated with you.

“Do you know why names are so important, Sen?” He didn’t wait for you to answer before he continued. “Because they’re tied with our identities. Without them, you’ll forget who you are, be trapped here. And you already have, haven’t you? Forgotten.”

Alarm overtook you, flooded through you. Weighed down your breath with fear. As you tried to remember who you’d been before you’d entered that place. All you knew was that you’d had to save your parents. To get both them and yourself out of there. But when you thought back, really tried, you couldn’t recollect anything past your first day there.

Where had you come from?

Why were you there in the first place?

You looked up at the man who stole your identity, your memories. Everything. With quivering lips and tear filled eyes. “Why would you do this?”

“Dove.” His thumbs caught the tears that spilled onto your cheeks, sadness morphing his expression. “Because I love you. And I want to be with you forever. That’s why I brought you here.”

Jimin pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek, warm breath fanning across your skin. “And now we can be together forever, just like we’re meant to be.”

He pulled back to smile down at you. So softly that you almost believed the words that came from his mouth. Weaved their way inside your mind like a worm. And it was in that moment that you began to understand Jimin. With his honey hued hair and umber eyes. Brightly colored. Flashy. Much like a poisonous snake before it struck.

“Aren’t you happy, dove?” He rested his forehead against yours and nudged his nose against your own. “I promised I’d keep you safe and I will.”

Your eyes slammed shut. Tears leaked from your water-logged lashes. Because you were stuck. Trapped. With a monster who stole your identity.  

How were you supposed to escape when you didn’t even know why you were there in the first place?

“I love you.” He murmured across your lips.

But.

Who were you?

Tagged: @laishaavxo @poohsaidhi @mykingdomismyheaven @yoongs-jeontae @creepysweet @futuristicpinklemur @hopekookiesandwich @pjmlylyn @parkchimchimmie @xxkitsurikaxx @siphite @knjkitten @mochi-rose @ohmygirlloona @mochimochipie @btsarmysvtcarat @martinandmartin @bitchynightmarepost @haruyai @jupiterspoems @mxrvellouspidey​ @creepysweet​

[ecclais-fouoras]

Sometimes moving on is good

Chapter 5 pt2

Warning: slight smut

It had been a week since you had asked diane to go with you to the fun fair.

You were nervous to ask her again but, since she said that she was willing to try you did.

"Diane, will you go out at the fun fair with me tomorrow, they arrived two days ago already ?"

After a bit of esitaton she agreed, but told you she would not be doing the horror house or whatever that thing was called.

"So it's a date then, I'll pick you up tomorrow at 4pm and we'll have a nice evening then maybe if you are nice to me, I'll take you for a walk and we can have dinner at my house. Sounds good '?"

She nodded and you left before you were late for work. She always asked why you didn't work from her house since you worked at home. But you told her you didn't want to mess up her clean house with your stuff and your atelier was better for what you did anyways.

You gave her a quick kiss before leaving and she held your hand as you did.

The next day you were a bit nervous, not like you're first date, but rather because there was a lot of ways diane could not enjoy herself or even worst be hurt.

But you pushed that aside as you went to pick her up, she looked good, as usual, And she was even smiling.

"Hey !"

"Hi y/n, good to see you" she said before giving you a peck on the lips.

"You ready to go ?"

"Yeah Sure let's do this"

When you got there you opened up the door for her to come out, and closed the vehicle.

She looked a bit amazed

-"i haven't been there since I was a kid"

She said her eyes a bit watery.

So you hugged her lighltly from behind and placed a kiss on her neck.

"Let's make new memories then diane."

As you saw the first ride you took her hand and lead her to it

-"no, no no no wait we can discuss this...OMG it's huge"

you laughed and paid for your tickets as you pulled diane to your seats

"Oh are you scared now ? Don't worry I'm here i won't let you throw up"

"Aha very funny y/n, i am not scared ju...AH"

She was straddled by the small rollercoaster's move.

And clung to you for dear life.

"Diane you are not going to fall you are attached here"

you said as you pushed the bar in front of you. But she didn't stop holding you for the intier ride.

When you got out her hair was a mess and you were both laughing slightly.

You spend the afternoon going on different rides, and then stopped at a food truck.

"Do you guys have chichis or like what are they called churros?" You asked the cooking guy.

"Yes ma'am indeed we do"

"Well I'll have 25 with powdered sugar."

"Here goes 25 churros max !"

You turned around and diane was lost in her thoughts looking at a cute girl drinking a soda so you pecked her cheek softly and told her she was beautiful while you put a strand of hair behind her hear.

"Diane...tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

-" I'm happy"

-"what?" You asked a little stunned at what she'd just said.

-"I'm happy, right now, with you. Before I met you I would have seen that girl and immediately get angry because her parents have her, and i don't have chloe. But now, with you I'm happy, happy that this girl ever there is smiling and laughing while drinking this sugar field stuff."

-"oh Diane, you don't know how happy it makes me to hear you say that, you know I really care about you...and"

-" 25 CHICHIS OVER THERE MA'am" you were cut of by your order, so you paid and took your food.

"Here you NEED to taste this" you said as you handed her one.

"This really looks like a penis y/n"

-"WHAT"

-"Well yes It does"

-"OH MY GOD WHAT KIND OF DICK DID YOU SEE IN YOUR LIFE THAT LOOKED LIKE THIS"

You both burst out laughing as you held a churro in your hand.

You continued to walk while eating and doing some of the rollercoaster and games for a few hours talking about everything.

You took her hand again and lead her to a

Stall.

"Okay imma try to win you this one"

-"I'd like to see you try"

-"you underestimate me diane"

-"well do it then"

You had to shoot all of the blue balloons in order to win. After your second try diane said that you both should try something else but you insisted.

-"wait you know what they say, third time's the charm"

And you won, she looked at you with wide eyes.

-"How did you get it ?! Those games are rigged"

-"i know but as soon as you get were the trap is, you can avoid it"

It was almost 7pm and the sun was starting to set.

"So have you been good today diane ?"

-"what ?"

-"I told you if you were good i'dd take you somewhere so...were you a good girl today ?"

She couldn't help but get a little aroused at your words but it was something you'd explore later.

-"i think so ?"

-"Okay that's good enough for me" you giggled softly and took your car and drove of.

-"where are we going y/n"

-"it's a surprise diane now close your eyes"

"Oh..okay" she said shyly.

You both arrived a few minutes later at what looked like a dead-end.

"Are you sure you took the right road darling"

-"yed, i took the exact one i wanted"

You stopped the engine close to the edge of the road.

"There we are diane, time to get out of the car".

You both got out and she was confused about where you were. So you went to her side and lead her by the hand to where you wanted and she smiled at you.

"Here, don't move and don't peak"

You went back to the car, at some point she got scared you were going to leave her here and drive off, like her mom did to her once because she wasn't doing what she wanted.

Somehow you understood her fear and yelled from the car;

"don't worry I'm not leaving you here, just grabbing some stuff."

She laughed at how ridiculous it was for her to fear that you'd leave, you were too gentle and caring for that.

You got back with a cover that you set on the grass, a few pillows and what looked like a

Cool box.

You helped her sit as she still had her eyes shut.

"There, you can open them".

She blinked a few time to adjust to the light before she took in the amazing picture she had in front of her. You were at the edge of a cliff, with the sun setting on the horizon, and she could see green fields and forests from kilometers around.

"This view is so beautiful y/n"

"It is..."

You told her as you were looking at a very different landscape, her. Her beautiful brown eyes shining orange as the sun goes down, her long and golden red hair cascading down her naked shoulders. She looked at you and your replied.

"It is...this view is beautiful" emphasizing that you ment that she was the beautiful view.

She smiled lovingly and you share a few kisses.

"I know I said we'd have dinner at my house but I couldn't help but think that a picnic here would be perfect. So I brought a few things, wine...pasta...cheese...and cake"

You pulled everything out of the cool bag and set it on the blanket.

"Oh y/n ! You have the best ideas."

You ate as you chatted and stared at the sky, when you finished the cake she said.

-"See i told you, you had overcooked it last time, now it's perfect."

"Yeah, i gotta admit, i did pretty good here"

You stayed like this for a while cuddled together as the night came. You felt her shiver and as much as you didn't want to ruin the moment you knew you should get back.

"Hey... it's getting cold here, we should go back home"

"I don't want the night to be over, of we go home, I'll only see you tomorrow."

-"no it's fine you can sleep at my house tonight."

She held your gaze for a while.

"No funny business, I promise"

She chuckled and agreed.

You drove back to your house, diane staring at the moon, and your hand on her lap most of the ride.

When you got to the door she asked ;

"Wait, i don't have my stuff to sleep should I get it?"

-"No it's fine I'll hand you some stuff"

-"oh okay"

-"So do you want to watch a movie or go to bed directly ? Or both at the same time for that matter, i have a tv in my bedroom."

-"both?"

-" don't ask me, I'm asking you diane."

-"well both then"

-"Both it is"

You took her hand and lead her to your bedroom. You found some oversized t shirt and shorts for yourself and asked her if she wanted some too, which she did.

After you got ready for bed she got out of the bathroom and she looked really sexy, the short showing her slim legs.

"Hey"

-"hi..." She replied in a small voice.

"Don't shy away diane, you are very beautiful like this, and If you don't want me to sleep here, I'll sleep in the guest room."

-"okay...so what are we watching ?"

-"i got 'tomorrowland", "gravity" or "the fault in our stars or literally anything else here, "Carol" or "elisa and Marcela"?"

-"the last one please"

-"the last on it is"

You put the dvd in and got up on the bed next to her. When the movie was over you were ...-horny-...no happy and so was diane.

"I had an amazing night y/n"

-"me too diane"

-"i wish everyday could be like this"

-"yeah..me too"

"Thank you for tonight, it was perfect"

-"thank you for being perfect"

She giggled and it send a shiver down your spine.

You were both really close, your back against the headboard and her back between your legs. She turned around and sat on her heels.

-"I really appreciate everything you do form me"

-"and i appreciate that you let me do them for you, and that you are here with me"

you softly replied before kissing her sweetly.

It was just a peck at first but then she started kissing back and by the time you were done you had her on her back, your hands caressing her hips and you were making out with her.

Your hands went under her shirt and found her bra covered breast that you kneaded lightly. She moaned against your lips and you started to kiss your way down her neck, as you worked on getting her shirt off. You heard her soft whimper of pleasure as you bit her skin gently and traced your fingers over her nipples.

You took off her bra and kissed her chest electing soft cries from her as she arched her back. She wasn't very vocal but her breathing was a good indicator of what she liked.

After you started to sick on her buds she held your head up slightly looking at your eyes "wait".

You immediately got the message and was quicker to put it into words. "Hey..we don't have to do anything tonight, we can stop anytime and just cuddle for a while before we sleep...we can take this as slow as you want."

"I...can we...I'm not sure I'm quite ready to have sex with you tonight"

you pushed yourself off of her. And laid next to her while you whispered softly;

"alright do you wanna put your shirt back on and cuddle maybe ?"

-"i'dd like that...sorry"

-"hey no no no no... No need to apologise sweet thing...we are not doing anything you are uncomfortable with okay ? I'm already happy with being here with you. I can wait as long as you need." You got off the bed and she got worried, but her fears vanished away when she saw you were just looking for her shirt that you threw in excitement. "There, found it" you said as you handed it to her. You got under the covers and she finished putting her clothes back on. Once she was done you scooted close to her and asked her if she was okay with you spooning her.

"Yes I'd like that too". You pressed her back against your front and circles your arms around her middle as your legs were touching. "Goodnight beautiful".

"Night my sweet y/n"

[maevesdarling]

Take me home tonight - Chapter 2

Wohoo, since I’m finally done with the semester, I found some time to finish the next chapter. It’s pretty emotional, so be prepared. I can’t tell you when the next chapter will come out but I’m planning on having it done by the end of the month so... fingers crossed!

