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lenafromthenordiccoven · 1 year

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This Is Only Temporary - Part 3 of 3

(moodboard made by me, Top Gun Maverick screencaps by hd-screencaps, the rest is unsplash.com)

Pairing: Robert “Bob” Floyd x afab!reader x Jake “Hangman” Seresin

Rating: M – MDNI 18+

Word count: 6160

Warnings: Bob and Hangman being menaces, and so is reader (oops), smut with a little bit of plot and fluuuuuff, threesome (MFM), oral (f!receiving), protected PiV, fingering, masturbation (m) light restraining, beginnings of polyamory, Hangman being a little less of a flirty dick who wants what he now knows he can definitely have but also panicking because “oh my god, maybe I’m bi?!”; I’m neither US Navy nor American, so reader isn’t either – meaning there might be a little, uh, criticism here and there (also, we all know aviators are cocky af, right?), not beta-read but I did try to proofread a bit

Summary: After months of irregular phone and video calls, and constant e-mailing back and forth, you finally get to visit your boyfriend, Bob, in California. What you didn’t count on, was the fact that the guest room in his new house was temporarily occupied by one of his colleagues. The same cocky aviator, who can’t help but hit on you when you first meet – and even after he knows, you’re taken.

Read on ao3

Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3

Taglist: @formulapierre (If you wanna be added to the taglist, just lemme know)

A/N: Aaaaand here’s the last part. I was going to apologize for the absolute filth, but, eh, no. Never going to apologize for smut. Also totally didn’t put any of my bi panic into Jake, nooooooo. Songs for this part: I Feel Like I’m Drowning by Two Feet, Alone With You by Ashlee

“Hurry up, man,” Jake said, standing in the half open door to the men’s locker rooms and waiting for Bob. It was Tuesday now, and while he would have thoroughly denied it if anybody ever asked, Jake was excited to get home – to you and to Bob. Bob, who was now hurrying through the door, while smoothing out any potential wrinkles in his khakis.

Since your conversation at Leroy’s on Saturday nothing much had happened – apart from the fact that the three of you had spent more time together to get to know each other. Jake had told you and Bob things he’d never told anyone before, not even Javy. And he felt strangely light, as if the fact that you and Bob accepted everything he told you had lifted a heavy weight from his shoulders. From the responsibility of being the eldest child of four, having to take care of his little sisters and brother, to the guilt he sometimes felt over choosing to join the Navy instead of taking over the family ranch in Texas. (He’d always thought, his eldest sister and her partner were doing a damn fine job of taking care of the ranch, but his father hadn’t always been of the same opinion.)

Well, there was one thing he hadn’t told you yet. Something that gnawed at him, had him lying awake in the middle of the night in the bed of Bob’s guest room. He just didn’t quite know how to express that it wasn’t just you that drew him to this relationship, but Bob as well. How did you tell your coworker and friend that you fancied them and their partner?

“You’re in the way, Jake. Move,” Bob said, interrupting Jake’s train of thought. He was a little grumblier than usual and Jake couldn’t blame him. Today’s training with the new Top Gun students had been brutal – even for their standards and they’d had their asses handed to them by Maverick repeatedly. (Not to mention that detachment that Bob and Jake had unanimously decided to never mention to you. Ever. All you knew, was that the training had been hard and the mission dangerous. You didn’t need to know more than that.)

“Right, sorry.” Jake moved out into the hallway and kept walking, Bob right on his heels to the parking lot. It wasn’t just that both were eager to get off base after a hard day, or that you were waiting for them at home. No, you’d taken your time to send a teasing text to the group chat with only you, Bob and Jake, around noon. Jake thought, maybe that text was partly to blame for their performance today. But he would never blame you for it. If anything, he would be thanking you for reminding them that they had a date this evening. A date with you. In the bedroom you and Bob shared.

Just as they’d done on Saturday, Jake and Bob had carpooled to base again today. Bob was driving now, his face still twisted into a scowl behind his glasses. If Jake didn’t feel the same way to some degree, he would have teased him for it. But his usual teasing and banter that came lightly over his lips just wouldn’t flow today. Not with the way anxiety – and anticipation – were pooling in his stomach, pushing out any other thought until there was only room for you and Bob in his mind.

If only Jake had known that you weren’t doing any better on the anxiety front, maybe it would have helped him. But you’d put on a brave face, played the role of the teasing girlfriend over text, while you imagined what their reaction would have been. Had they seen your text during their lunch break? Or – and that thought brought a little smile to your face as you emptied the dishwasher and put the glasses away – had you unintentionally interrupted a meeting? You could imagine, Bob would have had a hard time hiding his surprise at your written boldness. And with what you’d come to know about Jake over the last few days, you’d think, he would’ve had a very hard time concentrating on the rest of the meeting. The sound of the front door opening pulled you out of your thoughts and towards the archway into the living room.

“Honey, we’re home,” you heard Jake call out. One of them shut the door behind them just as you rounded the corner to the entryway.

They hadn’t seen you yet, so you opted for simply leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of your chest. “Well, hello there, Lieutenants.”

Both of their heads snapped upwards at your voice. You’d caught them in the middle of taking their shoes off. Bob had apparently been caught so off guard that he tipped to the side with a small yelp, before he braced his arm against the wall. The sight made you giggle, which in turn brought two smiles to two very tired faces.

Jake was the first to reach you. He pulled you in with an arm around your waist, pressing his body against yours before he dipped down to kiss you. It wasn’t a shy kiss – and it definitely wasn’t the first one you’d shared –, but even with the slightly desperate way his lips moved against yours, you could tell, he was tired. “Hi.”

“Hi,” you breathed back, grinning up at him. “How was your day?” You’d asked the question to both of them, but as Bob moved to cup your jaw and neck with one of his hands and kissed you equally as hungry as Jake had, you almost forgot you’d asked them a question in the first place.

“Kind of sucked, to be honest. But that text that you sent… Sweetheart, you should be glad, neither of us were flying at that moment,” Jake responded. Bob just leaned his forehead against your shoulder with a groan and nuzzled into your neck, moving to embrace you from behind. He essentially trapped you between him and Jake.

Your heartbeat picked up and you swallowed hard before you tilted your head with what you hoped was a coy smile. You played with the nametag and buttons on Jake’s uniform shirt. Looking up at him through your lashes, you replied: “Really? Didn’t think the great Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin would be losing control that easily.”

“Oh, with you, I bet he would.” Bob had mumbled against your skin, before he went back to lightly nibbling on the spot where your neck and shoulders joined. Well, what little skin he could reach without moving your shirt collar.

Jake moved his hands away from your waist. You were about to protest, but they were immediately replaced by Bob’s arms snaking around your body – and then you felt both Jake and Bob press against your middle. You gasped at the heat radiating off both of them. But as Jake’s hands gripped Bob’s hips and had pulled him closer against you, you could see something else shimmering in his green eyes. Underneath the indisputable desire for you, you thought, you could see the churning vortexes of something familiar – fear, insecurity. You brought your right hand up to gently brush your knuckles against Jake’s cheekbone. He nuzzled into the touch, closing his eyes with a shaky sigh.

“Why don’t we order some take-out and relax on the couch for a bit, hm?” you suggested. Not that you weren’t nervous about this whole thing either – you’d never shared Bob with anybody, nor had he ever watched you get fucked by somebody else. It was something new, and it was only natural that you’d all be a little nervous about it in the beginning. You might have said on Saturday that this was only temporary, however, you could feel it in your bones that this could turn into more. But it wouldn’t do any of you any good if one of you got too stuck in their head to really enjoy it or participate.

“Sounds like the perfect idea, darlin’,” Bob mumbled against your skin. Jake nodded against your hand and then you felt his arms fall away. He released you from the embrace, took a step back.

“I’ll let you slip into something more comfortable then.” You turned in Bob’s arms to press a quick peck to his lips, stroking your hand through his hair once, then again. “Do you want me to order while you’re getting changed, or do you want to take that decision together?” You glanced over your shoulder at Jake, who was now leaning his back against the wall, head tilted back, jaw tense and eyes squeezed shut.

“Together,” he and Bob then said in unison. The sound made you giggle again, and you saw that neither of them could fight the smiles tugging at their lips when they heard you.

“Good to know, you two agree on that. Now, go on. I’ll wait on the couch.” You stepped out of Bob’s arms and moved towards the living room again.

“What, you’re not joining us?”

When you turned around, one eyebrow raised in an attempt to seem unimpressed, you could see Jake smirking in his signature Hangman-style and Bob chuckled. But he couldn’t hide the flush creeping up his neck at Jake’s question. Your heart leaped at the sight, finally seeing them slowly shaking off the day and relaxing in your presence.

“Nope. I don’t think that bathroom is big enough for three people.”

“Fine.” Hangman grumbled something under his breath, pushed himself off the wall and moved towards the stairs. Bob lingered for a moment, then he came over to you, cupped your face in both hands and kissed you with a sigh. You practically melted into the kiss, chasing Bob’s lips when he pulled away. He shot you a wink before joining Jake on the stairs.

“What was that for?” Jake asked. And you thought, he almost sounded offended, maybe at being left out of the loop for the stunt – or he was miffed because he hadn’t thought of that.

“Just a little preview,” Bob replied to Jake. He didn’t have to look at you for you to hear the grin in his voice. Then he surprised both you and Jake when he lightly tapped Jake’s butt with the palm of his hand as he squeezed past him on the stairs. “Come on, man. Dinner’s only gonna take longer if we keep standin’ here.”

You’d opted for Pizza from a supposedly authentic Italian restaurant – not without you grumbling about how the pizza dough in the States was usually too thick, not authentic at all. But Jake had just shaken his head at your reaction and directed Bob to make the order anyway. After Bob had promised that the Pizza was actually “really good” and that you would like it. He even made a clear distinction between the place where you’d ordered and Domino’s. And when the food had arrived, you had to admit it was pretty good. Still, nothing compared to sharing Pizza with Bob in Italy while on vacation there, but you supposed that was what influenced you anyway – the relaxation of a vacation and actually being in Italy. On the “what to watch”-front, they’d left the choice completely up to you and you’d opted for more Yellowstone, wanting to take advantage of the fact that Robby and you were actually in the same room to watch it.

Now you were all sitting on the couch, your legs thrown over Bob’s lap while he was drawing patterns onto your knee with his thumb, your back and head rested against Jake’s chest, one of your hands was on his thigh – clamping down when your favorite characters got in trouble again. While Jake’s arm was thrown over your waist and his thumb grazed your boobs now and again, trying to play it off as an accident, although you knew exactly what he was doing. And it was working. It became increasingly difficult to concentrate on the events on TV as your boys’ ministrations became more and more apparent. The spots were their fingers grazed your skin, even through the materials of your jeans and shirt, sent heat and wetness pooling between your legs.

You leaned forward towards the coffee table with a groan to grab the remote and paused the episode. When you shifted back onto the couch, Jake had his eyebrows raised at you in a silent question. “We can finish watching that some other time.” You shrugged, suddenly aware that both Bob and Jake were staring at you. All three of you knew what tonight’s plan was. So, why did you suddenly want to retreat? Like you could crumble underneath their gazes as soon as you were taking off your clothes. You pulled your legs off Bob’s lap to get some semblance of security back and let out a jittery breath.

“Alright.” Jake’s voice was barely more than a whisper. You could see his eyes flitting down to your lips, before his tongue darted out and he licked his bottom lip. God, how you just wanted to nibble on that.

Bob’s hand was suddenly back on your leg, gently stroking your calf. He cleared his throat, but when he spoke, his voice was still low and husky. It eased your mind a little to hear that you weren’t the only one nervous and turned on at the same time. “How about we take this to the bedroom, hm?”

You nodded, but didn’t move for a few seconds, eyes still fixated on Jake’s face. Until you blinked to refocus and finally got up. They trailed after you up the stairs. Despite knowing, they were right behind you, you kept looking over your shoulder to check if that was still true. Every time you locked eyes with one of them, there was nothing but encouragement in them. Love, lust. They wanted this as much as you did, and you just hoped, they could see it in your eyes, too.

You sat down on the edge of the bed in Bob’s and your bedroom, wringing your hands in your lap, anxiety now electrifying your nerves again. Bob passed you with a quick kiss on the top of your head before he moved to the dresser with a Bluetooth speaker sitting on top. Jake entered the room and closed the door behind himself.

He crooked his fingers in your direction, enticing you to move closer to him, accompanied by a low “Come ‘ere”. You did as he asked, exhaling shakily as you reached him. One of his hands landed your waist, gently squeezing the flesh there, while his other came up to caress your cheek. He took your chin between your index finger and thumb and tilted your head upwards. Forcing you to look at him. All the while the soft beats of a slow song filled the room, and you heard Bob draw the curtains. You didn’t recognize the song – could barely make out the lyrics over the thrum of your pulse in your ears – but you knew it had to be on the Spotify playlist the three of you had been putting together since Saturday.

