#so i feel like him and mira would have been good friends

[resolvebound]

@quiiscnt im taking the opportunity to do 3 😅 so here's #3/3

Send ⭐ for a sample of a new muse I am thinking of writing // accepting

Distracted in thought, Max tapped the end of his pen to his notebook in a mindless beat, eyes not really registering his surroundings (which was perhaps a dangerous thing to do, considering he was at the bar within Fairy Tail’s guildhall). The hall was a bit emptier than usual however, so his chances of being accidentally struck or pulled into a brawl were rather low. Somehow, that thought wasn’t particularly comforting. Brawls or general rowdiness, it didn’t matter, he just preferred the lively noise and energy of having everyone around. Because there had been long years of quiet.

Even before the Tenrou team had disappeared, he’d never been one to enjoy silence or solitude, he’d always fared best when there was someone to talk to after all. Those years without them, with the remaining members slowly dwindling away or worse, losing their own spark, it hadn’t been easy. And it reminded him too much of his own childhood. Lonely days with no one to talk to, or to even exist around him, no company at all.

Frowning at his line of thought, he rubbed a hand over his face as if to scrub some clarity into his mind. He sighed and turned his attention back to his notebook, eyes skimming over what was written. He had a few ideas down so far, social events that would bring in both some money and extra cheer, yet he hoped to come up with something truly exciting, something that would bring everyone together. Maybe even involving the other guilds?

His mind churned with possibilities, creating and discarding, sifting through them like sand through his fingertips. It was just as he was thinking that perhaps he’d best throw ideas around with someone else, that he became aware of a presence drawing near. As his eyes found them, a smile jumped to his lips.

“Mira, perfect timing,” he said, “Do you have a minute?”

He’d worked closely with her in past years to arrange events, always finding her input and help most useful. During her long years of absence, he’d found himself somewhat stepping into her shoes in terms of running the organizational side of things for the guild. Responsible for recording what jobs had come in (not that there’d been many...) and who had taken them up, along with taking care of most of the paperwork that came with managing a guild. Sometimes Laki, and the others that had remained, still told him whenever they’d taken a job, a habit that hadn’t yet been broken. And he didn’t mind it one bit.

As Mirajane smiled and took a seat beside him, he pushed his notebook towards her.

“I’m trying to come up with a new event,” he explained, excitement beginning to build, “It’s been a while and I think we could all do with a bit of fun, don’t you? I think a little game or competition could be fun, but we all know how those can get…destructive if certain people are involved. But maybe a scavenger hunt of some kind?”

He paused a moment, intending on waiting for her input, yet it occurred to him that they hadn’t caught up in a little while. With a sheepish tinge to his expression, he added, “Sorry, I’m jumping right into things. I haven’t even asked you how you are…So…how are you? How’s your project coming along? Wait, and last time we talked, you were having trouble with your neighbour, how’s that going? I had issues with mine just yesterday, he has this really annoying little dog-”

[axeoverblade]

Celoso

Earth 1610 Miles x fem! reader

Synopsis! Miles cut ties with you, his best friend of nearly ten years, when he decided to not so kindly tell you the way you felt about him was how he felt about Gwen. Now weeks later when you show up with a new guy, he couldn’t help but feel a covetous pit of envy burrowing deep inside his body.

MASTERLIST

Genre: angst(? not really), suggestive bits

Warnings: Mature!, foul language, toxic on every end, mentions of cheating

Word count: 2k

Authors commment: unedited and poorly written scrap fic from a while ago but I really liked this piece of it so I’m publishing it. One shot no second part. Enjoy <3

Do not copy! All rights reserved to ©axeoverblade

It had been months since Miles had spoken to you. His parents were concerned. They kept asking where you were, Miles would just sigh and say you had been busy.

I mean it wasn't his fault, he just didn't feel the same way you felt. Why was he being punished for that, for liking Gwen instead of you? Granted, he could’ve been a little nicer in his delivery. Who was he kidding, he could’ve been a hell of a lot nicer, but it was too far gone to change it now.

You just wouldn't get it. You have been his best friend since infancy. With you everything felt familiar, safe even. But with Gwen, he felt alive. Why was that so wrong, why wasn’t he allowed to be happy with who he wanted to be with?

He continued living his life as usual as he could make it. Still saving New York, still being Spiderman, still being Miles, just as life would be if he never met you. The ordinary.

Something that wasn't ordinary, was Gwen visiting. His dads party was happening, and even though he had just gotten into a big fight with his parents, he still wanted to go up and introduce her.

-

It didnt take long for Mrs.Morales to hate Gwen. Rio was furious, I mean the girl had the nerve to call her by her first name! You would never do that. Plus this girl looked old enough to vote.

This was not someone Miles should be hanging out with, especially over you.

So Rio took it upon herself to invite you. She hadn't seen you in a long time anyway, so she missed “the daughter she never had”. Knowing Miles would have to see you and eventually fix whatever happened between the two of you was just a bonus.

…

When you walked through the door to the roof a little while after she sent you that text, Rio squealed with delight.

“Jeff, papi mira! It’s Y/n” she saw a gift in your hand, something Gwen did not bring. “Ah! Y/n Mija! ¡Es muy bueno verte! Cómo está?” “Good Mrs.Morales, thank you for asking. How have you been? Sorry for not visiting, I've been busy.” “nonsense chiquita, I’m so happy you could make it, venir, venir! Come say hi! Everyone has missed you!” You gave a curt nod, preparing yourself for all the questions from the big familia and more importantly, seeing Miles.

Rio paused, seeing a tall, attractive, dark skin boy with dreads behind you, holding your hand. She looked at you with furrowed eyebrows, “Quién es ese” you pretended not to hear her, instead walking next to him behind her as she went further into the party.

After a couple of minutes of reuniting with all of the family, you saw Jeff and gave him his present. He thanked you, “Hey you know the girl Miles is with?” You looked around, still not seeing him. You shook your head no.

Jeff noticed the boy you were with was now holding your waist with one hand, standing next you. He side eyed him questionably. Jeff could’ve sworn you would only let Miles hold you like this, hating intimate acts physical touch from anyone but his son. Who was this guy who had won you over?

“Miles,” Rio paused looking at Gwen, “and uh you too I guess, Guess whos here! Come say hi! ” Rio told miles, pulling him with Gwen following over to whoever his mom wanted him to see. “Whos here mami-” He was cut off by the sight of Y/n talking to his father, and some random-, holding your waist?

He furrowed his eyebrows, who in the hell is that?

“Ay! Y/n look who!” Rio pushed her son forward so you could see him. He looked back displeased at his moms antics before turning to face you. Miles stared at you awkwardly, “Uh, hey.” You nodded at him with pursed lips.

The girl you had seen in all the drawings appeared next to him, no doubt this was girl he liked instead of you.“Uh-Hi! I'm Gwen!” She stuck her hand out, you looked at it before just nodding, causing her to drop her hand embarrassed, “Y/n”.

Rio smirked, happy you didn't like her either.

“So who are you?” Miles asked looking at the guy holding your waist, a little more aggressive in his tone than he needed to be. Miles watched as the guy raised an eyebrow mockingly at Miles. “Dre, nice to meet you”. Dre stuck his hand out, Miles to look him up and down ignoring the gesture. Dre dropped his hand, smirking lousily at Miles' expression.

Miles couldn't help but notice Dre was about an inch taller than him.

He didnt like that.

“Um, so how do you two know each other?” Gwen asked, looking between you and dre.

“I'm her boyfriend”

Miles unconsciously pulled his head into his neck, making the most aggressive stank face known to man. “Since when” he scowled, trying to hide the attitude in his voice. He wasn’t hiding it very well. Dre responded for you, “few weeks ago, why?”.

“huh” miles nodded ignoring the question, clearly annoyed. Dre kissed your shoulder, smirking harder, almost a full blown grin making its way to his face at miles expression. Miles's spider senses involuntarily made him aware of your heartbeat speeding up as you blushed, slightly giggling to yourself.

Miles had no clue why this bothered him so much. I mean he was right next to Gwen, the girl of his dreams. You being with this wannabe Luka Sabbat really shouldn't have bothered him so much. And why was your heart beating so quick from him kissing your shoulder? You didnt actually like this bum for real did you?

Feeling Miles prying eyes, you looked at him skeptically before turning to dre. “Well-uh we better get going before were late. Congrats Captain Morales,” you looked at Jeff and smiled lightly. “Um nice to meet you Gwen,” she nodded, grinning nicely. You turned to Rio “it's always nice to see you Mrs.Morales, contact me if ever need help with anything.” “Yes mija. Thank you for stopping by.” You finally turned to Miles,

“Miles”

“Y/n”

Gwen stared between the two of you confused. What was that?

-

tap! tap! tap!

You groaned at the sound coming from your window. Covering your head with her blanket trying to ignore the noise, you pretended to be asleep.

The taps soon turned to knocks causing you to groan louder “Dre hold on I heard you” you got up begrudgingly leaving the comfort of your bed to open the window.

“-oh, it's you." Opening the glass surprised, you allowed Miles in. Miles stared you up and down, taking note of the fact you were in nothing but a big tee, a big tee he had never seen before.

“Why is he coming to your room through the window?” He questioned, towering over you. “Miles what are you talking about?-”. “You thought it was Dre at your window right? No te hagas la mudo y/n. Why is he coming through your window, especially this late at night.”

“I dont see how that is any of your concern. We havent spoken in weeks and you wanna pretend you care what's going on in my life, on my time? Nah, that's not how that works.” Miles scoffed. “Whos shirt is that y/n- cause I know it's not yours.” “Its Dre’s, but that none of your business-” “What is he? Some rebound?” He laughed sardonically. “I mean there's no way you even really like the dude, you just liked me!” You scoffed, “Not everything is about you miles, this has nothing to do with you, I moved on.” he looked at you “Estás mintiendo”. “Oh yea? What makes you think that huh? Y-you think i'm so stuck on you that i can't move on from- what? Some stupid crush on you? Get over yourself Miles-” “tu latido” he whispered. “What?” “Your heartbeat y/n, I know you're lying ‘cause your heartbeat.” You looked at him blanky, hiding the shock in your face as he stepped closer to you, leaving a small gap between you two.

“I can feel it, Sé tú mi amas.”

He gently grabbed your neck, leaning down to kiss you. Your eyes widened before closing. Embracing the moment, you wrapped your arms around Miles' neck. Your mouth parted slightly, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Feeling your knees buckle, Miles took his free hand and placed it on your backside, effectively stabilizing you. He could sense you, all of you.

Your heart was beating the fastest it ever had. He could feel your chest rising and falling as you struggled to breathe through your nose. Your pheromones were at their strongest. He smirked into the kiss, loving the effect he had on you.

This is wrong. You had a boyfriend, sure only for only about a month but you did still have one. And you were cheating on him with Miles of all people. Your lips shouldn’t have fit together like puzzle pieces, chest rising and falling at the same time with your hearts beating in sync. It was natural, like you were meant for each other.

But he wasn’t yours and you weren’t his.

You knew you should stop. You should end this before it got too far, before it got to a point beyond something an apology could fix.

But if this was so wrong,

¿Por qué se sintió tan bien?

You sat on your bed anxiously, zoned out at staring at the ceiling. It had been two days since the…incident.

Miles' tongue fought for dominance with yours. He guided you over to your bed, hands roaming all over you body needingly. You slightly tripped falling back onto the edge of the mattress, still kissing him passionately as he leaned over you. He stabilized himself putting his knee between your legs, placing his hands on either side of you. Your hands were woven into his curls, slightly pulling on them causing him to groan in the kiss. His tongue won, exploring your mouth as it pleased.

ring! ring! ring!

You pulled away from miles, a string of saliva visibly attaching the two of you as you moved further away. You breathed heavily as you looked at the user ID calling you.

DREBAE<3 is calling!

…

answer-decline

You stared at the phone wide eyed. From your expression Miles knew exactly who had called you. “no respondas eso y/n.” Miles said sternly, so close you could feel his breath tickling your neck. The way he said it seemed less like a statement and more like an ultimatum. You looked up at Miles, your chest rising and falling quickly.

“...Hello baby?” you said as you put it on speaker staring at Miles, still trying to catch your breath. Miles scoffed looking at you, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Hey mami” Miles looked at the phone in your hand with pure disgust. Who did this guy think he was giving you that nickname? Did he even speak spanish? “I need you, real bad” Dre said breathily through the phone, causing your eyes to go wider than they already were. Miles however, became very irritated. Who in the hell did this guy think he was? And why haven’t you hung up the phone yet?

Miles quickly got up, looking at you with furrowed eyebrows. It was clear who your choice was. He scoffed, walking back over to your window . To him it didn’t matter what he said you to a few months ago, that he chose someone else over you. Or the fact you had a boyfriend who had every right to call you.

It was the fact it was only you and him right now, and you didn’t choose him. He suddenly felt the feeling you must’ve experienced when he did this to you. And damn did it hurt.

Miles stared at your figure, an unreadable look in his eye. Going back through your window with one last glance at you, he shut it with a slam. “What was that baby?” Dre asked through the phone.

“uhm.. Just the wind I think.”

©axeoverblade

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Could you do a scenario about Nemona, Penny and Arven with a real who has type null please? Maybe something about it transforming in Silvally?

YES NULL/SILVALLY TIME

I have one in Sword who I call "Bestie", and it's carried me through the Crown Tundra DLC. I want it in Violet so badly aaaa

Also this just reminded me of my fic that I wrote prior to Sun/Moon's release. Ya'll can give it a read if you so desire <3

That being said, this scenario will be like a sequel of sorts

........

Revealing Type: Null--or "Nully" as you've affectionately called it--to your friends was something you were initially nervous about...

But today was finally the day.

Moving away from Alola to attend school here in Paldea was quite the stressful journey, especially for your masked companion who had never know any place besides stark white labs and sandy beaches.

People kept warning you about how dangerous it was, but you never listened...and now your bond with the mysterious normal type has never been stronger.

Ever since you rescued it from an Aether Foundation facility that exploded due to its rampage, it put its trust in you and loved you unconditionally.

Learning the truth behind that supposedly "good" organization and its leader broke your heart. Although nothing devastated you more than realizing Nully had been held captive there as both experiment and prisoner.

You've tried researching its species, checking for notes and hacking into secret files the foundation kept under lock and key--and you discovered that Type: Nulls were basically created as "tamer" versions of Arceus, even having memory discs similar to the plates manufactured. They were meant to kill the Ultra Beasts should they invade Alola.

Instead, they went on a rampage (of course, that's what happens when humans try replicating a god's powers) and were confined to masks and put into cryogenic stasis. The whole project was deemed a failure.

As tragic as it was...you were relieved to have found Nully when you did and get it away from that horrible place.

Even so the mask still made it feel absolutely miserable, but unfortunately you couldn't find any further information on how to remove it without causing your precious Pokémon serious injury. There were no visible clamps to unlock, pulling it off would only cause it great pain, and cutting seemed too risky.

The only benefit was that it made Nully immune to critical hits, but the cons definitely outweighed the pros.

Maybe one of your friends knew more about the Type: Null species, and so you decided to call them all over for a picnic if they had free time.

All you could do was pray that they didn't lose their cool and scare your companion.

That's the last thing either of you needed.

Arven was the first to arrive, with Mabosstiff at his heels as usual, but he stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing the bizarre-looking Pokémon standing by your side. You could tell he was trying not to look too worried, considering the poor thing was hiding behind you now.

Still, it's obvious that he didn't have the slightest clue what he was looking at, so you explained everything to him: where you found Nully, why it looked like a rejected Arceus, and the memory discs you kept in a small folder.

So far, you haven't figured out how to utilize them in-battle. But despite the space they took up in your bag, you refused to throw them away.

"Are you sure there isn't a slot for these somewhere on its mask?" He stared at one of the floppy discs, before glancing back up at Nully, squinting. "It looks like there should be one."

"We've been pals for nearly three years, Arven..I'm pretty sure I would've found the slot by now if there was one." Shaking your head, you took it from him, sighing. "My only option is to get that thing off. The slot's probably on its body somewhere."

"Right...maybe there's a stomach hatch or-"

"¡Mira! You were right, Penny! They do exist!!"

"Nemona, slow down!! They're not going anywhere!!"

Hearing the shouts of two certain ladies from afar, you and Arven looked to see both Nemona and Penny coming over the horizon. The student council president was dragging the poor girl by the arm, with her stumbling to keep up and not lose her glasses.

When they arrived, Penny was dazed and annoyed as she scowled at Nemona, tearing her arm free of her iron grasp. But her attention was quickly set on the peculiar Pokémon who was cowering behind you yet again.

"Wow...I..never thought I'd see one up close before.." Adjusting her glasses, she gazed at Nully with interest.

"You've heard about them before?" You asked.

"Back in Galar, I found some top-secret stuff about Macro Cosmos trying to make their own instances. They literally stole the blueprints from the Aether Foundation."

"...yikes." Nemona remarked, tilting her head as she tried getting a better look at Nully herself. "It seems shy. Maybe a battle will help it-!"

"No battles, at least not right now." You smiled apologetically, patting it on the head as you looked at each other. "I know you're nervous, Nully..but it's okay. They're nothing like the jerks back in Alola who used to pick on us. They're my friends. You can trust them, I promise."

Nodding its head, it relaxed its haunches as it cautiously stepped away from your side, gazing at the trio and seeing their smiles, too.

They weren't looks of pity.

They seemed genuinely thrilled to meet it.

It stood there for some time, taking in everything you've said to it and thinking about how far it's come since you rescued it that fateful day.

Somehow, it knew it was always meant to be your companion--from the very moment you held it as it cried in the Pokémon Center, reassuring it that it's not a monster, but a sweet creature worthy of love and care.

Ever since then, your friendship has grew...and now it feels stronger, willing to put its life on the line for you if need be. Even though most of its powers have been concealed, it didn't feel like some weak and helpless lab experiment.

Oh no.

It was far from that now.

Thanks to your bond, it felt unbelievably strong.

So much so that....the normal-type realized an extraordinary change was imminent.

And you were about to witness it.

"Look! Nully's glowing, [y/n]!" Nemona pointed, her eyes widening as your companion was basked in a familiar light. "Is it evolving???"

"Oh my god...I think so." You gasped, never realizing the possibility of it evolving, but you're now certain that friendship is what triggered it at last.

The most noticeable thing were the cracks that started appearing all over its helmet, pieces of what you assumed was indestructible alien material falling apart. Nully shook its head vigorously, trying to get rid of it as much as possible.

Then it turned its attention to a nearby boulder, letting out a cry before performing a move similar to a Headbutt, ramming into it and letting the rock shatter the helmet completely.

At last, it was free.

When the glow faded, you and your friends gazed in awe as Nully looked back at all of you.

With its mask finally gone, what lied underneath it was a beautiful creature made of both nature and machine, with a beaklike mouth that smiled proudly.

"Nully...?" You murmured, stepping closer.

"Ally." It chirped, walking up to greet you.

Tears began forming in your eyes as your grin widened. "I can't believe it...friendship was all it took to-"

Suddenly, your rotomphone decided to ruin the sweet moment by flying out of your pocket.

It displayed a new entry in your Pokedex, and you grabbed it to read what it had to say, while Arven, Penny, and Nemona checked their own phones.

"I see, you're Silvally now." You gazed back up at Null--Silvally, watching it bow its head respectfully. With a small laugh, you mimicked the gesture, before petting it lovingly as you sighed. "Wow..."

You noticed one of the metal bolts on its face open up like a CD player, indicating that something had to go in there-

"Wait.." Remembering the memory discs, you took one out and held it up. "Do you want me to use this?"

Silvally nodded, although before you could do anything, Arven interjected.

"Hold on, which memory is that?"

"The Dark Memory. It probably just changes its type, but I believe this represents all the pain Silvally had to endure while being trapped in that mask, not knowing what it did wrong or why people shunned it for simply existing." You placed a gentle hand under your companion's jaw. "But now I think it's ready to turn that painful memory into power. So let's see what happens.."

"Silllllv!"

Carefully inserting the disc into the open slot, you watched as it closed up. Then you stepped back, seeing the colors and spikes on its body turn smoky black.

Even its eyes changed, and when they opened they looked even more menacing than ever.

And they stared directly at you.

With a low growl, it crept closer to you, while your friends held back..tense and worried that the pokedex entries were correct: this wasn't something you could so easily control.

There was probably a very good reason for the mask-

Yet any hostility Silvally seemingly expressed disappeared, as it smiled and licked your cheek affectionately, causing you to laugh once more. "Hey, that tickles! C'mere you!"

Hugging its neck, you grinned as you received even more kisses, hearing it purr with happiness. You petted its feathery crest, relieved that it completely trusted you now.

"Wow..it's way cooler than Arceus!" Nemona laughed. "Do you think I can battle it-??"

Silvally just shot her a wary look, and she immediately fell silent, a nervous smile on her face. "Haha, you're right. Not yet. But I swear we're gonna have an epic battle one day!"

"Yeah, one day. But for now, I have something special for this big guy."

"Sill?"

You managed to regain its full attention with a simple yet supereffective move of your very own:

It's called "chin scritches", something that none of your other Pokémon could resist receiving.

The mask obviously made it difficult for Silvally to receive proper affection back then...and you vowed to find a way to break it so you can do just that.

Now it was free of that awful and heavy thing, having a brand new life to look forward to: battles, friendships with other Pokémon, and more.

Even better?

Your three closest friends in all of Paldea were here to witness its evolution--a sign that despite all the odds...your bond was unbreakable.

[agirlandhersweetdelusions]

Mermaid who is infatuated with your legs and wants to be in between them. The encounter is by chance, but it ends in something deeper than friendship. 🌊

Feminine Reader x Mermaid

CW: Smut | Some Horror | Mentions of Drowning | No death

"C'mon don't be a baby," Noah said. His tone indicated that he was joking, but you knew well enough that deep down, he hoped you would swim in Lake Lost at night.

"Leave her alone. You know she's not down for things like that," Mira hissed in his direction.

Mira had been your best friend since high school. She knew what you liked, didn't like, and downright hated. Which made it all the more surprising when she started going out with Noah years later.

