#so today I’ve just been working on making sure everything I intend to give people is gathered together

[whimsyprinx]

gonna use some of my tax money this year to finally send out some of the gifts I’d been collecting for people

[kitashousewife]

your company christmas party is just as boring as you thought it would be. old christmas music, bland food, a very uneventful gift exchange, and now for the worst part.

small talk.

you’ve been staring at the ice left in the bottom of your plastic cup for what feels like an hour, while some of your co-workers drone on about different work related topics. they held the party after work, so you’re still in business casual when really all you want right now is to be in some sweats on the couch.

“man, this party sucks,” kuroo pulls up a folding chair next to you, slapping the brand new desk name tag he got during the gift exchange next to your cup.

“why didn’t you help plan it?” your question comes out more desperate than you had intended, hoping maybe next year he’ll take this on to save everyone from boredom.

“i wasn’t asked,” he takes a sip of watered-down lemonade. “why didn’t you?”

“didn’t have the time,” you sigh. kuroo nods, understanding far too well. the two of you have worked together for a few months now, more recently on a report that was presented earlier today. he’s definitely become your favorite co worker.

for a lot of reasons.

“did you try the cake?” kuroo points to the food table, but you shake your head.

“everything i’ve tasted tonight has been so bad, i’m scared to try anything else.”

kuroo snorts. you give him a smile, and a silence washes over the two of you for a few moments. your co workers conversation at the table has picked up, louder and more involved than before.

“hey,” kuroo whispers, leaning close to your ear. “think we can sneak out of here without getting caught?”

you think for a second. your boss was adamant that everyone stay tonight, and you just know if anyone sees the two of you leave together that people will talk.

“you go first, i’ll meet you outside. just say you’re headed to the bathroom. i’ll grab my things,” you whisper back, and kuroo smiles. he clears his throat, stands up, and heads for the door. you give him a few minutes before making your own exit, only getting stopped once on the way.

“good, i thought you bailed on me,” kuroo smirks from outside the office door, back against the street light. he’s swinging his keys on his finger, clearly excited to leave.

“of course not. just had to wait for my chance to slip out.”

“well, i’m starving. that food was disgusting, and i need a drink. care to join?”

the warmth of your cheeks is a stark contrast to the frozen night air. you’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this moment, wishing it would come.

“yeah, i would. you lead the way,” you smile, but kuroo shakes his head. he slides off his pea coat before handing it to you.

“put this on first,” he grins when you’re finally engulfed in the wool, gesturing his hand down the street.

you feel dizzy, overwhelmed by the scent of his cologne that engulfs you, and the fact that kuroo tetsuro is now grabbing you by the hand to lead you around downtown. once in the restaurant and seated, you finally feel yourself slipping back to reality.

“next year, i’m not going to that shit,” kuroo looks over the menu for a moment before laughing. “do you think they picked the food as a punishment?”

you raise an eyebrow. “the food? what about the music? seriously, what century are we in?”

kuroo smirks. “c’mon, the gift exchange wasn’t bad. what did you get?”

you roll your eyes. “nothing, just something small.”

“tell me!”

you sip your water, shaking your head. “tetsuro, it’s nothing-“

“if it’s nothing, then tell me.” his grin is almost teasing. you sigh, and pull a mug out from your purse, printed with your name.

spelled incorrectly.

“amazing,” he laughs, examining the mug. “what if i told you i got it for you?”

you about spit out your drink. “then next year, i’d watch out. i’ll make sure to get your name.”

he raises an eyebrow. “next year? no, next year you and i are bowing the party and coming straight here,”

your heart skips a beat, but he doesn’t notice.

“sounds like a plan.”

[thewriterthatghostedyou]

The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 1

Ok so it’s been a whileeeeeee since I’ve written anything lol but I’ve been reading more House of the Dragon fanfics and got ✨inspired✨ by @sepherinaspoppies and @evagreen-stories so if this vibes with you check their stuff out! This will be a dark fic though just a warning for y’all.

Guess this was longer than I intended but I wanted all of the introductions and start of the story in one part. Any feedback or comments are appreciated but never expected! I hope you enjoy!

Trigger warnings: none yet but there will be more next chapter

The heat in the kitchens was more unbearable than usual. The air in the room was typically stuffy due to the large stone ovens the Westerosi people used, but you had forced yourself to become accustomed to the heat. It was worth the effort; however, as having a steady job as a woman was near impossible in this day and age.

You craned your neck down to look at the dough you were rolling and silently thanked your mother for forcing you to help in her bakery as a child. You grew to enjoy baking as you grew up, and luckily had many recipes memorized. You needed money and there were worse ways to get it.

Sweat rolled down your temple as you remembered running through the streets of silk in your jogging outfit, eyes darting fearfully around watching the prostitutes lure in new customers as you took in a new and scary world.

“What is it this time?” The head chef, Naerys, walked over to you, eyeing your work curiously.

You gave the older woman a smile as finished rolling out the dough. “It’s called a croissant. If done right it should be flakey on the outside and airy on the inside.”

Naerys nodded thoughtfully and motioned for you to continue.

“Now we need to let it sit for a while before we store it in a cool place.” You tried to pull your hands from the sticky dough and squeezed any remaining part of it off your fingers as you spoke.

“Impressive work as always.” Naerys gave you a motherly smile as she continued. “We should be prepared for tomorrow.”

“Should be?” You arched a brow at that. “I have prepared everything as much as I possibly can unless you want me to throw it all into the oven now.” As much as you enjoyed your job baking tarts and cakes, your bones creaked from carrying in heavy sacks of flour and longed for sleep.

“Now don’t give me that look, love,” Naerys sighed. “You do good work, and meal wise we are well prepared for tomorrow; however, Ursa fell ill today. We need you to attend to the feast.”

You sighed as you knew where she was going with this. Different worlds or not bosses always have the same look when asking you to go above and beyond your job. And of course the maidservant that tended to the royal family fell ill on the day that Princess Rhaenyra returned to the Red Keep.

“It’s not forever,” Naerys rushed to get out. “Just until Ursa is well again. We cannot afford to lose you here.” You and your recipes more likely. You knew that the nobles enjoyed your modern pastries and more than often found yourself making extra batches to fit the demand. “And if you do this we’ll have Alannys bring in the new bags of flour.” Now that was certainly tempting and your hands were already aching from the massive load you brought in today yourself. What harm could bringing a few plates out do?

You fidgeted with the strings of your apron, white flour clinging to the fabric. “Fine.” You begrudgingly gave in. “I’m not sure what exactly to do though. I’ve never tended to the tables, much less a royal one at that.”

Naerys gave a small exhale of relief and smiled at you brightly. “We’ll have someone else carry in the platters, all you need to do is fill their goblets with wine. Most of the time they will hold it out for you to fill.” Naerys grabbed a nearby clean apron and handed it to you while motioning at your dirtied one. “You must change that though and rebraid your hair my dear, you’ll need to look clean and presentable for the royal family.”

“Of course.” You nodded and quickly untied the old apron. “Is there anything else that I need to know? What will happen if the pitcher runs out of wine?” The dirty apron hit the ground with a light thud as you reached for the clean one. It smelled slightly of soap and was sharply pressed. Naerys was not joking about you looking presentable it seemed.

“Ah yes, the eldest prince, Aegon, will no doubt drink heavily.” She hummed, watching as you finished refastening the apron and removed your cap. At first you thought the big white hat that the servants wore was goofy, but now you appreciated how it would hide any loose curls or hairs as you redid your braids. “Once it is empty you can hand it to a nearby footman and he will fetch you another. Now, let me get a look at you.” Naerys eyed you carefully and pulled your cap back over your head. “Good. Now make haste to the dining room love, you must be there before anyone else.”

She smiled at you one more time as she shoved the pitcher into your hands. “Oh!” She exclaimed softly. “I almost forgot. Do not look them in the eyes, you are not to be seen or heard and try not to eavesdrop as hard as that may be. You will do wonderful.” With that the older woman turned and headed towards another cook toiling over a fire, only pausing to pick up your discarded apron.

You nodded your head quickly, perhaps trying to convince yourself of that very thought as you hurried out of the kitchens. You weren’t sure if the events of Fire and Blood will have changed since you were thrown into this tumultuous world, and you prayed to anyone that would listen that it hadn’t. As gruesome as the Dance of the Dragons was, it was better that you knew what was going to happen before it did.

The Red Keep was much larger than the shows and book made it seem and you still found yourself getting lost in the more obscure winding hallways. It was lucky that the royal dining room was near the library. Although you weren’t allowed entry to the room you still enjoyed walking past it and smelling the old books whenever you could. It reminded you of another time, another world. One that you wished you could go back to.

It was odd how one small choice had led to the upheaval of your entire life.

You needed to snap out of those thoughts. You needed to focus on the task at hand. The past was in the past. You watched as the doors that lined the halls grew more and more ornate as you walked the long trek from the kitchens to the part of the castle the royal family inhabited.

The usually quiet halls covered with plush rugs and richly colored tapestries were bustling as other servants ran around, trying to perfect every last detail before the royal family came for dinner.

You picked up on the smells of honey roasted ham and other various dishes that made your mouth water. Although you worked in the kitchens day in and day out, you never had a chance to sample the food you served to others. Usually it didn’t bother you, you would go back to your small hut near the castle entrance where you shared a home with three other servants and made your own meals. But that didn’t stop your stomach from grumbling slightly as you entered the large dining room. When was the last time you had something to eat?

“Ah there you are!” A footman who had a striking resemblance to a weasel came rushing over to you as your eyes darted around the room. There were a few musicians in the back of the room, testing and strumming their instruments softly and chattering about something you could not overhear. In the middle of the room was a large table filled to the brim with food that you had a part in cooking.

“The king is about to arrive. You may stand over there.” The man gently grabbed your arms and led you across the room into a small barely noticeable alcove next to great velvety curtains that framed windows larger than you.

You only nodded dumbly as he rushed away. You didn’t know what to respond with and even if you did you didn’t know how to phrase it. The people in Westeros spoke some type of Old English that you had trouble mimicking and even back home when there were no odd phrases you had trouble conversing with others. Perhaps if you were lucky everyone would think you were dumb and wouldn’t notice you. You knew of Prince Aegon’s habits with other maids and already regretted agreeing to serve the family.

You were snapped back to reality as cheerful chattering grew closer and the Velaryon boys strode into the room with Princess Rhaenyra and her husband Prince Daemon in tow.

“The Red Keep certainly looks different.” You overheard Jace say to Lady Baela.

“It looks more like the Sept of Baelor but greener.” Baela scoffed, earning a small chuckle from her father.

“It is rather garish is it not?” He responded, pulling out a chair near the middle of the table for his wife before seating himself next to her.

The Princess smiled at the sentiment while Jace and Baela sat across from the pair. “It seems like Alicent has had a hand in the decorations.”

It was as if her words had summoned the queen herself, as Alicent entered with her arm intertwined with the King’s keeping him steady as he struggled to shuffle over to his chair.

If this was following the show this would be his last night alive. You felt the hairs on your arms raise as he fell into his seat harshly but smiled at his daughter with a content expression.

“How good it is to see your face my dear.” He huffed out, ignoring his other children seating themselves on his other side. You noticed in particular as the One-eyed Prince started drinking as soon as he sat down.

Perhaps Aegon wouldn’t be the drunkest tonight after all. You walked on the edges of the room trying to remain unseen as the younger Prince raised his cup for more. You slowly obliged his silent request, focusing more on trying not to over fill the cup than the conversation at hand.

With that done, you stepped back silently and noticed that his brother had also finished. If the dinner had just started and the Princes kept up this pace it’d be a long meal.

The minutes passed slowly as you occasionally refilled cups, more on the green side than the blacks.

Everything seemed to have been going well. Both Rhaenyra and Alicent were talking and laughing with the king before he had to be taken to his chambers to rest. And even you smiled as Jace offered to dance with his aunt. Helaena always was your favorite out of the bunch. And she looked happy as the two of them spun around, something she must not have felt often being married to Aegon.

You flinched as you heard someone clearing their throat and remembered why you were there. Your smile fell quickly as your eyes met the younger Prince’s sneer.

“Oh. Sorry.” You whispered out softly, rushing over to his side. Your hands shook slightly as you watched the red wine pour into his cup. Unlike the other times you attended to the Prince, this time you felt his sharp gaze on you as you worked. Perhaps he just thought you were lazy. You didn’t dare look up though. While the older brother was more often than not blackout drunk, the younger prince was known for his short temper that seemed to be set off at anything and everything. You remembered watching as other maids cried from his stern words and begged for reassignment.

“At least someone is enjoying themselves tonight.” He scoffed, talking quietly so only you could hear. “I’m sure for someone of your…” He paused as his eyes roved your body. “…station, that this is quite the spectacle. You small folk are all so easily entertained.”

You felt your face light on fire at his smug smile. Fucking elitist prick. His words made you seethe for some reason. It wasn’t like you haven’t been called worse, working in the food service industry had given you thick skin, but his remark was the reason you preferred to remain in the kitchens unseen. The nobles were all the same, ungrateful and spoiled.

You were about to open your mouth, perhaps for a clap back that would have cost you your head, when someone did you the favor of bringing out a roasted pig and setting it in front of the one-eyed Prince.

You huffed out a laugh as his cheek twitched at the sight which earned you another searing glare.

“Perhaps you are right. Enjoy the pig, my prince, as I know it reminds you of your first dragon. I cooked it myself.” You tried to keep your voice down but apparently Lucerys Velaryon had overheard and released a small laugh.

Perhaps that is what set off Aemond as he stood up quickly and slammed his hand onto the table. You watched as his face morphed from his twisted sneer to something calmer. More collected.

“Final tribute.” He said with a smile as he raised his cup.

You took this moment to step back as he paused. “To the health of my nephews: Jace, Luke, and Joffrey.”

Alicent nervously began picking at her nails as her son spoke and the two Velaryon boys eyed Aemond cautiously. “Each of them handsome, wise…” He paused again and seemed to be debating something that he decided to ignore. “Strong.”

“Aemond.” Alicent hissed, eyes nervously darting across the room.

“Come let us drain our cups to these three,” He gave a shit eating grin to Jace as Aegon waved his cup in the air laughing. “Strong boys.”

“I dare you to say that again.” Jace snapped, stomping towards his uncle.

“Why? ‘‘Twas only a compliment. Do you not think yourselves strong?” As Jace got closer you watched as he punched Aemond across the face which only caused the One-eyed Prince to laugh as he kept hold of his wine. At the same time you heard Aegon slam Lucerys’ head into the table as he tried to get up.

“Jace!” Rhaenyra shouted, standing up quickly. “That’s enough!”

With a scoff, Aemond shoved Jace away from him and swirled his drink with a bored expression. He pretended not to see the two guards holding back the Velaryons. “It seems I’m in need of more wine.” He gave you a cold smile as he sauntered over.

“Perhaps you’ve had enough.” Alicent said, rushing over to her younger son. “You may leave.” She waved you away dismissively and for the first time that night you had not been happier until Aemond grabbed your arm harshly.

“Nonsense we’ve barely started eating mother.” He shoved his cup towards you again and waved it expectantly. “Well?”

You gave a questioning look to the queen who instead of answering turned her son towards her and waved you away. “Why would you say such a thing before these people?”

You didn’t wait to hear anything else, and instead scurried towards the doors as quickly as you could. You knew you shouldn’t look back at the train wreck behind you but part of you couldn’t help it.

As you closed the heavy door behind you, you noticed one violet eye piercing into you, instead of listening to his mother. It was then that you knew that the Prince would not forget your words.

[igotanidea]

Toxic : Dick grayson x reader pt 2

Just FYI: As I mentioned I changed the readers proffesion (forensic scientist and tech expert) and her alias - to Flux (you'll figure it out), but everything else is the same.