“How do you want to do this?” Jake asked. You could barely focus on what he was saying, asking you. Not with his eyes piercing yours, holding you in place, while his hands stroked your skin through your clothes. And all you could focus on was the need to kiss him. You needed to feel him, feel both of them pressing against you again.

As if you’d said it out loud, you could feel the warmth of Bob’s body coming to stand behind you. His hand gently stroked your hair before you felt him press a kiss to your shoulder. You sighed, but forced your eyes to stay open, to stay on Jake. “How about we get you out of these clothes first. What do you say, darlin’?” Bob’s voice rumbled through you, his hot breath hit your ear and neck and you shivered. But then you nodded. You saw Jake’s gaze move to Bob behind you for a second.

You knew, what was coming and before they could say it, you breathed out a “Yes”.

“Alright then,” Jake murmured, his face maybe an inch away from yours. They worked at a tantalizingly slow pace: first, Jake lifted your shirt, the knuckles of his hands lightly brushed up your sides as he did, and you shivered, again, at the contact. You couldn’t help but press your thighs together at the thought of what those fingers would feel like between your legs. Next, Bob took care of your jeans, unbuttoning them from behind you and pulling them down until the fabric pooled around your ankles. He pressed a tender kiss to the back of your thigh where your leg joined with your ass.

All the while, Jake’s eyes never left yours. Except now, as he let his gaze roam over your body, his hands following the path of his eyes, brushing over an old, faded scar on the top of your left boob down your sides over your stretch marks and tummy. You swallowed hard, mouth suddenly dry, and fought the urge to hide from his hungry eyes. You were suddenly all too keenly aware that both of them were still fully dressed, while you stood before them in your underwear. You squirmed lightly, furrowing your brows. Bob’s hands came up to gently hold onto your hips.

As if he sensed your insecurities creeping back into your skin to nest in your bones, Jake put a finger under your chin and tilted your head upwards again. “You’re beautiful, sweetheart. Don’t go shy on us now. Need you to tell us what you want, after all.”

His thumb brushed your lower lip as you opened your mouth to reply, but only a whimper escaped at the touch. Scrambling to form a coherent thought and to voice it, too, your eye lids fluttered as Bob’s hands began to toy with the waistband of your panties and his lips left tender, but increasingly more desperate and open-mouthed kisses on your shoulders and the back of your neck.

Bob hummed as another whimper escaped you, followed by a huff as you got frustrated that you couldn’t get out the words of what you wanted to say, to tell them where you needed them to touch you. Your heart was pounding in your chest, heat was beginning its journey through your veins again, slowly igniting every nerve in your body.

Jake’s lips pulled into his signature “Hangman” smirk as he cooed: “Aw, not so quick with that sharp tongue of yours now, are we? Have we made you go dumb already?”

You flared your nostrils before you squeezed your eyes shut. Bob’s fingers were inching dangerously close to where you wanted them, and it sent your head spinning. On top of that, you really couldn’t find the right words when Jake was staring at you like you were the most delicious meal he’d ever laid eyes on. Well, at least the flames of arousal melted away your prior feelings of anxiety. Still with your eyes closed and your brows furrowed, you replied: “Not fair when you’re both still dressed and I’m the only one in my underwear.”

You heard Jake chuckle; he stepped closer for a moment. And you gasped when he wedged his still clothed thigh between your legs and bumped against your increasingly wetter core. But it was Bob, who spoke up next.

“Well, we better rectify that, shouldn’t we?”

You nodded, before you whispered another “Yes. Please”, and finally opened your eyes. Just in time to see Jake take a step back and reach for the hem of his shirt. You’d seen him shirtless a couple of times by now, but every time your breath hitched in your throat as your eyes travelled down his pecs, following the trail of hair that vanished below the waistband of his pants. You swallowed and licked your lips, your gaze flicking back up to meet Jake’s when you heard him chuckle at your reaction.

“Still like what you see?” he asked. You could only nod in response.

Then you flinched as you felt Bob retreat and the cooler air of the room hit your barely clothed back. You turned to face him and reached out your hand to stop him from taking his shirt off.

Bob blinked at you. But when you whispered, “Let me”, his hands fell to his sides limply. It was a routine you’d practiced over the years. Whenever one of you wanted to do something for the other that the other could do themselves, you stopped and said, “Let me.” That wasn’t limited to only the bedroom. But it happened here more often than anywhere else. For a moment, you felt guilty over falling back into a routine with Bob while Jake was right behind you – there was no way he would have known about it, you hadn’t had a chance to tell him yet. But as you slowly pulled Bob’s shirt over his head and then kissed his naked chest, you realized, it was just easier with Bob. You knew each other inside and out.

Jake’s hands ghosting over your ass and up your sides brought you out of your head and back to the present again. Goosebumps erupted all over your body as he leaned in to nibble at your earlobe and whispered: “Go lie down on the bed, sweetheart.”

You nodded weakly, your pulse drowning out the music and any other sound again. You faintly registered Bob climbing onto the bed behind you. He sat down leaning his back against the headboard and patted his thighs for you to lay your head down. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you wondered when he’d had the time to take off his jeans. But the thought faded in a whisp of arousal like smoke in the wind when his slender fingers closed around your wrists and pulled your arms onto his lap. He’d taken on the role of gently restraining you, something the two of you hadn’t tried out a lot of times yet. The logistics proved a little difficult when one of his hands was busy toying with you. Although he could easily fit both your wrists into one of his hands. This time, however, that wouldn’t be a problem.

You looked up at him and couldn’t help the heat shooting into your cheeks and down to your core when he winked at you. The smile tugging on the corners of his mouth faded a bit, as he took in your face.

“You sure, you want this?” he asked just as you felt Jake’s hands gently sliding up your naked thighs.

“One hundred percent,” you replied, proud that your voice wasn’t shaking, that you managed to get the words out firmly and with conviction while Jake’s hands set your skin ablaze and sent your head spinning again.

Jake’s face came into view as he hovered over you. One of his hands was now toying with one of the shoulder straps of your bra, while he braced his weight on the other. Between him and Bob, the heat from their bodies caged you in, wrapping you into a warm, safe cocoon. Jake’s hand brushed over your neck and ultimately landed on your cheek, while Bob, still holding onto your wrists, was gently rubbing the skin above your pulse points.

Jake leaned down, his lips hovering against yours. “You’ll tell us when you don’t like something. If you want us to do something different, if you want me to touch you differently. Alright, sweetheart? Don’t be afraid to use that pretty, little mouth of yours.”

“Okay,” you replied, feeling yourself slowly drowning in the hunger of Jake’s gaze. Every other thought melted away as you inhaled his scent that had mixed with Bob’s and he dipped down to kiss you, long and hard. You couldn’t hold back the moan as his hips bucked into yours, your panties and his boxers separating his hard cock from your core. Above you, you heard Bob sigh, probably holding back a moan of his own. You could feel his cock growing harder against your head from where you lay in his lap. You arched your back as Jake’s hands moved to your back to unclasp your bra, the garment landing in another corner of the room when he flung it away without looking.

Then his lips trailed down over your body, briefly sucking on your nipples, before nibbling on the flesh of your breasts and down your tummy. And you could feel your ability to speak close up shop in your brain. All that mattered was the way Bob slightly shifted beneath you at another moan you let out and the way Jake was touching you. Your heart hammered in your chest and you knew, it wouldn’t take much for you to fall apart under either of their touches.

Just as your eyes fluttered closed, you heard Bob from above you, his voice low, dripping with desire the same way your core did by now. “Look at him. See the way he wants to fucking devour you with his eyes alone? Keep looking at Jake while he makes you come on his tongue. Can you do that for us, darlin’?”

You nodded quickly, struggling to concentrate when Jake’s fingers hooked into the waistline of your panties and pulled them down your legs. They went the same way your bra had – somewhere in the bedroom, to be forgotten until you were done. Jake gently grabbed both your thighs and spread your legs. You watched as he licked his lips before he dove straight in, lapping at you with his tongue.

“Oh, fuck.” You gasped as every one of his flicks sent shockwaves through your body, tightening the invisible coil in your belly. Jake’s groan of approval rumbled through you. You threw your head back with a moan when he began to fuck you properly with his tongue. But Bob’s warning drawl of your name made you tilt your head down again to watch Jake eat you out, while he watched every single one of your reactions.

You could feel your first orgasm approaching fast. There was just something about staring into Jake’s eyes while Bob held onto your wrists with one hand, the other toying with your breasts that had nearly seeing stars. You were almost there but couldn’t put it into words. Instead, you opted for letting the whimpers and moans leave your mouth freely. And then Bob whispered “You’re such a good girl for us” while one of his hands pinched your right nipple and you could no longer hold back. You came. Hard. And with Jake’s name tumbling over your lips.

But he only gave you a second to breathe. Still coming down from your first orgasm, you felt his index and middle finger slip inside you as he came up for air. His chin was glistening with your arousal and a grin tugged on his lips.

“Damn, sweetheart. Seeing you come like that on my tongue was so good, I gotta have you do it again. Can you come around my fingers, hm?”

You whined while he curled his fingers inside of you, finding that spongey spot inside of you with such ease, it should have made you feel ashamed of your own reactions. But instead, you felt empowered. You might not have been fully in control, but you felt safe with both of them and, you knew, they would stop immediately if you only said the word. Bob continued whispering filthy things and singing your praises while Jake dove back down to suck on your clit.

The sensations had you writhing underneath their watchful eyes, and you came around Jake’s fingers in no time. Your thighs trembled as you bucked your hips against Jake’s hand and face, mumbling and moaning incoherent fragments of a prayer that would have made even angels blush.

This time, though, Jake was gentler in helping you ride out the ripples of your orgasm that had washed over you like a Tsunami. Bob kept mumbling praises, stroking your hair with the hand that wasn’t holding onto your wrists. Jake’s mouth left your clit and he kissed his way up your body to your lips. You sighed as you tasted yourself on his mouth. But then he surprised you by tilting up and pressing his lips to Bob’s. You watched from Bob’s lap as he stiffened at the contact, but then relaxed into the kiss. The moan that escaped him made you involuntarily squeeze your thighs together, essentially trapping Jake’s hips between them.

The way Jake grinned down at you after pulling away from a now fully flushed Bob made a grin appear on your own lips. Then he looked back at Bob, formerly confident grin now sheepish. “Sorry about that, I –“ He didn’t get to finish his apology as Bob let go of your wrists to cup Jake’s face and kiss him back.

“Don’t apologize for that. Ever. Right, darlin’?”

They both looked down at you and you nodded. You swallowed before finally whispering: “No apologizing for kisses in this house.”

“That’s right,” Bob praised you, one of his hands coming down to gently stroke over your cheek. You closed your eyes, leaned into the touch.

You opened your eyes again when you heard Jake clear his throat and he shifted his body weight. You could have sworn his eyes were shining with adoration for both of you and relief at your reaction.

“Right, where were we?”

“I believe, you were about to fuck me,” you replied. Your desire had slowed down to a simmer, a constant background hum in your blood. But as you swore you could see Jake’s pupils dilate and his eyes grow darker as he remembered where you’d left off, the heat from his gaze sent your blood boiling again.

Jake wasted no time shimmying out of his boxers and grinned at the gasp that left your lips when you saw his cock for the first time. He was rock-hard by now, probably painfully so, and you could see the first beads of precum on the tip. “That shut you up? I haven’t even gotten close to that beautiful pussy of yours, sweetheart.”

“Well, then get to it,” you replied. Again, you were proud of yourself for keeping your voice strong, for even getting out any words at all when your brain was screaming at you to just abandon ship and give yourself to Bob and Jake completely.

“Condom?” Jake asked, and you felt Bob shift underneath you as he leaned over to open the drawer of the nightstand with the box of condoms. He threw one at Jake, who had attempted to catch it – and failed miserably, too distracted by the way you were sizing him up, eying him like he was a piece of candy. He held out the wrapper to you. “Wanna help me out here, babe?”

You obliged with a coy flutter of your eyelashes before you sat up, took the wrapper from his hand – and actually ripped it open with your teeth. You leaned up to kiss Jake, before you let your lips and tongue travel down over his chest. Dipping into his navel and relishing the groan that earned you from Jake. You pressed a quick kiss to his tip before rolling the condom down over his cock.

Jake’s nostrils flared as you straightened up again, leaning in to hover your face only inches from his.

“Are we doing this, or what?” you whispered, lips spread into a wide grin again. As if you’d flipped a switch, Jake grabbed your hips, pulled you flush against for a moment, claiming your lips in a bruising kiss, before he threw you back down on the bed.

“Apparently, I haven’t done my job right, if you’ve still got your wits about you.” He was almost growling as he pushed your thighs apart and slowly guided himself inside you. You moaned at the way his cock was stretching your walls, easily ignoring the slight sting. He was almost as big as Bob, a little thinner, but slightly curved in such a way that he easily hit that spot inside you.

Jake let you adjust for a moment, before he ordered Bob to take a hold of your left arm again. Bob did as he was told without hesitation, gently stroking along your forearm, while Jake intertwined his left hand with your right one. Then he began to move, slow, but deep strokes that brought his hips flush against yours every time he bottomed out.

