#she broke one contract but couldn’t quite break the other. she’s working on it though.

[esleep]

if anything happens to pigeon, my next dnd character will be a kind, motherly, middle-aged, half-orc woman. she has multiple adult children and she is divorced. she’s also a warlock, and her ex-husband is her patron. her character arc consists of her going through miles of red tape to figure out the best way to break the pact.

[am-i-interrupting]

Okay I don’t know if you are accepting requests or suggestions but can I ask for a one shot or something of like what happens between Vox and reader from the one author, two host series when alastor returns. Like what would happen and I feel like Vox would be FOMING at the mouth from anger because he knows how much pain it caused reader and all doesn’t even tell them where he was

Went Away | OATSH

Vox had long since regretted saving Valentino’s pathetic little soul. He could have and should have found someone else to be the head of the porn industry. Unfortunately, with the deal they’d made, Vox couldn’t harm the man unless he broke the confines of their contract. Valentino toed the line, most certainly, but he hadn’t yet broken it.

Velvette was complaining about one of her models being scared shitless by Valentino and having some of her work torn up but no harm had actually come to any of them. That was always the thing, always the line he just barely stayed in.

He couldn’t hurt anyone without justifiable cause. That is what was in his contract. He could scare, he could manipulate, he could yell, but he couldn’t hurt.

Vox walked into Valentino’s office.

“Fucking finally!” the man yelled. “Kitty, another drink! Can you believe what that piece of shit did?! The ungrateful whore!”

Vox side stepped the glass that had been thrown his way. “Which whore are we talking about this time?”

“Fucking Angel Dust, who the hell else would I be talking about?”

Vox leaned away from Valentino as the man breached his space. Many answers to that question raced into his mind. Too many sex workers, too many models, too many people on the street, himself, once you. Only once had Valentino called you a whore. Never again.

“That fucking slut walked out on me. Me. I made him! Without me he’s just a bag of meat with some mildly entertaining holes.”

Vox had gotten out his phone while Valentino went on his rampage. He felt himself relax just a bit, a small smile coming to his lips as he saw a message from you.

Sorry about leaving early this morning. Star called. Stuff came up. Fixing some roofing. Hate this time of year.

His soft smile though changed from soft to hopeful.

“Angel Dust quit?” he asked.

He was hoping for a yes. You’d be so ecstatic if he finally was able to quit. That was another reason for him to hate the fact that he saved Valentino; the fact that Valentino had a contract neither of you knew about beforehand and under Angel’s contract, he could do whatever he wanted and it would be seen as justifiable.

“No, he didn’t fucking quit. It’s worse.” Valentino grabbed Vox’s phone from his hand and threw it against the wall. “He moved!”

Vox hadn’t even been able to text you back.

“He thinks he can just walk in here, work, and then go home somewhere else? Can you fucking believe that? He thinks he can just run off and shack up with Lucifer’s bimbo daughter.”

“Angel is living with Lucifer’s daughter now?”

You’d be happy to know about that at least.

“Yeah, that bitch. Chalky or Chandler or something manish like that,” he said as he opened up his closet. “She’s got this hotel and— which of these makes me look sexier?”

Anyone else. He would have let the man go in a rampage, break their contract, and discard him if it was anyone but her. Had it been anyone else other than Lucifer’s daughter, Vox would have let him.

“What are you doing, Val?” he asked, venom entering his voice before his eye began to spiral. “You’re not going over there.”

“That slippery twink is going to remember who owns him. I’m going to fuck everyone in that rancid hotel, I swear to god,” Valentino continued, ignoring him.

Vox scowled to himself before he grabbed Valentino’s wings and pulled him close, his face brightening so the man could actually see him.

“Val!” He laughed before he smoothed his wings back into their coat-like shape. “Think about it. My brand is perfection. What do you think chasing whores around town would do for my image?” He grabbed the gun from Valentino’s hand.

“Uh, fuck it up?”

Vox played a game show ringing as he said, “Right! Do you want people thinking I can’t control my employees and that you can’t control yours?”

“No.”

“Exactly! And, hey—“ Vox knew you would hate what he said next— “you still have him under contract. He’s not going anywhere. So, you should. . .?”

“Do nothing?”

“Great idea!” Vox pulled Valentino down into to put his arm around his shoulders as more game show sound effects played. “Now that’s why I pay you the big bucks.”

“But I really wanted to shoot someone,” Valentino said as he pulled out his cigarette. “You never let me have any fun anymore.”

Vox lit the cigarette with the tip of his claw. “Well, let me pull out my wife’s hit list. Let you have a go at some of them, hmm?”

“Aw,” Valentino said with a chuckle, “you know me too well.”

Of course Vox did. He had to. The man was practically a child most days. He constantly questioned how he could have been so stupid as to have let him live. Regardless, it was a choice he now had to live his second life with.

He twisted his wedding ring with his thumb as he summoned a new phone.

Don’t worry about it. Turf wars are always a hassle. I get it and know by now you’re always busy this time of year. We all are. When you get a sec, can you send me some people on your list? Valentino’s being a piss baby again, as Vel so eloquently put it.

“You know, Angel isn’t the only one spending time at this ratty hotel with the devil’s princesa,” Valentino said after taking a draw of his cigarette.

When is he not?

“Oh, who else is there?” Vox asked as he opened the document you’d sent him. “Someone who owes you money?”

Valentino laughed once again. “Someone who owes us much more than money. The Radio Demon is there.”

Vox collapsed on himself as he tensed. His claws dug through the metal of the desk, breaking his phone as he did so. His entire body sparked with electricity.

“What did you just say?” he asked, his voice coming out distorted as he turned to Valentino, his eye spiraling as red pixels began spilling from his mouth.

“You heard me.”

Oh, he was going to kill Valentino, contract be damned.

“Alastor, my wife’s father—“ he glitched— “is back and he is with Lucifer’s daughter instead of his own—“ he glitched again— “and that wasn’t the first fucking thing you told me?!” he pulled Valentino down to his height as sparks flew off his body and his voice raised to a yell.

“Hey, Alastor missing is your problem,” Valentino said as he walked to the computer desk and pressed a button.

A distorted feed came up on the screen. Vox immediately teleported to the desk, leaning as close as he could to make out every detail of the scene.

He could make out the blonde hair of Lucifer’s daughter, the white fur of Angel Dust, and the extra distorted figure that Vox knew from previous videotapes to be Alastor.

He snarled, a full growl come from his mouth. His claws dug all the way through the desk. His breathing started to quicken.

Vaguely, in his subconscious mind, he registered an anger at a different thing. Alastor was torturing someone and he hadn’t told you? He hadn’t invited you? He always had before.

He didn’t even register Valentino’s words. He didn’t find any amusement in the squeaks that came from the man like he normally would. All he could focus on was Alastor walking away from the hotel.

“Vox? Vox!” Valentino called out, finally breaking him from his trance.

“That fucker is back!”

“Yeah, I thought he was gone for good tooAfter seven years!”

“You still pissed he almost beat you that time?” Valentino grabbed the corner of Vox’s screen. Vox pushed him off, still sparking. “Ow!”

“Fuck off!”

Vox’s breath started coming out harshly as he began to spiral.

How was he going to tell you? How dare Alastor? Oh, sure, Vox was the problem. He was trying to steal you from Alastor when it was Alastor who left you for seven years without a word, not even telling you goodbye or where he was going or when he came back.

He hadn’t been there. Did he not know what pain he caused you? The worry, the tears, the depression. You had been a mess those first couple months. Did he not think you would be effected by his sudden disappearance? Was he really, truly that stupid?

“Oh, come on, don’t tell me you’re really this peeved?” Valentino said.

Vox ignored him as he walked out of the room to his own office.

Valentino pouted as he watched the door close. Then he went to pick up Vox’s phone to look at that list only to see the screen cracked and back scratched.

“Fuuuck!” he said as he threw his head back. He picked up his gun that had been left behind as well and shot a hole through the wall.

Vox pulled up your vitals on his screen. You knew he had them. He monitored them as well as your location through the ring on your finger and you had access to his own through the same.

There was a stark difference in how often the two of you looked at them though. Yours got pulled up multiple times a day while his only got pulled up a few times every couple months.

That was alright though. You knew he could be possessive but more than that, you knew how often he worried.

He quickly found and quickly sent a dispatch of construction workers that way before he went there himself.

You didn’t even flinch when he knelt behind you and draped himself over his back. After so many decades, it’d become second nature to know when the other was around. What did concern you was how tightly he held you.

“I need to talk to you,” he said, voice ever so slightly distorted with some filter. “Alone.”

You turned, unafraid of falling off the roof in his grasp. You held his screen between your hands. “What’s wrong?”

You didn’t even have time to blink before you were in the tower with him.

“You said that Hustler came to see you the other day, right?”

“Husk, but yes,” you said. “Is everything okay? Is he alright?”

“Did you ask him why?” Vox asked.

“I— Yes, it was that advertisement. I didn’t have time to look it over. I just gave it to your assistant,” you told him. “He didn’t give me porn or something, did he? That doesn’t sound like him but he said he lost a game, had to be the one to bring it to me.”

“So you didn’t watch the commercial? Neither did I. How about we watch it together, hm?”

“Okay,” you said, the word coming out slowly, hesitantly.

You didn’t sit as he didn’t either. The television just came on.

“Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel!” a woman you vaguely recognized said.

She had white hair done in Hollywood waves that contrasted her grey skin. She wore dress that was somewhat reminiscent of a 50s dress and a large hat with floral elements. Across thAngel Dust in a pink and white suit, wearing pink gloves that he used to blow a kiss to the camera. In front of him was Niffty in a classic flapper dress. Then Husk drinking beside her.

None of that is what caught your attention however. What did was the distorted person beside Husk, back turned to the camera but you recognized him.

Immediately your eyes widened as your nose and eyes began to sting. You bit your lip to contain a scream as your breath began to quicken.

You had mourned him.

You mourned him! You’d done it once in life and now once in death and for what?! Why did you have to mourn him when he was right there?! He was there!

You took off your shoe and threw it at the television. Then did the same with the other. The screen broke, cracked. The TV fell to the floor.

“That bastard!” you yelled. “Fucking shit ass!”

You screamed so loud that is caused Vox to wince but still he wrapped his arms around you. You collapsed against him and banged on his chest. Not enough to hurt him but enough to get out your frustration. He just pulled you closer.

Vark stood in the doorway, looking at Vox. His tail was drooped and he was hunched down. Vox slowly lowered you both to the ground and gestured for Vark to come.

He did. He butted his head against your back. He kept his head against your skin as he moved between the two of you. On instinct, you put your hand between Vark’s eyes and Vox put his right at the base of his spines. Vark moved and licked your face. You didn’t smile like you normally would.

“What do you want me to do?” Vox asked.

You stayed silent for a moment, hand moving back and forth on Vox’s simultaneously rough and smooth skin. Then, “Make him wish he’d stayed gone.”

You stood and went to your wardrobe. Vox followed as you threw a more official outfit on the bed. Then you went to the bathroom and fixed your makeup or rather, tried to. Your hands shook to much for you to do it properly.

Vox picked up your phone and sent a message to Velvette.

Get your ass here now. -V

He didn’t know how to apply makeup but after years of living with two people who did, he at least learned how to take it off.

When Velvette arrived, it was no secret. “What the hell happened here? What the fuck’s going on?”

“The Radio Demon’s back,” Vox said.

“Oh, well, shit,” she said. “Alright then, move aside, Voxy. I’m gonna give our gal some revenge makeup and you go make a script for you stupid show.”

“Top of the hour,” Vox said as he spun in his chair to face the camera, “and we’re discussing a certain hazbin who has been spotted cavorting around town after a seven year absence. Did anybody miss him? Did anybody notice? More on tonight’s program!”

The headline read, “Dud Dad Back From Getting Milk”

Across the screen, “So the radio guy’s back. I don’t think you noticed. I didn’t at first- I was too busy being present in my wife’s life but fuck it, news is slow today, I guess. I just want to go home to see my beautiful wife and tell her about where I’ve been even though she knows where I am because I tell her about my plans before fucking off.”

“Fucking hell!” Husk yelled, catching the attention of everyone in the hotel.

“Aw, after so many years I can still startle you? How cute,” you said as you leaned your head on your hand with a smirk that immediately made him uneasy.

You were wearing a black cropped turtle neck with a pair of slightly baggy jeans, an oversized jacket that clearly was not yours with its light and dark blue stripes and pinkish-red interior. Your legs were crossed and revealed your heeled black boots. Your hair was down in loose, natural curls but your makeup was anything but with a dark smokey eye and dark nude lipstick.

“Oh, he fucked up,” Husk said as he grabbed a bottle and moved out from behind the bar.

“Um, okay,” the princess said. “Hi, I’m Charlie and you are?”

“Not here for you,” you said as you moved to take Husk’s place behind the bar.

“And who are you here for?” Charlie asked.

The television flickering on gave you no reason to answer her. Instead you mixed a cocktail as all eyes turned to the TV screen.

“So, the Radio Demon is back in town,” Vox said on the screen. “Why’s he hanging around? What does that mean for your family? Well, handily I’ve got good news. The guy’s a loser, an absent and I don’t mean to sound arrogant but he’s a really shitty parent. That one’s real apparent.

“He used to go on and on about how I’d be the one gone yet he’s the one who said so long. I’m right here, never fear. I plan on staying even when raining. I’m not afraid of things changing. So if you can’t update, maybe relocate. Go on a va-cay and stay the fuck away.

“He clung onto radio, we pivoted to video. Now his medium has gotten bloody rare. We’ve been better since he split. Where’s he been? Who gives a shit!”

The radio crackled to life. “Salutations, good to be back on the air.”

You took a long sip of your cocktail as you heard his voice for the first time in seven years. The glass nearly cracked in your hands.

“Yes, I know it’s been a while since someone with style has treated Hell to a broadcast. Sinners, rejoice!”

“What a dated voice.”

“Instead of a clout-chasin' mediocre video podcast.”

“Come on!”

“Is Vox insecure? Pursuing allure. Going for small blows towards the pros, is it really working?”

“It’s better than your chirping!”

“Every day, he's got a new insult while still thinking everything wrong is his fault.”

“You’re looking at the one who stayed! He’s the one who went away!”

“Is Vox as strong as he purports or is it based on his support? He'd be powerless without that pretty ring.”

“Oh, tell us a new thing!”

“Fine, let’s try something new. I know things you haven’t been through. Nothing you say has any sway. I’ve always been here, never on va-cay. I’m still in charge. Always been here on the charts. So if you’ve got something to say, go ahead then go away. I haven’t got all day.”

“You were gone far too long. She mourned and now she’s scorned. Wished you’d never been born. So why don’t you follow through with this amazing news and tell us what you’ve been through. Better hurry or just scurry ‘cause this picture’s getting blurry. Buffering from our furry. Go ahead and have your say or go away like seven years ago that day.”

The radio clicked off.

Vox stayed panting for a moment, hands gripping the desk tightly. Then his breathing slowed and he sat back down. He restacked his papers.

“Guess he didn’t have much to say so he’s gone and went away. Nothing new. It’s old news. He’s gone once again so soon.”

The television flickered off.

Husk sunk into the couch. Niffty looked over to you with her wide eye. Angel looked down at your ring and then back at you like he was seeing you for the first time. Charlie still stood where she’d been when she came to greet you but she now rung her fingers together.

“Well, I suppose not all broadcasts are a success,” Alastor’s voice said as he came downstairs. “Regardless,” he clapped his hands together then he saw you. “My dear! There you are.”

You simply glared at him as you took a sip of your cocktail.

“Where is that darling smile of yours? You know you’re—“

“Where did you go?”

“Oh, what does that matter? I’m back now, aren’t I?” he said.

“You’re such a,” your voice trailed off as you looked down at your drink. “I cried for you.”

You thought back to late nights as a child where your father held you, whispering about his childhood in the vaguest of ways, making promises to never do you the same way.

“You promised I’d never have to do that,” you said. “You promised me the only reason I’d ever cry for you would be when you died. You’re not dead.”

“You know that my intention would never be to—“

“That doesn’t matter, Alastor!” you said.

His ears actually flicked back. You’d never done that before. You had never called him by his name.

A small part of you as happy with getting a hurt reaction from him.

You threw the glass at him. He didn’t side step it. It hit his newly tailored coat, glass breaking and liquid staining it. He didn’t even flinch.

“Fuck you, Alastor! Fuck you,” you said as you walked out of the hotel, slamming the door.

“I appear to have done something wrong,” Alastor said as he brushed the glass off his clothing, holding back a wince as his hand moved some caught in his skin.

“You think?” Husk said.

Alastor stared at where you had been before he spun around and went back upstairs.

“I’ve never seen her that angry before,” Niffty said softly.

“Yeah, me neither.”

[kimbappykidding]

Your relationship with Yeonjun ends abruptly when he cheats on you with your member but neither of you can quite move on from one another

 Even though it had been almost 4 months since you'd broken up, Yeonjun still froze every time he saw you. It did get better the more times he saw you in a day but the first time always got him.

While you didn't freeze every time you saw Yeonjun and the pain had lessened considerably, you did think of him and still missed him which made you mad at yourself every time. You also still found him attractive too which didn't help. You pretty obviously had a type and the only other guys you found attractive looked like him. You watched him performing during his latest comeback and sighed, he always knew how to work a stage. The problem was this wasn't a normal breakup where you just lost touch or were going down different paths. No, this break-up was caused by the ultimate betrayal between Yeonjun and one of your own members.

You weren't too close to your members before but Yeonjun and Ari's actions had ruined everything. You always felt slightly left out of your group being the only foreign member but any relationship you did have with was made worse by how most of your group took her side. They, of course, were sympathetic at first but they liked her more than you so encouraged you to think of the group and to remember it was just a kiss. You wanted to scream when they said that because it wasn't just a kiss. The image was still ingrained in your mind all this time later. Of the two of them together, her in his lap and how his hands held her hips as they moved together. It probably would've progressed to more if you hadn't walked in on them. The aftermath was the worst time of your life. Your only support system was your fellow Thai Idols and if it wasn't for Lisa and Minnie you're not sure what would've happened to you or what you would've done. You only had a year until your contract ended and then you were gone. In your mind, you were done with singing and music. It had been your passion since you were a child but now you wanted nothing to do with it, you just wanted to be alone. The company was trying to sweeten you up by giving you a solo and all the creative input possible but you just wanted out. Yeonjun knew how much he'd hurt you and he hated it. His actions with Ari had been his worst moment too and he tried punishing himself but there was nothing he could do to make it hurt less. So when you dumped him he didn't fight it, he did everything so you wouldn't have to see his face or have people ask you about him. He encouraged his members, who of course were friends with you after 2 years of dating, to still be there for you. However, you told Beomgyu you'd prefer not to see any of them for a while and that broke Yeonjun. Not only had he ruined your life he'd also broken 4 friendships. Time passed and Yeonjun had no idea how you were doing. He'd left you alone and avoided your group like the plague but recently he'd been thinking a lot about you. There was some drama with his family and he didn't know what to do. Your family was similar to Yeonjun's and you always got his feelings and understood his thinking. So he desperately wanted to discuss it all with you but of course, he couldn't. Soobin noticed Yeonjun had been down a lot recently and Yeonjun explained the situation. "Just when I think me hurting Y/n can't get any worse things like this pop up and I realise how much she was there for me. I'd give anything to talk to her about this" he sighed and Soobin frowned "well what if you asked her?".  Yeonjun's heart picked up "but I can't! After what I did to her how can I ask for help?". Soobin nodded "I know but this is about your family who she always cared a lot about. Plus, you want to be friends with her again don't you?". "More than anything" Yeonjun nodded and Soobin nodded "well then you'll have to make a first step sometime. Test the waters, be very clear she doesn't have to respond to you and can ignore you. Ask her permission and be as compensating as possible. Don't ask to meet up, give her the choice to just text if she wants to but I'd say try". Yeonjun sighed but nodded. He was terrified but he trusted Soobin, so he wrote the text and sent it. You looked at your phone and saw a name you hadn't seen in 5 months since he stopped texting you. You were on the phone with Lisa in seconds. You sent her a screenshot of the text and she read it in silence.  "What are you feeling?" she asked. "Angry" you replied "after all he's done he expects emotional labour? Someone to sound ideas off and comfort him?". Lisa nodded "I agree but he did give you multiple chances to say no. I know he sent the text anyway so there's still some emotional collateral but you don't have to reply. You can delete this and he knows". You sighed "should I do that? I should right?". Lisa frowned "Look I hate his guys but I'm only saying this because I think you're too scared too...you miss him and I know you worry about him and still care for his family. You're a good person and I know you'll torment yourself with worry about him if you don't atleast text him back". You nodded "I want to text him back and that makes me hate myself". Lisa shook her head "don't...you can't help it. Plus it's just a text. It doesn't mean you've forgiven him or are condoning his action  It doesn't mean anything". You nodded and took a breath "okay help me write a reply". Nearly an hour later Yeonjun received a reply and he actually gasped. "What?" Taehyun asked and he smiled "Y/n texted me back!". "That's great" Huening Kai smiled and the younger members started getting excited. Yeonjun shook his head "don't do that. She's still sad, I can tell by her message and she's only agreed to help me because of my parents". "But still it's something" Beomgyu said and Yeonjun nodded "yeah it is". You only sent Yeonjun 3 texts but they did drain you and brought up a lot of old memories. It didn't help that you were also working on your solo which happened to be a sad ballad at the time. It helped in that every note you sang was so raw and honest but that didn't make you feel much better. Your members all went quiet when they first heard it and you knew why. They all knew you were signing every single note to Yeonjun and Ari and you didn’t care to try and hide it. The first time you performed it live they were both there in the audience and you felt your emotions take over. They surged out of you through your voice and you gave the most emotional and powerful performance of your life. 

