#she needs a doting husband who doesn’t know what a girl like her is doing in his small village

[waywardavatarenthusiast]

just so we’re on the same page, if azula isn’t redeemed and at peace by the time the aang movie rolls around, she better have her own slice of life.

you mean 12 years post war, aang and katara get to be engaged/married, zuko could have a kid on the way for all we know, and azula will still be zuko’s scheming little sister?

i swear if she’s a villain and doesn’t finish dinner and tuck her children into bed before heading to her lair, i’ll be done with atla.

[natslovergirl]

Cornered

Warnings: kissing, cheating, flirting

After your first kiss with Wanda, sitting on her lap as she took your breath away, you quickly pushed her off and ran out the door. You weren’t a shy girl by any means, and you knew you two were playing a dangerous game, but really? A pastors wife? Wanda Maximoff, the doting wife and volunteer everyone looks up to? You were barely a sophomore in college, kissing a woman who’s married and in her 30’s like it’s no big deal. You had no business being involved in something this scandalous.

When her lips collided with yours, it suddenly turned into a big deal…everything was a big deal. You couldn’t be letting your fun feelings go too far, and besides, you were only here for the summer. Your feelings for Wanda weren’t real, it’s just a fling. Wanda, on the other hand, felt completely different. She knew that you wouldn’t stay in town forever, but that didn’t stop her from wanting you one bit.

She got worried when you didn’t show up for your special solo that Sunday, the one she found you a pretty dress for and did your blush and- even the thought of the kiss made her cheeks grow with heat. After service she waited at a lonely table while her husband chatted it up with all the families and other guests. Wanda got used to having your company, talking and laughing and giving you light touches. Her high status as the Pastors wife surprisingly didn’t leave her with many real friends.

When she got home, the first number she called was yours, sitting on the couch with a cold glass of iced tea and waiting for you to pick up. You saw her call, took a breath, and declined it. Funny enough though, you were still wearing the dress and her makeup…you just couldn’t take it off. The doting wife called you 10 times in the span of an hour, leaving countless voicemails.

“Hi sweetheart, it’s Ms. Maximoff…it’s Wanda. Please call me.”

“Why’d you miss your solo, we worked so hard on it?”

”We should talk about earlier…it was completely unprofessional and I’m sorry, honey.” “Call me back, or meet me at my house in an hour. I’d prefer your discretion on this.”

You decided to be a mature adult and drove over to her house, anxiously knocking on the door. The beautiful woman you’d kissed just hours earlier stood there, hair shiny and soft with perfect lips and- that’s not even what you were here for. Focus. “Please come in, make yourself comfortable,” she said as she took your coat and your purse.

You two sat across from one another on two separate couches, letting uncomfortable silence stir between you two. Then, you spoke, “I just want to say I’m sorry for earlier, it should’ve never happened and I-”

“Don’t apologize, Y/N. I wanted it…I still do.” “What-what’re you saying? Wanda your husband is a pastor and you work at the church and- I don’t even know what’s going on.” “For years I’ve been able to keep my desires hidden until you, Y/N. I don’t know why but I have to have you, and I know you want me too.”

“You’re married-”

“You think my husband doesn’t have his own flings?”

She sat on your side of the couch now, a finger gently running up your knee to your thigh, sending a shiver down your spine. You wanted her so badly. You needed her touch.

“No one would have to know.” And you said yes.

That’s how you ended up with your dress ruffled, makeup a mess, hickeys on your tits, and a phone number in your pocket that said, “Call me night or day- W.”

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for saying my family shows favoritism towards my baby cousin?

(This is copied from my Reddit drafts because my partner told me tumblr would be better for this and I trust them)

Okay this is a long one so I’m just gonna throw out fake names for everyone and everyone is white middle class Americans

I, Op, 20M, I’m a trans man not accepted by my family. This is relevant

Renee, 20F, my twin sister

Bea, 16F, my younger sister

Lee, 35F, my aunt on my father’s side

Lucas, 2M, my cousin, son of Lee

Suzie, 5F, my cousin, daughter of Lee

My father, 44M, the patriarch of our whole family

My mother, 45F

Grandpa, 76M, paternal grandpa, previous patriarch

Grandma, 74F, paternal grandma

So I’m sending this in on Christmas Day of 2023. For some context, I still live at home, but it’s more of a roommate situation now that I’m an adult. Renee lives on her out-of-state college campus but visits for holidays, and Bea is still a high schooler. Lee, her children, and her husband who isn’t relevant to this (I love my uncle, we just literally never talk) live across the country. My father is losing the battle with cancer and can’t travel, so we had two separate christmases this year, one with my immediate family and one with Lee. Grandma and Grandpa went to Lee’s, which was awesome for me because that meant I got to avoid them this year!

As the character list above states, I’m (one of) the oldest of the five grandkids with my cousins being born a lot later than me and my sisters. My family is a traditional WASP family and staunchly conservative with Aunt Lee actively being a cop right now while my parents and Grandpa served in the military. Growing up undeniably queer was hilarious, I know. But the family dynamic wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, my family did a good job of trying to hide the fact that Renee was the favorite child lol, but that was more on the basis of her having the same traditional values that they do until Aunt Lee had Suzie, then she obviously became the favorite. Fine by me, she’s an adorable girl and I love spoiling her. Also, ACAB does apply for Aunt Lee for being complacent in this system, it’s not just the most relevant part of the story besides explaining how she fits into the family dynamic

But then Lee had Lucas a few years later and the focus in the family shifted to him. At first, it was baby fever making everyone dote over him (and I’m guilty of this too) but after a while, I realized that the fever hasn’t died down. If we had family reunions, everyone would flock to Lucas and I would be the one watching Suzie. For a toddler, she’s a great conversationalist, but it was still sad to see all her aunts and uncles and cousins showering her baby brother with attention and not her. And then the comments started. That my father would only refer to Lucas as “my nephew” even when talking directly to Lee (unhinged to witness in person). That Grandpa was so happy to finally have a grandson (felt great). The lady-killer comments and guessing what profession he’s gonna go into based on how chubby of a baby he is (the money’s on Linebacker, little dude is built like a truck). Stuff like that

None of these comments were ever made about Suzie when she was born, and I really don’t want to admit that it’s because Lucas is a boy, but thats the only answer I can think of when trying to understand the favoritism. Lucas is showered in gifts and love and while I know newborns need that, Suzie received nowhere near this much attention. Lee’s husband doesn’t go to family functions because he works full time, but I heard Suzie mumble at Thanksgiving last month that she wanted to go home to daddy. It broke my fucking heart, so I called him and she got to FaceTime with my uncle until my phone died

At this point, I’m not even upset that the family ignores my obvious trans-ness as I’m over a year on T (paid for by myself too) in favor of my boy cousin. I’m upset that Suzie is getting left out of the fawning while she’s still super young and she could grow up resenting Lucas because of it.

Anyways, so this morning we opened gifts as an immediate family and I got to FaceTime my significant other as they unboxed their gift from me and we were having a good time until my dad FaceTimes Grandpa. Grandpa answers and Dad immediately asks how his nephew is. Lucas is pushed in front of the phone and all I can hear is asking about how Lucas is, is Lucas talking yet, is Lucas reading yet. I manage to squeeze my head in and ask about Suzie and Lee’s voice off camera says that “oh she’s fine, just snobbish.” Snobbish? A five year old?

And here’s where I’m probably the Asshole. Honestly, I’m looking between ESH and JAH here, but would perfectly understandable if tumblr decides YTA. My response to Lee’s comment was: “well maybe she wouldn’t be if everyone didn’t pick Lucas as the family favorite.”

My dad smacked me upside the head, Renee and Bea got really pissed off, and the FaceTime went quiet until it was cut off and Grandpa called back to talk to Dad privately. Bea called me an asshole and while my Mom got onto her for her language, Mom agreed that I was.

My dad came back from the phone and did the silent point towards his bedroom, y’all with shitty parents know the one. Because I’m twenty fucking years old and pay RENT here, I shook my head, grabbed my keys, and went to go hang out with my significant partner and work friends. We had a great time and I’m currently in the car with my significant other while typing this. I’m gonna spend the night at their place and go back in the morning to see how bad the damage is. My significant other says I was justified in what I said, but two of my work friends (one who’s a Cishet guy who grew up in a similar household and another who’s a new dad with his own son) say that what I said was uncalled for and rude. They explained that I had no right to weaponize Lucas and Suzie like that and I understand that. I’m just tired of Suzie being neglected and, selfishly I know, I’m tired of how my identity is ignored as well

So, tumblr, AITA?

TL;DR, My two year old cousin is the “only” grandson in the family. The family ignores my male identity and my baby cousin’s five year old sister to fawn over the two year old. Am I The Asshole for pointing this out point blank in front of the whole family on Christmas morning?

What are these acronyms?

[angelsknifeprty]

What would Sadie Adler be like being the fem!eader's girlfriend? I love she🩵

sadie as your girlfriend hcs ✿⋆.˚⊹

ways to help palestine | operation olive branch | keep eyes on sudan | haiti’s history | learn about congo

‧₊˚౨ৎ before the two of you started dating she was unexplainably protective over you. she was already very protective of the gang, leaping into action whenever there was danger. but she always seemed to have her eyes trained on you, watching like a hawk for if you were in any sort of trouble

‧₊˚౨ৎ this only intensifies when she finally gets to call you hers. you were always the first person she’d check on both in and after any danger. she’d rush to your side to protect you and make sure you weren’t too shaken up afterwards. her arm would constantly be wrapped protectively (and possessively) around your waist. when sadie was around you didn’t have to worry about taking shit from anybody, they’d have to go through her first

‧₊˚౨ৎ “you redirect that attitude to me, ‘cause if i hear another word leave that filthy mouth o’ yours, i’ll kill ya.”

‧₊˚౨ৎ she’s very generous with her death threats but to anyone who knows her or has any common sense, they know she’s not joking

‧₊˚౨ৎ despite her harsh exterior and brutal nature, she’s actually a big softie. she’s a fan of mushy pet names, calling you “sweetheart”, “angel”, “pretty girl”, you name it. and she’s not worried about calling you these in front of people. most think she’d shy away from it as she has a reputation for being a bit hot-headed and intimidating. but she holds her own well enough for there to be no doubt about whether she’s truly a threat or not, just for her to then turn around and dote on you like nothing happened

‧₊˚౨ৎ she is very possessive and loves calling you hers. what’s hers is hers and that will be known, every affectionate name having “my” in front of it

‧₊˚౨ৎ loves doing things for you, always talking about how she isn’t a fan of sitting around and not doing much. if she sees miss grimshaw is wearing you rather thin she won’t hesitate to come and take some tasks off of your hands, even though she prefers the more hands on dirty work the gang gets up to. but if it was for you, she’d do just about anything

‧₊˚౨ৎ if you aren’t already able to she’d teach you how to defend yourself, always worrying over what might happen if she’s not around to protect you. the idea of that makes her feel helpless, which she hates, so it brings her some comfort to make sure you’re capable of taking care of yourself if needed

‧₊˚౨ৎ she loves to fluster you. she is absolutely not shy when teaching you how to shoot, pressing herself up against you as she readjusts your posture and gives you directions in that raspy voice of hers. you swear she wants you to start messing up when she whispers a proud, “atta girl,” after a particularly good shot. “my pretty girl’s doin’ so good.”

‧₊˚౨ৎ you are the only person she’ll play the harmonica for. she was very reserved about it at first, nobody but her late husband getting to hear her play. but when she feels herself becoming more at ease with you she’ll occasionally let you stick around while she plays. you of course respect her and her privacy but on days where she can’t bring herself to dismiss your company, she lets you stay

“alright, you can stay, darlin’. but ya can’t laugh if i mess up, okay?” 

‧₊˚౨ৎ she is actually very upfront about her feelings. she’s quite openly vulnerable, though she wishes she wasn’t. she’s a tough cookie to break but sees the importance of being honest with you (she’s so applejack coded aaaa) and doesn’t like leaving tension in the air if you’re upset with each other or one of you is going through a hard time

‧₊˚౨ৎ will absolutely spoil you with her bounty hunting money. what better way to spend her time after chasing down crooks than giving you whatever you wanted? it also wouldn’t hurt to give you any shiny trinkets she took from the pockets of her newest catches, they wouldn’t be needing them anyway once they were behind bars

‧₊˚౨ৎ literally the best girlfriend ever, i firmly believe she devotes her every breath to doing right by you <3

a/n: i love sadie sm i wanna write for her more !! i hope you enjoyed :D xoxo

[nolita-fairytale]

don't want to walk alone | carmen 'carmy' berzatto x fem!reader | part two: august

summary: you head down to savannah, georgia with syd, sugar, liz, and maya for a not-bachelorette weekend.

warnings: swearing, eventual smut, lots of tooth rotting fluff, marriage, no use of y/n, second person pov, she/her pronouns

wc: 5.5k

a/n: it's finally heeeeere!!! i know i've gotten quite side tracked with my luca fic, but chapter two of don't want to walk alone is finally here thank god. anyways, this is a carmy-lite chapter, but i think this is just as important. enjoy, besties. chapter three is thee wedding, so it may take a while for me to get that one out and honestly, i like taking my time with this one. i have some very fun ideas and yes we will be getting honeymoon smut don't worry. please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from the taglist.

part one | masterlist | part three

Thursday

“Hey, did Syd go out already?” you hear Natalie ask, causing you to pause what you’re doing. 

You’re in the middle of laying out the gifts you’ve brought for your friends for the weekend, as a thank you for coming to Savannah to help you find a wedding dress. You’re not looking for anything extravagant – you are eloping at the courthouse after all – but it felt like a good excuse to get your best friends together for the weekend too. While you’ve spent most of your time planning this trip insisting that it’s not a bachelorette party, it’s certainly beginning to feel like one. 

“Just because we’re not doing a big wedding thing doesn’t mean we can’t do a pre-wedding girls’ trip,” you’d explained to Liz and Maya over your group FaceTime. 

“Hmmm, sounds a bit like a bachelorette party,” Maya had observed with every intent of provoking you.

“It’s not a bachelorette party!” you had vehemently insisted on the call. 

“Sounds a little like one to me,” Liz had added, earning an eye roll from you as you murmured something about the two of them always ganging up on you. 

So here you are, deciding that, maybe, you should just lean into it. 

While Sydney’s gone to the grocery to do the shopping (something she insisted on doing since you’re both making brunch for tomorrow morning) it’s just you and Nat in the house. You could’ve sworn Nat was on the phone earlier – Pete being the every-worrying, doting husband who hasn’t spent a night away from his wife since she got pregnant. 

“Hey, you!” you finally greet her, a broad smile spreading across your face as you turn to see your very pregnant almost-sister-in-law. “Uh… yeah she was going to the grocery store for some things. Need me to text her?”

Natalie shakes her head ‘no,’ before stepping into one of the many rooms that fill the airbnb that you have rented for the weekend. 

“Watcha got goin’ on over here?” Nat asks curiously, as she takes a few steps towards you. 

“Well,” you sigh, placing the neatly folded set of washable silk PJs down on one of the two twin beds that fill the bedroom that Maya and Liz will be sleeping in. “Just because you’re not technically my bridesmaids doesn’t mean that I can’t get you guys gifts, right?”

Sugar snorts, “Huh. That’s funny.”

“Hm?” you hum in response. 

“Soooo many things, especially since you won’t just admit this is your version of a bachelorette party but…” she teases you, pausing before she continues with: 

“I mostly came in here because I have a gift for you.

“What? You didn’t have to get me a gift,” you start, watching as Nat presents a gift bag stuffed to the brim with tissue paper. 

“I know. But just because you refuse to admit that this is a bachelorette party, doesn’t mean I can’t get you a bridal gift,” she answers, taking a seat on one of the beds as she repeats your own reasoning back to you. 

“Fair enough,” you chuckle sitting down on the bed as you accept her gift. 

Parting the mountain of tissue paper, you pull a neatly folded article of clothing wrapped in more tissue paper. Gently, you slide the fabric out of its sleeve, revealing a silk lace slip nightgown out of the gift bag. 

You gasp, examining the soft, delicate material in your hands. 

“Nat, this is-, holy shit. It’s stunning,” you marvel, running your fingers over the creme-colored material. 

“I saw it and couldn’t help myself,” she smiles proudly, happy to see that you love it. 

“It’s perfect,” you whisper, this time moving your fingers over the black lace trim at the hemline. 

“I wanted to give it to you before everyone got here,” she explains softly. “Wear it this weekend. Or for the honeymoon. I don’t know. I saw it and… it just felt like you.”

“Thank you,” you smile, your heart warming as you lean over to give her a hug. She squeezes you back, ecstatic that you love her gift. 

“Think Carmy’ll be jealous I didn’t get him anything?” she asks, jokingly, her eyes narrowing. 

“Oh, this is a gift for him too,” you’re quick to reply with a smirk. 

“Ew!” she glares at you, earning a laugh from you as you defend yourself. 

You shrug, “You set yourself up with that one, mama.”

You exchange a look, and a laugh, as Sugar playfully rolls her eyes at the thought of her brother doing anything more explicit than what could be in a PG-rated film. 

“How ya doin? How’s my soon-to-be-nephew?” you ask, shifting your body so that you’re facing here even more so now as you change the subject. 

“I’m alright,” she sighs, leaning back on her hands behind her. “Second trimester’s been a whole lot better than the first but… this whole pregnancy thing? Wow.”