Pairng: Walt Breslin/ Sal Orozco

Warnings: Nightmares, Canon typical violence, mentions of minor character death, blood, character injury, character death (only in a dream tho), PTSD, Beginning of smut (at the end of the chapter)

Walt spend the next two days cleaning the house as best as he could. He fixed the broken door in the guest bedroom, that hadn't been used since he moved into the house, and put new sheets on the old bed, dusting off the furniture and cleaning the windows. He wasn't exactly sure how long Sal wanted to stay and the couch wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep on so the guest bedroom would do.

Then he went and got groceries. Fresh vegetables, some pasta and cheese in case he felt like cooking for Sal and himself.

He knew fixing the entire house in two days was nearly impossible, but when he sat down on the couch on Thursday evening, the dog by his side, Walt was impressed with himself and the work he'd managed to get done in such a short time.

"I know you can get anxious around new people, but I promise this friend of mine we're meeting tomorrow will treat you well, so no barking, you understand me?" Walt asked the dog sternly. Fucking hell, I really should go outside more, I'm talking to a dog. He thought, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

To say he was a nervous wreck was an understatement. His heart was beating so loud, he was sure Sal would be able to hear it all the way from San Francisco or wherever the hell he currently was, and there was a slight tremor in his hands that just wouldn't go away. Even the animals started to notice that something was wrong, the dog wouldn't leave his side and slept at the end of his bed, his one eye constantly following Walt wherever he went, and the chicken flocked together more than usually when he went to feed them. They came up to him, clucking in excitement and when he got up to leave, a few of them always tried coming after him. Only the goats seemed unbothered by his behavior, they sat in their pen, eating grass and occasionally tried to tackle one another.

That night, for the first time in months, Walt had a nightmare.

In his dream, he was back at the airfield.

It's dark and the only source of light is coming from the stars and the distant car headlights behind him. He's panting, his lungs are stinging with every step he takes, the gun in his hand feels light, too light. He's out of bullets.

A shot rings through the air and somewhere behind him, a body falls to the ground, just as Walt reached the safety of the woods. He turns and his heart seems to stop.

The figure lying a few hundred feet from him is Sal.

He's bleeding from his leg. It looks bad, there's already a large pool of blood forming on the grass, he thinks the bullet might hit an artery. There's no way he'd get Sal all the way back to the safehouse with a leg like this and yet, he turns on his heel to get to Sal. Except the bushes around him seem to have come to life, some of the vines have curled around his legs, he tries, he really does, but he can't move.

His finger claw at the vines, the more he rips at them, the stronger they get. His heart is pounding in his ears. A car is approaching, he's gotta hurry!

The gun falls to the ground and gets swallowed up by leaves and roots, yet, Walt is still fighting. He manages to fall and tries to pull himself forward with his arms. He needs to free himself quickly because there's a figure approaching Sal, oh god, he can never make it in time, where the hell was his gun? With one arm, he's searching his pockets for the pack of extra ammunition, with the other, he's frantically pawing at the dirt underneath him to find the gun, only there was none. How could that be?!

He can hear Sal pleading in the distance. This is wrong, his brain tells him. Your brain is just messing with you! Sal made it off the airfield alive, it was Amat who got shot by Calderoni, not him. Only it feels so real!

The sound of a gun makes him flinch, Walt stops in his motion. He feels like he can't breath, like his heart has stopped beating. Sal is lying motionless in the grass, blood, brain and pieces of his skull scattered around him. The figure who shot him comes into view and looks directly at Walt. An identical pair of eyes is staring back at him. He's looking at himself, towering above a lifeless Sal, the gun he used to shoot him still smoking ever so slightly in the light of the car's headlights.

"You did this." He can hear his own voice shout at him. "You killed him. Just like you killed the others because everything you touch dies!"

Walt wakes up with a scream. He yerks off the bed and topples to the floor with a groan. The darkness from his dream has found it's way into the real world. He forgot to pull the blinds shut again and outside the window, clouds have pulled a tight curtain around the full moon that was previously illuminating the sky.

The dog whines and jumps off the bed to check on him, licking his face in a calming motion. "It's alright, bud. Just a bad dream." He mumbles, scratching behind the dogs sand colored ears.

He sits up, noticing that, just like in his dream, he can't move his legs. They're tangled in the bedsheets. He sighs and begins to untangle them before shuffling into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.

His throat stings even after he finishes the cup and he contemplates drinking straight from the tab to satisfy his bodies needs, but then he decides against it and refills his empty cup instead. He's leaning against the kitchen counter dressed only in his boxers and a loose fitting t-shirt, his bare feet are stinging from the cold tiles.

He finishes his second cup and makes his way into the bedroom once more. The dog is lying on his previous spot, watching him. The brunette gives him a little pat on the head before slipping under the covers.

Still, sleep won't come to him. Walt is lying in bed, tossing and turning around, yet every time he closes his eyes, the memory of a lifeless Sal lying in a pool of his own blood comes back to him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he thinks he can see Danilo standing in the corner of his room, half hidden behind his wardrobe, one half of his face is covered in blood, there's a pitch black hole where his eye used to be. The ghostly silhouette doesn't move, he's just watching him with a pitiful look that is deeply unsettling to Walt. He pinches his eyes closed and tries his best to ignore the horrors his mind has come up with. Thinking instead of all the work he's got to do come morning. In his head he goes over each task. Feed the dog, let the chicken out of their coop, refill their water… After what feels like forever, he falls into a light slumber.

By the time the sun is rising above the old apple trees in his backyard, Walt is long up and sitting in the chicken pen outside, nursing a bottle of beer in his hand. He shouldn't be drinking this early in the morning, yet he can't stop himself either. It's the only way the tremor in his hands will stop.

He's holding one of the hens in his arms, stroking her soft brown feathers while she is making happy noises and turning her head from side to side. He's still shaken up from the night but the fresh air helps him clear his mind. Outside the chicken pen, the dog barks and reminds him that it's time for breakfast. He's not feeling very hungry but gets up to make himself a cup of coffee nevertheless.

Morning comes and goes and he's not really doing anything. There's hardly any noise from outside, almost like the entire farm is holding their breath in anticipation.

He briefly falls asleep on the couch, which isn't a good thing given that his back was just feeling better but he can't blame himself after the night he had.

4pm rolls around and still no Sal. He hasn't eaten anything all day and his stomach is growling, reminding him to take care of himself so he pushes himself off the couch and starts working on a sorry looking sandwich that he eats in front of the tv, there's a telenovela he doesn't pay attention to on.

At around 6pm, just when he's slowly drifting off to sleep again, the sound of a car moving up the gravel path towards the house startles him. The dog jumps up from his bed and sprints over to the door, barking at the intruder.

"It's alright, boy, calm down." He says, gently and yet firmly pushing the dog out of the way to open the door.

A black SUV is parking on the gravel in front of the house, the drivers door is open.

"Walt!" Sal's voice comes from the barn. "There you are… Hi…" Emotions threatened to overcome him. There, standing on the gravel was Sal. He didn't look much different than the last time Walt saw him. He wore a tight, black shirt and an old, worn leather jacket Walt vaguely remembered him wearing before, jeans and some boots. His hair was a bit shorter than usual, he must have had it cut recently, but he still wore the same type of moustache, and he still had the same smile on his face. This was Sal. His Sal, in flesh and blood. He was here.

Suddenly, Walt's throat felt incredibly dry. For the first time, realization kicked in. This was real. His best friend, his partner, his lover, was here.

Before he had the time to even consider if he was going to hug Sal or simply stick out his hand in greeting, Sal had already wrapped his arms around him, squeezing him ever so slightly. Walt was physically unable to breathe. His body was frozen in place. Instantly, Sal pulled away, watching him in concern. "Shit, I- I'm sorry-"

"No… Please, don't say that…" Walt whispered. There was something wet on his face and when he touched it, he realized he was crying. "I missed you so fucking much." He sniffled.

"Walt…" Sal breathed, he looked like he was close to crying as well.

"Let's- let's get inside, okay? Can't have the neighbors seeing me like this." He huffed, furiously wiping his eyes.

The dog was waiting for them by the door, with his tail between his legs he was watching Sal approach. " 's alright buddy." Walt tried calming him down. "Let him sniff your hand, he doesn't like strangers but he doesn't bite I promise."

Doing as he was told, Sal held out his hand for the dog, allowing the sand colored animal to take in his scent. He relaxed a bit but was still a bit uneasy. "Sorry, he'll calm down eventually…" Walt remarked, pushing the front door open and ushering both Sal and the dog inside.

"You want something? A coffee maybe or a beer?"

"Thanks, I'm good." Sal said, taking in the living room. Walt followed his eyes as they landed on the dresser. There was an old snow globe he had found in the attic, a dying plant, a picture frame with a picture of Walt, his brother and their family, on of him fishing on one of the many lakes surrounding the property. The dog was sitting in the boat besides him, they were both facing the camera and even the dog looked like he was smiling. Another, smaller picture showed Sal, sitting inside Walt's old truck. He was wearing sunglasses and leaning against the window, smiling softly into the camera. The warm midday sun illuminated his face and gave the picture a warm look. Walt had taken the picture on one of their many stakeouts and kept it with him through all the years. The picture had deep lines from being bend over the years and one corner was slightly chipped.

The brunette could see Sal's thoughts racing. His eyes wandered from the picture frames to the old couch, and from there back to the dog that was by now standing behind Walt, hiding from the intruder.

"You… This is a really nice house, Walt."

The brunette nodded. Damn, this was awkward, Walt hated the distance between them. The fact that he felt like a stranger was talking to him. This was Sal for fucks sake, the man who knew him best on the entire fucking planet. Who'd seen him at his lowest, and at his highest, his best friend, who went fishing with him, who spend hours teaching Walt how to cook, even if it was just a simple omelette, who made sure that he was taking care of himself. This was the man who shared his bed with him more times than Walt could count. Who held him during the night, whispering sweet nothing into his ear. No amount of time could erase those memories, this was not a stranger, Sal was his home.

"Please-" He started, not really knowing where he was going. Silence fell once more between them. "Where have you been, Sal?"

Sal's shoulders sacked in defeat. It seemed like there was a weight on his chest, pressing him down. He sighed, sitting down heavily on the couch and burying his head in his hands. "It's a long fucking story, Walt."

The older man pulled out a chair from the kitchen and sat down, facing Sal. "We've got some time." He said, instantly feeling guilty for the way his words had come out. He sounded like he was interrogating Sal. "Sorry, I- just tell me what happened… Please?"

Sal nodded, visibly searching for the right words to start. "… Okay… So you remember I was going to San Francisco? I took a job offer and- shit- okay I wasn't honest with you… I told you it was a simple desk job, it wasn't. I was an undercover agent for almost three years."

Walt inhaled sharply, resting the urge to jump from his seat. "W- You didn't tell me?! Sal!"

"Please! I wanted to tell you! I wrote a letter that I planned on sending, but I almost got found out sending it off so I decided not to contact you any more. Walt! Everything I did was trying to protect you! If they'd found out I was an undercover cop, shit I don't care whatever they'd have done to me but they would have hurt you as well and I- I didn't want that to happen. It was so fucking hard, staying away from you, all that time, I- I didn't even knew if you where still alive, if you wanted to ever see me again or if you found someone else-"

Now, Walt did jump up from his chair, fast enough to make the dog whine in discomfort. "You thought I'd replace you with someone else?! Why? Why would I do that? I thought I made it clear that there is no one else for me, I tried, Sal, it didn't work. There's no one I'd want to spend the rest of my life with… Except you…" His voice faltered at the last words as he sunk down on his chair again, the tears from earlier had returned and where running freely down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." Sal sobbed, his voice sounding like a child that had been scolded. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you…"

"What if something had happened to you? You talk about protecting me, but who protected you? What if you'd died? I would have never found out, I would have spend the rest of my life looking for you…"

Wrapping his arms around himself, Sal cast his gaze towards the ground, unable to look at Walt any longer. This was unlike anything Walt had ever seen his partner. Sal was usually the emotionally stable one, the strong one, the optimist, who picked up the pieces when Walt shattered internally, who held him and told him that everything was good to be okay.