You hit the final note and the stage went black. The audience screamed and other idols clapped along, many female idols had glossy eyes that they tried to hide and all your idol friends were wiping away tears. Ten was stood up clapping, Lisa looked furious on your behalf and Minnie who happened to be behind TxT was screaming loudly for you. But through it all, you only saw Yeonjun. He was staring at you and when you locked eyes he looked so ashamed and shocked. Like he never quite realised what he'd done to you. You held his eye for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and quickly fixing a smile on your face. You waved to your fans and made your way off stage as if it didn't feel like you were crumbling. You figured you just had to act like that wasn't the biggest moment of your career and should pretend as if nothing happened.

But Yeonjun didn't feel that way. He made an excuse to the staff and rushed backstage to find you. He knocked on your dressing room door and you opened it not expecting to find him there. "Y/n...I need to speak to you" he said. You knew Yeonjun and if he didn't say whatever was on his mind he'd probably explode so you let him in. Luckily he got right to the point.  "Y/n I know I hurt you but I never knew I made you feel that way...I'm so sorry". You blinked at him unsure what to do or say. For so long you thought if he just knew how you felt and apologised you'd be at peace but you weren't. The sorry felt redundant now but it still hurt. So you just shrugged "it happened, it's over now". Yeonjun frowned "but you're still hurting. I can tell, I know you remember". You rolled your eyes "you don't get to tell me you know me!" you said sharply and Yeonjun raised his hands "you're right! I'm sorry. All I meant is I can see in your eyes you aren't happy. You nodded "of course I'm not for so many reasons! You cheated on me for one, with one of my members! A person I have to see practically every day so try healing from that. You put an immovable wedge between me and all my members. A wedge I just made a chasm by singing that solo. A solo everyone loves by the way which is great but also so fucking sad because it's about the worst time in my life and I re-live it every time I sing those words...and the worst part is through all of that I still care about you...and miss you and wonder about you". Yeonjun stared at you unsure what to do. Hearing you still cared about him made him want to leap for joy but the tears running from your cheeks made him realise this wasn't a good thing. "You ruined me Yeonjun" you said softly "and I don't think I'll ever recover from that". Yeonjun frowned "I'm so sorry Y/n" tears filled his own eyes "there's not a day that goes by where I don't regret what I did to you or hate myself for it. I'd take it all back in a heartbeat and I still care about you too. I'll never forgive myself for what I did to you and all I can say is I'm sorry". You were crying fully now and Yeonjun's instinct to try and hug you won out. He gently put his arms around you and while at first, you were rigid the moment you smelt his scent you couldn't help it. You were soon crying into his shirt and couldn't stop yourself. You just felt so overwhelmed and your brain was confused, unsure if Yeonjun was still safe or not after all those years of him being your support system. You were too tired to remember to be angry. You were just sad. You stopped crying a while later and Yeonjun sat beside you. He'd given you his jacket at some point and you had some water. You'd been crying so hard you now had hiccups and were trying to get them to stop. "Do you want me to take you home?" Yeonjun asked "or I can order you a taxi if you'd rather not be with me?". You just wanted to go home so you shook your head "let's go". Yeonjun nodded and rushed to grab his stuff. You drove in silence until Yeonjun pulled up outside your apartment. "I know talking about it is painful but I think it could also help you get closure. I know I'm the last person you want to hear this from but I'm worried about you Y/n. You're very pale and skinny, your eyes look tired and if your members are a problem then that's not good for your stress levels. If I can be one less problem I'll do it so if you need me to stand there while you scream or to send angry message then do it". You nodded slightly "I think I need closure and there's one thing that always bugged me...why?". Yeonjun paused as the question he'd always been dreading finally came up. "Why did you cheat on me?" you asked "you always told me it was a mistake you regretted but never explained why you did it in the first place". Yeonjun sighed "it just kind of happened. It had building I guess, Ari used to flirt with me and I'd flirt back encouraging her. I thought there was nothing wrong with it but then it became way too normal and we both got bolder and then that happened. I never planned on doing anything, she was just there and I was tired and lonely it just happened". You weren't sure what you were expecting, some reasonable excuse but that was your answer. He was tired. You almost laughed. "Well let's hope you're on a better sleep schedule now" you replied and got out of the car. You walked away and felt something shift in the universe. Things were about to change. One year later Yeonjun watched you on stage and couldn't believe you were the same person as before. You'd left your company the second you could and hadn't looked back. You signed up at a new company and seemed to be thriving. You performed your song on stage to a screaming crowd and idols singing along. Your debut solo song had done really well and you'd already won 2 awards for it. You looked so much better. You were back to a healthy weight and your smile didn't seem forced anymore. You looked happy and that pleased Yeonjun. That's all he wanted for you. He saw you again that night sandwiched between G-Idle and BlackPink. Yeonjun had noticed how pretty much all the girl groups and several of the boy groups had become friends with you and as you walked several called out to you. Then you paused as you spotted him at the bar. You hesitated and Yeonjun shook his head "you go I'll go later" he said and went to back away but you shook your head. You walked right up to him and took a breath "I need to tell you something". Yeonjun nodded and looked at your expectantly. "I forgive you" you said and Yeonjun's eyes widened "really?". You nodded "I'm in a much better place than last year and I've decided to let go of any of those bad memories or pain. I'm not saying what you did was right...that's not what forgiveness is, but I choose to let go now". Yeonjun nodded "thank you and I'm really happy to see you doing so well. You look...well happy". You nodded "I am, for the first time in nearly 2 years I am". Yeonjun smiled "that's great, you deserve it all". You nodded and moved away. "You okay?" Soobin asked, having observed the whole thing and Yeonjun nodded. For the first time since your breakup, he let out a deep breath he'd been holding because you were okay. You'd recovered from what he'd done to you and his worst fear of him causing you irredeemable damage hadn't come true. You were stronger than the bad he'd done to you. Yeonjun would always carry the weight of what he'd done to you but he was so happy you'd recovered. It was a relief and something he'd always be grateful for. He loved seeing you smile and you were truly thriving, enough to even repair some old friendships. About a month later Yeonjun came back from the bathroom to hear a familiar but sorely missed sound. You laughing. He saw you chatting with Soobin and Huening Kai. You must've somehow found each other at this kpop event and got talking. Soobin said something and Huening hid behind you as you argued back jokingly. He watched the scene and smiled to see you doing so well but then he paused. He felt a much more familiar pang of regret realising this not being normal was all his fault. He'd never gotten over you or been able to move on and he was fairly sure he never would. As if sensing his thoughts Soobin looked up and spotted him. You followed his gaze and met Yeonjun's eye. His breath paused but then you smiled softly and gestured for him to come over. He felt so surprised but also joyful and hurried over. "Hey" he said trying to act casual "what's Soobin done wrong now". Soobin mocked gasped and Huening giggled. You smiled "he was just teasing Huening for his plushies" you told him "he threatened to throw some away". Yeonjun laughed "that would be like torture to Huening!". You nodded "that's what I said" and laughed before you seemed to realise what you were doing. "Well it was really great seeing you again, good night" you called and walked away. Once you'd gone both boys turned to Yeonjun. "You both just stood and had a conversation!" Soobin said. Yeonjun nodded "I know...and it felt amazing". After that, you had several more chats with TxT and Yeonjun. You'd nod to each other at award shows and talk behind the scenes. Yeonjun would sometimes find your friends watching or glaring at him as you did but that was okay. He was so grateful you had them and all they'd done for you so they had the right to be angry at him long after you'd forgiven him. The more he was around you the more he realised he still had feelings for you and that they weren't going anywhere. He hadn't dated anyone in nearly 2 years since you'd broken up and honestly he'd never even thought about it. He knew you were the love of his life and he figured he'd wrecked all of that but now you were talking again he wasn't sure. You still fit together so well and the last time you'd run into each other went to get a coffee and stayed talking for hours. The way you looked at him gave Yeonjun hope things weren't over and so he kept a watchful eye for any hint from you, that you might want something more. When he got it at a party where the two of you found yourselves outside together all night, he went for it. "Y/n I...I never stopped loving you" Yeonjun said and your breath caught in your throat. Yeonjun carried on "I still love you and I know after everything I've got some nerve even asking but is there any way you could give me a second chance? I've learned my mistake I promise, I just want you back". Your heart was hammering in your chest and your brain hurt with all the thoughts processing. When a while passed and you didn't reply Yeonjun prompted you "Y/n?". You took a breath "sorry I just need a minute...I don't know what the smartest thing for me to do is". Yeonjun nodded "I know your brain is probably screaming at you to tell me to suck it but I swear Y/n I will never hurt you like that again. You can trust me and I will prove that to you every single day". You sighed "see I believe you mean that but what if that changes? You never set out to hurt me the first time but Yeonjun I almost didn't survive this. I'm not sure I can take a second one". Yeonjun shook his head "me either which is why you can trust me. I know how badly I messed up and it was the worst time of my life. So no matter what happens I will never let things get that bad. I'll be open and honest with you throughout. Please just give me a chance to show you". You looked at him "please don't hurt me again" and Yeonjun broke. He rushed forward and cradled you against him. "Never" he said kissing your forehead tenderly before looking into your eyes "does this mean...?". His voice wavered and you saw the emotion in his eyes so you nodded. "I still love you too" and you kissed him. Yeonjun had literally dreamed of this scenario for so long that it didn't feel real. He kissed you back, his brain unable to process if his wildest dream was really happening. You were giving him a second chance! When you pulled away you were both laughing and crying at the same time. "I won't let you down Y/n, I swear it" Yeonjun said concentrating so hard he was frowning and you smiled "I know, I trust you" and you did. You could feel the truth in Yeonjun's words and could also feel something else. You weren't sure what it was but something was telling you this was the right thing to do and that your struggles with Yeonjun were over. Your future together was going to be bright. _______

Just to clarify I am in no way saying cheating is something Yeonjun would do! I just wanted to explore a sad storyline with Yeonjun :) 

[catkin-morgs-kookaburralover]

day seventeen: touch starved

a Vaniah story. word count 1,050.

He spent a long time in hospital relearning everything. Vaniah slowly regained himself, his memories and his character. He cried a great deal. He was allowed very few visitors, but Jim and Maria were there very frequently, even when he was catatonic. When his health permitted, Mordecai was also there. He couldn’t remember what had happened to Mordecai, but he knew it was bad.

And so, surrounded by the people who loved him (and he thought his family visited a few times, though they weren’t supposed to), Vaniah recollected himself. He never knew afterwards how long he was in hospital; only that when he came out he was a different man, and the violent tendencies he had been developing were entirely gone. Forever after, he only expressed his violence towards himself, or towards others when he considered it necessary. It was no longer an instinctive reaction.

He had lost himself, and with the help of others he found himself again, but not quite the same. He would never be quite the same as beforehand.

Months had passed before he walked out of the hospital unaided. Jim, Maria and Mordecai were by his side. Maria had already graduated to the next stage of the program, but she was going to stay around for a while to help Vaniah. She looked older and sadder than he remembered. Mordecai had managed to contract Legionnaire’s disease and had been hospitalised for a long time too, so he would progress with Vaniah still.

For that Vaniah was glad. Without the constancy of his friends by his side he thought he might forget himself. He was having problems with remembering things—he had almost no memory of the hospital, and frequently struggled with short-term memory—but they said that would probably pass over time.

Whenever he fell asleep, he remembered Maria’s face, though he never remembered it in his waking hours. Though he did not know it, it was the start of a pattern of terrible nightmares plaguing his sleep, and he cried out often. Yet he was never aware of it except in brief flashes.

They said that the combination of hypnotherapy and unusual stress just before that had pushed him to the breaking point, and—unlike what Jim had said once—he was capable of breaking.

The only memory he had clearly from that time of his life was something Jim had said. It lingered in his head occasionally.

“The only budging you will ever do will be complete and catastrophic—no little bending to the whims of others. If you break it will be because you killed yourself.”

Well, he had broken catastrophically. Maybe not in the way Jim had meant, but that was irrelevant. And he still lived—he still lived. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“Do you really think I’ll kill myself?” he said apropos of nothing to Jim one day, a week after he had returned to the compound. He only realised what a disturbing sentence it was when he saw the look on the other man’s face.

“Why did you ask that?”

“I was wondering. I remembered you told me once that I’d kill myself if I broke. Something about it being complete and catastrophic.”

Jim studied him. “You remember that?”

“Yes.”

“Do you need to talk to a psychologist? I’m not equipped for keeping you safe if you really are a danger to yourself.”

“I’m not. I was curious, that’s all.”

Jim sighed. “This line of work can make it really hard for everyone, Vaniah. I don’t want you to be pushed further than you can bear.”

“How do I know when I get to that stage?” He laughed; Jim glanced wearily at him.

“Talk to me.”

He did. Some days he spent hours talking to Jim, and he was unconscious of how much it was affecting him. He spent less time with Maria and Mordecai, but he was scarcely aware of it. If he had seen what he was to become a year before it would have horrified him. But things which had distressed him deeply at the start did not make him think twice anymore.

He was becoming the monster he had long promised himself he would never become, and Jim was satisfied.

But he was still not entirely heartless. One day he was commanded to injure someone who had just joined the program. The boy was terrified; he was shaking. Vaniah hesitated with the knife in his hand, and eventually laid it down and refused. He suspected it was because of Mordecai’s influence.

For that Jim punished him severely. He had never dreamed one could feel that much pain and remain conscious. Maria was there, too—unless he had hallucinated her—and she wept and begged Jim to stop. Vaniah only passed out, eventually, from blood loss. Then they gave him multiple blood transfusions and let him heal in pain.

He began physical therapy to avoid problems with scarring. He felt better afterwards; the dull pain distracted him from his dark thoughts, and sometimes he was so exhausted he had to go to bed immediately after and sleep.

It was a dark time for Vaniah, though he was worked so hard he didn’t always realise it; as the medication regimen had more and more of an impact on him, he discovered that it was all but impossible to drink himself to drunkenness. He found he liked the vaguely medicinal taste of vodka, and began drinking until everything felt slightly fuzzy; almost every night, as it was the only way he could get to sleep. He woke every day with a hangover, but it became his normal. He never knew how much he confessed to and was manipulated by Jim; nor did he question why he was given so much access to alcohol, where very few others were allowed it.

He became touch starved; the only times he was touched now was to harm, both from others and from himself. Sometimes they made him injure himself, and sometimes he chose it to get away from the memories plaguing him, hanging just out of reach. Nobody had hugged him for a long time, and his friends never initiated embraces now. He suspected they were afraid of him.

That tracked. He was afraid of himself.

[writer-akihiko]

Hi, I wanted to request a scenario for the dorm leaders separately where him and S/o are dating. Grim comes running to find him and tell him Crowley was sending S/o back to their world. So the dorm leader goes running into Crowley's office and plead S/o to stay in twisted wonderland, telling them how much they love them and admitting they want to get married when they graduate. S/o agrees to stay, but explains that Crowley only gave the option to go back and Grim just assumed they were leaving.

Dorm Leaders + MC's Chance To Leave

So I have to be honest, this was a little challenging for me since I didn't want to repeat the same scenario, so some scenarios turned out a little more angsty than the others, so please be warned of that

Besides that, I had a lot of fun on the reactions of the Dorm Leaders! Please enjoy! Cut for length

"Hoi! Dorm Leader!!"

A furry cat ran up to the Dorm Leader, in full panic as his swishing tail flickered anxiously.

"Listen here!" Grim pawed at the student's feet, the mention of your name catching his attention. "YN's leaving! You have to go and stop her! I overheard her in Crowley's office!"

"…What?"

Malleus Draconia

He summoned as much magic as he could, transporting him to the principal's door and blasting the door open

"YN…!"

He was truly scared, and his fear translated through his own magic as the whole school felt the earthquakes

The draconic fae hugged you tight, his much larger frame engulfing you completely. "YN, please don't go… I don't know what I'd do without you so please…"

"Wait-"

"No, please let me finish," He said, his finger silencing you. "YN, I love you. I love you my dear, more than you'd possibly know. I want to do so much with you. I want to marry you once I was done with school, and I was hoping to take you to the Valley of Thorns!..."

"My Queen, please consider staying with me."

Despite his desperate grip, you patted his head, giggling at the confession.

"Tsunotarou… I'm not going anywhere."

Crowley coughed, "M-My my… What a passionate proclamation of love…"

Malleus was utterly confused, but all he understood was that you weren't leaving him

You explained the whole situation, although you had to tease your precious fae for overreacting

"Tsunotarou~ Should I prepare my wedding dress now?"

The Prince of the Faes has never blushed harder…

Riddle Rosehearts

He hoped he wasn't too late, as he raced down the halls, abandoning every rule he himself established in the dorms

"YN! You're not allowed to leave me!"

His face reddened with rage and despair, anticipating for the worse as he fell to the ground

He felt the familiar touch of you, as you held his cheek

He reached out to you, confessing his worries

"YN, if you really leave me... I don't think I can handle it anymore. You mean so much to me... If you're leaving me, at least know that I love you to the point I want to have a wedding right after graduation!-"

"R-Riddle... you really want to marry me?" You shied away, hiding your face in your hands

"Of course!" He protested. "You're the only one I'd be on my knees for, so please... don't leave."

You couldn't help but let out a laugh at such a serious moment like this. "Riddle... I never planned to. I turned down Crowley's offer. I'm staying here... with you. So don't cry, Riddle."

He felt like an utter idiot for believing Grim

"O-Of course! I'm... Thank you for staying with me, YN."

Kalim Al-Asim

He dropped everything he was doing, racing to the principal's door

Jamil was the unfortunate soul who had to clean up after him

Kalim didn't want to miss you, he just had so much so say to you

When he burst in the room, Crowley protested the sudden interruption

He was quickly silenced by Kalim throwing a pillow at him

"YN! My beautiful Zahra!" He proclaimed, getting on one knee. "My Zahra, will you marry me?"

"W-What?"

"If you marry me this instance, you'd consider not going back!" He cried, the tears soaking his shirt. "YN, I don't… Don't go… What am I supposed to do?"

You wiped away your lover's tears, kissing them away

"Kalim, I never planned to. I'm staying here with you, my sweet prince, even if I can go back," You said, brushing the ends of his hair

"R-Really?"

You nodded, your cheeks warming at the thought of Kalim's sudden proposal. "Y-Yeah… Did you mean to marry me though?"

"YN, I'd propose to you over and over again if that's what you want."

Azul Ashengrotto

Azul snapped, crushing the contract he was preparing for some student that harassed you the other day

He was in denial at first, but he wasn't about to take any chances

If he had to keep you here by a contract, he'd do so

"Crowley! What is the meaning of this?!"

He protectively pulled you into his arms, stating his purpose. "YN, you are not going back," He turned to you. "You don't know if it works! It could be a scam! You're safer with me-"

"Azul, you're-"

"YN," He faced you, bringing his gloved hand under you chin. "Don't underestimate my love for you. If Crowley… If he didn't step in, I'd propose to you by graduation and I'd bring you the Sea to meet my parents and-"

"Azul, my adorable octopus. I didn't agree to go back," You said, setting your boyfriend straight. "I'm not going anytime soon, not away from you that is."