“Yeah, we are in no hurry,” you empathize, adding a little humor to your sentiment. 

“Well, from what I hear, it hasn’t stopped either of you from-,” she begins to tease you and now it’s your turn to say:

“Oh my god, Natalie! Ew!” 

You roll your eyes this time, no stranger to the fact that you and Carmy’s sex life has started a rumor or two that’s gotten passed around the restaurant staff like wildfire.

She nudges you playfully, earning another laugh from you before the two of you settle into a comfortable silence, sitting side by side. 

Natalie takes a beat, carefully choosing what she wants to say to you, especially since heart to hearts weren’t exactly common for her growing up. 

“I also came in here to say…” she begins, her voice softening because she really means it. “I am so glad that he met you – Carmy – that you found each other. And I meant it when I said that I couldn’t wait for us to be sisters.”

The memory of the night you both got violently high together before Sugar got pregnant – the night she first called you her sister-in-law – brings the biggest smile to your face as you laugh. 

“You’ve changed his life,” she finishes, the deepest of gratitude coloring the words she says. 

You think someone should’ve warned you that getting married would bring up so many goddamn feelings, because you’ve been feeling pretty damn nostalgic and emotional lately too. 

With watery eyes, you grab Sugar’s hand, giving it a squeeze as you say, “Nat, he changed mine. He keeps… changing mine.” You pause for a moment wondering when, all of a sudden, you’ve gotten this sappy. “I love Carmen… so much. And… I’m so glad that in loving him… it brought us together too.”

She nods in agreement, as she whispers a tearful ‘yeah,’ giving your hand a squeeze in return before releasing it. 

“Jesus Christ. When did we become these people?” you chuckle, shaking your head. 

“I have no fucking clue but I’m blaming the pregnancy hormones,” Nat laughs with you. 

She pauses once more, and it’s as if she can’t help herself, diving into it again because there’s so much more she wants to say. 

“You know, I always wanted a sister…” Natalie starts with a disappointed nod of her head. “I always thought… like, maybe things would’ve been different or something. Mikey and Carmy could do no wrong, you know, but me?” 

She lets out another sigh, shifting her sitting position in pursuit of something more comfortable. 

“I don’t know… I always wondered what it would be like – to have an ally in it all, a partner in crime – because Mom was Mom… and-. Well, you know. But now with the baby coming, I just can’t picture putting a child through that.” 

She takes a beat this time, making sure she’s clear on what she’s trying to communicate to you. 

“I think what I’m trying to say is, selfishly, I’m so damn glad Carmy swallowed his pride and called you all those years ago.”

You’re grinning from ear to ear as you listen, agreeing with, “Me fucking too, buddy.”

The sound of the front door is an almost-welcomed interruption as you and Nat exchange a look, the both of you coming to the conclusion that it’s probably Sydney, back from the store. 

“Helloooooooo!” you both hear Sydney call out in the empty downstairs area of the airbnb. 

“We should probably go. See if Sydney needs our help?” Natalie suggests.

“Yeah,” you reply, standing up from where you’re seated on the bed. 

“Nat,” you say, offering a hand to help her up. 

She takes it, murmuring a thank you before groaning about her feet. You giggle, but this time, you have one last thing you want to say to her. 

“Thank you for the gift… and for what you just told me,” you say, before finishing your thought with, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replies, a soft smile on her face. 

You share a look, and one more moment, before heading downstairs. 

“Look who I found!” Sydney squeals, her voice resonating broadly throughout the house. 

It’s then that you hear the sounds of luggage being rolled, as Maya goes on about how cute this place is, while Liz, following closely behind exclaims something about how goddamn hot it is outside. 

“Oh my god!” you exclaim, leaping over the last few stairs as you crowd both of your New York friends. 

It’s an exchange of squeals, how are you’s, how were your trips, and enthusiastic hugs exchanged between old friends. 

“Liz, Maya, you remember Natalie, right?” you introduce, as Nat gives both of your friends a small wave. 

While Liz and Maya have met Sydney multiple times (including a few trips to New York Sydney’s taken by herself), you know your two best friends have only met Sugar once or twice when visiting you in Chicago. 

“Yes, Carmy’s sister!” Liz says, her eyes lighting up with recognition. 

“Yes,” Nat nods, confirming the statement. 

“Well, come on in! I’ll show you up to your room so you can put your stuff down and whatnot,” you encourage, ushering the both of them upstairs as Natalie asks if Syd needs help unloading the car. 

“I can’t believe we’re finally here!” Maya exclaims, excitedly. 

“In Savannah… That you two idiots somehow figured it out and are getting married,” Liz continues, adding clarity around the very layered statement. 

You laugh, “Listen, you and I both, sister.”

You show both Liz and Maya to their shared room as the three of you catch up about the flight here, shared exclamations about how stoked you are for the weekend, about how much you were all in need of a good vacation anyways. As you watch your best friends set their things down and begin to settle in, it feels surreal. 

Like you and Carmy’s last trip to New York, it feels as if your worlds are once again colliding – two sets of friends from two very different chapters of your life as you approach a new one. 

Friday 

Your not-bachelorette brunch menu goes as follows: 

Syd’s famous potato chip omelet, a vanilla bean yogurt with Liz’s favorite homemade granola recipe, made last night before bed, bacon you’re frying up in a cast iron pan that belongs to the stocked rental kitchen, and one of Liz’s favorite mocktails because, yes,

“You’re making us go for a hike?!” Maya exclaims. “In this heat? In this humidity?!”

“I thought you were… on your whole SoulCycle kick,” you’re quick to reply. 

“Yeah, because it’s indoors,” she emphasizes with a sigh of defeat. 

“Thank god you didn’t get your hair done for this, babe,” Liz teases her friend, earning a ‘seconded’ from Maya. 

“Oh my god! I forgot that we both love SouCycle!” Sugar chimes in, simultaneously. 

“Add it to the list,” Maya replies, because she and Nat have gotten quite chummy over the last 12 hours. 

After ordering pizza last night, Maya and Nat had promptly curled up in a corner of the couch with a glass of wine for Maya, and an non-alcoholic cocktail for Nat, and spent almost two uninterrupted hours of realizing that they had way too much in common to not become instant-besties.

“So let me get this straight. It’s your bachelorette party and-,” Maya begins, straightening up on the barstool that lines the other side of the breakfast bar. 

“It’s not a bachelorette party, it’s just a girls’ weekend,” you and Syd say in unison, you more insistent while Syd simply recites the words as that you’ve droned on about again and again. 

“And we’re not going out?” Maya asks, unamused by your lack of enthusiasm.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” you shrug, careless for the idea of going out this weekend. 

“What about the strippers?!” Maya exclaims, a little louder this time, sending all of you into a fit of giggles. 

“What strippers?!” Syd exclaims. 

“Listen, I’m not against strippers…” you laugh with a shake of your head. “...but I just wanted this weekend to be about getting my favorite people together and looking for a dress. YOU are the one who called it a bachelorette party.”

“You’ll have to excuse Maya. It’s been a while since she’s had a weekend away from full-time mom duty,” Liz teases her, as the two of you share a knowing look. 

“Not to mention full-time work! And full-time wife-ing,” Maya adds insistently. “I’m ready to shake my ass!” 

You and Sugar both snort with laughter and Syd snickers again, plating her final omelet. 

“And while she’s somehow the first one of us to settle down, she’s also always been the biggest party animal of the both of us,” you continue, picking up where Liz left off. 

“See, this is what you have to look forward to,” Syd jokes, directing her comment to Nat. “The both of you.”

“Oh shut up,” she quips back, playfully. 

You shrug, before offering to help Syd distribute her stunningly plated omelets to the kitchen table that Liz has already set. 

“Tell us what you made today,” you joke, doing your best Padma Lakshmi impression, as if Sydney were a contestant on Top Chef. 

Sydney laughs, while the rest of the girls take their seats, standing at the head of the table as she takes your invitation to roleplay a little too seriously:

“So this… is a potato chip omelet with boursin cheese inspired by our very own Natalie Berzatto.”

“You’re amazing,” Natalie coos, because she truly cannot get enough of this omelet. 

“This looks incredible,” Maya compliments, admiring the neatly shaped French omelet. 

“And the potato chips are fucking genius,” Liz marvels, simultaneously.

“Something I started making at the restaurant just for Nat since, you know, it kinda hits all the cravings. It’s salty. It’s filling. You know you got a little texture going on with the chips. Aaaaand I’m starving so let’s end this Top Chef cosplay right now and eat,” Syd says, earning a laugh and statements of agreement from the rest of you as she rushes to the last empty chair. 

You spend the morning enjoying breakfast before ushering everyone out to the car for your hike. Insistent on heading out there before it gets too hot, you decide it’s probably best to go before noon. As you head out to the Skidaway Island State Park trail, the fact that you friends are finally all together in one room begins to hit you. While Nat and Maya have hit it off over their love for SoulCycle, how strange pregnancy cravings are, and their mutual adoration for Maggie Rogers, you smile to yourself while you listen to Sydney and Liz dissect the most recent season of Love Island. 

And despite the few yet passionate protestations, the hiking trail really isn’t all that bad. The five of you spend about an hour out there, hanging out a little longer along the boardwalk, before heading back into town for lunch, and then home for showers and some downtime. Tonight’s game plan is to get all dressed up (sort of) then head to Mashama Bailey’s restaurant, The Grey. 

You take some time (and a nap) to yourself this afternoon, knowing that everyone else has taken some time to read, catch up a little, or just hang out. As you awaken from your nap, you flip through your phone for a bit, and, you think to yourself, it feels really damn good to slow down. 

You decide to call Carmy, Facetime-ing him as you remain snuggled up in the airbnb bed. It takes a few rings before Carmy answers, his hair wild, dressed in his chef whites. 

“Hey, babe,” Carmy smiles, as soon as your face appears on his phone screen. “It’s good to hear from you.”

“You too. I’m glad you picked up,” you reply, a lightness in your voice that only comes with vacation-you. 

“How’s my girl doing?” he asks you, adoration in his eyes. 

You hum happily in response, stretching a little in your bed. 

“She’s great. But she misses you,” you answer, soaking in how much you love when he calls you his girl. “The trip’s been great so far, baby. We went for a hike this morning and uh, well, everyone’s really hit it off. Pretty sure Nat and Maya have become best friends now.”

“Uh oh.”

“Oh come on,” you chuckle, snuggling deeper into the duvet. “You know Maya’s always been your biggest fan.”

“Yeah,” he nods softly, because he does know that, for whatever reason, she’s always been his biggest advocate. 

“But how are you? How’s Aioli? What am I missing?” you ask your future husband. 

“We’re good. And Aioli is still the most spoiled cat in the Greater Chicago area. Not much to report here. Just taking a smoke break before dinner service,” he answers with a shrug. 

“What’re you up to?”

“Just waking up from a nap,” you reply with a yawn, your disheveled bedhead more of a turnon then Carmy will admit. “And we’re going to The Grey later.”

“Mashama’s place?”

“Yeah.”

“You gonna get all dressed up?” he asks, his interest piquing. 

“Yeah, I think we are,” you reply, the conversation taking a slightly flirtier turn as you add, “Don’t worry. I’ll send pictures.” 

With a shy look on his face, Carmy returns with a:

“Oh shit. Well, let me know how it is. The restaurant.”

“I’ll report back,” you assure him. “You know… maybe we can come back here together. Another time.”

Carmy hums in response, barely able to wrap his head around the idea of a vacation. It’s not like you’d never been on one together, but no matter how many steps he takes back, how much he’s learned he’s allowed to (sometimes) slowdown, the unshakeable fear of falling behind hangs over his head. He’s learning, getting better at it, and you’ve helped, but it somehow always still feels a little unsettling at first. 

You can see that Carmy’s mind is running a mile a minute, so you decide to cut to the chase as you say: 

“I just… wanted to call and see what was up. Tell you I was thinking about you, babe.”

He smiles softly. 

“Yeah,” he exhales. “I’m thinking about you too.”

He waits a beat before following up with:

“I’m always thinking about you.”

“I love you, Bear,” you whisper, a smile on your lips. 

“I love you too,” he says back, and you swear Apple has installed a filter on FaceTime with how vibrant and blue his eyes are as he looks at you. 

The knock at your bedroom door grabs your attention, your eyes shifting immediately to where the door hangs slightly open.

“Hey, I heard you were up,” Sydney says, poking her head in. “Can I come in?”

“Oh my god! Yeah, of course. I’m just on the phone with Carmy. Wanna come say hi?” you encourage, waving her your way. 

“Sure!” she grins, quick to hop onto the bed, settling down right next to where you lay. 

“Great. It’s like you never left Chicago,” Carmy groans dryly, as Sydney snuggles in. 

“Whatever. You miss us,” Sydney shoots back with a playful eye roll.

Carmy’s become no stranger to getting kicked out of his own bed when Sydney comes over – you and her taking it over to watch a movie or giggle while watching TikTok videos for hours on end. Most days he’s so glad that you found a friend in each other, while other days, he’d very much like his bed back. 

“Well, babe. I won’t keep you. I’ll see you Sunday?” Carmy asks, more than happy to let you spend time with your friends. 

“See ya Sunday, honey,” you reply before ending the call. 

You toss your phone on your bed with a sigh as Sydney fake vomits at your sickeningly sweet goodbye. 

“Did you nap?” she asks you. 

“Dude I passed the fuck out,” you reply, enthusiastically. 

“I don’t know how you do it. Like, I think I’ve seen you sleep in…” she starts, trying to pull together a rough guesstimate in her head of how many times she’s seen you nap in a public place. “... more places than I can count.”

“OH! I have not forgotten about your little… photo album,” you remind her, in reference to the photo collection of you sleeping that she has of you. “I’m begging you to release this photo album AT our wedding brunch.” 

And you’re only half-joking about it. 

“Did you get a nap in?”

“Nah.” 

You take another breath as you and Sydney lay next to each other, settling into a comfortable quiet as you reflect on the moment you had with Sugar yesterday, suddenly consumed with an immense amount of gratitude for her and Sydney’s presence in your life. 

“Shit…” you exhale. 

“What’s up?” Sydney asks you, turning her head to look over at you this time. 

“Somebody should’ve warned me that getting married would like… bring up all these extra feelings about… literally everything,” you admit, your eyes fixed to the patterns on the popcorn ceiling above you. 

“Oh god,” she groans. “Don’t tell me you’re pregnant.”

“God no!” you snort, reassuring her that you just finished your period. 

You and Sydney exchange another laugh, and a look of mutual affection, before returning your gazes back to the ceiling. 

“You wanna… talk about it?” Sydney asks, carefully. 

It’s not that you and Sydney don’t do the heavy stuff together, but she’s become one of your best friend because she makes you laugh harder than anyone ever has, so it always feels different – foreign in a way – when you have these moments together. 

Your friendship with Syd is lighter. It’s laugh until your abs hurt kind of lighter. 

But you know she’s here for all the rest of it too. 

“Uh… sure,” you answer, as you share what’s on your mind. “I’ve just been so nostalgic lately. Just thinking about… you know… me and Carmy’s relationship. The life I’ve built with him. You guys….”

“Ew,” she jokes, her face twisting into an expression of repulsion. 

“I know,” you groan, unable to stifle the life that escapes your lips. 

“Not to get all, you know, emotional or anything,” Sydney starts, shrugging it off like it’s no big deal. 

“But like… I wanted to work with Carmy, you know? Which is why I came to The Beef. And… It was a lot.” She pauses, thinking about what she wants to say next as you nod along because you know it was a lot. “I wanted to learn from him and… I wanted to be somewhere that I could make an impact – where I could make something good.”

And in the spirit of being sappy and nostalgic Syd continues. 

“And… I never thought, like, in a million years… that on top of building a restaurant… I’d meet you. You’re like… one of my best friends.” 

“Woahhhh,” you tease her, pretending to be surprised. 

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I know.”

You both take a beat, knowing that you’re both using humor to deflect from the moment of vulnerability that you’re sharing. 

“Syd?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re one of my best friends too.”

Saturday

“This isn’t me. I mean… none of this… is me,” you say to yourself, examining your reflection in the mirror. “I mean. We’re getting married at the courthouse, you know?!” 

Maya had booked you an appointment at one of those high end bridal boutiques where they make a custom sign for you and serve champagne, and while it was more than a lovely gesture, even the least-fancy dresses here still don’t feel right.

“I figured as much but thought we’d give it a shot,” Maya sighs, disappointedly, as Syd and Nat exchange glances. 

“If it helps, your tits look great,” Liz suggests, earning a laugh from you because, she’s not wrong and it may be the highlight of this dress stop. 

A mischievous smile spreads across your lips as you say: 

“C’mon. I have an idea!”

It’s those five words that lead you to the most ridiculous bridal consignment shop with the floofiest gowns you’ve seen all day. Deciding that you should have a little more fun with today, you use the fact that you’re the bride and it’s your weekend to convince your friends that they have to try the most extravagant and silly dresses on with you.

“Oh my god! Well we’re going to make beautiful brides,” Maya gasps facetiously, as she steps out of the fitting room in what can only be looked at as a ball gown. 

“I’m pretty sure this thing has a built-in petticoat,” Liz adds, spinning around in the dress she’s tried on, something that looks like it should be what one milks cows in. 

“I’m SO sending this to Patrick,” you laugh, snapping photo after photo on your phone while Nat cackles along with you. “I think you guys are going to have to get married again just so you can wear this dress.”