Noah had always been an ass. He spent a majority of 11th grade in detention, and a majority of college skipped class from being too hungover. In your opinion, Mira was too good for him. It was an inside joke that if she were into girls that you would treat her way better.

You sighed. "If only," you thought to yourself.

The water seemed to have an electric hum to it tonight, and the closer you walked to the edge of the dock, the louder it got.

"Do you guys feel that?" You asked, turning to face your two friends. Of course they didn't because they were too busy making out. Again.

You cleared your throat.

"Earth to horny. Can you hear me? I am standing right here, you know."

Pulling away from Noah, Mira's eyes widened and she bit her lower lip. Embarrassed looked cute on her.

Noah, however, wore embarrassment about as well as he would wear anything. Proudly and way too loud for your liking.

"What can I say," he pulled Mira back to his chest. "She's hot," he finished with an annunciation on the "t".

"At least go back to the car so I don't have to watch," you sneered. Clearly, you were the least important thing here.

"No! This is supposed to be our little reunion before the wedding," Mira's eyes dropped as she tried to step towards you. Ah, right. The wedding. You were going to be Mira's maid of honor next week.

None of it felt real. The wedding. College graduation. Hell, even life itself felt strange these days. It's as if everything you knew turned inside out over night, and nobody else felt the difference but you.

You took a deep breath.

"I can always jump in the lake some other time," you faked a half smile.

"Besides. I'm sure you two would like to make one last memory here before becoming," you swallowed, "husband and wife."

Mira turned her head. What her eyes fixated on, you couldn't quite tell. The only thing apparent is that she'd rather look anywhere but at her so-called best friend.

"Well," Noah said breaking the tension.

"Maybe she's right. We can always go for some new memories." He wiggled his eyebrows and Mira's shoulders eased. Your stomach lurched in a pattern with the waves behind you.

"If you're sure -" Mira began.

"I'm sure. Go. I'll be here. I - I missed Lake Lost."

"Really?" They said in unison, brows furrowed.

"Yeah. You know, I love lore and mysteries. What is Lake Lost besides one big mystery. All those bodies are still missing. Surely, it was from boating accidents or drowning, but still. You guys deserve some privacy."

Mira's gaze leveled with yours. Her eyes, a coppery brown, finally showed signs of softening.

You were getting comfortable under the heat of her eyes when Noah swept her off of her feet. Literally.

"Let's go, future Mrs. Scobolt."

With that, they were disappearing in heaps of laughter back towards the car. It wasn't quite that far from the dock, but Mira suggested parking at the entrance in case anyone showed up.

Technically, the park closed at sunset which was 2 hours ago, but when you saw the sign from the backseat of the car, you got a little excited.

Mira hadn't been wrong. You guys used to spend every evening here in the summer. It was where you learned to swim, where Mira caught a baby crab, where a pelican stole your shoe, and where you and Mira kissed.

These waters have seen everything and more. Much more.

Your spine ran cold in the July heat at the thought of the deaths. They had explanations for all of them, but it was eerie how they all occurred at night. Who would go boating at night? The lake is closed!

Then again, here you were. You looked back towards the car, but a thick fog had begun to roll off of the restless waters. You couldn't see more than 200 feet around you in any direction. It was as if a cloud had swallowed you in the time you were thinking.

Going back to the car was still an option, but the mental image of Mira being pounded into by Noah set off a dozen alarms in your head.

Her head rolling back, his hands on her hips.

No. You'd stay at the dock until you were sure that whatever they were doing was over.

Cementing the idea in your head, you say down at the edge of the wooden structure. The water reminded you of the midnight sky, an abyss that had no end. Yet, the clinginess of your shirt to your skin meant that the humidity was only rising.

You decided to soak your feet in the water, and as your legs made contact with the coolness of the lake, a happy sigh escaped your lips.

A few minutes pass of you relaxing on your forearms, feet gently swaying in the lake. You watched the ripples from your moments with hooded eyes.

"I can see how people fall asleep out here," you think whilst fighting back a yawn.

The rustle of leaves in the summer breeze, the chirp of bullfrogs, the increasing bubble of the water - wait.

You sit up, fully alert and eyes wide. The bubbles are concentrated in one area, but they're quickly moving closer to you.

Whipping your head to the car, you open your mouth to call for help. The problem is that nothing comes out. You're stuck.

It's as if you've been submerged in ice. A chill coats your bones, freezing you in place. Your mind races onward, begging your legs to rise from the water.

The circle of erratic lake closes in and as the bubbles reach the edge of your legs, you come to your senses.

But it's too late.

The summer air is warm, but the spot of the lake where you're pulled into is warmer. Water floods your vision and you find yourself flailing, gripping as nothing as you are pulled down into an ombre of darker blues.

You can't see what's grabbed you, nor do you care. Why does it feel like a hand? That doesn't matter, you begin to kick with the hope of striking anything.

The murky water is quickly filling your lungs, and your ability to struggle is growing weak. A blackness eats at the edge of your vision, and dizziness begins to set in.

"Mira!" You try to scream, but it comes out in a slew of air bubbles that only floods your lungs quicker.

You give one more kick, stronger than the rest. You feel your heel connect with a mass. Suddenly, you're free. You slowly make your way to the surface, fighting the urge to pass out.

"Fuck," you gasp in a voice that sounds unlike your own. Coughing and sputtering, water spews from your body, and you grab onto the wooden base of the dock for support.

"What on earth was -," you stop when you hear the familiar rumble of hot water. The bubbles. They've come back, and they're racing towards you.

With no time or energy to pull yourself onto the dock, you wait - panting, for whatever the creature is to take you again.

Maybe it's for the best? You weren't exactly happy with your life before, and it's not like Mira would miss you at this point.

Just as you've resigned to becoming fish food, the creature begins to show itself. First, a black spot appears on the surface. Then, as it rises, you're frozen to the spot by icy white eyes with thick lashes of the same hue.

It's a woman. No? It's - what is she? Her eyes are huge and nearly human minus the color, but her skin is a milky blue. She's beautiful albeit definitely not human.

"Are those," your voice trembles, and you reach a shaky hand up towards her face.

The woman - thing, tilts her head. She doesn't move from your touch. Instead, you made contact with her skin. It's ice cold, and your suspicion was correct. She has gills.

Lost in a sea of thoughts, you hardly realize that you'd begun to stroke her skin.

"What -" her voice startles you back to the present. It is dreamy and quiet with a lilt that has you mesmerized.

"What are you?" She asks. Her eyes are wider than yours, but while you're staring at her face, she has taken a liking to staring at your chest.

The look on her face isn't at all displeased, and a heat trickles down your neck. As if on cue, her eyes snap to yours. She waits for you to respond.

"Oh, um. I'm a human. I'm a woman."

"Human? Woman?" Her head is still tilted, so you continue.

"Yeah. A human. I live up there," you point towards the land and her eyes follow. She blinks a few times before looking down into the water.

"And what are those?"

"What are what?" You look down to see what caught her attention, but instead of finding the source of her curiosity, you stir up your own.

A tail. She has a tail. Her human form ends at her bellybutton, and from there blooms a tail that glitters in sparks of white and lavender beneath the dark surface.

"Mermaid" you whisper under your breath.

Apparently, you did not answer the mermaid's question fast enough because you feel her looming over you before you see her.

Her chest comes into view, and you're forced to look up to meet her eyes once more. You bite your lip to avoid smiling at how gorgeous she is.

She chuckles, emitting a sound like tinkering bells and you feel a webbed palm on your thigh.

A panicked yelp slips from your lips before you register what happened.

"I apologize!" The mermaid responds.

"I did not know that your tails were so sensitive. I should have asked first."

Tails? She thinks you have tails? You look down at your legs, then back up at her. She's shrunken into herself, embarrassed at what she thinks may have hurt you.

"No. No no no," you begin to laugh.

"These are my legs," you swim around her in a small circle.

"They help me to swim, walk, and run. They're kind of important. I guess they are to me what your tail is to you."

You don't know why you've become so animated, but seeing the mermaid smile at your explanation has your heart picking up it's pace.

"By the way," you can't stop talking. You've tried, but the words keep flooding out.

"Why did the water bubble when you came? Also, why did you try to drown me?"

She blinks again, narrowing her eyes.

"Drown you? I - I thought you could swim like me? Are you not able to breathe water for long?"

"I can't breathe water at all. I have no gills. Human."

"Huh," she looks off to the side.

"Perhaps that is why those other humans did not last very long with me. I only wanted to study their two tails, but by the time I took them back to my shell cave, they did not want to talk to me."

Your stomach lurches again. She's the reason Lake Lost is called Lake Lost, and she has no idea what she's even done.

"So - So you only wanted to look at their legs? You drowned those people by accident?"

Recognition hits the mermaid like a wave. She spins around, scaled fingers over her mouth.

"I took their lives. Oh goodness, I drowned them!"

She did, and she should probably feel bad about it, but watching her tail flap in distress was not only upsetting you, but it was causing some bigger waves to form in the lake. You could swim, but you weren't sure if you could survive a tsunami.

You swim to her, placing a hand on her back.

"Warm," she turns to you, claimed.

"You are warm."

"Yes. I am. It's human blood. If I'm not warm, then I'll die."

She giggles at your factual explanation.

"You're very interesting. I still feel remorse for the humans that I hurt. I didn't mean to. I promise," she looks at you pleadingly.

"I know you didn't, and if it makes you feel better you can study my legs," the end of your sentence comes out as more of a question. You can't believe you just said that. What if she tries to rip your legs off?

Still, she's stunning. The moon is in its crescent phase, casting a dim shadow over the lake. Her dark hair has a faint light to it, and her white eyes look pearlescent. You could study her for hours, but her lack of shirt deters you as you don't want to make her uncomfortable.

She, on the other hand, has no problem with taking all of you in. Her claim is that she wants to study your legs, but every time you look away, her eyes flutter back to your chest, your lips.

Her hand twitches, and she claps both of them together in front of her.

"I would like that. Thank you," she smiles, and you shiver again at her teeth. They're razor sharp. She could kill you with one bite.

Not that she would. In fact, what happens next surprises you. Grabbing onto the dock, you begin to hoist yourself from the water without much success. Your hands are too wet to get a decent grip.

Sinking back into the water for the second time, you let out a frustrated huff.

Without warning, you feel a pair of icy cold hands gripping your hips, and a torso pressing itself to your back.

Staring into those white irises, she doesn't break your gaze and she lifts you onto the dock, setting you down gently.

You open your mouth to speak, but she beats you to it.

"You are welcome, human." A light blue creeps onto her neck and cheeks.

"What is it that fascinates you about legs? I know you don't have them, but they must look awfully funny to you from beneath the lake's surface."

"They do, but that is why I like them. They are something new. I have had this tail since I was young. It no longer interests me."

The mermaid takes pause, and her eyes scan you over again.

She continues, "Humans are different. Your anatomy is more complex. There are parts that do different things. I have heard many stories about your kind."

"Really? From who?"

"Fish that get set free, my sisters who used to watch humans from a distance. They say that if you make a human very happy, then something good happens. They called it "the cry".

Now it's your turn to be confused.

"Crying is usually not a good thing when humans do it. At least, in my experience. Though, I've not had many joyous occasions to cry over," you avoid her piecing eyes.

"No. It is not a sad cry. It is one that happens when you touch the spots between a human's legs."

She speaks in a voice that edges with excitement. You inch closer towards her at the edge of the dock until your legs brush her chest.

"Do you - are you saying that you want to do that? You want to have sex with a human?"

She laughs again, "Yes. I want to know everything about you. How your legs feel when I wrap them around my waist, how the -"

"What?"

"What would you like me to call your sensitive place, sweet human?"

"Well it's -" you snort out a laugh. You can't believe this is happening.

"Most people refer to it as a pussy, but you can use whatever word you see fit,"

"May I take a look at it?" she asks, moving forward to close any space between the two of you.

"And while I'm at it," she maneuvers your legs so that they rest on her hips, stroking them with her palms. You expected more scales, but her palms are completely smooth.

Leaning towards you until her nose nearly brushed yours, she whispers, "is this ok?"

You nod eagerly as words fail you again.

"Gosh, your legs are so cute. It's like they were made to hold people - or merpeople between them," she looks down, admiring the connection of your limbs and her body.

"Human."

"Hm?"

"I asked you earlier, but I think you were too distracted. May I see your pretty, sensitive areas?"

You think for a moment.

"Only if you promise that you'll greet them with a kiss."

Her eyes beam, a faint white glow added to their usual milkiness. A high pitched purr rumbles from somewhere within her throat, and she smiled, barring all of her teeth.

You lifted yourself enough that she could pull off your bottoms, but she protested the action.

"Human. I think you misunderstand my kindness. Please, do as I ask like an obedient creature."

Your ass hit the dock with a thump. Why on earth were you listening to her willingly? Is she using magic?

You didn't have to ponder because with a airy whisper of the word, "lift" you found yourself rising again for her to do exactly what you tried to help her with.

"Good girl," she mumbled.

And it was if your head no longer existed for the second she saw pussy, she was in a trance. She sunk into the water, leveling her gaze with your cunt. Her eyes reflecting no trace of what she saw, yet you could feel the wind rolling onto your clit.

You were wet, and she loved nothing more in the world than water.

"Pretty," she said breathlessly, still moving closer until her lips were centimeters from your clit.

"Is this it, sweet human?"

You knew she meant your clit. You could feel her cold breath chilling you from the outside, in.

"Yes, miss," you tested the nickname.

She made no sudden movement and to say, "What a polite pearl you are."

That must've been her last thought, too because after that you felt bliss. Short kisses were being peppered onto your folds.

She was working her way down to your entrance, teasing your hole with her double pointed tongue before she spread her affection to your inner thighs.

Your hand reached out, resting lighting in her damp hair, and emitted another of those high-pitched whines.

You gripped her harder.

"Do not get greedy, human," she teased, lifting one of your legs from the water to kiss her way down to your ankle.

"If it is me you want, then I will give it to you with time."

Her movements never ceased, and within seconds she was back between your legs, lapping at your folds.

Delighted hums left you in waves, and with a shaking voice, you mumbled, "Clit. Please, suck on my clit."

"Silence," she whispered, shutting you up in an instant.

She obeyed nonetheless. Her lips wrapped around the bundle of nerves while her tongue continued its journey. It was clear that she was being extra careful not to nip you with her teeth, but the tentative behavior only made you want more.

You began to pant, grinding your hips onto her face. Her eyes fluttered open unbeknownst to you, and while she continued to sail you towards an orgasm, one of her eyes bled into an inky blue.

Her efforts ceased, and your eyes opened immediately. It wasn't like you to outwardly pout, but the loss of contact had your lower lip trembling.

When you noticed her eyes, you felt like crying for an entirely different reason.

"Are you alright?" You said breathlessly.

She did not respond.

Her hands gripped your legs in a bruising fashion, and she yanked you into the lake once more.

Instead of drowning, you found yourself being held to her bare chest. She was looking down at you expectantly.

"I want to know what you're feeling, sweet pet."

Her tone was like molasses. Sticky and sultry. You were lost in her, and her gaze did not move from you.

Securing you in her arms, her tail found a home between your legs. As she positioned herself, a few of her scales glided across your cunt, and you moaned into her chest.

A breath was let out by her, and a strangled groan followed.

"Did you - did you feel that?" You searched her neverending pupils for signs of pleasure.

"A mermaid's tail is much more than a vice for swimming, pet. I can feel every contraction, every throb of your pretty pearl. I love it."

She closed her eyes, hugging you tightly while her tail moved back and forth against you. Every few seconds she would go farther out with her movements so that a stray scale would make contact with your clit.

It was as if you were grinding on her except she was holding you, suspended in the foggy lake.

"Miss, please. More. Need more," you begged.

Her tail moved faster. Meanwhile, her lips found yours, kissing you harshly as if to keep you quiet.

Your tongues found each other, swirling before she plunged hers into your mouth. You sucked on it eagerly, moaning into her mouth as your wetness coated her scaled.

Her heartbeat was increasing, and you were a mess.

"Pet, I am not going to last much longer. Use those pretty legs to move yourself on me. Let us finish together."

She loosened her arms. You used the opportunity to place your hands on her abdomen, grinding yourself faster against her.

"Such a good pet," is all you heard amongst the splashing of the water. The bubbles had returned, and steam rose into the air. You felt the nerves in your pussy throbbing, and you knew that she could feel it, too.

"Let it out, sweet human. Finish for me," she cooed into your ear.

Your legs trembled, and you nearly gave out onto her as your orgasm crashed onto you. Your hand groped her breast, and she placed a shaking palm over yours.

Her tail vibrated, and you heard faint a whimper and whines as she gasped for air. She had cum.

"Keep going. Keep moving. I am almost done," she begged, rocking you.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of warmth and wet kisses, you both regained your breathing.

A tail and a set of legs stay intertwined in the sway of the waves, and she guided your hand up towards the moonlight.

The two of you stayed that way, enjoying the frog symphony and the crickets hum. Drifting to the center of the lake as you lay on her belly, watching as her webbed fingers toyed with yours.

"Thank you, sweet human," she said after a while.

You felt like you should be thanking her. After everything that's been happening to you, you finally felt real. You had been seen for the first time in a long time.

"If it is not too much to ask, may I see you again? I am sure there are many more parts of you that I could learn from."

You smiled to yourself.

"As long as I can learn from you as well. I'm sure you've got a ton of stories to tell."

She laughed. You were prepared to ask her about her family, but the familiar sound of tires on asphalt made you both freeze.

Mira and Noah. You had forgotten.

You felt your new companions heartbeat race. Turning to her, you took her cheeks in your hands.

"They're good people, but I understand why you might not want to be seen. I'll come back again tomorrow. This time, I'll bring you a gift."

"A gift?"

"Mhm. Something that you can keep or take to your sisters to show them,"

A few clicks sounded from her throat, and she pressed her forehead to yours.

"Fine, but take care of these legs, sweet human. I do like them very much."

She swam towards the dock with you on her back, shifting to set you on the wooden structure unharmed.

With a wink, she dove into the abyss of Lake Lost, and you heard Mira in the distance.

"Hey! Are you ready to go? Noah saw a park ranger coming this way."

Shit.

"Yeah! I'm coming," you glanced back at the lake, and a shimmer of lavender twinkled not so far away.

"Tomorrow" you thought to yourself.

You could look forward to tomorrow.

[notjustjavierpena]

I have recently watched scenes from a marriage with oscar isaac and my mind which connects everything with hubby javi immediately went to this:

imagine wife’s and javi’s friends are going through a divorce, there’s cheating m, miscommunication etc and just a very hard time.

I feel like Javi and Wife would have a conversation about this due to the proximity of it happening to their friends. One about trust and if they’re happy. It’s not about insecurity or anything just them both communicating effectively and giving the other reassurance that this is not on the cards for them.

I just value their relationship so much.

Reassess

Series Masterpost | Main Masterpost

A/N: Hiya anon! I hope it’s okay that I tweaked your request slightly to fit my version of hubby and wife. Enjoy ❤️ Thanks so much for proofreading, @angelofsmalldeath-codeine !!!

Summary: You and Javier’s friends are going through a divorce, and it suddenly makes you wonder about your own marriage.

Pairing: Javier Peña x reader (no y/n)

Tags: +18, talk about divorce, talk about cheating, brief descriptions of piv sex with creampie, hurt/comfort, love!, mention of pregnancy and pregnant reader, cuddling, kisses, Javier is a great husband and you are anxious

Word count: 1.6k

Link to this work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54352768

Reassess

Jonathan and Mira are getting a divorce. The news had been announced to you by Javier when he entered the dimly lit living room on a Thursday night, looking paler than a ghost after what you had wrongly assumed to be a same-as-always phone conversation about football, work and going out for a beer in the near future. 

“No!” You had instinctively covered your mouth with your hand to suppress an animated gasp. Apparently, Mira had come clean about seeing another man a few days earlier and it only took shy of two days for their whole marriage to crumble. The thought was and is terrifying. 

It seems to dampen the mood between you and your husband significantly. There are more pregnant silences, longer stares, more hurried kisses, and worried faces in the middle of your daily routines that become opportunities for reflection when doing something mundane as folding laundry. However, the elephant in the room becomes most unbearable when Javier rolls off of you after making love to you a week after the news hit. 

He stares up at the ceiling and pants as he tries coming down from his high, reaching up to run his fingers through his slightly sweaty hair. You shift on your side of the bed to turn your body towards him, and gently lay a hand on his chest, “That was really good.”

“Hm? What?” He replies, “Oh right, yeah.”

“Honey,” you furrow your brow, “I don’t think I particularly like having sex with you if you’re not here with me.” 

“Lo siento (I’m sorry),” his eyes find yours, his voice is genuine, “I can’t stop thinking about Jon and Mira.”

Your eyes soften at that. It is nice to know that he is as shaken by this happening as you are, and in such close proximity to your own marriage too even if it technically has nothing to do with you. It suddenly hits why it has been so hard to start up a conversation about it. 

“Me either,” you sigh and scratch his chest gently with your nails and lay your head on his shoulder. He takes hold of your wrist and rubs the back of your hand with his thumb in soothing circles, “I can’t believe they ended up like that, who would have thought?”

“And Ava?” Javier sounds devastated and turns his head toward yours so he can rest his lips in your hair. 

“She must be so confused,” you mumble back, lost in thought. Ava is Mira and Jonathan’s daughter who sometimes has play dates with Inés, and to think that she has to deal with her parents not being able to work as a couple, especially since Mira apparently had to go sleep with someone else, is a scenario that you find nauseating when your brain automatically starts imagining your own children in the same scenario. You don’t think Lucas would ever forgive you if you caused that much hurt to his father, “I don’t know what Mira was thinking. Ava has to deal with her mom having hurt her dad. Why would she put her through that?”

“Jonathan said she’s in love with this new guy,” Javier argues. 

“I suppose sometimes you just fall in love with someone else,” you say without any emotion in your voice except for maybe a hint of disgust. 