Most would've expected him to be in tears when hearing you were leaving, but Azul was a sobbing mess hearing that you stayed

"R-Really? YN… Thank you, thank you my Angelfish for staying with me…" He sobbed into your shirt, swaying into the hug

"You shouldn't underestimate my love for you either, my future husband."

Idia Shroud

Idia almost broke the game controller in his hands, his jaw agape at Grim

"Extra… You shouldn't be telling me lies…"

Idia, of course had to set out on a quest to reverse the fate of this story!...

He rushed to the den of the wicked, and there the trickster principal was tempting you to go back!

"YN! Don't fall for his schemes!" He cried, his hair of flames burning brighter than before. "I… I won't let you go back home!"

Ortho, at his side, dutifully restrained the crow from retorting anything as Idia tried to convince you to not leave

"YN… Just say anything and I'll give it to you. Just don't go!!" He said. "Is it because you thought I was hiding something from you? If it's that, I'm willing to show you!"

He rustled a paper out of his jacket, unfurling it to reveal a design of a ring…

"Here!" He presented, at this point quite desperate to keep you here. "I-It's the ring I plan to propose you with! It was supposed to be after my graduation, where you could be next to me all the time…"

You cupped the face of your frantic boyfriend, hushing him

"Idia, sweetie, I agreed to stay even before you came," You explained, telling him that you never planned to leave as well how you appreciated his notion of marriage

Idia pulled you into a tight hug, happy that you never gave up on him

"YN, I'll try to make you as happy as I can!"

Leona Kingscholar

To everyone's surprise, Leona's first instinct wasn't a fit of rage. Instead, the second prince went into a burst of tears with hits frustration

"YN… There's no way she would…"

He had to prove himself wrong. He had to

Otherwise he'd might just break then and there

"YN! Where are you?..."

He almost worried if he were too late

He couldn't explain the bloom of relief that swelled in his chest as he saw you still in this world

He grabbed you by the shoulders, unexpected words spilling from his lips

"YN, did I mean nothing to you? Was I nothing when you showed me love?!" He cried out, his tears flowing freely. "Was… Was I even worth it? Was I?"

He sunk to his knees, as he gave up all hope for you to stay

"I wanted to make you mine… I wanted to marry you and live with just the two of us…" He sobbed, his claws digging into his own skin

"Was I that easy to forget?"

He didn't expect the warmth of your hug comforting him. "No Leona," You said, shedding a few tears yourself. "I could never forget you, which is why I chose to stay. I'm never leaving you, not even for my old life."

"YN… you really scared me, y'know?"

Vil Schoenheit

Vil wanted to crush that cat under his heels for bringing such dreadful news to him

He made his way to the principal's room, voicing his very annoyance the moment he barged in

"Principal! How dare you manipulate my sweet potato!"

He cuddled you in his arms, lulling sweet words into your ears in hopes of driving whatever rubbish you had to hear from Crowley

"My sweet potato, I… Please consider staying with me," He said, his hands ghosting over yours. "I… Just let me give everything to you if that's what you want! You can do anything, I just want you…"

You were about to say something, but Vil thought it was a retort of protest

"I had been planning everything for the moment I propose after graduation! I can't let that bird ruin that!" He cried, trying to hear a word of approval from you. "My… My beloved. Please stay with me."

You nodded, bestowing a kiss on your lover

"Vil, I'm flattered," You admitted. "But I was already planning to stay. I could never consider letting you go."

Vil couldn't stop himself from lifting you up and twirling you around. "Oh, my beloved! You're staying with me!" He repeated over and over again, enjoying the giggles that came from your lips

He set you down, realising your furry companion lied to him

"YN, I really want to crush that furball that tails you…"

"Vil!"

[twelfth-harbinger]

A/n: So this happened... I simp for this archon god. Part two will be out soon! Pls enjoy!!

Mentions: A worried Zhongli— cares so much about your safety you entered a contract with him to ease his heart. Only to be reckless and well... break it. Xiao snitched. Now you must suffer the wrath of the rock and face a fitting punishment.

Warnings: None... yet. ;)

The Broken Contract Part 1

Being the absurdly lawful man that he is, Zhongli could not stand for a broken contract between you both. Even if it was a verbal contract it was a contract nonetheless.

How could he not be upset when you failed to follow through with your end of the contract. He sat across from you with tea, allowing the misty steam from the fine liyue crafted chinaware to fill his nostrils as he raised the cup to his lips. His eyes closed briefly to relax himself as he took his first sip. You stared at him, a bit awestruck at his composure being kept. What ever happened to ‘You will suffer the wrath of the rock?’ You wore a quaint smile on your lips, something he didn’t find all that amusing. Golden eyes settle on your face as he lowered the teacup. It was silent, the two of you could hear Mora drop with how still it was. You could tell he was pressed, the crease in his brow as he studied your nonchalant facial expression made it as clear as a refined and polished piece of cor lapis. Finally, he broke the silence with a question, one you didn’t think he’d ask so casually.

“How should we go about giving you the punishment you deserve?” He stated, your eyes widened a bit as he spoke. His voice was deep, smooth and firm and his eyes held the authority of a god you knew better than to cross. You simply couldn’t help it though, not when you knew he held a soft spot for you in his heart. As you part your lips to speak you noticed he looked at them momentarily before meeting your eyes again. He spoke further instead when you bit down on your bottom lip subconsciously. “You voided the contract and held disregard for your own life. Do you know what those treasure hoarders were going to do to you?” The irritation in his voice stagnated in the air and you felt a little apprehensive under his reprimanding gaze. His eyes glowed, amber-gold speckled with hints of deep copper brown; they were entrancing. “If it weren’t for a passing adventurer assisting you, you’d be dead or worse. Even he was worse for wear after the ordeal. Had I not been on my way to the Wangshu Inn, returning from Qingce Village; I wouldn’t have caught wind of your fate at all.”

He paused to let his words sink in, your nearly fatal encounter with a band of treasure hoarders left you severely injured for a few long weeks. You took up residence in the Wangshu Inn to rehabilitate. While you were recovering, you made it your mission to avoid Xiao. It didn’t help when you bumped into him in the kitchen upon making yourself one of your favorite meals from Monstadt. You made him promise not to tell Zhongli but, he simply told you he didn’t have to. It perplexed you nonetheless as he took his leave, only to later find out that Zhongli was just a few hours away from reaching the inn. He would’ve told him anyways. When he saw you and the state those greedy treasure hoarders left you in, he took a personalized trip to the East of Luhua Pool. Once he returned, he took very good care to you, until you were well enough to discuss the means of your broken contract back in Liyue. The time had come and so, there you both were. He placed his tea down in front of him and looked to you for a proper response, something you found quite difficult to do without saying something that would undoubtedly make this serious man irritable.

“I don’t think I did anything wrong.” You replied, Zhongli sat there, his eyes searching your face for any signs of a jest. You were serious, he couldn’t stop a faint laugh from moving past his lips as he took in what you said. You decided to follow up with it to not seem so stubborn in your ways, it didn’t really help. “Meaning, I took the commission well within the means to do so in our contract.” As you finished your statement, the Archon God stared at you blankly. It was mainly due to the astonishment of what you had just said; it left him a little speechless. Were you really trying to get through a loophole in this contract? While sitting in front of the God of Contracts himself— in the middle of the conversation no less; as well as being in the midst of discussing a fitting punishment? More importantly, was it a valid claim? Zhongli took a moment to ponder it over, his hand moving under his chin as you took a sip of your own tea. You had a sly smile on your face but it faded the moment he looked your way. He caught it in his peripheral though, but refrained from commenting on it.

“You aren’t wrong,” he began, lowering his hand and letting it rest flat on the table by his tea. “However, in the contract we made, it was stated that you would never throw away your life for a commission that would inevitably put you in a position where you can’t properly defend yourself. You did all of that to retrieve a worthless scroll for Lan? Did you really believe that facing an entire band of treasure hoarders in their hideout was worth more than your life?” He genuinely asked, knowing he caught you. You looked away from him with a light pout. When the scroll reached Lan, she told you it was the wrong one and after careful analysis by Zhongli and an Archeologist it was found out to also be a decoy and a fake. Which meant no reward for the commission and the initial request still being up for grabs for any other Adventurer out there. You could understand where Zhongli’s worry and vexation was stemming from. He sighed out and leaned back in his seat; arms folding over his chest as he looked at you. “I’m not angry at you but displeased by the way you don’t think things through. Which is why we made this contract in the first place, I worry about your safety more than you will ever know.” As you met his gaze his expression was soft, which made you feel warm inside. His eyes lowered a bit and a placid expression layered itself on his face. “So?” He said “How shall we go about giving you the proper punishment? It would seem you can only learn the hard way for this isn’t the first time.” He eyed you and under his stare rosy pink blush dusted your cheeks. In any case, he wanted an answer from you that you weren’t too sure how to give.

“I would rather you come up with it, I wouldn’t come up with anything just.” You admitted, he made you read a thick ancient text on the meaning of life once and it was absolute torture. You didn’t retain any of it having fallen asleep more times than you can count. However, when it was still fresh in your mind you were able to recite what Zhongli asked for when he mentioned something about the key points of the passage on the 600th page. When you proposed the idea, he was a bit unsure how he should go about admonition. As he pondered it over, he watched you take a sip from the warm tea he had brewed for you both prior to your current conversation. You licked your lips as you savored the taste of the flowery sweet minty beverage. A refined taste for those who partake in the ritual of tea time, it was then Zhongli realized something. You two hadn’t done anything promiscuous since before you took the commission on. Given his work and the fact that you were injured as well as the hiccups in finding out the authenticity of the scroll and dealing with treasure hoarders; it left little time to be intimate with each other. Zhongli had not thought about it until he was able to be alone with you. Pent up wasn’t even close to what he would describe what he was feeling in that very moment. As he shifted in his seat he let out an exasperated sigh, a gloved finger tapping down idly on the surface of the table you two sat across.

“I see, I’ve thought of something just now.” He said, faint smirk tugging shyly at the corner of his lips. You looked at him, your eyes searching his face for his usual stern and stoic expression. When you found something more playful you looked a little lost. He caught your stare the eye contact you made caused heat to rise to your face.

“What is it?” You asked, wanting to know. Zhongli stood and let his hands rest flat on the table as he did so, before folding them back over his chest.

“I have work to do, the day isn’t over yet.” He ignored your question, a crease formed in his brow as well as yours. What the hell was he thinking? You could rarely get a full read on this man. His mystique held the wisdom of someone who had lived for several millennia. He looked down at you, seeing you trying to figure him out was comical. “You should relax for the rest of the day, soak in a mineral bath with healing geo salt rocks, eat a nice meal. With the earnings from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, I’ve bought oils and incense. Use them at your leisure and I will see you later tonight; a bit after the sun sets over Liyue Harbor.” As he spoke he walked over to the door, you weren’t sure what he was getting at but, a day to yourself didn’t sound too bad.

“Zhongli.” You say, before he walked out the door you sent a smile his way, to thank him for his kindness and care and even for his worry. “I love you.” He paused in the doorway, staring back at you with eyes slightly ajar. Your words were exactly what he needed to hear. He strolled back over to you to place a kiss on the top of your head. Eyes closing as he breathed in your sweet scent, your hair tickling his nose and chin.

“I love you too, I’ll see you tonight.” He let out an ominously light chuckle and you looked up at him with quizzical eyes. Almost asking him what was so funny, he glanced down at you and his eyes narrowed slightly. “We’ll discuss your punishment then.” With one more kiss to the top of your head he left for the remainder of the day. You sat there in anticipation, you wondered why he was being so lenient about your punishment. You almost died, how was he still not vexed with you for being so careless? Maybe he was and your charm worked better then you gave yourself enough credit for. He’d likely just have you read again and that wasn’t so bad. Whatever the case may be, you took him up on all the things he had suggested before he left. Those geo salts were truly a blessing from the Geo Archon they soothed every ache and pain you had within minutes of soaking in a nice hot in ground bath. As you did, it made you wonder what Zhongli had in store for you. The sun was nearly close to setting over the horizon of Liyue Harbor, you missed his company and the way he’d look at you with such love and adoration. He may have been unhappy with your rather reckless behavior when it came to your adventuring but, you knew you could crack his stone exterior and weasel your way into a lenient punishment — his soft spot for you was ridiculous. You only wished that he’d touch you, with a little convincing and a bit of teasing you’d have him wrapped around your finger for the night. While you soaked in the in ground bath you plotted, the warm water relaxing your body as you waited for the Archon God to return home and into your arms.

[bisexualbumblebee-writes]

What You Want- Luke Patterson x OC

Luke Patterson x Daisy Sloane

Description: After seeing Luke and Julie in an awkward situation, Daisy asks him what he wants between them, and he doesn’t have an answer yet.

Word Count: 1.5k

Luke and Daisy had been getting to know each other for a while now. With Caleb’s contract no longer on both the boys and Daisy, Evangeline and Hattie, they were free to do whatever they wanted. When she had been working for Caleb she didn’t have a lot of leisure time because she was always rehearsing, performing, or serving customers. Nowadays, she spent more time outside, mostly people watching in random places. When she wasn’t doing that, she hung out with Luke. He always seemed happy to see her and eagerly saved her a seat during Julie and the Phantoms band practice when she wanted to come. She was pretty happy with the direction their (not quite) relationship was going.

But, at the same time, she can’t help but notice the looks Luke and Julie gave each other during the few times she watched the band rehearse. Some could shrug it off as them just being passionate about their art. And sure, Daisy could see that sometimes, but there was something different about it sometimes. Like when they would be a little too close during movie nights in the studio for just friends.

Of course Daisy had no reason to feel the jealousy that washed over her. It wasn’t like they were dating, though if they kept on going in this direction they (hopefully) would be in the near future. It wasn’t until almost two months after the contracts broke that those feelings went right out the window.

As usual, Luke had extended an invitation to watch the band practice, which she gladly accepted. She ended up getting there early with the intention of hanging out with him for a bit before the others got there. When she poofed in front of the studio, it only took one look inside the window to let her know that no one was in there, not even Luke. So, she decided to head up to the house to see if anyone was there yet, and she stopped in her tracks when she neared the front porch.

Luke stood beside Julie on the front porch. Their conversation looked important so she ducked out of sight to give them privacy, yet she couldn’t stay away for long as she heard them talk. They seemed to be having some sort of moment, which made a pang of jealousy hit her chest. Luke slowly held his hand out to the Molina girl, but unfortunately her hand just phased through his. Since the night of the Orpheum concert they sometimes had a hard time figuring out how touch worked for all of them, but especially with Julie since she was still alive.

“This is an interesting little relationship you and I have,” Luke muttered. The pang in Daisy’s chest stabbed deeper as she watched the interaction, then she decided she’d seen enough. She held back the tears that threatened to well up in her eyes as she turned away. Just as she was about to walk away, she ran into a large potted plant near the studio. The pot fell over with a loud clatter (though it thankfully didn’t break), and she cursed to herself as she bent down to pick it up. As she set it upright once more she heard footsteps behind her.

“Daisy?” The girl whipped around at the mention of her name. It was Luke who said it, and judging by the look in his eyes he knows she saw their little moment. Rather than be embarrassed about being caught, she only found herself more upset.

“No, no, don’t mind me. I was just leaving. Have fun with that ‘interesting little relationship’ you two have.” Daisy really tried to hide the bitterness in her voice as she spoke, but she had a feeling that it didn’t work. She didn’t stay long enough for them to answer before she turned to leave once again and headed down the driveway.

“Daisy, wait!” Luke’s voice came from behind her yet again, but she didn’t turn around again until he grabbed her wrist. She quickly spun and pushed him away.

“Don’t touch me,” she snapped.

“Please, just let me explain,” Luke begged.

“Explain what?” She questioned. “What I just saw? Explain the ‘interesting little relationship’ you and Julie have? There’s nothing to explain, but I need to know what you want with me and Julie.” The boy sighed softly.

“I don’t know,” he mumbled in response.

“Or I guess the question is, who do you want?” She crossed her arms with a scowl.

“I don’t know!” He repeated desperately. Daisy couldn’t help but scoff at his lame answer, her anger and hurt only multiplying.

“Well, why don’t you call me when you figure it out? Or better yet, maybe you shouldn’t call at all.” And with that, she suddenly remembered that she had the power to poof away. So that’s what she did, leaving Luke still standing at the edge of the driveway.

A full week passed after the incident at the garage and Daisy was still refusing to talk to Luke. He hadn’t attempted to see her or contact her, and she couldn’t figure out if she was relieved or devastated by it. On one hand she was glad that he hadn’t seen her because she didn’t know what she would say to him. Yet, on the other hand, she had secretly hoped that he would show up and tell her that he chose her. But that came with its own difficulties. Why was it a question in the first place? Was she just a second choice because he’d known Julie longer? Did he just say he wanted her because he and Julie couldn’t touch or do normal couple things?

Daisy was overthinking again, and it didn’t help that Alex and Reggie were around a lot to spend time with Hattie and Eva (and Willy) respectively so she was continually reminded of Luke. By this point everyone in their friend group knew what happened. Daisy had told Eva and Hattie what happened which, in turn, led to the guys finding out as well. Based on how they reacted to just the mention of their friend’s name, they were also upset with his behavior. It made her feel a bit better, but she still couldn’t help but think about Luke when she was around them.

So, she took to just exploring more. It had basically become her life at this point, which made it easier for people to find her. That’s exactly what happened the day after the one week mark. Daisy was sitting on an empty bench in a park near Julie’s house. She had been people watching, but she looked over when someone took a seat beside her.

It was Luke, much to her dismay, yet she couldn’t bring herself to stand up. So, they just sat there for a few minutes in complete silence. Once she managed to tear her gaze away from him she refused to look at him until he finally spoke.

“I made my decision,” he said softly. The girl hummed in response, curiosity plaguing her features. It took another moment for him to continue.

“Do you want to know why Julie’s hand went through mine the other day?” Daisy hesitated for a moment, but eventually her curiosity got the best of her. It was now or never.

“Yeah.”

“It’s because my heart wasn’t in it like it usually is when I try to touch someone,” he explained. “It was a subconscious thing, I made myself transparent because I think I knew in my gut that I didn’t like Julie as more than a friend. I didn’t like her more than I like you.” He took her hand after speaking, which almost made her flinch away in surprise.

A small silence fell over them as Daisy processed his confession. His words had resonated with her in a way she didn’t think it would. Here he was, admitting that he was choosing her. But, one question popped into her head that she couldn’t ignore.

“You don’t… You’re not just choosing me because you and Julie can’t touch or do things like a normal couple?” She asked hesitantly. The question made Luke’s eyes widen and he quickly shook his head.

“What? No, absolutely not. I’m choosing you because I like you. It just took me forever to realize because I’m an idiot. The look on your face after you caught me and Julie was enough to make me realize it.”

“So why’d you take so long to find me, then?” She questioned. The boy’s cheeks became red in embarrassment and he looked down at his lap.

“I didn’t think you wanted to see me,” he admitted shyly. That made a small smile slowly form on her lips, and she gently squeezed his hand. Once he faced her again, her smile widened just a bit.

“Well, now that you’ve made your decision, what do you say to getting some ice cream or something?” She suggested. Her inquiry made Luke perk up and he nodded.

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

“Then lead the way, Patterson.” They stood in unison then made their way out of the park, comically wide smiles on their faces. Luke had definitely made the right decision.

[whythinktoomuch]

attempt #37

This was the 52nd formula that Lena had come up with, the 45th solution that she had to wait several hours to synthesize, but only the 37th time she was injecting her shoulder with the resulting concoction. 

It was bright green this time, which only made it seem all the more promising.

There’s a rush and some mild nausea that Lena had come to expect with the experiments, but everything else felt the same. For now. Setting the syringe aside, Lena called out, “Hope, think of a number between one and a million.” 

Then, for the 37th time, Lena tried. She cleared her own mind, practiced the meditative mantras, stared intently into Eve’s eyes, bright blue yet blank with Hope’s quiet disinterest, and... nothing. Not a single digit came to mind. 

No matter how hard Lena tried, the only thoughts in her head were her own. 