"No more of this." Walt said in a determined voice, crossing the distance between himself and the younger man. "We can discuss this again tomorrow, if you like. But no more of this, please. I can't stand to watch you fall apart."

Wiping a tear from his eyes, Sal gave him a loop sided smile. "I've been falling apart ever since I left you."

"Well," Walt said a bit dumbly. "You're here now. And I ain't letting you leave any time soon." That earned him a tiny laugh.

This close, Walt caught his partners familiar scent. He was still using the same fragrance as he had four years ago. "Shhh…" The brunette tried, sitting between Sal's legs and stroking along his arms. He had always loved Sal's forearms. They where muscular and and soft and fitted perfectly around the brunette's waist when they were lying in bed.

The touch seemed to calm Sal down, he stopped crying, dark eyes meeting Walt's.

"Kiss me." Sal breathed into his ear, asking, no begging, for Walt to touch him, to show him how much he still meant to him.

And Walt did.

He poured in all the love he still had for Sal, all the pent up feelings he had tried to keep at bay for the last four years.

His hands found Sal's face, cupping his cheeks and mapping the familiar territory. Every hair, mole on his face, every line, it was all still there, still so familiar. They both moaned into the kiss, melting against each other.

Only when the need for air was stronger than the need to continue kissing, did they pull apart, panting. A trail of saliva still connecting their mouths.

"I love you, Walt. I love you so fucking much it hurts, I-"

"I love you too, Sal, I love you, I promise."

"Show me. Please."

[words-with-wren]

Hi! I have a possible prompt from the bingo board. From Tangled. Maybe either working to exhaustion or forgetting to eat. The characters Varian and Eugene? I love their brotherly relationship and I kinda wanna see Eugene making sure Varian is okay. Also I love your writing!

Prompt: Forgetting to Eat 

Fandom: Tangled the Series 

Characters: Varian, Eugene Fitzherbert, Ruddiger

Word Count: 1905

A/N: Been slightly caught up in the Sun and Moon AU but I had to write something about this! And thank you! I appreciate it (also yes Team Awesome is the best!!) 

___ 

It was starting to get late, and Ruddiger was trying to draw his attention to that fact. Varian waved the raccoon away, darting across the room and scribbling something onto the wall. He paused, reading through the scattered notes that spilled from the blackboard and began to cover the walls of his laboratory, running through a few equations in his mind as he did. 

“Yeah, yeah, one second, Ruddiger,” he said absently as the raccoon chattered at him from on top of the blackboard. With a chirp, Ruddiger bounded to his shoulders, making Varian sway slightly at the impact. “Careful buddy - look, I just gotta finish this, then I’ll head to bed, okay?” 

Ruddiger didn’t seem convinced, but Varian ignored him, running a finger over the vials kept on one of the many shelves in his laboratory. Moving into the castle as the royal engineer had many perks - he could have as much room and supplies as he needed. 

He grabbed a vial that was glowing slightly purple, moving back to the table, covered with various vials and pipes. Carefully, he leaned over the desk, eyes furrowed as he poured a single drop into one of the tubes. 

There was a knock at the door, startling him, and he watched with horror as he poured half the vial into the tubes. 

“Oh, no no no!” he cried, darting around the table and watching as the chemical slowly made its way through the tubes. “Ruddiger, I need the extinguisher!” 

Ruddiger leapt off his shoulder as Varian pulled his goggles down hard, trying to pull a tube out of the whole set up before the chemical came into contact with the other chemical in the set up already. 

“Hey, you alright, kid?” 

Eugene’s voice came from outside and Varian ground his teeth, giving up on trying to stop the reaction and taking cover under the table. 

“Uh I’m -” his reply to Eugene was cut off by an explosion rocking the table and making Varian’s ears ring. He curled under the table, hands pressed over his ears, waiting for the ringing to die down. 

Eugene rushed into the room almost before the explosion died down, looking like he had just kicked down the door. 

“Varian? You alrig - holy what happened?” 

For a long moment, Varian lay under the table, suddenly not having the strength to pull himself up. He heard the telltale small poof of an extinguisher ball being thrown at the table by Ruddiger. He knew he should get up, but his body was refusing to cooperate. 

“Varian?” Eugene’s face appeared under the table, looking concerned. Forcing a slightly shaky smile, Varian pushed himself up onto his hands, feeling surprisingly empty. “You alright, kid?” 

“I’m okay,” he said. “Just… miscalculated the measurements.” That was the last time he was going to pour something directly from the vial. He had droppers for a reason. 

To be fair, he had told himself that last time something had gone wrong.

He gladly accepted Eugene’s hand and let the other man help him out, narrowly missing hitting his head on the underside of the table. Ruddiger chattered nervously as he emerged, leaping onto his shoulder, another extinguisher ball in his paws. 

The set up had been almost completely destroyed, glass shards from the various beakers and tubes scattered across the slightly charred table. Varian winched at the sight, wrapping an arm around his body. Another failure. 

“Alright, kid, checklist time,” Eugene said, marching him across the room and forcing him to sit down in a greatly underused chair by his desk. “When’d you last sleep?” 

Varian frowned, thinking back through the day. 

“Dad made me sleep about… five hours? Last night,” he said. “And Ruddiger was trying to get me to go sleep, so I’ll sleep soon.” 

“Yeah, I’ve heard that one before,” Eugene said, mock glaring down at him. Varian had the grace to look slightly sheepish. “However, five hours, while not enough, isn’t as bad as I was expecting. Next thing on the list! Water - when was the last thing you drank anything?” He was pacing up and down in front of Varian, checking his fingers off as he spoke. Varian had a sudden strange feeling that he was being interrogated. 

He gestured to the bottle that had been knocked off the table by the explosion. Rapunzel had made it for him when she learned how easy it was for him to get lost in an idea - a bottle to keep water in so he didn’t have to go looking for it. Or not, as was more likely the case.

Eugene crossed the room quickly, picking it up and shaking it gently. The water inside sloshed slightly, but it was clear it was mostly empty. 

“I filled it up this morning. Only some of it was used in my experiment!” 

Eugene opened the bottle, peering inside. 

“Okay, have to admit, once again - not as bad as I was expecting.” He twisted the lid back onto the bottle, placing it onto the table and moved back to where Varian was still sitting. 

“I’m getting better at looking after myself,” Varian muttered, looking away. “It helps that everyone’s nagging at me about it.” 

He didn’t want to admit it, but it was nice. It was nice to have Rapunzel worried about how much he was drinking, to have his father forcing him to go to bed at a decent time, to have Eugene walk him through his habits for the day. It was nice to know people cared enough about him to help him. 

It was also nice to not have headaches from lack of sleep, or feel parched and dry without knowing why because he hadn’t been drinking enough. 

“So what you’re saying is that you want us to keep nagging at you?” Eugene asked. Varian looked up at him with a slight grin, running a hand through Ruddiger’s fur. 

“I don’t know if I said that,” he said. 

“Well, I’m going to. Final thing on the checklist - when was the last time you ate anything?” 

Oh. 

His smile faltered slightly at that as he cast his mind back, trying to place when it had been. Not today, that was for sure. Unless he counted that half an apple he had shared with Ruddiger. 

(Now that he thought about it, Ruddiger had practically forced that thing down his throat.) 

“I can see by your face that it’s been a while,” Eugene said. Varian frowned, still trying to place when it was. 

“Rapunzel brought me some bread she’d baked!” he said finally, remembering. Eugene crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow and Varian dropped his eyes. “Yesterday afternoon.” 

Now that it came to his attention, that was probably why he’d been feeling so off today. He’d been so caught up in finishing this experiment he hadn’t even thought about eating. 

“Okay kid, let’s go,” Eugene said, holding out a hand. Varian took it hesitantly, unsure what Eugene’s tone of voice meant. “We’re raiding the kitchens.” 

“Wh -” Varian began. 

“You and me, you can have a chance to see how Flynn Rider works first hand.” Eugene hauled him up, and despite himself, Varian felt a slight rush of excitement. Maybe his obsession with Flynn Rider had been childish, but part of him couldn’t help but be excited at the chance of sneaking around with Eugene. Even if it was just the kitchens. 

“Team Awesome Operation Kitchen Raid,” Eugene said, holding out a fist. Varian grinned, bumping it quickly. “Stick close and follow my lead, kid.” 

Half an hour later, Varian’s stomach feeling comfortably full, they were sitting in Eugene’s room, surrounded the remains of various treats, fruits and an apple pie Varian was pretty sure someone would miss in the morning. (Ruddiger had insisted they take it. Who was he to say no?) 

He sat on Eugene’s bed, legs tucked under him, nibbling at the leftovers of a croissant. Eugene was seated on the floor, Ruddiger curled up in his lap in a comfortable food coma. 

“Hey, Varian?” Eugene said, looking up from where he was running his hands through the raccoon’s fur. Varian blinked awake from the food coma he was starting to slip into. 

“Yeah?” he asked, sensing from Eugene’s tone it was important. 

“You gotta look after yourself, kid.” 

“I’m getting better,” Varian said quietly. He was. Back at home, in Old Corona, he would go days without eating, without sleeping, drinking only when his father forced him too.

And the month or so of mad, manic work, trying to find a way to free his father, to save his father - well, he didn’t like to think about that. 

It was enough to say if Ruddiger hadn’t been there, he probably wouldn't have eaten at all. 

“I know you are, Hairstripe,” Eugene said. He shifted slightly, Ruddiger giving him a sleepy scolding. “Just… know that we worry about you.” 

Varian looked down, feeling slightly guilty. He wasn’t used to people caring about his wellbeing, he wasn’t used to letting people down by not looking after himself. Weren’t there enough ways he was already doing that? 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, blinking back sudden tears. 

“Woah, hey, wait a sec, kid.” Eugene shifted, lifting Ruddiger and standing. “Sorry buddy,” he muttered to the indignant raccoon as he sat on the bed beside Varian. Laying a hand on Varian’s shoulder, he spoke again, his voice soft. “Look, we worry about you because we care. And we don’t expect you to do it alone, okay? I don’t expect you do to it alone.” 

Varian looked up, blinking down tears again. Eugene’s face was soft, empty of any blame and Varian felt a lump in his throat at that. His father cared - he knew - but his father tended to look at him disapprovingly when he forgot to ate, to blame him for not looking after himself. 

And maybe it was his fault, but sometimes it was just so hard to remember when he got caught up in something. 

“Just... let me know if I’m pushing too hard, okay?” Eugene said. 

“No!” Varian said quickly. “I - I mean… it helps. Having you, and Rapunzel… and, and everyone helping. Sometimes I forget to eat or sleep and… it helps to know….” He trailed off, suddenly unsure if he could say what he wanted to.

“It helps to know people care.” Because he knew they did care, but sometimes he wondered why. He still wasn’t sure he had completely made up for what he had done. The nightmares still haunted him, sometimes he wondered how they had forgiven him at all. 

“We do care, Varian,” Eugene said quietly. “And no one blames you - it just takes time to break bad habits. Tell you what,” his voice was lighter now, less serious, but still full of love. “I’ll come find you for lunch and we can eat together? How’s that?” 

Varian smiled slightly, nodding. Then, before he could think to stop himself, lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Eugene’s waist. Eugene pulled him closer and he closed his eyes, burying his face in his friend’s chest. Ruddiger, awake now, purred softly, bounding onto his shoulder and curling around him, warm and familiar. 

“Thank you,” he muttered quietly. 

Sometimes he wondered how he had got so lucky to get a family he didn’t deserve after all he had done. But he wouldn’t give it up for the world.

[thatordinaryoddity]

FINAL: Once In A Blue Goddamn Moon

a 💗 Jamie & Dani Fanfiction 💗 [The Haunting Of Bly Manor, Netflix 2020]

written by thatordinaryoddity

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27475423/chapters/67277026

Rating: K+

Words: ~9,5k

Genre: Angst/Hurt/Comfort

Status: Complete (will be uploaded in three chapters + Prologue)

Summary:   Jamie leaves Flora’s weeding more wrapped up in her thoughts than usual. In all those years, there hadn’t been a day without thinking of her deceased lover Dani. But sometimes, once in a blue goddamn moon, events coincide in an exceptional, odd way.