Before you know it, Sydney is pushing you into a dressing room with another dress to try on, promising you that she’ll try something on this time too. It takes way too long to put on the ball of taffeta, and Sugar has to come in to help figure out what goes where, before you emerge once again, like a cotton ball of a bride. 

“Well, I think this is the one,” you joke, staring at your reflection in the mirror. 

“And we can’t forget thiiiiiis,” Maya says in a sing-song voice, adding a hand beaded veil to your head this time. 

“Wait, this is actually really pretty,” Nat says, in reference to the veil. 

You agree with her, as Maya slips away to grab a few more dresses from out front, before turning your attention to the still-closed dressing room that Syd is hiding in. 

“Sydney Adamu. Get your ass out here!” you holler, just as she makes her dramatic entrance, pulling back the curtain to the fitting room. 

“Oh my god!” you gasp, the minute you see her in the beaded, fitted white dress. Aside from the mermaid tail-like hem, the fitted bodice fits her like a glove. “Ummm… this is hot!” 

“Excuse me?!” Nat squeals as Liz simultaneously adds, “Okay, miss thing! Give us a walk! Give us a spin.” 

“You guys are out of control,” Sydney says, gesturing towards the three of you, even though she knows you’re right. 

She looks phenomenal. 

“Okay, okay. Go try these on. I think I finally found some good ones,” Maya encourages. And before you can even protest, she’s handing you a few hangers worth of white dresses and shoving you into a dressing room while Syd continues to strut around the fitting room area. 

You smile to yourself, listening to your friends giggle and squeal over the silly dresses, while you hang up the few that Maya’s picked out for you. One in particular catches your eye: a slip-like silhouette with a high halter-like neckline that cuts low in the back. You run your fingers over the smooth material and decide to try this one on first. 

The dress fits a little big, and the hemline is a little long, but it’s nothing you can’t take to a tailor. You pinch the fabric, picturing what it would look like fitting a little closer to your body as you shout:

“Guys!!” 

“What? Did we do the impossible? You find something you actually like?” Sydney teases you, as you pull the curtain back. 

“Um… well it needs to be taken in some. And hemmed. But… yeah,” you reply, the reactions immediate on your friend’s faces as soon as they see you. 

Maya gasps, while Liz’s jaw drops. Tears well in Nat’s eyes while Syd rubs a few soothing circles on Nat’s upper back. 

“Holy shit,” Liz says. 

“We did the impossible,” Maya adds, awestruck. “We actually found something that you, the anti-bride, actually like.”

“Oh sweetheart, you look so, so beautiful,” Nat whispers, so overwhelmed with emotion as she thinks of you and Carmy. And because this is so not any of you, Sugar can’t help herself, instantly deflecting with a dry, “God, I can’t believe you haven’t left his ass,” as the five of you burst into another fit of giggles. 

As the laughter subsides, and the reality that you’re going to marry the love of your life sets in, you stare back at yourself in the mirror once more, the words falling out of your mouth. 

“Yeah. I… think this is it.”

--------------------------------------------

Crowded around the dinner table, the five of you work through what seems like a never-ending amount of Chinese takeout, as you wonder to yourself who let Liz over-order when you’re all leaving tomorrow morning. You sit next to Sydney, one of her knees tucked into her chest as she listens to all the drama from Liz’s last kitchen job. 

“Shit,” Sydney commiserates. “When do you just say ‘fuck it’ and start your own spot?”

“Uh… when I marry rich and don’t have to worry about the business of it all?” Liz replies, earning an ‘amen’ from Nat and a laugh from you. 

“I always knew,” Maya says, a sure smile on her face as she changes the subject. 

“What?” you ask her, quizzically. 

“I always knew that you and Carmy would end up together,” she replies with a certain amount of aplomb that baffles you. 

It’s a simultaneous “How could you know?” from Liz and “How could you know that?” from Sydney, and an “I didn’t even know!” from you, as Nat exclaims a skeptical, “My brother?!”

“I knew! Because…” she declares insistently. 

“I saw the way that Carmen looked at you. How he always looked at you. Even when you thought you were just friends. Even when you guys banged and thought you fucked it all up. And especially when he finally got over himself and invited you to Chicago.”

It’s a strange feeling, that one of your best friends in the whole wide world could see something that you, for a long time, could barely understand yourself, and it reminds you of the magnitude of you and Carmy’s love story. 

“That was really beautiful,” Sydney admits, so casually that you have to laugh. 

“You always were his biggest champion,” you say, earning a confident nod from Maya. 

“Hey, remember when he was so nervous to even talk to you that he spilled your drink all over you?” Liz brings up, almost jokingly as you all burst out into laughter. 

“You were soooooo mad.”

“So mad!” you agree passionately. 

“Poor guy didn’t know what he was doing,” Liz chuckles. 

“What an asshole,” Nat adds, as she and Sydney exchange a knowing look. 

“Well. I will cheers to that,” you announce, even though you know, for all the shit you give him, he is and always will be the love of your life. 

“To our last night here in Savannah. And you, our best friend, in all of her anti-bride glory who got us all here this weekend. And to Carmy, for loving our girl. Our king and queen of (not-so-much-anymore) denial,” Maya toasts, holding up her glass. 

You cheers with your friends, exchanging laughs and quips as your glasses clink. You look around the table, and it’s not just the wine you’re drinking that brings a warmth to your cheeks. There’s Liz and Maya, the friends that loved you through your life before Carmy, through hating him, and eventually, through falling in love with him. And then there’s Nat and Syd, the two women who, had you and Carmy not taken a chance on each other, you never would’ve met. Never would’ve gotten to know. Never would’ve gotten to love. 

You’re starting to understand this whole bachelorette party thing. You may not have bridesmaids, or all of the bells and whistles that come with having a big ceremony, but the love that you have in your life is bigger than just romantic love. 

It’s in this room right now, a living, breathing thing that fills the air and warms you from the inside out. 

It’s palpable, it’s real, and most importantly, it’s yours.

[merv606]

Puritianverse but darker…

Alpha Terry is married to Beta Cheyenne. He doesn’t love her; this was all arranged, less a marriage, more a transaction to merge their mighty business empires together. After several bitter years of marriage, there are still no children, and tongues are wagging. But Terry does not care, and he takes his pleasure in “night Omegas”, much to Cheyenne’s anger and dismay. He spends many nights at those establishments…that is, until his interests change when he meets Daniel.

Now his interests lie with him; an Omega hired as one of the help in the Silver mansion. Omegas usually don’t have careers, and are rarely hired in paying, respectable jobs, and least of all in the house of an Alpha—but Daniel is a young widow with a baby who desperately needs money, and he had been refused from all the other places he’d applied to. Terry hired him on a whim, those big brown tear filled eyes pleading for help, the pretty, pouting mouth, and the sweet scent of milk on his tempting little body stirring something protective and possessive in Terry that he thought he’d never feel.

But Terry has needs of his own, so when he tells the Omega that he will pay him more if he will let Terry “take liberties” (…and if he refuses he will blacken Daniel’s name and ruin any chances of him keeping his beloved baby girl…) well…it starts a whole new slew of problems.

Especially when Daniel gets with Terry’s child.

Ah yes - many prompts in my inbox choosing ultra violence lately.

This makes me think of an AU where he is currently pregnant and in need of a job 🤔

Terry hiring him because he wants to get this hands on the pregnant little omega - he’s absolutely stunning, and Terry has always wanted to try pregnant omega pussy.

But for this one.

I imagine that Terry’s plan is to bed the omega and get him heavy with child - he needs an heir after all.

He has no plans to tell the little omega this - the idea is to ingratiate himself to Daniel and let it happen naturally without the little omega realizing or being able to protest.

The little omega grateful for Terry hiring him and being such a generous employer all the while not bit wise to what Terry actually wants (and will get).

Long NSFW and only read through once.

Daniel, being a pious omega, must adhere to the church’s ideals for mourning his late alpha for at least a year, and maybe then, giving himself to the church.

And Terry won’t let the omega waste himself on that.

Cheyenne hates him of course. Although it’s a pride thing it’s also a power thing - she can’t get the alpha to look at her like that - with such hunger and want and the little twit is oblivious to it.

Oh the power she could have if Terry would look at her like that - she can’t even get him to touch her.

They did their duty but she failed to become pregnant so the visits to her chambers became less and less.

She knows Terry is planning something.

She knows there is something special about this omega - he normally never beds the same one twice and all this effort for an omega of such lowly standings whom he hasn’t even fucked yet.

Gifts and his attention he bestows on the omega - he barely lifts a finger to do actual work - and he has started to work later and later into the night, often dining with them.

Terry dotes on the little brat too - a dark haired beauty with her father but with blue eyes.

It almost looks like she could pass for Terry and the omega’s child, and it sets her teeth on edge. There was a few weeks back

Terry actually had a nursery done up for the babe - so that Daniel could “work” more hours.

One night she goes past the nursery, looking for her husband - she is determined to have him visit her chambers tonight.

He is in there, of course, as it is the babe’s bedtime and where Daniel is, so usually is Terry.

Her husband is watching Daniel nurse her, something she knows he lives to witness.

The look he is giving the omega, giving them both, as Daniel tends to Sam, trying to get her to latch on as she seems fussy tonight.

She can’t stand it. Can’t stand him or it any longer.

When he hears Terry ask the little whore, “how long did it take long for you to fall with child when your alpha took his liberties?” she walks away, in a cold fury.

“Where is Daniel?” Terry asks, coming into the dining room for breakfast, which for him normally consists of black coffee and eggs.

He carries in his hand a small pink dress, obviously for the baby and she grits her teeth.

“Today is market day,” she reminds her husband, the edge to her voice that he hears but doesn’t really care about.

“I know. It’s why I have her a new dress for spring to wear with us today.”

Terry would never have been caught dead doing such menial chores before - the mundane day to day life chores that he hired staff to do - that he hired Daniel to do.

“He has already left.”

Terry frowns. The little omega knows they do mid morning, after breakfast.

He regards Cheyenne until she sighs,

“I sent him. We need to talk.”

“So talk,” he says, taking his coffee but waving away any attempt at food. He will wait for the little omega to return and dine with him. Sam shall be hungry as well, around that time, and he can watch The little omega tend to her. He had been so shy at the beginning, the alpha insist at that it was only natural and that the babe should be fed when hungry. Much to Terry’s delight he now had no such reservations around him, feeding her as necessary. It will serve them well - Terry is close to bedding the little omega, having endeared himself to Daniel, and he will get him with pup when he does. Of that there is no doubt. The boy will be bred thoroughly and often.

“He needs to go,” she says. “Everyone is talking.”

“Let them,” he shrugs. Their tongues will really be wagging when Daniel starts to show anyway.

“He is with child? Your child?” She had expected Terry to fuck him, that was a given, and she’s surprised he hadn’t although, I guess she had. How had she not know this? She didn’t think he would be stupid enough to get the boy pregnant with his seed.

“Not yet,” Terry says. “He is almost ready though.”

“If you do not get rid of him I will. I am your wife and I have put up with your whores long enough …”

But it’s not even out of her mouth Terry has her by the throat. “You will do no such thing - he is off limits. It’s time you learn that and what is truly good for you.”

He sits then, as if nothing happened and she makes her way quickly out of the room, but not before Terry’s voice calls out, falling her out of the room.

“Besides, they will be living here soon enough.”

When Daniel returns from the market Terry asks him just that.

“Your pay is very generous, sir.” He can easily afford his rent and more. “I have taken too much of your generosity now, sir.”

“Nonsense - your services are invaluable and in time, what you give me will be irreplaceable.”

“We would be an imposition, and the mistress …”

“Is not important. You both are here most hours of the day no — it would help the travel time.”

This is true - he has already stayed the night, in a guys bedroom next to the alpha’s after being convinced not to wake Sam just to head home.

Still, it is the Lady of the house he worries about. Something about how she looks at him, at his daughter - at them both.

“Could I think about it?” Of course, Terry says. “Now, did you both have a good day?” He asks, changing the subject.

Turns out there is no time to think about it. Within days of making the request, Daniel finds his building has been bought and while everyone else seems to not be affected, they find something wrong with his after a mandatory evaluation. What it is they never say but he can’t returns.

Teemrry finds out - Daniel isn’t sure how, but he does and before he knows it his things and his daughters are moved into the silver mansion within hours of finding out.

“I shall find a place soon, sir.”

“You know that is not necessary. This is happenstance - meant to be.”

“I do not wish to impose …”

“There is then enough space for you both.”

“Besides, if you stay here, you could save the money for her, an education fund perhaps. This district has the best schools.”

Terry will of course be sending all their pups to school, and Sam will take his last name as will Daniel, but Daniel doesn’t know this yet.

Daniel finds his room is next to the alpha’s, the guest room having been done up now, with a bassinet for Sam next to his bed.

“If there is something not to your liking, we can easily change it.”

“Anything I would change,” he says, turning wide eyes to the alpha, an incredulous tone to his voice. “It is perfect, sir. Thank you.”

“You like it then?”

“I love it.”

“Then that is all that matters.”

Tears well in his eyes, and Terry steps forward, brushing them away.

“You have been so kind to us, I cannot …”

“I am not without my reasons.”

Daniel looks at him, Terry’s hand still on his face, stroking under his eye.

“You both bring me much joy, and soon you will bring me much more than that.”

Before Daniel can ask, Sam’s wails cut through the quiet of the moment and if on cue, Daniel feels his chest leak, the small patches appearing , the alpha’s eyes drawn to them.

“I’ll get her, you get ready,” he says, gesturing to a rocking chair in the corner.

Terry lays Sam in Daniel’s arms as he guides her to fed, and Terry’s alpha preens when he remembers how shy the omega had been when he would have to feed Sam, Terry insisting on watching.

Terry is beyond thankful, for the day the desperate little omega had appeared, practically begging for a job.

How he got so lucky, he does not know but he will make sure he never takes that for granted.

————-

They develop a rhythm, and to be told, it doesn’t seem like much changes. Everything is heaven, until Daniel comes home one day, upset.

Daniel tries to say there is nothing wrong but Terry can tell. Gathering the little omega in his arms, gently rubbing his back, until he finally gets it out of him.”

There are rumors he is ruining their marriage - that he is a homewrecker.

Terry knows it is Cheyenne who has started the rumour and he will deal with that.

He will not have her upsetting his mate. Not now, and especially not when he is finally carrying.

“Cheyenne may be my wife, but it is in name only, our marriage.”

Terry tips his chin up, pressing his lips to the omega.

The little omega gasps, the alpha pressing their bodies together and he can feel the alpha’s need pressed against him, the hard outline.

He doesn’t even have time to protest although they would be token at best.

Before he knows he’s picked up, carried through the door that connects their rooms, laid on the alpha’s large bed, his body quickly covering him.

His head is swimming and he doesn’t think he has ever been this wet, and when a large hand sneaks up his shirt, cupping his heavy chest, he breaks the kiss, head tipping back, moaning loudly as the alpha teases his sensitive nipple.

“You have we tormenting me with these, little one. Now it is my turn.”

A warm mouth, Daniel arching up, as Terry’s mouth latches onto him, sucking.

He doesn’t even know when it happens but he finds himself without pants or underwear, large hands questing up his inner thigh; his legs spread as the alpha’s thumb open up slick folds, his most intimate place now on display for the alpha’s hungry gaze.

A thumb on his sensitive rosebud, and he can feel the pleasure mounting, spilling over when the alpha presses his mouth there, his tongue replacing his finger.

Lying there boneless, the alpha himself naked, his manhood stiff against him.

Daniel feels his cunt clench at the sight.

“Wait I … I have not … it’s been awhile and you are … quite endowed.”

“It will be fine. Trust me,” the head of his cock pressing against Daniel’s spit and slick wet hole. “Just relax for me.”

“Alpha, sir … there is also,” he breaks off in whimper, the head of the alpha’s cock breeching him, his body opening to accept it. He dings his nails into the alphas back, the stretch of his entrance around the alpha to accommodate him is delicious, and he’s almost panting as he continues. “I cannot be on anything, not whilst nursing anyway.”

While this is also frowned upon, birth control, as a widowed omega, it would be allowed if only to prevent alphas from coming around during heats.

“Alpha sir … I … do you have protection?”

Although the church frowns on these things - Condoms - he has to ask.

It would not be right - no, it would be an even bigger sin - to carry an alpha’s child to whom he is not wed.

Although he is shamed to admit his omega wants to - very very badly.

Bad enough Daniel is allowing this to happen, spreading his legs for an alpha he is not married to - an alpha who is married - he knows he cannot give himself to the church - not after allowing this.

Although he has a feeling the alpha will take him regardless - even if he were to protest - he has shown considerable patience already tonight. Daniel should already be on his hands and knees being pounded into as the alpha spends himself inside.

“Whatever for?” Terry asks, pushing some hair back, regretfully pulling free from the omega’s sinful body.

“If I were to fall full with your child … sir, I ….”

The omega still does not realize this is the point - he will carry Terry’s child, one way or another.

Although Terry plans on the little omega wearing his ring and name, a child will most definitely happen first.

It just so happens he does have some, as he would never risk an accidental pregnancy with the nightly omegas he would indulge himself with- although this pregnancy will be anything but accidental.

Planned all along.

“Having a child like this would not be proper.”

If it puts his omega at ease, and relaxes him, Terry can pretend.

Terry makes a show of rolling it on, then he’s leaning forward taking the omega’s mouth in a kiss, legs coming up to press tightly to his sides, as he guides himself into the omega’s body.