I made a life for myself outsider of Gotham. Leaving the past behind hoping it would never come running after me. Since I was always interested in science and criminology (no surprise given my adoptive father’s side job) I became a forensic scientist and technician for the LAPD. I worked hard to become to best in my profession and the one people relied on. What was funny, despite my rather reserved outside and dislike of any office gossip I was also known as the one who gave the best advice. Maybe it was because of my abilities. Oh, and speaking of that other part of me, I tried to give up on them. Being Ghost just did not work out anymore so I made a choice of being ordinary, no-super-enhanced YN. Funny thing was that despite my quitting they developed. After year one I discovered that apart from being an empath I could also draw people’s energy and use it to form some sort of shields and protections. Shit. Is that what you get when you try to bury the past?

But this, this was fine. I was still able to make it work in line with my normal life. I got back in touch with an old friend, Donna Troy aka Wonder Girl, who used to be my best friend back in the titans day. We worked quite well together, her extravert nature filling well enough for my introversion and vice versa. We met from time to time, keeping our friendship afloat. Once she made a mistake of asking me about what happened in Gotham that made me run away and whether this concerned Dick (after all he was her friend too), but I shoved her off, probably a bit harsher than intended. But I knew she understood my motives.

Life was good for a couple of freaking years. And then all Hell broke loose. By some crazy accident I came to the information that our department will be energized by the new detective. Normally I would let this news pass me by without giving any more thought into it, but when I got the notification of the upcoming employee I could not believe my own eyes. We would like to inform you that starting today we will have another detective on board. Please give warm welcome to detective Dick Grayson. Fuck! What the hell was he doing here? Was it some undercover mission for Batman? Surely he did not know I was working here as well. It’s been such a long time and I thought I was over feelings for him. Ha, ha, ha….. Good joke apparently. Thank god I had my lab on the other side of the floor so, luck help me, we would not be seeing each other too often. Knowing myself and knowing Dick, this could got awkward.

Thoughts and memories started bombarding my head up the point where I forgot about “starting today” part of the message and if it wasn’t for some other detectives who saw me sitting and staring at the wall I would just miss this warm welcome. Not that I would complain if it were to happen. But they were reluctant to all my excuses starting from the pettiest one like “I got a lot of work to do” ending on the most unbelievable one’s like “I got an old injury in my leg back and I can’t move.” Damn detectives. They just dragged me out of the office into the conference room.

“What is this? A kindergarten party?” I muttered crossing my arms and trying to stand in the back

“Oh, come on YN, don’t be grumpy. You are going absolutely wild in this solitary lab of yours. Aren’t you at least a bit curious about the new meat?” detective Todd Carson asked me

“Nope. Not even a little.”

“I’ve heard he is hot, you know. You could use some distraction” Amanda, the secretary winked at me.

“Leave the girl be, guys.” Captain Sarah Anders cut them off, as always when situations get a bit more serious. “we are still at work and you know the  HR policy on the matter of relationship between coworkers.”

“Thank you captain” I sighed “can I just go back to the …..?”

“Absolutely not. Despite everything you need to act nice towards our new colleague. Or at least, appropriately. And that requires meeting him”

“Believe me, I already had the pleasure” I mumbled almost inaudibly

“What were you saying?”

“Nothing. Sorry boss.”

“Good. Here he comes apparently.”

Fuck! He did not change a thing. Maybe brazened a little bit but apart from that he still got those messy, soft hair, smart, glistening eyes and straight posture. His energy was buzzing and it did not take my powers to see and fell that. I could not help the slightest blush that came onto my face.

“Changing your mind already, my dear?”” Amanda smirked at me “he is hot, isn’t he?”

I simply stayed silent since I couldn’t really deny and agreeing was not an option. At this moment I wished I could just turn invisible. Oh, wait….. Everyone was so busy with the introduction, captain Anders included that this might as well work out. I took a step back, towards the door to test the waters. No one noticed, so I took another one and then another and another. And just as I was about to cross the threshold Dick’s super-sensing made him turn head in my direction. It was …. Well, I don’t even know how to describe it. The way light froze in his eyes, but his facial expression did not change. The way his pupils dilated as he saw me, showing so many different emotions ranging from disbelief, though surprise, guilt and pain. It was physically hurting me, feeling all the same as he did. It was mere seconds before we both regained our cool attitude. Years of training made our reflexes and adapting abilities better than most people. He got back to greeting his teammates and I fled back to my safe space, my glass cage, controlling my breath and heartbeat in desperate need of something to focus on.   However, I couldn’t stop wondering what will his next move be.

***

He didn’t come to see me. Obviously, I did not come to see him either. Like I mentioned my lab was on the other side of the floor so most likely he got too invested in whatever case was assigned to him to take any sightseeing tour. Was this a relief? Yes. Really. But for how long?

***

He broke three days later. I was sitting in front of the files and samples with headphones off but I still heard the knocking and instantly knew. Everyone else just busted through the door.

“Come in, detective” I sighed turning around.

“Are you hiding from me?” he cut straight to the chase

“Is that even possible? Given all you can do? All your trained skills?”

“YN….” He sighed and plumped down onto the chair next to me

“Sorry.“ I mumbled looking down “been a while. How you’ve been?” I tried acting cool, keeping all my questions at bay. Are you just passing by? Are you on a mission? Are still with…

“Small talk, YN?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just trying to be warm and welcoming, but might as well go big right ahead. Why are you here?”

“I quit.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I quit being Robin.”

“What happened?”

“I was becoming too much like Bruce. And I never wanted that. So I….”

“run away?” I asked eyeing him carefully

“yes.”

“Seems like we have something in common.”

“You had different motives for that.”

“I guess. But the results turned out to be the same.” I hesitated before speaking again “are you going to stay?”

“I left almost right after you. ” He spoke at the same time and it made us both go silent

“Um…. Do you need any help with your cases?” I swiftly changed the subject but it was already awkward.

“I might, if you are willing to give me a hand. Everyone speaks so highly of you.”

“It’s just the job, Dick. I try to do my best.”

“You always did.”

“Apparently not good enough in some matters.” I just couldn’t stop my bitterness and reminiscence of the past from getting out.

“I’m sorry.” He said after a while

“I know. The past is in the past.” I was terrible liar and he knew that “how can I help you? With work of course?”

 

***

It’s been a couple of weeks during which we worked together a couple of times. It was strange at first but soon this tension between us just went off and we were able to work without any inhibitions. It was clear to see he has changed. Definitely trying his best to not be like Bruce and move past all the aggression and pain he was raised with. So yeah, we were back to being friends or at least working it out this way. That was until a very special and very scared girl showed up at the precinct.

“YLN, there’s a call for you.” My solitary work was interrupted by fellow detective named Anderson

“Is it urgent?” I frowned, not used to being summoned this way.

“Apparently. Otherwise no one would dare interrupting you.”

“Who’s in need?”

“Grayson.”

“I’m not even surprised.” I sighed “I’ll pick it here if you don’t mind” I motioned him towards the door and he was quick to get out “What’s up Grayson?”

“YN, I might need a bit of your help in the interrogation room.”

“Interrogation room? I think you are mistaking my roles in this office, Dick. Unless….” I cleared one’s throat “who’s help are you seeking exactly?”

“I think you already know.”

“No.”

“YN….”

“No, Dick. We’ve talked about this. I gave up that part of me.”

“Did you?” he mocked

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Look YN, I’ve got a kid…..”

“Well then congratulations daddy” I could almost feel his blood boil at this word.

“Stop it! She’s scared. There’s something …. Different about her. I’ve never seen her before and she knew about the circus and the accident and all the history….. YN, I really need your help here.”

“What’s her name” I sighed standing up and getting ready to get to the second floor where the girl was.

“Rachel.”

“I’m on my way. But I don’t like it, Dick. At all.”

 

***

“Rachel?” I walked through the door where black-dressed teenager was sitting

“Are you Dick’s friend?” she looked at me with eyes filled with terror

“That’s the word he used?” I smirked “I guess you can say something like that. He mentioned some…. things about you…..”

“There’s something inside me….” She shook in fear

“Ok. We can work that out” I felt so much pain and struggle coming from inside “I’ll help you. We will help you.”

“How?” she looked me straight in the eyes “I don’t think you can do this.”

I sighed. Rachel was clearly something more than human. More like…. Me. But how do I explain to her the range of my abilities without compromising my work here. Been there, done that. Once you start again it’s like an addiction creeping inside your mind and craving more. Damn you, Grayson! You couldn’t just leave me be.

“Give me your hand, will you?” I put my palm forward but she was hesitant to grab it “don’t worry, you won’t hurt me. I know how to protect myself, ok? You have to trust me on this.”

The girl just nodded and gently touched my hand. None of us expected what happened later. Sudden splurge of invisible energy made us both gasp in pain. It was only a couple of seconds but I felt everything that was inside her coming at me and drowning me in. I immediately put an internal force field to save myself from being consumed but damn it was harder than everything I ever dealt with before. I could also sense she saw something about me.

“What just happened?” her eyes was wide with fear

“What did you see?” I panted breaking the contact “how much?”

“A couple years in the past. You and Dick and how you used your powers…..”

“Please keep it to yourself, will you?”

“Sure. What did you see?”

“I felt. What’s inside you is bigger than we can deal with ourselves. I will help you, Rachel, I promise. Just…. Stay here for a while, ok? I’ll get Dick and we will figure the rest out.”

“Please don’t leave me here” she sobbed

“Rachel, hey, don’t crack. What we are dealing with is not normal, but in case you didn’t notice neither am I. We will work it out.”

“Promise?”

“Pinky promise” I smirked “that’s still a thing, right?”

“Yes” finally the faintest of smiles showed on her face.

“Good. I thought I was getting out of touch with teenage slang. Wait here, I will put a force field on, all right. No one will hurt you.” I turned towards the door

“YN?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

I just nodded without a word. Now, I had a problem. And by saying I, I meant Dick had a problem as well.  

to be continued

@somest1 @pinksirensong @deadpoolgirl23 @bearly-koalafied @vanessa-boo @shadowmarvelartist

[journeysfable]

Interesting stuff that Pearl said in her stream today

Lore talk starts at around 00:55:20, ends, comes back at around 03:6

Feel like it’s interesting to note that she starts talking about this after saying that the shiny golden goose looks like Pix’s dodo. But I’m likely reading too far into it.

Summary

-Hermit Pearl doesn’t remember Empires Season 1 -Said just “Yes” to someone in Chat saying “’Until we meet again’ but Saint Pearla’ doesn’t remember” -Empires Pearl was not a god during Season 1 -Pearl might not write a book of her lore or anything because she likes seeing peoples interpretations of things so feel free to ignore all this and make shit up lol -Pearl intended for her season 1 ending to not be the ending of her season 1 character. -Pearl doesn’t know if she’s gonna be doing Double Life stuff during this crossover

Transcripts of what she said because Twitch clips are weird and I think it’s good for people to hear it from Pearl herself instead of having it just be filtered and shortened from me Note: I have an audio processing disorder. It picks up on noises well but I struggle to sort them into words sometimes

“So just to kinda give you a little bit of insight if you don’t know about that season, what’s happenin’ with this attire right here, is I’ve come through the portal, alright? So I’m attached to Season 1, ok? I’m a Hermit that’s gone through the portal into the Empires world and I’m wearing the clothes of my Empires Season 1 character. In lore, to give you guys a little bit of insight, my character does not remember, my character does not remember Empires Season 1, my character is Hermit Pearl, ok? So it* doesn’t know what all this is about.”

*I think she said “it” but I don’t think it’s ok to assume that those are actually her characters pronouns unless Pearl says so. She probably said “it” because her character is not a real person. (I’m not even entirely sure she said “it” but it really doesn’t sound like she said “she” or “he”)

“‘But Santa Perla doesn’t remember’ yes laughs yes”

“Ok yes so there was a question about like was I a god in Season 1. Answer is: No. That’s the short answer, no. Umm, what Sausage has done is... This is very much lore description thing here. What Sausage has done this season, uh, and how he linked up Afterlife and Empires is, um, I was in Heaven, Sausage came to me from Afterlife, and uh, that heaven was the castle from Season 8 in Hermitcraft. If anybody recognized it. And I was up there, and he died in Afterlife and came up and met me in the castle, and that’s how that all came about. And then Oli also included me in that segue from Afterlife to Empires, too. So that’s where that came from. But uh, in Oli’s- in Oli’s perspective I kicked him off the cloud down into the world laughs. By the way, that wasn’t the case, he’s just making it up. So that’s why Oli has a bit of a distaste towards Santa Perla and why Sausage likes Santa Perla. For me my character is just normal old me laughs. But technically it has been canonized that I am a saint. And apparently, um, there’s-there‘s a couple of interesting references that are on this season of Empires as well.”

“The story was being created before I myself was creating it. And I’m very happy about that. I definitely wish I had more time to refine that story but, um, everyone like, really liked it by the end of it, and now it’s like ‘well I could technically bring it back. Technically. I-loo- does anyone kn- anyone who watched the first season, did anyone notice how I titled the last episode?  Just wondering. Because I titled that episode with future intentions in mind... That wasn’t a- that wasn’t just a ‘ohh everything has ended oh dear’ that was intended. Uh, and it actually worked out perfectly that Lizzie wrote ou- read out in the book. Something about the golden age rising. Kinda like that. That wasn’t intended. Um, it just fit in perfectly.”

“I don’t 100% know if I’m gonna take in Double Life stuff”

[jungle321jungle]

A Royal Pain: Two

A public competition between brothers for the throne was quite literally the last thing Janus and Logan wanted to do in their lives. After years and years of doing everything in their power to reach this point, there should've been a reward—something other than crushed hopes. But what to do now? Resign to that fact? No, if they were being forced to play this game, then they’d rig it in their favor—or in their illegitimate younger brother's.

Read on Ao3 - Masterlist - All Chapters

Two: A Meeting of the Minds

“Find Virgil?” Logan repeated in disbelief. “Do you realize how difficult and dangerous that could be?”

Janus didn’t reply. Instead, he touched his face as he thought (an action which often made Logan wonder if Janus had even heard him at all). “If he left his will with the High Priestess rather than with our mothers, there’s a chance she might know where he ended up. Then, we can scoop him up, toss around the excuse that we want to fulfill Father’s final wishes, and then mold him into a fitting ruler.”

“Are you even considering the risks?” Logan pressed. “My Mother-”

“Would kill him and you. I know. But if we do this right, there’s a chance we can pull this off. We’ve got a few months until the festival starts. That’s plenty of time to find him and prepare for contingencies.”

Logan paused, taking in what he could see of Janus’ expression in the darkness. It was almost as if the glint in his eyes was illuminating the rest of him—it was clear he’d already made his decision. So it seemed all Logan could do was damage control. “Not a word to anyone,” Logan sighed in defeat. “Not even the twins.”

“Got it. And we’ll need to find an excuse to meet with the High Priestess.”

“You know there’s a chance she won’t know anything, right?”

“Of course I do.”

“I’m just making sure. For now, let’s lay low,” Logan suggested, standing and giving a stretch. “Keep our heads down and play nice. See what information falls into our laps if we pay attention. Then and only then, we talk to the High Priestess.”

“You want to gain leverage against her first?”

“Unless you already have something in your back pocket?”

“Not on her, unfortunately. But it seems we have a starting point?”

“A starting point,” Logan agreed. “We should get back. Work begins early.”

“Yes, yes. Night Lo.”