Your eyelids fluttered shut, this time Bob let you. Jake’s other hand found its home on your hip. He tried to avoid crushing you as he rested his body on top of yours and increasing the pace of his thrusts. Every snap of his hips practically punched the air out of your lungs, and you struggled to hold back your third orgasm of the night. Jake groaned as he felt you clench around him and he lightly bit down on the upper flesh of your breasts.

Bob could probably tell how close you were by the way your mouth hung open and how you were panting and whimpering into Jake’s ear. He gently stroked your hair out of your face, before encouraging you to let go. You thought, you must have gone blind as the white-hot blaze of your orgasm shot through you. All the while Jake’s hands and body on yours and Bob’s whispered variations of “That’s it, darlin’. Let it all go” anchored you to the bed. Otherwise, you were sure, you would have floated away on the waves of pleasure.

Jake wasn’t far behind you, and you barely registered his hips stilling, while you clenched tightly around him, your own body unwilling to let him go. He came with a groan and a whispered string of your name and a litany of curse words.

Behind you, you felt Bob shift in his spot on the bed. Still panting and coming down from your own high, you blinked and tilted your head to catch a glimpse of Bob’s head thrown back against the headboard, eyes squeezed shut in pleasure as he fisted his own cock. His cum painted his hand and you bit down on your lower lip at the sight. He’d been so aroused by just watching you and Jake chase your climaxes together, he’d made himself cum with just his hand.

“Damn,” you gasped. Jake mumbled something, apparently finally returning to his own body and then he stilled when he saw what you were looking at.

“Damn, indeed.”

Bob’s eyes shot open as he looked at the both of you and you could see the flush staining his cheeks and painting his ears red. “Couldn’t help myself, sorry.” He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.

A giggle bubbled up your chest and over your lips.

“What are you apologizing for, Floyd? That’s a pretty big ego boost, if I might say so,” Jake replied and finally climbed off of you. He sat down on the edge of the bed to strip off the condom before tying it off and standing up.

“Not that you needed a bigger ego,” you replied and sat up. You crawled up the bed to where Bob was sitting, leaving a quick peck on his lips before you took his hand and began to clean off his come with your tongue.

You heard both men groan at the sight of you sucking on Bob’s fingers. You shot him a wink before he grabbed you by the back of your neck and kissed you. You sighed into the kiss before pulling away. “As much as I wouldn’t mind continuing this, I’m exhausted. And I think, one of you will either have to carry me to the bathroom or help me clean up. I’m afraid, my legs have turned to jelly,” you said as your hand came up to caress Bob’s still resting on your neck.

“Say no more,” Jake said and vanished out into the hallway. You and Bob chuckled as you stared after him.

You turned back to face him with a smile on your lips, eyelids drooping as the exhaustion really settled in and nested in your bones. “Scratch what I said about this being only temporary. Feels like it could be pretty permanent to me.” “Agreed, darlin’.” Bob kissed you, his tongue entangling with yours before Jake returned with washcloths for both you and Bob and a glass of water. Yep, you had never thought where Jake watching you and Bob fuck would have led you. But you weren’t one to complain about where it had.

#robert bob floyd x reader x jake hangman seresin #robert 'bob' floyd x reader x jake 'hangman' seresin #bob floyd x reader #jake seresin x reader #bob floyd smut #jake seresin smut #jake hangman seresin x reader #robert bob floyd x reader

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thenerdykneazle · 4 months

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Kindred Spirits - Chapter 5

Chapter 1. Chapter 2. Chapter 3. Chapter 4.

Read on AO3.

Chapter summary: MC and Sebastian finally agree to hash it out, but reconciliation isn't going to be easy with so much history between them.

A/N: We go out with a bang in this chapter, folks.

Auror Sebastian Sallow x Auror F!MC

Warnings: 18+, explicit sexual content, aged-up characters, both characters have sex with other people during the story, anger/revenge, toxic relationship, I do not speak Finnish or really know anything about Finland

Word count: 9846

Chapter 5: Undying Devotion

MC woke up on Wednesday even earlier than normal and immediately headed to the training room for a workout. If nothing else, this trip will have helped her become stronger than she’d ever been. Mikko joined half an hour later – at his usual time.

“Couldn’t sleep?” the large man asked.

“Hm?” MC replied, having been absorbed in her own thoughts.

“You never beat me here before,” Mikko said. “Did you have trouble sleeping?”

“Oh,” she said, still a bit slow from her morning fatigue. “No, I just…wanted to get out.”

He nodded in understanding. He went and warmed up before joining her at the weights.

“So, are you and Sepe still fighting?” he asked tentatively, hovering near the bench MC was lying on.

MC grunted as she pressed the dumbbells off her chest and into the air. “Yeah, you could definitely say that.” She took a deep breath as she did another rep.

“Well, if you need somewhere else to sleep, you could probably use Sofia’s accommodations,” he said. “She mostly stays with me, anyway.”

MC’s arms felt like jelly as she lowered the weights to the floor on either side of her. She panted as she sat up. “Are you and Sofia…?”

She gestured vaguely.

Mikko smiled. “We’ve been dating for over a year,” he said. “We got together shortly after she transferred from here to Jyväskylä.”

MC’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh,” she said in shock. She felt a fresh flood of embarrassment. “Gods, about the other day, Mikko, I–”

He waved her off. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “She likes to keep her personal and professional lives separate. You had no reason to know.”

“Still. I’m sorry,” MC said earnestly.

Mikko shrugged. “Well, you weren’t exactly in control of your words,” he said. “And I can’t fault you for your taste.”

He flexed at himself in the mirror, and MC couldn’t help but laugh.

Mikko patted her arm reassuringly. “Let’s just forget it happened,” he suggested.

“Gladly!” MC replied.

She felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest – no pun intended. When Sofia arrived, MC cleared the air with her, as well. Fortunately, she wasn’t the jealous type. She even made a similar comment to what Mikko had said about MC having good taste. It was adorable, in the way that happy couples often were, where it made MC hate them just a little bit.

She was grateful to them, though, when Sofia and Mikko automatically played interference for her with Sebastian. He had clearly been intent on trying to talk to her, but Mikko kept him occupied during any spare moments while Sofia steered MC to another part of the room.

At lunch, they both sat between you and Sebastian. Mikko asked Sebastian all about his running routine, if he used pre-workout or protein powders, and what brand of shoes he wore. Sofia kept MC engaged in conversation as she told her about the most recent Ilkka Remes release. After going through the entire plot of the thriller novel, she talked about her family.

Sebastian only escaped Mikko when he needed a trip to the loo. But on his way back, he took the long way around the table past MC.

“Hey, can we talk for a second?” he asked, making MC immediately tense up.

Mikko appeared over Sebastian’s shoulder almost instantly. “I wanted to ask you something else about your intervals,” he said good-naturedly.

“Can it wait?” Sebastian asked irritably.

“I just didn’t want to forget,” Mikko said innocently. “How often are you doing time intervals vs distance, because I feel like it’s hard to push myself for the timed ones. But when it’s distance, the faster I run, the faster it’s over, you know?”

“Then just do them by distance!” Sebastian snapped.

The whole table stared at him.

Sebastian sighed. “Look, mate, we can discuss it later,” he said, clapping Mikko on the shoulder. “All right?”

“I’d really rather talk now,” Mikko replied flatly.

Sebastian’s jaw tensed as he realised what was happening. He glanced at MC before looking back at Mikko. “Actually, I’m gonna go get settled in the conference room,” he said.

Sebastian stalked off, and Mikko retook his seat next to Sofia.

The afternoon went peacefully with no further attempts by Sebastian to interact with MC. She was relieved for it. She felt for the first time like she might finally get to ignore him for the rest of her time in Helsinki.

MC stopped by Sebastian’s flat after training to pack an overnight bag. She also grabbed two letters that had arrived there for her. She and Sofia went to dinner before Sofia took her to see the Suomenlinna Fortress. During their brief visit, they walked around the snowy island, saw a fraction of its historic cannons, met a few residents of the magical community there, and popped into a few shops. Sofia insisted she needed to visit during the summer months to see it in its fully glory.

Sofia showed MC to her hotel room before departing to stay with Mikko. MC sat at the desk and pulled out her letters. The first was a note from Natty apologising for not writing sooner. She said things had been busy at the DMLE, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle – MC was not to worry. MC wrote out a letter back to her before opening her second one.

Dear MC,

I hope Sebastian isn’t giving you too much trouble. I still can’t believe he’s there. Well, assuming you haven’t killed him yet. I’d understand, of course, though I advise against it. It would be a shame to have you head off for a promotion only to return and be sent to Azkaban. I assure you he’s not worth it. I suppose I am glad to see he’s chosen to fight dark wizards rather than become one, though.

The snakelets are double the size from when I last wrote. I’ve included plenty of pictures. I’d have written sooner, but they’ve been quite the handful. Their heads are starting to fight over food already. Poppy stayed over the weekend to give me a hand with them while Martin was off. She’s quite good with them. They’re anxious to see their Auntie MC, though, don’t worry. I’ve kept them up-to-date on your trip. Poppy, too. I hope you don’t mind. She thinks Sebastian’s a slimy prat if it helps.

Miss you,

Ominis & the babies

And Poppy!

Poppy had added a little heart next to her name, which made MC smile. There were even more photos than the last time. Poppy had clearly taken some over the weekend. Some were Martin’s handiwork. The snakelets were indeed more than doubled in size. MC lingered on a photo of Ominis and Poppy cuddling a few of them. At the very end of the loop, Poppy looked over to Ominis with stars in her eyes.

MC had never seen her friend look so dotingly on another person. She had to watch it three times to assure herself Poppy wasn’t actually looking at the runespoor Ominis held. She had to admit that they would be a good match, though she had no idea if Ominis was ready to start something new. She made a mental note to gently pry about it when she got home.

After writing a response to Ominis, MC went down to the lobby to send the letters. When she returned to her room, she changed into her pyjamas. She’d had quite a full day, and she was thoroughly knackered.

MC’s early bedtime meant she also woke up quite early the next day. After being disgusted with herself for having seemingly become a morning person, she straitened the room before heading out to Aurori Headquarters.

She had expected the training room to be unoccupied, but she quickly realised that was not the case as she entered. “Hello,” MC said, surprised to see Sebastian sitting on one of the benches by the dumbbells.

Sebastian shot to his feet. “That’s all you have to say? Bleeding ‘hello’?” Sebastian yelled as he marched over to her. “Where were you? I was up all night trying to find you!”

“Sofia let me stay at hers,” she replied simply, taking several steps back as Sebastian invaded her space.

Sebastian breathed out a bitter laugh. “And you didn’t think to tell me?” he demanded.

“I told you I don’t need a babysitter,” she growled, crossing her arms defensively.

Sebastian tugged his hair in frustration. “You are literally the biggest pain in the arse I’ve ever met!”

“Then it’s a good thing you don’t have to deal with me anymore,” MC replied, turning to walk away.

Sebastian was taken aback. His arms went slack at his sides. “What?” he asked. “You’re not coming home tonight?”

“I don’t get to go home until tomorrow,” MC stated, walking back toward the conference room. “But, no, I’m not staying at your flat tonight if that’s what you meant.”

Sebastian jogged after her. “Look, I know I crossed some boundaries the other night,” he started.

MC just scoffed.

“I shouldn’t’ve…propositioned you like that,” he continued. “I just…Look, I know I’m never going to get to see you again after tomorrow. I just want one honest conversation before that.”

MC laughed. “You make it sound like you’re so torn up over this,” she said. “Doesn’t really fit with how you’ve been acting, though. So, what is your real goal here, Sebastian?”

He sighed. “I know I’ve been a git for…forever, essentially. I really do just want closure. I’ll answer all your questions, too. I haven’t been the most rational the last two weeks, but…I’ll try to explain,” he said. “Tonight, yeah? After I finish cleaning this place.”

MC chewed her lip while she decided whether to accept. “Fine,” she gritted out. “But leave me alone until then.”

Sebastian’s face broke into a smile. “Okay. Yeah,” he agreed eagerly. “I’m not even here.”

He moved as if to hug her, but he thought better of it almost instantly and just gave a nod of his head. He jogged ahead to the conference room, leaving MC to her morning workout.

Jari put them through the testing they had done at the beginning of training. He wanted to dedicate the next morning to duelling so he could see the conclusion of the battle between Mikko and Patrik. The rankings didn’t shift much from the beginning – other than Sebastian winning out in accuracy – but they had all made great strides during their short training. The rest of the morning was spent doing defensive drills. As Jari liked to delicately put it, “The worst aurori is a dead one.”

As promised, Sebastian made no attempt to talk to MC during their lunch. He chatted with Niko while she talked to Kaarina about some of her self-made defensive spells. It was great – until it wasn’t. On their walk back to the conference room, she overheard something she wished she hadn’t.