“Are you happy? With me?” The question has been looming over the both of you since the news hit. It was only a matter of time before one of you would start reassessing your own marriage. 

You lift your head up to look Javier straight in the eyes, and even if you knew it was coming, you still feel taken aback by how much it makes your guts turn to even be told to consider it. The answer is so clear, “What? I—“

“That’s not an immediate yes,” he furrows his brow in concern. 

“Don’t be absurd,” you say back, “I love you so much it’s ridiculous.”

“But do you ever worry about us?” He continues. 

“This is the part where you say you love me too,” you joke without much humor in your voice. 

“Are you kidding? I’m nothing without you,” he lifts the hand you still have on his chest to kiss your palm, “Te amo tanto (I love you so much) but I need you to answer the question.”

“I don’t ever worry about us, no,” you answer truthfully and Javier visibly relaxes, “I know you. I trust you. It doesn’t even occur to me that I could have anything different in my life, you know? It feels like I would always have found you somewhere else if not here.”

“Perhaps they looked for something else when things became routine,” he suggests, resting your hand against his cheek.

“It’s never routine for me to tell you I love you,” you tell him with a little smile, “There’s no going back to the way things were before you.” 

“The idea of having anything else but this,” he trails off for a second, weighing his words and reaching out for you with his free hand. He cups the back of your knee to pull your leg over his naked body, “It’s just not in the cards for me. I’ll never love anyone the way that I love you.”

“Is this code for you’re stuck with me?” You crawl closer to kiss him on the mouth and tighten the leg around him, “Hm?”

“Sí (yes), you’re stuck with me, baby,” he says against your lips. 

“Do you promise that?” You whisper after pulling back a little, smiling softly as you look down at his mouth. He initiates another kiss after nodding. 

You kiss for a while without rushing it, deeply until you share each breath in your intense embrace. Despite just having had sex with him fifteen minutes ago, you want him again in a way that has him as hard as when you first got together. He fucks you open slowly with you on your back, makes you come on his cock with an almost pained tone in your whimper. He is everywhere on you, soaking you in love. The way he gasps along with you as he comes inside of you has your heart pounding in your chest. 

“No quiero a nadie más que a ti (I don’t want anyone else other than you),” he says when basking in the afterglow. However, you have already gotten out of bed to get cleaned up in the bathroom. In contrast to your husband, your afterglow is replaced by anxiety that you have just promised isn’t there. 

“I don’t want to end up like that,” you say while peeing with the door open. Javier moves on the bed to be able to look at you. 

“We won’t, te lo prometo (I promise you that),” he is quick to answer. You try to give him a smile but he notices the way you falter, “Anything you want to talk about? Anything on your mind?"

“They used to be so happy,” you sigh deeply and get up after finishing your business. You move to the sink and start washing your hands, your back suddenly towards him, “Makes me wonder if we're strong enough to weather anything.”

You hear the weight of him shift on the mattress and a second later, the soft pads of his feet across the tiled bathroom floor. He is behind you, looking at you in the mirror. You feel grateful for the sincerity in his eyes.

“Baby,” he tuts, wrapping his strong arms around you from behind and resting his chin on your shoulder. One of his hands goes down to lay on your stomach right below your belly button. You have just started to show, and the both of you have already talked about how early it is that your belly has started protruding but none of you have any clue why yet as you haven’t had your first scan. 

Javier kisses your bare shoulder, “This is my life, and I love it, and I would never hurt you… I trust you not to hurt me too.”

You silently turn off the tap to dry your hands but Javier doesn’t let you move. He lifts your chin so he can stare at you in the mirror, “I need you to trust me when I say that ten years with you have only made me want ten, twenty, thirty more. I love you. I choose you every day. Jonathan and Mira didn’t choose each other. We’re not them.”

“I love you too,” you shake your hands dry instead and then turn in your husband’s arms. You hug him close and he walks you out of the bathroom whilst still holding you tightly. 

“Three kids so far,” he reminds you whilst guiding you back to bed, “A decade down the line. We must be doing something right.”

“But what if—“

“You worry too much, mi vida (my life),” he says and smacks your ass as you crawl back into your bed. You glare back at him but he just snickers while crawling in too, “Get comfortable and go to sleep.”

“I don’t know if I can,” you say truthfully.

“Of course, you can,” Javier joins you under the covers. He lays down close to you and without saying a word, reaches out to gently and repeatedly stroke his hand over your hair. The warmth of his palm soothes your worry, each caress easing away the weight in your chest. 

You wonder if Mira left because Jonathan didn’t do this sort of thing anymore. Javier has done it for ten years. This fact makes sleep find you easily.

.

.

.

FOLLOW @notjustjavierpena-fics AND TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS 💖❤️💖❤️

[nicromancytarot]

WHICH ONE OF MY FAVOURITE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS YOU WOULD BE?

This is a general channeling based on a collective of people. Take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. If you don’t feel the pile resonates with you, don’t be scared to try another, if it still doesn’t feel right, that’s ok! Maybe our energies aren’t as connected and my readings are not for you.

I do these strictly for fun and educational purposes. I do not charge for these readings, and I do not fake content.

PICK A PILE READING

I asked my spirit guides what favourite fictional character of mine you would identify as, pick a picture and find out what they had to say!

PILE 1

Tom Riddle. (Harry Potter)

Being born into a life of disadvantages cannot be easy, his parents have been a fluke of love rather than a serious one, a small one-sided magically influenced fling turned into the birth of their only son, but one could not have and one did not want, so he was given away. Unwanted, alone, ignored, mistreated. So he assumes power in the only way that he knows how to, having not been given love or care his entire life, all he knew was darkness, and so he worked further with it.

Tom Riddle soon enough became the most overpowered and feared wizard in the entire world, his name itself was one people worried to beckon incase it summoned the dark lord himself, this was the only way for Tom to get his revenge on the world.

But Tom was scared, no matter how old he grew, he was always so concerned for the thought of death that clouded his mind daily, so much of his life was taken from him at the start, and at the end he just wanted more.

Everything he had built, whether with good heart or not, was stolen from his grasp and ripped from under his hands, the little time that he was granted was shortened by his fear, a deep deep terror that he would never have enough of it, that there could not be enough seconds on the clock to count how long he wanted to be alive.

So soon enough, the nightmares that haunted him while he was awake, were the ones that defeated him and dragged him back to sleep.

PILE 2

Mira Troy. (Enola Holmes 2)

Miss Mira Troy, the unexpected villain of the story, the one too overlooked to have the evil intent noticed by those who were near her, the woman with twice the mind of anyone she had to work for, but ignored because of her identity.

Mira Troy took the invisibility that she was granted within her job, her place in society and ran with it, hiding her true self from everyone in order to be the person that no one knew she could become. All her opinions and words were disregarded and seen past, so she created a false persona, she expressed her intentions clearly, but so discreetly that no one who had the opportunity to talk to her would realise that she was indeed capable of the things normally seen fit for a man.

She schemed in darkness but she worked in daylight, achieving more than she would’ve been given, creating all that she was not allowed to have, and all without any wandering eyes, all unnoticed, unseen.

She managed to complete one of the most heinous, risky crimes all in order to make the money that she deserved regardless, and she did it without anybody poking their nose in, purely to play a game with Sherlock, and even then if he was not acquired to help Mira Troy most definitely would’ve gotten away with it.

PILE 3

Elizabeth Boland. (Good Girls)

Beth was just a casual mother when she got herself into some trouble, she would carpool her kids to their soccer games, she would bake cookies for the school bake sales, it was the least expected to know that she and her friends, average mothers like herself were engaging in moving, cleaning and laundering fake cash for a dangerous gang leader.

And even when she managed to find a way out of her predicament, she put herself back in for more, she needed to experience something other than the bore of being a stay at home mother; she discovered how much she enjoyed doing risky things, and even when a gun was held to her head, she didn’t care much for what was going to happen.

She outsmarted those who thought little of her, got the gang leader wrapped around her finger and continued to make the money that she could from doing what no one expected she would. Her plans were always fool proof, they were designed intricately to keep herself out of trouble, and she did it purely just to have a more exciting life. She liked the thrill of it.

Even when she did get caught, her excellence in lying helped her out a ton, making her seem like a sweet innocent mother once again, no one would know what she was really planning on doing.

But maybe she was too easy going, forgiving her husband for cheating multiple times, for faking cancer, for trying to kill her gang leader friend, who may have been more than a friend.

[alessiamalfoyzabini]

Vampire's Kiss | Chapter One

Pairing | Vampire!Jungkook x Reader

Word Count | 3,7k

Warnings | +18, hate and prejudice about vampires, mentions of blood and sex

⤷ Summary | Humans have finally unveiled and accepted the centuries-old existence of vampires, in a modern world people share their lives with these peculiar and mysterious creatures, but it is not all roses.

Will two souls belonging to such different species be able to be together?

➢ Author's Note | Hi, guys! ❤️ This is the first chapter of Vampire's Kiss, please let me know if you like the story, it would be really good for me! 🥰💜

Taglist: @katherine-kookie

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"Do you know what happens when a vampire invites you out?" You roll your eyes, aware that Mirae is not yet finished with her rant, "Let's hear it, what?" "You never come home and are found in a forest, hanging from a tree, drained," was her solemn reply, she looks at you with stern eyes from behind the thick lenses of her glasses, you smile at her vivid imagination. "Sis, you know that we now live in a society where vampires are accepted by everyone and drink only donated blood, yes?" her frown if possible deepens more. Vampires for a few years now have been leading a healthy lifestyle for everyone, they no longer attack the living, and to have more control over their actions the government sends to their homes every two weeks a bag of blood from the donor they have chosen based on blood type, otherwise they can support themselves by eating the same food as humans, especially undercooked meat. It came to such a condition after all the bloody clashes that took place, both humans and vampires found themselves tired of fearing they would not make it to the next day, so the current arrangement had been arrived at that allows you to coexist without too many problems. Unfortunately, there is always someone who does not accept the new way of life, and your younger sister is one of those someone, she does not trust vampires.

"They're just waiting to come back as strong as they used to be, then they'll start to see us as tasty blood bags again," she hisses, glancing evilly at the page you opened from the PC. This is a dating site for vampires, from which many mixed couples have also sprung. Your best friend for example was happily married last year to her boyfriend, a vampire she met through this very site. You've met him, Shawn is just the sweetest guy and doesn't deserve the derogatory designation of "bloodsucker," as Mirae enjoys calling him instead whenever your best friend video chats with you and is with him. "You hang out too much with those extremist freaks on campus," you look at her harshly; she had joined a crazy group two years ago where they preach hatred of vampires, and she has totally changed since then. She is young and easy to be influenced, you just hope she doesn't go too far. You've tried to convince her to drop that subspecies of a cult, but her crush on the Leader of the Muggles is stronger than common sense, "And now I'd like some privacy!" "I don't want a vampire brother-in-law, I'll never accept that!" she exclaims in turn, before walking out slamming the door to your room, you feel the strong urge to yell insults at her, but you restrain the urge and refocus on the still active web page.

Many faces are silently watching you, and there's no denying that each one is fascinating in its own way, but you don't feel any chemistry, nothing that makes you say, "That's him!" so you go on searching for at least another hour, but still nothing. You could simplify things, date human guys who would surely be easier to find around, after all you've already done that and had a great time, but there's something about the idea of getting bitten that appeals to you. You've read around that vampires like to consume blood during sex, this happens mostly between couples, at that moment it's not just feeding, it's a kind of connection that goes on on both sides, a level of intimacy that provides an almost painful pleasure, you definitely want to try it to satiate your curiosity, and maybe you'll even find the right man for you. Ellen, your best friend, even hinted at some things, but she never went further with the details because it is something too personal to tell, she didn't even explain to you how she - human girl - shared the experience with her boyfriend, since then your brain has never stopped thinking about it for a moment.

You wearily squint your eyes deciding to end your search for the time being, you are tired and certainly cannot waste any more precious hours of rest, your job as an assistant is hell, especially when you have a disgusting caricature of a menstruating man for a boss. "Honey, it's ready!" you hear your mother shout from the kitchen. You haven't lived with your parents for a long time, but every now and then you take a little break to visit them, the only bad thing about these meetings is your younger sister of course. You put on your shoes and walk to your bedroom door, heading to the kitchen, where you find your mother preparing dishes for her meat and potato stew, your mouth is already watering! "Mom..." you look at her with affection, you adore your mom, she cooks like a god and is always understanding, the sweet woman who raised you always knew what to say at the right time and also knew how to measure her words, unlike your father who is a little more like Mirae character-wise.

"Take a seat, come on! Otherwise the food will get cold," she says kindly, patting you lightly on the back, you follow her order and sit to the right of your father, who is staring at the television with a grim expression, his reading glasses hanging from the bridge of his nose, almost following his mood. "Something wrong, dad?" "Another dead body, this time a man at a gas station, not a trace of blood in his body... not a drop," he mutters, you tighten your lips. You know what he'll say next, he doesn't trust vampires. "You know they're not all the same, dad... Tomorrow you'll hear about a human man who killed his employer, don't forget that our kind commits evil deeds too." "But our government helps them! They want live prey, not a sterile bag!" you try to reply, but promptly Mirae comes to her father's aid in his words, contributing to that stifling closed-mindedness. "Dad's convinced too, see?" your sister raises her nose up in a saccharine manner and your stomach clenches, suddenly losing your appetite. Your mother arrives at that moment with steaming plates in the tray, you sigh intercepting her glance, and yes, maybe in such cases it's better not to say anything else.

"You sent the message to Park Jimin, yes? The one where I ask him if he can ask his boss to agree to a dinner to get us on the same page regarding the compatibility of our companies, yes?" You stare at your boss's sweaty face with a smile, even though inside you are screaming. Maybe it's middle age or the fact that his wife left him demanding maintenance, the fact is that he has become more paranoid and oppressive over the past year. "Mr. Kim, I have already contacted Park Jimin and he indicated that he would give me an answer shortly," the man nods, relaxing a bit. The life of the company depends on this agreement, you know. If Kim Seokjin had incorporated your boss's small business then it would have saved you from the broken bank, and as a result your salary would have been even more substantial, but you don't put much hope in that. As mentioned, you are on the brink of the broken bank, which means your efforts do not pay off, so why should Kim Seokjin accept it? In the company where you work you are a bunch of suburban writers and journalists, your magazine is old stuff now. The only way to save everything is to assign you to something else, something your boss evidently never thought of in order to get you up and running again.

"... - it's a crazy thing that a vampire would go to such lengths!" the old man finishes, you realize you haven't been listening to anything at all, but from the last sentence you got the gist of it.

Yes, Kim Seokjin is a vampire, and yes, he goes out in the daytime to have his picture taken with yet another model hanging on his arm.

Vampires can be in daylight, the sun gives them mild eye irritation, which is why - particularly in summer - they use sunglasses, but otherwise no problem, they live like normal humans, just with a little more sunscreen.

And your boss is tremendously envious of all that is Kim Seokjin.

But if you want to hold on to your job you need to talk to Jimin, you've known him since college, he was dating one of your friends at the time and fit in very well in your friendship group, despite being the only non-human present, even when he broke up with your friend he made it clear that he wanted to remain your friend, but you didn't see each other as often as you would have liked.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" you almost jump out of your chair at the lighthearted voice of your colleague, Valentine.

You cast her a suspicious look, "What do you mean?"

Her pretty face breaks into a wide grin, but to you it was like seeing a fox sneer.

"That dating site, right? Vampire's Kiss! Do you know they even made an app out of it? That Kim Seokjin is really a monster of genius."

"Kim Seokjin?" you ask with confusion, has he now also put his hand in the area that was in charge of relationships? Your colleague squints.

"You've been visiting Vampire's Kiss for a week and never wondered who came up with it and put it within everyone's reach?" you arch an eyebrow, of course you didn't know, you're interested in more than just that site! Users signing up for example, not its developer, "Ah! Forget it, just answer me!"

The temptation to tell her to go to hell makes your lips tingle, but you finally respond with a polite smile.

"I haven't found anything yet, actually."

"Take any one, they're all the same."

You widen your eyes, "How?"

Valentine moves her hand hastily, "Vampires, they're all the same! Take any one for experience, they all have the characteristics we're looking for," she says, as if it were obvious you were looking for someone just for fun and nothing else.

But you are not like that, you have enough failed relationships behind you precisely because every one of your partners was looking for that, fun. And you're fed up, you want a healthy, real relationship, not something to try one night stands.

"I don't want just anybody, and I'm not just talking about sex... I'm looking for a relationship actually."

Without warning she bursts out laughing, soundly even. Gritting your teeth, unnerved by her behavior, she recovers for a moment wiping away imaginary tears, "You can't be serious! Vampires were not created for humans, they don't see life the way we do, the most we can do with them is to experience some fun things, but then each to their own way," she says using a cute tone, as if she's looking at a little girl who lives on dreams.

"I'm happy to see things differently from you," after answering her that way you go back to your horrible job, earning a resentful look from her.

"Look it's not just me saying this, a friend of mine recently broke up with one of those guys there, she got dumped" she mutters, you sigh.

"Has the thought ever crossed your mind that we are not all the same? You don't have to rely on other people's experiences, start making your own instead."

Maybe you've been too harsh, so you turn to apologize to her, well, you're sorry you used a brusque tone just because you don't like her way of thinking, but you catch her fixing her lipstick quietly, even sending a flying kiss to her own reflection, you narrow your eyes and refuse to talk to her again. You have better things to do than to listen to ignorant, self-absorbed people.

You rather concentrate on the speech you are writing for your boss, it must be ready before 3 p.m. and without that he would not have been able to say a single word during the meeting with the employees. How such a man has managed to run the show so far you still cannot understand, the secretary before you must have been a saint.

"Ah, Yoongyu asked me how things are going for you here in the office, if you're finally getting along well," Valentine casts you a mischievous glance, "Have you two been getting very close lately?"

More than you can brag about.

You shared a brief but intense acquaintance with Yoongyu on the physical plane. You both had a good time, you were the newcomer and he was the director of the company, he was second only to the CEO so you were totally reliant on his guidance, and just in one of those moments where you felt totally lost at work, he asked you out to dinner. You accepted without a second thought, you liked him, he had subtle dark fox eyes and a charming smile, but your relationship didn't last long. You wanted different things, you a stable relationship and he just a friend to share the intimate sides of a relationship with.

Things were over rather quickly, and now you were enjoying a good friendship.

"We're friends, that's all," she rolled her eyes, as if she believed very little of your words.

"Listen to me, give up your vampire hunting, Van Helsing and find an easy romance to live with."

You don't answer her, the vibration of a new message teases your attention, and you pick up the phone.

From: Sweet Jimin.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Baby, are you there? 🥺

━━━━━━━━━━━━

You smile spontaneously once you read the sender, Jimin writes to you often using that term, he always treats you like a little sister and for that you are grateful, he is one of your best friends and maybe that is the very reason why you can see vampires as to normal people, just like you.

From: You.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Does my lovely vampire

needs a hand?

🥰

━━━━━━━━━━━━

From: Sweet Jimin.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

I always need a hand, baby 😏

━━━━━━━━━━━━

You roll your eyes and take care to point it out, always without stopping giggling. An outside person would have found your chat wacky, you are not together and yet you allow yourselves to flirt a little playfully, but you both know that there would only be mutual affection between you and nothing more driven.

From: You.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

━━━━━━━━━━━━

From: Sweet Jimin.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ouch!

That's how you hurt me 😥

But okay though, don't get mad....

But I would need you to do me a favor 💜

Meet me downtown for coffee?

━━━━━━━━━━━━

You cannot deny him help; you know it as well as he knows it.

From: You.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Mh. Okay.

What time? A suitable time for me.

Possibly.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

From: Sweet Jimin.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

You are my angel!

Later around 5pm would be perfect!

I love you, baby ❤

━━━━━━━━━━━━

It would have been nice to find someone to chat with using lots of adorable emoji, someone to call "boyfriend" while smiling like a fool.

You tighten your lips, Jimin always gives you too much hope, he is adorable and always expresses himself sweetly to you, who are a loser to the fullest extent. Consequently, you always think that if someone like Jimin loves you, why shouldn't you hope for more? That's what always rubs you the wrong way.

You are both sitting comfortably outside the café, Jimin sips his coffee absentmindedly, you have chosen a milkshake with chocolate and hazelnut.

You see him search his pocket for something and once he finds it he lays it on the coffee table, it is a completely black bottle with an airtight cap, you raise an eyebrow in his direction and he smiles at you with one corner of his mouth slightly more raised than the other.

"Ever seen a vampire correcting his coffee?" he asks amused, you simply shake your head.

"You are the only vampire I have relations with and you have never done so in my presence."

He tightens his lips and pours a generous dose of the scarlet liquid into his cup, the action doesn't bother you all that much ... but it leaves you intrigued.

"I need it to calm me down a bit, the last period hasn't exactly been the best."

Now that you get a better look at him, his usually pinker lips are now tending to pale, as if he has stopped hydrating, and his eyes are more glazed over.

"Not getting enough rest, Jimin?" but he denies it with his head.

"Problems with my parents, actually ... That's why I need your help."

A shiver goes down your spine, you know Jimin's parents, they are very stiff and composed vampires, the one time they saw you, they didn't look very happy.

"Jimin, I don't think your family likes me," you flinch uncomfortably, the boy immediately takes your hand, there is panic in his eyes.

"Please, I wouldn't ask you if it was just a trifle! You can save me."

You stand for a moment shocked by the desperation in his voice, even his magnificent dark eyes shine in despair.

You take a deep breath, already knowing that you will regret everything.

"Okay...but remember that you have to help me with the matter of my company, I risk losing my job without the agreement, Jimin."

He nods, "Jin is a very good friend of mine, I'll take care of it."

"I don't know what I'll have to help you with, I just hope I don't end up bleeding to death or worse," you say jokingly, but when he doesn't return your laughter your heart tightens.

His grip on your hand strengthens, "I won't let anything happen to you, baby."

The fact that he did not deny those possibilities unnerves you and not a little, what are you getting yourself into? Jimin has been in the world longer than most humans, so why the hell would he need the help of a mere human like you?