“Good night, Janus.”

~~~~

It hadn’t felt like he had slept long before he had been roused awake, but today, of all days, he couldn’t opt to stay in bed longer. He was quick to bathe and dress, which proved to be a good decision as Mother entered his room as she pleased. She said nothing at first, scanning the room as if she hadn’t seen it before, and then she took in him seated with his breakfast. “You should be reading documents in preparation,” she said finally. 

“I had intended to eat quickly and be the first to arrive at the meeting so I could catch up there.”

A hum came in reply as she sat across from him, a sign that she was pleased. 

“Tea?”

“I’ll pass. I’ve already eaten.”

They lapsed into silence for a moment or two while Logan simply ate, but it seemed she wanted a conversation after all as she gave a dismissive wave to the servants, who then made themselves scarce. “Yesterday, you only listened. Tell me, what do you truly think about the conditions of your Father’s will?”

He could have given many answers, but he chose the one that would cause the fewest ripples. “After the shock of it wore off, I realized it’s a perfect reflection of Father’s character.”

“That’s true,” she sighed. ‘He always wanted the option that would make the most people happy. When we were children, I’d always tell him that he’d be a failure of a ruler if he operated that way. But I suppose he did well enough... when given adequate help, of course.”

It was when she made statements like this that his parents' relationship confused Logan the most. Their marriage had only been to appease others, and the same could be said for Logan’s very existence. But the two had known each other since early childhood, so one would think they’d be at least friends- but ‘a tolerable husband’ was the fondest Mother ever got when she came to the man she married. Did she even care that he was gone? Logan couldn’t be sure. But he also knew better than to ask. “Do you have any ideas as to what these coming challenges will be?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a single guess. They could be regarding your Father’s morals, general leadership, or something entirely different. And given the sealed letters the High Priestess showed us, we can’t press her for information either.”

“Perhaps there are clues in Father’s office?”

“I don’t think so. I was combing through it yesterday.” She worked fast, as always. “But there’s one section of the office I am yet to check. I’ll do that today.”

The conversation continued in pointless circles until they reached the meeting room. But before they could go in, Mother reached up to briefly fuss with his hair. “You're truly grown up now, aren’t you?” she commented. “You used to be so small, hiding behind my dress.”

Logan paused for only half a moment before taking in the presence of a couple of nobles who had already arrived. And then pushed her hand away lightly. “You make it sound as if I was shy.”

“You were for a short while. Perhaps you were too young to remember.”

Logan resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he entered the conference room. The room itself was nothing special. A long table was to be filled with the nobles who made up the cabinet and the three opposing factions. But there was one thing different than usual, and Mother quickly zeroed in on it. “Why is there another table by your father’s seat?”

“I had his chair replaced with a table for two for Janus and me,” Logan explained. “You saw how everyone looked at the meeting before the funeral and how they urged us to sit there and start trouble before the meeting even began.”

“I can’t say I approve,” Mother started, moving away from Logan towards her usual seat. “But I understand wanting to skip the pettiness so we can get to business.”

Logan quickly caught up with her and pulled out the seat for her, expecting more words to follow. Thankfully, if she had any other complaints, she didn’t voice them, which allowed Logan the space to greet the few who had already arrived. 

When the meeting was about to start, Logan was unsurprised to find two key people were missing. But with all eyes on him and unasked questions about the different seating arrangements filling the air, he chose to start. “Welcome everyone. I’m sure my elder brother will be here soon enough, but we can start without him. Ultimately, this meeting will determine how work will flow moving forward, as my Father’s duties must be taken care of… Yesterday, The High Priestess revealed that the church holds the will. And upon reading it to us, it was determined,” Logan sighed slightly, already picturing the chaos that would ensue. Maybe he should’ve waited for Janus. His brother was better at dealing with this sort of stuff. “It was determined that no heir to the throne would be named at this time.”

For a moment, the room was silent. Dead silent. Then, it erupted all at once. 

“What!?” 

“This can't be true!”

“That doesn’t make sense!”

“Then it should go to the firstborn!”

“He’s not even here right now!”

“How is one to be chosen then?”

“Maybe if you’d shut up, he’d tell us.”

The chaos continued for a few more moments; truthfully, Logan was too tired to try and stop it. Instead, he just scanned their faces and reactions, mentally noting who was a part of which faction and how that faction broadly responded. Janus’ faction seemed quite happy; his own were touting his achievements, and the neutral party seemed more annoyed than anything. Overall, it was nothing unexpected. He was more than willing to let it go on until the conversations naturally died out. However, Mother wasn’t as she opened and then snapped her fan shut in a way that made it echo far louder than it should be able to (after years of this, Logan still wasn’t quite sure she got the sound that loud, but she always did it without fail. Was it magic? She would certainly waste mana to be more dramatic). 

When the silence quickly fell following the Second Empress’s action, Logan continued. “The wording was as follows: ‘My children shall compete in different challenges to determine who is best fit to become the next leader of our empire.’ As such, starting at the beginning of this coming founding festival, The High Priestess will open a sealed letter the late emperor left behind detailing some sort of challenge to be completed.”

“Were any details on the challenges given?” One count asked.

“Nothing. Just that it will last a year.”

“A year with an open throne?” Duke Ackroyd started. “And what are we to do in that time? That’s painting a target on our backs.”

“We share that concern, Father,” Mother agreed. “The only thing we can do at this point is let both princes fill in the role, and hopefully, that prospect is enough to dissuade our enemies.”

“ Hope? That’s not concrete! We need a ruler to show we are not falling apart at the seams! If not the princes, a reagent then!”

“They’re too old for reagents,” Duchess Regis disagreed. 

“An empty throne for over a year? Such a thing is unprecedented! A reagent will help smooth over the transition.”

“And I assume you’ll install yourself in that position?” She asked in an innocent tone before it quickly turned harsher. “Putting someone else on the throne directly conflicts with the Emperor’s wishes.”

A pause coated the room as the heads of the Second Prince’s and the Neutral factions squared off. Logan’s gaze darted to his aide off the side of the room, but unsurprisingly, Remus didn’t seem to be paying any attention and thus wouldn’t hold his aunt back. And, unfortunately, Roman was likely wherever Janus and his mother were. He’d have to do this himself. 

“The Church intends to publicize the will,” Logan said quickly before tensions could rise further. “Anything we do opposing it will be known far and wide. And that will only make us look worse in the eyes of the foreign courts.”

“At the very least, this will tell us who we can and cannot trust,” Mother said (thankfully stopping Grandfather from going further). 

“For now, we must continue to run this nation as if nothing has changed,” Duchess Regis said, scanning the room. “But to do that, we’ll need both princes, won’t we? Where is your brother?”

Logan could only shake his head in reply, “I am not his keeper.”

“It shouldn’t be a surprise,” a countess commented. “The First Empress is always late. She likely dragged him into whatever it is.”

Others gave murmurs in agreement, and Logan stood, not wanting to deal with any of it. “Though it’s been a short amount of time, a lot was said. Let us take a short break to let that sink in while I personally go find-” Logan’s attempt at escape was cut off by the doors slamming open to reveal Janus (and a tired and disheveled-looking Roman). Janus gave a nod to everyone with a seemingly unaffected expression, but Logan knew his brother well enough to know he was pissed. 

“Now he comes!” Someone complained, and others were quick to toss in their jeers. 

Janus gave the room a bright smile as he joined Logan as the head of the table, but he said nothing until they both took their seats. “Apologies, it seems someone wasn’t so happy about the little competition for the throne. As such, I was a bit preoccupied with the presence of assassins in my study this morning. So do forgive me for being late. I felt it would be a better choice to wash off the blood first.”

Any confidence that the nobles had a moment ago was instantly gone. 

“Her Majesty is interrogating the ones left alive?” Logan guessed, scanning his brother for any injury. 

Thankfully, Janus seemed fine. Actually, he seemed more annoyed than anything. “Yes, she promised to be thorough in doing so.”

“S-surely, this couldn’t be about the competition for the throne,” A Marquis of Logan’s faction started. “This was just learned before you arrived.”

“My mother was quite... vocal in her complaints yesterday. And I’m not naive enough to think that the loyalty of absolutely everyone in this palace lies with my family.” He ended the statement with a false chuckle as he leaned back in his seat, commanding all their attention with little effort. And then he kept going, with little subtlety in his words. But as he spoke, Logan just silently marveled as he watched Janus do what he was best at. And what he consistently failed to do. It was sort of ridiculous; Logan could do the work required of him, and he had been doing so for many years. When they were young, he had even started attending these meetings before Janus because he could understand the complex topics and their even more complex answers. Logan’s mind could manage the work. But he couldn’t manage the minds who worked for him. So, how on earth could he even attempt to make a grab for the throne? It should be Janus’, but he didn’t want it. And if he didn't, surely there was someone who was a better fit than the both of them. Logan could only hope Virgil was just that. 

Janus stretched his arms, the motion drawing Logan past the doubts and back to the forefront of his mind in time for the meeting to truly begin- because Janus had commanded it to be so. With just a simple: “Well then?”

~~~~

All Chapters

[dirtwatchman]

PARTIES: Caleb (@dirtwatchman) and Erin (@corpse-a-diem) TIME: Last week of September, after the goo hit WHERE: Erin's house SUMMARY:  Caleb finds Erin after work and the two of them start checking in with each other. Both are holding back secrets from each other with one of those secrets standing right in front of them. WARNINGS: Eludes to domestic abuse at times, parental death, lots of feels

He’d seen him a few times around the funeral home now. Ever since Mr. Nichol’s death, the man would show up in that ethereal form on occasion as if he was checking in on Caleb to make sure he was doing okay. It was comforting and heartbreaking all at the same time to know that even in death the one person he’d always looked up to was thinking of him. Jack never spoke to him, only appeared for a minute or two before leaving him once again and going off to do whatever ghosts did, something that had always remained a mystery to the zombie.

That night it was hitting Caleb harder than usual though. He’d gone over to the funeral home for a routine check on the sinks down in the basement when he’d spotted Jack hovering around Erin. It took a beat for him to divert his eyes so that Erin didn’t think he was staring at her but seeing him around her again sent a pang of hurt through him he hadn’t been expecting. If he was missing Jack this much, she had to be hurting so much more.

It was all he could think about as he did his checks that night. Of course, he’d checked in on Erin a few times but it had been a little while since he’d asked how she was doing with everything going on with the cemetery and he was feeling like he’d let her down somehow. When he got done with his check, Caleb made sure to search for her, eventually finding the woman outside on the front steps leading to the home. 

“Hey.” He took a seat next to her, the tool box clanging against the concrete as he set it down harder than he’d intended, the numbness in his hands not doing him any favors. The sound made him wince, a grimace on his face as he turned to look at Erin. But soon Caleb was chuckling at himself, knowing his newfound clumsiness was never going away again. “Sorry, I just wanted to check in on you and see how things were going and here I go waking up the dead.”

The night was winding down into a simple silence, a calm after the storm kind of deal. Erin was thankful for the reprieve. The day had been especially busy–death never took a day off, but in Wicked’s Rest, somedays it was like he’d put up shop there right beside them. Her father was better at this. Maybe it was the grace that he’d perfected after decades of navigating this field, in this town, but he made it look easier than she ever could. But her mother was a huge help, as was Caleb, and even to an extent, her dad was a help when he’d pop in. His visits were never expected and neither of them truly knew how long they’d last. She was hoping for a visit today, if she was being honest. It made her wonder if she was leaning too much on his impromptu support. It was more than most people ever got after a loved one passed and she was finding herself becoming weirdly… comfortable with the situation, if that was possible. And that worried her. 

A cool breeze settled over her skin as the sun faded in the distance, temporarily quiet, until familiar footsteps loomed closer. Another welcome visitor. The clang of the toolbox startled her and with a chuckle, she sat up straighter. The warmth in her face froze at his offhand comment. ‘Waking up the dead’. Would have earned him a solid laugh not long ago. It hit different now. But she shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully, scooting over to give him room. “I’ve had a long enough day with the living, don’t subject me to more people to please today,” she quipped with a wry grin. Her eyes glanced back towards the dark town, then back to Caleb. Thank god for Caleb. “Are you still working?” She asked, eyeing the toolbox beside him. “I would’ve thought you were done for the day. I’m beginning to think you sleep less than I do.”

“That’s the thing about the dead, though, they don’t take much.” If he knew anything about the ghosts that roamed around this place it was that they didn’t bother him much. He’d seen his fair share since dying himself, another undead being that wasn’t hard to please, and they’d never once asked him for anything. Most of them just roamed the cemetery looking lost before they disappeared but maybe that was because of his own lifeless heart. As he gazed over at Erin, though, all of the other playful words he had sitting on the tip of his tongue died out. Caleb could have been reading too much into it but she looked tired, worrisome, like she was downplaying how long the day had truly been for her. “You want to talk about it?”

Her question had his head swiveling towards the toolbox and he waved it off as if he hadn’t been working on the preventative stuff all day. He didn’t need the sleep, his body went on without it, just like it went on without the heartbeat that most needed. “Found a problem with one of the sinks earlier but it’s been fixed. I had to go to the hardware store though and ran into an old friend so it held me up.” No, he hadn’t been distracted by a client while he was out, not at all. He’d rather forget about that anyway. Just like he wanted to forget about the fact that he didn’t need sleep anymore. That was the beautiful thing about talking to Erin, his life as a zombie didn’t come into play that often. Caleb could sit and pretend that they were back in the days before he had died a gruesome death, before Jack had passed. Most of the time he spent with Erin was spent in blissful ignorance and he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Don’t they? Erin wanted to bite back. Bits of her childhood and a few chunks of her sanity seemed to have been taken without asking. They needed quite a bit from a young girl who didn’t know any better, if she recalled correctly. She rubbed a hand over her mouth, almost like she was wiping away the words before they slipped out of her in anger. Caleb had been with her family long enough to know that surely something had been not quite ‘right’ with the only Nichols’ child but she had hoped her father had never fully diverged too many details to him. Caleb had been a comforting calm ever since her father had brought him into their lives. “Nah,” she shook her head. “Just one of those days, you know?” Her eyes peered back over the lights twinkling over the town. She always liked that the home stood on a small hill. Even from her room she could watch over the town as it lived and breathed beyond her walls. “It’s been a lot lately, though, hasn’t it? More than usual? More than usual for Wicked’s Rest, anyway. We’ve been… busy.”

She brought her coffee cup to her lips, sucking down the last few cold drops. “Mmm, right. The leaky one. Right? God that thing’s been dripping for days now. Like one of those slow, background drips you don’t realize is driving you mad until you’re already angry and you don’t know why.” She paused, smirking, and gave a nonchalant shrug. “Don’t worry about it. Take your time fixing it. I obviously didn’t notice at all.”

She wasn’t wrong about the influx of the dead and yet Caleb wanted to say it hadn’t been enough. Not enough for him to get what he needed. That was partially his own fault…well, entirely his fault, but at the same time he wished he had more access to the basement when he needed it. Sure, he could come up with excuses all day long but eventually Erin would notice him spending an ungodly amount of time in there to ‘fix’ everything. Not to mention her needing to work down there as well. “I feel like it has something to do with those crystals popping up around the place. People act weird when they’re near them.” Or turn into weird creatures. “But no, you’re right. There’s been a lot lately. With um…” He paused, not really wanting to say what he was about to say. “With Jack gone, do you need me around here more often? I know I’ve been spending most of my time at the cemetery.”

He couldn’t help the smile that appeared at her words but the look he sent Erin was tinged with disbelief. She’d known the sink was leaking for a couple of days now? “You know that’s what I’m here for, right? To call when you need something fixed?” Caleb shook his head at her, still baffled as to why she wouldn’t have told him about the sink sooner. It probably had something to do with the growing amount of funerals around here. “Next time let me know. Wouldn’t want you getting angry and taking it out on some poor unsuspecting armchair or something…wait, what do people take their anger out on? Armchair doesn’t seem right.” He was the rare one who took his anger out on unsuspecting humans…or was that rare around here?