With an exasperated sigh, Lena rolled her sleeve back down and directed Hope to log their latest attempt as yet another failure before storming off to start her day. 

// 

Lena emerged from the laboratory with wrinkled clothes and dark circles sunken around her eyes, which was probably why the first thing she heard as she stepped out of the elevator was her personal assistant’s hushed commentary of, Oh sweet Jesus, she looks tired. 

“Oh, I’m well aware, Hector,” Lena said, lofty and without much malice. “Nothing a little coffee can’t fix though.” 

Hector stared at her blankly. “I’m sorry, Miss Luthor?” 

“Never mind,” Lena said, rolling her eyes. She took the outstretched coffee in question as she walked by the assistant’s desk. “Just hold all my calls until the afternoon, please.” 

This time, when Hector grumbled under his breath about wow, she must be grumpy too, Lena ignored it. There were better things for the CEO to tackle, after all; as for example, some fitful sleep on her couch, perhaps? 

Hours later, Lena was relatively well-rested, so she pored over her notes again, trying to pinpoint the exact variable she must have overlooked in her carelessness. Because by all accounts, the formula should have worked—Lena had been certain of it. But then again, she’d admittedly thought that of almost every attempt thus far. 

When Hector walked into her office at some point in the late afternoon with a handful of contracts to be signed, Lena felt no closer to the solution and a slight headache coming on.

“Is there anything else I can help you with?” 

“Another coffee would be great,” Lena said, as she sifted through the documents. 

“Oh my God, if she takes in any more caffeine, her heart’s going to literally explode...” Hector muttered to himself. “Well, maybe she won’t notice if I get her decaf instead...?” 

Lena dropped the papers onto her desk with a scoff. “You know I can hear you, right?” 

Hector appeared startled, which seemed rather appropriate until he slowly said, “So... was that a yes on the espresso?” 

“What?” 

Hector maintained his slow cadence, carefully enunciating every syllable as if he were repeating himself, “Did you want to stick with your usual order... or maybe go with an espresso... because it’s a little stronger?” 

But in a normal cadence, also in Hector’s voice and somehow clear as a bell in Lena’s head came, “If this woman doesn’t get another nap in pronto, she is going to drop dead, and everyone’s going to think I poisoned her coffee, because she’s always in—” 

Absolutely stunned, Lena continued to stare up at Hector in silence, eyes narrowing as the assistant’s slightly panicked voice droned on and on in her head. Until a louder remark broke through the reverie. 

“Whoa, did she just fall asleep with her eyes open?” 

Lena blinked quite obviously, and her mild shock was accompanied with a loud and clear, yet unspoken Oh, thank God! from Hector. 

But the Hector standing before her hadn’t moved his lips once, only watching the bewilderment play out on Lena’s face with some polite concern. 

“The usual’s fine,” Lena interjected before her assistant could press again. “Or the espresso, or whatever. I don’t care, as long as it’s still hot and caffeinated.” 

“You got it,” Hector said. 

“Definitely getting her decaf,” Hector thought as he turned to leave, but Lena hardly minded. She was too busy restructuring the rest of her day around this most exciting realization. 

After some quick bit of arithmetic in her head, Lena set a timer on her watch for five hours, which was presumably the amount of time it would take for her body to break down the serum and render it useless. Then she logged on to her private interface and happily directed Hope to re-record attempt #37 as a success. 

//

The ability to read minds was, quite simply, quite the advantage. 

Though it wasn’t so much “mind-reading,” as mind-receiving. The serum seemed to have granted Lena access to the loud and active thought processes of everyone around her—their inner monologue, if you will, everything put into words but left unsaid. 

Lena had been hoping for more, to be able to break into other people’s minds so as to hack secrets, determine why supposed close friends would ever betray her, and the like. Maybe that would come with time and practice. 

But as it turned out, there was rather plenty to be gleaned from the forefront of someone’s mind, as people often thought about the things they weren’t supposed to say before choosing more palatable means of expression. Which made the rest of Lena’s workday somewhat informative, if not a little fun. 

For one thing, Lena found out that a lot more of her employees enjoyed working for her than she had thought. All of them respected her, several feared her, and quite a fair few entertained invasive thoughts about her décolletage before swiftly directing their attention elsewhere. 

She also found out there was one board member in particular who liked to fudge the numbers during meetings, and that his face took on a very unappealing shade of off-white when Lena could inexplicably confront him with the actual results of his findings. 

But most importantly of all, what Lena found out was that... she actually enjoyed this heretofore inaccessible sense of control this ability afforded her. She had taken on the experiments for a very specific purpose, but now, it was difficult to even imagine going back to how things were, even after the fact.  

// 

Lena walked into the DEO, and for the first time, the outpouring of distrust attached to the Luthor name was all but imagined. The disparaging thoughts followed her, even as the people who had them smiled or averted their eyes as she passed. 

Nothing she wasn’t used to though. 

Alex’s voice slid into Lena’s head in a whisper—... the hell?—one whole minute before she actually greeted her, “Lena, hey... Well, can’t say that I was expecting you.” 

“Yes, that’s what it sounds like,” Lena mused, and Alex gave her a slight frown. 

“So, did you need something?” 

“Where’s Kara? I want to talk to her.” 

Alex’s carefully composed face betrayed no emotion, but her thoughts sighed heavily, “Of course...” before ebbing away into something entirely indistinct and indecipherable.

Lena blinked. She hadn’t encountered anyone whose thoughts weren’t immediately accessible to her before. But here Alex was, giving directions to Kara’s current whereabouts, all the while muttering some underlying commentary in tones so hushed that Lena couldn’t quite make out any of it. 

“... Is there something on my face?” Alex swiped her sleeve across her forehead. “What are you looking at?” 

“What? No, nothing,” Lena said brusquely. “Thank you for telling me where Kara is. Bye.” She turned on her heel, headed for the hallway that would eventually lead to the training room. 

“Well, that was weird...” Alex’s voice drifted after her, a literal afterthought. “But I mean, I guess she has a nice ass, so—”

Lena shot a dirty look over her shoulder, but Alex was already back on her computer, mind rattling off coordinates and running through tactical drills like a well-oiled machine. 

// 

Kara was wearing short shorts and a sports bra, panting, and absolutely drenched in sweat when Lena stepped foot into the training room. She looked over at Lena, her skin glistening against the dimmed green of the kryptonite-lined walls, and smiled wide. 

“Oh, hey! What are you doing here?” Kara asked, giving the punching bag one last jab before tugging her gloves off. "Did something happen or...? I mean, not that I’m not happy to see you, of course.” She flashed Lena another bright grin before pressing a towel to her face and neck and chest. 

It was enough to stop Lena in her tracks, and almost enough to put a damper on her plans. Almost. 

“I need to talk to you,” Lena said evenly, eyes glued firmly to Kara’s forehead. 

“Yeah, sure! Jeez... I’d give you a hug, but I’m like sweating in places I didn’t even know existed. Alex says that this is the only way to learn proper form and all, but wow. I can’t believe there are humans who actually do this for fun—” 

“Kara,” Lena cut in, lips pursing in exasperation. “I’m serious. We need to talk right now.” 

Kara blinked, then slowly nodded. “Okay, yeah, let’s talk... You wanna sit down?” 

“I prefer to be standing.” 

“Okay.” Kara remained standing as well, towel now crumpled in her hands. “So, what’s going on?” 

Lena took a deep breath, quickly running through the meditative techniques meant to keep her mind clear and open, then asked, “Why did it take you so long to tell me that you’re Supergirl?” 

Kara’s shoulders slumped. “Lena, I...” 

“No, why did it take three years? Why didn’t you trust me?” Lena continued, her pace steady and firm just like she had practiced. “I trusted you. I trusted you with every part of me, which is extremely difficult for me to do, and you just... didn’t care, I guess.” 

“Of course, I care. Lena... I never meant to hurt you,” Kara said insistently. Her voice was loud, emphatic, and at the moment, the only thing Lena could hear.  

“Don’t!” Lena snapped when Kara started to approach her. “Don’t come any closer. And stop talking! Just listen.” 

Kara exhaled sharply through her nose and raised her hands in tentative surrender in absolute, utter silence. Lena even paused for a beat or two, just to see if any of Kara’s thoughts would breach the surface, but none did. 

“Why couldn’t you just trust me, Kara?” Lena asked, and regrettably her voice trembled on the last syllable. “Why did I have to hear it from Lex?” 

Kara’s eyes widened. “Lex? Lex told you before I did?” 

“Shut up. Do not talk,” Lena hissed out, waiting for Kara to snap her jaw shut before continuing with a bitter laugh, “Do you, do you even trust me now...?” Kara stared, gaze hardening. “And how do you expect me to trust anything you have to say for yourself now?” 

Lena’s questions—all of the above and beyond—were met with silence, strained only by the sound of Kara’s heavy breath and Lena’s own thoughts. 

Scoffing, Lena threw up her hands. “Do you even care that you hurt me?” 

“... Can I talk now?” Kara demanded, seething like she had any right to it. But when Lena shook her head furiously, she held her tongue and apparently everything else as well, because Lena couldn’t hear a single damn thing. 

When the alarm on her watch went off, Lena left, slamming the door on her way out. She contacted Hope through their private channel and had her re-log attempt #37 as just another failure. 

Back to the fucking drawing board. 

(next part here)

[leiawritesstories]

Speak To My Heart

Rowaelin Month, Day 15: A bad day

Word count: 3422

Warnings: language, bit of depression, fighting. In short, there is angst in this fic. Hope the ending makes up for the rest.

Linguistics and foreign languages are two of my personal passions, so please bear with the bits of language talk that I couldn’t resist including. Brief word of clarification: a lot of expressions we use in English either translate into something extremely rude or don’t make sense in other languages. Translation companies have been trying for quite some time to make sure they don’t accidentally send a client a translated instruction manual that reads “fuck your mother” instead of “for questions, contact your local energy department.” All right I’ll get off my soapbox. :)

The phrases in foreign languages, marked with *, are translated into English at the end. Enjoy!

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

Rowan’s day had been shit. The second he walked through the door, he’d been bombarded with an endless slew of crash reports, malfunctioning equipment, faulty passwords, and best of all, having to rewrite half the security firewalls because one of the rash young idiots in his department couldn’t be bothered to check his work for errors before sending it to management. And management thought it was the department boss’s job to fix all of his employees’ fuckups.

He hated IT.

Even more so since being promoted to department chair. 

All he wanted to do was the fun stuff--program design and development, fixing the flaws in his own designs, and of course making those who tried to break into his company’s systems regret their pitiful existence. But Cadre Tech’s bitch of a CEO refused to let the best software engineer on her staff actually do his job. 

Most days, he could cope with the pile of useless shit she directed to his desk. Most days. Today was not one of those days. Probably because on top of all the meaningless tasks he’d had to field, he was also forced to sit through one of Maeve’s bullshit “department head strategy sessions,” where every department chair had to pretend they gave a single shit about any word coming from their CEO’s garishly red, pinched mouth. 

As if she knew anything her staff actually did. 

Thanks to the compulsory meeting, Rowan was stuck in his office at nearly ten o’clock, painstakingly combing through the final draft of the update to CT’s translation program. This program had shot the company to fame and fortune, or at least insane stock value. “A Google Translate that actually translates,” their marketing department called it, and by the gods, that stupid slogan worked. And made sense. Rowan knew the program was just as good as it claimed to be.

He’d put in the hours, alongside a team of linguists, software engineers, designers, and people fluent in at least one other language. Frequent were the sessions where the project whiteboard turned into a jumble of words in twenty or more languages, Spanish alongside Arabic next to a column of simplified Japanese characters spilling over into a row of Cyrillic lettering. Rowan himself spoke German and some Spanish, but even he was lost amid the cacophony of eighteen different people switching from language to language, trying to figure out how idiomatic expressions translated from one language to another and what words should never, ever be placed together. 

It took the team well over a year of bickering, or as they called it, friendly linguistic disagreements, to make it from loosely mapped concept to functioning program. By the time it hit the market three years ago, the software had been so well promoted that companies all over the world snapped up their chance to finally communicate properly with the client they’d offended years ago with a bad translation. 

At launch, of course, Maeve stood in front of a sea of shouting reporters brandishing microphones, smiling her serpentine smile, and proceeded to thank the creative team for all their “contributions” before taking all the credit herself. 

Said creative team went to the bar that had become their usual gathering spot that night to get drunk and shit-talk their horrible boss, not necessarily in that order. 

His favorite memory of that night was hearing the chief linguist, an outside contract with multiple advanced degrees who spoke eight separate languages besides English fluently, refer to Maeve as “quella puttana rugosa che non riusciva a convincere un cazzo a venire a dieci metri da lei se si vestiva da figa.*” The Italian speakers on the team were crying with laughter, and so was everyone else, once she translated it.

And then she downed another shot of vodka and hissed something that sounded like “sukya bliyad, no puedo mich betrinken con esta ordures.**” When everyone blinked in confusion, she sighed and relayed the sentiment in English. 

Nobody had laughed as hard as Rowan. Aelin Galathynius just had that effect on him.

She brightened his darkest days.

But she couldn’t ease the strain of today.

And it was all his fault.

~

Aelin glanced up at the clock on her wall and cursed in three different languages when she saw that it was nearly eleven. Without meaning to, she’d spent all afternoon and evening writing lesson notes on idiomatic expressions. She really couldn’t help herself once she got into the topic; it was her pet project.

And the subject of one of her dissertations. Yes, she had multiple. 

She’d worked her ass off for years to get through college, then through graduate and doctoral work while teaching at universities to offset costs, then earned a full-time teaching position at one of the top-ranked universities in the world. She got to teach linguistics, her lifetime love, and give guest lectures at other universities and at conferences, teaching people all over the world about the complexities and interrelatedness of language. Hell, she spoke ten; she’d be qualified to speak on linguistic relationships by virtue of that alone.

Gods, she was the chief linguist behind the most successful translation software ever produced. Even if the bitch who owned the rights to said software had literally threatened to sue over ownership rights if any of the people who’d poured their figurative blood and sweat and literal tears into building the program tried to claim a small piece of the credit each of them so richly deserved. 

That software and her role in its creation--even though Maeve Ond had claimed the public credit, the creative team spoke at interviews and made news features for their work in Cadre Tech’s massive success--had solidified her credentials as a professor of linguistics, had boosted her into her lecturer spot.

Last year, her university granted her tenure. 

She should have been overjoyed, and she was, but not as much as earning tenure deserved. 

Because there was nobody to share her joy.

Three years ago, in the wake of CT’s overnight jump to worldwide fame, Aelin fled a love she did not and never would deserve. 

She told herself she would never look back. But she did. Almost every day, she looked back at the life she’d shared with Rowan and tried to convince herself that she did the right thing.

Try as she might, she could never silence the whisper that echoed always in her mind. 

“You broke both of your hearts” 

Someday, she told herself, someday she would be back in Doranelle. Someday, she would have a chance to apologize. Someday, maybe she could fix the Rowan-shaped chasm that gaped wide in her heart. 

Yet here she was, sitting in a very nicely appointed hotel room in the university district of Doranelle, typing furiously away as if burying herself in notes and prep for tomorrow’s lecture could make the urge to contact Rowan disappear.

~

Three years earlier. Doranelle.

“Knock, knock.”

Rowan’s head jerked up from where it had most definitely not been slumped on his desk. “Wha--Oh. Hi, Aelin.”

“You’re falling asleep, buzzard, let’s go home.” He heard laughter in her soft voice. 

“As if you won’t just get home and start cross-checking every single one of the phrases on your ‘potential problem’ list.”

She chuckled, walking over to him. “Fine. We’re both perfectionist work whores. Doesn’t mean we don’t need sleep.”

“I know you too well to believe you’re actually going to sleep.”

“All right, you win. Come home now, I’ll make some food, and you can put me to bed.” She winked saucily at him, leaving very little doubt what putting her to bed would entail, and he was up out of his chair in seconds. 

“Hand over your computer, Fireheart,” he grinned as they walked into the small house they shared on the outskirts of the city. 

“What?”

“Your computer, love. I’m leaving both of our work bags on the shelf by the front door so we can actually catch some rest tonight.” He pressed a finger to her mouth to silence her protests. “Uh-uh, Ae, we have interviews tomorrow and I won’t let the genius behind this program’s flawless word-to-word be anything but well-rested.”

She sighed, but he saw the love in her eyes. “Here, then, my dear brilliant software engineer. Leave your notebook, too, because I know if it’s anywhere near you, you’ll be up at three in the morning scribbling blocks of gibberish and picking apart your faultless code until you go insane.”

Both of their work satisfactorily put aside, Aelin made good on her promise to cook Rowan dinner. 

And then he made very good on his promise to put her to bed. 

The next morning, they were both awake with the sunrise, content to lay curled in each other’s arms as the morning light spread across their room.

Rowan drifted back into sleep, waking for good when he caught a whiff of coffee from the kitchen’s direction. 

“Morning, you sleepy buzzard,” Aelin grinned, sipping from her mug.

Rowan dropped a kiss on her head as he reached for his mug. He took a long drink, sighing as the milky, sweetened caffeine hit his mouth. 

“I will never understand how you drink your coffee black, Fireheart.”

“Not all of us need to sweeten the hell out of coffee to drink it, Ro. Maybe if you can’t handle the real thing, you should go back to your pretty little cups of crappy cafe tea.”

“Mention my pretty little teacups again, Ae…”

She giggled. “You be quiet and drink your coffee-flavored milk, my love.  We both know you’re impossibly grumpy until you have caffeine in your veins.”

He grumbled something unintelligible as he drank his coffee.

They were nearly late to work that morning, even having planned an extra half hour to arrive, thanks to Aelin wearing what Rowan dubbed her “sexy professor suit.” She fixed the pins in her French twist in the car, making herself once again a portrait of professionalism, and slipped Rowan’s hand from her leg.

“Two hands on the wheel, Whitethorn.”

He pouted. “But I’m a safe driver and I want to hold your hand.”

“My hands are over here, love, not down by my skirt.”

When he pulled into his spot, Aelin closed her eyes and took a deep, slow breath. 

“You good, Fireheart?”

Gods, she loved hearing him call her that. “Yeah. I just…needed a moment to settle myself. To tell myself the cameras aren’t here to tear apart what I say.”

Rowan wrapped his hands around hers. “Dr. Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, the bland reporters are here to stand in awe of your expertise. Not a single word you say will come across as anything but brilliant and beautifully said.”

She squeezed his hands, her usual confidence returning. “I love you, buzzard.”

“I love you too, Fireheart. Let’s go talk about our amazing achievement.”

The day sped by in a blur of reporters, interviewers, teleprompters, practiced speeches, lights, cameras, and crew. When the last bleached-blonde anchor of the last interview of the day cut her crew’s cameras, Aelin flopped against her second-in-linguistic-command, Dr. Nehemia Ytger, the expert on ethnic African languages. 

“If I never see a news crew again, it’ll be too soon,” she sighed. “I’m beat.”

Nehemia snickered. “But we’re done talking about how proud we are that Maeve and her marvelous company have done such a grand service to the world.”

Aelin snorted softly. “Right. And now we servicepeople want to go home and take off our heels.”

“Amen to that.”

As the team filed out of the studio, Rowan made his way over to Aelin. “Holding up?”

“Not anymore,” she said, leaning casually into his side. “My heels are killing me, there’s a hairpin stabbing into my scalp, and I really, really need to pee.”

Rowan laughed, deep and husky. “Let’s get you home, then.”

“I’m stopping in the bathroom first.”

Just before she left the ladies’ room, Aelin heard voices in the break area. Familiar voices--Rowan’s, Maeve’s, and the snippy, borderline whiny tones of Remelle Frelau, who worked in the marketing department and had a hell of a boner for Rowan. 

“--looking at revenue over--” Maeve’s voice cut out, but from the gasps of the other two, the revenue was through the roof. 

“And it’s all thanks to this genius here,” drawled Remelle, who if Aelin had her guess was probably clinging onto Rowan like a platinum-blonde leech. 

“Ms. Frelau, this was the product of a team. No single person could possibly have made it happen alone.”

“Oh, call me Remelle, or even better Remy. And you’re the team leader, so you practically did create it by yourself.”

Aelin snickered to herself. Vapid bitch had no idea what she was saying. 

“That’s not how teams work, Ms. Frelau. We wouldn’t be here without Dr. Galathynius and Dr. Ytger’s language expertise, not to mention the creative genius of the engineers, graphic designers, linguists, and programmers.”