You bite your lip absentmindedly, maybe you're just wrapping your head around it before you break it.

"All right, but could you inform me?"

The boy takes a breath, "My parents are peculiar, old-fashioned dare I say it... they come from an era when arranged marriages flourished like chocolates in a chocolate factory, and now that I have reached a high level in business, they demand that I marry and in truth they have already chosen for me," he begins to explain, as he speaks your mouth opens wide, "But I already have a girlfriend and I love her! She is a vampire, but she doesn't boast a rich family like mine, so they immediately set her aside in favor of a woman I know, but I don't like her."

And again... what exactly can you help with?

"Jimin, I still don't understand... how am I supposed to help you?"

"Jin is throwing a party to announce his official engagement, what I ask is for you to pretend to be my girlfriend in front of my parents."

It's official, you need an ambulance. And urgently, too.

"Y-You are crazy! Your parents hate me just because I breathe their own oxygen, how can you propose such a thing to me! Besides, don't you already have a girlfriend? Use her!"

Okay, you're panicking and you see the corners of your vision darkening, you need to calm down. Jimin gets up and waves to a waiter to bring some water, then tries to take your hand back, but you escape from his grasp.

"Honey, calm down ... the thing is ... I'm sorry to tell you like this," he babbles, you shake your head quickly and try to stand up, but his hands go to rest on your shoulders, consequently pushing you back into the chair, "My parents can't stand humans, to them they reflect the worst of the worst!" he blurts out, and you shoot lightning and thunderbolts from your eyes.

"Exactly, you idiot!"

"That's why you're perfect! If I introduced you to everyone as my girlfriend, threatening to marry you in front of all the other vampires -- at the cost of losing my inheritance -- my parents would start reconsidering my real girlfriend to avoid the scandal of such a statement! Between a human and a vampire of humble origins, who would be the lesser evil for them?"

You bite your lips harder and when the water comes, you begin to drink it quickly.

Unfortunately, the reasoning squares all too well, Jimin is an only child and the Parks cannot afford to lose him, they would never accept a vampire girl of impure blood and even penniless, but a human is something intolerable for vampires like them.

"To say in front of the elders that you will marry a human woman would be ... a disgrace, and would cast shame on your family, who to avoid this ... outburst of yours,  would immediately accept the other option through this blackmail of yours," you murmur with your heart in your throat, Jimin nods slowly.

"They don't mind if I 'use' human women for sex, as long as they don't go to taint our bloodline."

You close your eyes, undecided about what to do.

You're fucking scared, his parents creep you out, but it's Jimin. With your heart clenched in a vice, you nod.

"It's just one night, right?"

"Just one," he assures you.

[spidybaby]

Gold Digger | Part Two

Summary: A broken plate can't be fixed.

Warnings: cursing.

A/N: hello, it's been a long time, but here it is. I want to apologize for the wait, I was sick and ended up at the hospital, but now I'm good. Thank you all ❤️✨️

Part one | Part Three

It's been a week since the whole incident. In that time, Kylian was blowing up your phone with calls and texts. He even tried to talk in person, but Ethan and Fayza weren't having it.

You were thankful with both Ethan and Fayza. They made sure you were okay. The night you left Kylians house, his mother was the shoulder you cried onto.

She was so embarrassed for his actions. Ethan even called him to berate his actions.

They loved you as family. For them, you didn't need a paper or a ring to become part of their family, your loyalty and unconditional love for the whole family was enough.

You planned on leaving Fayzas house and going to a friend's house, but she refused. Insisted on you staying for a little more.

But at the same time, the fact that you couldn't really mourn the feelings was taking a toll on you. So you explained that and your best friend and you became roommates.

Kylian wasn't at his best either. He fought with his father. But also blame himself for being so naive, believing things he knew you would never do.

He missed two games, faking being sick. Missed a whole week of training. Until Sergio and Achraf went to his house to check on him.

When he explained the whole situation to them. Sergio slapped him, and Achraf almost did the same but control a little more.

"You're so stupid," Sergio says angrily. "Es que, si sabes que ella no lo haría por que no la defendiste? Kylian, what the hell?" (It's just, if you know she wouldn't, why didn't you defend her?)

"Okay, time out." Achraf says, pushing Sergio away from him. "Go get something to drink, calm down."

Sergio did that. He was so mad at his friend.

To sergio, you were like a little sister, always helping him and Pilar with everything you can. Even Achraf held you to a big standard.

You were that person who's always looking for everyone and trying to help as much as you can without expecting anything in return.

"Bro. Look, I'm not judging, but why did you do that?"

"I'm so stupid Haki, I'm so fucking stupid."

"You fucking are" Sergio yells outside the room.

"My gosh, fucking kids. It's what you are." Achraf says, hands caressing his forehead. "My child is more mature than you, and he's not even five years old."

"Tell me what can I do?" Kylian cry out. "I don't want to lose her."

His friends didn't even know how to help him.

"Take this, you look like the shit you say you're." Sergio hands him some water.

"Sergio." Achraf growled. "Stop it, we both know he fucked up, he knows it, his mother, brother, and whole family knows it. Stop it."

"Hey, that's mean." Kylian says, finishing the water Sergio brought him.

"But the truth, asshole."

"Enough, I feel like I'm with my kids. If I wanted to fight, I would've called my ex-wife." Achraf says frustrated.

"Mira Kyky, I'm going to be honest with you, I don't know if you can get her to forgive you. Maybe some therapy, maybe some expensive ass gift, but you already know that's not her." Sergio sighs. "What you need to do is let her breath, take her time to cool down, as much as you think you can't fix everything. This is not a match. This is your life. So what I recommend is for you to let her have her time. Text her saying that you'll wait as much as you have to, for her to be able to listen to you. And then apologize, man, because that shit was terrible. Pilar me hubiera cortado los"

"We got the point, Sergio, thank you." Achraf interrupts. "But he's right. She needs space. This shit is fresh. You also need to think what you're going to say. Apologizing is not enough. But don't make excuses. That's not cute."

And that's exactly what Kylian did. He texted you saying that he was going to stop with the text messages and the calls. He was giving you the space you need. And it was up to you to decide how much time you need for him to be able to see you again.

You never answered, but you did read the text. Thankful for his decision.

When Kylian texted you that as much time as you needed, he meant it.

What he never expected was for you to take a whole two months. And counting.

His mother and brother were in talking terms with him. It wasn't easy, but he apologized with them too.

Now, his father was another story. Wilfrid tried everything to reach him. Nothing.

Kylian understood that it was his fault. But, he didn't feel comfortable with having a talk with him.

On the other side of the city, you were closing a very hard finals week. The last finals of your whole college career.

"So, now that we finished with everything." Your friend says. "Are you going to text him?"

You told her that as soon as your finals ended, you were reaching Kylian. Two months in her head were enough of a punishment for him.

Not for you. You want him to understand that what he did was something you were not okay with.

You could take his father disliking you. But you can't take the lies and accusations. You weren't a thief.

You can tell how many times you denied your boyfriend to pay for things for you. Dinners, vacations, even your college debt.

You also were the one in charge of his whole financial situation. You knew how much he earned in a month. You helped him with the payments and saving.

So, for him to even believe you were in possession of his cards was crazy. Even after you made the calls to block every single one of them. Making sure there wasn't any new charge.

"I don't know." You say. "I'm not sure if I feel ready."

"Well, you know you can always count on me. But if you ask me, it's been enough."

After that, you both said goodbye to each other.

You were walking back to your new place. It was close to your college and it was pretty.

Just when you were about to get there, you smelled the fresh coffee aroma, coming from a small coffee shop you loved.

"Well, I deserve it."

And you did, after the amount of deprived sleep and hard study sessions you went through.

You order your usual to go. Wanting to go home and relax.

"Y/n?" Someone calls you from behind.

You knew who it was. You even thought that acting as if you didn't hear was the best, but when he repeated your name, you couldn't.

"Hi," you say.

You felt lucky when, after that little, "Hi" the girl called your name and handed you your order.

"I have to go." You say getting out quickly.

"Can we talk? Please". He asks following you outside.

You wanted to be nice, you do. But you can't do it. His words, his accusations, everything is replaying in your mind.

"If I'm not even giving that benefit to your son, why would I do that for you?"

"Just let me apologize."

"I don't need your apology, sir."

"One minute."

You stare at him. You didn't want it. But at least after this he was going to stop.

"One minute, after I'm leaving." You say watching the time on your watch.

"I'm sorry for the accusations, for telling you those awful words and treated you like a thief and someone you're not. I'm sorry for ruining the best thing Kylian ever had. But you had to understand me. He's Kylian Mbappé and everything he has worked so hard for it's been also my and Fayzas work."

You scuff.

"Of course." You say laughing. "He's Kylian Mbappé and I'm just a broke college student who was ready to take all his money, right?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh, you didn't?" You ask sarcastically. "So let's see, if all his hard work is also Fayza and yours. Why does she trust me? Why can she see me for more than just my school debts? Why can she see me as someone who loves your son and not his net worth?"

"I worded this wrong."

"No, you didn't. And even if you want to fix it," you say, quoting the last two words. "Your time ran out. Please don't bother me again, I'm done with this situation for good."

You walked to your apartment, mad at everything. At him, at Kylian, at yourself. Even when you didn't even have a reason to be mad at yourself.

Without thinking you texted Kylian.

"Let's meet up at your house in an hour."

It was not the smartest thing to do, but the rage inside wasn't helping much.

You ask for an Uber due to the time all the cabs were busy. Plus, his house was a good forty-five minutes from where you live.

You knock on his door.

Even when you have your own key, this wasn't your home anymore. This was his.

"Hey," he says happily, opening the door for you to get inside. "It's kind of chill for just that cardigan."

You ignore him. Walking to the living room. The house feels different. The home you used to love is now just a place.

You feel like crying. It's like having an intense flashback.

"Can we talk?" He asked.

You nod, blinking the tears away.

"Yes, go ahead."

"Don't you want to sit?" He asks, confused. Your posture is like a rock. Hard and not easy to break.

"No, go ahead."

"Okay." He clears his throat. "I have to apologize. I know I fucked up. I was so wrong for not saying anything to defend you. I just want you to know that I don't believe any of that, never did, never will."

You interrupted his speech by laughing. "You don't? Then why did you let your father belittle me in that way?"

Your question take him by surprise. He wasn't expecting this.

"Well."

"No, I'll tell you why." You interrupted him again. "You're so up your ass, Kylian. You don't have an idea of what the real world is like anymore. You've been so glorified by everyone. Specifically your father."

The way his eyes are about to pop out of his head.

"And I'm so mad at you." You laugh again, trying to calm yourself down. "I've been the one who denied your offer to pay my whole debt, I was the one who helped you with money, with savings, with payments. I was the one who turned your additional cards when you offered them to me. Because I wasn't here for the money, I was here for you. I was here because I love you. Because I saw myself staring a family with you. I saw myself growing old with you."

"Let's just pause." He says breathless, even when he's not the one speaking.

"No, I'm not pausing."

"Okay, just, please let me finish."

"Save your apologies." You say.

"Amour. Y/n. Wait, I need."

"I needed you." You interrupted again. "I needed you to defend me. I needed you to say something, and not doubt me. I needed you, Kylian. And you failed me."

The burning sensation was consuming you.

"Please, we can go to therapy." He tries.

"Kylian, don't you get it?" You ask. "Even if I say yes. What's next? You stop talking to your dad for good? That's not what I want. Do you really think I can come back here? I can hear his words in my head, I blink and see him accusing me of stealing from you, and I see you taking his side, even when you didn't believe it."

"We can sell the house," he grabs your face. "I can have a new property tomorrow morning. Better, pick one, the one you want, as big as you want, as expensive as you want. But please, don't give up on me."

His eyes are shining with tears.

A part of you is saying, "forgive him," but the rational part of you is throwing that option out of your head.

"It's not about that, Kylian."

"Then what do you want? Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you. Everything." He cries.

You shake your head. Tears rolling down.

"I want you to let me go."

"No. Everything but that."

"Let me go, Kylian." You take his hands off your face. "I can't do this."

He hugs you, crying on your shoulder.

"Please don't go. You're my everything."

You only caress his back. Letting him cry.

He keeps begging, and with every word, with every sob, every tear you feel yourself breaking more.

"Kylian. Please let me go."

He hugs you tighter. "Please, no."

"Baby, please."

You can feel him tense because of the nickname. He let go enough for him to be face to face again.

"Tell me you don't love me anymore, and I'll let you go."

You shake your head. You can't.

"Don't do this to me."

"Tell me, look at me in the eyes and tell me."

"Let me go." You repeat. "Please."

"You can't say it because you love me. And I love you. We can get over this. I promise even if I have to spend my whole life apologizing, even if I have to tell you every day, how important you're for me."

"Stop, please." You cry. "We can't. I can't. I need time kylian. You say everything, I need time."

"How much?"

"I don't know, but I need it. I can't just forget and swipe this under the rug like it's nothing. We can't build each other again if we're both broken." You say holding his face. "You promised me years ago that you would never doubt me. And here we are, so I need you to give me space. Let me heal and heal yourself in the process. Make up with your family, go to therapy. And then we can go back."

His eyes were burning, and the tears fell like cascades.

"Can you promise me that you will be back to me?" He asks

You didn't have an answer because time and life were unsure. Life can change in a moment, just when you less expect it.

"I promise you that I'll work on healing. I promise you that if you need me I'll be here. I'll be your biggest cheerleader from afar. But I can't do it alone, you have to make your part."

He hugs you again.

It wasn't a goodbye.

But it hurt like it was.

He let go of you. Looks you from head to toe. It's like if he's taking a mental photo of you.

You pick your purse from the floor. Walking to the front door.

"Y/n" he calls.

You turn around.

"I love you."

"I love you too." You smile at him, closing the door.

Tag list:

@slayweirdosaway @voguebikini @ironmaiden1313 @magicalfundragon @nightlockcornucopia @christianpulisic10 @bellinghambby22 @noodle81937 @moonlightholland22 @germanapples @paniwiaderko

[ladykailitha]

Well Met By Moonlight Part 11

Hello! More supernatural fun with our boys and I finally got to write that sexy blood drinking between Eddie and Steve that I had been wanting to write for the longest time, but all my vampire Eddie stories kept turning out angsty and there was no place for it.

Got you now!

Pt 1 Pt 2 Pt 3 Pt 4 Pt 5 Pt 6 Pt 7 Pt 8 Pt 9 Pt 10

@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @emly03

****

Steve was enjoying his time with Josh. The younger boy was enthusiastic and friendly. He had even won over Tommy, which Steve had previously thought impossible.

He was going to be sad to lose him to Billy and get Chase in return.

He was also more careful about what he said around the young teen and Tommy now. As much as he enjoyed Josh’s company the thought that he might spill gossip on the pack to Billy when he is forced to finish the remainder of his service with the coven.

He was really on edge now that the full moon was coming, too. He could feel it under his skin. The way the moonlight’s strength was changing his body on the cellular level. His mannerisms and habits were becoming more and more wolf-like and less human.

He could feel the wolf’s strength in his arms and chest. Its cunning and instinct taking over his ability to rationalize.

When he shifted himself, he was able to keep himself. But the full moon was different. It stripped away every human thing about him. Maybe it was wrong for his foster parents to be afraid of him the rest of the time, but even he felt it was warranted the closer he got to the full moon.

“You can’t be serious about having him here,” Carol was hissing at him.

Steve’s lip curled as he bit back a growl. “I don’t know why it’s such a problem. Josh is going to be there.”

“Josh is a human that can be manipulated,” Carol insisted. “Eddie Munson is a made vampire with ties to the town’s oldest living supe. A close familial tie no less.”

The growl started in the back of Steve’s throat and ripped from his lips. “You are only a keeper, Carol, may I remind you?”

She put her hands on her hips, decidedly uncowed. “Yes and we used to be friends before you got a raging hard on for curly haired nerds.”

Steve huffed through his nose. “You mean the smartest girl in school, the latest in the longest line of hereditary keepers from the Buckleys, and the man who saved my life? Are those who we’re talking about Carol?”

She stared him down. “You are already facing problems with the older crowd, not being mated to your female alpha, do you really want to start your third year as alpha banishing half of your pack? Do you even realize how weak you already look to Billy? You’ve only managed to raise one of his eyebrows recently after the attack. Before that he thought the pack was too lame to even bother with.”

Steve could feel his hackles rise. His lips properly curled. “Yeah and you Billy’s bitch, too?”

Carol stepped back, stunned for the first time. “What do you mean, ‘too’?”

“Someone is going around behind my back and telling Billy pack business, Carol,” he snarled. “You one of them?”

She blinked up at him in shock. “Jesus fuck, Steve. I would never. Why would you even think that?” Tears came unbidden to her eyes. “I wouldn’t betray you like that. Fuck.”

“Well someone did,” Steve spat. “Billy knew about Josh’s news about the moon days before I had even gotten out of the mayor’s office, Carol. Which meant that it had to be someone in the pack. Who the hell am I supposed to trust if I can’t trust my own fucking pack!”

She took two steps forward and placed her hands on his shoulders. “I get it now. You want someone you can trust watching your back on Friday, but it can’t be Eddie. Trust me. I know you feel like you can’t, but you just said you have to trust someone, so trust me.”

Steve let out a low whine. He wanted to believe her. He wanted to so badly. She was right, they used to be friends. Good ones, too. “I don’t know if I can,” he whispered.

She nodded. “I get that. I can’t go back and change who I was in high school, but know that I’ve got your back. Okay?”

He swept her up in a hug and held on tight.

Behind them in the trees, a darkness seemed to taint the woods around it. A malevolent force that was all at once pleased and angry.

****

Steve was suddenly bombarded with members of the pack coming up to him about his desire to have Eddie participate in the full moon festivities. Most of them were negative.

“I don’t know how you heard about this,” Steve was saying for what felt like the billionth time. “But I don’t see why I can invite the man who saved my life to have my back during the full moon.”

“Because he’s a vampire, Steve!” Nancy hissed. “I have tolerated his presence in your life because until now it has not inferred with pack business, so as your alpha female, I’m putting my foot down. He steps even a toe over the pack boundary and I’ll be forced to challenge you myself.”

And that right there was his biggest reason why he wanted Robin to accept the bite to become a werewolf.

Steve thought about making her submit. He could have. But he wasn’t pack alpha just because he was the strongest male wolf in the pack. Oh no.

Steve lifted his chin and stared down at her, until she crossed her arms and looked away. He smirked.

Nancy rocked back on her heel and Steve knew he had won.

“All right,” he said with satisfaction. “He won’t toe the boundary.”

Her head snapped up in shock, her mouth open and eyes wide. “What?”

Steve pursed his lips and half shrugged. “You don’t want him on the ground, that’s fine.”

He turned his heel and walked away, leaving behind a stunned Nancy Wheeler.

“Steve!” she called. “Steve! What does that mean?”

****

Steve was curled up with Eddie on his bed in the trailer.

“Why are they so against it anyway?” Eddie murmured into Steve’s ear.

“Because they think that what happens during the full moon is sacred,” he huffed.

“I still don’t get it,” Eddie admitted.

“It’s this really stupid thing, ‘it’s not a secret it’s sacred.’” Steve rolled in Eddie’s arms so that they were face to face. “It’s just their way of not wanting to talk about it to ‘strangers’. Like Wayne hasn’t been to a few in his long life.”

Eddie scoffed. “It’s like they don’t realize that the world doesn’t revolve around them.”

“And it’s newer than they think, too,” Steve murmured. “According to Wayne it’s only been in the last decade or so.”

“So who arrived ten years ago?” Eddie asked, rubbing his nose along Steve’s pulse point.

Steve gasped. “That’s thing, I don’t know. I wasn’t a pack member at the time.”

That caused Eddie to sit up and look down at him. “What do you mean, sweetheart? I thought your dad was pack and your mom was bitten.”

Steve sat up, too and hugged his knees to his chest. “When I was seven or eight my parents were killed by hunters while they were abroad. It was really big news at the time. They were rich, well-liked, beautiful couple with a son at home.”

Eddie frowned. “I would have still been with my parents around that time. My mom would have been nearing the end of her cancer diagnosis, so I would have been focused on that instead of some news story.” He rubbed his chin. “So why were you removed from the pack?”

Steve buried his head into his knees. “No one has been able to tell me why I was fostered by a human couple and not a supernatural one. Only that it was right when Hop had gone off the deep after his daughter died.”

“So your parents are murdered by hunters, Hopper’s daughter dies, driving him into deep spiral, you get placed into the care of humans that are terrified of werewolves and abuse you...” he trailed off. “Honey, not to sound like a nutjob, but this is way too much of a coincidence to be natural.”

Steve nodded. “Someone didn’t want my dad vying for alpha, probably because he was too clever and too liberal minded.”

“And I don’t think they were expecting you to come back to the pack after you graduated,” Eddie concluded. “I think whoever killed your parents, orchestrated the attack on you.”

“Shit.”

Eddie was right and that really sent a chill down his spine. “I don’t trust anyone in my pack, Eds. Not a god damned one of them. I’m so frightened and I don’t know what to do.”

“So instead of having me there, have Wayne be there instead,” Eddie suggested.

Steve looked up. “What do you mean?”

“There is precedence for it,” he explained. “You said so yourself. Because god damn it, Steve, I’m terrified too.”

Steve nodded.

Eddie wrapped his arms around him and gently lowered them back on to the bed. He nuzzled Steve throat, breathing in the thrum of life right below his skin.

“Let me take care of you for awhile,” Eddie purred. He licked up the column of Steve’s neck causing him to moan obscenely.

“Yeah,” he panted. “Yeah, babe. Take care of me.”

Eddie’s fangs extended of their own accord. “Honey...I want to taste you. So, so much.”

Steve shivered. “Just not on my neck where they can see.”

Eddie moaned at how hard that made him. He would finally get to drink from his werewolf boyfriend and he knew exactly where he wanted to taste.

He slid down Steve body, the other boy bucking his hips at the agonizingly light touch of his hands.

Eddie licked down Steve’s cock, causing Steve to arch his back.