Erin’s brow furrowed at the mention of the crystals. For the most part, she’d avoided them entirely somehow, but it was hard to miss the impact they’d made on the town. When she had said things had been worse than they’d ever been, she hadn’t only meant deaths. Behaviors of even the most mild townsfolk had become erratic. It was no wonder she was exhausted as she was at the end of each day. “You haven’t gone near any of them, have you?” She cast a sudden worried look his way. “I don’t know much but I know enough to stay away. Every time someone tells me about them, they’re just… off. Not quite like they were before.” She gestured towards the town with her empty cup of coffee, wishing suddenly there was something harder inside. “Plus with this… sludge-goo-whatever erupting all over the place…” she shook her head again. This town was becoming a downright hazard. 

She quirked an eyebrow up at him, a teasing lilt to her voice. “So excuse me for forgetting about a leaky sink in the middle of this place falling apart,” she laughed dryly, fumbling with the cup in her hand again. That was when she felt it. Her skin prickling and an internal pull. Her eyes bounced up in front of them. Jack Nichols smiled at the two from the porch like a proud father watching his kids. Not now, dad, she thought nervously, all too aware of Caleb’s presence. 

“The only time I go near them is when landscaping needs to be done around them but I haven’t touched one. There’ve been people that have and they’re…like you said, they’re not right afterwards.” Caleb wouldn’t mention the weirdest parts of those interactions, the ones who basically became different people or didn’t remember where they were. There was no need to alarm Erin further. There was too much going on already. It was funny though. Caleb felt like half of his time was spent trying to shelter her from the harsh realities of this place, of him, while the other half he was doing everything he could to keep her and the other people he cared for around Wicked’s Rest safe. 

“Right, the goo. How could I forget? I guess we’re fortunate that it hasn’t hit Deersprings yet.” And hopefully it wouldn’t. His gaze went to the town as she gestured towards it and Caleb couldn’t help but wonder how a place so pretty from afar could be so ugly through and through. As the thought hit him, Jack suddenly appeared in front of them, the zombie doing his best to show no indication that anything had changed. “Not trying to fuss.” Caleb raised his hands in mock surrender, his eyes locking with the ghost’s before he turned his head to look at Erin again. “Just trying to make sure you’re taken care of. I feel like I owe you guys that much at least.” More. He for sure owed this family everything he could give. 

With the appearance of her father and his current thought process, Caleb deliberately sighed. It was a good way to let her know that a heavy question was coming but also a nice reminder to himself to breathe while in her presence. “How have you been, by the way? I haven’t asked in a while.”

Wicked’s Rest had never been a normal town. Even with Erin’s own personal issues, she’d seen that much. She knew the town had a high death rate growing up but it was their normal. Nothing to be questioned. And she never did. Not really. Now more than ever though it was hard to ignore just how strange this place could be compared to other towns she’d lived in briefly. And what was even worse–how little was being done about it. Was this just their fate? Was this scary strangeness their new normal? Sometimes she thought about packing her and her mother up and taking the business to another town, somewhere safe from mysterious goo and cursed crystals. And maybe she still would. But this was her home and she wasn’t sure her mental state could handle the intricacies of a move like that. So for now it was Wicked’s Rest, and this front porch step, and Caleb. Part of her was more than fine with that. 

“Let’s hope not. We’ve got enough on our plates,” she murmured, her eyes flitting back and forth from the view of the town and her father. When she was sure Caleb wasn’t paying attention, she shirked her head back, trying to signal to the dead man to get out. 

“I’m just trying to–” her dad started, looking at the both of them, suddenly closer than he was before. 

Erin cleared her throat to interrupt him, then tossed on a quick but sincere smile, forcing her attention back to Caleb. “No, I know. And you know I appreciate it. Honestly I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t around.” She wrinkled her nose, shaking her head. “You don’t owe us anything. You’re family, Caleb. You know that right?”

She stilled at the question, staring at her silent but definitely dead dad watching them from just a little down the yard now. “I’m dealing. As much as we all can be. I’m worried about mom mostly. She misses him, we all do. He left big shoes to fill.” She turned her head towards Caleb, resting it in her palm as she watched him carefully, remembering how close him and her father had been. When she’d said they were family, she meant it. It was hard to remember a time when Caleb wasn’t a part of her life at this point. “How are you?”

Jack’s voice cut through like a knife. He’d seen his ghost around plenty of times but the zombie had yet to have a conversation with him, something that Caleb wasn’t even sure he could do. In the five years since he’d been dead he’d heard them speak only a handful of times. With the pang of despair that came with hearing him again, he was almost glad he hadn’t heard him speak before, almost wished he hadn’t heard him this time. Caleb closed his eyes as soon as Jack had spoken, glad that Erin cut him off enough to get him to stop talking. It was hard enough talking to her about him without the man trying to interject knowing full well that she couldn’t hear her dad. It wasn’t fair to her. 

“Probably spend a lot more money on plumbing.” Caleb tried to hide the smirk he had formed, but it was futile, the zombie looking up at Erin again as it spread. The smile turned more genuine with her next words though and he looked down at the step in front of them as a spark of hope burned in his chest. He’d been working for this family for so long that he knew it was logical to feel like they thought of him as such but it wasn’t something he dared hope for. There had been a lot of families that had shunned him or worse throughout his childhood and he couldn’t bear the heartbreak of it happening with the Nichols’ clan. As good as it was to hear her say that he would never truly allow himself to believe it. “That’s what family does, right? Take care of each other? So let me take care of you guys.”

Big shoes was an understatement and he worried about her trying to take on the whole business like this while dealing with the grief of losing a parent. Tack on worrying about her mom and Erin had to be tapped these days. Another reason for Caleb to take on what he could around here. “I’m sure she does. I couldn’t imagine being in either of your shoes right now.” 

The question turning on him shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise but the shock mostly came with not knowing what to say. What could he say? ‘Oh you know, working on becoming a murderer all while trying to navigate a life without your dad, I’m doing great.’ Yea, that would have gone over well. Instead Caleb offered up a meager shrug, not wanting her to worry about him when she had enough going on. “Just taking it a day at a time, I guess. At least we have goo to distract us.”

Erin didn’t want to look at her dad. She didn’t want to hear what he had to say or watch the way he looked at them with a profound sadness in his eyes that made her heart ache. Gone but not. Out of reach but lingering. There were some days she wished she could just… grieve like other people. Maybe then she’d have a chance to move on. Her mother could move on. Even Caleb in some way. She chuckled, shaking her head briefly before letting her head rest against his larger form, something she’d done dozens of times before. “Probably. My bill would be insane.” Fall was in full swing and the weather wasn’t as warm as it had been but– “Are you cold? Do you want to go inside?” She asked, noting the iciness in his skin and she sat up straight again.

Her eyes flickered back to her father one more time, widening them, like a warning. Get out. This wasn’t a moment for him to observe. There were some moments Erin didn’t want a ghost skulking about, family or otherwise. Some moments deserved to be hers alone. Jack seemed to get the hint though. It looked like he had something he wanted to say, to the both of them, but he held his tongue. Just nodded, turned, and disappeared into the horizon. He’d talk to them eventually, if they didn’t figure it out themselves what he knew was obvious. They could both see him. But the denial ran deep in this family. He wasn’t feeling so positive about that possibility. 

Erin wrapped her arms around her legs, glancing over at him. Studying his features as best as he could for what he wasn’t saying. Caleb was good for that. “Yeah. Guess that’s all we can do, huh? But you know if you needed to talk, like for real—I’m here. Don’t ever forget that, okay? Even just to whine or cry or whatever you need. I’m very good at listening.” She paused briefly, glancing one more time to the spot where her father had vanished into thin air. And maybe, just maybe, if there was something her father could part with to help Caleb with his own grief, maybe she could help there too.

 As soon as her head landed on him, Caleb felt his body tense. He’d been careful around most, tried his best to not allow skin to skin contact since he’d died, but it was hard when it came to the people he absolutely did not want to push away. All he could do was hope Erin didn’t notice anything off until she confirmed that she had. “No, not really. Are you cold?” It took everything in him to keep a straight face, allowing his eyebrows to knit together as if he were confused by her question. He’d never really been great at lying but these days he had to try at least. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was sure that most people knew he was keeping secrets but until anyone wanted to confront him directly he wasn’t going to let on about them anymore than he already had.

Again, he turned his head to look forward so Erin didn’t see anything that resembled as such. But spotting Jack again seemed worse. The ghost looked disappointed? It suddenly struck Caleb that maybe the worry that Jack had for Erin had nothing to do with his own death but everything to do with Caleb’s. How stupid could he be? Of course Erin’s dad didn’t want someone who didn’t have a heartbeat hanging around his daughter no matter who it was. Even with how close Caleb was to her there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t end up hurting her one day. Of course, it was all starting to make sense. The ghost didn’t even have to say it before he turned and left them, almost as if he knew the zombie had gotten the hint.

He probably should have left. Should have gotten in his truck and drove until he left the town in his rearview to never be seen again. But then Erin started saying the nicest, most reassuring things, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it. If he left now he’d always be left to wonder if she had lived a happy life or if she was safe and that worry wasn’t something he wanted to carry with him for however long he walked the earth. Caleb kept looking straight ahead, not wanting her to see the prick of tears that had started to form, and nodded his head to show her that he understood. “I know you are. You always have been.” 

Then why couldn’t he open up? It had been this way since he’d met her. At first it had been because she was a little younger than him, still a tween when he’d come into their lives, and he didn’t want her to know the horrors that some people had to face. Then it turned into not wanting to burden her by putting his own problems in her hands. Erin knew a little bit about his home life growing up but he’d never seen any reason to reveal the whole truth when he had her dad to talk to about it all. But now, now that Jack was gone and Caleb needed someone more than ever, the secrets were just too much. Being dead wasn’t something you just blurted out to anyone much less the fact that he was stealing brains from her clients. So, he swallowed it down like always, allowing time for the tears to fade out of his eyes before he gave her a faint smile. “And you know the same goes for you. I’ll always be here if you need to talk about anything.”

As long as Erin had known Caleb, he’d always been a private person. Quiet. Always kind. Not much about those two traits had changed, especially the appreciation she had for that inherent kindness. The silent part could get a little annoying. Like now. She had known him long enough to recognize that there was something going on but she also knew when to leave well enough alone. If he didn’t want to talk, there was no one who could get Caleb to speak. She shrugged, glancing at his arm again. “I mean, a little but–” How was he not cold? He was lying to make her feel better again, wasn’t he? He did that a lot. Inconvenienced himself for her sake. That was the only time his kindness was annoying too. “We can go in if you want. You don’t have to be a strong, tough guy in the face of weather. I won’t judge you. Promise.” She teased, though her tone was a little more serious with those last few words. She would never. Not Caleb. Not about anything.

Even with Caleb’s acknowledgement, he remained quiet, and she felt another string of disappointment tug inside of her. It was hard to talk. She got that. They both preferred to listen. To not have to divulge what was brewing on the inside. It was easier that way, until it wasn’t. But that was later’s problem.

The porch door creaked open behind them and the last member of the Nichols’ family stepped out, a warm smile on Diane’s face. “Oh–Caleb! I was just coming to grab Erin. Join us for dinner? I made my famous homemade chili…” She tilted her head like a warning, pointing at him. “And before you try to say no, I have a fresh bottle of that hot sauce you love so dang much.” Her mother glanced at her, finger jutting in her direction this time. “And no, you are not going to catch up on work. You need to eat. Both of you.”

Erin smiled softly up at her mom, then to Caleb, and something gripped at her chest like a vice. She’d just shooed off the missing piece to this picture, though it wasn’t a complete unit unless everyone could see her father too. It wasn’t the same. It never would be. This was what things would look like from now on. Though from her viewpoint, it wasn’t half bad at all. “Alright, alright,” she laughed out, pushing past the hard block pushing against her chest. She didn’t stand yet but prodded Caleb gently with an elbow. “You heard the lady. Doesn’t sound like we have a choice here.”

‘I won’t judge you. Promise.’ She wouldn’t, would she? Erin had never once judged his way of life or who he was. She’d never been like the people at school or at home who would nit pick at every decision he’d ever made. Never turned her nose up at anything he’d liked like so many had before. She’d done nothing but be that one constant in his life that he’d so desperately needed, just like her father…the whole Nichol’s family, really. All of them had treated him like their own, giving him that love that he’d been deprived of for far too long. Didn’t Caleb owe her the chance to decide whether she wanted to continue having him around? Owe her the trust that she had never broken before? 

He was staring at her after those words, not matching her humor at all. For the first time in five years he wanted so desperately to tell someone what he’d become and let them decide the course of their relationship from there because Erin deserved that much at least. He opened his mouth, the words poised on his tongue, until her mother’s voice cut through his thoughts and Caleb looked behind them to see her smiling face, a smile that in turn lit up his own features despite the disappointment filling him. When would he ever get the courage again?

God, he loved Diane. The woman knew them both so well, Caleb laughing softly as she chastised both of them in the middle of inviting him to dinner. How could he say no to the offer…or, well, demand? “You know I can’t say no to your chili, Diane. Who could?” He pointedly looked at Erin when he said that, nudging her back just the same. He stood and started to walk back toward the house with her but decided to take one last glance at the city, spotting the familiar outline of their missing family member as he faded back in with a smile.

[chellyfishing]

happy september in a few minutes after a long dry spell i read four books in three days so i’m gonna talk about them

the first one was i’m glad my mom died by jennette mccurdy, which i’ve been on the waitlist for for literal months. out of the people who intend to read this book i am probably the last to do it so you’ve heard it all before. it is in fact an amazing and important work. it is compulsively readable but, paradoxically, a difficult read. trigger warnings for basically everything, especially disordered eating because she goes into a lot of detail about that, but if you can handle it you should read it. i hope that this will reshape how we look at child stars, ideally with more protections in place for them. i know they have mandated school time but why not like mandated therapy time?? wild to me honestly.

i picked up a door in the dark by scott reintgen on a whim and despite having arguably the highest body count i think it might have been the lightest read lmao. it’s about a young woman from a working class family who attends a very prestigious magic school as sort of a scholarship student. the society is very stratified by class, with the wealthy wielding immense power and privilege while indulging in ridiculous excess at the expense of the lower classes. (hard to picture, i know, but it is fantasy.) the review i read that made me decide it was worth picking up was a three star whose only complaint aside from a slow beginning was that the main character was unlikable, and i thought, ah well i’ve dealt with most of my internalized misogyny so i should be good. and the story, as it turns out, deals heavily with themes of the destructive nature of vengeance, so it makes sense that she’s not “likable,” because we’re not supposed to think she’s making good life choices. she fucks up pretty badly in fact, and it’s clear from her narration that she’s driven by her own ambitions and agenda above all. i don’t know if i would use the word “likable” for her, no, but she is a character with believable motivations who behaves in ways that are consistent with them. anyway it was a good read, especially for it just being one i saw and went “sure, why not.”

today i was very very tired and didn’t have a chance to try to get stuck into anything till much later than normal so i thought i’d make a reasonable target of something short and read they were here before us by eric larocca. you’ve lost a lot of blood was the last book i read last year and i really liked it so i’ve been looking forward to reading more of his stuff. this one is a novella “in pieces,” aka kind of more like a collection of thematically connected very short stories that you’re left to draw your own meaning and conclusions from. it’s at times rather violent with some disturbing imagery (including some that involves various animals and in one case a small child). i kind of don’t know how else to explain this book without giving you a synopsis of each of its “pieces.” it’s very short so if you like larocca or are intrigued by anything about it you might as well read it. larocca is just a really good writer, like the actual craft itself is very solid. i’ve been trying to get in the habit of highlighting passages in books that hit or that i just like but i didn’t bother highlighting anything in this because i just wanted to highlight the whole thing.

anyway i ended up reading a second very short book later on so, so much for picking a short novella on purpose. after they came by tom kavanagh is a book about paranoid schizophrenia (which i believe the author also has). it doesn’t outright state that in the synopsis but you may gather that fact from it anyway, and if you don’t it’s stated pretty early on that our main character is dealing with this. she somewhat accidentally goes off her meds and as a result spirals pretty badly into some really terrifying places. umm this book was kind of hard to read in places, especially because there’s a bit that takes place in an inpatient facility. reading about a mental health relapse, even one related to an illness i don’t have, can be difficult in general, honestly. but, you can tell that this story meant a lot to the author and i really wanted to hear him tell it. plus there is a lovely sweet dog who never did anything wrong in her life. also, aside from the above, trigger warning for animal death (NOT the dog—i could have not clarified and left the implication hanging as a joke but i won’t do that to you).

all four of these were really good and if any of them sounds like you might enjoy i recommend it.