“Wait, she’s the chick you banged back in school?” Niko hissed to Sebastian quietly – but not quiet enough that MC didn’t hear. “Bro, you didn’t tell me she had special magic! You focused on the wrong talents – I mean, not that her tongue didn’t sound magical, too, but…damn.”

MC’s head whipped back so fast that she was genuinely worried she had pulled something. As their eyes met, Sebastian looked as pale as the ghosts back at Hogwarts. MC was too angry to speak. She really didn’t know how many times she needed to learn the lesson that Sebastian Sallow should not be given second chances. She thought darkly about how much simpler her life would’ve been if she’d just let him rot in Azkaban after fifth year.

Sofia, who was in front of her, shot her a questioning look. “Are you all right?” she asked.

MC took a steadying breath before nodding. She glanced back at Sebastian and Niko again. The former looked utterly horrified, while the latter looked stunned at being overheard.

Sebastian didn’t get a chance to talk to her before the afternoon session started, and he looked ready to fall to pieces with stress through the whole thing. Before Jari had even finished dismissing them, Sebastian jumped to his feet and was next to her.

“Can we please talk about this tonight?” he asked with an imploring gaze. “Or now, even! Niko twisted what I–”

“I don’t want to talk about it right now,” MC said, cutting him off. She was still seething.

“I’m really sorry. I swear it’s not as bad as it sounds,” he said, looking as stressed as he had all meeting.

MC scoffed as she tried to push past him. He followed after her.

“Can we still talk tonight?” Sebastian asked urgently as she rushed down the corridor.

“Sure,” she replied sharply before he’d even finished the question. “But don’t send a bloody search party if I decide it’s not worth my time.”

“I’ll be back at my flat within the hour,” he promised before she pushed the exit open.

She left without replying.

Sebastian’s final mistake – in a long line of them – had been giving her a countdown. MC might’ve actually waited at his flat if he hadn’t told her the amount of time she had to escape. She wavered on what to do for the first ten minutes, because she knew she had the time. She decided that Sebastian had been given entirely too many chances and none of them had ever proven worth it. MC was not going to waste her final night in Helsinki letting him plead his case. She was going to get trollied and find someone who would fuck her until she couldn’t remember her own name let alone Sebastian’s.

She did herself up in record time, sporting the transfigured lingerie under her short black dress as an added “up yours.” Before she left, MC packed up her things and shrunk them down to fit in her cloak pocket. She had no intention of returning.

MC found a suitable candidate without much fuss. Antti or Artturi or something. She couldn’t remember. But he was well fitand looked sturdy enough. She chatted him up for almost an hour to make sure he wasn’t some psycho murderer before transitioning to the endgame.

“Do you want to get out of here?” MC asked as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

She wasn’t properly pissed as she hadn’t wanted to scare Antti/Artturi/whoever off by pounding back vodka like she’d intended to do when she arrived at the pub. Still, she had a nice enough buzz going and, with any luck, he’d offer her a drink when they got to his.

“Yeah. Shall we head to yours, then?” he replied.

MC had to force herself not to frown. “Is there a reason we can’t go to your place?” she asked.

“Well, I’m sharing a suite with my coworker,” he said.

Why was everyone in Helsinki there for a bleeding conference? MC didn’t want to take him back to Sofia’s room after she’d graciously given her sanctuary. She also didn’t want to waste the hour she’d invested in vetting the guy. She decided she might just have to shift her goals. Maybe he couldn’t fuck Sebastian out of her head, but she might be able to use him to piss him off. She might even still get off in the process.

“I could book us a separate room for the night,” Antti/Artturi/etc. offered, but MC was already picturing Sebastian’s enraged expression.

“No, we can go to mine,” she replied. “My flatmate’s a bit of a tight arse about noise, but she’s out of town.”

Not being able to go to a guy’s place was usually a red flag for MC. It often meant a guy still lived with his parents or, worse, his girlfriend. But MC had heard his coworkers chatting about their dull conference talks, and she wasn’t overly concerned about red flags with the guy she was just using for the night.

She apparated them to Sebastian’s flat and was relieved he hadn’t been waiting in the living room for her. She wanted to have at least a little fun before it all went tits-up. MC ditched her cloak and heels and pushed…she was going to go with "Antti"…back onto the couch before climbing into his lap and snogging him senseless.

She worked his dress shirt open as she pushed her tongue down his throat. Antti slid his hands up the backs of her thighs to her bum and groped it thoroughly.

“Gods, I’ve wanted to grab this arse all night,” he groaned as he gave her another firm squeeze.

Antti seemed to be a fan of all parts of a feminine figure as he soon dove face-first into MC’s tits. She spread her legs wider to grind against the erection tenting the lad’s trousers. He seemed to have a good amount to work with – not as much as Erik had, but then, who did? It worked in her favour anyway, as MC fully planned on using her lovely assistant to give Sebastian a demonstration of the new tricks she’d learned with her “magical tongue.”

MC had been waiting for the crack of apparation. What she didn’t hear over the sound of her own moans was Sebastian’s door clicking open and him padding down the hallway.

She jumped when she saw his reflection in the window she was facing. His eyes locked on her reflection, and he just arched an eyebrow at her.

MC quickly looked away. Antti, fortunately, hadn’t noticed they had an audience since his face was still enveloped in her cleavage. He’d pulled the already low-cut top of her dress out of the way so the only barrier between him and her breasts was the emerald green lace bra.

MC wanted to slide out of his lap down to the floor and suck him off out of spite for her voyeur flatmate, but Antti would immediately see Sebastian if she wasn’t blocking his view. She looked up at her ex’s reflection, and he was leaning nonchalantly against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and one ankle casually over the other. His eyes were no longer on her reflection.

MC glanced back to confirm that he was staring at her arse. Her dress had ridden up when she straddled Antti, leaving most of her backside exposed as the G-string hid nothing. Sebastian’s eyes met hers briefly, and he winked at her. She nearly growled in frustration.

MC took a fistful of Antti’s hair and pulled him into a heated kiss as she ground more fervently against him. She was getting quite wet from all the stimulation – it really was a shame it was likely to go to waste. As MC wondered if she could vanish his trousers before they got interrupted, Antti returned his focus to her tits. Her head fell back as he sucked her nipple through the thin lace of her bra.

“Oh, fuck,” MC groaned, rutting against him in earnest.

As her eyes fluttered back open, she caught sight of Sebastian palming himself as he watched her. He bit his lip as their eyes locked through the window.

Antti’s hands slid up MC’s back, likely going for the clasp on her bra, dragging her dress up with them. Sebastian’s gaze dropped down to her arse again, and his hand suddenly froze.

Before MC could wonder too deeply about the reason, Sebastian cleared his throat loudly, making her and Antti both jump.

“Could you not? That’s my favourite place to masturbate, and you’re defiling it,” he said wryly.

Antti peered over MC’s shoulder. “Who the fuck are you?” he asked.

Sebastian gave him a tight smile. “Name’s Sebastian. This is my flat,” he replied. “Who the fuck are you?”

“I’m Anton,” he said a bit uneasily.

“Gods, I was so close!” MC said, earning strange looks from both men. She might’ve still been a bit tipsy. She also might’ve just been a right numpty, as she didn’t feel particularly inebriated.

“I think you should go, Anton,” Sebastian said firmly.

Anton seemed to agree, as he quickly scurried out from under MC and apparated away. It was oddly routine at that point to have one of their lovers fleeing the flat.

MC righted her dress as she situated herself on the couch.

“Nice lingerie,” Sebastian said sarcastically.

“Isn’t it?” MC replied brightly. “I mean, Anton certainly seemed to think so.”

Sebastian glared at her. “Seeing as you’re free now, how about we have that chat?” he said tetchily.

MC scrunched her nose. “Ooh, it’s a bit late,” she said, standing up. “I’d best turn in. We’ve got the duels in the morning. Wouldn’t want someone getting hurt.”

“Sit. Down,” Sebastian growled forcefully.

For some inexplicable reason, MC complied immediately.

“We’re going to ignore that–” Sebastian gestured to the couch “–whole situation that just happened and have a civilised chat.”

MC crossed her arms, pouting like a child. “Fine.”

She refused to look at him.

“About what Niko said earlier,” Sebastian started, and MC rolled her eyes. “I told him about our relationship a long time ago. Way before I thought I’d ever see you again. He was ribbing me about how ‘whipped’ I seemed, and I made an offhand comment about it being your mouth that I missed. I wasn’t bragging about details. I was deflecting from emotions that I didn’t want to deal with. But I know it was stupid, I just…I’m sorry it hurt you.”

MC shifted on the couch. She could admit that it didn’t sound that bad. Not that she would admit it to Sebastian, of course, but…to herself, at least. “You said you’d explain your behaviour over the last two weeks,” she pointed out.

“I…” Sebastian sighed. “It’s…complicated.”

MC scoffed, feeling like she should have known he would make excuses. She got up from the couch again, and Sebastian moved to block her path in the corridor.

“I’ll do my best,” he insisted. “But it…it would be easier if I knew why you paraded around in that lingerie on Sunday.”

MC’s brows drew together. She felt her plan had been rather obvious. “I figured if I could get you worked up enough without you being able to do anything about it, you would either change my clothes back or beg me to fix the temperature so you could get hard and have a wank. Either way, I’d get you to give me back my wardrobe.”

“Oh,” he said, sounding a bit surprised. “What was with the reaction to my hair?”

MC’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I thought you were supposed to be explaining your actions.”

“Right. Well…” Sebastian took another deep breath. “After what you said about me not being worth anything, I guess I just went looking for something that would make me feel like I was. With you calling me the worst mistake of your life, it…” He rolled his jaw. “It was similar.”

She raised an eyebrow as she finally looked at him. “Did it work?”

Sebastian let out a bitter laugh. “No.”

He was the one avoiding looking at her now.

MC could relate. Her partners hadn’t exactly done all she’d hoped for her state of mind, either. “For what it’s worth, I shouldn’t’ve said either of those things.”

“I shouldn’t have called you a bitch,” he admitted.

“Or interrupted my tryst tonight,” she replied, only half-joking.

Sebastian scoffed. “You expect me to believe you were enjoying that?”

MC rolled her eyes. “Just because you've never been with a woman who wasn't faking it doesn't mean they can't be pleased.”

His eyes immediately hardened. He stepped into her, forcing her back against the wall. “Don't lie to me, MC,” he growled, his face hovering inches above hers. “I know you better than you think.”

She laughed arrogantly. “You certainly seem to think so.”

“You want to know why we worked so well together? Because, at the end of the day, after you've been running around saving everyone - solving all their problems, making constant life or death decisions - you want someone else to carry the burden for you. You want them to make the decisions. And, for me, being with you was the only time I was ever truly in control. We're a perfect match, you and I.”

“Then it’s a shame you ruined it,” MC replied coldly, pushing his chest to force him to back away from her.

He let out a frustrated noise as he pulled his hair. “I’m trying to fix it!” he said.

“You picked dark magic over me!” she said. “And then you left us all behind like we were nothing! You don’t get to just pretend none of that happened! You can’t undo that! You can’t fix it!”

“I was trying to save Anne!” he argued. “I left to find something, anything that might help her!”

“Well, that worked out splendidly, didn’t it?” MC said cruelly.

Sebastian shook with rage. The air around them crackled with his magic as it fought to burst free. “YOU DON’T THINK I REALISE IT WAS A MISTAKE?” he screamed.

MC fell silent, shocked by his outburst. They had fought loads of times, but he had never raised his voice like that.

Sebastian was still shaking, but it was from the sobs that were wracking through him. He fell back against the wall before sliding down it into a heap on the floor. “I lost my last months with my sister,” he said, his voice cracking. Tears streamed down his face. “I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

“Sebastian,” she said softly, taking a step toward him.

“I’m so sorry,” he said between choked sobs. “I know I should’ve come back, I just…” He took a gasping breath as he fought to get the words out. “It was easier to start over. Pretend that version of me had never existed.”

MC reached down and ran her hand through his hair in a gesture she’d done hundreds of times to sooth him in a past life. He looked up at her with red, puffy eyes. “I missed you,” she said. “That you. This you. A new one. It doesn’t matter to me. I just…miss you.”

He started weeping again. He got to his knees and buried his face in her hip as he clung to the backs of her legs. “I’ve missed you somuch!”

MC kept stroking his hair. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to say goodbye to Anne,” she said earnestly.

Sebastian shook his head, his forehead still pressed against her. “It was my own fault.”

“I’m still sorry,” she said as she combed his hair out of his face with her fingers.

He clung to her even more tightly. “She died thinking I’d abandoned her.”

“If you read the letter she left you, you know that isn’t true,” MC replied.

“I still should’ve been there for her,” Sebastian argued. “I would’ve. I swear, I would’ve come back. I just…I thought I had more time.”

“I know, Seb,” she said. She held his shoulders and gave him the best hug she could with him kneeling on the floor. “We all did.”

He shifted to grab her waist and pulled himself slowly to his feet.

MC raised a hand to his cheek automatically. Sebastian covered it with his own as he leaned into the warmth of it. “I don’t want to lose you again,” he said, his voice rough from crying.