“Eds...” he whispered. His whole body was vibrating like a plucked guitar string.

Eddie nuzzled his balls and Steve panted heavily, his words lost to pleasure already. He brought up one of Steve’s legs to bending at the knee. He kissed down the thigh until his mouth was in the perfect spot. Right there on that magnificent thick muscle was a vein much like the on the neck or wrist.

Again he nuzzled Steve’s balls with his nose causing his boyfriend to gasp. He licked the spot he was going to partake from and god was the scent even more intoxicating then the throat. His saliva would numb the area so he wouldn’t hurt Steve.

“Baby...” Steve moaned, his body was beginning to quiver and shake.

Eddie’s teeth sank into the skin and Steve came immediately, his body practically levitating off the bed as his cum painted his stomach with ribbon after ribbon.

It took all of Eddie’s will to focus on feeding instead of coming himself. Steve’s stamina was legendary and for him to come that fast did things to Eddie. So hot.

“Fuck.”

Eddie could only agree. The blood was warm and golden. It tasted even better without the taint of fear and silver. He took only a few mouthfuls because he wasn’t sure he would be able to stop if he had gotten more than that.

Again he licked the area, this time it closed the wound. Eddie sat up and lined up his cock. He needed to come in Steve. He looked at him for permission and Steve nodded.

Eddie thrust into Steve’s ass and began to pound into those beautiful globes of flesh.

Soon Steve was coming again and Eddie followed soon after. Just seeing Steve come a second time was enough to finish him.

Eddie collapsed next to him on the bed.

“We are definitely doing that again,” Steve huffed, covering his eyes with his arm.

Eddie kissed his raised arm gently. “Yeah, sweetheart. I knew drinking made sex better, but holy shit that was a whole other level.”

Steve chuckled and curled around Eddie. “Agreed.”

****

Moon night approached and Steve was left without the protection of Eddie or Wayne. Despite Steve’s request for Wayne and bringing up precedence for him having done so in the past the pack was staunchly against it.

The moon came up and the pack changed. Their bodies rippled with heat and danger as humans gave way to their wolfish nature. Screams pierced the air. Screams that turned into howls.

The moon slid through the night sky and the pack surged forward as one.

The keepers watched on in silence.

Waiting.

Preparing.

Then the sun came up and in the middle of their compound was a puppy pile of naked bodies of all the werewolves, sleeping off the forced change of the full moon.

Suddenly Tommy came crashing in through the underbrush screaming and sobbing.

“Patrick McKinney was attacked last night!”

Steve leapt to his feet and Robin was at his side quicker than lightning. A slow dread filled his stomach as ice slid down his spine.

“Human or supe?” he snapped.

“Billy found him,” Tommy admitted, looking down at his feet. “He’s pretty sure it was supernatural, but the scent is too muddled, he can’t tell the kind.”

Steve looked around him and saw several of his pack with blood around their mouths and over their bodies.

“Steve!” Robin gasped as she took him in. “Look down!”

Steve immediately did as she asked. He too was covered in blood.

“What the hell happened last night?” he whispered.

****

Part 12 Part 13 Part 14

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @goodolefashionedloverboi @bookbinderbitch @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @justforthedead89 @bookworm0690 @littlewildflowerkitten @vecnuthy @scheodingers-muppet @just-a-tiny-void @potato-of-the-lord @goosesister @tinyplanet95 @she-collects-smut @irregular-child @y4r3luv

[marvelsmylife]

What could’ve been

Pairing: Brennan Sorrengail x reader

Prompt: “Being around you physically hurts”

a/n Here's a little angsty story for you. Let me know if you guys would be interested in a part two. Also, I am accepting fourth wing requests.

warning: angst angst ANGST ! ! ! ! !

Fourth Wing Masterlist

Request

Having a crush on your best friend’s older brother is normal, right? That is what you told yourself growing up. You’ve been best friends with Mira since you were children, and you’ve had the world’s biggest crush on Brennan for just as long. She knew about your crush on her older brother and would switch between teasing you about it and being grossed out at the thought of her best friend and brother dating.

Your world came crashing down when you got the news that Brennan was killed during the battle with the rebellion. You spent years mourning his death and found yourself regretting not telling him about your feelings towards him. You often found yourself wishing you could see him one last time so you could at least confess your feelings.

So seeing him alive after assuming he was dead for six would bring you joy right? Nope. Not in the slightest. “Y/n, it’s good to see you again,” Brennan said your name with such ease it caused you to feel physically sick.

He could tell as well and started approaching you. “Don’t,” you held up your hand to stop him, “I-” but you left running before finishing your sentence.

Against his better judgment, Brennan followed after you. A part of him thought you would be happy to see him after so long. Then again, he also had to remind himself that you might be mad at him for lying about being dead for six years.

After a few minutes, Brennan finally found you sitting in an empty hallway. “Y/n,” Brennan called out and caused you to tense, “I know this is a lot to process, but please let me explain.”

Brennan took you into his office, where he proceeded to explain to you how he was still alive and why he didn’t return home after he healed. While you were still furious about him not informing you or his family that he was still alive, you understood.

By the end, you were still a crying mess, but you weren’t as angry with him as before. “I’m sorry, but missed you,” you cried into his chest.

“It’s ok,” Brennan reassured you before pulling you back and wiping away your tears. That’s when he decided to lean in and kiss you. His fingers disappeared into your hair and deepened the kiss. 

You allowed yourself to enjoy the kiss you so desperately wanted growing up until you came to your senses and pulled away. “Why did you do that?” You whispered.

“Do what?” Brennan asked in a confused tone, his eyes looked at you concerned. He was going to lean in and kiss you again, but you moved your head to prevent him from trying again. 

You felt like you were going to throw up while you processed everything that happened within such a small timeframe. Looking into his eyes, you could see he was concerned, “Why did you kiss me? Why now?”

Brennan remained silent for several minutes while he thought of a response, “I don’t know. I just thought that since you had a crush on me growing up-“

“Wait, you knew?” You looked at him stunned.

Brennan remained silent, realizing he fuck up. “Yes, I knew,” Brennan answered, “You weren’t subtle with your crush.”

Brennan thought that would bring a smile to your face, but all it did was make you more upset. “If you knew then, why didn’t you say anything? Why did you make me suffer by wondering if you liked me or not?”

“I was too old for you,” Brennan replied, even though he knew that was a lie. You and Mira were the same age, and Brennan was only three years older than her, “Plus, you’re Mira’s best friend. I couldn’t date her best friend.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at Brennan’s explanation, which caused Brennan to wince, “Yet you’re ok with kissing me now? Gods, I have to get out of here.”

“Don’t go,” Brennan begged as he tried to reach for you, but you just shook him off, “Please don’t go. I need you here. I need to know you’re safe.”

“I can’t. Being around you physically hurts right now. Of course, I'm not leaving Aretia, but I can’t be around you right now. Please don’t approach me until I’m ready.”

All Brennan could do was nod as he watched you leave his office. As soon as the door shut, he started shaking uncontrollably. Brennan didn’t even realize he was shaking until he felt Violet’s hands on top of his. He wanted to ask her how she managed to enter his office without him noticing, but all that came out was: “Do you think she’ll ever forgive me for not telling her that I knew she had a crush on me growing up?”

“I don’t know,” Violet answered honestly, “She really loved Bren. She kept telling us she regretted not telling you how she felt about you. It took her three years to recover, and even then, I feel like a part of her died with you that day.”

Brennan knew he needed to give you space to process everything that was going on. He hated himself for not confessing that he knew about your crush on him. What he hated the most was that he couldn’t tell you that he loved you as well because you would assume he was saying it out of pity. The only thing Brennan could do now was wait for you to come around.

[tokkias]

tell me you loved me from the start ship: natsu dragneel x lucy heartfilia summary: There's nothing that can get between a friendship as strong as Natsu and Lucy's—or at least, that's what they'd like to think. Sometimes feelings are a little too complicated for it to be smooth sailing when you're feeling them towards your best friend. Lucy finds that one out the hard way. ao3

Lucy had always been good at keeping secrets. Many a friend or guildmate had confided in her before, and as such, she had gained plenty of dirt that she was sure the guild’s gossips would kill for, by virtue of being able to keep her mouth shut. She was, for the most part, an open book. There were a few things she felt the need to keep close to her chest, which would have been difficult to achieve in the first place considering just how nosy her best friend was.

Given their frequent close proximity, Lucy couldn’t keep a secret from Natsu, even if she wanted to. He knew everything about her, and she, in turn, knew everything about him. She trusted him, so there was no reason to keep secrets. They both spoke candidly to each other about their lives and their feelings, each seeing no reason to keep things from the other.

For the most part, anyway.

It was just one, teensy, tiny little secret, something she was sure would go away at first. She had expected it to pass quickly; what she had not expected was for her little, baby crush on him to spiral out of control into a full-blown yearning for her partner that consumed her entire being to the point where he was always on her mind at any given time.

Part of her felt guilty for keeping it from him, though the other reasoned that she was sure Natsu felt similarly on some things. Romance was never the type of thing they spoke about; he didn’t ask and she didn’t tell, but that was before her thoughts of romance involved him.

A brief period of contemplation had passed in which she thought about letting him know, but the realistic part of her brain reminded her of the irreparable damage that could be done to their relationship. She liked what they had too much to throw it away over anything. Instead, she resigned herself to the fact that Natsu would never know.

It wasn’t the most well-kept secret: Levy knew about it, as did Erza, Mira, and Wendy; even Gray had been in on it too, but Natsu still remained none the wiser. It was nice being able to confide in others when she couldn’t with Natsu, but it felt wrong to keep secrets from him.

It had been about a year or so since her feelings had become too big to contain, and she had let it slip to Levy, and somehow it had become an open secret to everyone but Natsu. Perhaps it was out of pity, for fear of watching their sweet angel Lucy be rejected by a dense and romance-averse Natsu, but whatever the reason, everyone was sure to keep tight-lipped around him.

That’s what made it all the worse when it was Lucy who accidentally managed to let part of the secret slip.

Lucy rested her chin in the heel of her hands, her elbows balanced on the table below her where she sat in defeat, her gaze not even focused on Levy before her as she expressed her woes.

"I just wish he’d look at me, you know?" She sighed, resisting the urge to flop down onto the table in defeat. "I want him to say I’m pretty, or something, but it’s like he doesn’t even see me as a woman."

"Who doesn’t see you as a woman?" Came the voice of the man in question as he slid into the seat next to her, and Lucy immediately froze.

"Oooooooooohhh~ Lucy’s got boy problems," Happy chimed in with his sing-song teasing.

The two of them had been out on a solo job for a few days and hadn’t been expected back until tomorrow. Had she known there was a possibility that they would come to the guild hall today, Lucy would have kept her stupid mouth shut. Now, all she could do was gape like a goddamned moron as she sat paralysed in fear that she had just let it slip.

"Soooooo~ Who’s the lucky fella?" Happy sang, clearly trying to worm his way into information that could be used against her down the line.

"Yeah, I wanna know too," Natsu added, his tone and gaze much more serious than Happy’s.

Lucy looked over to Levy in a plea for help, but it seemed as though she had slunk away in the moments since Natsu’s arrival, leaving her to deal with this one on her own.

"How was the job? Did you do any cool stuff? Eat any good food?" She asked in a desperate hope of diverting the conversation.

"The job was fine, I kicked some ass and Happy ate so much fish afterwards that he passed out," Natsu replied in quick succession, seeing right through her. "Who is this guy you’ve got a crush on?"

"Crush? Who said anything about a crush?" She sputtered, trying to maintain her composure.

It wasn’t technically a lie. What she had going on was far beyond a crush.

"You did, just now," he said bluntly. "You said you wish he’d call you pretty. You only say that mushy stuff about guys you wanna date."

Lucy paused for a moment, surprised by how adamant he was about this. She’d assumed that getting him to talk about his job, all the cool things he did, all the bad guys he’d fought, and all the food he’d eaten along the way would be enough to divert his attention, but he was stuck on the one thing she did not want to talk about with him.

"Come on, I promise I won’t tell anyone," he whined through her silence.

That’s ironic , she thought to herself.

"No," was all she managed to get out without incriminating herself.

"Why not?"

"Because I don’t want to."

"What if I say please?"

"The answer is still no."

"Pretty please?"

The two of them continued to run in circles, neither willing to be the first to break, but knowing just how stubborn Natsu could be, Lucy was beginning ware down, only, not in the way he might have hoped.

"I’m not going to tell you, Natsu, so just drop it, okay?" She finally said, unwilling to let this go on any longer than it needed to.

"Why not?" He repeated.

"Can we not do this?" Lucy sighed. "Please?"

"Why?"

He sounded like a broken record at this point, and figuring that she was not going to win their little game, Lucy simply didn’t reply. Natsu, on the other hand, was not satisfied with this response.

"Tell me," he said.

Lucy stood her ground.

"Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me," he began to repeat, over and over again, until the words began to blur together and Lucy simply could not take it anymore.

Grabbing her bag and throwing it over her shoulder, Lucy stood up to take her leave.

"I’m going home," she declared. "Go bother someone else."

She half-expected him to follow behind and continue his nagging, but it seemed her foul mood had done enough to have her off the hook for now.

By the time her rent was due once more and it was time for them to take on a new job, Lucy had hoped that Natsu had dropped the subject. She had hoped that in the time between when she last saw him and now, he had found a new subject to fixate on. That was decidedly not the case.

Suddenly, she regretted agreeing to walk the scenic route.

"Have you changed your mind yet?"

"No, Natsu, I have not changed my mind," Lucy sighed, arms folded across her chest as they walked. "I’m not going to tell you."

"Come oooonnnnnn," Natsu drawled. "If you tell me, I’ll be your best friend."

Lucy quirked an eyebrow.

"I already am your best friend."

"Nuh-uh," he refuted. "Happy’s my best friend."

"Aye!" Happy butted in, much to Lucy’s chagrin.

"But if you tell us who you like, I’ll let you be my new best friend."

"Hey!" Happy added, clearly not pleased to have the position of Natsu’s best friend being used as a bargaining chip.

Lucy looked over at him to ensure he saw just how unimpressed she looked with his deal.

"You’re not very good at this whole bribery thing, are you?"

Deflating at her reply, Natsu’s shoulders slumped forward and he stuck his lips out in a pout, apparently having thought that worming his way into Lucy’s secret would be much easier than it actually was.

"Please?" He tried rather pathetically this time.

"Still no."

"Will you tell me?" Happy chimed in.

"Absolutely not."

"What if I promise not to tell Natsu?"

"Wh- Hey! That’s no fair!" Natsu cried out.

"That’s a lie, and you know it," Lucy said.

Happy responded with a sheepish look that told her that she was right on the money. That damn cat would backstab her for the promise of fish any day.

"What if I annoy you into telling us?" Natsu suggested, and Lucy grimaced at the idea.

Being annoying was certainly high on the list of things that those two were good at, and anyone not as strong as her may have caved right at that moment, but Lucy remained strong.

"Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" Happy began to chant, with the background vocals of Natsu’s "pleaaaassssssseeeeeee," ringing in the back.

Pressing her hands over her ears in some attempt to block the noise out, Lucy had never regretted not taking the train more than now.

The thud of Natsu’s pack hitting the floor was louder than usual as he let out his frustration on the poor thing. Though he had been all smiles just before, Happy was quick to notice the way his mood had soured into an almost sombre state the moment Lucy was no longer around, and he thought he had an inkling as to why.

"Are you sad because Lucy won’t tell you who she likes?"

"No," Natsu shrugged, brows furrowed as if he were deep in the dregs of thought—something Happy rarely saw on his face. "Maybe, I guess."

Natsu let out a hefty sigh, though the expression on his face remained inscrutable, even to Happy.

"I just-" He stopped, his brain unable to keep up with the words he was saying. "You know."

He didn’t have to elaborate. He did know.

Though Natsu was never really one to talk about his feelings too much, he’d confided in Happy on many occasions about his little Lucy problem. Though some liked to think of him as dumb, dense, and unaware, Happy knew better than that. He knew that Natsu had his complicated feelings and emotions just like anyone else; he just kept them closer to his chest and played things off like they didn’t affect him at all. In quiet moments like this, however, Happy caught a glimpse into what was really going on in that brain of his.

"Why are you doing this if it’s just going to hurt your feelings knowing that she likes someone else?" Happy asked, trying his best to be empathetic to his situation.

Natsu was quiet for a moment as he mulled the question over in his mind. Happy knew there wasn’t really an answer—not a rational one, anyway. Anything beyond admitting that this was just some unusual form of self-inflicted pain would be nothing short of a blatant lie.

"‘Cause I need to make sure they’re good enough for her," is what he settled on.

It sounded reasonable enough. If Happy didn’t know better, he might have almost believed him.

Almost.

"I can’t let Lucy date some loser who doesn’t call her pretty," Natsu huffed. "What kinda best friend would I be if I did that?"

Happy didn’t reply, instead letting him try to justify himself, though perhaps more to convince himself than Happy. He didn’t feel the need to probe further—he’d simply deny any accusations he made because Natsu was stubborn like that. If he wanted to figure out his Lucy troubles, he’d simply have to do it in his own time.

When Natsu hadn’t brought it up again the next time they were together, Lucy had thought she was safe. Little did she know, he had simply lulled her into a false sense of security that remained throughout lunch and all the way back to her apartment.

That was until the moment her apartment door clicked shut, and as if treating her secret as a reward for him to receive for not bringing it up all day, Natsu asked, "are you going to tell me who you like now?"

Lucy crossed her arms and let out a huff. He sounded like a damn high schooler, pestering her over some stupid crush, unable or unwilling to let it go. She didn’t even know why he cared so much, but she was certain that she cared more about keeping her secret than he did about knowing it, so instead of responding, she just shot him back a deeply unimpressed look.

Her lack of response did not deter Natsu, who, in the time between first bugging her about it and now, had come up with a new strategy.

"Is it Gray?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "‘Cause he’s not good enough for you. You could do better than him."

"It’s not Gray," she dryly replied.

"Laxus?" He probed.

"No."

"Elfman? Gajeel?"

"No."

"Is it Bixlow?"

Realising he wasn’t going to stop any time soon, Lucy just gave him a blank stare, but he remained undeterred. He continued to list people until she was certain that he had named every single man in the guild, no matter how appropriate.

"Are you done?" She asked, fingertips pressing into her temples, thoroughly over whatever little game Natsu was playing.

The only solace she got from this situation was Happy’s silence. He had been quiet from the moment Natsu started nagging her—almost suspiciously so. Any other time, the cat might have jumped at the chance to annoy her until smoke was pouring out of her ears, but he hadn’t said a word. Supposing she shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Lucy was willing to take whatever small victories she could get in the wake of Natsu’s inability to just leave her alone.

"Was it any of those guys?" He asked.

"No."

"So he’s not part of the guild?"

Lucy stayed silent at his question. If Natsu was going to run around in circles, she would let him, but she wasn’t about to lie to his face. She was simply ready to wait until he would tire himself out and get bored of her lacklustre answers, but it seemed he didn’t have plans to stop any time soon.

"Is he from another guild? Sabretooth? Is it Sting? Rouge?"

With a groan, Lucy flopped down onto her bed, which Natsu seemed to take as a no.

"It’s not Jellal, is it?"

"No, I’m not interested in being shanked by Erza," she replied in earnest.

"Yeah, that’s probably for the best," he mused.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Natsu spoke up again.

"Was it that guy from the library?"

"Why?" Lucy finally responded, thoroughly sick of this game.

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to know?" She asked, irritation seeping into her voice.

"‘Cause I’m your friend, and friends tell each other stuff like this," he justified.

Lucy scoffed at his almost humorous answer.

Yes, of course they were friends—they were best friends, but this, whatever it was, was not something they did. They didn’t talk about crushes or romance because Natsu never showed any interest in it until now.

But even if she wanted to, she couldn’t, because telling Natsu that every time she read a romance novel, she imagined the love interest as him, would completely and irrevocably ruin their relationship. Lucy liked what they had too much to change that, no matter how much her heart ached knowing that what she wanted with him was always just a little far out of her grasp.

"I’m not to tell you, okay?" She huffed.

"Why not?" Natsu hit back, seemingly growing frustrated at this trivial impasse that they had found themselves at.

"Because I don’t want to."

"But I’m your friend."

"I know you’re my friend, but I don’t-" Lucy paused to let her mind catch up with her mouth before she said something she might regret.

She didn’t want to argue with Natsu. She knew that he didn’t want to argue with her either, but it just seemed like this was something that they wouldn’t be able to compromise on.

"Look," she sighed. "I’m not going to tell you, so you can either make peace with that or you can leave."

Her remark was met with an almost astonished silence. Perhaps he hadn’t expected her to put her foot down like that. Maybe he had just assumed that she would eventually cave to his pleas. Whatever it was that was going through his head, Lucy couldn’t exactly see it on his face, so they simply sat in silence as she awaited his reply.

It didn’t come the way she had hoped.

Instead, he turned on his heel and headed for the door.

"Come on, Happy."

All Lucy could do was stare and gape as he left without another word, Happy shooting her an apologetic look before following his friend out the door.

She knew she had given him an ultimatum, but she didn’t think that was the option he was going to choose. It all felt so childish to her, leaving over a silly little crush. That had always been her fear, but she had never thought it would happen before she got the nerve to tell him.

It had her heart aching in her chest and tears pricking in the corner of her eyes, and all she could do was let her pillow soak up her sorrows.

The silence on the way home from Lucy’s apartment was uncomfortable. Happy could practically hear the way that Natsu seethed and sulked as they walked the ever-familiar path back to the cottage in the woods. Happy never really minded the silence between them, but this time was different. This time, Natsu was hurting, and Happy didn’t have the words to make it better.

"I don’t get it," Natsu said, finally breaking the silence. "Why won’t she tell me? Is it someone we don’t know? I named everyone."

Perhaps the worst part of this was watching this all fly over Natsu’s head.