“Ms. Frelau, though her judgment is clearly biased, has a point, Mr. Whitethorn,” Mave said. “You demonstrated remarkable collaborative leadership qualities throughout this project, and I fully expect that you will continue to do so.” Maeve’s heels clicked away. Rowan’s voice followed her.

“Thank you, Ms. Ond, but I have to credit Dr. Galathynius--”

“Will you stop kissing that woman’s ass?” snorted Remelle. “Gods, she’s not worth your time or your praise; all she does is translate words into different languages and you idiots drool over that like it means anything.”

Aelin jerked like she’d been slapped. She knew Remelle was a self-centered, shallow, spiteful bitch, but she hadn’t known she would do this.

“--did more for this project than you and your useless whiteboard of catchphrases,” growled Rowan. 

“I don’t care what she ‘did for the project,’ Rowan, she’s never going to be good enough for you.”

“Thank you for caring about my welfare, Frelau, now please kindly fuck off.”

Aelin chose that moment to saunter out of the bathroom and head straight for Rowan, her face showing no hint of having heard that conversation. She did note with satisfaction Remelle’s vain attempt to march out of the room with some semblance of dignity. Too bad her heel caught on the seam of the hallway carpet and the break room’s tile flooring and she had to grab the doorframe to keep from collapsing. 

“You’re awfully quiet, Aelin.”

“Just thinking. Processing, really. It’s been a hell of a day.”

Rowan nodded. “I bet.”

“And hearing fucking Remelle rip into me for being useless…didn’t make it better.”

“Shit, you heard that?”

“Yeah. I heard that.” Her voice was hollow. 

Rowan pulled into their driveway and shut off the engine. Reaching across the console, he cupped Aelin’s face in his hands. “Aelin. You are brilliant. You are terrifyingly smart. You are a force of nature. Nothing, nothing you will ever do is useless. Don’t let that jealous bitch make you think you are less than the perfect woman.”

She smiled tentatively at him. “She…she told me before that last interview that I could never be enough for you. Because you--because of Lyria.”

Rowan raked a hand through his hair. “Ae, can we talk about this inside?”

That night, he told her about his former fiancé, Lyria. He told her about their whirlwind romance, their youthful dreams. He told her about the horrific crash that stole away Lyria’s life. A drunk trucker, a narrow pass in the mountains. He showed her the box in which he kept all the memories of that life. He cried. Aelin cried. He curled against her, let her comfort him.

“Sometimes, I wish she was still here. She’d understand everything. She always did.”

Aelin had no response. She let Rowan fall asleep, his weight shifting off her and into his bed, and looked through the box. Everything she saw served as another reminder that this was the first woman he loved, the woman who understood everything. 

She was worthy of him. 

But was Aelin?

The more she looked at Rowan and Lyria’s happiness, the more the answer solidified. 

No.

When Rowan woke up the next morning, Lyria’s box sat on Aelin’s side of the bed, a side that had not held Aelin.

He glanced out the window.

Her car was gone.

He got up and frantically paced through the house.

Everything she’d brought into his home was gone.

As was she.

~

Present day. 

Rowan opened his front door mechanically, pulled off his shoes, dropped his work backpack on its shelf, and was halfway to his bedroom before he realized he’d just opened his front door. His front door that was always locked. 

Someone was in his house.

Someone who either had a duplicate key or insanely good lockpicking skills.

Exactly one person owned a duplicate key to his house.

Aelin.

That’s impossible, she lives in Orynth, she can’t be here, he told the traitorous part of his brain that leapt with joy at seeing Aelin’s face again.

He turned around and made his way through the kitchen--nobody there--to the living room. He flicked on a lamp, casting a soft light around the room.

And nearly had a heart attack.

Aelin Galathynius sat on his couch. 

For a moment, he just gawked at her. She looked so…different. Older. Gone was the infectious smile that had captured his heart. Dark shadows smeared under her eyes, testament both to the long hours she devoted to her work and to recent sleepless nights. She was twisting a ring on her right hand, a familiar sign of her nerves. From his angle, Rowan could see a hint of dark script on her wrist. A tattoo. The Aelin he knew didn’t have tattoos.

“I’m not a ghost.” Her voice, weary and hollow, broke the tense silence.

Rowan crossed the room, propped an arm on the fireplace. “Why?”

“Why am I here? Why did I leave? Why did I cut you out of my life?”

“Everything.” He couldn’t keep the waver from his voice, but his eyes burned into hers.

She took a steadying breath. “I’m here to apologize, first of all. I’m here to face what I ruined and to try and start mending it. I’m here to come to terms with everything I broke when I left three years ago.”

Whatever he’d expected her to say, it certainly wasn’t that.

“I’m sorry, Rowan. I’m sorry I left like that. I was…I was scared.”

“You can’t just run away from your fears, Aelin!” He couldn’t keep the frustration from his tone. “You can’t just abandon someone when you have a bad day!”

“I’m sorry! I know I shouldn’t have left! I know I can’t run from my fears; I’ve spent the last three years trying and fucking failing to do that! But I don’t know what else to do.”

“Saying something about it would have been a good first step.” 

“I’m bad at emotions, Rowan. I tried. It wasn’t enough.”

“That’s not a good enough excuse.”

Aelin flicked a tear from her face. “I know.” Her shoulders slumped. “I’m so sorry, Rowan. I should never have left. I let some stupid comment root into my head and make me doubt myself. I made myself believe I would never be good enough for you. I left you. I loved you, and I still left you. I still love you, even though I’ve tried to suppress it. I can never make up for that. I…I just wanted to tell you how much I’ve regretted that horrible decision all these years. I want you to be happy, Rowan, I--”

“How am I supposed to be happy without a source?” He’d dropped onto the couch, close enough to touch her but still keeping his distance.

“What?”

“You didn’t just take yourself away, Aelin. You were my happiness. I’ve spent three fucking years trying to make myself believe I’m better without you in my life, and I can’t.”

She was unabashedly crying by that point. “What do you want me to do? How can I make up for abandoning you?”

“Stay.”

Her gaze locked onto his, both of their eyes pooling with tears.

“Stay with me, Fireheart.”

“But--”

“I never stopped loving you either.”

A choked sob ripped out of Aelin. Rowan couldn’t hold himself in check any longer; he reached out and tugged her gently into his arms. To his shock, she didn’t resist, burying her face into his chest as sobs shook her shoulders. When she calmed, he tilted her chin up.

“Will you stay, Aelin?”

“Yes. Even though I will never deserve your forgiveness, yes.”

~

Translations:

* = “that pinched old whore who couldn’t convince a dick to come within ten metres of her if she dressed up provocatively” (Italian)

** = loosely translated as “Fucking hell, I can’t get drunk off this garbage.” (in order, Russian (badly phonetically spelled out because Rowan POV), Spanish, German, Spanish again, French) (the Russian doesn’t directly translate, so it could mean several different variations of expletive)

~

Might there be a second part? Perhaps......

[wesimpforxiao]

Say My Name and I’ll Be There: 9.3

Childe elected to ignore your groan of pain when he yanked you to your feet.  "No hard feelings, comrade."

"I-I'm gonna kill you," you breathed.  "I'll kill you and that damned witch if it's the last thing I do."  A cold hand pressed to your side while the harbinger threw your other arm over his shoulder to escort you inside.

"I suppose I'll have to train you then if that's your goal."

He wasn't joking; the two of you would remain at a stalemate until your strength grew.  He taught you--what you assumed was--almost everything he knew, though for you to reap the full benefits of his knowledge would take years of training.  Despite this he pushed you over and over again, every day, after the wound he gave you closed.  He didn't give you the courtesy of healing completely before initiating fights with you.  He didn't go easy on you either--but it's not like you would've wanted him to in the first place.  At least your sparring sessions gave you an outlet to take out your frustrations on.

You didn't count the days that passed.  You didn't call for Xiao.  You didn't rely on him to save you when all is said and done.  It was time to rescue yourself; if you overran the palace on your own, then other nations wouldn't need to get involved on your behalf.  If the palace fell, no one except you would be held responsible.  You were okay with that.  If it meant Xiao, Aether and Zhongli would be excluded from the wrath of the cryo archon, then your struggles were more than worth it.

Yet with every passing day, more and more Fatui agents were injected with the serums that contained your blood--and survived.  The only thing that made their successful adaptation possible was the sealing of your and Xiao's bond.  With that thought in mind, you were growing increasingly impatient.  You were the one that insisted upon training for most of the day, not Childe.  You were the one looking for a fight.

"Why're you doing this?"  You asked one day while your hand absently trailed down to the fresh scar on your side where he had impaled you.

"Doing what?"

"Training me.  Isn't it a stupid move to train someone how to fight when they're intent on killing you?  If I was you, I would've just let me bleed out in the snow back then."

"If I didn't train you, I would be missing out on one of the best fights of my life."

"Is that supposed to flatter me?"

"It's the truth.  Where else am I supposed to find a worthy opponent?  At my current power level, I'd have more luck with creating one."  Childe conjured his bow and twirled it in his hand, seemingly debating something that was on his mind.  "With your improved skills, I think we'd be able to take the other harbingers."

You froze.  "What?  Why would you say that?  Whatever happened to your undying loyalty?"

"My loyalty for the Tsaritsa and my respect for my coworkers are two entirely different matters.  What I really care about is fighting.  It's been so long since I've had an exhilarating battle, even after Aether showed up.  I would give anything to feel that thrilled again.  And that, dear ojou-chan, is where you come in."

"I'm not fighting you for the thrills.  I will kill you, I'll make sure of it."  It's insulting that he'd even look at your anger as a type of entertainment!  The nerve of this guy--

"Well until then I think we could stir up quite the trouble, you and I, don't you think?"  His eyes finally left his weapon and locked onto you.

"...What exactly are you implying, Tartaglia?"  Narrowed suspicious pupils returned his mischievous ones.

He didn't answer, instead leaving you with an ominous smirk and returning to the palace walls.  Why should you trust a word that fell from his mouth after the Lantern Rite stunt he pulled?  Maybe a small part of you wanted to believe he had some inkling of good in him, but you forced that wishful thinking down into the depths of your soul.  Childe betrayed you so many times; it was in his nature to do so.  He would never be done deceiving you either.  You were sure of it despite the doubts that weighed on your mind.

.........................

"Bow before Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa."  La Signora crossed her arms over her chest when you just glared at the dark throne that sat beneath the shadows.

"I think not."

The clicking of the harbinger's heels echoed in the silent room as everyone held their breaths.  No one dared stand up to the cryo archon; it was unthinkable, even considered treason to question her actions.  This would be the first meeting with the god since you formed a contract with her.  And yet despite your quivering knees, you didn't remove your disrespectful glare from the throne.

"I wasn't asking."  Fingers gripped your chin and forced you to look Signora in the face at an uncomfortably close distance.  "You know the drill.  Bow."

A beat of silence hung heavily in the air and then an awkward cough came from one of the Fatui advisors to your far right.  You didn't blink.  "Did I stutter?"

Signora's lips curled into a half-amused smirk before her fingers let go of your chin and were replaced by a palm slapping you instead.  Her nails broke skin, but your expression never changed even when the stinging pain rang through your ear.  "Have you forgotten who you serve?"

"She's not my god."

"Maybe not the one you worship, but I am the one you serve," the Tsaritsa leaned forward from her place on the throne and gestured for the Fair Lady to return to her side.  "Tell me, why did you request to see me?"

A quick glance was sent Childe's away as if to check yourself.  You had decided it best to at least try the peaceful way out before throwing yourself into a suicide mission.  If worse came to worse, at least you'd be able to put your new knowledge to the test.  "I'm no longer working for you."  The archon's silence urged you to continue.  "You don't need me here anymore.  You got what you wanted.  I'm going to return to Liyue."

"Is that so?"

"I will leave regardless of your answer."

"And you think I'd just let you walk out of here after all I've done for you?"  The temperature dropped, but it displayed an emotion that you couldn't put your finger on.  "I gifted you your vision, spared your life and that of your friends, and you insult me in return?"

What is this feeling of dread in my stomach?  Your fists tightened and you took a deep breath to steady your nerves.  "The trials are over now that Dottore's injections work.  That was our deal, was it not?  You want to break our contract?  I thought you were more credible than that," you tested.

"I know what you've been thinking," the archon's thin lips formed a sinister grin.  "I know you're plotting to cause an uproar, and I am telling you now that you will fail.  Heed my words, Mezzetin, you are and always will be under my control."

"Wh-What did you just say...?"  Your heartbeat drummed loudly in your ears and you knees felt like they would give out beneath you.  This...This happened before.  When did she say that?  Where did I hear these words from?  Cold, desolate eyes watched you carefully as the room spun beneath your feet.  "Stay...away..."

"You work for me, not the other way around.  If you leave now, I'll give the order to kill those friends of yours.  You're not done until I say you're done."

"You wouldn't--!"  Bile burned the back of your throat, and a shaky hand covered your mouth in case you suddenly couldn't hold it in.  "You...you..."  An unsettling realization came to light.

"Do you understand the position you're in, Mezzetin?"

"It was...You gave me those nightmares!  Those were all you?"

"You don't think I'm oblivious to your desires, do you? You will always be under my control."

"If you dare touch him I'll--!"  Hundreds of shards manifested behind you and simultaneously shot at the throne.  The more that shattered against the seat and back wall, the more that manifested and replaced them.  

The ones that barreled nearest to the Tsaritsa diverted their path and shattered against the back wall like they had a mind of their own.  Signora used her catalyst to redirect the remaining shards to you.  Luckily none of them landed a strike on your skin, but a charged arrow of Childe's landed before your feet and you slipped on the forming ice.  His hydro blade was immediately at your throat, along with Signora hovering over you with an annoyed look on her face.  The three of you were surrounded by Fatui officers in an instant; despite their capabilities, they were slower than the harbingers.

"If she makes a move, kill her," the archon calmly ordered, completely unbothered by the commotion.

Signora had her men drag you away to the all-too familiar exit that led to the cells beneath the palace.  They forced your head forward so you didn't see the Tsaritsa recline back in her seat and into the shadows.

The archon swiped her finger across her pale cheekbone and warily inspected the fresh blood that had run down the side of her face.  I missed one?  One of your shards did manage to hit her.  Such a measly attack shouldn't have injured me, she thought as she stared at her fingers in awe and concern.  While your power had grown to a certain extent thanks to Childe's training, it was by no means anywhere near equivalent to his--much less equivalent to a god's.  Your strikes, while powerful, shouldn't have been able to hurt the cryo archon.  Yet here she was, staring at the blood you drew from her.

She recalled the wild look in your eyes when you decided to attack her.  Such a beautiful, pitiful sight that held an immeasurable lack of sanity and rational thought.  Your rage was feral, but just like a wild animal, so was your fear of being caged.  She could see it in your stance;  you were all bark and little bite.  The soft interior within her hardened heart actually admired your bravery...only a little, though.  If she were to achieve her goals, that flame of admiration would quickly be extinguished since it had no place in such a cruel world.

Her thumb smoothed over her bloodied fingers while she thought quietly to herself.  It shouldn't have been possible to harm her.  Not on your own, not even with your vision.  It was then that it dawned on her the true meaning of your bond with Morax's sole-surviving warrior adeptus.

So this is the power of the Vigilant Yaksha.

[an-angel-in-the-garden]

Hello I was wondering if you could do a male reader x feral shadow wraith any thing works but please can reader also be a photographer like wanting to take photos of his wairth! Thank you

Male Monster x Male Reader

This took me so long and I'm sorry for that. I got two ask with wraiths one wanted dating headcanons with just a wraith of any kind and had no preference for gender so I'm mixing them with a fic about a male reader meeting a feral wraith and a second part with the dating headcanons for said wraith because this became so long hope you enjoy! CW: Cursing and when letters look like this its for thinking and this is the monster

It had all started with a job offer one that would send me to a small town within some mountains. Though it was nearing winter the pay along with the amazing sights I would be able to see made it to good to pass up so with a contract signed I got ready to set off for two weeks of hopefully blissful work. The first few days after arriving wasn't to bad the town had a nice cabin that could be rented out the stores had good products to buy and the people were welcoming, even telling me some places that would be great for my photography. After settling in and looking over the maps and walking paths of the mountain I asked one of the people I had seen walking the trail each day for some help.

" So I haven't seen one on the maps but I was told there was a small waterfall and lake on the mountain" I handed him the grainy photo I had been given" The man who payed me wanted me to take a better picture of this but I'm not sure how to get there." The man hummed taking the picture from me and looked at it for a moment " Well I've never seen it while walking but from the looks of this its not on the mountain its at the base" He smiles handing me back the print." You could ask Marie she gathers plants and the like from the base of the mountain she might have been there! I nodded, talking with him for a few more minutes before taking my leave hoping to catch Marie before she started work for the day.

I got lucky managing to speak with her about the photo and seeing if she knew about the area I was looking for. After walking with her to her shop Marie told me that she had in fact seen something like this before and if I was up for it could take me tomorrow, I agreed letting her know that I would see her the next day. We met right as the sun began to rise and the morning air was cold enough it seeped through my layered clothes. It was then I met Steven a man who headed down the mountain during the sunrise and came back to town once it set it seemed he would be the one taking us down. The ride was mostly quiet with small bouts of chatter every once and a while about both the town and places I've been before we would settle into the silence enjoying the view.

We arrived at the edge of a forest tall trees spanning who knows how far and looking full of life." I tend to take the main path when I'm looking for certain plant life but" Marie trails pulling a small parchment from her bag" since your looking for a lake we need to travel off it" "That's fine with me but hey Steven" He looks over at me" Would it be ok to leave those two bags in your truck I wont need them till tonight" Yeah sure no problem I'll be back right before sun down so just meet back up here" He laugh's" Not like I need to worry Marie wont let you get lost. I chuckle thanking him before taking my equipment bag out and grabbing my camera for if I saw something nice on our walk. Marie and Steven talked a little more while I looked around it was then I thought I saw something; quick and dark it rushed past the trees startling some rabbits that had been by one of them. " Is there something we need to worry about while were out here" Hmm not anything to bad most the animals can be scared off why" Just wondering" I turned back hoping to catch a glimpse of what it could have been.

Marie nodded before patting my back slightly moving past me to start walking down our off road path. It took maybe an hour or two for us to reach it. The large open body of water at the base of the mountain, from above cascading down the rocks was a brilliant waterfall the grass though slightly covered in a thin layer of frost still housed some wonderful flowers and plant life and I knew I would spend however long it took to get the perfect photo here. It seemed Marie could tell what I was thinking as she spoke up" I guess you like it!" yeah..yeah its so beautiful here" Well if you need me to bring you back here just let me know" I set my bag down on a smooth looking rock turning and giving her my full attention" I'm really grateful that you were willing to bring me Ill just stay around here so please let me know if you need help with anything" She just smiles giving me a wave before heading back the way we came with the promise she would be back when we needed to meet with Steven.

I was there for hours taking photos of wild life plants and the likes but no matter hard I tried to focus on just my work I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. No matter how much I pushed it away "I'm in the wild its normal to feel watched" I looked around signing before setting up for another picture 'But was that really the only reason' I shuddered upon hearing a branch break near me. It took me several try's before I got some photos I would be happy to show my client but I knew I would save some of these for myself already and after that I took a break. Pulling some food I had packed out of the backpack I ate letting the sounds of the waterfall and nature soothe me. I hadn't realized I had even fallen asleep but the feeling of something cold and heavy covering me is what caused me to awake. Something unknown dripping on my skin and pressing slightly on my chest I startled opening my eyes and bringing my hands up to push whatever it was from atop me yet when my eyes adjusted there was nothing. My breathing was heavy and the feeling of sweat on me was more noticeable then ever but nothing was out of place and I was fine " Y/N!" I heard Marie call out the sun was beginning to set" Right we have to meet back up" I packed my things in a hurry looking around the open area for anything and when it came up blank I sighed and headed to the opening.