He makes sure to slip the condom off first.

A long moan, the omega baring his neck as the alpha’s length doesn’t stop once inside this time.

“Such a tight little pussy baby. Just like I knew it would.”

His face burns at the normal eloquent alpha’s crude words.

“No one since your alpha?”

“No sir, it’s not proper - only your husband normally has these rights.”

“Such a cute little pearl you have - begging to be played with.”

His back arches as Terry begins to rub his omegan clit, hard and peaking out from under its protective hood, in time with his thrusts.

The tank top he had been wearing is pulled down, exposing him to the alpha completely, his chest moving in time with the alpha’s deep thrusts.

“Made for this … and you thought I would let the church have this.”

The omega comes in a loud cry, bearing down on the alpha’s manhood, Terry groaning at the feel of the orgasm being squeezed out of him, filling the unwitting omega with his seed.

He keeps the ousting, making sure every last drop is out of him and deep inside Daniel where is belongs, rubbing his belly tenderly.

When he pulls out, Daniel’s face wrinkles as he feels the alpha’s seed come out of him.

“Alpha…” he starts.

“The condom broke,” Terry lies.

Maybe if he cleans himself up, but when he tries to sit up, the alpha presses a firm hand to his chest.

“We aren’t done yet, little one. I shall be having you again.”

He quickly finds himself on his hands and knees and before he can voice his concerns, the alpha is already back inside him, harder and bigger it seems than before.

“Alpha, sir …. Should we…” Daniel noticed that Terry had gone in bare this time, not putting a condom on, and he’s in the proper breeding position now.

“I’ve already filled you.”

“Maybe it has not taken,” he whimpers, although he is pushing back onto the cock.

“I’ll pull out,” Terry lies. No self respecting alpha would pull out of a fertile omega that they were trying to impregnate. Never mind that he gathered whatever seed had dropped out, fucking it back in as he bottomed out.

“If you insist on being so tempting you must deal with the repercussions.”

“Those cute little tits, how good your cunt smells to me …. God you must be a vision pregnant, I can’t wait to see it soon.”

So far gone Daniel doesn’t realize what is being said.

“You make me hard so I must find my pleasure in you …. I must spend myself deep inside you.”

He had planned on more money for this extra duties but he cannot disrespect his mate like that - especially as he is soon to be unknowingly carrying Terry’s child.

The alpha does not pull out, rather, fills him even deeper this time.

Sam cries shortly after Terry finishes, pumping another load into him, and his chest aches, his body responding to her cries as the milk starts to leak.

Putting some clothes on, Terry not bothering, she is brought to him and feeds her, Terry behind him, holding them both.

When she is settled though, she is taken back to her nursery.

Danielle can feel the alpha is hard again, and he’s lifted into his lap.

He doesn’t bother asking about a condom as he’s already in the alphas lap, his underwear pushed to the side so the alpha can guide himself back inside.

But when the telltale signs of the alpha being close come, Daniel tries to lift up enough so that Terry can slip free but the alpha growls. Instantly he freezes, the alpha grabbing his hips in grip that came only convey ownership, forcing him down as fucks up - he buries himself to the hilt as he comes deep inside.

Terry regrets that he won’t be able to experience a heat with his little omega, as there is no way he won’t be without child.

For now, it’s a small price to pay as Terry wants Daniel with child, and tied to him sooner rather than later.

Next time though, he will wait for a heat.

Will get to experience knotting him.

———————

“You knocked him up, didn’t you?”

“Of course. How could I not. I guess the problem isn’t with me like you have always claimed.”

“You’ll be sorry.”

A hand on her arm.

“I know you did not just threaten my mate, nor the child - my child - growing safely inside him.”

He tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, in a gentle gesture, grotesquely at odds with his tone and how tight he holds her arm.

“You have left me no choice,” she says.

Later that night, Daniel asks where Cheyenne is. She never misses dinner with them, even if she ignores Daniel throughout it.

Terry notices that the alpha is no longer wearing his ring.

He gets a vague explanation, of her wanting to see the world, try new things, and she is never mentioned again.

That night, all his things, including Sam’s bassinet are moved into the bedroom.

They make love, Terry behind him, loving inside him, a hand resting proprietarily on the slight curve to his stomach.

———————

A few weeks after that, Daniel starts to throw up.

Terry is behind him, gently rubbing his back as he heaves, unable to do much more to help his little omega feel better.

Terry stays seated as Daniel stands up, flashing the toilet, going to rinse his mouth out.

“I think … I think I may be with child.”

Truth is, he could smell it on him - plus the slight curve to his tummy now when they make love. His breast, full from nursing have gotten bigger, his nipples darkening.

Terry stands and Daniel steps back, a hand across his belly and Terry frowns. He knows the little omega’s hormones must be all over the place. Sam isn’t even 6 months yet and already bred again.

He stops, kneeling down to be more level with his skittish mate.

“This is what I had hoped for,” he assures, unashamed. “It is the best possible outcome, I promise you,” hoping to put the little omega at ease. “It will be the first of many as well.”

And it does, the little omega unwrapping the arm he has curled around himself, walking to the alpha into his open arms, sighing when they close around him, holding him tight.

“What will people say….” His voice is muffled, his face pressed against the broad chest.

“You shall wear my name and ring before the babe is born.”

Although he’s going to be really showing when they wed.

Terry stands, picking his little treasure off, and Daniel wraps his legs around the alpha’s waist as he’s carried through their house, to their bedroom to be ravished, coming alive under his alpha’s love.

[growup-thatbeautiful]

little bitty jovie love 🥺 with tan looking like this pre-bullet proof. this was not what i was planning on writing, it wasn’t supposed to be soft dad tan loll

warnings: reader is a mom, being tired, cuddling, sharing a bed

the bedroom is lit gently by the lamps on your bedside table, a golden glow casting light shadows across the walls. tangerine’s reading in bed, his favorite scratchy blanket tossed over his shoulder. the thin fabric of his tank top is riding up above his sweatpants, exposing a strip of skin that you soak in.

“hey,” you greet him softly. “she’s not going back down” you had gotten out of bed a few minutes ago to check on a crying jovie, only to find that she had no intention of going back to sleep without being fed, burped, and properly doted on. luckily, no one is more willing to do that than tan.

tangerine hums and looks up at you, his eyes softening when he sees you carrying jovie in your arms. she’s fussy, like it seems she always is, but he doesn’t care one bit. he simply reaches his arms out and takes her, cradling her against his chest.

“how’s my girl?” he coos, grinning at her. it’s a smile that’s reserved just for those who really know him. you’re lucky enough to be one of those people. “givin’ mum a headache yet?”

“she could never,” you protest. “not our little angel.” you don’t have to convince tan; he sees no flaw in jovie already.

“did you feed her?” he asks.

you nod and settle in bed next to him, squeezing yourself underneath his unoccupied arm. instinctively, he kisses you on the forehead and leans into you. there’s a tired edge to your voice when you speak. “she’s just angry for no reason.”

it’s not like you thought it was going to be easy, but it’s still harder than you thought it would be. sure, you’ve taken bullets through your stomach and knives to almost every blood-filled part of your body, but this is different. it’s a different, personal level that you didn’t know you were still capable of. one that even tan, for all that you love him, never brought out.

before you actually met jovie, you severely underestimated the lengths you would go to keep her safe, though. now, it’s almost all you can think about. call it a hazard of your profession, but everything feels so unsafe now.

everything except for him, that is.

that’s not to say it’s easy with tan. he’s stubborn (just like you) and he gets angry (just like you) and he’s got a hell of a short fuse (…just like you) but he’s always there at the end of the day. when it matters. when you and jovie need him.

it may seem naive to think that he’s a good man. you know for a fact that he isn’t; you’ve seen proof that he’s violent and angry and fucked up. but you’re all of those things too, just wrapped in a different package.

the thing is, there’s no one else you could have this with. no one who’s as violent or angry who could actually do what’s needed to be done to protect someone like you. so, when you fall asleep underneath his arm, your cheek pressed against his chest, you can sleep easily.

he may not be a good man, but he’s a good father and good husband. what more could you want?

taglist loves: @venusthepirate @shadows-of-nyx x @syd-vixious @thefloatingpickle @sallyp-53 @fictionalcomforts @s-haa @the-bisaster @phoenixhits @wee-little-mouse @cupofstarss @eefos @slut-f0r-u @lotustv @kpopgirlbtssvt @amyg1509 @tangerinesgf @earth-elemental18 @theredvelvetbitch (also if you guys don’t want to be tagged anymore cause i’m posting a lot of bullet proof stuff just lmk!)

[deamazed]

@asundered.

I know what you are thinking.

It would be easier to just answer you before you ask me: Nick, what the fuck are you doing? It would be easier, but Amy is teaching me. Easy is not always better.  She is right. That is the case a lot of of the time, and I can admit that, because I am not my father. Amy is smiling, not a  too - wide smile, not a smarmy smile, not a false smile that someone could point a finger at and say hey, doesn't she look a little fucking demented? Amy would not. Amy could never.

Somebody clears their throat from the front row of chairs seated down below the panel, and says something to me that I do not hear at first, because I am looking at Amy, and she is not looking at me. I am studying the side of her face as if I have never seen it before, because I am noticing for the first time how much it must hurt to hold her muscles just so, so perfect, so that she can look demure and beautiful and sexy and wise and angelic. She never so much as twitches, even when her beautiful, pale hand slithers up over my knee and her short, clean nails press into the seam of my pants, and I can imagine so clearly how it would feel if there were nothing there to stop her, how she might dig down deep into the meat of my thigh and even deeper to the bone and its marrow and take a chunk of me into her hand. I would still be watching her. I would still be waiting, reading, and committing to memory. But for now, I need to make Amy happy. Happy wife, Happy life. I swivel my head back to the columnist, and I smile, and I smile.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that? It's so hard to take your eyes off her, isn't it?"  A chuckle, resounding. Good. The reporter asks again: If you could describe Amy's book in one word, what would it be?

It's so easy. It's so easy I almost waver, I almost say something else, I almost overthink it, because I am still Nick and I still want to be clever. But I am not my worst impulses anymore. I am the man that she has made me.

"Well. It's amazing, of course."

Why did I marry a man so fucking glib? Dear Diary, my husband thinks I’m fucking crazy. No, worse than that — he looks at me and he sees the spider that’s crawled into his ear and left him without so much of a flinch. It’s impressing.

The cameras are all on us, sweetie. It’s time to give them a show.

A strong, stable show. We are two people who have just come out the other side of total fucking ruin. If you want to see how strong your relationship is, see how the man you love reacts when you get kidnapped and tied to the corners of the bed by a scornful lover. Hm. Maybe I should rephrase. Desi was never much of a lover. He smelt like cucumber water and his mother’s perfume — wet lettuce is just about ample enough to describe the way he looked at me. See, reader, we have been through so much together, that Nick comes out the other side, dusts off whatever hang-ups and kill-my-wife tendencies that are bound to run in his blood, and he smiles that gorgeous, charming, southern hospitality smile.

I am naught but a doting wife. The blood, the shame, the crocodile tears aside, and that’s who I’ve become. I hold him close, like it’s some twisted, all-American show of true fidelity — don’t worry, listeners, watchers, America’s Public: we can get through this. We can get through anything. My sweet hubby played away, but now I know he’s here to stay. (Anniversary six anyone? The traditional gift is iron. My exasperating husband is no doubt thinking that that means manacles.)

Amazing. Sometimes I fucking hate my husband.

I am not amazing. I am exceptional. Perfect. Calm. Fantastic — flippant, that might be, it’s a better fucking word than amazing. Amazing Amy shoves a box cutter into a rapist’s neck. Amazing Amy drinks Windex to keep Darling Husband close to her side. Amazing Amy digs her fucking talons into Darling Husband to keep him from floating away.

He makes me laugh. He makes me giggle like a fucking school girl and I run my hand over the inside of his thigh. Raunchy, no? Ellen Abbott looks like her head’s about to fucking explode, but I lean back and rest my perfect little head against his shoulder for just a beat.

“Oh, he’s too sweet. Isn’t he, Ellen? My little Nicky.” I squeeze. It’s playful, fun — just like me! — but also a warning. One fucking toe out of line, Nick.

“I couldn’t have written it without him. Gosh, I mean — my husband’s a real writer, Ellen.”

[greyrowan]

Story time! CW for grief, death, guns, family trauma, etc, huzzah!

I flew back home for a week because an important old person is big sick. My grandma has been tossing around dropping chemo since Christmas. The normal prognosis is less than a year and she’s held on almost two. She is an amazing tough old lady, but she’s tired. I can’t blame her, she’s skin and bones, she doesn’t have the frenetic energy she used to. All of the sitting is giving her bony body sores up and down. She’s ready.

So I flew back to say goodbye. It was a lovely visit. She sang and played with her great grand babies. I didn’t tell her goodbye in so many words. She is tough™️ and does not want to be doted on. We didn’t even get to talk that much but I sat near her and I watched her play with my daughter. My little one is probably too young to really form memories of her great grandma and that is probably what makes me saddest of all.

Years ago she watched her husband, my Papa, go through the same process. Starting with the unexplained pains, then the horrible poisonous treatments, then the slowly withering away to a shadow of his former self. She knows what’s coming, she’s watched it from both sides of the radiation curtain now. I have no way of knowing if that is comforting or horrifying to her. She is tough you see, and she doesn’t confide in her grandchild with that kind of thing.

Except once. I was still in middle school, or maybe early high school and I had walked to her house on a Saturday morning. These days I wish I had made that short walk much more frequently than I did. She had fixed me a ham sandwich and we were solving the crossword puzzle in the local paper. We need to digress for a moment to talk about the sandwich. It’s important to the memory. She made sandwiches special. It was cheep plain deli meat, on the cheapest multigrain bread you could get, with plain yellow mustard, but she new how to doctor it up. She always had fresh crunchy lettuce and garden tomatoes and she would put fresh ground black pepper on the slices. As simple a thing as a ham sandwich was an ordeal at grandmas house, almost a ritual. Now back to the story. I think she had recently broken up with one of a string of boyfriends, this was before she started dating Papa. She told me “you know, dating a woman wouldn’t be so bad. Women know what a woman needs.”

She never did date a woman. I don’t know if she really felt that way, or if it was just a way to let me know I was safe, that, when I was ready, I could come out to her and she would love me just the same.

I am not out to grandma, or anyone on my dads side of the family. Partially because there are some folks in that side who I genuinely worry would try to take my daughter away from me if they knew. That’s partly why I moved a continent away. I’m not exactly subtle, and grandma is especially good at reading people, I’m sure she suspected I was queer before I did.

I was torn on what to do about this visit. My little girl, bless her heart, is the worlds best ally. When my mom slips up she say “no THEY” and roll her eyes “grandma doesn’t even know about gender identity.” It’s very cute. It also makes it hard to be closeted but she was distracted playing with her cousins the whole trip and it never came up. I put off making a plan for how to handle it if she let the cat out of the bag before I could handle things myself. I was a nervous wreck. I slept poorly the whole time I was there. I psyched myself up several times to come out, to my dad, to my aunts and uncles, to grandma. Each time I panicked and backed out.

Easter Sunday was a huge family potluck and, like all the biggest and best family gatherings in my life, it was at grandmas house. Four generations of cousins, half cousins, step cousins, and all manner of aunts and uncles sharing food and laughter in the place we’ve always done that. At parties past grandma was always a whirlwind, finishing a last minute dish and stopping part way through to set the table, call some one the wrong name as she greeted them on the way in, pick up some mess one of the various children had made, and then “shit shit shit” realize she had burn the potatoes. This time she sat in her chair with all her cushions and let her kids do all the work. There were no burnt potatoes, probably the silliest thing to be sad about in all of this but it marks the end of an era I guess.

It was perfect. Everyone (well not everyone, but near enough that word would spread) was in one place, and it was of course transgender days of visibility, if there was ever a time to rip the bandaid off it was now. On the other hand I didn’t want to take grandmas last hurrah and make it all about me. I had just about made up my mind do to it and be done when uncle B. (Abbreviated for the sake of anonymity) thought he’d make a little joke.

Uncle B. is a terrible little napoleon of a man. He’s ex military and very proud of it, he’s got a gun collection to rival some smaller police departments, and wears a massive American flag belt buckle and a red baseball cap. He is one of the ones I’d be worried about calling child protective services to take a child away from an ontologically evil trans person. He’s spoken maybe three sentences to me in the last ten years and when I’ve (rarely) overheard him speak to others it’s been about guns or immigrants. Today was no exception.

“Come on y’all it’s time to hunt eggs”

“How can I hunt eggs, I don’t even have my pistol on me.”

“You don’t?”

“Well it’s in my truck but I thought it was funny”

I chickened out on the spot.

Now I’m back home and I’m wondering if I made the right choice or if I was just a coward. I want to spend a day with my grandma with out the big Q&A that accompanies coming out, but now the there’s a very good chance grandma will pass without knowing my name. As nearly certain as certain can be I won’t ever get to hug her as me.

This got really long and I don’t really know where I was going with it. I really am glad I made the trip while she’s still very much herself, while she’s still tough™️ and it is easier knowing that she’s tired and ready. I guess courage is harder than pride sometimes.