There’d always been an inkling in the back of Happy’s mind about the way Lucy felt. He’d always wondered if Lucy saw Natsu as a little bit more than a friend, but over time he had simply put that down to Lucy being weird. Now, though, after Natsu’s interrogation and Lucy’s little scene, the pieces were beginning to fall into place.

Happy knew better than anyone that Natsu was not dumb. A little dense, maybe, sure, but never stupid, so the fact that he couldn’t see what was happening right in front of him had Happy scratching his head.

"Well, you didn’t name everyone," he curtly replied.

Natsu was quiet again for a moment, contemplative, before he spoke up again.

"You think it’s Alzack?" He asked, evident confusion tainting his voice, so genuine that Happy wanted to throttle him right then and there. "‘Cause I don’t think Lucy would stoop that low."

"I don’t think it’s Alzack," Happy shot back, trying to keep a straight face.

For as much prank potential as there was in spilling Lucy’s blatantly obvious secret, it also had the potential of her never speaking to either of them again out of sheer anger and mortification. So in the name of maintaining their friendship, Happy kept his mouth shut.

"Who do you think it is?" Natsu said, glancing in Happy’s direction.

Happy looked at him for a moment before responding. There was genuine intrigue in his friends’ eyes, perhaps a hint of desperation. Happy had to break their eye contact and look forward to the path before them before guilt started to eat him whole.

"I don’t know," he lied, earning a defeated sigh from Natsu beside him.

It certainly didn’t feel good lying to his best friend like that, but even Happy knew it wasn’t his place to meddle in their relationship. At best, it was disingenuous; at worst, he was wrong and getting his hopes up for nothing. He simply had to have faith that Natsu would put things together himself. If he was going to continue to sulk the way he was, Happy could only hope that he figured things out quickly.

When Natsu had stormed out of her apartment without a word, Lucy had hoped that he simply needed some time to himself. He could be a temperamental sort of guy, but sometimes all he needed was a little bit of time to blow off some steam before he was back to his usual self.

Unfortunately, this time, it seemed he needed a little more than that.

It had been a week.

A whole week since she had seen Natsu, much less spoken to him. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he had been deliberately avoiding her, and that fact was beginning to piss her off.

The last thing Lucy had wanted was for her feelings for Natsu to cause a rift in their relationship, but it seemed as though she had no choice in the matter. Either she told him and things would grow weird between them, or she kept her secret and he would continue to resent her.

Damned if she did, damned if she didn’t.

In the week since he had walked out on her, Lucy had done a lot of thinking between all the tears.

Would it really be that bad if he knew? Surely their friendship was strong enough to withstand the fallout from it. Though, the longer Natsu avoided her over it, the more uncertain she became.

But maybe he deserved to know. Maybe it wasn’t right to keep a secret so heavily involving him. Maybe he would understand, and if they just talked about it, they would come to an understanding and maintain the easy friendship they had.

Maybe she should have thought more about what exactly it was that she wanted to say to him before she had come all the way out to his little cottage in the woods.

She hadn’t really thought about why she was coming out here or what she wanted to say. There was an equal chance that she was going to chew him out or that she was going to burst into tears the moment she saw him. She was so angry at him for letting this get in the way of their friendship, but more than that, she missed him. She missed hearing his laughter from across the guild hall, she missed taking jobs with him. She missed his teasing, his warmth, his comfort. She missed the way he’d crawl into her sheets at night and pretend to be asleep, so she couldn’t kick him out, not knowing that these days she’d never make him leave. Just thinking about it was enough to make the tears almost breach, but as she bit down on her lip, she maintained her composure and rapped her fist against the front door.

Every semblance of composure left her once the door opened and she caught a glimpse of Natsu on the other side, looking at her like a deer in headlights, as if her mere presence had struck the fear of god into his heart.

In that moment, she was overwhelmed with so many emotions—relief, joy, sadness, absolute seething fury.

It seemed that last one was the one that took over when Lucy finally opened her mouth.

"What the hell is wrong with you!"

Part of her was expecting Natsu to slam the door in her face, but all he could do was stand there and gape as she yelled at him.

"You are so stupid! You storm out on me, and then you not only don’t speak to me, but you don’t even show your face at the guild? You dumb, stupid idiot!"

Her expression didn’t match her harsh words as her lip began to quiver, all the emotions of the past week coming crashing down on her as she spoke.

"You idiot, you don’t know—hic—you don’t even know how lonely I’ve been…"

With that, the dam burst, and she was in full tears, sobbing and wailing. She tried to step towards him but stumbled slightly, with Natsu catching her before she could fall. Feeling his touch once more only served to make her cry harder as she recalled how much she had missed it in their time apart.

With no words to make her feel better, Natsu simply wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she cried.

"Please don’t cry…" He mumbled, resting his forehead on the crown of her head.

"I don’t understand!" Lucy wailed. "Why does- Why does who I like matter so much that you’re willing to hurt me over it?"

Natsu’s jaw clenched, and she could feel his grip on her tighten, as though her words had caused him physical pain.

"I don’t- That’s not what I-" He barely managed to stutter out, clearly struggling to find the words. "Lucy…"

Though her grief-stricken wails had subsided, Lucy continued to sob, gasping for breath between them as Natsu struggled for an answer. When the words didn’t seem to come to him, there was only one thing he could think to say.

"I’m sorry…"

Lucy could hear the remorse dripping from every syllable. Natsu rarely apologised, even rarer did he mean it. This time, he did.

He wasn’t apologising because he was made to; he wasn’t apologising because he felt he had to. He was genuinely remorseful for making her feel this way.

"I still don’t understand," Lucy murmured. "Why? I mean- I don’t- It’s so stupid…" She paused to suck in a breath and gather her thoughts. "You completely avoid me because I won’t tell you who I like? Why do you care so much?"

"I- I just-"

Natsu sputtered out the words, clearly unable to form a coherent answer to the question, almost as if he didn’t know himself.

Lucy looked up at him with glassy, pleading eyes. For the first time since she had shown up, she got a good look at him, too blinded by anger and tears to have caught a glimpse prior. He looked so terribly lost and guilty, his brain seemingly barely able to comprehend the speed in which this had all happened. She couldn’t quite find it in herself to blame him.

She had shown up out of the blue, chewed him out before bursting into tears in his arms. It certainly was not her finest moment, but keeping up appearances was the last thing on her mind. Natsu was her friend—her best friend. Not having him by her side was like some cruel, twisted torture, a reminder of days long past that she had hoped she would never have to relive. She never wanted to not be with him if she could at all help it, and if weeping in his arms was the best way to get that across, then so be it.

"I don’t want you to like some… stupid guy who’s gonna hurt you because he doesn’t think you’re pretty," he said, cobbling his words together with uncertainty as he spoke.

"You’re already hurting me!" Lucy blurted out, not taking a moment to think about what she was saying.

She hardly even registered what she had said until he was looking down at her in some gut-wrenching combination of horror and confusion. It was like her words hadn’t quite set in, but he got the gist of where she was coming from. It was like he knew how she felt but wasn’t sure how to feel about it himself, and the idea of that made her swallow thickly to push down the bile that threatened to rise.

He looked at her slack-jawed before he managed to sputter out, "me?"

With no backing out of this one, Lucy decided the only way she was getting out was through.

"Yes, you, stupid! Are you blind?"

Her insulting words didn’t seem to hit him as he simply stood, lost in his own thoughts for a moment before he finally spoke up again.

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"Because… I like the way things are between us," she breathed. "I don’t want to change that because I like you. It would just… make things weird, and I don’t want to lose what we have."

Natsu furrowed his brows slightly.

"Why would it be weird?" He asked, his voice low and soft, but she wasn’t certain he meant it to be. "I don’t think that’s weird."

"It is! It’s always weird when someone likes someone else, but they don’t feel the same, and it’s just-"

"Who said I didn’t like you?" Natsu interrupted.

"I-"

Lucy stuttered around an answer, not truly knowing what to say. No one had said that. She’d simply assumed that there was no possible way that her feelings would be reciprocated because it was Natsu. Natsu, who had never shown romantic interest in anyone, let alone her. It was just an informed assumption based on years of friendship that she thought was just that—friendship. She had never considered the idea that he might feel the same way, and now it felt like everything she knew about him had been flipped on its head.

"I just didn’t think that you-"

Her breath hitched in the middle of her sentence as her mind began to race with the possibility of being loved back.

"Why’d you never ask me?"

Because I didn’t want you to reject me. Because I couldn’t handle seeing your face as you tried to let me down easy. Because I knew that if I did, things would never be the same between us again.

There were so many answers to his question running through her head that she just couldn’t seem to figure out which one she wanted to hear.

"Because I wasn’t sure I was ready for the answer."

Natsu was quiet for a moment in response, and Lucy felt her heart sink to her stomach. He still hadn’t given her a real answer. For all she knew, she was simply getting her hopes up only to watch her friendship with Natsu come crumbling down.

In a small, dwindling moment of courage, Lucy squeaked out a soft, "do you?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "I do."

His words were a little shaky, but he said them with such conviction that Lucy couldn't do anything but believe them.

"And for the record, I think you're really pretty."

Those were the words that she had been waiting for him to say for all too long. She had dreamed of hearing it from him for longer than she could recall.

Suddenly, everything started to fall into place.

"Is that… Is that why you’ve been avoiding me all week?" She asked. "Because you were jealous?"

Well, it sounds bad when you put it that way…" He murmured.

"It sounds bad no matter what way you put it!" Lucy exclaimed.

So much of the pain and despair she had been feeling could have been foregone if he had just told her how he felt. She had never felt such joy and such frustration at the very same time, because, god, he felt the same way about her, but he had put her through such heartache over a little secret that it made her want to scream.

"I don’t know if I should be mad or if I should kiss you senseless."

She knew she couldn’t be mad, even if she tried. He was protecting his heart the same way she was protecting hers—she could never hold that against him. She’d be a hypocrite to pretend she was any better.

"Can you do the second one?" Natsu asked, drawing her back into the moment and away from her thoughts—and who was she to deny him?

With no reply, Lucy placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed her lips against his, sending them stumbling back into his home. He caught her by the hips, hands gripping tight, and Lucy hoped that he wouldn’t be letting go any time soon.

[xstevex-world]

(Part 1 of the pop star Chrissy AU)

“So what you’re saying is that you are 100% positive that I’ve spent my day with, not only an actual, real life international pop sensation; but the same Chrissy Cunningham that you have been fangirling over since senior year of high school?”

Robin hears Steve groan on the other end of the line. She can't blame him though, she’s made him explain her exact situation to her 3 times over.

“Yes Robin, that’s definitely her,” he sighs.

Robin falls back down on her bed, she can’t believe this. If she had been honest with herself, that entire day felt like a fever dream, a fantasy she had conjued up from weeks of sheer boredom. It was hard to ignore, the feeling that her day shared with her was a one time thing, especially after Chrissy apologetically declined to meet up with her the next day, saying she had to do work stuff.

Thinking about it, in retrospect, the signs were there. She had absolutely talked about how she worked in music and had been travelling a lot with it recently - yeah, Robin thought she was probably in a small band or was a session musician by the way she talked so casually about it.

But this? Shit, this whole situation she's found herself in? it’s like something out of those stupid romance novels her mom and Steve like talk about.

She always had it in her head that pop stars were meant to be over the top and flashy, but Chris just seamed so…sweet. She was listened to robin ramble on and on about everything and nothing, laughed loudly at her terrible jokes before giving her perspective or talking all about her own experiences

And when she smiled? She radiated happiness and joy as if she was the personification of the sun. There would be an etching of that smile in her brain for the rest of Robin's life.

“Robin!”’ His voices takes her out of her trace, grounding her in reality. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah,” is all she mandages to say.

“So you have two options,” Steve explains, and gods, she wishes he was here so she could at least see his eyes roll at her obvious awkwardness.

“The first is you just ignore that this whole meeting ever happened,” which, yeah is she absolutely not doing. Even if she never got to meet Chrissy again, at least she would still have the memory of meetng that deity of a human being.

“Or?” She asks, hoping that even 3637 miles away, Steve would be able to bring her down from her wild panic.

“Or; you listen to me and go see her.”

Steve has always been rather blunt, it’s what Robin likes so much about him. He tells her exactly what he means, no in between meaning to his statements.

“She’s playing a concert tomorrow night in the city, it’s probably why she said she couldn’t hang out tomorrow, she has sound checks and rehearsals and stuff," he explained, as if he knew her entire schedule (what was she kidding, he probably did.) "I'm going to get you a ticket, so you go to see her tomorrow night, enjoy the show, take a photo and dm her telling her how good her performance was, ok?”

He makes it sound so simple.

“But what if I go and do all this and it turns out that-“

“She’s straight? Robs, she’s very open about being bisexual-“

“No, dingus!” She yells into the receiver, running her hand through her hair. “What if I read the entire thing wrong and she was just being nice? I’m famously not good at reading the room and, for all I know, she could have thought this was just all a friendly thing that we have going? Like, listen to me Steve, I’m me, and if she’s the same pop sensation that you’ve talked drones about for as long as I’ve known you then what could she gain with a romantic endeavour with me? She could have anyone and not the person who she met yesterday who’s…”

“Who’s what, robs?”

She can’t answer that, knows if she says what she wants to that Steve will deny it, but she knows who she is - she’s annoying, too much all the time and knows that logically she wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice in friend, let alone girlfriend.

Sometimes she thinks it’s a miracle that Steve has been her friend for as long as he has.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he interrupts her inner monologue, voice softer than she’s used to with him. “But you have to stop thinking that you’re not good enough. The only person who’s allowed to talk shit about my best friend is me…and probably Erica, but I think she thinks you’re too cool to actually insult you much.”

Robins audibly snorts, falling back onto her bed.

As hard as it was being away from her family and the rest of their little friend groupd, the thing she misses the most is Steve. She was so used to having her platonic soulmate with her at all times, ready to latch onto for whatever the reason may be.

And right now? She could really use a hug, pecifically one from Steve "The Hair" Harrington.

“Robs, just trust me, she wouldn’t have spend they day following you around Paris is she wasn’t completely gone for you - she would have been at Disneyland with Corroded Coffin getting pictures with Darth Vader and shouting about how it's a capitalist utopia while eating the churros…" he pauses momentarily, and robin knows exactly what he's going to ask next. "...actually, speaking of, did she-?"

“Talk about Eddie Munson? Well, considering that I didn’t know that it was the same Eddie that you’ve had a raging boner over for the past year despite the fact-"

“Robin!”

“It’s true!” She yells, face now beaming from her laughter. “I’ll make you a deal, Stevie, if you plan works then I’ll put in a good word with Chrissy for you, she’s bound to know what gonna bring you into Munson’s raider-"

“Robin, stop!”

"-because I have some stories, Steve, and you’re lucky I was listening because if I didn’t like Chrissy so much I know wouldn’t remember, which would suck for you because i now know a few rather scandalous stories about the guy-"

“ROBIN!” Steve shouts through the receiver, making robin jump. “Focus!”

She shuts up, smiling to herself.

“I wish you were here, dingus,” she admits, rolling onto her stomach. “At least you’d be able to help me out, maybe, if this works, make sure I don’t pass out in front of her.”

“Of course it’s going to work” he states with every syllable oozing that signature Harrington’s smugness. “But only if you wear those plaid pants you have, the ones that hug your thighs in all the right places-“

“Gross, dingus!”

But sure enough, she listens, but if Steve’s right about one thing it’s how to leave a lasting impression, especially in the “you look good” department.

So, the following evening, she dons blue, plaid pants with a plain black tank, slicks back her hair using whatever hair products Steve left during his last visit and makes up her face: brushing electric blue pigments onto her eyelids before smudging kohl against her waterline.

It takes her serval pep talks in the mirror to finally convince herself to actually leave the apartment, but she did it, managed to walk to the venue and wait, nursing her beer whilst leaning against the against the back wall.

Robin kind of regrets not tagging along to all the Chrissy Cunningham concerts that Steve invited her too in the past, maybe then she would know what to expect.

(Or, maybe then, she wouldn’t be in this exact situation, but who was she kidding, of course she would be, nothing straight forward ever happens to her).

The entire thing is overwhelming, the venue has been crowded since before she arrived, (since it was well after the opening act ended) which really isn’t her scene. She’s already nervous and her hands won't stop shaking and she's about to call it quits, text Steve that she'll pay him back for the tickets in actual money rather than their original plan and walk out the doors of the theater where she can crawl back into bed and scream into her pillow-

The lights dim, and everyone around starts screaming as the first notes of the synth play, Chrissy's voice carrying through the room.

Robin can't help but stare, she's so beautiful, stunningly gorgeous with the voice of an angel, she doesn't even notice the rest of the band join her one by one or the two dancers who have a hand on Chrissy's shoulder. She doesn't even realise the opening number has finished, can't pay attention to anything other than the cascading curls of chrissys hair, the way her body moves in one with the music, the same smile that struck her heart in the first place- the smile that shines brighter than any spotlight ever could.

She doesn't register much, barely hears anything other than Chrissy sing about new moons, staying when she shouldn't or sending her love to Wayne; songs she know she's probably heard before, probably from (just being in close proximity to steve Harrington), but none of that matters, shes memorised by her.

And when the final act is coming to a close, she almost misses it, but she can feel eyes on her even this far to the back of the crowd.

Robin only meets Eddie Munson’s eyes for a second, impossibly wide eyes staring her down in disbelief before seeing his cue to exit the stage. She almost drops her half-drank pint, a string of curses running through her head - but the whole interaction has her frozen. 

Her brain tells her to "RUN! GET OUT!" before it escalates any further, the churn of pure anxiety in her stomach reminding her that this was a stupid plan, she shouldn't have come. She cant do this, won't do this-

She leaves before lights go black.

⭐💘🎫🎤🎫💘⭐

So thank you all so much for the support on the first post, I was not expecting it to get traction buy you all loved it??? My heart is swelling omfg. Thank you for being patient with me with this part (I'm dyslexic and work full time, on top of just being very slow at producing, well, anything lol).

I'm hoping to have either 5 or 6 parts altogether if you guys keep enjoying it ((sorry not sorry to make you steddie fans sit through the Buckingham part first, Robin needs to get her girl!!!))

Shout out to my gf (who's not an st fan) for beta reading this with comments like "is Robin a useless lesbian?" Or "do they really say dingus in the show?" Or "wow, she really needs some loops!"

As a bonus treat, the concert playlist can be found here! Included are songs that represent or resemble the tracks on the set list of the gig that Robin goes too see (including the CCxCC material that would be played as the encore in the final three songs)

Taglist (if you wish to be added, I just ask you be polite about it x): @maya-custodios-dionach @papermachedragons @mildgendercrisis @vampiregirl1797 @lizard-dyk3 @hellomynameismoo @beckkthewreck @eboyawstenn @justmiiriam @gregre369 @korixae @victor-thee-corvid @yes-im-your-mom @bisexualdisastersworld @questionablequeeries

[justmeinadaze]

Pushing the Barrier Part 3 (Eddie X Reader) 

A/N: Like you guys I am extremely invested in their story. My brain has been all over the place so please excuse any grammatical errors. Holiday seasons are always harder for me. I love you guys and your thoughts on this story. I read them all <3

Warnings: I don't want reveal too much and spoil things but still got stripper Eddie here. He does talk and break down in great detail his trauma and the things he deals with. :(. Word Count: 3967

You slipped out of his apartment early in the morning while Eddie was still sleeping. You couldn’t sleep at all. The entire cab ride to your apartment you thought about last night. Everything about Eddie and the way he made you feel was amazing. That look in his eyes and the tone in his voice though remained front and center in your brain. 

“I’m waiting for you.”

No matter what, you would end up hurting him. Hell, you were hurting him now. You were married to someone else. Your last name was someone elses. You did not belong to Eddie. Yes, your husband was an asshole but he was a good man once, right? Why else did you marry him?

“Excuse me, can you take me here instead please?”

You gave the cab driver the address as he swiveled around. 

#############

When you walk into your husband’s office, his head is buried in paperwork. His eyes flick up towards you as you enter but he doesn’t move to greet you. 

“Must have had a good time last night. You didn’t come home.”

“I stayed with a friend.” He answered with a sarcastic hm. “What did you expect? You yelled at me and said I looked like a whore.” Your husband exhaled as he leaned back in his gigantic chair. “Honestly, I’m surprised you even noticed I didn’t come home. You’re never there.”

“Here we go again. Look—”

You raise your hand to silence him. “Please. I… I’m your wife. I miss you, honey. Don’t you miss me when you’re here?” His eyes softened as he watched you speak. “Do you remember our first date? We stayed out all night walking around the city and just talked till the sun came up.” You both chuckle at the memory. “I miss that. I miss how we used to be. I’m so sick of being alone.”

You husband rose and walked to your side of his desk, leaning down on his knees to get to your level. “I miss you to, baby. I know I’ve been really busy here. I’m trying to make it to where soon I won’t have to work so hard. I promise I’ll do better, sweetheart.” 

Eddie flashed in your head at the name and you tried to shake the image. You craned your neck, planting your lips on his. “Ok, I trust you. I love you.”

“I love you to, baby.”

###################

“Hello?” You answer the phone and are surprised when Mira’s lyrical voice comes through. 

“Hey mama. It’s been a couple of weeks since you’ve come by. Is everything ok?”

“Yes? Do you do this check up with everyone who stops showing up?” You try to keep your voice low so your husband doesn’t wonder who you’re talking to. It was a Saturday and to your surprise he was actually trying to make good on his promise. You two had been watching television when the phone rang. 

“No, baby. I actually have a favor to ask. Can you come by and see Eddie?”

Your heart dropped to your stomach. “Wha…I…um…”

“I don’t ask questions. I told you; we pride ourselves on privacy so I don’t know what happened between you two but since you stopped showing up his entire attitude has changed. He’s a lot more feisty than normal. I actually had to give out a refund for a client experience and send him home the other day. He’s a good man but if this keeps up I may have to fire him.”

“No! Mira, don’t do that.”

“He’s working a short shift today. I don’t have anyone booked for him and I won’t even charge you for this little counseling session. Just please, get his mind right.”

You sigh as you hang up the phone. 

“Who was that?”, your husband asks as you head back towards him. 