" Well how was it" Steven ask as I reach the clearing" Mostly good I still need the main picture but with any luck I can get it tonight and start any editing he might want" Tonight! you plan on staying here tonight" Marie asked voice laced with worry'' Hmm yeah the other bags have my camping gear, dont worry I'll only stay in that spot and I dont plan on taking anything". I said heading over to the truck to get my bags" He'll be fine I'll make sure to pick him up in the morning' But dont you work" Marie cut in before I could say anything it seemed she really didn't like the idea of me out here" I'm sure he wont mind coming to town with me right" Oh um what town?" I only knew of the one on the mountain." Its a larger one past the forest you take a side road to find it plenty to do there" But what if.." Ill be okay thank you for your worry but I've done this before I wont do anything risky" She finally nods patting my shoulder again and telling me to be safe before getting in the truck. Steven gives me a thumb's up wishing me luck on getting the photo and with that their off heading back up the mountain as I head to the lake hoping what I felt was just a dream.

The nights were much colder but wrapped in extra jackets and laying in my tent with my camera set and ready I waited in hopes of seeing the moon light up the clear water. I could still hear the other animals around me but the feeling of being watched was no longer present "Maybe I was just being paranoid" Honestly this wasn't so bad it might be colder then I would like but the view and sounds were so mesmerizing that it made it more then worth it I really wouldn't mind spending my weeks out here for this photo alone. I didn't know how much time had past but I felt it again, the feeling of being watched like something was lurking right outside my vision maybe it was the drowsiness or maybe it was the fact that I needed to know I wasn't imagination it but with a shaky voice I called out.

" Look I dont know whether you're an animal or not but I just need to know if something is or isn't there okay!" Though nervous of what might be lurking I stilled raised my voice" It might just be an animal Marie said plenty are out here" you can see me" I moved my equipment into my tent as fast as I could pulling my body all the way and zipping it up my breathing was heavy and my heart was pounding in my ears when the area went quite. "You saw me" The voice was a harsh deep growl sounding loud yet distant but all encompassing just the sound made me feel like I couldn't breath. Against my better judgment I answered back "It already knows I'm here why bother staying quiet"

" s-So what if I did?!" Good...." as it spoke a shadow approached my tent, Larger then any human or animal it slowly crawled? over looking hunched while tilting what I think was its head to stared at the closed tent. "OUT" the voice was louder now echoing through the trees as the beast raised its body. Though shaking I moved forward opening the tent still staying inside. "WHAT THE FUCK" My voice broke body shaking worse then before as I took in the creature before me. Towering over me was nothing but blackness like spilled ink dripping down from above it sat? stood? just watching me pure white eyes unblinking and mouth colored red from something.

The beast seemed unfazed by my raised voice or what I said it simply lowered its head a long tongue falling from its stained mouth before wrapping around my throat it was cold and rough the goo that covered its body was dripping on me and my vision became hazy. All I remember after that was the sound of purring and the feeling of being carried.

Okay okay that it for now I will very soon make the part two with headcanons of the after and dating of the monster! This wasn't meant to be this long but I got carried away so I dont want to make this any longer by adding more it might also not be edited super well but I tried to catch any major mistakes! I hope you liked this part and look forward to more! - Lilly

[davidpastrsnack]

drive (pt. 2) - matthew tkachuk

a/n: ngl i’m not obsessed with this chapter. it’s kind of a filler but i promise things will get more juicy in the next one. hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

part one

Your eyebrows furrowed at his words as you looked at him in complete shock. 

You must have been hearing things, because there was no way Matthew just asked you to move to Calgary with him. 

“What?” you exclaimed. “You’re right, I do think you’re crazy,” you said with a chuckle. 

Matthew sat up straighter in the chair preparing to make his case, your body shifting with his. 

“Why? You’re just going to live at home while you try to figure out this job stuff, so why not do it with me in Calgary?” he spoke like it was the most obvious thing ever. 

He was dead serious about this. 

“Matthew, it's not that simple. I can’t just pick up and move with no plan. And to a different country? There’s a little thing called a border.”

“I’ll have my agent help with anything you need for your visa and I have a spare bedroom. Come on, Y/N. No offense to them, but do you want to spend your first year out of college living with your parents or with me?” he questioned. 

You rolled your eyes at his comment, you knew he loved your parents but he had a point. Still, there was just no way this would work out. You had only met some of his teammates once before, and now you’re just supposed to join their circle? Not to mention your feelings for him were at the forefront of your mind. You felt lucky that you never had to watch girl after girl fall at his feet because that wasn’t his life back home. It was a perfect example of ignorance is bliss. Moving to the city with him would rip that ignorance away and you didn’t know if you could handle that. 

You were silent for a minute, the only sound being the crackling of the fire and the crickets. You looked down and played with the sleeves of his sweatshirt, trying to gather your thoughts as he gazed at you hopefully. 

“Matty,” you started, “I appreciate you trying to help me, but I don’t see this happening. I don’t even have a job, how am I supposed to pay for a huge move like this?” you asked, not expecting an answer, but he had one anyway. 

“Is that a joke?” He laughed. “Not to sound like an asshole, but have you seen my contract? Y/N, I have more money than I’ll ever know what to do with.”

You rolled your eyes at him, “When have you ever tried not to sound like an asshole.”

He scoffed right back, but the words that followed were his most sincere of the night. “Just think about it, please, Y/N. I hate to see you so stressed about everything, you don’t deserve it. So just let me take care of you,” he whispered, looking up at you with the softest eyes. 

Your heart ached at his words. No matter how much you denied it, you were completely and utterly fucked for this man. If you went with him you knew it would only be a matter of time before you exposed yourself, which would most likely result in your lifelong friendship blowing up. You couldn’t let that happen. 

But before you could speak again, he opened his mouth, “Listen, I’m not letting you say no tonight. Sleep on it.”

“Fine,” you groaned, standing up from your post across his thighs. “I’ll think about it.”

He jumped up after you, throwing his arm around your shoulders pulling you in close while you both walked towards the house. 

“Just think about how much fun we’re gonna have. It’s cold though, you’re gonna have to get over that,” he chirped with a cheeky grin.  

“Well good thing I haven’t said yes,” you teased back, slipping inside the door he held open for you. 

-----

You woke up to the sun pouring through your windows, mentally cursing yourself for forgetting to close the curtains last night. You weren’t surprised though, your brain was absolute mush after hearing Matthew’s proposal. You rolled over to check your phone, the screen reading 7:12am. 

“Fuck,” you mumbled into your pillow. Emma was still passed out next to you, the bright light not at all phasing her. You ran your hands over your face, pausing to tangle them in your hair. It was way too early, but you also knew there was no chance of falling back asleep, so you pulled yourself out of bed and headed into the bathroom. 

You barely slept that night, there was just too much on your mind. The more you thought about it, you realized Matthew was right. It would be good for you to do something new during this time of your life. No matter how much you tried to resist it, you could feel him slowly but surely luring you in. 

You headed downstairs into the kitchen, needing caffeine immediately if you were going to be awake this early. You had the whole space to yourself and you sat on top of the counter while you waited for the coffee machine to heat up. The house was quiet and the view of the lake was helping to calm all your uncertainties. The water was flat like glass, the reflection of the trees clear as a photograph. You quickly got lost in the peaceful image, not even hearing the front door open. 

“Morning, sunshine,” you heard from behind you. 

He may have been on a mini vacation this weekend, but Matthew still started training camp in two weeks. He had clearly just come back from a run, his tall frame standing in front of you in just a pair of sneakers and basketball shorts. His toned chest was glistening with sweat and you had to physically pull your eyes away before he caught you staring. 

“Morning,” you replied, returning your gaze to the windows. 

“What are you doing down here? I’ve never seen you get up before ten unless you absolutely had to,” he spoke as he grabbed water from the fridge. Damn him for knowing you so well. 

“Uh- I don’t know,” you nervously muttered, not wanting to admit that you were up all night thinking about him. 

“Busy making up your mind?” he smirked, leaning against the countertop giving you the perfect view of his flexed arms. 

You rolled your eyes, mumbling a thank you as he slid a cup of coffee towards you, made exactly how you liked it. The two of you sat there for a few minutes slowly sipping the hot liquid from the matching mugs. Matthew was busy texting Keith and his trainer, both making sure that he was staying on track while away from the gym, while you kept admiring the lake. It never failed to amaze you how comfortable you two were around each other. The room was silent, but it wasn’t awkward at all. In that moment you decided it was time to give him an answer, suddenly throwing all caution to the wind. 

“Matty?” you asked, turning your body to face his as he sat on the stool next to you. 

“Hmm?” he responded, putting his phone to the side and meeting your gaze. 

You took in a long breath, wondering if you were really about to do this. 

“I’ll go with you,” you spoke softly. 

The grin that spread on his face was unmatched to anything else you had ever seen. The corners of his mouth were practically reaching his forehead and his baby blue eyes lit up at your words. 

“I’m sorry, what was that? I didn’t quite hear you,” he teased, gloating in the fact that he convinced you. 

“Matthew I will change my mind right now.”

“No, no way,” he stood up, stepping closer and wrapping you up in his arms, squeezing your frame tight as it sunk in that you were really coming with him. 

Your body relaxed in his grasp, your arms slinking around his waist to hold him to you. His head rested on top of yours, both of you so at ease with the other. 

“I promise you won’t regret it,” he whispered. 

“You need to shower,” you joked, feeling like it was time to break the embrace. There was only so long friends could hug platonically and you guys were seconds away from crossing that line. 

He laughed as he finally pulled away, “Whatever you say, roomie.” 

“Roomie?” 

Your head twisted to the other side of the room to see Brady standing in the hall. Great, you thought, just what you needed. It was one thing for you and Matthew to talk about this but you couldn’t deny that you were nervous to see everyone’s reactions, especially both of your families.  

“Y/N is coming to Calgary with me,” Matthew stated. You waited for Brady’s next words, noting the warning glare his older brother was sending him. 

“She is?” he raised his eyebrows, shifting his gaze to you. The look on his face was worth a thousand words: Brady was onto you. 

But little did you know, he was also onto Matthew. 

“Yup,” you anxiously laughed.

To say it was awkward would be the understatement of the century. 

“Alright well I’m gonna go shower,” Matthew broke the silence, moving towards the staircase to go upstairs. 

You and Brady nodded, neither one of you speaking until he was out of sight. Your eyes were focused on the cup of coffee in front you, refusing to make eye contact with him because you knew what was coming. 

“You know, I don’t even think I need to say anything,” he started. 

You scoffed louded at his words, standing up to go back into your room to get ready for the day. You weren’t in the mood for his teasing, especially not when it only reminded you of what you would never have. 

“Y/N, wait,” he pleaded, his attitude quickly shifting, the regret clear in his voice. 

“What, Brady?” you snapped, turning to face him. 

“It’s not just you. He’s compared every girl to you for as long as I can remember.”

You shook your head at him in disbelief. There was no way that was true, and Brady was seriously messed up if he thought screwing with you like this was funny. 

“Look, you don’t have to agree with me right now, but I’m giving you two a month of living together before you finally pull your heads out of your asses,” he stated confidently. 

“Don’t hold your breath,” you chuckled, finally heading up the stairs. 

-----

Just a week later you found yourself arriving at Calgary International Airport, Matthew right by your side. Your parents had been more supportive of your decision than you expected, but then again they had always loved Matthew. The two of you were sitting by the baggage claim waiting for your luggage when the exhaustion of the day finally hit. On top of that, the airline warned that there were baggage delays, so you didn’t plan on getting out of here soon. You didn’t mean to, but you let out an obnoxiously loud yawn as you caught up on your social media feeds. 

“You alright there?” Matthew joked, looking at you with his eyebrows raised. 

“Yes, dad, I’m fine,” you countered. 

“I’m gonna go get coffee, we both need it. The usual?” he asked, standing up before you could tell him he didn’t have to get it for you. 

You knew he wouldn’t take no for an answer, so you opted for a simple nod. Just a few moments later, a young boy who was with a man that you assumed was his father tentatively walked up to you. 

“Hi, I’m so sorry to bother you, but was that Matthew Tkachuk?” the man inquired. 

You smiled at them both, remembering that Matthew wasn’t exactly nobody in this city. “Yeah, it is.” The boy’s face lit up at your words, clearly a huge Flames fan. 

“You guys can wait with me, he should be back any minute now and I’m sure he’d love to say hi,” you encouraged. No matter how well known Matthew had become, he always made the time to stop for kids. 

The pair sat down across from your seat, patiently waiting for the hockey player’s return. It wasn’t long until you saw him walking back towards you, two coffees in hand. When he saw the people with you he had a quizzical look on his face, but you gave him a gentle nod to let him know it was okay. Once he got closer, he realized just what was happening. 

“Hi there,” he smiled, “I’m Matthew.” He paused to hand you your coffee before shaking hands with the man and sinking down to his knees to fist bump the boy. 

They settled into an easy conversation, the boy finally warming up after the shock of meeting one of his idols. Matthew was unbelievably good with kids, and no matter how many times you saw it, he still made your heart flutter each time. It came so naturally to him, and you couldn’t help but let your mind wander to how incredible of a father he was going to be someday. After you took some pictures and Matthew signed a few autographs, the pair went back to their own baggage carousel. 

He settled back into his chair next to yours, sighing as he ran his hands through his brown curls. 

“That was really nice of you, Matthew,” 

“It’s nothing. I used to be that kid,” he said, trying to brush it off. 

“I’m serious, you didn’t have to do that. You’re a great person when you want to be,” you teased. 

“Yeah? And how’s that coffee I just went to get you?” he chirped right back, bumping his shoulder into yours with a grin across his face. 

-----

After Matthew stubbornly refused to let you carry your own bags out, you two were finally sitting in the back of an Uber on the way to his apartment. It was nearly dusk and the city was lit up with the beautiful, golden light of the approaching sunset. 

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” you heard from beside you, Matthew’s voice snapping you out of your daze. 

“Yeah it is,” you smiled, meeting his gaze to find him already looking at you. 

It didn’t take long for you to arrive at his building, Matthew stopping at the front desk to introduce you to the concierge. It was the first of what you assumed to be many times someone would be confused by your situation, and you knew you would soon get used to saying, “Oh no, we’re not- we’re just friends.”

After heading up the elevator and walking down the hall, Matthew unlocked his door, letting you walk in first as he followed. 

“Wow, not bad,” you mumbled, taking in the interior. It was the definition of a bachelor’s pad, the dark, sleek design a clear reflection of his lifestyle. 

“I just moved in at the end of last season so it’s missing some things, but yeah, it’s not bad,” he laughed. 

You walked over to the floor length windows taking in the view of the lit up city around you. You crossed your arms over your chest, the fact that you were really here was definitely settling in. But something about it just felt right, like you belonged here. Matthew’s body slid next to yours, joining you to admire his home after so long away. 

“I’ll show you around tomorrow and we can get dinner or something with the guys that are back already,” he spoke, pulling you into his side with his arm. Your head fell to rest on his shoulder. “I really want this to feel like home for you,” he said softly. 

You slipped your arms around his torso reciprocating his embrace, “Thank you, Matty.”

“Let me show you your room,” he spoke as he grabbed your hand to guide you into the rest of the apartment. 

You and Matthew spent the night unpacking and settling in. He ordered food, making sure to give you the rundown on all his favorite spots, before putting on a movie. After eating more than either of you should have, you found yourself cuddled into his side on the couch, a fuzzy blanket covering your bodies and his frame vibrating beneath you each time he laughed at the screen. You don’t remember when, but at some point you drifted off on his chest, only to be woken up to him carrying you to bed. 

Yeah, you could get used to this. 

[elwenyere]

A Very Small Grease Fire (and Other Human Disasters)

(Thanksgiving ficlet for the Stony and Avengers fam; also on AO3)

The Avengers didn’t have the best track record with Thanksgiving. The first time the dinner had ended in disaster, it had been Steve’s fault. One rainy fall Sunday, just months after the Battle of New York, Steve had been picking at a bowl of mint-chip ice cream, feeling tired of getting looks of sympathy about the holidays and absolutely exhausted by feeling sorry for himself. If Bruce and Clint hadn’t chosen that particular afternoon to ask him whether there was anything special he wanted for Thanksgiving – raising the question with just enough gentleness to make Steve’s jaw tighten – he probably would have said, “I’m a sweet potatoes guy” and left it at that.

Instead, Steve had been seized by a spirit of mischief. Putting on his most morose poker face, he had proceeded to invent a series of Depression-era dishes, from “Hoover Rolls” to “Poor Man’s Potatoes,” the recipes for which he concocted out of the blandest ingredients he could imagine. By the time he was in the process of describing his third Crisco-based dessert, Steve was sure he had gone far enough to reveal the joke; but Bruce and Clint had continued nodding encouragingly and jotting down notes.

The results had been borderline inedible. And even though the sight of Tony doubled over with laughter when Steve finally fessed up had thawed out a part of his heart he hadn’t even known was still on ice, the experience of eating a holiday dinner in which half the dishes tasted like over-starched socks forced even Steve to admit that the prank had been a bit of a Pyrrhic victory.

The second time…well, Steve would have said the second time was his fault too – though he supposed the rest of the team would blame the extremists who tried to kidnap the governor. Clint had just started basting the turkey when the “Assemble” alarm went off, and the team had to pile in the Quinjet to deal with a hostage situation at the capitol. It should have been an easy job – in and out with plenty of time to take the butter for the piecrust out of the freezer – but then one of the extremists had pulled the pin on a grenade just yards away from a state senator’s eight-year-old son, and four hours later Steve was waking up in the burn unit at Walter Reed hospital with the anguished sound of someone shouting his name still ringing in his ears.

“You fucking idiot,” the same voice had greeted him, and Steve looked up to see Tony sitting by his bed, the lines around his eyes drawn tight over a surgical mask. “You’re supposed to be a tactical genius, and you haven’t learned a single new method for containing explosives since basic training in 1943? I’m going to equip your suit with goddamn ballistic plates.”

“Tony,” Steve managed, feeling a halo of pain radiate up his scalp. “Are you okay? Was anyone hurt?”

Steve thought he saw something mist across Tony’s eyes, but he couldn’t be sure. The more fully he became aware of his body, the more he noticed the pull of his skin cells contracting in uneven loops around the burns on his torso, and it was taking a considerable amount of energy to keep Tony’s face in focus.

“Everybody’s fine but you, Steve,” Tony assured him. “And the doctors said you should be able to move to the general floor in a few hours. So shut those baby blues and let the serum do its job, because there’s a whole team of keyed-up superheroes waiting to see you, and they’re emptying the hospital vending machines fast enough to cause a run on the Frito-Lay factory.”

Steve had drifted in and out of consciousness for a while after that, finally waking up long enough to eat a holiday dinner of contraband take-out, which Natasha had smuggled into the hospital using only Thor’s tendency to knock over delicate instruments and Bruce’s oversized jacket.

“When you sign up to be an Avenger, no one warns you about doing overtime as a falafel mule,” Bruce had mused, leaning back to let Natasha steal a fry off his plate.

“I still think we could have gotten that eighth kebab if you’d been willing to consider pant legs as additional real estate,” she told him.

"You should all be eating stuffing and pumpkin pie,” Steve grimaced. “I’m sorry you’re stuck here on Thanksgiving.”

“Listen, Cap,” Clint replied, waving a dolma at him, “if you’re going to apologize for anything, apologize for the purgatory potatoes you tricked me into making last year. At least this year we have food that doesn’t have the texture of fast-drying cement.”

“Those tubers had truly been abandoned by the gods,” Thor agreed solemnly. “But I maintain that the Big Band Banana Pie was actually quite delicious.”

“Just don’t make the third-degree burns and hypovolemic shock a holiday habit, Rogers,” Tony put in. “Some of us are trying to watch our blood pressure.”

Tony had leaned over to adjust the settings on Steve’s bed as he spoke, and by the time he finished, a dull tugging sensation across Steve’s chest had loosened – the pain subsiding almost before Steve could register that it had been bothering him.

So that was why, after two years of throwing wrenches in the Avengers’ Thanksgiving plans, Steve was determined to make sure that year three went off without a hitch. He’d drawn up an elaborate plan for maximizing the utility of the Tower kitchen’s two ovens and seven burners and for optimizing the team’s various culinary skills. The operatives had been briefed the night before, and by 10:30 AM on Thursday, Steve was fluting a pie crust, Bruce was stripping fresh thyme leaves into an herb blend, Clint was whipping up a roux for the mushroom gravy, Thor was mashing potatoes and parsnips in an industrial-strength metal vat, and Natasha was dicing carrots and celery with a speed and precision that felt vaguely unsettling.