[dufreydiaries]

Dufrey Diaries Chapter 11

Lucline and Rasina sat down on sofas fashioned in the Youkadian style. Riatira’s mother was an Imperial women with the same brown hair as her daughter. Her skin was lighter than Tira’s, given her father was half Redguard himself. The walls of the sitting room were decorated in various Imperial and Redguard masks and jewlery. There were even a few swords of both Cyrodiil and Hammerfall on the walls as well, just out of Tira’s reach.

“My name is Alcena Artia, welcome to our home ladies. I had a projection from your co-worker, Lobamog. It’s good to meet you, Lucline and Rasina.”

Lucline detected behind her courtesy something was bothering her. Tira sat down on the ground before her though and she started to braid the girls hair like a little crown.

Rasina smiled and then spoke up. “We are just here to confirm if the rumors were true. If they were, the Society is going to install a member here in Bergama to offer teaching.”

Lucline nodded as she carefully braided the young girl’s hair. “Even raw talent with magic can’t protect against a sudden burst of power. Even if she doesn’t want to be a Mage when she grows up, she will need to learn the kind of control that will keep it in check.”

Tira spoke up now. “I want to go to High Rock and train as a knight!”

Her mother smiled, she had clearly heard this before. “She’s been using magic unconsciously since she was two. We were sure she was going to grow up into an arch-mage but ever since she meet a Knight-Errant on a quest to find a lost daughter, she wanted to be a knight. We plan when she’s old enough to be a squire to move to Daggerfall or High Isle to start her training.”

Lucline finished the girls hair and watched as Tira rushed off to look in a mirror. “I’m sure she will be a good one. Knights often are given lessons in restoration magic, she will be a natural at healing and dealing with the undead with her power level. Though she will likely end up needing to serve one or more of the Divines.”

Alcena fished out a small amulet. “Not a trouble. We honor Stendarr in this house. My husband and I were both born in the Empire but had to flee to Hammerfall for various reasons. We were going to go onward to High Rock but I learned I was pregnant and refused to walk another step until our baby was born. We just never started traveling again after.” 

“I understand,” Lucline nodded at Alcena’s words. “You had a lot to risk.”

“I’d do anything for my child. Even send her away if needed. I was so worried you were here to take her to Sentinel, Miss Dufrey. Now that I know you intend to install a teacher here, that settles my worry quite a bit. You may consider your mission here a success.”

Tira came bouncing back into the room. “Mama! Doesn’t my hair look great?” Alcena motioned to her daughter whom rushed to her and run her hands through the braids. “Oh yes, my little Princess. Miss Dufrey did a very good job. Have you thanked her yet?”

Tira turned and Lucline found herself dazzled by the bright smile of the young girl who tackled her in a hug. “Thank you, Miss Lucline!”

“You’re welcome, Tira.” Lucline returned the hug before letting the girl go.

“I insist that you ladies join us for luncheon.” Alcena rose and her tone said there would be no argument. “I’ll just go to the kitchens and make the arriagements.”

“I’m gonna go grab my toy sword and shield to show Miss Lucline and Miss Rasina!” Exclaimed Tira. “I want to show them what Captain Kayeson has been teaching me.”

The doting mother shook her head as her child rushed up the stairs. “Watch out, ladies. That monster can keep up her ‘demonstration’ for a few hours. Even though he’s only shown her a few basic forms and strokes.”

Rasina chuckled. “Start them early, that is the motto at the School of Leki. I was around her age when I first wore the robe of an apprentice, though most of my day was spent in chores. I know Kayeson, he studied with me there. He is an honorable man and has a fine form. He will be a fine teacher.”

Alcena inclined her head. “Much obliged for your recommendation, Miss Rasina. He seemed trustworthy but we still hardly know people here. My husband is neither a Crown nor a Forbearer so he is not as welcome as I feel he should have been. I’ll return shortly.”

The woman headed off to the kitchen as Rasina leaned her head against Lucline’s arm. She hummed in delight as her partner’s weight lay on her.

“What are you thinking, oh light of my desert?” Rasina asked her as they waited.

“I was just envious of Tira for a moment. I wish my mother had been as close to me as they are.”

“One day, I’ll get that story from you, my heart, and then I’ll punch my future mother-in-law in the mouth.”

Lucline giggled. “I would pay much gold to see that happen, my love.”

Just then, there was a terrified scream from up the stairs. Rasina was up first and dashing up the stairs towards Tira’s room. Lucline was not far behind her, calling magic to her hands as she ran. Alcena came to the door, her face pale.

“We got this, ma’am.” Lucline called. “Make sure no one comes down these stairs expect Tira.”

The woman nodded and grabbed a curved scimitar from the wall nearby. From the way she held it, she had used one before.

Lucline braced herself for whatever awaited them at the top of the stairs.

A/N: Another cliff hanger ending. I hope you have been enjoying the story so far. See you tomorrow.

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

The Son by Elena Wilkes

Expecting a twisted, dark, and grim tale…I found just that. I believe this is a book that will appeal to many readers though it did not really connect with me. I found Beth hard to like, difficult to understand, very gullible, and her decision-making skills questionable. The people in her life, not just the men, were less than the best. The only ones I truly cared about were the poor trafficked young people and what they endured. I came away scratching my head and wondering what really happened and what would happen to the various remaining characters at the end of the story. Manipulative, mad, murderous, malicious, and mega-happy to read the last page and move on. I am on the fence about reading another book by Ms Wilkes but might give her next one a try as I did find the first two better than this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

2-3 Stars

BLURB

You think your new husband is just wonderful. You are so proud of your polite and popular teenage son… But how well do you know the men in your life really? What dark things are they not letting you see? The girl has no idea she’s about to be chosen. She almost didn’t go out at all . She’d thought about staying home, but how wonderful would it be to meet someone tonight? Someone nice, someone funny, someone who could change her life forever. She just needs to put herself out there. Standing alone, sipping her drink, she gives a little start when he comes over. “Hi,” he says. His voice is nice. Friendly. “I’m not crazy about bars, are you?” “No.” She shakes her head and smiles. “Want to get out of here?” He grabs her hand and leads her outside. His fingers feel warm and soft. She can’t help it, she giggles – excited, embarrassed. “What did you say your name was?” she asks. It’s dark out here, they’re alone now. “I know yours.” He looks across at her. “You’re ‘Brave’.” She laughs along. Nothing bad is going to happen , she tells herself, uncertain now. … Right? We’ve all heard the familiar story – the doting wife and mother who doesn’t even realise she’s harbouring monsters in her own home. The Son is a gripping tale, full of twists, secrets and heart-stopping suspense. Trust no one, suspect everyone – an unputdownable psychological thriller that will leave you breathless.

[not-your-fucking-kacchan]

Hi ^^

I saw your most recent post, so I’m here to make a request! I couldn’t find a request info page so I hope that this is general enough. Could you do the hashiras comforting a s/o who often doesn’t sleep well and/or suffers from a lot of nightmares? My sleep schedule is utterly wrecked rn :,)

Also remember to drink water <3

HIYA! I ABSOLUTELY ADORED THIS ASK BUT I HAVENT WATCHED THAT FAR INTK DEMON SLAYER AND DIDNT REALLY REMEMBER THEIR PERSONALITIES NSKLABEJDJDNDJF

I had to do some research but i managed! :D

Masterlist<3

Hashira x Insomniac!Reader Headcanons

Tengen

He would definately wake up in the middle of the night in your shared bed that accommodates Tengen and his other three wives

You definately all sleep together and you like to cuddle with the girls whenever you can since they're your wives too

You're sweating and shifting around in your sleep awkwardly and the guy can't help but voice a little "ah-" as he sees you kìck the sheets away

Within the next five minutes your devoted husband and wives are doting on you and getting you some water to drink while gently waking you up

Obviously he gives you a relaxing massage because it wouldn't be very flamboyant of him not to

When he notices your sleep pattern deteriorating over the next few days he starts becoming very protective of you, kind of like a glorified guard dog

He's understanding though, and lets you use some of his makeup to cover the dark circles in order to look "more flamboyant!" And you appreciate the gesture. He knows when to help you with your problem and not to reprimand you for something out of your control

He definately makes tea with the other wives to help you sleep better

When you're tired on the way back from a mission he is more than willing to give you a piggyback ride, and his firm grip on your leg is enough to assure you that you're safe and won't fall

He absolutely refuses to bother you when you actually do manage to sleep, guarding you like always and making sure that you get every ounce of sleep that you can

Sanemi

He would most definately watch in silence as one night you stay up through the entire night, confronting you about it when he gets really concerned

Sleepless nights aren't uncommon in their profession sometimes, but your bags look bad and you look like you just rolled out of the grave

His concern looks more like anger and confusion, but you manage to talk it out with him, and the second he realises that you've been having nightmare after nightmare has him reeling

How come he didn't know about this before? How come you didn't tell him? What happened?

He's definately angry with himself but you don't understand why, it's just some bad sleep

Rest assured he is cuddling you closer every night, holding you close to him and letting you trace your fingers along his scars until you fall asleep

He also doesn't mention the teas and the hot water bottle that he got for you

And apparrently he doesn't know shit about the stuffed animal that appared on the bed a day after you told him

On days where the exhaustion gets especially bad and you collapse, he takes off his jacket and wraps you in it, his eyebrows furrowing in concern while he holds you up bridal style, ready to carry you to bed now and reprimand you for being reckless later

As you're asleep and there's noone there to bare witness, he lets his head rest on your shoulder, letting your perfume run through his nose and nuzzling your neck like an affectionate cat would headbutt it's owner

Mitsuri

When she wakes up to find you with your head nestled into her breasts and your eyes open, complimanted by dark bags, she's immediately fawning and worrying about you

She's so adorable. She's got heart eyes for you and everything

She would definately pet and stroke your hair like you're some kind of cat and would pull you closer to coddle you

Any time she sees that you're up late despite being tired or in need of a break she comes up behind you and cuddles her chest to your back, pressing her arms around you and resting her chin on your shoulder

Confesses her love to you every ten seconds becaise she's obsessed with her lover, and puts you to bed on a regular basis after that

Of course she tucks you in as well

She makes the bed around you, lets you relax, and leaves to make you tea, and it makes your soul sing

She absolutely adores you, and is willing to remind you of that by letting you use her lap like a pillow and putting little braids in your hair

This happens out in the open as well, if you're in need of a quick power-nap, and on a few occasions she's shown Shinobu the cute braids she does, and lets her teach her even more styles to use on your hair

As a result of this you've acquired many a butterfly themed hair clip or band, and their serene, but somehow simultaneously mischievous smiles are one of your favourite sights to wake up to now

Kyojuro

He is absolutely infatuated with you

When you start developing strange and worrying sleeping habits he is incredibly quick to catch on and recognise the problem

The man is very transparrent about his worry for you no matter how strong you are or how well you can take care of yourself

He doesn't even mind how stubborn you are in regards to talking about it because he knows that if something was seriously wrong you would tell him without a doubt

But when he's giving you soft praise and passionate cuddles and kisses after waking you up from a particularly harsh night terror, you're all the more grateful to have him supporting you

Would definately rub your back in small circles and put effort into giving you a relaxing massage to help relieve muscle pain and tension

As you both sit in the dark it still does nothing to hide his beaming smile that he still directs to you, and you suddenly feel that much better, despite having been worried about inconveniencing or annoying him with your problems

He's there with you to support and help you out when you get flashbacks or especially triggering dreams, holding you with strong and sturdy arms and stroking your hair

And when you end up curling up in his lap in exhaustion, he only smiles and puts out the light, braiding your hair while he watches over you

Muichiro

When you admit to him that you've had trouble sleeping, he is initially very confused

He really does try his best not to zone out as you talk to him though, which is something you always appreciate from him. He shows that he's at least trying to keep up

As you speak he stares straight into your soul, though, which is always a little unnerving, but he's an absolutely amazing listener and drops everything for you once he realises something is wrong. Even if it does take about three to five working days for him to realise anything

With that being said, it does take a while for your words to actually dawn on him

I'm talking, like, the next day

Now it makes sense why you've been coming to bed late and waking up even later

When he fully processes the fact that he might be able to actually help you, he's putting less caffeine in your teas and going on more expeditions to hunt demons in order to successfully tire you out

That idea was courtesy of Shinobu, whom he'd asked for help

He usually doesn't really talk to any of the other Hashiras if he doesn't have to, but he went out of his comfort zone just for you

When you both end up asleep together he cuddles into your chest, using your breasts as pillows and curling up around you like a tired cat

Gyomei

Although he's blind, he still notices the difference in your movement and the altered way that you shift your weight around him, almost as if you feel like you're heavier

He's pretty quick to pick up on the sloppy movement and the exhaustion tugging at your limbs just from your aura, and immediately there are tears running down his face as he cries for you, praying for your wellbeing

On the plus side, his mountain-like form is the perfect resting place when you want a quick nap

His muscles are huge, but not as rock hard as you would think they are until he flexes, making them the perfect resting spot for your head

Improvised cushion

You're not sure whether he's crying because you just called him a cushion, or because he's happy that you're comfortable, but for the sake of your sanity, you assume it's the latter

He's as cuddly as a teddy bear and the second you wake up from a nightmare you immediately know that you're safe because he's got his arms wrapped around you, dwarfing you in comparison

He stays up with you sometimes if you're really strugggling to get to sleep because he doesn't want you to be alone

and when you stay awake through an entire night he pulls you aside and lets you doze off in the safety of his arms. He radiates warmth as well, and he considers it a beautiful boding moment when you sleep on him

He thinks that when you sleep on him, you're letting him be in control when you're at your most vulnerable, and he cries every time he thinks about it

He cries for you when you tell him about your nightmares as well, showing you his sympathy through his tears and resting your foreheads together

Obanai

He tries not to make you aware of how much he cares for you because it's a little embarrassing for him, but he notices immidiately when something is off about you

The first time the nightmares really affect you that badly you look a mess in the morning, your hair is greasy and knotted and your eyes are drooping shut, circled by dark bags

He listens a little more intently to you that day and hangs around a little longer, his touches lingering longer as well as he debates on whether to talk to you about it or not.

The next time it happens he is significantly worried and ends up questioning you with the same monotonous voice, yet with a tinge of worry to it

As he pries every last detail from you, he makes the decision to stay with you and help so that you don't feel so exhausted and worn to the bone anymore

It works like a charm because he's strict about your diet and your excorcise habits that aren't helping you. No more coffee or lounging around for you broke your heart

He cuddles tight when you sleep though, and even his snake curls up around you both as you feel his firm grip on you even in your sleep

He provides you with a back massage as he lays next to you when you start to drift off, and when you wake up the next day he rests his forehead against yours as if to say good morning

There is no way that any one else knows about this because he refuses to tell anyone and cusses them out with a sneer if they make any comments

He does like to sit in the trees with your back against his chest though, and he uses this opportunity to let you vent about your nightmares

He might not have a lot of advice to give you, and he seems relatively apathetic on the outside, but he lets you know he cares with his small gestures of affection and the occasional "i love you" when he feels it hasn't been said enough

Giyu

He starts to get very cuddly as soon as he notices you starting to get fidgety

Every time you let out an especially loud whimper or you start moving a little too much, he's quick to wrap his arms around your waist and hoist you up

You'll be kicking and crying and all of a sudden he's no longer spooning you, he's sitting up on the bed with you in his lap, cuddled against him

He always likes to put his hand against the back of your head and push it into his chest, letting you cry into his arms and not saying a word except for a whispered "'s okay. I love you"

He holds your hand in your sleep and tries not to wake you up, instead opting to try soothing your nightmare so that you don't end up sleep deprived

Blue eyes stay trained on your now relaxed expression as he basically pets you, that same longing stare on his face but with just a touch more love and adoration in his eyes

All this big baby wants is to hold you

And he sleeps like an absolute baby when he's with you

He's also probably started noticing that you've been having strange sleeping habits before you did yourself

He's already gone to Shinobu for advice since if anyone knew about this kind of thing it would probably be her

He doesn't like to let her know that he's following her advice to the T, but she already knows. He can't hide from her. She'll do anything to protect you two

Shinobu

Her expression barely even faulters as you admit to her that you've been experiencing sleep problems lately

She only gives you a serene, sympathetic smile, staying awefully quiet

"Oh, i see..."

In reality she's just thinking over in great detail every single thing she could possibly do to help you out

Is a hundred percent making you drinks with sleep stimulants and feeding you medicine with your food, herbal teas are served to you every day for the next week and you can't help but sweatdrop as she provides you with every kind of drug or medicine possible that could help you sleep easier

Is she stying to knock out a horse?? Damn those teas are strong-...

She lets you talk to her about your nightmares, which have already started to impact your daily life in the form of flashbacks and paranoia. She's an amazing listener

She is more than willing to sing to you and oh. my. god.

Her voice puts you right to sleep sometimes

She's often seen sitting at the butterfly estate on the decking with you next to her, your head resting on her shoulder and her head resting on top of yours

Obviously she's playing with your hair like you're some kind of dress up doll - you would have to use all ten fingers and probably some of your toes to count the amount of times you've woken up with a new hairstyle or some kind of butterfly accessory in your hair

You wouldn't have it any other way, though. Who wouldn't want to wake up feeling glam??

When you take a nap on her chest she will always tease you after

"are they soft?" "you sure looked comfortable"

[momolady]

The Soldier: Part One

A story about love, loss, war, and the curses that can infect the people those concepts touch. This is a dark romance with some horror elements, but it’s been one of my favorite pieces to write.