“One of my friends needing a pick me up. Her boyfriend broke up with her.”

“Oh no. Well, baby, you should go check on her. Bring some of the hard stuff.”, he points toward your liquor cabinet. 

You climb into his lap and kiss him on the forehead making him chuckle. “I’ll be right back.”

#################

You feel extremely nervous as you open the door to Eddie’s room. When your eyes land on him your heart breaks in half. While he still looks handsome in his jeans and Metallica shirt, his eyes look worn as if he hasn’t slept in days. His head was leaning against his fingers as they pressed into his temple. He stared into his own reflection angrily. 

“Hey Eddie.”

His eyes widened as he quickly got to his feet and marched toward the glass in front of him. 

“Turn this fucking thing off NOW.” When you don’t respond or do what he asks he slams his palm into the glass causing you to jump. “You snuck out of my apartment. No note or anyway to reach you. You disappear for two weeks. I think I earned the right to see your face. Unless you’re too much of a fucking coward.”

He laughs to himself as he sits back down. “God damn, Sweetheart. What the fuck was I thinking? I guess we both had each other pegged wrong, huh? I thought you were different but, nope, you’re just like everyone else. I’m surprised you didn’t leave some money on my nightstand before you left.”

“Eddie, please. That’s not what this was.”

“Then what was it!?”

“I really do care about you but I owe it to the man I married to try.”

“Y/N, what the fuck are you talking about? He doesn’t give a fuck about you. With everything you’ve told me what makes you think this time is going to be any different?!”

“Eddie, you don’t know me or my relationship! He was a good man once and he really has been trying.”

“Oh yeah? Then why are you back here with me?”

“Because Mira told me that she was going to fire you if you didn’t get your shit together!”

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Eddie, you can’t afford to lose this job.”

His eyes angrily turned towards the front of the cube. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to pretend like you care about my well-being. Just get the fuck out of here and go back to your ‘blissful’ marriage.”

You flick the switch, turning off the two-way mirror and meet his fury filled stare. “I’m doing this because I care, Eddie.”

“Naw, baby. You’re doing this because you care about you. I should have known better. Selfish just like everyone else who enters my life.”

“I don’t want you to wait for me.” His head turns abruptly at your words. “I can’t have you waiting for me. It’s not fair to you.” You hug your arms around you. “You deserve to be with someone who puts you first.”

“So do you…” He sighs before you notice his eyes light up with an idea. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Can you grab Mira for me?”

Without question you leave the room, grabbing Mira, and bringing her to Eddie. You wait outside in the hallway as the talk. After a few minutes she exits, smiling. 

“Man is crafty; I’ll give him that. This way my dear.” She takes your hand in hers and leads you towards the back of the building but instead of going out the back door, you two pass it looping around to another hallway. Mira digs in her pocket for a set of keys and opens the door in front of her gesturing you inside. “If at any point you feel uncomfortable, you can just open the door and leave. It’s only locked to keep people out, not in.”

When you step inside the lights above you automatically turn on. You glance around taking note of the familiar throne chair and the guitar leaning next to it. Taking a seat, you look in front of you and are met with only your reflection. 

“It’s a bit odd at first, I know.” You glance above you at the sound of Eddie’s voice. “I have to admit, I’ve never been on this side before. It’s kind of empowering.” You smile softly as you stand up and move towards the front of the glass. 

“I thought maybe it might help a bit to put you in my shoes. In the corner there is my jacket. You can put it on if you want to.”

You do put on his leather jacket, inhaling the smell of his cologne. 

“Go ahead, Princess. Take a seat.” Doing as he asks, you sit in the throne again, gazing at your image in the mirror. “Now, picture this. You’re a 20 something year old man from a small town in Indiana. You left your friends and uncle, the only family you care about, behind to move to New York to make something of yourself.”

“What about my parents? Where are they?”

His silence is tearing you apart. You would give anything to just be able to see his face. 

“Your parents don’t talk to you anymore. Your dad is an abusive dickhead who’s in prison for pretty much the rest of his life and your mom surrendered you over to your uncle when you were a kid because she didn’t want to deal with you.”

A tear escaped your eye and you quickly wiped it away. You suddenly hear a soft knock on the glass in front of you and your eyes move towards the sound. 

“You’d been struggling to make ends meet so you do some research and find Mira’s place here. You start doing this gig for strangers and 98% of them you can’t see. Some of them are extremely dirty.” His tone changes to much more gruff, authoritative one. “Take off your pants.”

You look up at the glass, your eyes searching frantically for him. Eddie’s voice comes through a bit more sternly. “I said take off your pants.” You do as your told, rising off the chair and pushing off your jeans, kicking them to the side. 

“Good girl. Keep the shirt and jacket on. You look fucking sexy like that.” You felt your pussy start to drip at his words but something still felt off. It wasn’t the Eddie you had come to know. He wasn’t in front of you with that soft voice, telling you how beautiful you are. This really felt like someone else behind a window that only wanted one thing. 

“Spread your legs open. Atta girl. Move your panties to the side so I can see that pretty cunt.” You did as he asked as his heavy breathing echoed into the cube

“Eddie, please tell me what you’re doing over there.”

“Oh no, Princess. You don’t get to ask me questions. I tell you what to do. Come here, babe. Crawl to the front on your hands and knees for me.” You hear the sound of his grunts as you move towards him. You place your palm against the glass and you can’t see it but he does the same. 

A string of expletives including words like “slut” and “whore” leave his mouth as he pants. You suddenly hear his breathing slow and then nothing but silence. 

You feel yourself start to panic. “Eddie?” You smack the glass. “Eddie, are you still there?!”

“Now, imagine,” you breathe a sigh of relief as he continues in his soft Eddie tone. “One night, this beautiful voice comes through. She just wants to talk to you about things. Mostly about how her husband abandons her at night to fall asleep alone. Sometimes he doesn’t come home and one night when she was feeling particularly beautiful, he told her she looked a whore.”

You feel the anger slowly rise into your chest as your bottom lip begins to tremble. He knocks again a little further to your left so you shuffle towards it, knocking back. 

“This beautiful voice finally allows you to see her face, taste her lips, feel her body. She falls asleep in your bed but then the next morning you wake up and she’s gone. You could try calling her but you don’t have her phone number and Mira won’t give it to you because ‘we pride ourselves on privacy’,” he mimics her voice. “You can’t go to her apartment because you don’t know where she lives. The only place you’ve ever seen her is in there,” Eddie points to the glass, “and at a restaurant. Every day for the next two weeks you check in that restaurant thinking she may show up but she doesn’t. You play your gig at the bar she saw you at praying she may show up looking for you but nope.”

“You sit in that glass confinement for two…weeks… waiting,” Eddie flips the switch and his upset eyes meet your sad ones. “Then she finally shows up and says she owes it to her husband to try because she cares about you.” He tilts his head, watching your face.

“Eddie, I’m… I’m so sorry.”

“Why do you stay with him?”

You shrug as the tears start to fall. “He’s my husband. I—”

“Don’t say that again. Don’t say you owe him. You owe him shit especially with how he treats you. Do you honestly believe he’ll change? You need to leave him.”

 “Would you?! What if the tables were turned?” You stand up and tower over him. “What if I told you this bothered me? You being naked and jacking off in front of people made me angry? What if I said I couldn’t be with someone who does something like this? What if I said ‘Eddie, it’s me or this’? What would you do?” Eddie glares up at you as you yell through the glass and you don’t even wait for an answer. 

“Yeah. That’s what I fucking thought. So don’t you dare stand there and tell me what to do with my life!” You watch was he turns with clenched fists and exits the room slamming the door. “Oh, that’s nice. AND I’M THE FUCKING COWARD!” You scream after him as you repeatedly slam the barrier in front of you.

The door behinds you suddenly opens as Eddie flies through it until he’s in front of you. His hand reaches out to grip your chin, making you look directly at him. 

“I would choose you. I would choose you every fucking time. No questions asked.” His hand released you but his body remained where it was. “If you want to go play house with your husband go ahead. That’s not going to stop me from waiting for you.”

Your jaw tightens as you swallow and Eddie sees it. “Oh yeah? And how many girls have you said that to? How many times have you sat in here and said something that to someone you’re attracted to?”

His face visibly flinches as his chest rises and falls heavily.

“I’m not going to stand here and pretend like I’ve never found other women I’ve seen in here attractive. The ones that have actually allowed me to see them. You, Y/N, are the only person I’ve actually ran after when they walked out of this room. You are the only woman ever since I moved here that I’ve invited to see me play with my band. YOU are the only person on this fucking planet that I would stick around for even though I know I’m her second choice.”

“Eddie, fuck! It’s things like that. You deserve better than being someone ‘second choice’.”

“And so do you. Look, whether it’s work or…something else that man is always putting you second. No matter how you choose to defend it.”

Eddie reaches his hand out to gently caress your cheek with his thumb. “Y/N, you were just gone.”, his voice comes out barely above a whisper. You tackled your arms around his waist and his arms came down around you, pressing you against him. “If you want to try with your husband, I respect that. I don’t agree with it but I respect it. Just… please don’t disappear again.”

####################

You left Eddie that day with a mutual agreement of remaining friends. You even exchanged phone numbers with him and on days you were home alone you called him, telling him about your day and vice versa. 

One day you invited him to your school to have lunch with you. Eddie marveled at you from outside your classroom door. You looked so cute sitting on your desk swinging your legs as you talked to the glass. When you glanced towards the door and saw him, you eagerly waived him in. 

“Who’s that?” a girl near the front row giggled as he came in.

“Guys, this is my friend Eddie. Eddie, these are my pain in the butt freshman.” They laughed at you as he gave them a small wave. “Go ahead and sit down. The periods almost over.”, you whisper to him. 

You continue with your lesson on the book in your hand and after a few minutes a bell chimes. “Please, for the love of God, keep up with your reading. On Monday, we’re going to talk about your next project, okay?! Have a good weekend!”

You smile as they murmur goodbyes before speeding out of the room. 

“You good at this stuff.” Eddie grins as he grabs the book from your hands. You take the food out of the bag he brought, crossing your legs on your desk as you dig in. “The Great Gatsby. Did we have to read this in school?”

“Well, I’m not sure about Indiana but here it is part of their freshman curriculum. Have you read it?”, Eddie shakes his head as he places the book on the desk. “It’s about a man named Gatsby who loves a woman named Daisy. She’s married to this rich aristocrat guy so Gatsby spends his life trying to become rich enough for her. Her cousin moves in next door to him so he uses him to his advantage.”

“Oof. Sounds complicated as hell.” He laughs as he starts eating his own food. “Tell me more. I like hearing you talk about it.” You flash him a questioning look. “The way you talk about the material, you get more animated. If I was their age and you were my teacher, I may actually have read the book.” Eddie smiles as you laugh at him. “What happens in the end?”

“It doesn’t end happily. Long story short, Daisy stays with her husband and Gatsby dies.”

You both avoid eye contact as you pick at your plate. “So, um, how’s work been? Better?”

Eddie chuckles. “Mira didn’t fire me if that’s what you’re asking. Yeah, everything’s gone back to normal, I guess. What about your husband? Still being good?”

You scrunch your nose at his word choice. “Yeah. I mean, there have been a few nights he’s stayed late at work but it’s not as bad as before. He actually took me out to this really nice restaurant the other night.” You dare to sneak a peek at him as you talk. Eddie continues looking down at his food, nodding his head. 

Reaching towards him, you tenderly place your hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

He gently grazes your fingers with his own, almost as if he’s afraid to touch you too much. “Not a problem, Princess.”

#################

“Honey, you alright?” Your husband taps your arm. 

“Yeah, I’m sorry I just zoned out for a bit.” You laugh at yourself as you shake your head. 

The phone on the wall rings and he leans back to answer it. His eyes flick towards you before he makes a small mhmm noise and pulls the phone from his lips. “It’s my boss. I’m going to take it in the other room. Would you mind hanging this one up for me?”

“Yeah sure.”

“Thanks, sweetheart.” He doesn’t see your face cringe at the name as he kisses your forehead before jogging down the hallway. “Ok! I got it!”

“Ok!” You don’t know what possessed you in that moment but instead of hanging up the phone, you put it up to your ear covering the mouthpiece with your hand. 

“I can’t, baby. Not tonight. I already told you. I’m on thin ice with my wife.”

“Don’t you baby me. I thought you said you loved me!”

“I do, Sarah. I do but—”

“But you love her more!”

*sigh* “Look, don’t move, okay? I’ll be right there.”

You hang up the phone and thirty seconds later your husband rounds the corner. “Honey, I’m so sorry. They need me to come down for a few hours to work on this project. I shouldn’t be there to long.”

You stare at him with wide eyes as your brain runs a mile a minute. “You should go. Definitely don’t want to keep your boss waiting.”

##################

The moment Eddie opens his front door your lips are on his as you jump into his arms.

“Whoa! Sweetheart…hang on…a minute.” He barely gets the words out as you keep trying to keep his mouth on yours. “Please…Jesus H. Christ.” 

He somehow manages to tear you off him, placing your feet on the floor. Eddie’s long fingers brush your hair back and out of your eyes. They were extremely worn and heavy from crying. The whiskey on your breath hung around you like a storm cloud. “What happened, Princess?”

You reach towards him attempting to run your hands along his bare chest but he catches them in midair to hold them in his own. “Talk later. Fuck me now.”

“Okay, that would be the alcohol.” You swayed drunkenly in his grasp. Rolling your eyes, you pull away from him and throw yourself down on his bed. You reach for him with little grabby hands. “I’ll make you deal. You take a nap and then when you wake up, we’ll revisit this conversation, ok?

You giggle, nodding your head as your heavy eyelids start to droop. Eddie sits on the edge of his mattress beside you, delicately removing your shoes and socks. “I’m going to take off your pants to make you more comfortable, ok? This is not a sexy invitation.” He smiles and you nod again.

After he completes his task, he maneuvers your body so you’re under the covers. “Should I call your husband and let him know you’re here? I can say your friend is with you and I’m her boyfriend or something.”

With your eyes still closed, you scoff as you turn your head towards the sound of his voice. “Fuck him. He won’t even be home. He’s with Sarah.” You giggle but Eddie notices your bottom lip shake as your voice cracks. 

He blinks into the void as his mind pieces together the little information he has in front of him. “Oh Princess. I’m so sorry.”

You were silent so he assumed you had fallen asleep. He rose with the intention of sleeping on the couch when your hand flew out in his direction. “Eddie… please don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll just be on the couch right over there.”

You shook your head, pulling at his arm. “Please. I’ll fucking break the glass if I have to.”

It took him a moment to understand what your drunk mind was trying to convey. “Y/N, there’s no glass here.” Eddie crawls into the bed beside you and you immediately press your small frame to his side as your head falls to his chest. He reaches for your hands and intertwines his fingers with yours. “No barrier. I’m right here, Sweetheart. I’ll be right next to you when you wake up.” ###################

@Munsonsuccubus @samunson83

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[faislittlewhiteraven]

So seen a few 'What if the ISAT cast were in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon' posts...

And I'm gonna put my hat in the ring because darn it I've been thinking about this for over a week now and I want to infect others with these ideas.

Siffren: Hisuian Zorua - White, adorable AND comes free with a neck ruff to hide their face in, but well, doesn't it fit Siff extremely well lore wise too? Just a cute little guy that's a remnant of a home and life forcefully taken away, Normal enough to be among the living with no issues but also Ghost because there's something missing... Something lost that shapes them, tears at them but they just can't let go... Also they eat a lot, have a good amount of mischief in their nature and use 'illusions' for self protection so like. It's a perfect fit really~ XD (Also the 'red' aspects during the Vs Friends fight makes me wonder if in the PMD version of ISaT Siffrin is evolving so wrong somehow that the universe is breaking and a huge chunk of the fight is the party basically mashing B button in utter terror~ XDDD)

Isabeau: Ditto - No joke, Isabeau had me really stumped for ages because what kind of pokemon species goes from nerd to buff to eventually somewhere in the middle during their evolution line but then I realized 'Wow I'm an idiot. There's a pokemon all about Change that can be any form right over there!' and thus Isa-Ditto was born in my mind. I like to think he's almost always in the form of a Marchoke, Zangoose or Scrafty or something that to the others is big and buff but Isa's warm smiling ditto face always stops him from ever looking intimidating, and back in the 'nerd' days Isa probably stuck to being a Gothita/Gothorita, if only because they're about the only mon I can think of with braids and they do seem like a good form if one wants others to stay away so they can focus on studying and stuff...

Mirabelle: Minccino/Cinccino - Ok, most of my reasoning for this one is because Mira visually reminds me of the Minccino line (those eyes <3 And her ribbon! <3) but like, she IS pretty studious and helpful and probably cleans up after everyone and that's Cinccino as anything to me, plus the sheer way this mon blitzs with Skill Link... IDK I just really feel the line suits her.

Odile: Kanto Persian or Purugly - After realizing Siff, Isa and Mira were all Normal types I decided to make it a thing and since under this logic Odele couldn't be a Kadabra (as was my first instinct), the idea of her being this big old book reading cat affectionately rolling her eyes at everyone else's nonsense just had so much appeal <3 Leaning Persian if only because its design matches her visuals better but the thought of her as a Purugly feeling comfortable enough around the others she doesn't puff up her fur via her tail around them is pretty cute/very 'seems standoff-ish but is secretly affectionate Odile' so I'm still struggling to choose between them.

Bonnie: Zigzagoon - Bonnie was probably the hardest to pick out because there were so many possibilites (Aipom for the mischief? Munchlax for the cooking/food vibes? Oh but what about Meowth for their weird hug face???). But then I realized pokemon of all sorts could do all of those things and what really stands out about Bonbon is their 'NPC somehow on the big adventure and doing their best' vibes so a spunky little Zigzagoon using their 'Gluttony' expertise in food to 'Pick Up' the party's sprits felt really fitting (also they way they dart in and out of combat with their Quick Feet just. It works you know? XD). Not sure which Zigzagoon form would be most fitting for them but currently leaning Galarian if only because Siff being weak to Bonnie fits hilariously well, it matches with Bonnie's 'desire to be edgy despite still being adorable' vibes and the mental thought of them far off in the future, all grown up and protecting their family as a big bad Obstagoon gives me a ton of warm fuzzies so yeah~ <3

Euphrasie: Lopunny - Look, it's just the hair, the affectionate personality and her being really really tall compared to the others alright? Only the party is actually Normal locked to me! X'D (I could see her as an Altaria or a Mega Ampharos as well but Lopunny just feels more 'right' somehow.)

The King: Hisuian Zoroark - . . . In my defence, he's an incarnation of malice born from the loss of his home/life with long long hair who acts as Siffrin's foil, pushes them towards 'discovering the red' and yoyos between tragically lamenting and being a ruthlessly, cruel monster who would hurt a child. There was no other option.

Loop: currently torn but leaning Cosmog/Cosmeom or Mimikyu for most of the game and Necrozma/Ultra Necrozma for the Act 6 secret fight - Finally the one non Normal type! And the fact it's the eldritch feeling Loop is kinda perfect? Helps them stand out more at least, and well you really can't beat Ultra Necrozma for 'star shaped thing that is both terrifying, potentially world ending and in immense amounts of pain'. (...Also its weak to Siff's H!Zorua and Bonnie's potential Dark type so it fits type wise also XD).

Change God: Mew - Do I really gotta explain why? (Legendary, has Transform, cute and sweet but also a little bastard, etc- It ticks all the boxes XD

So... Yeah. Those are my In Stars and Time 'what Pokemon would the main cast be' thoughts.

[mamirhodessxox]

Hey There Delilah (Final Part)

Cody Rhodes x Fem!OC (Delilah Jones)

Storyline: Delilah was born and raised by the beach in L.A and grew up in a home where her parents expected her to go to Harvard & become a well known woman who marry’s a man who is a lawyer after high school. But that’s not what she wanted, She always wanted to own a boutique/flower shop & she did, once her parents discovered she wouldn’t attend college they left her to fend for herself but allowed her little sister Kinsley to visit or sleep over whenever, Her little sister always had an eye for WWE but Delilah never understood why but little did either of them know one of Delilah’s customers would become well acquainted. (Creds to @alyyaanna for helping me w the storyline)

Contents: Toxic parents, Angst, Fluff, Smut in later chapters, Based in May 2023, Alcohol, Violence, Corruption Kink, Size Kink, Daddy Kink, Crying Kink, Hand Kink, Praise Kink, Fingering, Smutty smut, Mentions of a Custody Battle.

🏷️ list: @alyyaanna @ginswife @coolpastelartshoe @greatkoalawizard @cokolin044 @kotoriarlert @alicerosejensen @bunnybot55 @adollonyourshelf @mini-rhodes @southerngirl41 @harmshake @femdisa @kabloswrld @claymoresofinfamy23 @cococodysleevlesshoodie

{~I'm very serious with you guys interacting with my writing!!!! it would make me so happy & excited, the more comments & reposts the more inspiration i have to write :) likes and comments are strongly appreciated so please COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT COMMEENNTTT the more comments the more content <3!!!~}

Cody & Delilah spent their honeymoon in the bahamas, for an entire week after the wedding they’ve been all over each other, after their vacation together they made it back home & spent the summer relaxing.

Months passed by, it was August & summerslam was being held in Miami, obviously the ladies & kinsley would be attending the event with the guy’s but what they hadn’t known was the fact Nikki would be at summerslam, once everyone was aired in Cody & Delilah explored the air bnb they would be staying at with Mira, Kinsley & Randy for the week. “DELILAH COME IN HERS PLEASE!” Mira shrieked from the bathroom causing everyone to turn their heads towards the hallway while Lilah sprung up from Cody’s lap and ran into the bathroom “My boobs grew 10x fucking bigger that’s not normal.” Mira whispered as she held her chest feeling out for anything “You don’t think it’s breast can-…” Mira widened her eyes not letting lilah finish her words “if I do I don’t wanna know about it.”