After checking the team’s progress against his itinerary, Steve turned to the next task on his own list: bringing Tony Stark his emergency coffee. Bruce had just made a second pot, and Steve poured some into the largest cup he could find: a purple novelty mug, featuring a drawing of the Hulk and the words “You Wouldn’t Like Me Without My Coffee.” He paused to tuck a few biscuits into a napkin (Tony’s relief at sighting fresh coffee sometimes opened up a narrow window during which Steve could feed him breakfast without being noticed), and headed down to the lab.

He found Tony standing with both arms braced against his worktable, designs for what looked like the paneling of Steve’s uniform projected in front of him. Steve cleared his throat, and Tony whirled around, the slump of his shoulders morphing into a graceful lounge by the time he was facing Steve.

“I was just about to come up,” he said. “I have a few finishing touches left here and then I’m all yours, Cap. Give me everything that can survive being the tiniest bit overcooked.”

Steve walked over to put Tony’s coffee on the table and then felt his breath catch in his throat when Tony reached out and took the mug from his hand instead.

“There’s no need,” Steve responded to cover his reaction, flexing the hand that had brushed Tony’s as he let it fall back to his side. “We’ve got the schedule covered for now. I was actually hoping I could talk you into a snack break.”

He waved the napkin of biscuits experimentally.

“Are you cutting me from the Thanksgiving roster, Rogers?” Tony asked. “Just because one time I set a very small grease fire – which I contained almost immediately, by the way.”

“The vase I broke when I sprinted into the kitchen would beg to differ,” Steve smiled. “But it’s not that. I just wanted to do this for you: a big dinner and sitting down with family.”

“For me?” Tony blinked at him. “Why?”

Steve started to cross his arms across his chest before realizing that he would risk crushing the biscuits. He settled for clasping his wrist with his free hand instead, widening his stance slightly and taking a deep breath. Come on, Rogers. Take it on the chin.

“Because I wanted to tell you that I woke up in this century alone,” he said, “and that you were the first person stubborn enough to make sure I wouldn’t stay that way. Now I wake up to a kitchen full of people who tease me about my lists but who know why I need them – who will eat dinner rolls that taste like soggy chalk just to make me feel at home.” He paused. “People who stay by my side for eight straight hours at the hospital.”

Steve looked up and caught Tony’s eyes, his heart rate picking up speed as memories of those same eyes flashed through his mind in quick succession: tearing up with laughter over a plate of cornstarched bananas, pinched with fear over a surgical mask, narrowed in concentration over the remote control for an adjustable bed.

“Romanov has an awfully big mouth for a spy,” Tony said with a rueful smile.

“I think it was a tactical leak,” Steve acknowledged, “to motivate her mark. She knew I needed a push. Because I’ve messed up the past two years, and I needed to tell you: pretty much everything I’m thankful for in my new life is here because of you.”

Tony was staring at him, his eyes darting quickly across Steve’s face as if JARVIS were scanning it for data. Steve held up under the silent scrutiny as long as he could before letting out an explosive breath.

“Anyway, sorry to interrupt you,” he said quickly. “You’ve got work to do, and I’ve got to go make sure everything’s on track upstairs. I’ll uh – I’ll have Bruce come get you when dinner’s ready.”

He started to make an about face toward the door, but Tony caught his arm and held him in place.

“Give a guy a goddamn minute, Steve,” he said softly. “I’m having to do a major cognitive reboot over here. It takes a while for the operating system to come back online. Just…sit down? Let me show you the new flame retardants I’m adding to your uniform.”

Steve complied. And as he watched Tony run through the specs, gulping coffee and nibbling absently at the biscuits, he realized that he knew what Tony was saying even before Tony finally spoke the words: “I’m thankful every time you wake up.”

[softest-cinnamon-roll]

but when it heals, it beats for you

summary: my fic for @thoughtfullyyoungduck for the Writers Revolution Valentine’s Exchange. words: 3,314 rating: T a/n: I made a new taglist as it has been a year! If anyone wants on it, please just let me know! <3

* * * * * 

Eddie hated parties, he always had. Even when he was younger and his friends would have birthday parties in their backyards, Eddie hated them. Maybe it was the loud screaming of the children, or the germs as they shoved their fingers into all the food that had been laid out in the open air, Eddie couldn’t tell, just knew that he didn’t like it. Even when he went to college, his hatred for parties never changed as soda was replaced with alcohol, and screaming children were replaced with screaming adolescents.

Those parties though were still a little bit more bearable than these parties. These parties being ‘work social gatherings’, a sorry excuse for all the boring office people he worked with to come together and gossip in a place with alcohol instead of at their desks. These gatherings were also a way for co-workers to cosy up to the Heads of Departments with the hopes of securing a promotion or even a pay rise. The whole thing made Eddie want to barf, and the worst thing about it was that he was obligated to be there as a new member of the staff.

Fresh out of college, Eddie had secured a job as an admin assistant at a lawyer’s firm in New York City. It wasn’t anywhere near his dream job, but when you were poor any job would suffice just to be able to pay the bills. Eddie didn’t have any other option, and he would just have to grin and bear it until a better opportunity came along. With that thought in mind, he stepped up to the bar and ordered a beer, taking full advantage of the free open bar.

“Kaspbrak, I wasn’t expecting you to actually show up. You’ve surprised me!” A voice practically yelled from right next to Eddie. He winced and turned to greet his co-worker, Josh, with a forced smile. “You should come over here, meet some people. Important people, if you get what I mean?”

Meeting people was the last thing Eddie wanted to do, in fact he had hoped to get through the evening without speaking to anyone. However, the look on Josh’s face told him that he wasn’t getting out of this one, and with a sigh he nodded, gripping the neck of the beer bottle and slipping from the stool.

“Sure, lead the way.”

Josh ran his mouth as they made their way through the crowds to whatever table they were heading to. Eddie drowned out his voice, even though it was rather difficult given how loud he was, but it suddenly became a whole lot easier when another voice drowned out Josh’s annoying tone. A voice that Eddie would recognise anywhere. He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes locking onto the back of someone he thought he’d never see again.

He was engaged in a conversation with Eddie’s boss and another co-worker, Janet, who was fake smiling and making ridiculous attempts at flirting. Even though Eddie had no right to, a feeling of jealousy built up in his stomach.

Richie.

Eddie stopped walking, freezing in the spot as his brain started providing him with escape routes. Out of all the people that had to be at the function that night, why did it have to be Richie? What did Eddie deserve to be faced with such bad luck?

Sensing that Eddie had stopped following him, Josh turned around with a frown on his face, before grabbing Eddie by the wrist and tugging him forward into the group. The force of the jolt forward sent Eddie flying, knocking him into Richie himself, who also jolted forward, causing Janet’s drink to spill on her fancy blouse.

Serves you right, Janet.

“Woah, easy there-” Richie started at the same time Janet snapped in her high pitched voice, “Fuck sake, Eddie, watch where you’re going!” Which caused Richie to freeze and look down at who exactly had knocked him sideways. Their eyes locked, and just for a second, no-one else at the work gathering mattered but the two of them. Eddie had forgotten just how easy he could get lost in Richie’s eyes.

The moment didn’t last long, thanks to Janet, who pushed Eddie away just a little to fuss over Richie, making sure none of her drink spilled over his fancy three piece suit. “Eddie is new, please don’t let his clumsiness affect anything we were talking about,” she fussed, and Eddie had to roll his eyes at the dramatics of it all.

“Calm down Janet, it was just an accident,” Eddie muttered, taking a much needed step back from Richie, putting distance between them. No matter how far he moved though, the scent of his cologne was stuck in his nostrils. He swallowed, feeling Richie’s eyes on him and Eddie knew if he looked up, he’d see the same confusion and questioning in his eyes that was there the last time they saw one another.

Eddie wasn’t ready to deal with that issue yet. Nope, no way.

Luck was never on his side though, as Josh took that moment to speak up, addressing why he brought Eddie over there in the first place. “Yes, Eddie is our new co-worker, but he should have an equal chance of meeting important people like the rest of us. Eddie, this is one of our companies interested investors, Richie Tozier.”

There was a pregnant pause before Richie smiled and extended his hand for him to take, which Eddie did. A jolt of electricity shot up his arm and he almost pulled back before he remembered everyone watching them. According to all of Eddie’s coworkers, this was the first time he was meeting Richie Tozier, they had no idea just how well the two knew each other.

“Nice to meet you,” Eddie offered, not sure if Richie wanted the group to know they had history.

Just at that moment, the music changed from an upbeat tune to a much slower one and Janet lurched forward, breaking the trance the two of them were under. “Mr Tozier, I love this song. Would you dance with me?” Eddie had to hold back a scoff at how obvious she was being. The company, of course, had chosen her to charm Richie intp signing a contract with them and she was, no doubt, going all out with her given task. It was a little pathetic, really.

Hoping to make a quick exit back to the bar for one last drink before slipping out the back door, Eddie stepped back, only for a hand to be wrapped around his wrist, tugging him back. It was Richie’s hand, of course it was, and there was a look in his eyes that Eddie couldn’t quite place. “Actually, I was hoping Eddie would dance with me, if that’s alright with you?” He asked, eyes never leaving Eddie’s shocked one’s for a second.

Eddie should say no, he should shake his head and tell Richie to dance with Janet, it was her role in all this after all. God, if he said yes Janet would shoot daggers into his back for the next month, at least. The thing was, Eddie didn’t want to say no. Call him selfish all you want, but Eddie wanted to be alone with Richie, even if it was just for a three minute dance. With his mind made up, Eddie nodded his head, allowing Richie to take his hand and lead him to the dance floor.

It wasn’t until Eddie felt Richie’s hand on the small of his back as he pulled him closer for the dance, that he realised his chest was all compressed in panic. The second that Richie’s hand touched him, all the panic faded and it was as though a bubble had formed around the two of them.

“A lawyer’s firm, eh?” Richie broke the silence, his chin settling on top of Eddie’s head. They had only been in each other's presence for ten minutes and they were already falling into their old habits. “I swear, I didn’t know you worked here.”

That caught Eddie off guard and he pulled back to look up at Richie with a confused frown on his face. “What do you mean? I never- I didn’t think you knew I worked here. Why would I think that?”

Richie shrugged a little, looking bashful as he glanced up at the ceiling for a brief moment, “I just wanted you to know that I didn’t...look you up or anything. I didn’t follow you or check up on what you were doing. Even if I wanted to.” He let out a breath. “You made your decision and I respected it.”

Another lump formed in Eddie’s throat and Richie’s words only seemed to add to the confusion. Yes, he had made the decision to end their relationship, but only because Richie was going to end it first. “I don’t understand. Why would you want to check up on me? Or follow me or whatever? You- I did you a favour by ending things first. I knew you were struggling to find a way to do it, so I did it first.”

The look on Richie’s face was nothing less than pure pain as he registered Eddie’s words. He shook his head, “What are you talking about? I wasn’t- who told you I was going to break up with you?”

Eddie froze up a little and he forced himself to think back, way back to when he had overheard the conversation Richie was having with a friend of his. The words were still bitter to think about and his heart hurt. “No-one told me. I heard you. On the phone. You were talking to someone about finding it hard to change your relationship status, and that you had to be really careful. I don’t know about you, Richie, but that screamed of wanting to break up with me. I just- I don’t know why you didn’t just tell me when things stopped working for you. I’d have understood. We weren’t...it wasn’t like we were public or anything.”

Richie blinked a few times and Eddie could see the moment when it all clicked for him. The confused look turned to one of understanding, but instead of looking guilty, Richie looked...overwhelmed.

“Eddie...holy shit...Eds, no. Fuck.” He stopped moving to the music and instead moved the hand that was on the small of Eddie’s back to his hand and took it in his own. “This is too public a place for this conversation. Five minutes, that’s all I need.”

Even if Eddie hadn’t wanted to follow Richie before then, the pleading look in his eyes was all it took for him to nod. He let Richie lead him off  the dancefloor, out a door and into a hallway.

“How do you know where you’re going?” Eddie asked softly, letting Richie lead the way through the corridors of the hotel.

“I had a function here myself a while back, got a bit overwhelming so I went to explore,” Richie replied almost immediately, turning one more corner and opening a door that led to a balcony overlooking the city. “Found this place.” He closed the doors behind them, allowing total privacy, and Richie ran a hand through his hair. “I wasn’t going to break up with you.”

Out of all the things Eddie thought Richie was going to say, that was not even in the top ten. He blinked in confusion, looking a RIchie a little skeptically. “Alright, say you weren’t going to break up with me then. What did that statement really mean?”

Richie moved a little closer to Eddie, but not too close that he’d feel trapped. He reached down to take Eddie’s hand in his once more.

“I wanted to ask you to go public with me, Eds.”

Eddie suddenly felt sick to his stomach, as the look in Richie’s eyes, the sincerity, meant that he was telling the truth.

“I was just nervous because we were, as you pointed out earlier, not exclusive. I was technically your sugar daddy and we had sort of made that unspoken agreement that what we had was just...well what we had.” He squeezed Eddie’s hand, just a little bit, a soothing gesture. “Maybe it was just that at first, but then we started hanging out without the sex, we had movie nights and you’d spend the night just...chilling. We’d laugh and tease each other like it was a real relationship and suddenly that was all I wanted it to be. I wanted it to be real, but I was scared that maybe you didn’t want that. Then you broke it off with me and that sort of just...sealed it.”

The silence let Eddie know Richie was done speaking, letting him know it was his turn. His cheeks were burning red with embarrassment and he let out a frustrated groan at his own stupidity.

“I’m such a fucking idiot.” Eddie tried to step back, but Richie still had hold of his hand, keeping him grounded. “I’m such a fucking idiot, I was so caught up in thinking that you didn’t want to be with me anymore that I didn’t see the signs that maybe it was the total opposite. I can’t believe that I was that much of an idiot that I ruined the best thing I had in my life.” He looked up at Richie then, his eyes filling with tears, “Because you were, you were the best thing I had in my life. Nothing ever compared to the way you made me feel- make me feel- because I’m still crazy in love with you-”

Eddie didn’t get to finish his declaration of love as Richie swooped in fast, his arms securing themselves around Eddie’s waist as he hauled him forward, bringing their lips together in a long overdue kiss. A squeak of surprise left Eddie’s lips before it was replaced with a soft moan, his hands reaching up from where they were handing by his sides and weaving into Richie’s hair. It was just like the dreams Eddie had been having for months, except this time it wasn’t.

They pulled away after a few moments, the need to breathe too much to ignore and Eddie fell back onto his heels. Damn Richie and his height. Richie was grinning, tears clear in his eyes from behind his glasses. “I love you, too. I always have. You’re my perfect match and these six months without you? They’ve been torture.”

“I’m sorry,” Eddie breathed, his fingers clutching at the curls on the back of Richie’s neck. “I’m sorry for fucking up so badly and jumping to conclusions. I’m sorry for not just talking to you about it instead of...you know.”

Richie just shook his head and leaned down to press another, more gentle, kiss to Eddie’s lips.

“We can talk about it, over dinner maybe?” Richie suggested, a hand moving to cup Eddie’s cheek, thumb running over the skin under his eye. “We can discuss everything, lay all our cards on the table. What do you think?”

It was a good idea for them to talk it out before jumping into something with one another again, yet Eddie didn’t want to wait until the next night after dinner for Richie to take him to bed. He’d been without him for six months and now he knew Richie didn’t want to end their relationship and that he loved him, Eddie didn’t want to wait any longer. “I think it’s a great idea,” he breathed, moving his head up to Richie’s ear. “But...I also really want you to take me home,” he whispered and then added, just for clarification. “To your home.”

* * * * *

Richie’s apartment was just like Eddie remembered it, open space and filled with life. He hadn’t had the chance to properly look around the night before, his mind...and body both otherwise preoccupied. Now he was awake though, the bed next to him empty but still warm, which meant Richie hadn’t long since woke up.

Eddie sat up, stretching and groaning as his bones cracked before he climbed out of bed. He grabbed his underwear from the bedroom floor before pulling out one of Richie’s shirts from his drawer. As Eddie stepped out of the room, he could hear Richie’s voice filtering in from the kitchen area, clearly speaking to someone on the phone. He edged closer, peeking his head around the corner, and right enough Richie was on his phone, pacing back and forth.

“Something came up, but I’d be happy to meet with you on Monday morning, at the office,” Richie spoke. “We can talk business and sign contracts.” He looked up then, eyes meeting Eddie’s from across the room and he broke into a smile. “Mhm, yes that makes sense,” he spoke into his phone whilst beckoning Eddie closer with his finger.

With his own, equally large grin on his face, Eddie moved closer and stepped between Richie’s legs as he continued his call. The body heat was welcome and Eddie curled back into Richie’s embrace, taking a piece of toast from the plate in front of them and taking a bite.

“I have to go, I have other business to attend to. I’ll be at the office on Monday morning, 9am sharp and we can talk.” Richie hummed and the voice on the other end, muffled back before the call ended and the phone was shoved into Richie’s pocket. “Stealing my breakfast?”

“If you’re not fast, you’re last,” Eddie shrugged, dramatically taking another bite of the toast. “Was that my boss?” He asked.

Richie nodded, running a hand through his curls, curls that Eddie had messed up the night before. He shuddered and the memory. “Your boss is quite...forward. He wasn’t happy I ditched the party last night.” Richie shoved more toast into the toaster and set the timer, turning back to Eddie. “Do you have somewhere to be today?”

“Not unless you do,” Eddie hummed, wrapping his arms around Richie’s waist, seeking more of his body heat. “Anyway, aren’t we going out for dinner? To talk and stuff?” He looked up just as Richie looked down, their eyes meeting for a brief moment before Richie closed the distance with a soft kiss. “Mhm, morning.”

“Morning,” Richie breathed back, spinning Eddie around so he was pressed up against the counter. “Fuck I missed you, I missed you so much.”

Eddie’s stomach clenched, his eyes softening almost immediately as he glanced towards the floor in embarrassment. It was his fault after all, his fault that Richie had to miss him in the first place. He felt Richie’s fingers under his chin, tilting his head up so their eyes locked.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Richie spoke softly. “Please stop?” His head tilted to the side, curls falling loose and into his face. Eddie thought he was the most handsome man he’d even laid his eyes on. “Come back to bed?”

Richie stepped back and held out his hand, allowing Eddie to turn him down if he wanted to, always giving him that choice. Instead of Eddie’s stomach clenching in a bad way, this time it clenched in anticipation with what was to come.

Yes, they had to talk, sit down and have a conversation about their relationship and what they both wanted. Eddie was going to have to communicate with Richie, tell him everything about his past and why he had thought he was going to break up with him in the first place. The thought was terrifying, but Eddie wanted nothing more than to let Richie get to know him completely.

All that could wait though, until later.

Eddie smiled, reaching his hand out to take Richie’s, letting him lead him back to the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him.

* * * * * 

taglist

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[myrandom-fandomlife]

I Think I Kinda, You Know Chapter 1: The Agreement

JJ Maybank x Carrera! Reader 

Moodboard, Summary, and Playlist

Gif Credit 

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: Swearing, implications of smut, mentions of a toxic relationship and cheating

A/N: So, I’ve been working on this for a while, trying to make it an awesome first chapter. I was originally going to write actual smut into it, but I decided against it because I feel like my smut is super cringe. I might write descriptive smut in future chapters. I’m really proud of this, so I hope you guys like. Huge thanks to my beta and irl best friend @otherfandomsrun​ for proof reading, helping with ideas, and hyping me up. Show her some love! I kinda ended this on a cliff hanger, but I’m already working on chapter 2! Fic is below the cut, and feel free to ask to be on the tag list!

You sat next to your sister, Kiara, on the HMS Pogue. That pogue group of friends had expanded quite a bit in the last year. First it was you, Kie finally deeming you old enough to tag along on their adventures. (Which you had, anyway. You were only a year younger, for God’s sake.) Then Sarah, who you and Kie weren’t too fond of, but once you got to know her she was actually pretty awesome. Sarah’s dating John B, Kie and Pope are… complicated, which leaves you and JJ. Generally, you are left alone together because the others have paired off, and recently there has been some unexplained tension between the two of you. You couldn’t lie either, JJ is hot. But, you knew JJ wasn’t one for commitment, and if Kiara knew about your attraction to him, you wouldn’t hear the end of it. So you try your best to repress any non-platonic feelings of attraction down.

“You good Y/N?” Sarah asked. She’s laying her head in John B’s lap across from you. Pope is driving the boat and Kie is next to you, looking out at the water. JJ is on the other side of you, smoking.