Corinne had never been blessed with patience - it was foreign to her anxious disposition. And due to having a rich family, doted on and spoiled by her loving parents, she never had to wait long for things anyway. Her father Xavier was a renowned doctor, while her mother came from a very respected family. It wasn’t until her mother died that Corinne grew out of her spoiled ways and learned to mend her own things, tend a garden, and help her father mind the books. But patience still didn’t come easy for her.

When war was declared, Corinne became engaged to a student of her father’s, Nathaniel St. Clair. When he was enlisted, she promised to wait for him. But then, her father, too, was called out onto the battlefields, his skills needed to save the young men fighting. Corinne was left alone at home, waiting in the suffering of her own anxious mind. She had heard stories and read the papers, no matter how much her guardian, Mrs. Rothchester, tried to keep from her. She waited by the windows, hoping to catch sight of someone, anyone, returning home.

“You sit by that draughty window all day, you’ll catch your death of cold!” Mrs. Rothschild fussed at Corinne, who was working her fingers to the bone knitting. She’d knit to distract her mind, any and every kind of scarf or blanket or hat, often donating her projects to families who needed the extra warmth.

“I won’t catch a cold, Mrs. Rothschild,” she sighed. “I’m fine.”

Mrs. Rothschild went to the window and closed the curtains. This earned her a scowl from Corinne, who stood and opened them again with a huff. “You know I have to see!”

“I know you have better things to do than fret all day. Watching a kettle doesn’t make it boil, nor does watching that road make anyone come home.” Mrs. Rothschild sighed, believing that Corinne would worry herself sick. “You need to get up and do something. What good is sitting here going to do anyone?”

Corinne set down her needles and glanced outside. It had rained all night, and now the slick, muddy track to the house was shrouded in thick fog. Her eyes focused on the fog, trying to project an image upon the gray that would take shape as a person. When she could not, she picked up her knitting again. She had heard stories of soldiers being turned into monsters, living weapons used to kill large numbers of men, while being oblivious to pain. The thought of it made her needles move faster.

Mrs. Rothschild sighed in frustration and returned to the kitchen to fetch Corinne’s lunch. The staff in the house had thinned since the war started. All the men had gone save for Mr. Rothschild, who was far too old to enlist, and Lewis the stableboy who was far too young. The Rothchilds’ daughter had gone to war as a nurse, and one of the maids had vanished in the night not long before the fighting started.

“How’s the girl?” Mr. Rothschild asked as he stepped away from the stove to fill the teapot.

“She still won’t leave that blasted window,” Mrs. Rothschild scoffed. “I fear she’ll go mad like her mother did.”

Mr. Rothschild shushed his wife. “Hold your tongue. She could be listening.”

She rolled her eyes. “Did you not hear me? She’s not leaving that window! I could talk all day about her mad mother and she’d never hear me here.” Mrs. Rothschild sliced some chicken, placing it on toasted bread. “How many chickens do we have left?”

“Lewis said five, but he knows where to get a rooster.” Mr. Rothschild answered.

Mrs. Rothschild sighed heavily. “It’s a choice between eggs and chicken now, is it?”

“At least with chickens we can get two, maybe three meals,” her husband answered. “Keep the bones, make the stock, and what’s left on the bones can be used for mash.”

“But eggs go in nearly every meal,” Mrs. Rothschild fretted. “I’ll talk to Corinne and see if we can spare something to get that rooster.”

“I don’t think Lewis will need money for this rooster,” Mr. Rothschild replied cheekily. “I think it’s more of a… scrounging situation.”

“As long as he doesn't get caught again,” Mrs. Rothschild grumbled. She had just picked up the tray when an ear-splitting scream rang through the house. She jumped with the tray, causing a teacup to crash to the floor.

“Mrs. Rothschild!” Corinne came racing down the stairs, skirts in her fists as she raced toward the front doors.

“Good lord,” Mrs. Rothschild grumbled irritably under her breath. “Calm down! You’ll break your neck!” She chased after Corinne, who had already thrown open the doors and was grinning from ear to ear. “Get inside! What are you on about? You gave everyone in this damn house such a fright with all your…” She stopped when she finally looked into the yard. The gate was open, and a carriage was coming to the door. “My word, it can’t be.”

Corinne broke free of her grasp, rushing out to the carriage as it came to a halt. She bounced with joy when her father’s face appeared. He emerged, stepping down into her wide-open arms. “Oh, my sweet thing!” Dr. Marfont sighed. “How wonderful to see you.”

“I knew it was you!” Corinne sobbed as she held him.

“Biscuit,” Dr. Marfont said gently to her. “I need you to go and prepare the guest bedroom for me.”

“What for?” Corinne asked. “Are you expecting someone?” She peered into the carriage, where a stretcher with a body on top had been laid along one seat. “Oh!”

Dr. Marfont nodded to Corinne. “This young man needs long-term care and there is nowhere else in this world I can care for him. I bonded with the fellow, so I brought him with me until he can heal.”

“I’ll go and fetch Mr. Rothschild to help you get him inside. Then I’ll make sure the guest room is prepared.” Corinne tried to peer more closely at the young man in the carriage, but all she could see was his arm and long, elegant hand.

“Thank you, Biscuit.” Dr. Marfont kissed the top of her head. “We’ll celebrate when I get him settled.”

“That would be wonderful!” Corinne quickly returned to the doors and took Mrs. Rothschild by the arm. “He’s brought an injured soldier with him.”

“We can barely feed ourselves, and he brings a soldier home?” Mrs. Rothschild scoffed. “I swear, he’s done this constantly since he married your mother.”

Corinne gave her a sweet smile. “We need to go and prepare the guest room, and my father needs your husband’s help to get him in.”

Mrs. Rothschild just rolled her eyes. “You go put up the guest room. I’ll hurry my husband along.”

“Thank you.” Corinne walked off down the hallway to the guest room. It hadn’t been used in ages, not since war started. The room was dusty and the air was stale, so Corinne opened a window. As she pulled back the covers on the bed, a spider crawled out and she screamed. She struck the bed over and over again with an ornamental pillow, but the spider had vanished.

“What was that noise?” Mrs. Rothschild came into the room, pulling the old sheets off the bed to put on new ones.

“Nothing.” Corinne was ashamed of her fear, so she didn’t bring it up and instead helped Mrs. Rothschild to change the bed for the soldier. “I wonder what happened to him?” she murmured. “It must have been something terrible if my father had to bring him here.”

“Best not to think of it. Lots of horrible things can happen during war. Gun wounds, amputations, burns…” Mrs. Rothschild shuddered and shook her head. “It’s best you keep your mind away from those things.”

Corinne looked up to the door as her father and Mr. Rothschild came into the room, carrying the stretcher. She scurried behind Mrs. Rothschild, keeping her eyes down as the two men lowered the stretcher onto the bed, allowing the young man to roll himself onto the clean sheets. “I don’t want anyone touching him,” Dr. Marfont instructed as he tucked the soldier into bed. “I will tend to his wounds and bandaging. All I need is for one of you to deliver his meals and medicine when I can’t. Other than that, he is not to be touched.”

“Is there something wrong with him we should know of?” Mrs. Rothschild asked. “It’s not a sickness or a rash he can spread, is it?”

“No, no, of course not,” Dr. Marfont sighed. “This young man is a hero! Saved his mates, but took a lot of shrapnel for it. He got infected from improper care, and that’s why he’s here now.”

Corinne peeked around Mrs. Rothschild, seeing the young man in bed with bandages all over him, including his face. “He looks so pale,” Mrs. Rothschild remarked.

“You would be too, after what he’s been through,” the doctor laughed. “Now, come along. Let’s allow him to rest in peace. I want to see my Biscuit.”

Corinne stepped out, racing into her father’s arms. “I’ve missed you so much!” she said as they left the room. “You hadn’t written in so long, I became terrified of the worst!”

“A lot of mail hasn’t been getting through. If you have not heard from Nathaniel either, that could be the reason.” Dr. Marfront went to the parlor, and groaned as he sank into a chair. “I haven’t had a seat since I went to the front line hospital,” he complained.

“Was it really that bad?” Corinne asked.

“Sometimes worse. There would be times I didn’t know that days had passed.” He settled himself and straightened his back. “I think things will be coming to an end soon. More talks of peace have been spreading.”

“We can only hope so!” Mrs. Rothschild enthused. “I’ll go fetch some tea. Do you need anything to eat, Doctor?”

“No, thank you, Mrs. Rothschild. I want rest more than I want food,” Dr. Marfont sighed.

Once Mrs. Rothschild was gone, Corinne got up and sat at her father’s feet, placing her head on his lap. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

Dr. Marfont stroked the top of her head gently. “So am I, Biscuit. I’m sure you won’t have to worry much longer either. Nathaniel should be returning home soon as well.”

“That would bring me such joy, to have everyone I love returned home.” Corinne sighed and glanced out into the hall at the closed door of the guest bedroom. “Who is he, father?” she asked quietly. “The soldier you brought home.”

“Lockwood is his name.” The doctor spoke almost dismissively. “I grew quite fond of him. He’s a good man, like I said. A hero.”

“Lockwood,” Corinne murmured. “What else do you know of him? Where is he from? What was he doing before the war?”

Dr. Marfont patted the top of her head. “There’s no reason for you to worry about that, my love. I just ask you to treat him kindly. He’s earned it.”

Corinne looked back at the door. Her father’s answers did nothing to placate her curiosity, and her mind wandered freely about the soldier. She pictured him standing tall and manly, with his long, graceful hands holding a sword or musket, fair and dark-haired, his features sharp but gentle. Like someone in one of her old books.

That evening after dinner, Corinne was tasked with delivering Mr. Lockwood his meal and medicine. She stood before the guest room door, wondering if she should knock, but she simply let herself in, gazing through the dark room. No candles or lanterns had been lit, and the space was shrouded in gloom. “Hello?” Her voice trembled. “I’ve brought you something to eat.” She stepped inside, seeing Lockwood’s shape in the bed, but no other features. “Sir? Are you awake?”

A deep intake of breath answered her call, and the blankets on the bed stirred. “That’s not a voice I am familiar with.” His voice was surprisingly melodic. “Who goes there?”

“Corinne,” she chirped. “Corinne Marfont.”

“The doctor’s daughter, then.” Lockwood murmured. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Corinne swallowed hard. “Are you hungry, sir?”

“I’m not sure,” Lockwood’s voice was strained. “I’ve not known myself since I was placed in your father’s care.”

“Should I light a candle?” Corinne offered.

Lockwood took another labored breath. “No. It’s fine this way. Don’t waste a candle on me, young lady,” he chuckled. “I don’t think there’s much left to see, anyway.”

Corinne set the tray at the bedside, then filled a glass with water. In the shadows she could see the outline of Lockwood’s head wrapped in bandages. She was afraid of him in a way, but her curiosity drew her near. “You poor thing. Try to eat something” She placed her hand on the pale, bare skin of his arm and he flinched, so instead she picked up the bowl of soup and stirred it. “I’ll help you.” Her hand shook as she lifted the full spoon into the air.

Lockwood sighed. “You’re very kind, but I can take care of myself.”

“Let me help,” Corinne insisted. “My father said…”

“I told him not to bring me here,” Lockwood said in a low voice. “I didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. If I died, I died, and it would have been a blessing either way. Don’t fret over me, my lady. I do not ask for it.”

Corinne set the spoon back into the bowl. “Why would you want to die?”

Lockwood chuckled. “It’s not something I should discuss with you, my lady. I would hate to make you cry in any way.”

“Mr. Lockwood…” Corinne heard her father coming down the hall. She stood up, still holding the bowl of soup as he came into the room.

“Biscuit! You’re still here?” Dr. Marfront’s voice held a stern edge. “You don’t need to bother Mr. Lockwood, darling.”

“It’s fine, doctor,” Lockwood replied. “I don’t want to be bothersome.”

Dr. Marfont took the soup from Corinne. “Go on to bed, Biscuit. I’ll be taking care of Mr. Lockwood’s bandages now. You don’t need to be seeing this.” He led her to the door and kissed her cheek. “Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night, father,” she said softly. She then peered back into the room. “Good night to you as well, Mr. Lockwood.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Mr. Lockwood sighed.

Corinne went to her room and prepared herself for bed, her mind spinning with questions about Lockwood - his soft, gentle voice, the wrappings on his face, his desire for death. They all cluttered her mind until it was very hard for her to find sleep. As the days went by, she insisted on being the one who cared for Lockwood. She took him his meals and administered his medicine, but while she had rehearsed countless conversations in her head, she could never muster the courage to speak to him. At least, not the way she wanted to.

“It’s so kind of you to look after me, my lady,” Lockwood said one day after she had given him his medicine. “It’s good to have a gentle touch here and there.”

“I promised my father,” Corinne said quietly. She wanted to say more, but she could barely answer him at all.

“It means the world to me, regardless.” Lockwood turned his head away towards the window. “It’s rained since I got here, hasn’t it?”

Corinne watched him, seeing dark hair through the wrappings on his head. His neck was long and elegant, and the curve from his to his shoulder was quite beautiful. His skin was so pale she could almost count the blue veins underneath pressing towards the surface.

“It was raining before you arrived.” Her eyes were focused on that expanse of flesh, so different from Nathaniel’s, which was bronzed, hairy, and sinewy.

“Was it?” Lockwood’s fingers moved back and forth along the coverlet, stroking it to feel the softness of the fabric. “It must be a boring time for you.”

“Not so much. I’ve been worried far too much these days to notice.” Corrine picked up the few dishes Lockwood had eaten from and set them aside.

“About your fiancé?” Lockwood asked.

Corinne stilled, tracing her finger around the rim of a teacup. “And my father.”

“Your father said he was a doctor, too. A student of his.” Lockwood turned his head so he could see Corinne. Her hair was down, falling in ringlets along her shoulders and back, and the deep red color and her dark brown eyes were the same as her mother’s. She had freckles all over her face, shoulders and chest, which she desperately tried to keep covered. She was small enough to be mistaken for a child. Dr. Marfont had said she reminded him of a rabbit, small, helpless and nervous. “You’re very lucky,” Lockwood said gently.

Corinne turned and gave him a weak smile. “Thank you, Mr. Lockwood.” She returned to his bedside, sitting down on the stool there. “Is there anything else I can do for you today?”

“I’m sure you must have better things to worry about, my lady,” Lockwood murmured. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“It’s raining, so there’s not much else for me to do.” Corinne gave him another smile. “Besides, I’d hate to think you were lonesome here.”

Lockwood sighed heavily, but not from any pain. He sighed from a faintness in his heart caused by Corinne’s kindness and beauty. He had been drawn to stories of her told by Dr. Marfont, and seeing her outside his imagination made him even more fond of her. “Perhaps you could read a book to me?” he asked. “A chapter a day until the rain stops, perhaps?”

Corinne nodded. “Certainly. I’ll be right back.” She left the guest room and went across the hall to the parlor, where all the books were kept. She found one on the shelf that held stories inside about fairies, legends her mother had read to her when she was small. She returned to Lockwood’s side, turning to the first story. “There was a knight who had great strength because his soul was chained to the devil.”

Corinne would read to Lockwood every day after this, telling him story after story from the book. It helped to ease her nerves around him, and slowly, she began to talk to him more.

“I did nothing much before the war. I was a nobody,” Lockwood told her. “I worked for a large home, but it’s nothing worth talking about.”

“What sort of family did you work for?” Corinne asked.

Lockwood laughed. “I told you, it’s not worth talking about.” He reached out, placing his hand over Corinne’s. “They were good to me, but there was an accident that made me leave just before the war.”

“What happened?” Corinne was intrigued.

“Never you mind, my lady.” Lockwood squeezed her hand gently.

“Can you tell me about the war?” she murmured. “No one will let me know anything about it. They think I’m feeble or something.” She held onto his hand as if he could run away from her questions. “What did you do out there? Did you shoot someone?”

“My lady,” Lockwood started to say, but he held himself back. “What I did out there, the action in the field, I don’t think…”

“I want to know,” Corinne said urgently. “I hear stories and I don’t know what to believe.”

Lockwood sighed. “There are things you shouldn’t know, my lady.” He squeezed her hand. “It’s dark and ugly, even in daylight. There is blood and rot everywhere you look, lives destroyed, shadows made real. It’s not worth it to put that on your mind. I know how you linger on things.”

Corinne leaned in again and held Lockwood’s hand with both of hers. “I like talking to you. I like being here with you.” She smoothed her hand down his arm. “It’s nice having a friend around again. The house has been so empty for a long time.”

Lockwood sighed heavily. “Be careful how you touch me.”

“I’m sorry.” She moved a hand away. “Am I hurting you?”

“The opposite,” Locwood murmured.

Corinne’s heart throbbed inside her chest, and she placed her hand on him again. She stroked his arm, moving it to that expanse of flesh between his neck and shoulder. Lockwood moaned out of fear, turning himself closer to her fingertips. “I care for you, Mr. Lockwood,” she said softly to him.

“I care for you, Corinne.” His lips parted as she touched him. “But do be careful. Your hands are my weakness.”

She smiled with pride, slipped closer to him, and pressed a small kiss against the part of his jaw that was not covered by bandages.

Lockwood gasped. His mouth opened, and inside she saw the flash of sharp fangs hidden behind his lips. His tongue looked strange as well, almost as if it were split down the middle. He settled, turning his head away and clearing his throat. “I told you to be gentle.”

“I thought I was.” Corinne cupped his cheek, turning him back to face her. “Mr. Lockwood, forgive me.”