Eventually the two came out of the bathroom together and noticed Rhea & Seth sitting on the couch with Randy & Cody while Kinsley sat in the backyard playing with the pool water “Bunny come here” Randy spoke out as he stared directly at her chest with a furrowed expression, Mira followed his instructions & flopped an arm against his shoulder as he continued staring at her chest “your boobs are bigger than usual” he hummed while looking up at his fiancé who was clearly upset as she completely forgot all of the health hazards she studied.

Rhea hummed and sat up “She’s pregnant. Her boobs grew way more bigger than the size they usually do, they’re clearly swollen which happens with pregnancy” Mira snapped her head in Rhea’s direction while Seth looked at Cody confused “Why are you memorizing her previous tit size?” Rhea shrugged at Randy’s question “I see good boobs I look at good boobs” “fair.” Mira smiled putting her hand against where her heart would be “Aww I have good boobs.” Delilah let out a light laugh before turning towards her best friend “Why don’t you take a pregnancy test? I think it would be cute if we were actually pregnant together.”

Mira ran her hands through her hair smiling shortly while Randy looked up at her in adoration while she stood infront of him, he wrapped his arms around her waist while Cody smiled at the couple.

A day later Cody, Kinsley & Delilah explored around the arena for a bit while Mira was using the restroom for the pregnancy test she got the night beforehand, Delilah’s stomach was slowly growing bigger & bigger after being 4 months pregnant, she & Cody decided that after summer slam they would find out the gender when they got back home. Delilah felt her phone ringing in her summer dress pocket. “Come back to the bathrooms.” Mira spoke softly & Delilah smiled to herself “We’re on our way back” She approached Cody after hanging up and let him know she got the results & they were requested to come back.

The three rushed backstage & approached the bathroom, Mira stood by the door smiling ear to ear “I’m pregnant” Lilah let out a soft cry and immediately engulfed Mira into her embrace and mumbling her excitement in Mira’s ear before pulling away to wipe off her face, Cody however was a mess & pulled Mira into a tight hug while letting a few tears drop down his face before pulling away “You’re going to be a kickass mom Mira. I’m beyond happy for you.” Kinsley smiled and gently hugged Mira’s stomach

Randy eventually walked in on the scene and was confused for a split moment until he noticed kinsley hugging her stomach, Randy quickly rushed towards Mira and picked her up “We’re having a baby?” She smiled at his words and nodded her head while he pushed any hair out of her face before giving her a kiss & mumbling against her lips “thank you so much bunny”

Cody & Delilah congratulated the two, eventually Mira went to take Kinsley to their seats while the guy’s got ready, Delilah was heading to the vending machine to grab her sister & Mira some snacks until she heard a high pitched giggle in the men’s locker room, at first she shrugged it off until she heard “C’mon she won’t find out, she doesn’t have to know” Delilah’s facial expression dropped as she recognized another voice speak “No Nikki, I already told you I’m not interested okay?” She immediately knew it was Cody & approached the locker room with crossed arms boring her eyes into Nikki’s skin until Cody noticed her presence “Ange-“ Delilah held out a hand and got infront of Nikki looking at her up and down “It’s really tacky trying to convince a man to cheat on his new wife who is pregnant just because nobody is interested in hearing you brag how much your shitty boob job costed. That’s embarrassing honestly” Nikki glared as she got in Delilahs face “You may have married him but I fuc-“ “You had sex with Cody because he was bored & Single, and it took 1 night with you to know the sex wasn’t worth staying, I on the other hand don’t even have to ask simply because he is naturally attracted to me.” Cody watched the two bicker & decided too pat Lilah on the waist “Just leave it Doll.” Nikki glared as Delilah started walking off “Cody won’t last longer than a year with you, he’s gonna cave, get bored of you & leave for someone like m-“ Cody reached to try and stop Lilah’s next move but she was too quick, she spun around and smacked nikki across the face “Keep my fucking husbands name out of your goddamn mouth am I understood?” She glared before Cody gently held onto her waist “Sweetheart c’mon”

Lilah frowned looking over at him and snatched her hand away from him and began storming off, he sighed and glared at Nikko who wad stunned holding the side of her face, He shook his head & decided chasing after his wife before his match started, eventually he caught up to her in the hallway “For someone who usually walks slow you sure are pretty fuckin’ fast right no-“ “Why were you alone with her.” Delilah turned around to face Cody with a frown on her face “You knew what happened last year, Why were you alone in there with HER out of all people?” His expression softened at her concern & he looked down for a moment “I was getting ready & I had to go in the locker room to grab my water bottle & she came in asking a simple question such as who would be in the ring tonight & then she started escalating things, I didn’t do anything Angel, you know I wouldn’t do that to you” he reassured her and wrapped her in his arms and rested his chin in the top of her head “Promise you wouldn’t betray me?” Her words stabbed his heart slightly but he nodded and pulled away and grabbing her chin to make her loom at him “Sweetheart, I’d rather die getting ran over by a train in the middle of the tracks than betray you in any sort of way.” Delilah smiled softly and gave him a kiss.

A week after Summerslam when everyone got home they all went to the ultrasound for Cody & Delilah’s baby, Mira & Kinsley sat in the room with them while Seth, Jey, Randy, Becky & Rhea sat in the waiting room. “Well isn’t that a surprise mama” The nurse mumbled under her breath causing the couple to look at each other confused “You’re havin’ twins! Ain’t that exciting!” Mira let out a short cry as she stared at the screen seeing the two small babies while Cody was choked up and grazing Delilahs ring against the top of his lips, “One boy, One girl.”

For the next few months everyone decided to take the holidays easy & smooth for the sake of Mira & Delilah’s pregnancies, Cody had to go out of town every now and then but it wasn’t any longer than a week or just 3 days. It was November 29th & Miranda & Delilah were working at the Flower boutique but Lilah couldn’t help but notice that Mira had been in the dumps for a bit since she had a over the phone argument with Randy. Delilah sighed and walked outside and grabbed her phone calling him herself “Hello?” “Randy what the fuck is your problem? Why are you being a pain in the ass for Mira” “Delilah..She’s just being complicated, having outbursts, she’s been overly emot-“ “Randal Keith Orton I suggest you choose your next words VERY carefully. Mira is pregnant with YOUR child, she is engaged to YOU, if she is carrying your baby actively you better fucking cater to her like she’s cleopatra because YOU have no idea what she’s going through, just because your like one state away doesn’t give you the right of passage to be an ass Randy, She has another human living inside of her body & it is overwhelming. You’re going to apologize her and you’re gonna mean it. Am I understood?” For a slight moment there was silence besides hearing Cody & Jey giggle in the background over Randy being chewed out “You’re right. I’ll do that now.”

Randy gave Mirabella a full length essay like apology & even sent her roses, for the next few days Mira was sleeping over at Delilah & Cody’s since she didn’t like being by herself especially during her pregnancy, December finally hit & the babies were to come at any moment.

One night Cody was sitting in his hotel room packing his stuff to go back home until his phone started ringing, Mira was calling. “Everything alright Mira?” He heard her shakey breath and was seemed to be the noise of a driving vehicle “D-Delilahs water just broke & I’m taking her to hospital now!” Cody’s heart sank and he immediately zipped up his suit case “I’m on my way now alright? Just hang in there.” He blurted out before hanging up and running out of the hotel room while the other guys followed behind aswell as Mira sent them the text. They got on a jet that they knew would get them back in California as quick as possible, he called up triple H nervously until he picked up “I’m not attending this weeks matches Delilah’s in labor and I can’t mis-“ “Cody relax, I understand, Your cleared for the month alright? Go be a dad. Congratulations.”

Delilah sat in the hospital bed squeezing Mira’s hand from the contractions hurting so bad, Kinsley sat in the hallway patiently waiting to see if anyone was coming for her sister until she heard rushed foot steps, Cody & the reat of the guys stopped infront of Kinsley “Where’s Lilah sweetheart?” Kinsley got up and grabbed onto Cody’s hand and took him to the room where Delilah was. He sighed and rushed over towards her “How’re you doing Angel? You holding in there” Delilah groaned out in pain while the Doctor came in “She’s going to have to start pushing immediately, I need everyone to leave the room now other than the Father am I clear?” Everyone nodded in agreement and removed themselves from the room leaving the Doctor, Nurses, Cody & Delilah all alone together. Delilah was given an epidural 20 minutes beforehand to make the pushing easier for her soon, Cody stood beside the bed holding onto her hand caring less that her nails digging into his skin “Alright mama we’re gonna need you to start pushing alright? We’re gonna make this as quick and easy as possible for you”

Delilah winced and nodded as they counted down go 3 until she started pushing, a loud cry & scream escaped her lips while Cody held the back of her head pressing kisses against her temple “Your doing so amazing sweetheart just keep going alright? Your doing so great Angel” His wife groaned out in pure pain the more she pushed, the pushing felt like it was lasting forever, the contractions made her miserable, eventually after just a few more pushes 1 of the babies came out & the doctor let her rest before making her push more, the nurses cleaned up the baby despite the loud hollering and cries, Cody held onto his wife as much as he was allowed to while checking up on her “How are you feeling Angel? You doing ok-“ “MY FUCKING VAGINA IS BEING RIPPED APART CODY I’M GOING TO LITERALLY SMOTHER YOU RIGHT NOW!” He nodded his head awkwardly and bit down on his bottom lip “That’s a fair statement.” The doctor walked back towards the bed “We’re gonna count down to three and we’re gonna have you start pushing okay?? 1..2..3-“ Delilah started pushing and began crying out from the top of her lungs and tried her best to keep herself composed but no matter what she couldn’t.

After more and more pushing the other baby was finally born, The nurses cleaned them up and cared for Delilah as much as they could, once everything was calm and Delilah was more relaxed the doctor handed the couple their new Babygirl & Boy. Lilah teared up once her skin touched the babies, Cody pressed gentle kisses on the top of their heads before giving her a kiss on the cheek “You did a great job baby, I’m more than proud of you.” She let out a quiet sigh and pressed her head against his while tears were streaming down her face & her heart practically about to leap out of her chest “I-..I was thinking of naming her after Mirabella & naming him Matthew..” Cody smiled softly and ran his fingers through her hair “I like that Idea.”

Once it was time everyone came back into the room & Mira instantly ran away from Randy over towards Delilah & the babies “They’re do beautiful..You both did an amazing job” Cody smiled and held Matthew in his arms while Delilah held Mirabella before she spoke “C-Cody & I agreed to name her after you, Mirabella.” Mira’s heart stopped for a second before the water works once again invaded her eyes before carefully hugging lilah “Thank you so much, you have no idea how much that means to me.” She walked towards Cody and pulled him in for a hug carefully as-well due to him holding the other baby “Thank you Cody. For everything, for changing Delilah & Kinsleys life and just- everything.” He leaned into her hug & even allowed her to hold the baby boy “This is Matthew.” Mira let out a quiet sigh before cradling Matt & holding him close “They’re beautiful.” Randy hugged her from behind as he stared down the baby & smiled “He’s adorable.” Jey went over to Delilah & looked down at little Mirabella & gently grazed her head “You guys make beautiful kids. Seriously.”

After the babies were born Kinsley stuck by them 24/7 and even begged not to go to school some days just so she could be with her niece & nephew. After new years months continued to pass by, Randy & Miranda got married in greece back in march on the beach, Delilah helped design Mira’s wedding dress & even Randy’s suit to their absolute liking & eventually Mira went into labor in may & had a sweet baby boy, She & Randy agreed to name him Elijah, everything was going amazing for each and everyone of them.

It was june 15th, Cody & Delilah held Kinsleys 12th birthday party and everyone came including her friends, Delilah sat in the backyard where the party was being held & sat in the grass with Mirabella & Matthew while Cody brought her some food for her & the babies, Mira & Randy came over with Elijah “Hey little man!” Cody approached the couple and gently tickled the baby’s tummy with his finger before pointing in Delilahs direction “Lilah is sitting over there with the babies incase you wanted them to hang out all together.” Mira smiled with a nod before making her way towards the blonde girl while Randy & Cody noticed a boy giving Kinsley a very very VERY close hug “oh you little shit..”

“CODY GARRET RUNNELS YOU BETTER LEAVE THAT BOY ALONE!”

Mamirhodessxox’s Masterlist

This is probably one of my most favorite series that I have ever written for, I’m super sad that it came to an end but I’m so happy I got the weight of it off my shoulders! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did, If any of you have any requests or questions feel free to go to my inbox :) thank you guy’s for reading this & I’m so excited to see where my work ends up going in the near future, mwah

[sixpossumsinatrenchcoat]

Natural Satellite [ch 11]

An In Stars and Time AU. In ch 11, Sif & Isa talk to the rest of the party. Loop gets dragged into their mess. You can start from ch 1 here.

“Okay, so." Isabeau clears his throat. "We, uh. We… have something to tell you.” Sif turns to him, aghast. “You didn’t already tell them?” “W-Well!! I’m new to this!! So it didn’t really feel like my place? And, and—and isn’t that what Loop is for?” “Oh, is that what you thought?” Loop lets out a tinkling little laugh. “Oh, Fighter. That’s adorable. But I’m afraid you were mistaken. I’m here for my stardust. Exclusively. Angry mobs are way above my paygrade.” “I wouldn’t say that I'm angry,” Mira says uncertainly. “More… confused?” “I’m vexed, at worst,” M’dame Odile weighs in. “Though I wouldn’t take ‘angry’ off the table.”

Isa gets to Bonnie just a few minutes after you do.

You’d expected him to be noisier than you. Messier. It’s Isa, after all. He’s not an actor or a liar. But he watches you stammer excuses at (a very disoriented) Bonnie without saying a word. His face is pale, his eyes rimmed with red. He must have cried the whole way here. But now that he’s here, he’s gone utterly silent.

* * *

“Sif,” he says hoarsely, when you’re finally strong enough to walk away.

You look at him.

“We can’t keep this a secret anymore.”

“But—”

“Sif,” he says again. He’s pale as a corpse, but there's no hesitation in his voice. “If we couldn’t stop that, then we—we can’t be responsible for this. Not alone. Not if there’s any chance we could do better by telling the others.”

“But they’ll—”

Isa shakes his head. “I-I’m sorry, Sif, but I’m not asking.”

Huh. You’re not sure you’ve ever seen Isa put his foot down like this. It’s… disconcerting.

“Okay,” you mumble. Okay, okay, okay, this is—yeah. Yeah. Yes. You can definitely see where he’s coming from. If you can’t even protect Bonnie, then what are you good for? “Okay, I—”

You hesitate. You know it’s what you deserve, but… you don’t want them to hate you.

“…You really want to tell them everything?”

“I mean, yeah? Yes.”

Like it’s that simple.

For Isabeau, it probably is. He just got here. He’s not the one who’s been lying to his famil— to his allies for months and months and months of the same miserable day. Taking their trust and forging it into a blade to swing at them.

You clear your throat. “How?”

“We don’t really need a game-plan, do we? Surely we can just… talk? To our friends? Like normal people?”

Ha ha. Of course. Like normal people.

Isabeau’s head tilts. “How would you go about it?”

Well. You already know how you’d go about it, because it literally just happened, like, three loops ago. You’d just foist it off on Loop.

“Ohhh,” Isa realizes. “You’d make Loop do it.”

“...Maybe I wouldn’t.”

“You’re right, though,” he says seriously. “They’re part of this too.”

Ah. Well. The only problem with that is, if you show up at Loop’s tree with your entire party in tow, you’re pretty sure that they might actually kill you. To get out of the conversation, if not just to be petty. “Um. I think I maybe have to warn them first.”

“Okay! Yeah, that makes sense! So you’ll go warn Loop, and I’ll talk to the others.”

Hm. That doesn’t sound so bad. It gets you out of talking to the others. And there’s no one easier to talk to than Loop. “…Okay.”

“Okay?”

You nod. “Okay.”

“Okay!!!” Isa musters the briefest flicker of a smile. “Then I’ll— Or, I guess, we’ll see you at the Favor Tree.”

* * *

When you get to their Tree, Loop is nowhere to be found. But you traveled alone for years before you fell in with the best chef cooker in Vaugarde. You know how to track prey.

They didn’t have time to go far. Just a short stretch down the hillside, across a stream and behind a thicket of… blackberries, you think, though it’s hard to tell out of season.

You find Loop sitting on a tree stump, drumming their heels against the trunk.

“There you are.”

You’d expected a reaction. A flicker of surprise, at least. But when Loop looks up, their face is utterly resigned. They hold their stare for just long enough to spike your anxiety before turning away. “Haha. Yes, well. Here I am.”

“Um. We were… Or, I mean.” You scuff your feet in the dirt. “I… wanted to introduce you to my friends?”

“Oh, did you???” Loop asks brightly. “Fascinating!!! Because—and do forgive my ignorance—from where I’m sitting, it looks like you wanted to keep me to yourself until you had an ugly job you didn’t want to deal with.”

Ah. Well. Yes. That is technically also true. “But—”

“No!!!” Their face flares so bright that you can’t even see their glare. Then they let out their breath and the brilliance recedes, leaving you blinking the spots out of your eyes. “No. I don’t care. I’m not here to clean up your messes! I’m not interested and I’m not going, so don’t bother asking.”

You don’t bother asking. You’ll carry them the whole way if you have to. If you’re really going to tell your family about how you’ve been manipulating them this entire time, you are absolutely not going to do it alone.

“No,” they breathe, eyes widening, as you drop into a fighting stance. “No, come on, be reasonable—”

A half-second later, you collide with their chest like something launched out of a trebuchet.

“Excuse me!!!!” Loop sputters, clawing at your arms. “Are you a wild animal?? Did no one ever teach you how to argue like a normal blinding person??”

“You said not to ask.”

They try to twist free but you’ve got them backed against a tree, so there’s nowhere to go.

“We don’t have to fight about this,” you inform them. “Just come with me.” In your honest opinion, they’re being a little ridiculous. It’s not like it’s Loop that everyone’s going to hate. The only villain in this story is you.

You dig your elbow a little deeper into their throat, just to drive the point home.

Loop gives you a saccharine smile. “Aww. Did you really think I had to breathe?”

They hoist themself off the ground with both hands and slam their heels into your chest, knocking you back into the leaf litter. Before you can scramble out of reach, they’re already on you.

“You’re being sooooo~ stupid about this,” they purr. “You think dragging me into your mess will help you? No. No. You’re a joke to me. Your logic is a joke. And, stardust~~? If you bring those puppets here, I swear on all the Stars, I will kill them. Oh, they’ll come back!” they add, with a tinkling little giggle. “But you’ll remember. You’ll know what you did.”

“Why???”

“None of your business!!!”

When they shift their weight to get a better angle, you slip a foot around their ankle and hook your knee around their hip and flip them on their back. Loop takes the time to wink at you before spitting sparks in your eyes, taking advantage of your momentary blindness to slam their elbow into your nose. You hear something crr-rnch. The impact rings in your ears, floods your mouth with copper. When they twist around to gain the advantage, you're too dizzy to stop them.

You’re still tussling blind when you hear your name.

“Sif?” It’s Isa’s voice, muffled by the trees. “Loop? Are you guys there?”

You open your mouth to answer but before you can get a word out, Loop stuffs their whole hand in your mouth. You bite down, hard. Viscous fluid spills down your chin, fizzes on your tongue.

“Ow!!! Are you a rabid dog???”

You bare your teeth at them. “I don’t understand why you’re being so difficult!!”

“Aaaahhhahahahhhha! Of course you don’t!! How could you!?”

“You could tell me!!”

They lean in even closer, slamming their forehead against yours. “Learn to read between the lines!!!”

You try to flip them over but it’s like they know all the same tricks, only better. You’re still scrabbling for purchase when they slide your knife out of its sheath and press the blade to the side of your throat, right where you always make the cut. You take care of your tools. It barely takes any force at all to slice through cartilage and bone.

“Do it,” you taunt. “I'll be back in five minutes.” You could do this for days. Weeks. It’s a nice change of pace. And it’s exhilarating.

“You think I won't?” Tracing your jugular with the point of your blade.

“Then do it.”

Loop presses down harder, till you feel the characteristic sting of breaking skin. Warmth trickles down your neck. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you.”

“Would you?”

Loop digs the knife in deeper. “I can think of nothing I’d like more.”

Maybe you shouldn’t understand that, but you do. You don’t like getting killed by the King. You don’t like getting crushed by the rock-trap or carved open by a Sadness, but you don’t think you’d mind getting killed by Loop. Loop knows you. They’d know what it meant. It wouldn’t feel any different than dying by your own hand.

“Loop,” you breathe, as they lean in closer.

“Stardust~~?”

“Are we gonna kiss?”

Loop jerks back like they’ve been burned.

“What is wrong with you???” They give you a revolted glare before flitting to their feet and brushing themself off, still shuddering. “Stars above, you are such a little narcissist!!”

“Like you’re one to talk,” you snort, reaching up to pluck the last few leaves still lodged in the miasma of their surface.

Loop huffs a bitter laugh. “What do you need me for, anyway? They’re not going to trust a—” Their face tightens. “A total stranger. Not everyone’s as stupid as you, teehee!”

“But you’re better at explaining.”

“That’s why?” Loop tries and fails to hold back a startled little giggle. “There’s not even anything to explain!! ‘We’re stuck in a time loop.’ There, I wrote the whole script for you.”

“But you’re…” You don’t know how to say it. What did Isa say, again? “You’re… part of this? You’re here, too.”

Loop turns away. “Haha. Well. I guess I am.”

* * *

When you stagger back to your Tree, you’re both worse for the wear. Your surface is cracked and pockmarked, void-fluid and starlight seeping through the seams. Your stardust, of course, is leaking much more conventional blood. It’s drying in the corners of his mouth, in the creases of his eyes. You can see it dripping from a deep gash in their forehead. (You don’t feel sorry. You don’t.)

The Fighter takes one look and does a ridiculous, cartoonish double-take. “W-Woah!!! What the crab happened to you guys??”

“Just a friendly conversation,” you say sunnily.

To your surprise, your stardust nods. “That’s right.”

You can read the rest of ch 11 here: ao3.org/works/53412649/chapters/138439021 Or start from the beginning here: ao3.org/works/53412649/chapters/135189547