MC stared up at him. She didn’t want to lose him, either, but she was scared that opening her heart back up to him would only end in him breaking it again. She’d given him a second chance the day of Anne’s funeral. She couldn’t go through that pain a third time. She’d rather be crucio’d.

But MC couldn’t take the sadness in Sebastian’s big, brown eyes. Not when she could make it better. So, when she felt his hands on either side of her face, MC let herself give in. Sebastian’s lips met hers with a deep hunger, and she returned his kiss in equal force.

One hand slid down to her neck as he pressed her back against the wall, smothering her body with his own. Sebastian’s thumb swiped gently over the pulse in her throat as his lips devoured hers. His tongue skimmed across her swollen bottom lip after his teeth nipped it raw.

MC’s knees nearly buckled as his thigh pressed between her legs. She moaned into his mouth.

“I love you, MC,” he panted, before ravaging her lips again. “I never stopped loving you.”

MC’s fingernails bit into his shoulders as she fought to stay upright. Sebastian scooped her up onto his waist and carried her to his room while she scraped her teeth down the side of his neck. Her heart was racing. With anticipation. With fear. She wondered somewhere in the back of her mind if she would regret this, but she was too far gone to stop now. She felt so good being back in Sebastian’s arms. She would deal with the consequences of it later.

Sebastian threw MC across the bed before leaning over her to kiss her again. She squealed when he pulled her by the hips to the edge of his mattress. He licked his lips as he knelt down in front of her. His hands trailed up her thighs, setting her skin on fire. He pushed up her dress to expose the emerald green knickers, damp with her arousal, and his teeth sunk into his lip as he took in the sight of them.

His eyes flicked back up to hers. They had a fiery glint as he smirked at her. MC could see his intent in his face, plain as if it were written out on parchment – he was going to ruin her. Hooking his thumbs into the waistband of her knickers, he pulled them off of her slowly, keeping his gaze firmly on her own.

He held the eye contact as he leaned in to taste her, but then his eyes rolled back as a groan ripped from his throat. “Fuck, I missed you.” His hot breath fanned over her core as he spoke.

MC was already panting with need, and he’d barely touched her. She tangled one hand into that perfect sodding hair, because she desperately needed something to hold onto as Sebastian’s tongue ran up her folds again. He alternated, tracing up one lip, then the other, and pausing to press delicate kisses against her clit in between. His hands pinned her hips against the mattress, holding her open for him and keeping her from squirming as he teased her cunt.

She gasped as Sebastian’s tongue pierced into her. He moaned as she clenched around him, and the vibrations made her hips jolt.

He chuckled darkly. “Patience,” he said. “I’m not nearly done with you.”

MC whimpered as he pressed another kiss at her apex, using the slightest bit of suction on her clit. He smirked at her reaction, watching as her brow furrowed and her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth.

“I’m going to make you come until you can’t see straight,” Sebastian vowed. He kissed her again. “Fuck you like you deserve. Like no one else can.”

He licked firmly up the centre of her cunt before finally focusing on the sensitive bud at the top. MC’s lungs failed her as Sebastian’s tongue flicked over it again and again. She let out a keening cry when he sucked it into his mouth.

“Fuck, Sebastian!” she moaned. She wanted to buck her hips and ride his face, but he had her firmly pinned down. She was so wound up that her hand in his hair threatened to make him bald again with how tight her grip was. “Oh, gods! Please!”

She chanted the plea repeatedly as her body filled with pleasure, building her up toward release. Sebastian didn’t let up his efforts, consuming her as he held her in place with a bruising grip. He had once had a penchant for denying her orgasm until she begged for it thoroughly, and MC had expected him to pull away from her suddenly. He must have been satisfied, though, because he didn’t stop as a string of swears fell from her lips, or as her orgasm crashed through her, or even long after the ripples had faded. He kept on licking and sucking at her like a man starved, and she soon felt herself coiling again.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” she said urgently when she neared that point of no return. She was sensitive and it was too much, but she also never wanted it to stop. It took longer, but the bliss broke over her as a second orgasm was practically ripped out of her body. It was stronger than the first had been, and she felt wrecked as the pulses subsided.

Sebastian had slowed to licking long, languid stripes up her as she came down from her high. But he picked his pace back up again as he slipped two fingers into her, clearly intent on bringing her to a third orgasm. She whimpered at the thought of it. She almost asked him to just give her a break, but it was such sweet torture – and Sebastian looked indescribable when he was coated in her arousal and smirking with pride.

MC was panting and soaked in sweat by the time she crested again. Her head had fallen back in exhaustion as she fought to catch her breath. She had released her iron grip on Sebastian’s hair, and the muscles in her hand were aching.

She lifted her leaden head to look at the man between her legs.

He was looking up at her like she was everything. As his hands stroked lovingly up and down her thighs, she could’ve wept.

Sebastian pulled himself up and let his weight press into her as he covered her body with his. He brushed back the hair clinging to MC’s sweaty forehead. “You’re perfect. So perfect,” he whispered reverently against her lips before capturing them in his own.

MC pulled him closer as she licked the taste of herself off his lips. He was back. She had him back, and she never wanted to be apart from him again. “I love you,” she said.

Sebastian pulled back, looking down at her in shock. As he searched her eyes intently, she thought he might shatter into pieces. Instead, he crashed his mouth back into hers.

“Please,” she begged when they broke apart for air. She ran her fingers down the buttons on the front of his shirt. “I need you.”

“Fuck,” Sebastian groaned. “I’m here, darling. You have me.”

He shucked his clothes as MC flipped over onto her stomach, feet on the ground and arse in the air. He groaned again when he saw her position.

He smoothed his palm over her backside. “Gods, I’ve been thinking about fucking you like this nonstop since Sunday,” he said as he trailed his fingers up her spine, sliding her dress up higher as he went.

MC smirked. “I know,” she replied. Because she knew him better than he thought, too.

Sebastian bent down to nip the sensitive skin, earning a moan from her. He stood back up and dragged his cock through her slick centre, muttering “bloody perfect” as he did. He lined himself up and sank into her slowly, savouring it as she took every inch of him. He practically growled as her body swallowed him. He folded himself over her and she arched back to kiss him, pouring herself into him.

As he righted himself, his hands immediately kneaded into her arse. He really could be quite obsessive about it. He grabbed onto both of her hips as he set a rhythm inside her. MC’s hands clawed into the sheets beneath her as he rocked her forward with each thrust. She let out a low, needy noise as he hit a spot deep within her that seemed to light up her nerves. Sebastian groaned as she clenched around him, and he pounded into that spot over and over. She pushed her hips back, meeting each quick snap of his as he fucked her senseless.

MC’s legs began to shake, and she wasn’t sure how much more she could take when Sebastian wrapped an arm underneath her and began to rub her clit. She cried out as she shattered once more, her whole body shaking as she fell apart. Sebastian groaned as he stilled inside her. She felt like it took ages to come back to earth.

Sebastian had one hand on the mattress to steady himself as he panted to catch his breath. He was still buried inside her, and she was certain he had come until he pulled and out flipped her back over. He pulled her dress over her head, nearly ripped off her bra, and positioned her properly in the middle of the bed.

“I’m gonna pump you so full that you taste me on your tongue,” he vowed as he crawled on top of her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss as he slid back into her. Her head slumped back against the pillow, and she turned her head to breathe in its scent – his scent.

He managed to get a hand between them, massaging one breast before shifting his weight so he could dip his head to suck on the other. MC’s back arched and her head pressed back into the pillow as Sebastian keyed her body up again.

“Fuck, I love you, MC,” he said as he moved to press his forehead against hers.

“I love you,” she echoed, though it may have been directed as much to the part of him buried inside her as it was to him in general.

When Sebastian started moving again, MC did her best to meet his thrusts, but she was completely spent. She clawed at his back, holding on for dear life as he sped up. She made a slew of senseless noises as he fucked her into his mattress.

“Tell me…tell me there’s no one else,” he demanded breathlessly. “No one who fucks you like this.”

“Gods, no! No one,” she swore before a moan erupted from her as he pounded into her. “Fuck, Sebastian.”

He groaned as he fucked her harder. “This…cunt…is mine!” he growled. “No one else gets to have you!”

“Just you,” MC vowed. “Gods, I missed you. Please, Sebastian. Please!”

He bit into the curve of her neck as his hips sped up even more. She keened for him, and he moaned out as she felt him release inside of her. Her eyes rolled back as she felt him fill her. Sebastian recaptured her lips, and he was desperate and sloppy as their mouths melded together.

MC buried her hands in his hair as she kissed him until her lungs screamed for oxygen. Then, she kissed him a bit longer before pulling back and gasping for air. Sebastian smiled down at her as he panted wildly.

He placed a chaste kiss on MC’s lips before he slid off to lie beside her. He gathered her against his chest, wrapping her up in his arms and pressing a kiss into her hair.

“Fuck,” MC breathed out, still reeling from the whirlwind that had just occurred.

“Yeah,” Sebastian replied, still beaming at her.

“I forgot how horrendously persistent you are,” she said.

He laughed. “I was going to make you ride my face before I took you, but then you displayed your arse so perfectly for me. I could hardly resist.”

MC rolled her eyes. “Fucking course you were,” she groused.

Sebastian kissed her, not hesitating to slide his tongue into her mouth. “You love it.”

She glared at him. He was right, of course, but she would hardly admit it.

He laughed again. “You’re so bleeding stubborn,” he chided light-heartedly.

“And you’re a bloody menace,” she replied.

“But I’m your menace,” he retorted, looking quite pleased about the situation.

MC forced herself to return his smile, but the assertion set her heart at an erratic pace, like it was pumping as much blood to her muscles as possible so she could make a quick escape.

“All right. Time for some sleep, love,” Sebastian said. “We’ve got a big rematch in the morning. I mean the duel, of course, although…”

“No,” MC said firmly. “Knowing you, we’d end up missing the whole morning of training.”

“Yeah, fair enough,” he replied with a chuckle.

He summoned his wand and then conjured some blankets over them so they didn’t have to move. With another swish of his wand, the lights turned out.

“Good night, MC,” he said as he settled back in.

“Good night,” she replied.

MC awoke the next morning filled with anxiety. She wished it were about the impending duel, but it was really about the man wrapped around her.

Fuck.

She’d let her guard down. She’d given in to her baser urges and left the consequences to a future version of herself. Well, the consequences had arrived. She was a little sore and a lot tired, and she was wholly, utterly terrified. She’d shattered the walls that had been protecting her heart like they had been part of target practice.

MC desperately tried to rebuild them. She could not make the same mistake again.

Sebastian’s arms tightened around her as he woke up. He buried his face in her neck. “Morning, love,” he mumbled into her skin.

“Morning,” MC replied stiltedly.

He chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m not trying to start anything,” he promised. “I’m just happy to see you.”

MC forced a laugh as she turned in his arms. “Good,” she said. “I’m going to need weeks to recover from last night.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “I give it two days,” he replied with a cocky grin.

That damned smirk. It was dangerous.

“Unfortunately for you, I’ll be back in England by then,” MC teased. But it was also a reality check for herself.

“About that,” Sebastian said nervously as he traced small circles on her arm. “I was going to ask if you’d stay for the weekend. I mean, I know you have to go back to work on Monday, but I thought maybe you could stay until Sunday.”

“Oh,” MC said, surprised. “Well, my portkey is scheduled for this evening…”

“You could put in a request for a time change. I could fill out the form for you,” he offered, his warm eyes melting her unprotected heart. “But you don’t have to decide right now. The transport office is right next to Aurori Headquarters. I could pop by at lunch.”

“Yeah, I’ll let you know,” she said.

Sebastian smiled sweetly. “Good. And I could come visit you over the long weekend next week. We can figure it out from there,” he said.

The “long weekend” was Christmas. Sebastian wanted to come spend Christmas with her. Every alarm bell was ringing in MC’s head and her body was telling her to flee, but she kept her pasted smile as she said, “Yeah, that sounds great.”

MC pretended she wasn’t freaking out as she got dressed and had breakfast with Sebastian. She left a little after 7 to “warm up” before training. Really, she just needed space to breathe. Sebastian arrived just before 8 o’clock. He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, and she pretended that didn’t freak her out, either.

She continued pretending all morning. She pretended everything was fine as she watched the other duels with Sebastian beside her. She pretended she wasn’t distracted as she fought against him, and he disarmed her in minutes. She lied when he asked if she’d made up her mind about the portkey, telling him she’d submitted the form on her way in that morning. And she pretended to be excited as he rambled all through lunch about all the things they could do over the weekend.

MC felt sick the whole day. Every excited smile Sebastian gave her twisted the knife lodged in her gut. She felt awful for lying to him, but she knew telling the truth would give him the opportunity to change her mind. And she was terrified that he would. He would convince her to give him another chance, and he would break her heart again. Maybe not that weekend or at Christmas or for years. But he would eventually.