She pressed her lips to his. His body jerked, and his hand grabbed her arm harshly, digging into the skin. She pulled back, swooning from the kiss. “I can’t forgive you for that,” Lockwood rasped. He stretched out his long neck, kissing her again.

Corinne moaned softly, then pulled away as she heard voices down the hall. “Corinne!” Mrs. Rothschild yelled from the kitchen.

“Blast her,” Corinne huffed. “I have to go now.” She smoothed down her skirt then tried to cool her cheeks. She didn’t want to look too flushed when going to the kitchen.

“Take care now,” Lockwood said with a smile. “I’ll think of you until next time.”

Corinne smiled, waving to him with a cheeky smile on her face. As she entered the hallway, she came across her father. “Did you hear Mrs. Rothschild calling for you, Biscuit?” he asked.

“Yes, father. I was heading that way to help her in the kitchen.” She blushed, wondering if her kiss with Lockwood was still evident on her lips. She licked them, finding his taste was still there.

“I’ll be a little late,” her father said. “I have to change Mr. Lockwood's bandages and give him an examination. So don’t wait for me.”

“I’ll let Mrs. Rothschild know,” Corinne said.

Lockwood lay in his bed, taking short breaths. His skin crawled, and he looked down to see a spider on his chest. He raised his hand to strike it, but the spider crawled under the bandages on his chest. He struggled, clawing at the bandages in fear as his head spun and his vision blurred. He looked up to see the painting of Mrs. Marfont over the mantel glaring viciously at him. He shed tears, tearing at the bandages while sickness boiled in his core.

“Calm yourself!” Dr. Marfont came through the fog and held back his hands, forcing them down.

“Spider!” Lockwood gasped.

“Spider?” Dr. Marfont fought Lockwood’s hands back down again.

“Bandages…” Lockwood wheezed.

Dr. Marfont unraveled the bandages on Lockwood’s chest and the small spider fell out, scurrying across the sheets and disappearing under the bed. Lockwood fell back against the bed, shaking, trying to suppress his nausea. Dr. Marfont removed the rest of the bandages, exposing Lockwood’s bosom. “I don’t know how much longer we can keep this up.” He checked around Lockwood’s ribs and his breasts just to make sure. There were bruises and healing wounds, but nothing out of the ordinary. “Once you’re healed, I fear you’ll be discovered for what you really are.”

Lockwood laid there, breathing and shaking. “I’ll be found out for many things, doctor. Not just that.”

Dr. Marfront took his bag, pulling out the syringe and bottle of medicine. “Stay still,” he coaxed. “Same as always.”

He took Lockwood’s arm, injecting the medicine. Lockwood shook, grimacing and gritting his teeth through the pain. His veins pulsed dark, pressing tightly against the skin before fading away to blue again. “Doctor,” Lockwood croaked, placing his hand over his breasts to cover them. “Thank you.”

“You do not need to thank me every time. I don’t even think what I am doing is helping,” he sighed heavily. He took off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

He had met Lockwood several months ago in the hospital. He’d been working for days straight and was resting near the doors when a soldier was brought in by members of his squadron. He’d taken direct fire to allow his comrades to escape, and was somehow still breathing. Dr. Marfont took the young man in despite his exhaustion, giving him his own bed in order to operate. But the doctor was shocked to discover the soldier was a woman in disguise. He didn’t alert anyone else, but instead he operated, saving her life and promising to protect her - a promise which attached her to him as he returned home.

“You’re helping, doctor,” Lockwood assured him. “What I agreed to is what is hurting me.”

Dr. Marfont sighed heavily, rubbing his hands together before taking out clean bandages. He had Lockwood sit up, wrapping them around until there was no sign of his breasts. “War creates monsters,” he murmured. “I just wish it didn’t make them out of the ones we cared about.”

Lockwood took a deep breath. “Once I‘m better, I’ll leave.”

Dr. Marfont was quiet again. He wanted to keep Lockwood safe, but he also didn’t want to expose him to his family, his home. “Whatever works out best,” was all he could say.

Lockwood lay in bed after the doctor left, gazing through the thin bandages around his eyes. The light that came through the window seemed to fade to grey, and there was a shape standing there, a woman. Lockwood reached out, feeling nothing but cold air. They turned their head away and lay there, listening as the rain returned.

[gotnofucks]

Meet the Parents

Based on the request: Imagine Peter Parker trying to ask Steve and Bucky if it’s okay to take their daughter on a date. He would be shaking in his boots. 

Pairing: Stucky x Reader, Peter x Reader

Summary: You are daddies’ little girl, and Peter wants to take you out.

Words: 1.2k

Warning: incest (kinda? And only implied), daddy kink, 18+ ONLY. 

A/N: It was a Peter request, trust me to turn it into Stucky 

He had May choose him an outfit. Something that doesn’t scream trying too hard, but not something too lousy either. Peter was head over hells for you. Ever since you’d sat by him in Physics class, he knew he’d never be the same again. There was this instant connection, this electricity that cackled down his spine when you laughed with him.

You’d been best friends for a while, but now Peter wanted to be more. He wanted to take you out to coffee where you could share a dessert and hold hands. He wanted to take you dancing and put his coat over you when you got cold. He wanted to walk you to your door with a kiss of promise to pick you up in the morning. He wanted his phone’s wallpaper to be a picture of you both cuddling.

But there was this one obstacle that made his palms sweat. Peter knew you were very close to your dads, he’d seen them coming to the college campus to pick you up. You were well into your 20s and yet they doted over you like you were 5. Anytime Peter thought he’d ask you out, an image of Steve and Bucky towering over him made his heart beat faster.

After months of deliberation and waiting, he’d finally decided to do it. He was wearing his best outfit, he got flowers and had given himself a pep talk in front of the mirror. He’s going to drive to your home, ask your dads if he can take out their little girl and be a gentleman.

He may have stood outside the door for few minutes too much, but he finally rang the bell. The door opened so fast he wondered if the other person was listening in, waiting. Piercing blue eyes, like those that Zeus must have when he’s about to rain hell on someone, fixed on him.

“Parker” Bucky said, an eyebrow raised in amusement as Peter shuffled.

“Mr. Barnes” He greeted, offering him a hand that Bucky smirked at before taking in his own. Peter had to suppress a wince at the firm grip, and he resisted the urge to massage his fingers after he let go. Bucky beckoned him inside and Peter followed, marveling at the beautiful house. He smiled at your pictures on the wall, mostly smiling with your dads on either side of you.

“You are two minutes late.” Said a voice that broke Peter away from staring at your pictures. Steve was standing against the table, hands on his waist. When he stood like this, shoulder to shoulder with his husband who was just as big, Peter was reminded of how you said they’d been in army and right now, he felt like the enemy.

“Mr. Rogers, sir.” Peter said, shaking Steve’s hand which left his already bruised hand aching even worse.

“Dad, please. Stop.” You said, coming down from the stairs. You looked gorgeous, even though you’d dressed only casually for the movies. It was a bit ridiculous to be doing this at this age, but Peter knew to win you over, he needed to get on you fathers’ good side.

“A man who can’t be on time cannot be trusted.” Steve said and Peter looked down, cursing himself for lingering on the doorway too long. You huffed, smacking Steve on his chest with a grumbled ‘be nice’ that had Peter smiling. He shyly gave you the flowers he got and you took them, taking a huge whiff.

“I’m gonna put them in a vase and then we’ll leave.” You said, shooting a look at Steve and Bucky who were glaring a hole in Peter’s head.

“So, what are your intensions towards our girl?” Steve asked, looking very much the Captain he was.

“Entirely honorable sir.” Peter promised, wiping his hands on his jeans. “We’re going to movies and then dinner.”

Bucky chuckled sarcastically, walking around Peter as if examining him.

“We know what happens in a dark movie hall. You gonna leave a seat in the middle.” Bucky ordered and Peter opened his mouth in shock. He could hear your angry shouting from the kitchen from where you appeared with a scrunched nose.

“Dads, enough. Ease up.” You snap, glowering at their hazing. Steve rolled his eyes, sharing an exasperated look with Bucky as if you were the one being ridiculous. When you didn’t budge, they sighed, relaxing their arms.

“You gonna bring her back before 11. She doesn’t like her food too spicy and she hates drinking –”

“– Right enough, we’re going. I can tell my preferences for myself, thank you very much. Come, Peter.” You hastily said, cutting off Bucky. Peter nodded, barely having time to say goodbye to your dad as you ushered him towards the front door.

“Should I shake their hand?” Peter whispered when you were almost out.

“Do you want them to break your hand? Hurry!” You hiss back. You were right behind him, scurrying to his car when the clearing of a throat stopped you. You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment before looking over your shoulder to see Bucky and Steve with your jacket.

“You wanna catch a cold?” Steve asked, holding it out. Peter was sitting in his car, looking as you sheepishly smiled and stepped back inside, letting Steve slip the jacket over you. Bucky zipped it up for you, holding your chin with his thumb and finger gently.

“You call me the moment you think something is going wrong. He touches you anyway you don’t want him to, I’ll show up and beat his ass.” He assured you and you hugged him, burying your head in his chest and smelling his soothing scent.

“I know how to protect myself. You got nothing to worry about, I am your baby girl.” You mumbled and Bucky held you tighter.

“Damn right you are our baby girl” He said, pressing a kiss on your temple.

“Sweetie” Steve said, pulling you away from Bucky and into him. “You love your daddies, don’t you?”

You looked into his blue eyes, biting your lip at the authority and love there.

“Yes daddy, I love you both. This is a one time thing, I promise.” You said and felt them both relax. They really could deny you nothing, not even some other dick.

“He can never give you what we can.” Bucky said sulkily. He had a more difficult time coming around to this idea than Steve did, and you took his hand in yours, gently squeezing.

“I know daddy, I just wanna try something else. But I’ll always come home to you. You both are my life.” You told him and he squeezed your hand in return.

“We’ll keep the bed warm for you. It won’t feel the same.”

You almost wanted to cancel the date, but Peter was so sweet. And you needed a few hours away from both of them and their company. Every night you’d spent in their arms and under them in their bed, you have been in heaven. You just needed a night away where you could be a normal girl who wasn’t sleeping with her adopted fathers.

“A few hours, and I’ll be yours again.” You said softly and Steve stroked your cheek.

“You’ll always be ours” He corrected, and you turned your back to them and joined Peter in his car.

Peter glanced at you as you buckled your belt, nervously taking your hand in his after he started the car.

“They really love you” He commented, sneaking soft looks at you as he drove.

“Yes, they really do.” You agreed, watching the landscape pass you.          

[fixitforever]

Losing her broke him (part 1)

A/N: So I’ve had this idea for ages and finally got part of it onto paper. Le me know what you think! (also I haven’t edited this and English isn’t my first language so there might be a few mistakes)

Pairing: Loki x female reader

Summary: Thor tells the Avengers the story of Loki’s wife, who ended up leaving him. Or did she?

Warnings: none so far, maybe people disregarding Loki and his feelings?

Thor sighs deeply as he takes another sip from his beer. He will be leaving for Asgard tomorrow with Loki as his prisoner and he still can’t believe how his brother could have fallen so far that he killed so many people and nearly destroyed New York. He knew Loki was upset, that he was angry, but he didn’t think his little brother would be capable of this.

“What’s with the long face, Sparky?” Tony asks as he lets himself fall onto the opposite end of the couch that Thor is sitting on. “We won, you get to take the tesseract and your brother home.” He goes on when he sees he has Thor’s attention. “You should be happy.”

The other Avengers are scattered around the room and watch the interaction. They’ve all been wondering why Thor is looking so down, but none of them wanted to bother him. Of course that doesn’t stop Tony, not even when Pepper glares at him from across the room.

“I simply cannot believe how far my brother has fallen.” Thor admits. “He was upset when he found out he wasn’t truly our father’s son, but I did not think him capable of this.” He adds before he downs the rest of his beer. “Though he has been growing bitter the last few years.”

“I find it hard to believe he was ever anything but evil.” Clit joins the conversation as he takes a seat on the other couch in the room. “I spent quite a bit of time with him and there was nothing good in that man.”

Thor sends him a halfhearted glare. “He wasn’t always like this. Loki used to be kind to the people of Asgard. He gave them as much of his time as they needed for whatever troubles they had.” He tells them as he leans back on the couch. “He was a fine prince, a loving son, a loyal brother and a doting husband once.”

Tony nearly spits out his drink at Thor’s words. “I’m sorry, did you just say husband?” He asks once he stops coughing up his drink. “There was someone crazy enough to marry that maniac?”

“She was not crazy!” Thor straightens up and angrily points his finger at Tony. “I will not stand for any slander towards my sister in law.” He all but growls at Stark, who holds up his hands in defence. “She was good, made Loki an even better man than he already was.” Thor tells them before his shoulders slump and his face falls. “But then she left and never returned. Losing her broke him.”

“She must have been a pretty special girl to have such an impact on Loki.” Natasha says hesitantly as she perches on the arm of the couch next to Tony. “And she clearly made an impact on you too.” Thor solemnly nods in response, which only makes Nat more curious about this woman. “Would you mind telling us about her?” She asks. Growing up amongst fighters, Nat never knew many true love stories. They intrigue her and she’s not going to pass up on the opportunity to hear the love story of a demigod.

Thor looks at her for a moment as he wonders if he should tell them or not. Loki has always been the storyteller out of the two of them, but it might do him good to share some things so he nods. “Alright.” He says and the other Avengers gather around as Thor starts his story, a combination of his own memories and things Loki, his mother and many others told him.

*****

“What a beauty.” Fandral smirks as he watches the foreign princess approach from the bifrost. Volstagg hums in agreement while Sif scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest. The princess is here because her kingdom is currently at war. Her father didn’t think it was safe for her to stay there anymore and since her father’s kingdom is an ally of Asgard Odin offered her a place to stay.

Thor simply grins at Fandral’s comment and Loki rolls his eyes at the shallowness of his brother’s companions. Fandral isn’t wrong though. The princess is stunning and if Loki is completely honest he’s somewhat enchanted by her, but he’s sure he’s not the only one. Thor’s eyes are glued to her as well and Loki can see several other members of the court outright staring at her.

Once the carriage arrives the princes is helped out of it by one of her guards as another one of them approaches Odin. The guard bows in front of the Allfather “Your majesty I present to you princess Y/N Y/L/N of Domino.” He announces the princes before stepping out of the way so she can take his place.

Y/N bows in front of Odin, but doesn’t stand back up as she speaks. “Thank you for offering me a safe place to stay, your majesty.” She says before she finally rises and looks up at Odin. “My father sends his regards.”

“Your father is a good man and a great king. You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need to.” Odin tells her with a slight smile, which she returns. “This is my wife Frigga.” He introduces the beautiful woman standing next to him. Y/N and Frigga bow slightly for each other.“These are my sons. Thor and Loki. You’ve met them when the three of you were still children.” He presents the two man standing on his other side and Y/N once again bows. The gesture is returned by both men and Y/N takes them in for a moment.

She remembers the princes visiting Domino many years ago and they’ve both grown up to become attractive but in completely different ways. Both tall but one broad where the other is more lean. Both with kind eyes but one seems rough where the other appears to be delicate. And both looking at her rather intently, which reminds her of the offhand comment her father made just before she left: ‘They will take good care of you on Asgard and who knows, you might even find a good husband in one of Odin’s sons.’ Her father had meant it as a joke, an attempt to lighten the mood because he could tell his daughter was distraught, and Y/N pushes the thought away with a quick shake of her head.

*****

Y/N can’t help but frown as Thor rather rudely cuts Loki off in the middle of his story to share his own version of what happened. Y/N’s eyes drift from Thor to Loki and the look on her face softens when she sees a glimmer of disappointment pass of his face before he puts on his regular mask of indifference once again. During her dinners with the royal family Y/N has noticed that it’s a regular occurrence for Thor to take control of the conversation and he doesn’t shy away from interrupting his brother to gain that control. She doesn’t believe Thor means to hurt his brother’s feelings, but she can tell it gets to Loki.

Besides the fact that it clearly hurts Loki, Y/N finds that it also brings the conversation down to a slightly less refined level. Loki has a very different way of telling stories that Thor. He has a way with words and Y/N always finds herself enthralled by whatever he’s saying.

In the few months that she has been in Asgard, she has run into Loki many times in the library. The first few times they only exchanged greetings, but one day Loki finally gathered the courage to ask her about the book she was reading and their conversations become longer and longer ever time they see each other. The library has become their safe haven. Tucked away in a wing of the palace, they’re usually not bothered by anyone. The only other person they’ve seen there is Frigga and she only sends the two a warm smile before she’s on her way again.

Y/N hasn’t spoken to Thor as much and when she does speak to him it usually consists of him telling stories of the many battles he has fought and won. He’s always kind to her and she likes him well enough, but he’s a bit too boastful and coarse for her taste.

*****

After dinner Y/N and Fridge decide to take a walk through the garden while the men remain at the table for a moment. Loki is tempted to join Y/N and his mother, but fears his father might frown upon it so he remains seated as well.

“Princess Y/N is going to make a fine queen one day.” Odin says once the women have left the room. “She has all the qualities a queen should have. Wouldn’t you agree?” He goes on and both his sons agree with him. Loki has a bad feeling about this conversation. He’s pretty sure he knows where it’s going and his suspicions are proven correct when his father speaks up again. “You know you’re getting to an age when you should start thinking about marriage?” Odin directs his question at Thor and Loki clenches his jaw as he turns his head to look at his brother.