“Yeah, just spaced out for a second. I’m good though,” You smiled and leaned over to the cooler to grab another beer. 

“I’m bored,” JJ complains, promptly stealing your beer, taking a long gulp. 

“Come on, JJ! I just opened that!” He smirks at you so retaliate by stealing his blunt from his hand and taking a hit.

“I know,” He takes another long drink. You take another hit and blow the smoke in his face. 

Kie pinches your side, making you flinch, “Careful. If you go home smelling like weed, mom and dad will have a fit.” Your parents weren’t strict, really. And they had warmed up to your group of friends quite a bit, occasionally inviting them over to dinner or to eat at the restaurant. Surprisingly, your mom’s favorite of the group was JJ, and she had always wanted either you or Kie to date him. She loved Pope, though, of course, but you thought she probably wanted to take in JJ as the son she never had. 

“Nah, Kie, let her live a little. Plus, your parents aren’t home tonight. Something about a ‘much needed date night.’” He shrugs at your confused faces and steals the joint back, taking a long drag. “She told me I have to stay with Y/N while Kie is working late tonight.” She was always talking to JJ and putting him to work when he came over to pick up you and Kie, so you weren’t surprised she had told him that before you guys left.

“Oh no, you don’t have t-” You start.

“I’m glad she’ll have someone there, I don’t like her being home alone,” Kie cuts you off, giving you a look that says ‘don’t argue with me, because I’ll win.’

“Yeah, some of the guys on Figure Eight, are super creepy,” Sarah adds. John B nods in agreement, but you think he’s dozing off. 

“You mean like, your brother?” Kie asks, causing Sarah to laugh.

“That guy, Chad, that Y/N dated was a huge creep, though,” JJ adds with a hint of hostility, and everyone nods in agreement. 

“And a cheater!” Pope calls, causing you to tense up. Chad was still a sore subject for you. You had dated for 6 months and right at the end you found out he had been sleeping with other girls the whole time. You broke up about a month ago and you were definitely over him, but it still hurt to know you wasted 6 months of your life on that scumball.

“Too soon, man,” JJ answers, passing the blunt back to you. You and him had grown closer in the past month, him being there to comfort you after the break up when the others couldn’t. Not to say that Kie and Sarah weren’t there for you, Sarah came to your house and you three watched movies all night when it happened. Of course, all three of the boys offered to fight him for you- which you politely declined; but it’s the thought that counts. Everyone helped you cope one way or another, but whether they were working, doing school work, or navigating their own new relationships, they couldn’t be there for you as much as JJ had in the past month. You weren’t mad at all, though. You were sort of grateful it had been him. Everyone else was walking on eggshells around you the first week or two, like they were scared to be happy in front of you. JJ was his usual self, though. He would make you laugh, and let you cry. He was there when you needed him most, and you were glad.

You happily take his offer and shrug the comment off, “It’s okay, J, he’s right.” He gives you a sympathetic look that says, you sure? And you nod, handing his joint back. 

“Oh shoot, I have work in an hour,” Kie says just as we pull up to the dock.

“Dad needs me home tonight to help with some project at the house,” Pope adds, while JJ starts securing the boat to the pier.

“Hey,” Sarah taps John B’s face lightly, “We have dinner with my parents soon. Time to wake up.” He stirs and opens his eyes groggily, flinching a little from the light. Everyone gathers their things, sunkissed and exhausted from the day of boating.

“And we have absolutely nowhere to be,” JJ playfully bows and holds out his hand to help you up onto the small deck. 

You laugh and take his hand, stepping off the worn vehicle. “Except for watching Friends at my house.”

“Very true. Pizza?” He asks brightly. JJ coming over to watch movies or binge a tv series while eating pizza with you and sometimes Kie had become a common occurrence. These nights usually ended with the two or three of you falling asleep sprawled on the sofa together.

You nod, “Duh.” A small chuckle escapes him and you walk up to the Chateau, where you had all met that morning. Then you all start going your separate ways, but you, Kie, and JJ all pile into the silver SUV your parents had gotten for Kiara when she turned 16. They got you a car when you turned 16 a couple of months ago, but Kie liked driving more than you did. You thought maybe it made her feel like you still needed her, which you do. You can’t imagine not having Kie to help you through everything in your crazy life. 

The sound of JJ saying your name from the front seat snaps you out of your thoughts, “What, JJ?” 

He turns his head and his lips curve into a smirk, “Oh nothing, I was just saying how hot you look tonight.” He then bursts out laughing at what you assume is the look on your face.

Small giggles leave you. Kie shoves JJ’s shoulder lightly and adds, “Stop hitting on my sister!” At that you and Kiara crack up too, the car filled with your laughter as you head home.

--------

Approaching the large house, Kie jumps out of her car almost as soon as it’s parked, muttering about being late and needing to get ready. As you and JJ head inside, JJ questions, “Want me to order the pizza?”

“Yeah, I just want to change out of this swimsuit,” You scrunch your nose up, “Saltwater.”

He softly smiles, “The usual?” You shake your head yes and shoot him a grin in return before turning to go up the stairs. You swear you can feel his eyes on you as you retreat.

You try to be quick, donning a cropped t-shirt and some cotton shorts. You throw your hair into a messy bun, bounding down the stairs when you’re done. Your eyes land on the blonde-haired boy in the living room and you see that he already has the pizza, “What are you? Magic?”

His eyes slowly trail down your body, making your face heat up, but he laughs, “Nah, just had to name drop and I was given high priority on my order.”

You giggle, and he adds that Kie had left for work while you were changing. You help get blankets set up on the couch, and turn on the tv. He’s already grabbed a few beers to split between the two of you and you usually just eat the pizza straight out of the box. Pressing play on Friends, you start your favorite kind of night.

--------

A whole pizza and two beers each into your sleepover, you’re both feeling a little buzzed. Currently, you are discussing Chandler and Monica’s relationship, “Yeah, I don’t know. I haven’t been laid in a while so I feel like I need a situation like them, where they just have sex. Minus the feelings though, because gross.” You shudder dramatically and he laughs.

“Yeah, I agree. I just want someone I can have really good sex with, no strings attached.”  He pauses, then looks up at you, a calculating expression on his face.

Then you get what he’s thinking, “JJ...”

“No, think about it. We’re both super hot, we both want to get laid, and we both want no feelings. We could even make a contract if that makes you feel better?” He rambles for a second, still thinking.

“Okay, say we did do this. What would the rules be?”

“Well, there’s the obvious one. The other pogues cannot know. Especially not Kie.” He licks his lips.

You nod, “Yeah, I get that. How about, if one of us gets uncomfortable with the arrangement, we stop?”

He meets your eyes with his dark blue ones and moves toward you on the couch, “Agreed. The last one is very important. We absolutely are not allowed to fall in love. Can you manage?” His lips curve into that smirk again and you can’t help but let a small laugh tumble past your lips.

“I can, can you?” He moves even closer from his side of the couch, and your breathing hitches. The noises from the TV can’t be heard over the sound of your blood rushing in your ears.

“Definitely.” Then his lips are on yours and you forget how to breathe for a second. His tongue is exploring your mouth, hands moving to the bottom of your thighs to wrap your legs around his waist. He starts kissing down your neck, your hands pulling at his hair and making him groan into you.

You feel him bite down on your soft skin, your chest heaving. “Fuck, JJ. Upstairs,” You moan when he continues his antics. He complies with your request and let’s just say, it was a very good night.

--------

You wake up naked, with an ache between your legs as you slowly recall the events from the night before. You groggily open your eyes, spotting a familiar blonde head right away. He looks peaceful. You turn over to check your clock and realize you have an hour until your early work shift, meaning Kie will be knocking at your door very soon.

“Shit,” You tap JJ lightly on the shoulder and he stirs, “J, get up, Kie’s gonna be at my door soon and I don’t think she’s gonna like that you’re currently naked in my bed.”

He smiles, “Good morning to you, too, sunshine.”

You hit him with your pillow, “I’m serious, JJ!” You get up, stumbling a bit on your sore legs, which he smiles proudly at. Then you’re rushing to put some clothes on and he reluctantly does the same.

He puts his hands out in front of him in surrender, “Okay, okay. How am I supposed to get out without Kie seeing? I can’t exactly walk out the front door.”

“Um.. how about the window?” Before JJ could respond, there was a knock at the door, both of your eyes widening in shock.

Tag list: @treestarrrrrrrr​ @sspidermanss​ @harrysbbby​ @thatsonobx​

[chayacat]

Devil’s Sweet Star (30)

Fandom: Dead by Daylight

Ghostface x Female Reader  

Rated M for Violence, Language and Smut  

***

Hunting. It's tiring by force when you run after a prey for hours. But the reward is more than pleasant when we finally find it. The fear that we read in their eyes, but also the pity... It's so satisfying. Their little cries asking to let them live. Sometimes it works. But usually, they die. It’s the law of nature. The strongest, the most agile, the most intelligent always gets by, the weaks die. But when you come across another predator, who wants to steal from you what belongs to you, the music is different. And in case you've forgotten, Danny doesn't like to share his things. Especially you.

If Jed promised you to do nothing about the server last time, this isn’t the case with Danny, and less with Ghostface. He intended to give him a good lesson. A lesson he can never forget, even if he died. He had finally found him, he was a replacement, he worked for another restaurant, in another nearby city. Poor guy... he's not even from here and he died for a simple... stupidity.

Danny will always remember his look. From the predator, this fool has become prey. He will always remember his words, begging him not to kill him. Like everyone else, in itself. Danny was too used to it. And the result is always the same: he kills them. this poor fool must never have dared to seduce you, NEVER. He has paid a high price for it. Certainly, he must have family, friends etc... But no one in Roseville will know about this story. Since he didn't live here.

Danny is already very nice to let his alter ego Jed take care of you; he will not let all the men approach you! However, a smile stretched over his face. This little tantrum you had during your last meeting, it's like you ordered him to kill this server. It was your little signature on the murder contract.  Of course, you still wanted to make the innocent little girl, who doesn’t want to harm anyone. But there... there you have to show a completely different facet. You haven’t explicitly said it, but the fact that you are tired of being seduced and taken for a weak as this "damn server!" said is more than enough for him.

“I knew you had your own dark side... my beautiful bird. Your little cage of purity begins to break... But you don't have to care... I would be there to take care of you.” He said to himself, looking at your picture.  

He kissed the picture before putting it in the drawer of his nightstand. He took the frame where the picture of Carla and him was. If only he could go back in time, he could have acted, he could have asked another doctor to treat her, to give her the right treatment. And she would still be there. But the time machine doesn’t exist. He has to deal with it. He rested the frame and prepared to go to work, today he will not be at the police station. Today he will be at Hoggins' House. Since he was accused of killing McKellan, he has been trying as best he can to exonerate himself. And it's a golden opportunity for Danny to spot places from the inside.

He took the opportunity to look in the mirror. The shy Jed disappeared little by little, leaving more room for Danny. And it was perfect, that's exactly what he wanted. The more he let himself go, the more his alter ego faded in your eyes. Soon, all that will remain of Jed is his name. And one day Danny will be able to reveal his identity to you. His TRUE identity. No more hiding. Danny pulled out his phone and called Mattew. It’s with him that he will interview Hoggins today. Melina, on the other hand, continues to work with the police.

“Hey Jeddy! How are you doing? Are you ready for the interview?” said Mattew cheerfully on the other line. Jeddy... a nickname that even Danny has become accustomed to over time. He wonders what nickname he would have given him with his real name.

“Hey Mattew I am fine, thank you. Of course, I'm ready, probably more than you. I'm sure you're not even dressed yet.” responds Danny chuckling.  

“Think again! I am dressed, my hair is done and I'm ready to go! I come to pick you up or you pick me up from my house?”

“I'm coming to pick you up. I haven’t forgotten what almost happened last time.”

“First, it wasn't me but the other big idiot in front and then I'm a very good driver! But if you want to pick me up... I'm not going to hold you back.” Mattew replied.  

“I got it... Chris took the car. Okay, I'm coming. Get ready, in 5 minutes I'm here. See you right away!” Answers Danny before hanging up and sighing. Mattew will never change.

But actually, within 5 minutes, Danny found himself in front of Mattew and Chris' house, and indeed, Chris had taken the car. According to Mattew, Chris had taken it to the mechanic to do a technical inspection of the vehicle. But knowing Chris.... The slightest screw will pass to the scanner. And it's likely to take the whole morning. It didn't take long to get to Hoggins' residence, as traffic was very fluid, Danny took the opportunity to press the accelerator. At least up to the maximum acceptance rate of the van. He parked not far from Hoggins' car, before getting off with Mattew from the vehicle. They headed for the front door and rang, only to be greeted by Hoggins himself.

“Ah, here you are! the little journalists of Roseville, but please come in! Your friend isn’t here?” Ask Hoggins with a smile.  

“Our colleague Melina has been sent elsewhere Mr...” starts Mattew.  

“No, I'm talking about the other girl... this adorable little bird of paradise that was with you at the reception...”

“(Y/N) doesn’t work at the newspaper. She was just accompanying us. I'M so lucky to have a girlfriend as adorable as her, indeed.” said Danny holding back from sticking his fist in his mouth.

“Oh...Well, congratulations then.” replied Hoggins, with a faint smile of disgust on his face.  

Hoggins guided them to the living room and asked his butler to prepare coffees. He returned a few minutes later and put the tray on the table before leaving. Danny mentally disfigured the man in front of him, if Hoggins also had views on you, then his fall and his death will be nothing but delightful.

“Very well gentlemen, I don’t know if your boss has warned you, but I have a very important appointment, so I may have to leave and shorten this interview. I apologise for that.” said Hoggins before taking a sip of coffee.  

“It won't take long, don't worry... 1 or 2h I think will be more than enough, Right Jed?” ask Mattew, taking Danny out of his macabre thoughts.

“Yes... it would be a shame if Mr. Hoggins missed such an important appointment because of us...” hisses Danny between his teeth without letting Hoggins out of sight... What a dirty pretentious asshole.

Mattew began asking the questions while Danny took notes as his answers progressed. He had started soft, asking him the origin of his rise in the American market. Then after an hour, it's Danny’s turn to ask the questions... and he's not going to go smoothly.

“Very well, Mr. Hoggins. As you know, you and Mr. McKellan are in the midst of a scandal about …" He started before being cut by Hoggins.

“Yes, I know, and I have replied to many of your colleagues that all this was just a plot from my previous partners who sank today. But do I really have anything to do with it? They didn't see things in a big way, that's what lost them.” responds Hoggins nonchalantly.

“Yes of course... But you also know that... you are accused of having ordered the murder of your partner Horace McKellan...because you think he was the one who broke this scandal.” replied Danny, with a slightly provocative look.

“And it's still a plot against me. Horace was a great partner and friend. Even though I accused him and threatened him... I could never have taken action. That’s unthinkable.”  

“You, no... but you could have hired someone. That is what you are accused of. Apparently, you would have chatting with a man three days before threatening McKellan. And given the appearance of the man... I suspect it wasn't to discuss garden and DIY.”

“This appointment... was in the domain of privacy mr Olsen... What we said to each other was about a completely different business than the one I had with Horace.”  

“I didn't know that a man of the high... was doing business with a notorious drug dealer. I wonder what kind of business you deal with together...” Replied Danny with a sneaky grin.  

“I'm sorry gentlemen but... I will have to end this interview. My appointment will not take long to arrive, I don’t want to make him wait, it would be ... counterproductive on my part. I hope, however, that I have been able to answer all your questions. My butler will accompany you.” answer Hoggins with the same grin.  

“You know what they say sir... sooner or later the rider will fall from his horse. And the fool will be locked up. Have a good day.”

The butler escorted Danny and Mattew to the door. Once outside, the two journalists got back into the van and Danny couldn't help but hit the steering wheel with his fists. This surprised Mattew who hadn't seen his colleague being angry before. And for once he lets go... it's really disturbing to think that he's quite inexpressive in nature. At least of what Danny kindly showed him.

“What a son of a bitch! I swear to that damn God that if I didn't hold back for job and Wilhelm's investigation, I would go back inside and I would smash his head against the wall!” said Danny flustered.  

“Calm down Jeddy... If he goes to jail, tell yourself that he will suffer. Already that when you are there, the other prisoners don’t give you gifts ... then a rich man like him, they will not miss him. Let's go eat and have a drink somewhere. It's going to relax you a little bit.” said Mattew, trying to appease him.

Danny sighed and set out to get back in town, with a little smile on his face. On the road, Mattew tried to relax the atmosphere, but it wasn't his jokes that made Danny laugh, but his colleague and friend's attempt to relax him. They stopped to take food and drink from a fast-food restaurant in the city. But as if the day wasn't already annoying enough, two guys approached them to steal them. Danny sighed, gently took off his glasses before giving them to Mattew. Then suddenly turns to punch one of the two men in the face, who fell to the ground. The second hit Danny in return, who punched back in the stomach and another in the head.

“It's good ?? you've had enough or I have to put a layer back?!” said Danny, threatening the two men by raising his fist.

The latter left without asking for their remains. Danny wiped his mouth with a hand gesture, noticing that he was bleeding a little. The blow was more violent than he had thought. He turned to Mattew who looked at him... stoic.

“What?”  

“Dude... This is the first time I've seen you hit someone. It's the day of surprises or what?” responds Mattew.  

“I told you... I'm nice as long as we're nice to me. But if we're not... I may not be very diplomatic. I was too walked on my mouth, when I was little, but today, it's over.”

The rest of the day was rather quiet after this incident. Danny had finally calmed down and with Mattew anyway, it was pretty hard not to calm down. They were both going to the newspaper to deposit what they have noted from Hoggins' interview and, on the way, have met Melina who had survived a full day with Wilhelm. What a miracle when you know her well. The trio greeted and separated, each returning home. Danny returned home, exhausted, and deep down, stills angry to see that Hoggins has views on you. Oh, his death will be a delight in his eyes... Oh, yes... Danny will enjoy it until the last second. As he walked into the building, heading towards his apartment, he saw you coming home as well, and given the way you walk, you look just as exhausted as he is. A smile came to his lips and he caught up with you as you were about to return to your apartment.

“Jed! You scared me...” you said with a sigh of relief.  

“Sorry my love. how did your day go?” asks Danny, with a little laugh.  

“I'm exhausted! we've had many, many, many people today. I believe that since I've been here, this is my most intense workday I've ever had. But... you’re hurt! What happened??”

“Nothing serious... let's say it wasn't a good day.”

“Go inside, I'll take care of it. And no discussion.”

“Yes Madam.” replied Danny, raising his hand before entering your appartement.  

While you were treating him on the lip, Danny told you about his day. He couldn't help but hiss as he felt the disinfectant on the wound. But that wasn’t what was most important to him. The most important thing was to see your reaction to all this, from the disgust with Hoggins, to the anxiety when he told you about the fight that took place in front of the fast-food restaurant. Fortunately, they had no weapons on them... otherwise, God only knows how it would have ended.

“My poor Jed... it wasn't your day... I'm done.” you said, storing disinfectant and cotton pads.

“Thank you, madam. I was wise... Could I have a lollipop as a reward?” respond Danny jokingly.  

“Very funny Jed. I don't have a lollipop but... I can give you that.”  

You kissed him as he kisses you back. Taking you gently by the waist to bring you back against him. Suddenly he felt something unusual, your hand descending gently to touch his ass. If that's what you wanted to give him... he will not refuse.

“Do you really want to venture into this field? Be careful Sweetie, once launched, no going back possible. And I can last all night if I have to.” said Danny with a grin.  

“Prove it. I can hold all night too.” you respond with a provocative look.  

It didn't take more for Danny to kiss you roughly, bringing you little by little to the room. Or you're the one who take him to your room?  No one can say. But Danny isn’t against it. He's been waiting for this for quite some time, and believe me, tonight ...the night is going to be long. You're going to ride his world, but he's going to rock yours.

This is the most beautiful way... to put his mark on you.

***

(And it’s done! I started to play RE Village recently and I'm in love with it! Even if I really freak out with that damn baby of Hell in Benevento’s House! XD I’m impatient to meet Heisenberg 👀...But first, I'm gonna kick Moreau’s ugly ass! I hope you’ll like this chapter like the others ones! Well, it's time for my brain to rest! Have a great weekend to you all! See ya!)