After Jari gave a touching speech about how proud he was of all of them and how he wished them the best, the group went for a celebratory round of drinks a few blocks down the street. The whole time, Sebastian rested his arm across the back of her chair and whispered in her ear.

“Do you want to go out to dinner tonight, or shall I order takeaway?” he asked.

“I…Um…” MC started.

The obvious choice was takeaway – he wouldn’t need a reservation, and even if he ordered the food before he realised she was gone, he could just keep the leftovers for another time. She only had a few minutes before her portkey took her home. She would say “takeaway” and then “I need to use the loo,” and it would all be done with.

“I can’t do this,” she blurted out.

“What?” Sebastian asked, taken aback as she pushed out her chair.

“I need to go,” MC said as she stood.

“Okay. I’ll take you back,” Sebastian said, getting to his feet, as well.

“No! I…I’m going home. I can’t do this–” She gestured between them. “–with you. Not again.”

She pulled on her cloak as she ran out of the pub, and Sebastian stood dumbstruck for a moment before chasing after her. MC stood out in the falling snow as she fished through her pockets for the stubby pencil.

Sebastian burst out of the pub door as she found it. She watched as he looked down at her hand. The frigid air was already turning his cheeks red as he stood cloakless in the winter night. “It doesn’t leave until Sunday,” he said, but she could tell he suspected the truth.

“I never changed it,” she admitted.

He didn’t look angry like she had expected. MC only saw confusion and sadness. “Why?” he asked, his breath fogging in the air as he begged her to make sense of the last 24-hours.

She looked at him remorsefully. “I’m sorry. I…I just–”

MC was dragged forward as the portkey triggered. She caught herself on the padded walls as she landed in the booth at the English international transit hub. She immediately vomited onto the floor – and her own shoes. It vanished almost as quickly.

“Looks like you had a rough trip home, friend,” Natty observed. She untangled her arm from Garreth’s as she went to her partner’s side.

“Just caught me a bit off guard,” MC said as she gained her bearings.

Natty pulled MC into a tight hug. “It’s good to have you home,” she said.

“It’s good to be home,” MC replied, trying to ignore the ache in her chest. She reminded herself it only would’ve been worse if she’d let things go on. This was better. She would wall off the broken pieces of her heart and let the memories fade into the distance along with the pain of them.

“We thought you might want to go for a pint,” Garreth said brightly as the left the hub.

It was startling to see the lack of snow. MC hadn’t seen grass for weeks.

“Actually, I’m quite knackered from the training. I think I’m going to turn in for the night,” MC said, giving him an apologetic smile. “Another time, though.

Garreth nodded. “Just tell me when. You know I’m always up for a night out.”

“Do you want me to apparate you home?” Natty asked.

MC waved her off. “Nah, I’m all right. I’ll see you at the flat later,” she said.

As MC drew her wand to apparate home, Garreth took Natty’s hand as they headed for the pub. Ugh, did everyone couple up while I was away?

MC had a proper lie-in the next morning, not getting out of bed until half noon when a bird refused to stop pecking her window. She opened it to shoo the thing off, but it flew inside, instead, landing on the owl perch.

“Hello, Pixie,” MC said as recognition finally hit her. She undid the little scroll on her leg and gave her a treat.

Are you coming over today? I may have promised the brood their favourite auntie was coming for a visit. Also, Poppy wants to see you. And I suppose I do, as well.

MC chuckled as she rolled the scroll back up. She penned a quick be there shortly and sent it back with Pixie. She ate a scone, took a quick shower, and got dressed before taking the floo to Feldcroft. She hadn’t even unpacked her trunk, but the snakelets were a perfect distraction from the viper MC was trying to forget.

MC entered the cottage just before Pixie flew in through the window. “Knew I should’ve sent a patronus,” she said.

Ominis gave her a confused sort of smile, but he caught up once he read the note Pixie brought him.

“Where’s Poppy?” MC asked as she shed her cloak.

“Actually, I’m going to go to hers,” Ominis said.

“Oh,” MC said. “Shall I come with you, then?”

“I’d really rather you didn’t,” a tired voice behind her said.

MC looked over her shoulder to find Sebastian standing over a cup of tea in the kitchen. She looked back to Ominis with a murderous gaze she hoped he could feel. “You lying bastard!” she said.

“He came to me and asked for help getting you to talk to him. I think you should hear him out,” Ominis said.

MC scoffed. “I already heard him out. It didn’t lead anywhere good,” she replied.

Ominis sighed. “Look, I know you’re scared, MC. I know better than most the reasons you have not to give him another chance. But I also know better than most how much you two loved each other – and how hard it is for love like that to fade. I can’t have the love of my life back, but I won’t let you regret giving up on yours without weighing it fully.”

MC wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve. “I can’t believe you’re playing the dead wife card on me,” she sniffed.

“Only because I love you,” Ominis said earnestly. He grabbed his cloak. “I’ll be back in two hours. Either waythis goes, I trust you two not to destroy my home.”

MC rolled her eyes as Ominis left. She looked back at Sebastian, who was watching her with wary eyes like she might pop away again. It was a tempting option. But, for Ominis’s sake, she would stay.

She waited for Sebastian to speak. To give his justifications for his actions. Or yell at her. Ask her why she ran off. How she could fuck him and then disappear – she hoped for that one for the irony of it.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. He set his tea on the counter and walked over to her. He stopped when she stepped back. “This isn’t how I wanted things to be between us.”

MC just blinked at him. She hadn’t anticipated him saying that.

“I should’ve been honest with you from the start instead of playing games and trying to manipulate you. I was too much of a coward to just admit from the jump that I never stopped being in love with you,” he said. “I spent years trying to become someone you could be proud of. Someone who could love you like you deserve. I thought that meant giving up dark magic and doing something good with my life. But I clearly have a lot to learn about how to treat you. And I know this probably doesn’t seem like a step in the right direction, but I genuinely didn’t know Ominis was going to lie to get you here.”

MC steeled herself after she felt a treacherous pang in her chest. “You really gave up dark magic?” she asked, eyeing him sceptically.

“I haven’t touched it since Anne died, and I’m never going to again,” he assured her.

MC rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”

“Really?” he shot back. “And are you referring to when you told Ominis I was done without consulting me in the catacombs? Or perhaps when I told Ominis I understood him wanting us to avoid it? I never lied about stopping.”

MC was silent, unable to refute him but unwilling to admit that he was right.

“And I’m telling you now that I’m done playing games. I’m done running. Or hiding. Or whatever I’ve been doing the last two-and-a-half years,” he said. “I’m not Sepe. He was a mask. A way to avoid owning up to my mistakes. But I can’t keep being him. I want to come home.”

“I’m not stopping you,” MC replied. “I’m sure Ominis would even let you stay with him.”

Sebastian stepped forward again, grabbing her hands and looking pleadingly into her eyes. “My home isn’t Feldcroft. It’s you. It’s always been you – since the day you spared me from Azkaban.” He stepped even closer, moving a hand up to her cheek. “No one else has seen me and looked at what I’ve done and loved me anyway. Even Anne took a year to forgive me. And I know I broke your trust, and it’s okay if it takes years to earn it back. I just…I’m asking for a chance to prove that I’ve changed. I’m still not perfect, and I know I don’t deserve it, but I’ll spend every day earning it, and I just…I have to ask. I have to try to come home.”

Tears streamed down MC’s cheeks, and Sebastian tried futilely to wipe them away until she stepped out of his grasp. She felt split in two. Half of her wanted to run and hide where Sebastian could never find her. The other half – maybe more than half – wanted to fall into his arms and let him hold her and promise it would all be okay.

“I can’t let you break my heart again, Sebastian. I love you. I do. But I just can’t,” she sobbed. She wrapped her arms around her middle – to soothe herself, or to protect herself, or maybe both.

“I know, love,” he said calmly. “I swear to you I won’t. I wish every day that I could redo that night. Stay with you. I was a coward and afraid that you still wouldn’t want me, and I ran. And it was the worst mistake of my life.” He took a shuddering breath as tears began to well in his eyes. “I’m so sorry that I can’t fix it. Especially now that I know how you must’ve felt when I was just…just gone. I would give anything to fix it if I could. But I promise it will never happen again. I’m not leaving. Not ever.”

MC’s face crumpled as she sobbed harder. “I’m sorry. I wish I could believe you,” she choked out.

She sat back on the couch before her legs gave out. Sebastian knelt down on one knee in front of her.

“Hey,” he said softly, resting one hand on her leg as the other wiped more tears from her face. “It’s okay. You don’t owe me anything. I–” His voice choked, and he forced an unconvincing smile onto his face. “I’ll be okay.”

MC shook her head, tucking her legs up protectively in front of herself. Sebastian’s hands fell to the couch on either side of her. “I want to trust you,” she said. “I want to give you another chance, but…I mean, you live in Finland. You’re an aurori. You–”

“No, I’m not,” he interjected.

“What?” she asked.

“I told Teräväinen I quit. Effective immediately. Needless to say he wasn’t happy, but…” Sebastian said. “I’m not going back to Finland. I told you: I’m not leaving you again.”

MC started crying again. Sebastian moved to sit beside her and tentatively pulled her into a hug, waiting for her to tense or push him away. She didn’t. Instead, she let her head tilt to rest on his chest.

“You’re…you’re really staying?” she asked once she calmed again.

“I am, love,” he confirmed. “Probably right here for a while until I can find my own place – and a job.”

He laughed slightly.

MC laughed, as well. And then sniffed as she wiped her drippy nose. “I happen to have an in with the aurors at the DMLE,” she said.

“Do you now?” he joked. “Well, I do have some relevant experience.”

“On both sides of the job,” she quipped.

“Oi!” he said, poking her side lightly and making her jump. “Too soon, darling.”

“Sorry,” she said earnestly.

He pressed a kiss to her head as he held her tighter to his chest. “It’s all right,” he said gently. “I’ve missed your teasing.”

She lifted her head to look at him. “I’ve missed teasing you,” she said, giving him a cheeky grin. “In all sorts of ways.”

Sebastian chuckled. “Funny enough, I noticed that,” he replied. “For the record, I much prefer you walking around in lingerie to riding some ponce on my couch.”

“You seemed to be pretty into it,” she argued.

“I was fucking livid. I just didn’t want you to know it bothered me,” he said. “But I lost it when I saw you were wearing my lingerie.”

“You’re welcome to model it anytime,” she teased before letting her feet fall back to the floor and shifting to face him.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “You know what I meant,” he groused, making her laugh. His expression grew serious. “Where does all this leave us?”

“I think it’s worth giving us another shot,” she said. “I mean, you did abandon your whole life for me. I suppose that shows a certain level of commitment.”

His face lit up. “Yeah?” he asked in disbelief.

“Yeah,” she said. “But we should take it slow.”

“I can do slow,” he said quickly with an adorable level of earnestness. “How about dinner tonight in London? I’ll make us a reservation somewhere.”

“That sounds perfect,” she replied.

“Brilliant!” he said, beaming at her. He leaned in before catching himself. “Does slow still involve kissing?”

“Slow definitely still involves kissing,” MC replied before connecting their mouths herself.

Apparently, slow also involved Sebatian lying on top of MC as they snogged on the couch. And both of them taking their clothes off. And a very upset Ominis when he returned in the middle of them rather forcefully “taking it slow.”

#sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow x mc #sebastian sallow x f!mc #hogwarts legacy fanfic #sebastian sallow fanfiction #sebastian x mc #sebastian sallow fanfic #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #sebastian sallow x reader #enemies to lovers #roommates

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bonbelles · 8 months

Text

˗ˏˋ life went on without you ˎˊ˗

prompt: the below quote, after a breakup with alhaitham

word count: 700+

content: gn!reader, light angst, post-breakup, sadhaitham

It had been a short while since your last encounter with Alhaitham, and it was not one to remember for joy - more so one to remember for the sheer upset the both of you faced in each other's company. The last time you spoke to Alhaitham, it was when you ended the relationship; it was when you realised he prioritised his work over you, and you wanted to be somebody's first choice.

In the moment, he was neutral about the conclusion to your time together. If anything, it freed up time for him to do more research, archive more records. Yet once alone, once you'd abandoned him in the vast, barren library, he let out emotions he hadn't experienced in a long time.

You had returned to the library to gather some books for your own research, a project you took on to occupy yourself - ensure you never spent time thinking about Alhaitham. By the time the project made some kind of progress, you were actually enjoying the research and had moved on from your ex-boyfriend. But of course, by facing the library, you knew you'd have to face him. He seldom spent time in his office, so you had spent the day prior mentally preparing yourself for an encounter.

The library was quiet, with a lot of students either in lectures or off on their own research projects; at least this meant you could gather the books you needed and make a swift exit. Looking through the borrowing log, you saw that all of the books you needed were present, and in the same section. Even luckier.

Yet when you reached the corner you needed, and started scanning the shelves for the books you wanted to borrow, a figure appeared behind you peering over your shoulder.

"I'll get that one for you," Alhaitham said, pointing at a book on your list and reaching one of the top shelves.