Loki feared this would happen. Y/N will make an excellent queen one day, Loki is sure of it, and he’s not surprised that his father would want her to become queen of Asgard. But it still hurts that his father doesn’t even consider the possibility of Loki marrying her. Loki would be lying if he said he hasn’t thought about courting Y/N. He has met many noble ladies over the years, but never one that captured his attention the way Y/N does. Her beauty is what drew him in at first, but he has been drawn in by beauty before and always grew bored once he got to know the personal behind the beauty. Y/N’s personality however is even more enchanting than her looks and he wishes his father could see that Thor is not the right match for her.

Thor looks confused for a moment, but quickly catches onto his fathers meaning. “And you believe princess Y/N to be a good match, father?” Thor asks, completely oblivious to Loki’s inner turmoil. Odin nods and Thor mulls the idea over in his head for a moment before he speaks up again. “Very well, I will show her my interest and see if she’s willing to start a courtship.”

[hereforhalstead]

Ambo 61

*Gif not mine, credits to the owner*

• Pairing: Jay Halstead x Reader 

• Requested:  “I’ve missed being like this with you”

• Warnings: mention of fire/fatality/needles

• Summary: You’re instructed to contact Jay to assist with a fire you’ve been called to and he’s there to support you after dealing with your first faitality.

• Words: 3978

• A/N :  Thanks so much for this request! I’m not over struck with it and it’s quite short but wanted to get it posted - hope you enjoy xx

***

Tonight was your third night shift in a row at the firehouse, starting to take its toll as you slumped around looking for any excuse to take the weight off your feet just for a few moments.

You were grateful Severide had got you the job as paramedic alongside Brett but you were now feeling like you’d been hit by a truck with all of these night shifts.

The firehouse was a close unit, everyone had each other’s back and looked out for one another. This always helped with your down days but everyone hits their breaking points and sometimes the adrenaline rush was the only thing keeping you going.

What made it worse was seeing everyone else seeming to be having the time of their lives, throwing a ball around by the trucks but you slouched in Severide’s chair with your feet kicked up on the table in front of you.

Eyes just about coming to a close as you hear that dreaded alarm which sends everyone running ‘Truck 51. Squad 3. Ambo 61 fire reported on the corner of 8th street” no matter how drained you were it was always able to put that spring in your step and you were in the ambo and out the door in seconds.

You could hear the sirens following closely behind you, scanning your wing mirror to see the parade of flashing lights that tailed down the street and towards the fire.

“You good?” Sylvie asks, snapping you out of your thoughts “night shifts taking their toll, nothing unusual” you joked but she still mirrored the look of concern on her face with her furrowed brows and occasional glare at you as she drove.

“Really I’m fine. Just looking forward to being in my own bed” you gazed out in front of you as you continued on towards the scene “Not long girl, only a few hours to go” she gives you her doting smile as she slams her foot down on the peddle to speed through an intersection

“everything alright with you and Jay?” She asks and you shrug “only see him for a few hours these days and even then it’s mostly when he’s asleep and I’m sat on the sofa wide awake” you admit, letting the words fall out of your mouth before you can even think about it.

“He’s so proud of you though” her cheery voice changes the tone of conversation “I always hear him brag about you in Molly’s, you’ve got yourself a good’un there Y/N” you feel the heat rise to your cheeks and smile creep on your face “i just miss him” you huff and reach for the energy drink that was by your side.

“I thought Jay told you to not drink those anymore” she utters as the truck comes to a stop, making her way to your side after grabbing the medic bag from the back.

“He’s not here right now” you remind her “What he doesn’t know, won’t hurt him” you add, causing her to cock her eyebrow at you and chuckle “You’re brave”.

You put Sylvies comment to the back of your mind as you head over to the scene in front of you, Casey already with his team positioning the engine by the fire hydrant across the street whist Severide and the squad were storming over to the building that was currently ablaze.

You had barely stepped over the threshold as a girl no older than 5 came sprinting towards you, wrapping herself round your legs as she clung to you with all of her might. Whilst your mind was now on the young girl, a woman who was presumably the mother quickly followed in running out of the building and towards you.

She gripped at your shoulder as Sylvie eased her off of you, stood in shock as you barely had a chance to familiarise and asses the situation before being presented with two victims.

After several rounds of tests, being confident that neither of the victims required rushing to med for urgent treatment you helped them wrap up and had the oxygen masks placed round their necks just in case they felt the need.

Whilst securing the young girls blanket you thought back to you sat in the chair an hour ago, nearly asleep and wishing to not hear that alarm but here you were.

Back with your head on the job and dedicating yourself to the people who needed you, proving to yourself that you were good enough and deserved your spot with the great team you had surrounding you.

You looked up to see the fire dwindling out and Casey rounding up his team, Severide was retracting the ladders back onto the truck as the rest of the squad shuffled out of the fragile building that barely stood in front of you. 

You were awaiting the go ahead from the Chief that you could leave, taking a swig from your energy drink and placing it back into the front of the ambo where you were earlier sat. Making your way round to the back of the truck to sit with the mother and daughter, still understandably shaken but doing well considering how bad things could have been.

“How long have you lived here?” You questioned, making small talk to pass the time and attempt to keep their minds preoccupied “Nearly 4 years, we moved in when I was pregnant and haven’t looked back since” the mother opens up, the young girl under her arm beside her.

You shifted your focus onto the girl, sat staring at the ground with her head hung low to lean on her elbows “How you doing sweetie?” You asked but didn’t get a response. The mother looked down on her daughter, you moved yourself so you could be in front of her and reach her eye level.

“You tell the lady if something hurts or you don’t feel well Claudia?” Still no response, you gently reach your hand to place on her shoulder but she flinches “It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you” you whisper, leaning towards her for empathy “Will my daddy be okay?” Her voice cracks and you look to the mother who looks just as puzzled as you.

“Daddy’s at work, honey?” She asks with the same panic and confusion laced in her tone “I saw him come through the back door just before the fire started” she confesses “He was with another man who told him he was in trouble” she continues and you scan around to see if they pulled anyone else out of the fire but you had no such luck.

“And you’re sure your daddy was in the house before the fire?” You yet again ask to try and get the facts before you go off and panic to one of the others “I’m positive!” She raises her voice but you try to keep her calm.

“is he going to be okay?” She probes towards her Mother but you excuse yourself to go and talk to Severide who stood on the other side of the truck with Casey.

“You guys pull anyone else out of there?” You question but can tell by the looks on their faces and the happiness in their banter they thought it was a successful save with two victims being relatively unharmed, their faces fall as they realise what you’re asking

“Just the two” Severide answers before Casey nods in agreement “Only the mother and daughter, rest of the place was clear” he adds, sounding confident in his answer. “You mind going inside to do one more double check? She seems certain her dad was inside when the place went up but the mother doesn’t seem to have a clue” you quietly recount to the two lieutenants who waste no time in rounding up a few of their team and heading back inside.

You decide to wait by the rig to avoid more questions from the victims as you really had no answers and didn’t feel right speaking to them before you knew more.

Minutes go by and your eyes are pinned to the door that the men walked through just moments before, nervously biting on your fingernails and feeling your heart pounding in your chest. Silently hoping it was from the energy drink and not the nauseous feeling you had in the pit of your stomach that you knew something wasn’t going right.

Casey appears at the door and nods his head for you to go over, you follow his command and find yourself bounding over “you might wanna call your boy toy” he murmurs, aware of the close proximity of the mother and daughter that sat close by “Jay?” You question to which he nods “We got a body.”

You do as you’re told and call Jay who you can hear immediately gathers up the available Intelligence members and leaves the district. You head back to the ambo, trying to hurry yourself but also attempting to not raise suspicion as you’re being intently watched by both the mother and daughter who sat before you “what’s going on?”

The mother stands and makes her way over to you and the front of the truck “I’m just gonna need you to stay with your daughter ma’am” you try and be as aversive as possible whilst already knowing that wasn’t going to be enough for the distressed lady “Was my husband in there?” She asks, dread and fear laced through her voice as she stands with her arms crossed over her chest trying to hold herself together.

Before you have a chance to speak, you’re interrupted by the sound of sirens coming from down the street, you turn to see several trucks speeding down towards you. Jay and Voight in the first vehicle that screeches to a stop, closely followed by Adam, Hailey and Kevin who are soon to follow suit and begin to push back nosey neighbours.

“What’s going on?” Jay heads over to you with Voight hot on his heels “Hailey” you call out to catch her attention and of course she is quick to leave the bystanders to Kevin and Adam as she joins you with Voight and Jay.

“Can you just stay with the mother? Sylvie is keeping an eye on the daughter but I need you to keep her calm” you plead and she nods and turns to introduce herself to the mother “Why don’t we take a seat?” She suggests as she geustures towards the back of the ambo where Claudia is sat.

Surprisingly she obliges and follows her guide, stopping to do the occasional double take but soon being out of sight and back with her daughter.

“You gonna tell us what’s going on?” Voight wastes not time to question as you take them over to Casey who is still in the doorway waiting for them “she said she saw her dad in the house before the fire but the mother had no idea as she thought he was at work.

They went back into investigate and” you’re cut off by a body bag passing you, the vile smell hitting you as it goes by. You quickly turn your head to try and avoid it but it was inescapable.

Jay places his hand to the top of your back as he furrows his brows in concern “you good?” He probes, concentration now more on you as Voight speaks to Casey “Good” you reassure, smile flashing on your face but he remains stern as you feel his eyes bore into you as you turn your attention back onto Voight and Casey .

“We didn’t spot it at first, he was crouched in this room that we didn’t know existed behind one of the cabinets” Casey ushers the three of you into the building, still feeling the warmth coming from the torn apart walls and the smell of ash clogging your every thought.

“Any ID?” Voight let’s himself into the room Casey had just mentioned, Jay allows you to step in first before following. The room was tiny, shocked it could fit a grown man at all, looking more like a pantry that was never used or something they intended on expanding but never did as it laid empty for all these years.

“What am I gonna tell her?” You mumble, feeling the lump in your throat and the thought of explaining the situation to the already shaken up pair sat outside “we’ll do it” Jay is quick to answer, you’re relieved to see Voight nod in agreement and not rip into Jay for speaking before thinking.

A less than helpful tendency he had when it came to you but in this case he was right as it was up to them to break the news to the family and not on you. You still wanted to be there as they relaid the heartbreaking information to the mother, being a familiar face made all the difference in these situations and whether you liked it or not you had to put that to one side and be there for support.

You watched as Jay respectfully informed the mother, watching the blood drain from her face and the strength leave her body as she began to fall to the ground.

You and Jay both instinctively lunged forward to catch her, pulling her up to now being held in Jay’s arms as she sobbed into his chest “I can’t tell Claudia, they were so close” she uttered through your tears and your heart broke, you were fortunate enough to be on the job long enough to have your fair share of threatening injuries but so far no fatalities.

You were soon learning on the job what it was like to deal with it first hand. You scan over to Hailey and Sylvie who were now both with the young girl, oblivious to her mother’s sobs as she faces away in deep distraction “why don’t we get you both to med and we can go from there?” You suggest, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder to which she nods, still buried in Jay’s chest and clutching at his arms.

You do your best to slowly unwrap her tight grasp from Jay and pull her towards you, her tear stained face was now bright red and body temperature rocketing in stress.

“Go with Y/N and we will be in touch when we have some more news” Jay consoles, still with a quiet and calming voice to try and not add to the intense situation. You had never seen him like this at work, he’d been called to a number of your jobs but only to help with rough crowds or to arrest a suspect who was injured.

He helped you through this process whether he knew it or not, if it wasn’t for him staying so calm who knows how you would’ve handled it..

Sylvie peers her head round the side of the ambo and calls out to the mother “we’ve got a little girl back here who wants her mother” she tilts her heads towards the girl before noticing the state she was in.

You give a subtle shake of your head which she thankfully spots “on second thought, why don’t you ride in the back with me and my partner will take care of your mother” she speaks to young girl in an excited tone to try and deflect away from where you were stood with Jay and the devestated woman.

“Yeah!” Claudia exclaims before climbing into the back of the ambo and settling on the seat “I can do it, I need to be with her” you hear the timid voice from beside you crack with every word. She takes a deep inhale and wipes away the tears that had stained her cheeks.

“If you need anything, give me a call no matter what hour” Jay hands her his card with a comforting smile. He flicks his eyes over you as you guide the woman towards the back of the ambo “keep me updated” he points at you to which you nod before he heads back over to join Voight who was still in the house with the rest of the team.

**

A few hours go by and you’re on your way from med, truly drained and ready to crash in your bed at the station. What started as luckily, a less than intense fire soon took a turn and had you put through your paces when you were least expecting it.

You and Sylvie both sat in silence, finishing the last of your energy drink as you toss the empty can by your feet “you still drinking that? It’s like 10pm” Sylvie chuckles as you keep your eyes staring out of the window at the darkness, her hands clinging to the steering wheel as you sat back in your seat and huffed.

“you remember the first time you see a dead body?” You question, avoiding her comments about the energy drink as you really weren’t in the mood.

“Yep. Turned up to a house call, man said his wife had been quiet and had locked herself in the bedroom, we got in and there she was laid on the floor with a needle sticking out of her arm” she woefully speaks, eyes still firmly on the road

“as much as I try and forget it, it will never leave me” she adds but you remain silent “Did you see him?” She asks to break the silence that had fallen in the ambo, the only noise being the humming of the engine and equipment clanging in the back.

“Not even, just a body bag” you admit “that shook me up enough, who knows what I’m gonna be like with an actual body” you slump further into your chair, crossing your legs in the footwell.

“maybe I’m not cut out for this” you confess and feel her eyes snap to you “are you crazy? You’ve just experienced your first fatality and you still managed to keep calm and I most importantly keep the others calm” slight strain in her voice as she continues to speak

“If you’re not doubting your job after a rough call, you didn’t do it right”.

Her words play in your mind for the rest of the journey, resting your head on the window as you pull into the station. You open the door to jump out when she tugs on your hand to stop you.

“You did good Y/N. Don’t let anyone tell you different” you give her a half hearted smile before stepping down out of the vehicle. Slamming the door behind you with a deep exhale “oh, her day has just got a whole lot better” you hear her chime, your head hanging low as you make your way over to the other side to join her.

You turn the corner to see Jay stood besides Severide, signature mischievous grin and arms outstretched towards you “you really think I wouldn’t be here waiting for you?” He questions as you stroll over to him, wanting to bound into his arms but knowing how you’d never hear the end of it from the surrounding team which now all had their eyes on you.

“come on” Sylvie grabs at Kelly’s arm “let’s give them a moment” she ushers him away from the pair of you as you stand engulfed in Jay’s arms.

“You still working?” You question, leaning into Jay’s chest as he runs his fingertips up and down your back “Finished hours ago, been waiting here for you” he mumbles into the top of your head as he places a kiss to your temple.

“Thought I could stay here tonight? Can’t sleep alone in that bed for another night, I’ll go insane” you pull back to see his toothy grin beaming down onto you as you feel your heart pull

“you’re gonna stay here? With me?” You question, still latched onto his chest as he gently pushes your hair back from your face “that alright?”.

You nod into him but still want to stay wrapped up in his presence as you feel everything wash away and all of the stress dissolve in your body when he holds you. “Come on, let’s get you to your bed” he gently taps at your lower back, signalling for you to unattach yourself from him.

You resist your urges and escape his grasp but he soon slings his arm round your shoulders to pull you back into him as you walk towards the station bunks.

“I haven’t heard great things about these from you so if I get a bad back we know why” he chuckles into your hair as he places a kiss to the side of your head as you continue to walk.

“That isn’t an energy drink I smell is it?” He pulls you under his arm and closer into him. You clear your throat as he does his best to remain stern “uh, no. Just fumes” you try to slightly pull away to reduce the smell but he had you in his hold and you both knew you weren’t getting out “ah those classic fumes, always forget about those”.

You and Jay laid in silence on your station bed, luckily in the corner to stay away from prying eyes which you know your nosey team would have.

Laying content as you find your natural position with your head on him and his arm wrapped around you, hand splayed on your hip as the other absentmindedly fiddles with your fingers resting on chest.

The silence isn’t uncomfortable and awkward, feeling the need to start small talk in efforts to make some form of conversation. Instead it’s a comfortable silence, filled with happiness and content with being back where you belong.

Jay let’s out a deep exhale as he rubs light circles into your skin but keeps his eyes on the ceiling above “you know you can always talk to me” he whispers, aware of other people in the room behind asleep.

You angle your head to look up at him, catching his attention as he glances down at you “I’ll get over it, just another day at the office” you try and make light of the situation but he wasn’t having it.

“I’m serious” he scowls but not out of anger, more of concern “I don’t want you bottling this up” he runs his thumb over your temple in a comforting motion “I won’t, I promise” you return your head back to his chest as he intertwines your fingers with his.

“I’ve missed being like this with you” he confesses, seemingly out of the blue as you return to your comfortable silence. You place a kiss to the exposed skin through the neckline of his T-shirt and nuzzle further into the crook of his neck “I missed you too”.

He lets out a content hum as he tightens his grip on your side and closing the near enough already nonexsistant gap between the pair of you “my life isn’t the same without you in it” he whispers but by this point you’ve closed your eyes and we’re dozing in and out of sleep, soothed by the soft rhythm within his chest “sleep tight baby”.

***

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