A/N: So guys, that's it, we're done - THE END! Hope you liked it at least a little :) Actually, I haven't written anything in YEARS but this pairing stole my heart and I just needed a coping mechanism! *sobs* Because their story is quite dramatic in the show, I decided against something too fluffy and kept that overall drama feeling. Also, I like  dramatic stuff over pure romance when it comes to my reading and writing preferences. But each to their own I guess.

As always - stay awesome, stay healthy and leave me any form of feedback as it is very much appreciated! ps. the "dear" in the chapter title isn't a spelling mistake. It's on purpose.

The Dear In The Headlights

____________________

 The day had already begun when Jamie was finally able to stand back up from the ice cold concrete floor. All these hours crying left her eyes reddened and her head aching. The dull feeling inside her head and the emptiness in her chest were suddenly there again – stronger than ever before. She let one last gaze wander across the rooftop garden, in hope of finding Dani still around somewhere, but was disappointed and decided to head back inside the apartment. Teddy was still sleeping on the couch next to his wheelchair. Jamie took the check patterned blanket and covered the old man up to his neck. She wondered if he had noticed the happenings in the night or slept through all of it. Either way, she wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. Without further ado, she quickly took her coat and scarf and left the apartment.

The air was suddenly cold again, just like everything around and inside her was cold now - her lungs were frozen, her heart was frozen even more. Her hands, which were warmed by her lover’s only a few hours ago, had also turned to blocks of ice. Breathing in that chill air felt hard as there was a stinging feeling inside her chest.

The sun had already started to brighten the quiet lane she was walking along, which was so nicely framed by autumn coloured trees. Jamie could already tell it was going to be a beautiful day, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to enjoy it with all the sadness inside her. All the happiness and joy in her life seemed to have vanished along with Dani that fateful morning.

Her head was so full of thoughts. The green-eyed woman tried to recall every moment she had spent with Dani that night. She tried to ingrain the memories inside her brain, inside her flesh, to make sure, they would remain as vibrant as they were. She kept trying to tell herself that Dani wasn’t gone, that she would always be there, but still, it couldn’t even compare to actually holding her beloved in her arms.

Despite the good transport connections from Teddy’s place to her own apartment and the chilly autumn air, Jamie decided to walk. It wasn’t far, only about fifteen minutes by foot, and the route was lovely and quiet. Maybe, the fresh air could take her thoughts off last night.

She came by the little park again. She had always loved this spot for its sad, romantic vibe and she had always felt attracted to it because of that. Through the colours of autumn the little park seemed like a painting, almost too kitschy to her. A while ago, she had started to dislike the colder seasons because all the plants and flowers would go to sleep, leaving her more depressed than usual. That day, however, that colourful autumn decay somehow called to her in a bittersweet way. She stood there, in front of the park, just for a few minutes, thinking how pretty all of that would have been with Dani by her side.

Back when her lover had still been with her, she had liked all the seasons. She hadn’t cared if it was snowing or raining outside since Dani used to be the sunshine in her life, keeping her warm and happy. As she continued her walk home, Jamie wondered if she would ever be able to get over this loss of not being able to fall asleep next to Dani, of having dinner all alone, of admiring colourful trees in the charming park by herself. And in her mind she knew that the answer would be no. Never.

She was almost home - if she had been paying attention she would have been able to see her house up the street. Despite her trying, the walk hadn’t helped much to silence her thoughts. They were still screaming and rampaging around inside her head, so loudly, that she didn’t even hear that deep, loud honking noise behind her. It was there, two or maybe three times, before she was finally pulled out of her thoughts and looked behind her. But it was too late by then, and Jamie was already staring right into the bus driver’s eyes. A split-second later, her surroundings darkened and all she could feel was a dull pain when her body hit the ground hard.

She didn’t understand what was going on. It felt like she was slipping into a deep sleep, but she could hear outraged voices that seemed far away. Then she felt someone touching her and it hurt. She opened her eyes, just a smidge, and saw faces before a background of blue sky above. Those people kept talking to her but she couldn’t catch what they were saying. She turned her head and saw blood streaming next to her. The pool of blood slowly increased its size and her eyes darkened again.

~

Red.

It was as if her whole surroundings were tinted in that faded reddish colour. As if a sheer haze lingered over her mind and body. As if she had developed some sort of colour-blindness. Every contrast and every detail were there, but it seemed like some sort of strange, twisted, alternate reality.

Red.

The colour was faded and vibrant at the same time, it was dark like a rose but also bright like the warmth of a chimney fire. It was like a restless dream, like a headache, like a buzz, like a lover’s first kiss – a feeling like your knees were about to give in. She looked down to her feet, scrutinizing her body. Placing one hand on the back of her head.

Red.

She herself was dyed in that colour. Her clothes, her skin. And all felt so dull, so empty, so hollow. Her ears rang in a deep pitch, her whole head seemed to vibrate. The other hand raised in front of her face, she looked past her fingers which were slowly moving, trying to wake herself up from this reverie. Was she dreaming? Was this even real?

Red.

She turned, noticing that there was absolutely nothing. Just one instant earlier, she was standing there beside that suburban lane, surrounded by trees painted in those beautiful auburn colours from the onset of autumn. Those gloomy streetlamps just there, about to go to sleep, as the new day had already awoke. She turned again, more hectically this time. And again there was only this colour which seemed to have devoured everything around her.

Red.

Then, suddenly, this strange noise inside her head stopped, shattered like glass as it was interrupted by a voice, unknown yet somehow familiar. She turned again, trying to figure out where the voice had echoed from in all this nothingness. And the red was gone.

“I’m surprised to see you here!”

Frowning, she eyed the young man in front of her. Even if she had never seen him in person, only on a few old pictures, she knew exactly who he was. Nevertheless, she somehow didn’t understand why she was here, in that pitch black nothingness, with him. And she tried to figure out why the hell he seemed to know who she was.

“Where am I??” she asked quite frantic. “What’s this all about??”

With a smirk on his face, the man adjusted his circular spectacles: “You tell me. I bet you know what this is all about. Actually, I’m not allowed to tell you… you have to grasp that on your own, I’m afraid.”

“I… Am I… dead??” She touched the back of her head again, suddenly remembering all the pain she had felt, just a second ago it seemed. The memory of the accident flushed over her.

“That… bus…” Jamie was talking more to herself than to the man in front of her. “The people, all the panic… all the blood!” Red – the word echoed inside her brain. Shocked, she suddenly looked directly into the man’s eyes. “I am dead, aren’t I??”

“Wow… you’re very quick! It took me months to figure that out!” Slowly, he took a few steps towards her. “So yeah, your brain was mushed… but it’s not that bad!” He laughed as if it was the most common small talk between them. “It was the same with me really, but don’t worry - you won’t be able to tell, there won’t be scars at all! Maybe your vision will blur now and then, but it’s nothing you couldn’t get used to. At least, that’s what it’s like for me.” The young man touched the back of his head as well, smiling friendly at Jamie. “So… welcome to the limbo!” With a grin, he stretched his arms out in front of him, slightly bowing, as a gesture of welcoming her. “It’s a pretty boring place to be honest…” He rolled his eyes and looked around into the black nothingness surrounding them.

Jamie was quite confused and couldn’t believe that the scene presented to her was real. What the hell was she doing here? Was this the afterlife? Was that really all there was to it??? Heavily blinking, she faced the man: “What are we doing here? Why are we here together?? Are we stuck?”

As he was slowly pacing up and down in front of her, he laughed once more, adjusting his glasses again like it was some sort of nervous tick: “Again… you tell me! I honestly don’t know why you’ve ended up here. I would’ve thought you’d pass on the very minute you died!” He eyed her through the rim of his glasses. “Normally, the only thing preventing you from passing on is if there’s still something you have to take care of… So I dunno…”  

Jamie was thinking hard. Could he be right? Was there still something she had to do? Her eyes wandered to this man… What was his name again? Edward? No… Eddie?… Edmund! But that insight didn't get her much further. Why am I here??

“I… I don’t know…” She really didn’t. No matter how hard she tried, Jamie couldn’t make sense of what she was supposed to do and why she had stranded here. Suddenly, she remembered the words the young man in front of her had said when she appeared: “How the bloody hell did you know who I was??” she snapped. With a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, she fixated the man like prey.

“Wow, easy! I’m not your foe!” With a sheepish grin, he took a step back. “I’ve seen you… years ago, one of the many times I’ve visited her… Danielle. That’s when I realised that you and her were… you know…” Suddenly, his stupid smile faded and Jamie could see that there was a great deal of sadness in his eyes. She knew that sort of look, knew it very well, as it was the same expression she used to see when she stared at her own reflection in water surfaces. It was the look of a broken heart, of deep desperation and longing for a love that could no longer be, and it spoke volumes to her when she recognised it on the young man’s face. Slowly, her purpose here became very clear to Jamie and she understood why she had ended up here with Edmund: This was about Dani. The green-eyed woman felt it in her bones, like some kind of instinct. She wants me to do this, to sort things out for her, because she wasn’t able to. That’s why I’m here with him. I need to let him know he has to move on, away from this place.

“Well, mate…” she began, “…some things are just not meant to be! Sometimes, you just have to move on and… you know… accept things as they are.” With an understanding, faint smile she looked at the man who was staring down at his feet. “Dani was haunted by you! You scared her by showing up, and you wouldn’t stop. You made it a lot harder for her to deal with what had happened, because you wouldn’t let go…”

The man took off his glasses and started to rub his eyes, his movement was followed by a silent sob. “I know, but I missed her so much! She was the love of my life and suddenly she locked me out. It was just too much to bear, and then the accident happened…But even now, I’m still not able to talk to her because she’s keeping me out… I just can’t get to her!”  

Jamie came closer to the man, carefully placing her hand on his shoulder: “Dani loved you, I’m sure of it, but… sometimes people change! At some point in your lives, you were in love but that time is gone. And if the accident hadn’t happened, I’m certain that Dani would still love you to this day, only in a different way… you know… like family. There really isn’t much to do about it… it just wasn’t meant to be. And I swear to God that you will always be a part of her heart, but maybe not in the way it used to be…”

With another sob, he looked into the green eyes: “Thank you… I can see why she has chosen you. But I’ll never stop loving her!”

“I know… neither will I. But still, you have to let her go, Edmund! Or do you really want to spend the rest of eternity in this ugly place? Let go… search for a happy memory to live in and unravel those knots you have tangled yourself in!” The man slowly started nodding his head as he wiped the tears from his eyes, putting on his spectacles again: “You’re right… Now that you are here too, Danielle will continue to block me out either way… but you, you should go to her now.” He tried to hold his head up high, tried to seem stronger than he was in that very moment.

Jamie felt deepest empathy for the man, because somehow, they both shared the same fate, with the only difference being that her love for Dani wasn’t a dead end. Unlike Edmund, she already knew which happy place would await her on the other side, that she would finally be reunited with her lover again. However, both of them knew what grief and loss and pain truly meant.

“Yeah, I guess I’ll go now… and you… you should do the same!” said Jamie.

He nodded again, raising his hand to her to say goodbye: “Give her my regards!”

“I will.” she replied, watching another ghostly figure fade away in front of her.

~

It was a sunny summer’s day, the meadows and fields that surrounded the old house blossomed and showed their most beautiful colours, a mild breeze of air was swaying the corn. Everything seemed calm and familiar, the world seemed in order.  

Jamie sat on the soft, grassy ground and reclined against the strong, centuries-old trunk of the willow behind her. Her eyes were wandering over the wide wheat field which was coloured golden by the sunbeams. Right next to it lay a field full of cornflowers, blooming in the deepest blue. The panorama was amazing and was soothing to her mind.

In the near distance, the young woman saw her lover in the fruit orchard, picking apples for the strudel she wanted to make later. Her shiny blonde hair was a nice contrast to the red apples that one could even spot from afar on the trees.