Turning around, you were faced with Alhaitham's figure - tall, slender, as per usual. He handed you the book, however almost did not want to let go.

"Thanks. Can you get that one also?" You ask, pointing at another book from the same shelf.

"Of course." Alhaitham passed you the book diligently. "How have you been?"

"Good. You?"

"Stagnant. It's as if I've hit a brick wall, but nothing worthy of elaboration, I feel. Why do you need these books?"

"A new project. Watatsumi Island, specifically. I need to read these before I travel there."

"Hmm, interesting. Did not think you were one for Inazuman culture, I will say."

You shook your head at Alhaitham, watching his brows furrow in confusion. "Seems you didn't know me much at all. I said to you multiple times that I really wanted to travel around the islands of Inazuma."

"Sorry."

"Look, you may feel 'stagnant' or 'like you've hit a brick wall', but I'm exploring for the first time. My wings have grown, I can fly to my heart's content."

Alhaitham moved back to where he was originally working from, leaning his weight onto a pile of books stacked on the side of the wooden desk. "I don't blame you. I just wonder why it had to end that way, that's all."

"I told you the moment I ended it: I wasn't your first priority. I deserve to be put on a pedestal, to be treated like royalty--"

"Unrealistic."

"Well, I'm leaving soon. I probably won't be back for some time. I wanted to end on more positive terms, yet the recent revelation of you ignoring everything I ever told you has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth."

"I just miss you..." Alhaitham paused, rubbing his temple with his hand.

"My life went on without you, Alhaitham. Of course it did- no, of course it does. This was just an ending, not the end. Not for me."

Books held against your chest, cheeks flushed with embarrassment and fury, you departed from the library as quickly as you arrived. You did not want Alhaitham to have the final word, to leave the conversation on his terms. You wanted your point to be heard, to be the only thing he remembered of you.

Sitting down in front of his books, his head throbbing with exhaustion, upset, melancholy, Alhaitham stared at the work he needed to complete. The work he surrounded himself with. The work that was his first priority.

He wondered whether this was all his life would amount to.

#genshin #genshin headcanons #genshin imagines #genshin impact #genshin x reader #alhaitham #alhaitham genshin #genshin scenarios #i woke up today and chose pain #probably slightly ooc but oh well i tried #its still the morning and im very much a night owl leave me be

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lavenoon · 1 year

Note

Since I can't read yet I come here with a question instead! (And if this wasn't already planned and won't spoil anything, of course). Because I'm an absolute sap, how does the first kisses happen with each of the boys?

So, the truth is, nope no kisses were planned - because while I am absolutely a hopeless romantic, I often forget there's a part after the mutual pining. Whoops!

But our idiot trio... They grow closer and don't even really notice. Like walking a mile and just thinking about each individual step, then looking back and going "Oh"

The reveal is a midpoint for that - they grew as close as they could for the roles they occupy in each other's life, and afterwards have that relationship as solid base to build even more on top of it.

Now for the actual kisses?

It's Y/N who takes initiative in both cases - the boys are a little more aware of how down bad they are, desperately trying to flirt while a lot of it either flies over Y/N's head or they interpret it as "normal" behavior (which it is, but still, way to miss the point, dear). So the little bird is the one who has to have their "Oh." moment!

I think. Well, this is me, and on the fly adaptations are the norm, so yes.

This realization comes late (because I am a whore for mutual pining, even though it's not quite self-aware in Y/N's case), after HQ finds out that they know each other's identities.

In the end, our dear star agents are let off the hook easy, due to some combination of "Well, we kind of knew this was going to happen sooner rather than later, our mistake to not separate you immediately", Dawn being a convincing bastard along the lines of "Knowing each other's identities can be quite the advantage, actually. We can join each other's long-term missions without any risk to our civilian identity, and you know how effective we are in the field", and also some bit of plot armor, I suppose (lmao)

But I've mentioned it before - they get one "test" mission to see just how efficient their trio is, and if it's worth looking past the (unintentional) breaking of rules). I still kind of want this to happen on a cruise? For Reasons(TM)

Robin poses as a high-standing trust fund kid, a role they despise but which explains both the need for a bodyguard and why no one has actually seen them before when they introduce themself. They play the role decently well by simply channeling their snappy attitude they used to show towards Dusk back in the day (and of course, still sometimes do, but much much more affectionate these days)

Dawn is the daytime bodyguard, mostly present for the afternoon meetings and keeping Robin from just. Mauling the sleazy business people they're forced to mingle with. They get flustered more than enough, still more used to the nice neighbor, so to be out of their comfort zone within the mission and then kept off balance by their way too smooth rival/ bodyguard?

It gets worse when they just feel that twitch in their fingers, watching as illicit deals go through, and they can't do anything yet. Sun makes sure to hold them back, a firm but gentle hand on their shoulder before he takes their hand to brush over their tensed knuckles. Signals them that yes, he saw, too - and it'll be okay. They'll take care of it together as soon as they can, and there's absolutely no doubt about that in his mind. The confidence is infectious, and Robin has a small moment of realization just how much they trust and understand Sun, and how much more they want to learn - they couldn't imagine a life without him long before already, but this makes them aware of that terrible need for more, still. All this condensed in the short thought "God, I want to kiss him."

They need to process that.

Unfortunately, Dusk doesn't help. Smug as always, he's their escort for any of the evening activities, more focused on the social aspect and having fun. Some dances, smarmy cocktail parties, plays - you name it, there's something going on, and for the sake of information Robin has to attend as much as possible.

They try to interact with everyone else, but truly just cannot stand these people, and are too unused to playing nice. They regularly tap out, and just go back to their bodyguard - scary guy, really, don't they mind? "Not at all, he's a sweetheart! (:" *cut to Moon standing near the wall, glowering with thermal vision and sharp teeth, arms crossed to hide the twitching fingers* "... Right." But they go back, and notice that it's reassuring for them both. They drag him onto the dance floor at some point, missing steps and dancing out of tune, because they just get so caught up in their usual banter. One comment just nearly breaks them, and they fear they're threatening to burst their cover with how loudly they want to laugh. If only they could shut him up with a kiss -

Wait.

Again?

And thus the crisis begins. They bide their time for a day or two, just processing that yes, they're in love with their - their.

Their everything sounds so incredibly cheesy - but they are, aren't they? Neighbors, rivals, friends - they touch each other's life on all accounts.

Theirs, they settle on. That's what they want the boys to be, anyway.

They don't know when it started - they just look back, and it looks like this was always the way things would have gone. Of course they ended up here - every step only took them closer to this point.

It's time for the next one, then.

Turns out they're just a bit of a romantic sap, and they look for "good" moments. Fortunately for them, I am also a romantic sap, and will god mod their universe to fit my cheesy needs.

They get Dawn first. They have a moment to themselves, after a long afternoon of boring meetings, and Robin stays behind in the room for a moment to breathe. Dawn waits near the entrance, glaring at a few people that just carelessly shoulder check him. Lets out a noise of disgruntlement, then crosses the room to check on Robin. They assure him they're fine, they just need a moment without this stuffy atmosphere. They glance up at him - and the amount of brain cells that activate in that moment is unheard of for them.

Perfect opportunity. "Lean down", they ask him. "Your tie's messed up. Let me fix it?" And Dawn - well, he's positively surprised for sure, that's a bold step for his little thief! So he is not complaining! He obliges, so so happy and confident that they finally started making some advances! He does not expect that they are about to just skip a couple steps entirely. Tug him down by his tie, the other hand settling on his shoulder, but the kiss itself is surprisingly delicate after the startling force to get him there. They pull back after a moment, trying to assess - and Dawn is just completely stunned. Well. They were pretty sure, but... "I didn't misunderstand, right?"

That's when Dawn snaps back to reality, and just cups their face with both hands, widest grin on his face before he mimics that first kiss again and again. But it's too passive for him, and they got their human kisses, so now he's adding a good nuzzle into the mix, all while Robin starts giggling. He's a little eager, after months of pining - so the two of them may stumble into the chairs and desk behind them. The noise does startle them out of their little moment, but then Robin looks at him, and just entirely deadpan says "Don't tell Dusk. I'm going to get him."

Dawn loses it, which is saying something, and they join in immediately after. He does promise to not snitch, though.

They don't have to wait long. Another on deck cocktail party, and they end up staying late long after the staff cleaned up the last of the drinks and snacks. The night sky out at sea - that's a view even Dusk will let them stay up for. They just lean on the railing, listen to the waves crash against the ship, and crane up their necks to look at the stars. After a while Robin does feel that, so they crack it. Dusk, very much interpreting that as "that sounded bad", just immediately looks down to check on them. They blink, surprised, when he's all worried with his hands near their neck, just fluttering and checking for an injury that isn't there. Yup, they think. This idiot gets it, and now. So they cup his face, resulting in a surprised little jolt when he locks eyes with them. Idiots already getting kissed. A little more insistently than Dawn, perhaps, but also over just as quick. They pull back again, look at his stunned expression, and grin. "Yup, been wanting to do that for a while."

Dusk... Appalled. Offended. Insulted to the core. He grabs them by the lapels of their suit, dragging them forward, and just shakes them (gently). "Then why did you wait this long?" And they're just holding onto his wrists and giggling, going "But this was perfect!" "I'll give you perfect -" "Like right now?" "Right -" And he blinks at them, and yeah, actually - like right now. Some of the remaining staff do remind them they aren't alone at some point. They just kind of slink back to their room then - giggling to each other like the fools they are.

They do kind of agree to leave any further new PDA for after they return home, and somehow the pining becomes much more bearable with the thought that it's only a few more days. There's a date - and then they'll discuss going on one <3

#answer let luce #chaotikanvas #accidentally undercover #I got SO distracted I am still so distracted #I am so sorry FHDJSK #but here <3 #kisses <333 #this is 1.6K words #have fun FGHDSJ #posting this NOW before i get distracted again

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divine-knight-hand · 10 months

Text

“It’s Not Safe Here!”

Chapter 4: Family Values

Series Masterlist || Michael Masterlist || Full Masterlist || Read on AO3

Content Warnings: Angst, discussion of character deaths, walking in on masturbation, p in v, riding, pleasure crying, mention of leaving a hickey, explicit consent, and use of a condom.

Notes: Finally! I did it! I finished chapter four! Be prepared for backstories, more plot, and original characters for Y/N's story. I feel the need to remind everyone of the heavy canon divergence in this series.

Originally, this chapter wasn’t going to involve smut, but I think Michael deserves to feel happy after the torture I put him through. Besides, I know what we're all here for, so let's just get straight to it~

I also totally self-indulged a little because characters being caught jacking off is one of my favorite smut setup tropes (or whatever you wanna call it). Okay, I'm done talking your ears off now. Enjoy! Hehehe!

Word Count: 3,775

Dividers by @cafekitsune

William Afton was a sadistic douchebag. That much was obvious, especially now. Wherever he went, he only ever brought suffering with him. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce that he enjoyed the look of pain and torture on others. He was foul, and his latest act of malice took the cake.

It was 6:30 AM the day after my meeting with him when he and Henry gathered me, Michael, and a handful of other employees I could have sworn I’d never seen before into the party room. We sat at a single table, and I dutifully crossed one leg over the other as we observed the two tall tarped items that seemed to tower over all of us.

I smoothed the front of my white dress shirt, which I had neatly tucked into a sleek pair of navy dress pants, waiting for either of my bosses to say something. When silence proceeded to thicken the air, I uncrossed my legs, anxiously tapping the heel of my ankle boot in a trademark anxious knee bounce.

Michael seemed to notice my shaking leg and reached over to hold my hand, which was conveniently left on the table in front of me. I smiled up at him as he squeezed my hand, my leg slowing, but not stopping. Something’s wrong here. I can feel it…

Henry smiled at William, breaking the silence, “Well, since they’re all itching to hear what we’ve got with us, why don’t you show them all what we’ve got, Afton?”

“I’ll let you do the talking, Em.” I could have sworn I saw William cast a sour glance at me.

“Okay!” Henry clapped his hands together with a smile. “While tinkering away in our shared workshop, my business partner here and I have made a revolutionary breakthrough in robotics.”

Excited murmurs began to fill the room as my stomach dropped. Is this where our funds have been going this whole time? Damnit, William!

The murmurs stopped with a wave of Henry’s hands. “Now, after years of hard work, we would like to present to you-” Henry motioned toward William, who dropped the tarps with a sinister grin. “-the first-ever springlock suits in robotics history!”

As applause sounded behind me, my jaw dropped at the two tall figures that towered over us. A yellow bear with a purple top hat and matching purple bow stood beside a yellow rabbit with an identical bow. They both had glassy yellow eyes that made them seem lifeless. The sight sent a shiver down my spine.

“Say hello to Fredbear and Spring Bonnie!” Henry’s warm smile juxtaposed the horrifying scene right behind him. “They’ll be unveiled as new additions to the Fazbear crew tomorrow morning.”

“Cool! New characters!” I heard an employee enthuse from somewhere behind me.