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

Hi, Ralph. I haven't been on Tumblr for a while, but I’ve come to you for advice before and hoped you might be able to help. I am at university and there are a lot of protests to have our school stop giving money to the genocide and I try to go as much as possible. But, since I can't take noise, after protests I can't do any of my work as I recover. So I am not sure what to do, since I feel strongly that I should protest, but also need some energy for work so I don't flunk my exams. (1/3)

But this has led me to question my choices in general- I know for certain that it is important to try to do what is right. And I don’t know with the same certainty that my coursework or job work are actually meaningful all the time, but I know I need to do them for my own future and present life. In the choices I make, I feel more pressured to choose the work capitalism forces on me instead of moral obligations, which doesn’t seem right. Then I’m just letting the system work as intended (2/3)

I feel like I shouldn’t skip a class to protest even though that seems ridiculous to me. I think I’ve internalized so deeply what I’ve been taught to prioritize that it feels moral too. Besides protesting I try to do small things, like take care of my friends who lead our school’s palestinian solidarity movement, or sign petitions, and I’ve been engaged in collective organizing before, but I’ve never felt it as urgently and constantly as I do now and I just don’t know how to find balance (3/3)

********

Sending you so much love anon - your desire

Before I answer the questions you actually asked - I am going to respond to your message over all. I hope I'm not overstepping - but what radiates from this message, almost as much as your concern and solidarity, is anxiety. You seem very steeped in a way of understanding the world that there is a right thing to do and you must find it. I think your anxiety is probably not helping you at the moment. The more you can understand the fact that you are driven to find a single right answer as the problem - rather than the fact that you haven't found that single right answer the easier navigating the world will be.

I'm not suggesting that it's easy to move away from anxiety driven black and white thinking - it absolutely isn't - it's a life long process. But if you can seek out support, whether that's therapy, or from your friends, or anywhere else.

What this reads like as an ever tightening knot - where your feeling that you must do everything right is tightening both ends. In life I have skipped a lot of work (broadly defined) for protests and a lot of protests for work. I hope you can find a place where both feel OK.

**********

There's a phrase that I see sometimes on historical protests and on tweets - 'All Out'. It's intended to convey an imperative. There are times of imperative - right now feels like a time of imperative on a scale of 15 February 2003.

I think there are two questions - the first is can you go to protests this week? And it's OK if the answer is no. If so that's about the way the world and protests are inaccessible - not a problem with you. And also life continues to happen - there will never be a day where everyone can make a demonstration - for big reasons and small some people will not be there. If you cannot be there, know that there are people who can.

Then if you think you can go - how can you make this protest cost less to you personally. At today's protest I met someone who didn't feel able to march, because her anxiety was bad. So they had gone to the end of the march, which was a big open space and they could stay at the end if they needed you. What matters is that you are there - and there are lots of ways to make that easier.

If a protest is outdoors you've got a much better chance of standing far enough away from the main group. What's the longest time you could be in that environment and still be able to study? Is there a way you can time it so you go for the quietest bit. Speeches tend to be quieter than chanting - if you know the people and there are going to be organising can they tell you the agenda and find out when it'd be quietest. Can you wear ear muffs of noise cancelling headphones? You know far better than me what will work for you in the sort of protests that you are going to. I say this not because I think you need ideas - but because I feel like you might need permission. That you might feel like the only option is to do everything - and I'm encouraging you to know that everything you do matters. Turning up to a demonstration for ten minutes makes a difference and is better than not turning up at all.

Sending you huge love and know that you are the best decision maker in your own life - and whatever you decide will be the right decision.

[0bsessi0n44]

But it’s okay. I have to restart I have to shut down I have to move on I can’t focus on another relationship when I’m already in one it’s not fair to either person it’s not fair to myself it’s not fair that I allowed people to assume I wanted something when I didn’t it’s not fair that we’re in this position it wasn’t supposed to happen the door wasn’t supposed to get unsealed but it happened and there’s nothing I can do to change what’s already happened but I can’t keep promising things and falling back and not being 100% truthful

Truthfully i want to restart. I want to restart because even though my relationship wasn’t perfect it was ours. And we always figured stuff out. I want to restart because part of me knew I shouldn’t have cared whether she got upset or not at me for flirting and retracting. I knew I shouldn’t have betrayed the one person who loved me so much they went through everything for us to give us a better life.

Truthfully I don’t regret a single action I have made. I’ve forgiven myself because I wouldn’t be who I am today. Knowing everything I learned and implementing that and wanting better everything - life, mentality, communication, etc it’s so powerful. It’s an awakening. I never intended on playing with anyone’s emotions or hurting them, I didn’t even want to cheat in the beginning but for some reason I cared about what she thought I cared about how I was portrayed.

I don’t regret falling for another woman. I don’t regret being honest about anything I don’t regret opening the door I don’t regret flirting back.

And then it was the cycles.

Break up make up break up make up fight

That’s what led me to believe this wasn’t supposed to happen to start off with

But that’s when I knew it was supposed to happen.

That’s when I knew I had to break out the routine. That’s when I knew I had to do what I needed to do.

I don’t regret loving another woman, if anything loving her has been one of my greatest accomplishments. She got me out of the box, out of routine. She had me change my way of thinking. She had me change so much internally it made me want to change externally. Change how I expressed my actions changed how I expressed my communication. Changed how I liked things, opened me up to new things. I wouldn’t be the person I am without her.

We both wanted for us to have a real chance.

I couldn’t give her that because we are both still in a relationship and I couldn’t not let it get as far as it did.

I did see myself proposing to her and boy did that have me fucked up because how can I propose to someone when we’re both still married

Delusional

I have to put my love on pause for her, I have to do it for me too. I have to detach. I want it to be right and it was never right no matter how much we fought for it to be.

I wanted to be alone moving out here to discover so much about myself and I’m checking the boxes, slowly but surely. I don’t want a relationship, I don’t want friends, I’m here to work and go home and explore the east coast.

But moving here, I had to sabotage everything. I had to sabotage everything because I am tired of hurting her, both of them. I’m tired of making promises in the best moments just to get out my head and fuck it up. I’m tired of disappointing them.

So I had to leave. And I left. And I don’t want to come back.

[diving-deeply]

Deeper Question- The simple rule

Today I’ve been just having thought after thought after thought. Now say what you want, believe what you want, I respect all, and your views as an individual. Now to give some background. I was just pissed today, no reason in general, just everything going on in life. Happens to us all right? Well for me I use meditation/breath work to unwind and just be back in the present. After this I don’t know what it was but there was one thought that really stuck with me. Why does major religions and teachings say to love each other no matter what? Now to go further onto this thought, the thing that really tripped me up was that this is one of the main teachings in almost all major religions. That said, why are so many people defensive and ready to bash someone for thinking a different way, even though it’s said right there that you aren’t supposed to? Adding to this thought I started looking deeper and thinking deeper. I know it may not seem like an important question what’s so ever, however I just could not shake this thought, or thoughts no matter how hard I tried. Back on track the reason I believe is because religion is a man made thing. Now I know I may loose a lot of people with that. However I’m not saying God, Gods, or these prophets aren’t real. More so what I’m saying is that the religion, and the places of teaching are the man made things. Religion has been around for centuries, way before us and will be way after us. However if you can just step outside that comfort zone for one second let’s look at the bigger, and realistic view of religion. I grew up Christian, so this will be the example I use, but no matter what religion you are, or may have experienced I’m sure you can find your own examples. Anyways what I know and understand about Christianity is that it was being adapted the most, and followed after Christ came about and started traveling, ultimately dying on the cross for are sins, right? Now I’m not saying any of that is fake. However let’s look now who made the teaching. The main people to make the teaching or more so spread this teaching were the Catholics. Now think about the scandals the Catholics have been involved with, even to this day. Also I’m not spreading any hate to that way of teaching, because no matter how you look at it all ways of teaching have their own agendas and how they best suite the way of teaching. Now the thing is some people take the Bible literally. However there were books cut and add to the Bible as biblical canon or not, for example they use to have the book of Enoch in the Bible, then cut it out. However if you know what the Dead Sea Scrolls are, they are like original scripture or very very old scrolls that were found talking about scripture. Interesting enough the books of Enoch were among these scrolls. Now if the book of Enoch was actual scripture or not can be debated. What I’m saying is that the Bible and teachings of Christianity have branched out, and been rewritten so many times it makes me wonder is this how God intended it to be? Back on track now, I totally understand in having faith in God and in the teachings. However I do not worship the same way that the churches and people say to. The reason is because the Bible was not written by God or Christ himself. It was written if I’m right, by the disciples. Now yes if I was all the way back then and was like 50 years from the death of Christ I’d believe it more. However it’s been thousands of years, and we know that people that are in power, or want to be in power will do what they need to. Now another very common thing in history is divide, control, and conquer. What if this is what religion is now a days, just a way to divide the people? With the population divided we then can’t come together and actually see what’s happening right in front of us, nor can we agree long enough to stop what’s happening. This is why I believe the concept of religion is just a man made thing. Not saying this is true, this is just my thought process.

[foxcantswim]

Who Are You? Chapter 3 || F!Reader x Wanda Maximoff

Thank you so much for the love and feedback, you lot are making me blush- (Keep smashing and destroying everything, I encourage you)

Y/N is in love with Wanda... But Wanda is in love with Spider Noir. The thing is, Y/N and Spider Noir are the same person - But Wanda doesn't know that. Y/N has a secret identity to uphold. (Everyone lives AU - Set after DS:MoM)

F!Spider!Avenger!Reader x Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

CHAPTER 4

Words: 2.8k

Tags/Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Chaotic Yelena Belova, Wanda is a pouty witchy, SIGNATURE WANDA HEAD-TILT

"That all you got, witchy?" you teased her, "I can take a hit, you know?"

You and Wanda had been 'fighting' on a field behind the compound. Despite Wanda telling you that she wouldn't hold back, you could tell that she definitely was.

Wanda's eyes glowed a bright red as she flashed a smirk, "We're just getting started," she winked before ascending upwards. A shiver ran up your spine at her response, you barely even realised that she was currently throwing a bolt of red magic towards you.

The two of you were testing reflexes today, it was obvious that you would most likely have the better reflexes due to spider sense. But, Wanda still wanted to put that up to the test. She wanted to make sure that you would be one hundred percent ready for anything that happened to come your way out on each and every mission.

As time went on, you were getting a lot better at reacting to her moves and attacks. The pair of you were making jokes and quips here and there, Wanda soon let out a laugh which effectively distracted you. You just couldn't stop yourself from staring, completely in awe. You let out a groan as you took the full force of her magic, "Damn, Wands..." you let out a laugh but quickly keeled over in pain.

Wanda's panic started to rise, "No no no no-" she muttered as she descended down towards you, "I'm sorry, I-"

"Relax, little witch," you gave her a thumbs up as you stood, "I told you not to hold back. I'm fine, see?" you raised your arms slightly as you turned around in a circle, "Not a scratch," you physically ached all over, but you knew that your advanced healing abilities would soon kick in.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Wanda nodded, "Okay... I just... I'm trying to stop myself from hurting people. After what happened..." she trailed off.

"I understand," you assured as you placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm not gonna blame you for 'hurting me' when I've asked you to train. We can stop if you'd like? Pick this up some other time?"

"If you don't mind," she looked away from you.

You dared to move your hand from her shoulder to her cheek to turn her gaze back towards you, "All good, witchy. We'll do this again same time next week if you're up for it by then?"

Gulping, Wanda nodded slightly. She wished that it was actually your hand against her cheek instead of the material of the suit you wore, "I'll let you know. Thank you." She also wished that she could look into your real eyes at this moment.

You couldn't stop yourself from rubbing her cheek slightly with your thumb, the suit you wore managed to give you the extra confidence to do things like this here and there. It wasn't the first time you and Wanda had been alone together in a quiet moment like this.

"Ready to go back in?" you asked, "We could-"

"Are you ever going to tell me who you are?" Wanda suddenly cut you off, sounding just a little desperate.

In response, you quickly dropped your hand and took a step back, "I..." you turned your head, trying your best to focus on anything but her, "M-Maybe? I don't-" You had actually intended to tell the Avengers who you were a couple weeks ago... The only thing holding you back was Wanda.

Wanda had quickly become one of your closest friends within the Avengers and you really didn't want to lose that. You didn't want to lose the potential chance of actually being with Wanda in the future... That was what you were working towards in the first place. Your feelings for Wanda had grown a lot more quickly than you had expected. What if she hated who you were underneath the mask? What if she realised how weak and vulnerable you were without the suit? Your fears were too great to ignore.

"You don't trust me?" Wanda's voice was quiet, but you could hear the slight anger lacing her words - her glowing red eyes locked onto the ground. A pout found its way onto her face.

"It's got nothing to do with trust, Wanda!" you tried to reassure her, "I'm just..."

She looked up at you with a sad expression, her eyes still red, "You won't ever tell me, will you?" she did that signature head-tilt... the one you knew she did when she was indeed angry.

"I never said that," you sighed, "I just need time, Wanda. Please?" You were still working on trying to become friends with Wanda as your civilian self, it was proving to be quite a challenge.

"Sure, Noir," she grumbled before turning towards the compound, "I'll catch you later, okay?" she said, your heart clenched at the sight of her frown as she walked away.

"Wanda..." you sighed, the woman didn't turn around at your words. An irritated sigh escaped you as you whispered to yourself, "Nice going, Y/N..." you scolded yourself.

"I see you've finished up quickly?"

"Yeah," you smiled, "Tony didn't give me as much paperwork as usual today. I'm starting to think he likes me," your smile turned into a smirk.

Natasha had checked in on you from time to time when Clint wasn't available, it was nice to have a fresh face to talk to. Even a couple of the other Avengers had popped in to say hi here and there. You were glad the Avengers were starting to welcome you more as you had recently decided that it might be best to actually get to know everyone else and not just Wanda... Anything to get your mind off that woman.

Walking by you to grab a drink from the fridge, Natasha smiled back, "I knew Tony would go soft on you. You're our head tech girl after all."

"H-Head?" you stuttered, almost choking on your drink.

"Tony didn't tell you? Him and Steve decided to make you the manager of everything tech-related here. Which also means a higher pay," she winked at you before slamming the fridge door shut.

"Wow..." you whispered, "I will try my best not to let you guys down."

"You've done great so far, don't be too hard on yourself," she nudged your shoulder, "We've known about so many more threats because of you. So don't worry."

"Thanks," you said, a slight blush on your cheeks.

"No prob-"

"KATE BISHOP!" a very angry sounding voice could be heard from the hall.

"Great..." you heard Natasha sigh before she quickly downed her drink in one, "They're here way too early for my liking," a frown appeared on her face.

You raised an eyebrow, "If you don't mind me asking. Who?"