A happy smile formed on her lips when she saw Dani in that lovely overall and with the sweet little straw hat on. The beauty of the scene made her heart beat faster. How lucky she was to have this wonderful, kind human being around her. The brown-haired woman never knew it was possible to love someone as much as she loved Dani. She was her moon, her sun and her stars all wrapped into one person and she couldn’t be happier about them being together again – about them leading the ‘life’ they had always dreamed about.

After a while, Dani took note of the glances from her lover, so she gleefully grinned and waved to her: “Do you care to give me some company, picking those apples?” Jamie grinned widely. “I’d love nothing more than that, Poppins!”

And they continued to be happy forever in this memory they had created for themselves many, many years ago, when they both were young and full of dreams.

The End.

[kittykat-creations]

The Prince and the Fae

For my creative writing class —–

The sun shone brightly over the fields below, bouncing back off the small window of the small carriage moving through the overgrown paths. The sky had momentarily been a brilliant show of reds and oranges, but that had been hours ago, and had quickly disappeared into the bright blue that now filled the view above.

The castle in the distance had slowly been growing and growing in size ever since yesterday evening. The princess wondered, vaguely, as she had been since the castle came into view, what the young prince would be like. Her parents hadn’t told her anything about him- or maybe they had, sometime during yesterday morning while they had been hurrying her out into the carriage. She couldn’t quite remember…

“Do you know his name?” She asked out the window, again, only to get the same silent response from the guard she had gotten every time before. She could remember word-for-word the last sentence he had spoke. “Time to get going, your majesty.” She only hoped her husband to-be would be more chatty. After all, this was her fate, she could at least find the bright side of it.

—–

The click-clack click-clack click-clack of the prince’s shoes echoed up and down the hallway as he paced, absentmindedly nibbling at his fingernails. She was supposed to arrive later today, and then they would be married, and he just wasn’t ready for that. He supposed he never would be, but he had been hoping he would at least have a couple years to grimly accept his fate before it was thrust upon him. His twenty-first birthday wasn’t even here yet. Couldn’t he rule for a few years alone before having to take a queen?

“Henry!” A voice shouted, and the prince flinched, almost instinctively, as the man strode over. “Stop that infernal pacing! Why aren’t you getting ready? The princess is supposed to be here soon, and you’re not even close to looking presentable!”

“Father, please, reconsider this,” Henry begged. “My birthday isn’t even here yet-!”

“Nonsense! She’s already on her way, and the wedding has been planned for the last month since we made the arrangement.” The king scowled, his eyes dropping to Henry’s fingernails. “Stop biting your nails; it’s a filthy habit. And go get ready! Now!”

Henry felt his heart drop as he shrunk away to his bedroom. This was final, it was happening in just three days. Oh how he wished there was some way out of this. He wished he could sleep for one hundred years, like the fairy tales, but that probably wasn’t possible, no matter how many poisoned apples he ate or sharp needles he touched.

Well, for at least a couple hours, he could do what he had been good at for years: denial and delay.

Luckily, since he was little, he had memorized the guard’s posts and schedules, and he was easily able to slip past them, wearing a basic hood and cape over his royalty clothes. The fabric was itchy, and the cape was getting a tad small for him, as he had gotten it when he was younger and not as well-fed, but it would do until he could get a new one in town.

But he was not going to town today. Instead, he went past the castle grounds and into the surrounding forest. He always missed the forest when he had to leave back home. As he walked slowly through the paths he had worn, leaves fell around him, brilliant shades of red and orange. It would be cold soon, and harder to stay out long among the trees.

He reached the end of his path, and felt his heart ache for a moment at the thought of having to go back already, but then all of a sudden the wind blew past, leaving with an armful of leaves and revealing a clear, worn path twisting through the trees. Henry looked around curiously, not remembering this path. Then again, he had always been a tad forgetful and absent-minded, and anything to avoid going home.

He stepped onto the path, and instantly he felt something tingly go through his body, but he wasn’t quite sure what it could be. It wasn’t unpleasant, though, so he slowly continued.

As he walked, the wind continued to sweep the leaves out from in front of him, as though the wind itself was leading him somewhere. Like this path was just for him, and no one else. At some point, as he was walking, the sun had set, and the full moon had risen. But he had only been walking for a few minutes, hadn’t he? And wasn’t the next full moon not for another three days? Yes, Henry remembered that, because he had always been warned to not go out during a full moon, in fear of the fae.

The path ended, and Henry looked up to see why it stopped. It was right at the edge of a mushroom ring- a faery circle- and in the center of the ring was a young man sitting atop an old stump. He was tall, and rather thin, and he couldn’t have been much older than the prince himself. The moonlight shone off his dark skin, making him almost have a sort of glow. His hair was down to his shoulders, and pulled into small, tight braids. When he opened his brown eyes, they were glowing faintly red, and his grin was sharp.

Henry felt his breath catch. The myths had been right about the fae being beautiful. He had never seen another man more attractive.

He hadn’t stepped into the faery circle yet. Something in the back of his head told him he shouldn’t, that the fae were dangerous, and he could still leave. Yet the pull of magic- that’s what he had felt when he started on the path, it was magic- was too strong to let him leave.

He stepped into the circle.

Suddenly they were surrounded by a pitch dark mist, which blocked out everything beyond the circle. All that existed beside Henry was the mushrooms, the man on the stump, and the full moon shining directly overhead.

Henry was frozen with nerves as the man stood up, still grinning. He was a good half foot taller than the prince, and it was easy to see how much thinner now that he was standing. He approached Henry, and he could see now that his ears were slightly pointed behind his braids.

“May I have your name?” He asked, in a low, slow voice that sent shivers through Henry’s spine. Even his voice was beautiful.

No, a voice in the back of his head told Henry. You never tell a fae your name.

“He-enry.”

The fae smiled, gently pulling the cloak aside with a finger, revealing the royal clothes underneath. Henry’s face lit up red at the touch.

“Prince Henry… I’m assuming?”

Henry swallowed nervously, nodding. “Y-Yes…”

“And what brings you here… your majesty?” The fae asked.

“…a path…”

The fae chuckled, and Henry felt his heart skip a beat again, as it had been, at the sight of those sharp teeth.

“Cute and funny… Your majesty, if I may… The path only shows itself to mortals if they’re desperate… You must be desperate, aren’t you?” Henry wasn’t sure how he felt about the man knowing that. “You want something… Well, I can help.”

“Yo-you’re not sup-pposed to- to make deals with f-fae…” Henry stuttered out, still half-focused on the man’s hand on his chest.

The man grinned. “And you’re not supposed to give them your name. Like I said, you’re desperate. You want to escape your fate; you don’t want to marry a princess. I can help you.”

“Ho-ow do you know that?”

“You don’t have to stay. In the castle, in this reality… I can help you escape your fate.”

It’ll be a trap.

As though walking through molasses, Henry took a step back, and then another one. “I- I can’t. I can’t. Fae are tricky. I can’t.”

“You’ll come back.” The man stepped back towards the stump, taking his seat. “You’re desperate. I’ll be here, Henry.”

Henry managed to break out through the magic of the faery circle, breathing heavily as he appeared back where he was before he had stepped onto the new path. The sun hadn’t moved. Leaves covered the ground, and when Henry shakily brushed them aside, there was no path.

He clutched his cloak around him and walked back home.

—–

“Announcing the arrival of Princess Ophelia.”

Henry rubbed at the circles under his eyes, fighting back a yawn as the princess stepped into the throne room. He fiddled with the silver necklace around his neck as he stepped forward to greet her. She was pretty, with long curly hair and skin that almost shone like his had. Yes, she was pretty, but not nearly as beautiful as-

Henry had to stop thinking about him, and the offer. Fae were dangerous. He knew that… and yet he hadn’t been able to get him out of his thoughts all evening and night. He had offered to let him escape from his fate… could he really be so bad as the legends said?

—–

Henry was breathing heavily as he hurried through the forest, cloak clutched around him again, and one hand holding out a small lantern. It was hardly needed, as the moonlight was bright enough to see far beyond the reach of the flame.

His heart was pounding as he reached the end of the path, where the one leading to the fae had appeared. How did he make it come back? The wedding was in the morning, and the wedding night meant- well- married behavior. He had to leave.

“Please,” he whispered quietly, hoping that would work. “Please, come back.”

The wind blew past, taking the leaves with it, and there was the path from before, this time glowing a soft white, as though it was reflecting the moonlight from above. This time, Henry didn’t hesitate, and he hurried along the magic path, his breathing speeding up.

Just as before, the path ended at the mushroom circle. Henry set the lantern down and stepped inside.

“I knew you would be back.” The man smiled, showing off those teeth, and stood up to approach Henry. “So, you want to leave?”

“What do you want?” Henry asked, throwing the fae a bit off guard. “You want something from me, right? And then you’ll take me away from here, away from my fate. What do you want?”

“Well well well,” the fae said softly, his grin returning. “Look who’s making a deal now. What do I want, Henry? …I want you.”

Henry didn’t expect that answer, and it made him freeze up a bit. What did that mean? “M-Me?” He gasped softly when the man held his chin and tilted it up. It felt tingly, and he wasn’t sure if it was the magic or the heat in his face. The fae leaned down and gently kissed just underneath his ear. It nearly made Henry melt.

“You… in the faery realm. With me.”

“…deal.”

The man instantly cupped Henry’s face and kissed him deeply. Henry nearly fell forward, only held up by the man’s body. He didn’t think he could enjoy anything this much.

[nalgenewhore]

“E, I’m here,” Lorcan called out from her front hall. “How’re you feeling, love?” 

A pathetic groan was her answer, “Having a uterus is ass.” She heard him snort and a couple moments later, he was appearing in the doorway to her bedroom, a sympathetic tilt to his head. She pouted at him and he laughed, entering her room and walking to her side, where she was curled in the fetal position around her hot water bottle. She noticed the shopping bag he had in his hand and nodded feebly towards it, “What’s in there?” Hellas, her dog, lifted his head from where it had been resting on her hip, whining softly.

Lorcan glanced down at the bag and started pulling out stuff he had gotten her, placing them on her desk. “Diva Cup spray, super pads, the Kodex type, and pantie liners, Midol, you ran out,” he mentioned to her as he put the bottle of pills on her nightstand, just within her reach. “That chocolate thingie you forgot at the store yesterday, remember, you cried when you realized you forgot and the store was closed.” There was a smirk on his lips and that hurt more than she thought it could. It wasn’t funny.

Tears pooled in her eyes at the memory, “You don’t have to say it like that.” She sniffled and he looked up, his face stricken. “You don’t have to be a massive dick about it.” Hellas barked slightly, growling at his owner’s distress and the source of it, her stupid boyfriend.

“Oh, I didn’t mean it like that, E, I just-” There was a slight edge of laughter to his voice and it cut deep into her. 

“If you’re gonna be like that, you can just leave, I don’t need someone making me feel worse than I already do about things I can’t control.” With that, she turned to her other side, furiously trying to stop her crying. She despised her period, hated how sensitive she was, hated how every movement had her wincing in discomfort. The hot water bottle wasn’t so hot anymore and she groaned, knowing she would have to get up to refill it and she knew that the move to vertical would make her nauseous and dizzy. 

The mattress shifted and the duvet was pulled up as Lorcan settled behind her, tugging her slowly enough so that she could push him off if she wanted but Elide let him pull her to his chest, his arms wrapping around her waist snugly but not too tightly. “I’m sorry, E. I shouldn’t have said it like that, I know how much you hate your period and I wish I could make it all go away, mahasani.” 

“Och,” she said, her voice thick with tears. “You asshole, stop making me cry.” 

Lorcan laughed and the sound vibrated through his chest and into her back, “Do you forgive me?” 

“Yes, I forgive you,” she said, the smile on her face swept off when Lorcan pulled her hot water bottle away, “What the literal fuck do you think you-” 

He chuckled as his warm hands slipped under her hoodie and pressed into her stomach, exactly where her cramp was. “You’re feisty today.” 

“Yesh, well, shedding your uterus will do that to a gal,” she said, no bite in her words as his hands rubbed her stomach, just enough pressure directly below her belly button that her discomfort was soothed away. Elide sighed and relaxed fully against him, her head falling back onto his shoulder. “Mmm, that feels nice.” Her hands found their way into Hellas’ thick fur, stroking softly.

“Yeah?” he asked and she felt his smile in her neck. 

“Mm-hmm.” She sighed and her eyes fell shut, “I’m gonna fall asleep if you keep doing that.” Lorcan practically glowed with pride, Elide hardly slept while during her cycle, her pain kept her up even after her meds. “Thank you, baby,” she whispered as she let slumber drag her under. 

When she woke up, the snow was still falling outside and her lamp was casting a soft glow about her room. Her arms were wrapped around Hellas, the Husky sleeping soundly. Lorcan was nowhere to be seen and she was covered in a pile of warm blankets. There was something heated on her stomach and she felt around, realizing it was her electric blanket that she thought she had lost. 

Elide heard someone moving around in the main room of her apartment and slowly swung her legs out of bed, noting the glass of water and two little pill stamped with ‘Midol’. She smiled and noticed her pain wasn’t as bad, electing to leave them there as she stood and put her glasses on before she slowly shuffled out of her room. 

Lorcan was standing in her kitchen, and he turned when she shut her door, the corner of his mouth quirking up. “Hi, there. Feeling better?” 

Elide nodded and approached him before wrapping her arms around his waist. “Yeah, I thought I lost my electric blanket.” 

“Oh, that? I got a new one ‘cause I know how much you loved your old one.” He said it so casually but Elide squealed in delight. 

“You did?” 

Lorcan laughed, “Yeah, you were full-on sobbing when you couldn’t find it.” 

Elide sighed, the sound wavering as tears pricked her eyes again and her throat tightened. “We don’t need to talk about that right now.” He smiled and wiped her tears away, leaning down to kiss her softly. “Ok?” 

“Ok.” He nipped her bottom lip and pulled away, “You hungry?” 

“Fucking starving.” She laughed and looked around him to where there was a plate of grilled-cheese sandwiches and a mug of steaming tea. “How did you know that’s what I wanted?” 

Lorcan grinned and dropped a kiss on the top of her head, “You know, your cravings are really predictable, E. It’s the same thing every month.” 

She pouted and crossed her arms, “I’m not that obvious about it.” Lorcan rose a brow as he passed her her mug of tea, huffing a laugh when she sipped and sighed in bliss. “I don’t care how obvious I am, this tea is worth it.” 

Lorcan chuckled as he grabbed her plate of sandwiches and guiding her to the couch, where there was a pile of pillows and blankets for her. “Sit down, babe. I got something for you.” 

“Oh?” she questioned, scrunching her nose as she curled into the corner of the couch, her tea held securely in her hands, the steam wafting from it fogging her glasses. “What’d ya get?” 

“You’ll see,” he told her as he crouched in front of her TV and joined her shortly after. Lorcan pulled her legs over his lap and rubbed her thigh with his thumbs. 

He turned his head and looked down at her, waiting till she looked up at him and smiled, “Thank you for coming over.” She rested her head on his shoulder, batting her eyes at him.

“Even though I’ve made you cry, I think, twice now?” 

Elide laughed and nodded, “Even if you’ve made me cry twice now. So,” she put her tea on the coffee table and nestled into his chest, “What’s your surprise?” 

He pressed a sweet kiss on her forehead, “Close your eyes, princess.” She was buzzing with excitement as she bit her lip and closed her eyes, her lashes brushing against her specs. 

She opened them when she heard the first note of the F.R.I.E.N.D.S theme song and she cried out in happiness, “What. They took it off of Netflix, how did you find it, I can’t believe you found it, I’m-” She cut herself off to clap along and then laugh, falling back against him. “I’m so happy right now, you cannot even imagine.” She held his hands to her chest, squeezing them periodically as the show continued to play. 

It had taken him days to find the complete box-set of DVD’s for Elide’s favourite comfort-food show. She had been so sad when Netflix had taken it down and moped around her apartment days afterwards. 

She’d told him she hadn’t cried but he knew that she had definitely burst into a puddle of tears when she couldn’t find it and had ranted to him about how Netflix and Apple were evil corporations that didn’t care about their customers and only thought about making the most money after she had found out that to buy the entire show would cost her over one hundred dollars. 

It’s ridiculous, Lorcan! It’s criminal, is what it is, how could they do this to their customers? Why would they do this to me, I’m a good person, I’m environmentally conscious, I’m vegetarian, I don’t have a car and walk or take public transit most places, I am a tax paying citizen, I’m never late to pay my bills, I’m a fucking kindergarten teacher, for Anneith’s sake, my dog is a rescue, why would they do this to me? 

Now, he wasn’t watching the show at all. Instead, his eyes were on Elide, the woman that he was sure was the one he would marry, the love of his life, the sun to his days, the stars and moon to his nights. His throat tightened as she eventually drifted off, her grilled-cheese left untouched on the coffee table. “Iyótaŋčhila, Elide Lochan.” I love you, Elide Lochan.

“What’d ya say?” Her voice was thick with sleep like warm honey sitting in a glass jar.

Shit. Fuck, fuckfuckfuckfuck, she had been asleep, she had fallen asleep on his chest and he knew it because Lorcan Salvaterre knew what it felt like to have her sleeping next to him. “I, I just…” he trailed off, his heart slamming in his chest. Elide slowly pulled herself up, her eyes wide and her brows raised. Lorcan bowed his head and rested it on her clavicle, “I love you, Elide.” 

“You do?” Elide’s voice was thick with tears once more and filled with wonder. “You love me?” 

Lorcan raised his head, their noses brushing as he nodded, “Elide Syeira Lochan, I love you.” 

She gasped and her eyes lined with silver. Elide brushed her thumb over his high cheekbone, “Kamav tut, I love you too, Lorcan Ohitekah Salvaterre, I love you so gods-damned much.” His eyes were brimming with tears as he smiled and they spilled down his cheeks and so did hers, “Stop making me cry, bengalo.”

Lorcan’s lips pulled into a wide smile as he laughed and it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard as he kissed her slowly, “I’m sorry, E. Will you forgive me?” 

“Hmm, I think I’ll have to think on that, my love, your offences have been rather egregious lately,” she mused, tilting her head up to brush her lips against him. Elide cackled when he stuck his bottom lip out and made his eyes wide and sad. 

“Pretty please?” He pouted and somehow made tears pool in his eyes, though she knew that they were fake. “With sugar on top?” 

Elide huffed in a joking way and rolled her eyes, “Oh, I guess I can find it in my soul to forgive you.” 

“Thank Hellas for that.” 

++++++

Translations: I used Lakota (Sioux) for Lorcan’s mother tongue and Romany for Elide’s!

Lakota:

Mahasani: Term of endearment, translates to ‘my other skin’ 

Iyótaŋčhila: ‘I love you’

Ohitekah: Lakota name that means ‘fierce or war-like’

Romany:

Kamav tut: ‘I love you’ 

Bengalo: Idiot 

Syeira: Romany name, means ‘princess’ 

@myfeyrelady @kandasboi @schmlip-scribble @the-regal-warrior @highqueenofelfhame @westofmoon @empire-of-wildfire @rhysands-highlady @city-of-fae @shyvioletcat @alifletcher2012​ @tangledraysofsunshine​ @ttakeitbacknoww​ @tswaney17​

[mimzyizme]

Hematolagnia

Jeff the Killer x Reader Original: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28374450/chapters/69522519

Word Count: 2,459

WARNING: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Blood and Gore, Mentions of Murdering Minors

PART 1: Lucky Night

Most prey was easy. Find them. Learn about them. Watch them.

If the subject had many attachments, (family, close friends, lovers, etc) it could take up to a few weeks, maybe a month if it was worth it.

But in any strategy, any subject, lifestyle. None of this matters, the outcome will always be the same. Dance in their Blood

The sight of it, the smell. It was all intoxicating, feeding an addiction that will last to the end of time. At least his time.

Jeff normally struggled with patience. But like an artist to their work, the outcome is what is longed for. And the chase, if given one, was just as exciting.

Jeff made good work of this family. Thirteen days. Thirteen days to discover every vulnerability they had. The most amusing part is, none of them ever expect anything! No one ever does. No one ever has.

He always preys on the privileged, enjoying the idea of prying them of all their dreams, desires, values. Making them understand that they are worth nothing in the end. Money never buys happiness or safety for that matter.

The alarm system was simple, easy to reset everything. A child could figure it out. The system installment could be seen through the back door window of the first floor. The plush rubber buttons lighting up with every push. Like a game of simon, easy to memorize. A four-digit combination.

When the time was just too perfect, Jeff made his move.

In the afternoon he followed behind the man of the house through the back door, stepping with his steps. Never breathing too loud. He observed that the man took an hour long break in between shifts, returning home to relax or have lunch. During this, no one else was in the house until 4:00 pm rolled around. So this was as good as an opportunity as it got. Silently he was able to dip into the basement, and hide in a perfectly spacious corner walled off by tall plastic crates of various junk. Labeled drawn on with sharpie.

When the slightly overweight middle-aged man had left again, he took his sweet time to disarm the house and study every room. Every possible escape, every hiding place.

A man, a woman, two teenage children. Unexpecting and wonderfully naive.

He planned his moves delicately in his head for hours, until every member had returned home. He listened to them talk. Their footsteps echoing against the hardwood of the house. He listened and waited till there were no more sounds to be made.  The sun had set long ago and the house was locked, but not armed.

Jeff waited a while longer, for good measure. He checked his burner phone, reading 1:04 am. Good enough.

He navigated through the crowded basement, careful with his footing. The steps were made of concrete, making his ascension to the main floor silent. Not even the door creaked when he opened it.

Flat soles of his converse shuffled through the doorway and into the kitchen, from the living room he could see a pale blue light of the television. The man was sprawled on the leather couch, snoring loudly with his mouth hung open. He watched, eyes traveling from the man to the carpeted stairway that led up to the second floor. Silent, all except for the sound of the TV and gargled snoring. Jeff clicked his tongue and walked to the back of the couch, towering over the sleeping man. "Too easy." He mused to himself, taking his beloved steel knife from the pocket of his white hoodie. He twirled it effortlessly between his pale fingers, sneering at the face of this man's dead sleep. His breath hot and reeking of booze. In swift movements Jeff leaned over him, one hand clamping around his victim's mouth while the other pressed the head of the knife to his throat. His eyes opened wide looking directly into Jeffs with pinpoint pupils. Jeff smiled, baring his teeth as he penetrated the knife into his flesh with ease. A muffled scream met Jeff's hand before the warm wet sensation of blood pooling from his mouth. He let go, watching the portly man fall forward, desperately trying to hold and piece his throat back together. Gagging and struggling he slid off the couch to the floor, his knuckles white from the pleading grip on his own throat. Or perhaps his hands were white from the blood leaving his body. Jeff snickered, stepping around the couch and over the man's body. He writhed quietly, still gasping only to swallow more of his own blood. He coughed, trying to form a sound. A warning. A cry. Jeff squatted down to his level, putting his finger to his dry scarred lips. "Shhhh... You don't want to wake them do you?"

Before the fight had left the man, Jeff straddled his back pinning the man down on his stomach. With both hands he gripped the handle of the knife, raising it above his head before bringing it down on his victim's spine. Then again.

Then again. And again.

And again. And again. And again.

And again.

AND AGAIN.

He lost count. Jeff didn't slow until his hands were coated in comfortable warm crimson. The man had long stopped moving from the first or second stab. Certainly perforated both lungs and some organs more than once. But this was just too good.

The victorian carpet of their living room now darkened with a growing puddle of blood. Satisfied, Jeff got off of him, adoring his own work.

He wiped the knife on his black jeans before turning and making his way up the stairs. He could care less now about the creaking the floorboards made. They would all just assume the old fucker is finally going to bed. As far as they knew there was no one else in their home but them.