"Yelena. My sister. And Kate. Her... Friend? I don't really know where those two stand," she replied. She couldn't stop the smile from appearing as her sister showed her face from around the corner.

"You have a sister?" you muttered as a blonde woman walked in.

"Yelena," Natasha sighed before bringing her sister into a hug, "Why are you and Kate fighting? Again?"

Yelena simply groaned as she pulled away, "She is so infuriating! She thought it would be best if I was her test subject for some of those 'trick arrows' Barton gave her."

You couldn't help but laugh, you had seen what some of those trick arrows could do out on the field.

"And who do we have here?" the blonde approached.

"Leave her alone," Natasha warned.

Yelena rolled her eyes, "I'm simply interested!"

"Er... Y-Y/N, Miss... Romanoff?" you gulped as she eyed you up and down.

"Yelena Belova," she corrected, "And please. What is with the 'Miss'?" she gripped your hand tight before shaking it, she soon pulled you into an unexpected hug, "Pleasure to meet you."

Well... Getting to know everyone else was going surprisingly well.

Her teeth clenched hard. Her eyes were glowing red.

Wanda had been sitting at a table on the far side of the break room watching everyone around her. The thought of you not revealing your identity was sending her into a spiral. Deep down she knew that it wasn't a trust issue... But there was still a nagging feeling in the back of her head saying otherwise.

She would be lying if she said she hadn't tried to read your mind every time you trained together. But it was proving to be extremely difficult, and Wanda was unsure as to why.

"KATE BISHOP!"

An angry voice made her look towards the doorway on the other side of the room, a blonde woman soon came rushing in.

Ah. Yelena. Wanda had met her once before.

She watched as you were crushed by the blonde in a hug with Natasha laughing nearby. Wanda had spoken to you countless times about tech-related stuff, things that she didn't really understand. But she was learning. She had also praised you for helping the Avengers by alerting them regarding certain threats across the city. You were becoming a good asset to the tech team, that's for sure.

"Everything okay over here, wi-?" Witchy. You cleared your throat, quickly stopping yourself from spitting out the nickname, "Miss Maximoff?"

Wanda was too busy deep in her thoughts to even notice you approach, she shook her head before looking at you, "O-Oh? Er... Yes. And for the last time. Call me-"

"Wanda," you rolled your eyes with a smirk. You decided not to comment on her eyes once they finally returned to their normal color.

She simply smiled in response, "I'm sorry if I missed anything, I was just deep in thought. Did you need anything?"

"No, nothing at all. Just checking up on you."

"You wanted to get away from Belova, didn't you?"

Groaning, you replied, "Being in the middle of those two arguing is intense."

"Mm..." Wanda hummed in agreement, "You get used to her rather quickly. The Bishop girl, too."

You were about to say your goodbyes, but you quickly remembered, "Oh, actually. There was something I wanted to tell you. I-I managed to get you on a patrol route with Noir. Tomorrow, 11pm sharp."

"A Saturday night? Well that's not going to be a walk in the park," she bit her lip, her smile seemed to widen, "Thank you, Y/N. This means a lot."

You cleared your throat before quickly turning your head away, wanting to hide your reddened cheeks upon hearing Wanda's soft voice, "Y-Yep! No problem! I-I hope the patrol goes well for the both of you."

Wanda raised an eyebrow at your sudden reaction.

She was going to question you, but you quickly excused yourself.

"Y/N!" Yelena exclaimed, her arms shot straight up in the air, "I missed you!"

"I was gone for less than five minutes, what-?"

"Nonsense! It felt like an eternity!" she pulled you into yet another hug.

You couldn't help but laugh at how Yelena acted.

Natasha laughed slightly, "You're so weird."

Yelena gasped as she pulled away from you, "How dare you..." she glared at her sister.

You were starting to wonder how these two managed to function in a house together when they were younger.

Getting home after work was always easy. All you had to was tap the metallic wrist band and bam: Spider suit. Swinging back home would always be the most efficient and effective way.

You stepped into your office, closing the door behind you. This had become a daily routine for you. Make sure there was no one outside the window and...

You tapped your wrist and quickly opened the window. The coast was clear. You launched yourself out of the window and swung up onto the high roof of the compound. The sun was setting, you took a deep breath of fresh air in as you watched the bright sky slowly turn darker.

"What are you doing here?"

A voice caused you to jump, you almost fell off the roof in the process.

"I-I, what- Huh?" you questioned, trying to compose yourself in the process.

"I said... What are you doing here?" Wanda.

You cleared your throat, "I... I was just admiring the sunset."

"Hmm. It's just, you're not usually here at this time," she said, slight suspicion in her voice.

You needed to make up a lie as to why you were here. You couldn't have her figuring out that someone who worked at the compound was Noir.

That was when your brain dinged, "I wanted to come over and apologise to you!" you quickly blurted out.

"Apologise?" Wanda asked, confusion across her face.

To be honest, you did want to apologise anyways. So now was a better time than any.

"Yeah," you sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the roof. Wanda cautiously joined you. You took a deep breath before continuing on, "I wanted to say sorry for what happened earlier. I know you want to know who I am, and I'm sorry that I can't tell you. Not yet at least."

"Noir..." Wanda sighed, shaking her head, "You have nothing to apologise for."

"It's not that I don't trust you. Hell, you're probably the person I trust most here."

Wanda felt her heart leap at that confession.

"Then what's holding you back?" she wondered, hurt still laced her words.

"It's a couple things, really. First off, it makes me feel so much safer. Having no one know who are you are gives you so much freedom. I'm not ready to give that up, yet."

"Another thing?" Wanda pushed.

You scratched the back of your neck, "W-Well... I'm... Scared."

"Of what?" she asked, she was clearly worried about why.

"There's this voice in the back of my head that keeps on telling me that nobody will like who I am under the mask. I'm afraid to face the disappointment."

That was when Wanda reached over and grabbed your hands, "You know that I wouldn't judge you, right? I would accept you as I do now. Nothing would change."

You could feel your cheeks heat up at the close contact, "I... I don't know," you admitted in full honesty. You soon felt tears within your eyes, "I've finally found people who accept me. I can't lose everyone here. I can't lose you, Wanda. You're the closest person to me."

Wanda frowned at the noise of your slight sob, "I will be here when you're ready, Noir. You have my word. I can assure you I will like you, whoever you are under that mask," her hands caressed her fabric covering yours, she then quickly added, "W-We all will like you. I promise."

"What if I'm never ready?" you turned away with a whisper.

Wanda's heart clenched at the thought of you never revealing who you were. However, she let out a shaky breath and replied, "Then your identity remains a secret indefinitely. And that is your decision."

"But, you wouldn't like that," you muttered. Your brain and your heart were all muddled up with what you should do.

"It doesn't matter what I do or don't like, Noir," she paused, her eyes focusing on your covered hands, "I would like to apologise for acting cold towards you earlier. Deep down, I do respect your decision to keep your identity a secret. Your feelings are what matters in this situation, no one else's."

"Wanda..."

She squeezed your hand gently, "Whatever you decide. I'm with you every step of the way. Okay?"

Without thinking, you lurched forward and wrapped your arms tightly around her, "Thank you, Wanda."

If you hadn't been wearing a mask, you might've actually kissed her then and there. But for now, You were just thankful that Wanda was on your side. A weight had been lifted off your shoulders that night, the thought of revealing who you really are to Wanda was becoming a pleasant one at last.

Perhaps the day you revealed your identity was a lot closer than you originally thought.

I love you all! Old readers, and new!

*Smashes Screen* HAVE A TAG LIST: @screechcat ; @princess-kennys-rats​ ; @lissaaaa145​ ; @maris-astrum​ ; @marvelogic​ ; @moonliqhtszn​ ; @charl-lally​ ; @an-evergreen-rose​ ; @almosttoopizza​ ; @daenerys713​ ; @yenmaximoff​ ; @lezzbehonesturhaught​ 

Hope you all have a lovely day/week~ 

[yandere-daydreams]

Title: Desperate Measures.

Pairing: Yandere!Kaeya/Reader (Genshin Impact).

Word Count: 2.2k.

TW: Kidnapping, Emotional Manipulation, Implied Stalking, and Delusional Mindsets.

Kaeya was a man, distracted.

Distracted. Divided. Not inattentive, but pulled away from his responsibilities by a force he couldn’t name and couldn’t say he cared for, either. He wasn’t a stranger to romantic inclinations — fantasies, sudden flings, slow-burning inclinations that died the moment his attention was called elsewhere. Predictably, the few relationships he allowed himself were short-lived, at best distasterous at worst, but he didn’t have a problem with that. If anything, Kaeya appreciated it. He’d always thought of company as optional, and what little loneliness he was still capable of feeling could be drowned with a generous glass of wine. He wasn’t one to linger. He tried not to overstay his welcome. He’d been sentimental, once, too emotional for his own good, and he’d learned his lesson. He didn’t intend to change.

He didn’t want to change.

And yet, here he was.

Distracted.

He couldn’t think. He couldn’t focus. It was all he could do to look like he might’ve been trying to read the most recent document left on his desk – this one from Jean, a directive for the younger knights or legislation she needed him to review or another vague, important report that he probably would’ve dealt with weeks ago, if he’d been able to concentrate.

He made a half-hearted effort to straighten his back as the door to his office began to open, but Kaeya dropped the act quickly, abandoning it completely by the time he heard the sound of heeled boots against hollow tile, caught a glimpse of a familiar (albeit, rarely used) catalyst, searched for eyes and found the cover of a thin book, instead, your face still buried in your newest novel as you stepped through the threshold, not bothering to knock. It was you. He should’ve known it would be. Who else did he deserve?

You, Lisa’s new assistant. You, the latest addition to the Knights of Favonius. You, his current, infuriating, unshakable fixation.

You, the new recruit who hadn’t paid him so much as a passing glance since your arrival, much to Kaeya’s frustration.

You didn’t look at him. You rarely ever did, but it hurt more than it usually did, today, as you dropped another form onto his desk, letting it replace the greeting you’d forgotten to offer. “Lisa needs you to sign this,” You started, laying out your priorities clearly, a skill Kaeya was beginning to resent. “It’s just next year’s budget. If you don’t want to read it, I think I’ll be able to look the other way.”

He glanced over the rows of numbers, the messy hand-writing, the columns of meaningless gibberish that blended together into a mess of ink and digits, and took your suggestion, scrawling his name across the only blank line. It was a lost cause, especially with you in the room. Especially with your unoccupied hand resting on his desk, your fingertips idly tapping an unsteady rhythm into the wood, and all he could think about was who he’d be willing to kill to feel that hand pressed against his cheek.

He considered asking you, for a moment, giving you an order and hoping you'd absent-mindedly obey. He thought about touching you, or running his fingers through your hair, or pulling you into his lap and mumbling sweet-nothings into your ear until someone else dragged you away.

He thought about a lot of things. Then, he said, “I take it your silence comes at a price?”

“Do I seem that selfish to you?” You were selfish. You had to be selfish. If you weren’t, then surely you would’ve been kind enough to put him out of his misery months ago. “I like helping people. Just remember this when I need a favor from you.”

“I’m sure we could work something more immediate out,” He went on, but you were already starting towards the door, calling the conversation to a close before Kaeya could begin to finish. In the back of his mind, something flared, the urge to catch your wrist, to go after you, to put himself between you and the only exit and refuse to move until you looked at him, but he forced it down, swallowing the temptation before it could eclipse his common sense. He couldn’t be impulsive. He couldn’t make rash decisions. He wasn’t prepared to deal with how difficult that would make things, not now.

Not yet.

“Join me for a drink?” He tried, again, attempting to sound unbothered. Nonchalant, casual, normal. Like he wasn’t itching to burn every book you’d touched. “I know you don’t have anything better to--”

“Another night, Captain.”

And just like that, you were gone, leaving Kaeya’s muttered response to echo through his empty office.

“Of course.”

~

Kaeya was a man, desperate.

Like a starving dog. Like a traveler who hadn’t seen water in thirty days. Like a distraught, distressed, disturbed knight, wandering through a maze of a library, cursing the existence of every shelf that separated him from you. He knew where you'd be. You were a creature of habit, and he’d already had more than enough time to memorize your routine. He’d had enough time to memorize everything about you, as ashamed as he was to admit it. It was a testament to his devotion, to how much time he’d spent trying and failing to win your favor.

It was evidence of how pathetic he’d gotten, over the course of his one-sided pursuit.

You were in your usual spot – tucked into the far corner of the library, perched on the edge of a windowsill, your attention monopolized by the tattered scroll spread across your lap. You were still pouring over it by the time he reached you, slumping against the nearest wall, taking in how brilliantly the muted sunlight looked as it danced across your skin. He didn’t try to hide the way he stared, anymore. He was long past worrying that you’d care enough to notice. Your hair was unkempt, proof that’d you slept in the archives again, if you’d slept at all. Your lips were bleeding, too, the lower one chewed raw and split down the middle, but it might’ve been stranger if they weren’t. It must’ve been a nervous tick, but Kaeya found it cute. Kaeya found it endearing. Kaeya found everything about you endearing, and to the archons, he wanted to see those lips wrapped around his co--

And he hated it. He found everything about you endearing, and he hated it. That was all.

He sighed, the sound airy, exhausted. You didn’t look up, but that was fine. It would’ve only hurt him further if someone as simple as that drew out your concern. “I’m in love with you.”

There was a hum, soft and contemplative. A rather generous response, by your standards. “I’ve noticed.”

“You’re all I think about.” It was an awkward confession, one he’d already used a hundred different times. He didn’t care. He’d use it a hundred more, if he had to. “I’m a wreck. I can barely remember my own name, and some days I can’t even do that. I can’t fight, I can’t eat, I can hardly breathe. Every morning, I wonder what it would be like to wake up to your smile, and every night, I stare at my ceiling and loath myself because I’m not holding you in my arms. For fuck’s sake, just yesterday, I almost kissed Albedo because the chemicals he was working with reminded me of the way your favorite kind of flower smells, and I’m just so fucking desperate, I convinced myself that was the closest I’d ever come to kissing you.”

He was rambling, by the end, panting, yelling, but you only blinked when he was done, once, then twice. Your dull nails bit into the edges of your scroll, but you didn’t seem to mind, nor did you move to roll it up as you finally turned to face him, the confusion written clearly across your expression. “You kissed Albedo?”

“You don’t get it,” He said, and you nodded in agreement. “You don’t fucking get it.”

“I think I do,” You admitted, more earnestly. Your gaze dropped back to the ground, and instantly, Kaeya deflated. “I just… I just don’t think it’d work out, if I’m being honest. I’m still new. I still have to give everyone else a reason to trust me, and I don’t think it’s in my best interest to start a relationship with one of my superiors so early on.” You paused, laughing to yourself, and something in Kaeya’s chest tightened. It was the happiest he’d been since he met you, and he still felt like you’d pushed a sword through his heart and twisted. “But, you don’t really want a relationship, do you? You’re just bored, and you need something to fixate on. I’m the most available option, so...” You trailed off, finishing your sentence with a vague, stilted sweeping gesture. “It’ll be easier for both of us, this way. I like you, Captain, but I don’t like you enough to put myself through that.”

It was all he could do to remember how to open his mouth. Once he did, the words came stumbling out on their own.

“Of course.”

~

Kaeya was a man, determined.

Determined might’ve been the wrong word for it. Too soft, too suggestive, the impression too positive and the meaning too vague. ‘Depraved’ might’ve suited him better, but that was too harsh, too primitive, and he’d like to think he’d been as gentle as anyone could expect him to be, given your stubbornness. He’d tried to be gentle. He’d wanted to be gentle. If he was going to do this to you, he could at least do it gently. You deserved that much, at least.

Or, maybe you didn’t. Maybe you didn’t deserve any of this.

He couldn’t really make up his mind, about that.

“Lisa?”

And he was gentle, more so than he had to be. Sure, you were on the floor, bare stone already beginning to chafe at your skin, but the shackles around your wrists were padded, and he’d given you enough slack to sit down, to ball yourself up, to act like it’d never crossed your mind that he’d resort to something so… easily misinterpreted. The blindfold was, similarly, an act of mercy. You’d panic if you woke up like this, chained to a wall in someone else’s cellar, and Kaeya didn’t want that. You needed time, and he could give you that. He would give you that. Even if it pained him to stay at arm’s length.

“Amber?”

He wanted to touch you. It’d be easy, now, easier than it’d ever been before. You wouldn’t be able to push him away, and even if you tried to, he could always overpower you. Take you by the neck, pin you against the floor, leave you shaking and trembling and begging, pleading with a captor you couldn’t see. He’d find a way to make it up to you, later on. He’d find a way to lie, to smile, to make it better, even if he’d failed to time and time again, out there. But, this would be different. You wouldn’t be able to cling to your excuses, and he’d be able to show you how much he cared, how much he wanted this, how much he loved you. This would be better.

“Kaeya?”

See? You were already coming around.

Your voice was already soft, hesitant, a sliver of a whisper that was constantly on the verge of dying out completely. You were trying not to make noise, trying not to seem as terrified as you really were, but he could hear the way your breath hitched as he took a step forward, your restraints rattling as you curled into yourself. You couldn’t hide from him, but you wanted to. That much was obvious. You didn’t want this.

But, he did. More than you could ever want to run away from it.

He wanted to touch you, but he held himself back. Instead, he only kneeled in front of you, letting himself linger for a moment before he spoke. “I’m here, love.”

“Where are we?” You were afraid, too scared to put the pieces together. Not while you could still hope there was another explanation. Not while you could still deny the apparent. “My head hurts, and I can’t--”

“I know, and I’ll make it up to you.” This time, he let himself reach out, cupping your cheek and chuckling as you tried to shy away. The two of you could work on that, later on. He could live with the guilt if he let himself enjoy it, now. “Just give me a moment, alright? Just a second, then I’ll take care of you.”

You opened your mouth, then you closed it again. Kaeya wondered if you’d be bold enough to refuse if he did try to kiss you, or hold you, or go further than the fleeting touches he’d swore would keep him satisfied, at first, at least. He wondered if he’d care, when you did. “Are… are you going to hurt me?”

He wanted to reassure you. He wanted to promise he’d be patient, that he’d understand if you lashed out, that violence wasn’t an option he was willing to consider, but he couldn’t, like this, could he? He didn’t want to hurt you, but he’d never wanted to kidnap you, either, not until you made it obvious he didn’t have another choice. He didn’t want to stoop so low, he didn’t want you to hate him, but…

But, he was lying again, wasn’t he?

To tell the truth, he couldn’t remember the last time he genuinely cared whether or not you loved him back.

You stifled a scream as his hand dropped to your jaw, his grip tightening as he jerked you forward, just close enough to wrap his arm around your waist, to bury his face in the side of your neck, to get a taste of what you’d deprived him of. It wasn’t enough, he doubted it’d ever be enough, but he had you. He had you, he was close to you, and he had you. That had to be enough, for now.

“We’ll see.”

[pxnk-velvet]

Heyoo.... So Kakashi x Dom reader, they're already in a relationship, she think of something new to do tonight, she just makes him lay down and takes the reigns, but instead of being rough or kinky she surprises him by being very very soft, a lot of care and body worshipping and loving words and actions, she doesn't let him do anything, he just has to lay down, relax and let her baby him and worship him

𝐻𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑦 𝐵𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑑𝑎𝑦 [NSFW!]

.・ ✧。.・゜✧・.・✧・゜・.・ ✧。.・゜✧・.・✧・゜

𝐾𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑖 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑥 𝐹𝑒𝑚!𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟

✧ word count :: 1.7k

✧ summary :: Despite her usual approach to things in bed with Kakashi, Y/n was going to make sure Kakashi felt loved on his birthday one way or another.

✧ warnings :: nsfw!, fluff, established relationship, implied dom reader, oral (m!receiving), body worship, praise, intended for mature readers only! reblogs are appreciated <3

✧ a/n :: this is the first time I’ve written anything spicy in forever and I’m only doing this bc it was our husbands birthday a few weeks ago soooo and ik this is like super late but idc I’m just happy I was finally able to finish a piece ok? Let me live 🖐🏼😤

.・ ✧。.・゜✧・.・✧・゜・.・ ✧。.・゜✧・.・✧・゜

He’s so pretty…

That was the only thing on Y/n’s mind as she stood with Kakashi in her arms. The two of them were standing in front of the mirror that was near the foot of their bed. Simply soaking in each other’s presence and enjoying the company. 

She peered at him from over his shoulder, her chin perched on his shoulder as she admired the godly man in her grasp. 

Her eyes tracing every single curve and dip present on his body. Warmly gazing over every scar, scratch, or imperfection that was embedded onto him. Her hands glazed over his sides and core as they settled near his abdomen. Fingertips pressing into the soft skin that shielded strong muscle underneath. Her lips were gentle against his shoulder blades as she littered kisses across his back.

It was moments of appreciation like this that made Y/n truly wonder how she had managed to find a man like Kakashi. Of course he came with his faults, but everyone does. And she never let that get in the way of her love for. 

“Happy birthday.” She hummed sweetly against his skin, a smile occupying her eyes as for her lips were busy pressed against his skin.

Kakashi returned one, butterflies erupting in Y/n’s stomach when she saw it. 

That. His smile was one of the prettiest things she’d ever encountered in all her years. She did everything in her power to keep it gentle and bright. Even if he wore his mask nearly all day, she can only hope it never dims underneath.

All day her chest had been blossoming with love, seeing Kakashi smile so much today. Receiving gifts from friends and comrades. Yet she knew it wasn't just the gifts themselves but the acknowledgment and appreciation these people had for him. She believed he deserved it all with every fiber of her being. And yet she had no idea how to show him just that. That was until they had made it home.

Now clad in simple house clothes, they had spent the rest of the day enjoying each other. Y/n had cooked Kakashi his favorite meal for dinner and surprised him with a little homemade cake. Emphasizing the little, simply because she knew he wasn’t one for sweets, so it was really just a simple serving for herself that Kakashi insisted he feed to her himself. Only to smear frosting across her face and pull her in for a kiss, claiming that she had a little frosting on her lips. 

Her kisses still tasted sweet with the frosting as Kakashi turned to face her, his back to the mirror. Now pulling her into his arms and draping them around Y/n’s waist, resting his hands against her lower back.

With sparkling eyes, ones Kakashi could get lost in forever, Y/n looked up at him, musing, “I love you,” placing a quick kiss to his lips. Not giving him a chance to respond before she kisses him again, singing another “I love you,” then repeating the process over and over again. Littering kisses all over his face, jaw, and neck. 

Y/n was quick to maneuver Kakashi so he was laying on the edge of the bed, her hips settled suggestively over his. An obviously give away as to what she had instore for the birthday boy.

Y/n’s kisses never seized fire, every single one was light yet held so much passion. Creating a constellation of love across his skin. Sending electricity to both his heart and the deep pit in his stomach. 

The only time her kissing stopped was when she sat up straight, placing her palms against his chest. Fingertips gentle gliding against the light dusting of gray hair. Her lips stretched with a sweet smile, eyes warm as she spoke, “Did you know that I love you?” Her voice was smooth like honey, as it invaded Kakashi’s senses. 

His body felt like it was floating. His cheeks were covered in a warm flush that grew even hotter whenever she moved above him. Even just the slightest drag of her pelvis seemed to cause his senses to go haywire. The way her gaze soaked up every single minuscule reaction wasn’t helping either. 

The intimate moments they shared together were often like this. Kakashi allowing Y/n to do as she pleases for her own pleasure, which only fueled his own. 

Kakashi swallowed the dryness in his throat, replying to her question with a slight giggle, “Yes, Y/n. You’ve mentioned that already.”

Her smile grew even more, glowing like a light above, “I know but I just want to make sure. I love you. Everything about you,” She sang sweetly, placing a kiss at the base of his throat.

“Your perfections,” a kiss now placed to his collarbone, Y/n nipping the skin. Making Kakashi jump slightly, to which she giggled while continuing her ministrations down his front. 

“Your imperfections, your eyes, your hair, your body…” She dragged, bringing her tongue to slowly trace previous kisses up to his navel and back down, “Your muscles,” Again, Kakashi’s skin jumped when her hands crawled up his abdomen, relishing in the way the muscles went taunt under her touch. 

“But most of all,” She slowly sat up, Kakashi groaning at the loss of the warmth of her lips against his skin, “Your mind,” Y/n’s hands came down to toy with the hem of his pants. Her fingers teasing the edges, slipping beneath, only to retract when his breath grew heavy. 

“Your heart,” Y/n whispered only loud enough for the two of them to hear. Regardless of the fact if they were the only ones in the room. She wanted those words to only fall upon his ears. He was the most deserving after all. 

One of her hands came to cup the tent that had stood mighty before her, squeezing gently, feeling the way his blood pulsed violently through his veins. 

The way he gripped the sheets beneath his fists as a groan fell from behind his grit teeth, caused the fire in the pit of Y/n’s stomach to ignite, sending electricity through her body. 

“Kakashi,” She called, the only thing present on her face was love and sincerity, “I love you with every fiber of my being,” Her hands came to grip the fabric of his pants, “and I’m going to make sure you know that tonight.”

His pants were gone soon after, Y/n getting off only to undress Kakashi and herself, only to resume the same position. Only now there was no restriction between them, now purely skin to skin. Each drunk off of each other and the effects shared between them. 

Kakashi could’ve sworn he was in paradise. The image before him was one he had seen time and time again but always took his breath away. Watching Y/n lean down, taking his cock into her hand, looking up at him with big eyes. He sighed loudly, throwing his head back against the bed, hands gripping the bed sheets underneath. 

“Fuck...Y/n,” A wave of hot electricity washed over Kakashi as Y/n took him into her mouth. Her tongue working the underside of his length, her right hand still gripping whatever she couldn’t fit in her mouth. 

Kakashi’s hips jerked every time his head would brush against the back of her throat. Which in turn caused the heat between her legs to grow hotter and heavier. Once she had been able to work her mouth all the way down the length of his cock, her nose pressed gently against his pelvis. Brushing against the dusting of dark gray hair at the base of his length.

His hand found refuge at the crown of her head, “Just like that...yes,” He groaned deeply, Kakashi could’ve sworn he was seeing stars at this point. 

One of the things about Y/n that never failed to amaze him was the way she knew how to work his body. In ways that he wasn’t aware of until she became a part of his sexual life. 

Y/n continued on, pulling back to catch her breath real quick before diving back in. Her lips warm and wet against his shaft, tongue occasionally toying with the head of his cock. All the while she had snuck her own hand between her legs, in hopes of relieving the tension that had grown in her core. The moans that rumbled in her throat, her own fingers slowly circling sensitive bud, caused vibrations to ring throughout Kakashi’s body as his jaw hung slack. Pretty noises rolling off of his tongue like butter. 

Soon enough, he was chanting to the heavens above, “I’m coming, Y/n, I’m so close.” Singing her name like a mantra before spilling his load on her tongue. To which she prettily displayed before him, swallowing all that she could. 

A few moments later, giving some time to relax, Y/n had climbed onto his lap. Straddling his hips, which wasn’t the best help for his sensitive state at the moment. Regardless, she situated her frame over his, all the while running her thumb across her lips. Cleaning up whatever she had missed, “Open.” She whispered, placing her opposite hand on his chest and bringing her cum covered thumb to his lips. 

She smiles warmly, rocking her hips against his when he parted his lips and stuck out his tongue. 

“Good.” Her voice was smooth as she dragged her thumb across Kakashi’s tongue, watching intently as his lips closed around her digit and proceeded to clean it of his own seed. 

“You’re so pretty, Kakashi,” She sang happily, retracting her finger and pulling his bottom lip along with it. 

Kakashi’s chest inflated with a huge sigh, Y/n coming to lay against it as he wiped the sweat across his brow, “You get me every time, don’t you?” He chuckled deeply, peering down at her.

“Of course,” She hummed, sitting up again, “But we aren’t done yet.”

She lifted her weight, shifting so she could position her slick opening right at the tip of his hard again cock, “That was only the first part of your gift, birthday boy.” She giggled. All before settling down onto his length. Nestling her hips securely against his, throwing her head back at the addictive sensation. She soon began working herself up and down his shaft, not before muttering breathily, “Happy Birthday, Kakashi.” with a lust drunk smile etched across her lips. 

.・ ✧。.・゜✧・.・✧・゜・.・ ✧。.・゜✧・.・✧・゜

[nothingbutfangirlsmut]

Safe Haven Feels

Pairing: Gally x Reader

Rated: mature 18+ only! Smut and fluff!

Requested by: Anon

“Hello:))) just wondering if you could do one with Gally x reader. Maybe with the prompts: 65 and 93? Prehaps were they confess their feelings 7n the safe heaven, so fluff and smut..”

Prompt 65: “How do you think it feels?”

Prompt 93: “I’m glad I have you.”

We finally made it. All that time running, hiding, and fighting WCKD. We finally took them down and made it to the safe haven Vince has been on about. Honestly the place was beautiful. The most beautiful thing I can ever remember seeing. It was an island surrounded by a white beach and crystal blue water. The once undisturbed sands now had all of the immunes moving around on it. Setting up makeshift huts and bringing the supplies from the boat.

“Watch’s thinking about?” The voice asked next to my ear.

I jumped nearly coming out of my skin. I whipped around to see Gally trying to hold back a laugh as he held a large box of supplies.

“You scared the shit out of me.” I huffed.

“I know that’s what I was going for.” He chuckled.

“You’re an ass” I scolded him but couldn’t help the smile on my face.

“Yea, yea I know. Come on all hands on deck. You can admire the view later.” Gally said nudging me with his arm.

I nodded then followed him back to the ship. With every hand we hand helping it only took one day to get all the supplies off the ship. People were moving onto making the huts and other buildings we would need. When the sun finally set Vince called for a break. We worked hard enough today.

I sat around the fire with Gally on one side and Brenda on the other. I was halfway through my food when Brenda nudged me. I glanced up at her. She nodded for me to move closer.

“I haven’t seen things progress yet.” She said quietly.

I raised a confused brow at her. She smiled then leaned back to look over my shoulder. I followed her eyes to land on Gally. I instantly knew what she meant.

“We just kicked WCKD’s ass and just got to the safe haven. Give me time to settle in.” I whispered.

“Excuses” she whispered back.

“What?” I asked completely stunned.

“You’re just gonna keep giving excuses. After this one it’ll be you’re too busy helping set things up. Then you’ll be too busy with whatever job you’re given. It’ll just keep going on and on.” Brenda rolled her eyes.

“No it won’t I just need to get settled first is all.” I said softly trying not to pout from her words.

“Yea I’m sure” Brenda chuckled dryly and shook her head.

I went back to my original seat then glance beside me at Gally. He was finished with his food and now talking animatedly with Minho and Fry. I knew Brenda was right. I was just making excuses because I’m scared. What if I tell him and he laughs in my face? I don’t really think that will happen but it could. I sighed tilting my head up to look at the sky. I was quickly looking back at the group as someone else nudged me. This time it was Gally.

“You alright?” He asked softly leaning closer.

I felt the heat instantly rise to my cheeks.

“Yea” I squeaked.

I jumped from my seat discarding my food then putting some distance between me and the group of immunes. I’m so ridiculous. For years I was around Gally with no problem then he died, then he was alive, then Brenda had to bring my feelings into the light and now I’m a mess.