So, masquerading himself as the dead man, Jeff opened the first door in the hall. One of the children slept soundly. He would save them for last. The next door to this one was the sibling. He left the doors open to return to later. The door at the end of the hall opened to a much larger room, the master bedroom. The woman's figure laid on the left side of the tall bed. Her chest rising and falling in a slow and steady rhythm.

Jeff stepped quietly to her side of the bed, standing before her. Watching her sleeping, blissful face. The rest of her was buried under the thick comforter up to the neck. This wouldn't do.

He took one edge of the cover and threw it off of her. She stirred, shifting, and groaning in stupor. "Aaron?" She yawned softly, not opening her eyes.

"It's Jeff, actually." He chuckled. Her eyes shot open, and in the same moment Jeff brought the knife down on her chest. Thrusting right past the sternum. Her scream was taken from her lungs before any sound came out. He pulled the knife down on her body, slicing much easier through her soft gut. He dissected her like he was dressing a game deer. He smiled wickedly watching as her eyes rolled into the back of her head as her tongue lolled back, a fountain of red pouring from her mouth. She didn't fight as much as her husband, but Jeff knew her death still hadn't come. He plunged his hand into the cavity in her stomach, taking a fistful of a slimy pink tangle of intestines. He pulled them from her, leaving her empty of all weight in her middle. He waved them in front of her face, bile and blood dripping from them. "So pretty, huh?" Jeff cocked his head to the side, stretching the long organ between his hands. But she was well dead by now from his assault on her organs. Still caught up in his own amusement, he gripped either side and pulled them apart. A yellow hot fluid mixed with the pink of blood spilled from it. He watched it dribble out before tossing it haphazardly back onto her body.

He left the room, deciding again that the kids deserved much kinder treatment. He always did this. A silent, brief penetration into the jugular. As painless as he could make it.

They didn't even stir in their slumber.

Jeff sighed deeply, making his way back down the stairs. He walked toward the kitchen, only to stop in front of a slick puddle of blood that had traveled from the body of the man. He stepped over it, noting to himself that leaving footprints was just unprofessional.

He opened the chrome fridge, shuffling around for a good drink or a snack. Beer would do fine, seeing as most of the food was fresh, meant to be prepped and cooked.

He cracked open a can of the blue labeled beer, taking deep gulps. He sighed and licked his lips, looking down at the mess of stains he had adorned on his hoodie. What a bitch to clean, but its all just so worth it.

He left the same way he came in, taking an extra precaution and locking the door behind him. Like he was never there. Taking another sip of beer he strode down the driveway, his hood up.

He walked for a while, watching the moon start to lower itself toward the horizon. The stars shivering in the darkness that swallowed them.

Entering a more rural part of town, the houses became small or turned into dirty little apartment complexes.

Not a soul was out tonight. Not a soul except for you.

A figure walked slowly down the broken sidewalk, cloaked by a black wool pea coat. Oh? Another one? So easy, just for him. A smirk widened across his torn face. He changed paces, tossing the near empty can behind him in the grass. Then walked across the empty road to meet your side. As quiet as ever. He followed you, feet landing in the same weight and pace as yours. Taking time to study how you presented yourself. Black coat. Black Dr. Martens boots. And an equally black velvet boaters hat crowned upon your head.

As he followed behind you, he made sure distancing himself ten feet or so. Matching every step with yours to mask the sound of his own footfalls. Female. Dressed nice. Alone Nice was an understatement. He saw the black gloves, studded with sliver pellets along the knuckles. Your leather purse hung lazily to your side. You looked elegant, mysterious like a walking shadow in the night.

Perfect. At that moment he wanted you. He hadn't even seen your face and he watched to see the way you contorted when you screamed. He wanted to see what shade of red you would bleed.

He closed the distance slowly, debating on if he should follow you home or take you right here and now while he chewed the peeling skin of his bottom lip.

He studied the (H/C) locks sway behind you from under the hat as you stride. Totally unaware of your stalker. Or at least that's what he thought. What could you be doing walking by yourself this late at night? How careless. How stupid. Maybe you lived alone? He loved the idea of that.

You shoulders rose and there was a pause in your step. Then you started to walk faster. Jeffs jaw clinched, knowing you felt him behind you. Do it now.

He shuffled for the stained knife in his pocket, taking it out and bringing himself to an even faster pace, coming close behind you. Without looking back, you broke into a sprint of pure panic. Oh now, this would make it so much more fun. He just adored them when they struggled. When they ran.

Jeff was bigger, stronger, faster. It didn't take long to catch up to you, extending his hand to grip the free strands of hair.

Before he could you turned, holding the barrel of a handgun toward him, aimed straight at his head. He stopped abruptly, knowing he was well out armed. He wasn't worried about the gun more than he was worried about the sound. The last thing he needed was to draw too much attention. Silently, he cursed himself for not grabbing you sooner. But his frustration turned to a smirk when he saw your hands quivering around the grip of the gun.

"S-stay away from me!" You yelled, trying to hide your obvious terror. But Jeff could smell the fear.

The shaking only worsened at the sight of his blood-soaked apparel. His knife confidently gripped in his dominant hand. "Well, for a moment I was going to say it's not a good idea for a little lady like you to be out here all by herself." He laughed and waved the knife in front of his face. "But it looks like you can take care of yourself."

The shaking never ceased, but only seemed to increase as you lost your composure completely. The shaking of your hands traveling from your fingertips to your limbs and throughout your body until you were a quivering mess. The barrel shook with you. Even if you took the shot there could be no guarantee of accuracy. And if you miss, you'd expect retaliation.

So you stood at a stalemate in front of this monstrous looking man. His mouth torn into an ugly cheshire smile from ear to ear. His skin so paperwhite it was almost translucent. And dark bloodshot eyes fixated on you like you were his last meal.

"I don't think you even know how to use that thing." He snickered, taking one step closer.

You tightened your grip, knuckles white as you seethed through your teeth. "Try me mother fucker." The venom dripping from your voice. False intimdation.

Jeff then tilted his head and raised his hands in mock defense, shifting his feet and taking his step back. His smile couldn't get any bigger.

"Alright alright," He pocketed his knife, letting his hands rest in the hoodie pouch. "Whats your name sweetie?"

You sneered, still not dropping your aim. "Like I'd tell you."

Jeff sighed and rolled his eyes, backing up from you and slowly stalking around. Walking off of the sidewalk and into the grass. Making his way between the yards of nearby crackerbox homes. "I guess I'll have to find out for myself." He said behind his shoulder before he disappeared into the dark.

[unholyhelbig]

Scratching at the Door | #HW201

Prompt: Creature Feature/ Cryptids 

Summary: Emily is given a new job at a national state park, where something watches her through the windows, and scratches at the door. 

Read on AO3 here 

Emily could feel her stomach contract as the old Sedona made its way over the packed dirt path. Its giant wheels didn’t’ struggle as much as her pension for keeping her breakfast down. She instinctively grasped at the foam-covered bars that kept tourists seated and tried to will her first meal to stay put.

The yellow paint was chipping away to a rusty red and the logo “Fort Worth Guided Tours” had long ago faded away. They had tried to fix it with a poor attempt at gluing on a plastic design instead, but it was just as bad under the mercy of the sun.

Emily realized she had stopped listening just as they ducked under another canopy of trees. The sun that had been burning her skin raw vanished, if only momentarily, as the ride decided to smooth out.

“Not many people come out here in our offseason,” The woman at the wheel said over the sputtering engine. “Fort Worth is a beauty all year round but it’s more of a summer destination- Gee, you don’t know how glad I am that we found you. The job isn’t too taxing, I promise.”

The girl bit her tongue and laughed nervously. The forest stretched out for miles in front of them; Emily could hear water on all sides of them but hadn’t been able to locate its source yet. The air was beginning to sting against her cheeks and she loosened her death grip on the bars.

She had been staying at a motel right off the highway that smelled strongly of stale cigarettes and off-brand detergent. Someone had tossed a newspaper into the bin by the vending machines and against her better judgment, she pulled it from the old receipts and food wrappers. An ad for a winter caretaker was among the classifieds. Emily jumped on the chance for permanent room and board.

She had fibbed in her initial interview about previous experience; but as Chloe said, it wasn’t a difficult job and both of them took an instant liking to one another. So she considered herself lucky. Emily would fake it until she made it, and by then, the summer season would be in full effect and she could head to whatever small town she threw a dart at on the map next.

Chloe beamed and stepped on the gas a little harder to get over a big dip in the trail. “There are a few people who go fishing on the lake in the early mornings, but most of the time it’s just you and a few other employees. You’ll hardly see them.”

“What exactly am I doing?” Emily asked, holding her breath as Chloe took a sharp corner. She tried not to look at the steep fall to her right. “The ad wasn’t really specific.”

“You just need to keep an eye on the property. The City owns most of this place and they have pretty shallow pockets if you know what I mean. We put almost every other staff member on sabbatical. For the most part, it’s just you and the night shifter.”  

Emily nodded along like she understood and let the rest of the ride go as smoothly as possible until an old cabin came into view. It looked dusty; it’s wood paneling enveloped in the thick forest. There was an old grill and a hammock that had been wrapped inside of itself. The engine cut off entirely, and it made her ears ring.

She could smell the water, and hear the river trickling somewhere west of the structure. Chloe hoisted the one duffel bag out of the backseat and reached with her other hand for the rifle that Emily hadn’t known was there. She had never fired one off before, but that was one of the formalities that she blurred to get this position in the first place.

Her boots crunched on the gravel and she minded her weight on the creaking steps leading to the cabin door more than Chloe did. The door had been painted red at one time, a bloody-pulpy color that had faded away. There were sets of long scratches against the remaining color. Emily moved the pads of her fingers against the gashes and felt a chill run up her arm.

“What made these?” She asked. Chloe glanced up from her task of finding the keys to the cabin. Her crystal eyes reflected green under the trees. She narrowed them and finally grabbed hold of her prize.

“All sorts of animals out on Greer Island. Some of them are more curious than others.” She shoved the rifle into Emily’s hands. It was weighty and smelled old. “That’s why you have this.”

Whatever- free room and board. She could deal with a couple of bears and some daring deer. It was better than the cheap motel room and the scratchy sheets. It was a much better improvement than the backseat of her Toyota. She followed Chloe into the cabin.

A thin layer of dust covered the entire place; there was an old plaid couch and a matching chair that sat adjacent to the grey stone fireplace. A bookshelf devoid of much reading material was pushed against a far wall below a taxidermy bison that looked like it was missing an eye. The place had an open floor plan and lead directly into the kitchen. There were two closed doors that held firmly onto that crimson color.

Chloe set the duffel bag down with a loud thud, Emily felt her fingers clench around the barrel of the gun and her shoulders edge up to her ears. She stifled a profanity and took a few more steps into the little cabin.

“The fridge is fully stocked.” She continued, “I’m out here once a month to restock everything for you. There isn’t much service, but there is a walkie-talkie in the bottom right drawer that has enough power to get to the main cabin. If it’s storming, that’s not the case.”

Emily nodded again and tried to comprehend the quick instructions. Chloe talked too fast, she decided. But she listened eagerly. “What do I do if it storms?”

“Either use that gun or run like hell. You can try both but” Chloe frowned and ran her finger over the edge of the rickety kitchen table and picked up a layer of dirt. “Christ this place is dusty. Anyway, you have four patrols around the lake each day. It takes an hour for each one. Between them, you can do whatever you want except for swim in the water. That’s how you catch something nasty.”

“What exactly am I looking for?”

Chloe shrugged “Anything out of the ordinary. If you see people fishing make sure you check for their license. The date of expiration is on the top right corner. If they’re expired, ask them to leave and radio into the main cabin so they can keep their eyes peeled.”

“Ok.”

“And whatever you do, make sure you finish your last patrol before dark. The sun sets around Six right now but it’ll change to five soon enough. Make sure you have enough firewood and lock the door. Don’t open it until your morning patrol.”

“Ok,” She dragged the word out this time. Something about Chloe’s change in demeanor made her itch uncomfortably. There was a stillness to the air. “Sounds simple enough.”