“(Y/N)?” Gally’s voice instantly had me frozen.

“You sure you’re alright?” He asked as he slowly walked closer.

“Fine” I cleared my throat.

“I’m fine” I smiled weakly up at him.

“You’re not a very good liar.” He smiled down at me.

“I know” I sighed then fell onto the grass.

I laid back staring up at the sky as I heard Gally chuckle. I kept my eyes on the stars as I felt him laying beside me in the grass.

“This place is beautiful isn’t it?” He asked softly.

“Yes it it” I whispered.

“You going to tell me what’s bothering you?” He asked suddenly keeping his eyes trained upwards.

“It’s not important. We don’t talk about this kinda stuff.” I said softly.

“Why don’t we?” I felt his head turn to look at me.

I kept my eyes on the sky.

“Cause I’m one of the guys right?” I asked a little colder than I intended.

“Well yea but what’s that have to do with anything?” He chuckled lightly.

I finally turned my head to look at him.

“How do you think if feels? To be looked at as just one of the guys when I want to be looked at differently.” I asked him seriously.

He looked taken aback for a moment.

“Differently how?” He asked in confusion.

I groaned feeling completely embarrassed.

“I don’t want you to look at me as one of the guys. I want you to look at me as someone you like.” I said softly.

“I do like you.” He said simply.

“No, I mean someone you see more than a friend.” I corrected.

Gally chuckled turning to lay on his side completely facing me.

“(Y/N), I know what you meant. I’m saying I do like you as more than a friend. I have since day one.” He smiled down at me.

“Wait, what?” I asked propping myself up on my elbows to look down at him.

“I always treated you as I one of the guys because before anything else you’re my friend and a damn good friend at that. But how could I not like a pretty girl who didn’t mind to get her hands dirty and can kick almost anyone’s ass? You may be one of the guys but you’re still the only girl I’ve ever had feelings for.” Gally said softly as he picked at the grass.

I was stunned. I had no words. Did he really mean that? Before I could think of anything to say Gally was getting to his feet. I just laid on the grass in shock looking up at him. He chuckled at the sight of me then grabbed my arms pulling me to my feet as well. He glanced over his shoulder at the group still around the fire. He placed his hand against my back then nodded for me to walk with him.

“Did you really mean all that?” I asked softly as I watched my feet.

“Of course. I’m so glad I have you even if it’s just as a friend. Although I’d love it more if you wanted to be more than friends.” He chuckled softly.

I stopped walking suddenly making Gally stumble slightly then turn to face me.

“That’s all I’ve wanted since I met you in the Glade.” I whispered.

Everything that was happening around us stopped the moment I felt Gally’s lips against mine. The sound of the ocean, the wind through the grass and trees, the loud chatter back at the fire all stopped. My eyes fluttered closed as I gripped the front of his shirt tightly like he might disappear. My back was suddenly against a tree making me realize we had made it to the tree line far from the other immunes.

I pushed Gally back then gestured for him to lay down. Once he was back on the grass I climbed onto his lap. I continued our heated kiss until his hands skimmed under my shirt. Just the feeling of his bare hands against my skin set me on fire. I sat back quickly pulling my shirt over my head. He sat up to do the same not taking his eyes off me. I kissed him again as his hands roamed my back. I felt him fiddle with the clasp of my bra for a moment then it unclipped. He tossed it to the side. I groaned softly as his hands gently caressed me.

I stood up suddenly taking my shorts of quickly. I rid him of his shorts as well before he had the chance to do it himself. My body was on fire and I couldn’t wait any longer. He groaned the moment I grabbed him with my hand. I sat back down then kissed him as I moved to sit back on him. The slow deep groan that left his lips was the most incredible sound I’d ever heard. His hands instantly grabbed my hips as I started to move against him.

“(Y/N)” he whispered as he grabbed my head and pulled me down to him.

He held my body against him as I continued to move. He kissed my lips, my forehead, my cheeks, my temple, and my neck. Anywhere he could reach he would kiss. His grip on me tightened as I moved faster. I could feel the foreign feeling grow in the pit of my stomach. I grasped as I clutched at Gally’s shoulders.

Just as I was about to scream for the mounting pressure Gally captured my lips with his muffling the sound as everything unraveled.

“Fuck” Gally gasped as his body tensed.

I collapsed on top of him breathing heavily. Gally hugged me to him then kissed the top of my head.

“As much as I hate to we should probably get back to the others.” He panted.

“Yea, you’re right.” I breathed out as I slowly got up.

We both got dressed slowly. Gally kept interrupting me by kissing different parts of my exposed flesh. I had to swat him away while chuckling so I could finish putting my clothes on. Once we were both dressed we made our way back to the camp. The first person to notice us was of course Brenda.

“Glad to see you gave up on those excuses.” She said with a mischievous smile.

“Yea, we talked it out.” I said shrugging.

“Mhm, looks like you did more than talk.” She laughed.

“What?” I asked in instant panic.

With a huge shit eating grin Brenda stepped forward picking a few pieces of grass and leaves from both mine and Gally’s hair.

“Your shirt is also on backwards.” She pointed to Gally with her smile still in place.

“Night you two.” She added then walked away.

“How does she do that?” Gally grumbled as he quickly fixed his shirt.

“No clue” I huffed out a laugh.

—

[ponyam]

Heyyyyyy! I can’t express how much I love your writing honestly and I really want to request something if your still taking them. Could you do a Zhongli x reader? Zhongli takes reader on a date to propose to them and could you include the wedding too if that’s too much to ask? I would really appreciate it :)❤️❤️

thank you so much! and sorry this took so long omg

devout

zhongli x reader [gender neutral]

synopsis: zhongli takes you on a proposal-date and sweeps you of ur mfkn feet <3

cw: slightly suggestive towards the end, mentions of a [food] coma, i'm a sap

The light of the morning sun shone brightly, yet the air was brisk as it nipped at your cheeks. The crisp smell of sea air wafted in from the docks, while the rhythmic chime of ship’s bells echoed off the walls of buildings, indicating that sailors had risen to greet the day and the unruly tide that awaited them.

Your hand was pocketed with his, keeping your grip warm and secure as you walked closely together through the awakening streets of Liyue. At the brink of dawn, your lover began persistently nudging you awake, peppering your face in sweet kisses while promising you with an even sweeter meal as a form of bargain. How lucky he was that it appeared to have worked.

Mornings like this weren’t totally uncommon with Zhongli, however this seemingly newfound fervor for planning a whole day trip like this was a little out of the ordinary. When you asked him what the occasion was— out of slight concern that you might’ve forgotten it— he denied that there ever was one; he simply wanted to express his “love and adoration through a little quality time together.”

Before you could press any further, something had caught your lover’s attention, as you were suddenly being ushered in another direction. He escorted you to sit at one of the tables at the Wanmin Restaurant and, once you were settled, excused himself to order food, planting a quick peck to your cheek in the process. Looking around you noticed that the area wasn’t too crowded at this time of day; there was a certain peacefulness that had settled over the atmosphere that contrasted heavily with the normally bustling streets of the harbor. Perhaps that was what he intended by waking you up so damn early.

Breakfast was delicious, as promised. It also served to ease some of the bitterness you felt towards being jostled awake at the crack of dawn. Zhongli didn’t hold back, either. Anything and everything that you might like was placed on the table in front of you, and you weren’t sure how he was able to afford it, nor if you’d manage to finish it all without going into a coma.

On top of all that, your lover seemed to have brought his own food from home, though it was neatly wrapped and sat underneath the small table. Again, when you asked him about it— not having ever recalled him making it— his reply was as vague as ever; “oh it’s just a little something for later.”

After boxing all the leftovers from the meal that Chef Mao so kindly put together despite the large request, Zhongli offered to take you to visit Dihua Marsh to show you a few of his favorite sights, and maybe even enlighten you with some of the history as well.

There was something so enchanting about the way he spoke; his deep, honeyed voice coating over his words as he recounted tales of his many years of living. He exuded the calm and sophisticated aura of a scholar, which he practically was whether or not he chose to admit it, yet his occasional naivety and silliness were equally charming qualities of his.

You failed to realize how quickly you were drowning in his presence until he directed a question at you, which you had to embarrassingly ask him to repeat. Fortunately, Zhongli wasn’t irritated that you hadn’t been paying attention, in fact he found the dumbfounded expression you wore to be quite endearing.

“I said,” he began as he reached out, gently lifting your chin with his thumb and forefinger while tucking a few stray hairs and a glaze lily that he must’ve picked earlier, gently behind your ear.

He then leaned in, arms snaking around and pulling you towards him by the waist as his breath danced along the side of your neck, lips ghosting over your skin.

“...would you allow me to take you to see a few ruins with me? There is still so much that I wish to show you…”

A sudden tingle shot down your spine as Zhongli’s lips moved to decorate your neck in soft, delicate kisses that seemed to leave a burning imprint in their wake, leaving you slightly flushed. It was truly astonishing how easily he could leave you breathless, even with such little strenuous activity. His affectionate demeanor was slightly peculiar, too, but you were hardly in the position to complain about it.

“Then show me,” you replied, managing to tame the swarm of butterflies that had almost completely consumed you.

Letting out a deep chuckle, Zhongli withdrew his kisses while his hand moved to cup your cheek. He hummed in satisfaction, admiring you with his glowing amber gaze for a moment before speaking.

“Gladly.”

That afternoon was spent with Zhongli as your tour guide as you traversed the various decaying stone structures throughout the Guili Plains, Luhua Pool, and finally, Jueyun Karst, where Zhongli recalled some of his early memories of the adepti with a fond smile adorning his face. You quickly discovered him to be quite the archaeological expert, not that you ever doubted it of course, but he seemed to have quite the knack for uncovering intricate little mechanisms that had been hidden away and preserved in stone over the course of the last few millennia.

He was also very adamant about showing you many of Liyue’s great sights, and was not afraid to express this by taking you to every available vantage point, regardless of how far or out-of-reach it seemed. Even if you claimed to be exhausted, Zhongli would simply carry you the rest of the way because you were going to see this view. And what a view it was. From up high it was easy to take in almost the entirety of Liyue in all of its golden splendor, which was the original intention in bringing you here. This was something that he spent years constructing and cultivating, something he took great pride in and fought hard to protect. It was his world, and you were his crowned jewel.

As the sun was beginning to set, Zhongli escorted you back to the harbor before excusing himself to quickly go and “check something,” sending you off once again with a sweet kiss, and asking you to meet him at the peak of Mt. Tianheng in about twenty or so minutes. You smiled to yourself as you waved goodbye, curious as to what he had in mind and slightly amused by his frantic behavior. You thought back to your earlier denied inquiries regarding what was so special about today.

Perhaps now you would get some answers.

When you arrived at the rendezvous point, well, least to say you were taken aback. Laid out before you was a spread of a variety of your favorite foods, including desserts and a tea set, accompanied by an array of flickering candles that illuminated the small picnic blanket as well as the single glaze lily that grew nearby. Just past it stood the man that you had fallen in love with, his back turned as he watched the sun sink beneath the clouds.

“What’s all this?”

Immediately you caught his attention.

“Ah, there you are, my dear,” he said, turning slightly to face you. “Come here. I have something I’ve been meaning to show you.”

He extended his hand out towards you, a gesture for you to stand beside him. You approached him hesitantly in an attempt to not disturb the lovely display he had assembled for you, while letting his arm gently drape itself across your shoulders.

Your breath caught in your throat. By the Archons, the view was stunning. Sure, you had been sight-seeing all day and this could hardly be any different from the last dozen places you trekked to watch the skyline, but there was something about the way in which the glowing aura of the evening sky reflected off of Liyue and the twinkling sea of its harbor that left you in completely awestruck.

Had you not been quite as transfixed as you were in that moment, perhaps you would’ve caught sight of the distant, far-away look in your lover's eyes. Maybe you would have noticed the way he was fidgeting slightly, or the way his eyes were no longer trained on the view, but on something far more radiant.

“It’s beautiful,” you said, snapping him out of his trance.

Zhongli smiled, enjoying watching the awe and wonder twinkle in your irises.

“Indeed it is.”

You felt his arm lift away from your shoulders.

“But I think I have found something far more precious.”

You felt his hand slip into yours.

“Oh really? And what’s tha—”

When you turned, Zhongli, Rex Lapis, the former Geo Archon, was kneeling before you, regarding you with such an adoring gaze as if you were the deity to be revered, answering your question without needing to utter a single syllable: ‘You’

“(Y/N),” he began, giving your hands a light squeeze. “There is much I’ve been meaning to say to you, but I fear that I have such little time,” he sighed. “When I first gave up my gnosis, I found myself wandering aimlessly, unsure of my place in this world now that I was no longer Rex Lapis. I am now just a mortal man, with no duty to my people. It was a… foreign concept to me, at first. I wasn’t sure how to lead a carefree life, with a clear and resolute heart, until I met you.

“I never anticipated to meet someone quite like yourself, nor did I intend to fall in love as deeply as I have, but I hold no regrets. You have shown me true happiness, and for that I must thank you.”

Zhongli pressed a kiss to your knuckles as you felt your eyes begin to well up with tears.

“Each day spent with you is as valuable as gold to me. Our time together is boundless. I knew not my place in this world before, but I now realize that it has always been right here with you.”

He let out a shaky breath.

“(Y/N), my love, I cannot imagine a world without you in it, and I wish to form a new contract with you from here on out, so please…”

Reaching into his pocket, Zhongli produced a small, black box. Inside was a beautiful jade ring, crested and adorned with gold.

“...will you marry me?”

—

It was a warm summer’s night, and the moon rose full, its light ricocheting off of crystalline streams of water as they cascaded down the high cliffs which surrounded you. The air was humid, but somehow the combination of mist and the gentle night’s breeze made each inhale feel more rejuvenating than the last.

Fireflies were out tonight. They were dancing about you and your fiancé as you stood together side by side adorned in matching hanfu, rapidly beating hearts synchronizing to the same rhythm. It was a relatively quiet ceremony. There weren’t too many guests, and the venue was fairly secluded, making the process feel much more intimate.

After lighting the altar candles and paying respects, a tea ceremony was held, followed by the exchanging of vows. A few adepti were present, as well as some close friends and family members. Seldom did you release each other’s hand, regardless of what you were doing or who was looking. It provided a sense of security for the both of you, a silent reminder to one another that ‘yes, I’m still here, and yes, this is real.’

Although Zhongli is known for being a very composed gentleman, he still found it difficult to restrain himself from sweeping you off your feet and twirling you around while kissing you all over; he was overjoyed, though he was not the easiest person to read.

Instead of performing such an extravagant display of affection, Zhongli opted for a single, chaste kiss once you completed in saying your vows. It was extremely tempting to turn that one kiss into many, much more passionate kisses, but Zhongli was still quite aware of his audience, giving him reason to hold back.

After the wedding reception was held and you had just sent off the very last guest, your husband pulled you aside, albeit a little harsher than intended. You let out a small yelp as you collided with him, surprised by his sudden brazenness.

“You look divine,” he spoke softly, admiring you as you were bathed in moonlight.

A hand then moved to brush some of the hair away from your face, while his other remained gently clasped with yours. Soft lips moved to caress your forehead, and then your temples.

“I have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” he continued.

His lips then moved to your cheek, then jaw, lingering there for a moment while his hand cradled your face.

“Longer than you can imagine,” his voice was deep, sultry, and right in your ear.

He moved to repeat the same process on the other side of your face.

“So forgive me if I’m a little selfish tonight.”

He kissed the tip of your nose before moving his lips to hover over yours, warm breath mingling with your own.

“I must make up for the lost time, after all.”

Zhongli sealed his promise with a kiss that was deep and devouring, conveying all the emotions he had ever felt for you as well as one last, simple message:

'I am utterly and wholly devoted to you.'