“Like I said, not too taxing, you can get some writing done up here, I’m sure.” She was beaming again, like the desolate nature of her words hadn’t weighed so heavily on the atmosphere. She dusted her hands off on her jeans and informed Emily that her uniform was in the closet (Which she learned was the door to the left).

“Oh, and Emily?”  

“Yeah, boss?”

Chloe was standing with her hand on the door. She left the metal key they used to enter on the table on the clear spot that was wiped away earlier. Her eyes were that dark and stormy blue again. “Whatever calls to you in the middle of the night ignore it. It’s not real.”

Emily didn’t sleep well that night, despite the four-post bed being the closest thing she’s felt too comfortable in months. Chloe’s words weighed heavily on her, and she locked the three deadbolts that she hadn’t noticed before. She had located the radio and kept that on the nightstand until she fell into a fitful slumber.

The sun rose right at six and her alarm started blaring. She slid on the jacket with Lake Worth’s logo on the breast and the sleeve before following the clearly marked trail towards the water. It was a simple walk and it was too early for her to spot anyone fishing.

She ended up back at the cabin at 7:30 and collapsed in a cold heap on the dusty couch. It was oddly silent and she had two more hours to kill before she had to make the trek again. Chloe was right; she would get a lot of writing done here.

Emily brewed some coffee and downed two cups as she wrote a decent part of her manuscript, papers spread over the kitchen table. The alarm on her watch went off a few minutes before 10:00 am and she made her way back to the lake.

The autumn sun was warm against her cheeks and she decided to enjoy the walk more this time. She breathed in the scent of the season and kept her eyes out for anyone on the water. She checked one fishing license and went on her way.

Her next patrol wasn’t until 3:00 pm so she decided to crack open one of the many books on the shelf. She chose “The Howling” by Gary Brandner and settled onto the couch, getting lost in the cheesy horror novel from the ’60s.

Emily had fallen easily into the routine three days in; she did each patrol but struggled immensely to beat the sunset on her fourth walk around the lake. It was colder and it made her move slower.

The scratching started on the seventh day. Her world had grown colder and she had fallen into an easy routine of walking around the lake. She left the double-barrel rifle next to the front door but made sure the radio was strapped to her belt.

The first night she heard it was no different. She had nearly forgotten Chloe’s foreboding words, but it had become a habit to lock the door at night. She missed the moon and the crisp dark air. But even still, she headed the warning.

Emily had dozed off on the couch with the book at her side. It’s heavy spine hitting the floor startled her awake. The fire she had stoked burned out and her heart pounded in her chest. But that wasn’t what had stirred her, no, it was a dull scratching- barely noticeable if it weren’t for the quiet of the cabin.

She sat up and stared at the door.

It budged at the pure force of the animal on the other side, and Emily figured that she had been reading too much about the occult. As Chloe said, some beasts are more curious than others, and she had dead-bolted everything. She watched the door for a few more tedious moments before crawling into bed.

Emily saw the tracks the next day.

They were unlike any animal she had come across before; long and jaded. It’s nails dug into soft clay earth and trailed right up to her front door. There were fresh slashes in the red paint- and she swallowed back her discomfort.

She had to call the cabin on her fourth walk that day, the sun was setting faster than she cared to admit and she trudged through the icy path. An orange light coated the earth as she thought strangely of the animals around her. The particular animal that started to wait under her window at night, it’s breath fogging the glass. She made it to her porch just as the soft pink of the sky faded to a darker blue, almost black.

Emily had another restless sleep, like her first night in the cabin. There was the same scratching at her door and the radio crackled with feedback next to her. She wondered if anyone else heard the thing past her walls.

Chloe brought her new supplies on the tenth day, stating that the roads were a lot worse than usual and that a big snowfall had cleared out the entire grocery store in town. She presented her with stale bread and some orange juice that had enough pulp to create the fruit that it came from. Her boss stuck around and fried up some eggs.

“The scratches on the door,” Emily started.

Chloe stilled her movements, she had the blunt end of the spatula against the iron skillet. But it was just a beat where she was taken aback, barely noticeable. “Mm, have they been bad?”

“No. I mean, as normal as they can be. What kind of animal sounds like that?”

“We’re not sure. Not one you want to mess with.”

She tipped the pan over and divided the eggs evenly between the two before sitting in the rickety chair across from Emily. She didn’t wait to dig in, shoving a good heaping of the food into her mouth. Emily figured it avoidance.

“You said something about it calling out to me”

Chloe stopped the fork halfway to her mouth, a large glob of yellow yolk splashed into the grooves of the table. She lowered it and sat back in her seat. “Has it?”

“It hasn’t.”

“Good.”

She dropped the subject after that. They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence and Chloe left before the next time Emily had to trudge along the lake. It was getting harder, the colder it was, to get back to the cabin before nightfall. She gripped the radio tighter and let the eggs settle to the bottom of her stomach like rocks.

She put what Chloe said out of her mind until the scratching began again.

Emily had another fitful sleep. The air was growing colder and it made her chest ache. She rose when the sun did and took her first walk around the lake. She spotted two fishermen by the edge of the water and stopped just short of the tree line.

“Howdy,” one of the men said, he reached instinctively for his wallet, and Emily, drowsy from sleep, thanked him. “You’re new.”

“You’re out here a lot?”

She checked both of their licenses and watched as they effortlessly slid them back into one of their pockets. The sky was overcast and there was an odd stillness to the water. The man who had stayed quiet smiled widely and nodded. The fishhooks on his hat clinked together.

“Oh yeah, all the time. Most people don’t like to be out here in the cold but we love it. Fewer tourists and people trying to get a look at that dumb lake monster, they simply scare him off if you ask me.”

The other man shoved a pointed elbow into his friend “You know that shit ain’t real. It’s a money pit. Hell, they have shirts and bumper stickers. It’s nothing but a legend.”

“No, remember Mike? It hopped down from the trees an’ slashed all four of his tires. That’s why his hair is grey.”

“Mike Granger? His hair is grey because he’s an old lying bastard.”

Emily watched the exchange with wide eyes. She didn’t know much about this sleepy little town. She had pulled into the motel in the late hours and only spoke with one woman. Her voice was husky from years of smoking and the only vacancy sign in the place buzzed like a trapped fly. She should have paid more attention- should have eaten at a diner or asked Chloe more questions, even if she didn’t get the answers she wanted.

“I’m sorry… monster?”

Both men stopped their arguing and stared at her. She waited as her breath pooled past her lips. They were dried and cracked and tasted like blood. The taller one cocked an eyebrow and sent a narrow glance at his friend.

“Now, surely you didn’t take this job without knowing the Lake Worth Monster.”

She shrugged dejectedly “I’m afraid I did.”

“It’s a big hairy beast. Half goat, half-man, some bloke even said he can shapeshift. It’s got scales too and apparently claws long enough to slice tires. It’s been around since 1969 and our little town has capitalized on it since then. Like I said, a complete marketing scheme.”

Emily hugged her jacket closer and nodded. She thanked both of the men and continued on her way. She didn’t stop until she was back at her cabin. Her breath was shallow and she knelt down to stare at the long scratches on the door.

She struggled to put the beast out of her mind, to forget what the two strangers had said. She had checked and then double-checked the locks but still, she worried. Her eyes trained themselves on the ceiling and she listened as something crawled below her bedroom window.

Emily woke the next morning to the radio crackling. She reached for it blindly. “Hmm?”

“Emily, do you copy?”

“I copy.”

“I know it’s early. There’s been an accident. I need you to meet the sheriff down on the south side of the lake.”

Emily sat up and cursed herself for the quick movement as stars danced against her eyes. She pressed her palm against her forehead and blinked hard until they faded away. She squeezed the radio and told Chloe that she understood, even though she didn’t.

She saw the caution tape and the flashing lights that looked brighter under the half-risen sun. The sheriff was a tall woman with dirty blonde hair and soft pink lips. She was bundled up more than Emily and stood with her boots at the edge of the icy hardened shore. There was an overturned boat and the crackling of a radio other than hers.

“Emily, I presume?”

She nodded and her head was spinning “What’s all of this about?”

“Two fishermen are missing to the public.”

“What does that mean?”

“As far as anyone else knows, they’re just missing.” The sheriff grimaces and fixes her hat. “They were mutilated.”

Emily swallowed the dark feeling in her stomach. “By what?”

“You mean who?”

“Yeah, yes. By who?”

Emily didn’t’ mean by who; she meant what she had said and the sheriff stared at her as if she were to head back to the cabin and never speak of it again. Did this town have a vow of silence in the winters? She sheepishly kicked at the gravelly sand and listened as the woman spoke evenly.

“We don’t know. We were hoping that you had seen something but Chloe explained that you wouldn’t have. Said you were really good at your job and the time that these men were killed doesn’t line up with one of your patrols. I still wanted to speak to you.”

She could smell the blood and the way it mixed with the black water and looming fog. She wondered if they didn’t’ follow the rules and hadn’t gotten inside before the sun moved behind the horizon. This was the price to pay, for insolence.

Emily answered the remaining questions that the sheriff had before trudging back to the cabin. This time, she didn’t’ stop to feel the scratches on the door. This time she slammed it behind her and flopped onto the couch. She must have fallen asleep.

It was nearly dark, and she was late by the time she woke up. She had missed both of her midday patrols and wasn’t about to miss the fourth. Her body ached from the uncomfortable position she had winded up in. Emily slid on the jacket and thought twice before grasping at the shotgun behind her. It’s weight nearly throwing her off.

She was tired and the air was buzzing with electricity. There was a storm brewing and half of her knew that the rain would come down as slush instead of simple water. The twilight sky had clouds blocking a half-moon.

Emily had a job to do, and she wasn’t about to lose this one like she had the others. She had convinced herself, in the few weeks of solitude, that the manuscripts were coming along nicely because of the environment and the way she could listen to her own breath and the sounds of the cabin settling.

The sheriff and the boat, and the horrid scent of dried blood had been swept away with the wind. She kept further away from the shore, only stalling for a moment as the color in the sky began to fade away to black.

Emily didn’t know why she stopped. Why she listened to the ripples hit the shore and her own stilted steps against the sand. Her toes were numb, two pairs of socks not enough to keep the cold at bay. She recalled a conversation she had with Chloe the second time she dropped off supplies. This time she brought Emily a notebook and some pens- a few books about the Holocaust to lighten the mood.

It wasn’t a funny joke, but she chuckled anyway. “Thank you for taking this job, Emily. I’ve really taken a liking to you, you know?”

“I like you too, Chloe.”

She had flipped through the pages of the book and faired that if she got really desperate, she would give them a shot. She wasn’t’ much into history and neither was Chloe, seeing as she left them here with not much care.

“You been hearing weird things at night?”

“No,” She lied, setting the book on the step next to her “Whatever it was must have gotten bored enough.”

Chloe nodded and smiled before climbing back into her dusty yellow jeep and heading off to her next destination. Emily sat on the porch and watched her go. She breathed in the musty scent of the trees around her and flexed her fingers. Emily had made up her mind a few nights ago.

She wasn’t sure if she should watch the sun settle behind Lake Worth. If she should plant her feet in the sand and wait until whatever it was that wanted her came. A bit of caution tape was left behind, its plastic hissed in the wind so loud that she nearly didn’t hear the twig breaking.

Chloe had been hiding something; and as foolish as it was, Emily needed to know what. Those men, those that had settled onto the rocky lake with the intention of fishing had to be one of many. One of maybe thousands. Her morbid curiosity was too much.

Emily heard it before she saw it. She waited for something and nothing all at once, her breath solidifying in front of her as night finally fell. She hadn’t seen the way the sky lit up with stars all at once- but she enjoyed it now. Her eyes traced the constellations.

She clenched her eyes shut until those stars appeared within her mind and the sound of the water lapping at stones and sand and dirt moved over her ears. Almost too loud for her to hear it. Almost. Emily felt the heat of its sour breath on her shoulder, and even from where she stood, she knew it towered.

Emily drew in a cold, ragged breath and she tightened the grip on a gun, she didn’t even know how to use.