“Not just any new characters.” William stepped beside Henry. “These are state-of-the-art springlock suits.” He smirked as he knocked on Fredbear’s shoulder, seeming satisfied with the resulting metal clanging. “Programmed to walk around when not occupied. But, to put them in costume mode, you twist a little handle inside and all the animatronic parts compress to make space for a human to fit inside.”

More excited murmurs launched from the other employees as I noticed Michael tense up. He gave my hand an anxious squeeze.

“This is dangerous!” The murmurs instantly stopped at my outburst. William scowled at me as I continued. “I mean, what if someone’s trapped in there and the animatronic parts snap back into place? Think of the lawsuits! Not to mention, I don’t think a human being could survive that type of injury.” Another anxious hand squeeze from Michael told me that was a poor choice of words. I mentally kicked myself for being so insensitive.

About four months ago, he let me in on one of his darkest secrets. Something that had been plaguing him with guilt for most of his life.

He was about 16 years old when William let Michael and his little siblings, Elizabeth and Evan, run wild in an off-site storage unit for Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. It was Evan’s tenth birthday, so William thought a storage site with half-finished machinery was a decent party setting. Though the restaurant hadn’t been established yet, he and Henry still wanted a base of operations for the animatronics they were working on.

Since Evan didn’t make friends easily, his mother, Clara, suggested that Michael invite his friends to Evan’s party to keep him company. This proved to be Evan’s worst nightmare, since Michael and his friends used to tease and bully him.

Evan feared one animatronic the most, so Michael and his friends thought it would be a funny prank to hoist him up to eye level with it. Evan squirmed around so much that his head ended up in its mouth. The last thing Michael heard from Evan was his crying before the animatronic’s jaw clamped shut over his head, crushing his skull and killing him.

Michael ran to get William for help, only to be harshly blamed, chastised, and even abused for Evan’s death. Clara later grew furious with William for being so cold to his own son after what was clearly an accident in an already unsafe environment, and the two began to argue, which didn’t help Michael’s situation at all.

To further add to the tragedy, Elizabeth disappeared that very same day after running off to play with another animatronic in the storage unit by herself. This only fueled William’s rage toward Michael. I couldn’t imagine how alone and scared Michael felt after having both of his siblings ripped from him at once, only to grow distant from his parents as well.

I remembered holding Michael as he sobbed after telling that story. My heart broke for him, and it took everything out of me not to cry alongside him. I appreciated that he felt comfortable enough to open up to me about this. We’d come so far together, and I wanted to be there for him in any way I could, even if all I could do was hold him.

So, that’s what I did. I held him as he buried his face in my shoulder, and rubbed his back as it heaved with each breath and sob. I felt almost useless beyond that. I’m not great with words when it comes to making people feel better. In that moment, I wished for some sort of magic spell that I could incant to put him at ease. Though the perfect words never came to me, Michael said that he appreciated my comfort.

I wouldn’t know anything about what coming from a broken family feels like. I was one of the lucky ones, having been raised by parents who treated me well in the big city. New York, to be exact. I was studying finances and entrepreneurship in college, hoping to someday open a business of my own, but I felt I wasn’t getting the hands-on experience that I needed. I felt that I was missing something.

One day, as I was coming home from college, my neighbor, Edith, stopped me and told me that her friend, Adelaide, told her that Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria was looking for a financial advisor. Edith was always a sweet lady. I considered her like a grandma to me. My grandma-like image of her was only further supported by the fact that she baked my family cookies every Friday. It was nice that she looked out for me like that. She always made it clear that she had my best interest at heart, and I appreciated it. Not to mention that she just introduced me to what could have been the opportunity of a lifetime for me. This is it! I thought, This could be what I was missing all this time!

Edith gave me Adelaide’s phone number and I found out that the pizzeria was located all the way in Hurricane, Utah. My heart dropped at how far away it was from home, but Adelaide told me not to lose hope yet and later sent me a newspaper clipping in the mail with additional information about the restaurant. I was instantly enthralled by the bright colors and silly characters in the ad, as well as the promise of experience with managing finances in a real-life business setting. It was a long shot, but I summoned my strength and applied for the position. Before I knew it, I was accepted.

My parents were confused as to why I was suddenly so eager to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere, but I had my mind set on my future. Besides, I had originally planned on moving back to New York once I was ready to launch my own business. I dropped out of college, packed up, and set off across the country to move in with Adelaide. My priorities quickly shifted when I met Michael. Suddenly, I had a lover, and staying in a small town didn’t sound so bad. Though, starting my own business wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility…

Remembering how amused I used to be by the animatronics only made me feel bitter now, considering that each and every one was a walking death trap after hours. Once Michael gave my hand another anxious squeeze, my mind refocused on the worst of it, which stood right in front of the table we sat at.

“I can assure you that the springlock suits are completely safe.” Henry nervously chuckled, wringing his hands.

“Besides, me and my partner over here will be the only ones wearing the suits.” William reassured. “If there was any risk, which there isn’t,” He glared daggers at me. “Henry and I would be the only ones taking it. So, we’re not liable for anyone else’s physical well-being in that aspect.”

“How could you?!” Michael shot out of his chair, my hand left forgotten on the table, as he seemed to finally reach his breaking point. “How could you finish the project that-”

“If you finish that sentence the way I think you’re going to finish it, son, let me remind you who brought about that outcome.” William’s face was red with fury as he wagged his finger at Michael. “That was no fault of mine, boy.” Bastard! I wanted to scream and slap the shit out of William, but I sat still, swallowing bile instead. I almost got fired yesterday for yelling at the man. I didn’t need to risk a criminal assault charge next.

Michael clenched his jaw before he spat, “How could you even look at that face, knowing what it did?” He motioned to Fredbear, and I finally put the pieces together.

Fredbear was the animatronic that killed Evan. Fredbear killed Michael’s little brother, and William finished building it anyway. This was the most insensitive thing I’d ever seen him do. I felt nauseous.

“I believe whatever we’re discussing here can wait until after hours.” Henry stepped between the arguing two. “Right?”

The two glared at each other as if Henry wasn’t even there. The air between them seemed to crackle with tension before Michael broke the silence.

“Yeah.” He slowly backed away from the table, eyes unmoving from William. “Fine.” With that, he stormed out of the party room.

“Michael!” I lept out of my chair and quickly followed him. I heard Henry let out a defeated sigh behind me as I left the room.

As I reached the security office, I found Michael sitting in his chair with his face in his hands.

“Michael?” Though my call was just barely louder than a whisper, his head instantly shot up at the sound of my voice.

“Oh. Hello, love.” Michael’s watery eyes met mine, but his hands didn’t completely leave his face. The parts of his face that were showing through his hands were red and blotchy. I felt my heart sink at the sight of him.

“You shouldn’t listen to William.” I walked over and grabbed his hands, slowly coaxing them from his face. “His area of expertise is limited to creepy robots.” Creepy killer robots, but this didn’t seem like an appropriate time to bring that up. “For what it’s worth, I’m with you. This whole springlock thing is a stupid idea, and you deserve to be heard when trying to speak your mind.”

Michael sadly smiled. “Thank you, darling. That means a lot. It’s just-” He sighed. “What is going through my father’s head?”

“Who knows?” I brought Michael into a loose embrace, and he rested his head on my chest. “Your old man is crazy.”

Michael half-heartedly chuckled at my remark. “When is he not?”

“Hello, Fazbear crew~” The sing-songy voice sounded from one of the security cameras, instantly catching my attention. I recognized the woman’s medium frame and wavy auburn shoulder-length hair as she walked on-screen.

“Hello!” William greeted his wife.

“You forgot your lunch, dear!” She strolled over, handing him a paper bag and kissing him on the cheek.

“How forgetful of me.” He wrapped his arms around her waist. “Thank you, doll.”

As I watched the exchange, I remembered what I’d witnessed the day before between William and Henry. My stomach twisted with guilt. Maybe I should have told her what I saw. I wished I’d never even caught William cheating on her in the first place. I wished I didn’t bear the burden of knowing what William did at work.

Clara seemed like a kind and gentle woman. I didn’t think she deserved to feel the pain that came with finding out that her husband cheated on her. Then again, I didn’t think she deserved to be cheated on in the first place.

I was torn between whether or not I should tell her. Would it be better for her to find out after everything she’s been through or suffer a silent misdeed in ignorant bliss?

Michael let out a heavy sigh, bringing my attention back to him. “I think I’ll be heading home now.”

I let him stand up before wrapping him in a tighter hug. “Of course. Take care of yourself, okay? I’ll be there after my shift.” I tilted my head to give him a kiss before finally letting him go.

I watched him walk out of the door before turning to check the clock: 7:00 AM. Time for work.

▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

“Hun, I’m home!” I called into the still air of our shared home as I slid my ankle boots off of my feet. Our house was small but cozy. There was only the two of us living here, after all. We didn’t need any extravagant arrangements.

By the time I stepped into the house, I still didn’t get a response, so I tried calling again, “Michael?” I slowly walked over to our bedroom, freezing at the closed door.

I could hear soft sighs and low moans coming from inside. “Mh… Ah- P- please…”

My stomach seized. Was he sick? Was he hurt? How long was he left suffering like this? I steeled my nerves and threw the door open, ready to help him.

Michael lay on our bed, still fully clothed in his work uniform, but his shirt was unbuttoned from top to bottom. His eyes were squeezed shut as he panted, stroking his hand up and down on his exposed cock. He let out a soft whine, breathily moaning my name.

I softly closed the door behind me and silently made my way closer to him. He looked like a painting. His brow was knit in concentration, and the noises he made were like music to my ears. His cheeks were lightly flushed as sweat began to dew his face. He looked perfect, and part of me wanted to reach out and touch him to make sure he was real.

“Missed me?” It took a lot to keep my voice low and even, but the faint pulsing sensation forming between my thighs made it difficult to keep my composure.

His mouth dropped into an ‘o’ shape as his eyes flew open in shock at the sound of my voice. “D- darling! You’re home early.” Though he was surprised, his hand didn’t move from his length.

I softly chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. “I came home at the same time as always, my love. It looks like you might have lost track of time, hm?”

“I… I suppose so.” His eyes fluttered closed at the contact. “I’m sorry, love.” He breathed.

“Please don’t apologize. You have nothing to apologize for.” I moved my hand to caress his cheek, earning a soft sigh from him. “You’re so pretty when you’re begging for me~”

He opened his eyes to innocently look up at me. “You’re the only one who can truly satisfy me.” I could have sworn my heart melted in my chest.

“Then may I?” I felt the corners of my mouth upturn in a mischievous smirk as Michael wildly nodded.

“Please...” His sigh bordered on a moan as he dropped his painfully hard dick onto his stomach.

I lightly grabbed the collar of his shirt. “All of this has to come off, then.”

He wordlessly nodded in response before stripping. I quickly discarded my own clothes and dug through my dresser drawer until I found the box of condoms I kept inside. I grabbed one and turned around to see Michael sitting in the middle of the bed, looking up at me with those baby-doll eyes I loved so much. I felt a slick sensation forming between my thighs as I looked him over.

“You’re absolutely gorgeous, my love.” I crawled into bed next to him and pulled him into a deep kiss.

He moaned into my mouth and pulled me on top of him, laying back as he did so. I pulled away from the kiss, sitting up and straddling his thighs to open the condom I grabbed and roll it onto his cock.

All the while, Michael was softly complimenting me. “You’re so beautiful, love. Absolutely stunning. I want to make you feel good.”

“What a good boy~” I praised him. “Always so willing to please me.” Michael softly whimpered at my compliments as I tossed the wrapper of the condom aside and leaned forward to cup his face in my hands. “But, tonight, I want to make it about you, my love. Let me spoil you.”

He tried to turn away out of embarrassment, but I pulled him into another kiss and I felt his arms wrap around my body as he grew audibly desperate for me. He then began bucking his hips into mine, teasing my cunt without even realizing it.

I felt a pang of desire tear through me before I pulled away from the kiss to ask, “Are you ready, hun?”

“More than anything…” He moaned. “Please, love. I want to be inside you.”

I gave him a quick peck on the tip of his nose before lining his cock up with my entrance. As I slid him inside, we both let out a low moan in unison. I felt my mind clouding with pleasure as I bottomed out, enjoying the full sensation in my core. Michael’s head dropped back onto the bed and he squeezed his eyes shut.

His voice grew whinier and he began incoherently praising me. “Mh… Yes… So tight… Mh…”

I trailed kisses along his jaw until I reached his earlobe to give it a playful nip. “You feel so good inside me, Michael~” I purred as I ground my hips against him.

He let out a whimper at my teasing. “Please…” His eyes fluttered open, growing watery. “Please… Need more…”

That was all I needed to hear. I sat up into a straddling position and set a brutal pace as I began to ride him. Michael was a mess underneath me. He was reduced to broken moans and whines that bordered on sobs. He was clearly waiting for this for a while, and I was loving every moment of seeing the image of perfection sprawled out beneath me.

Michael relying on me completely to grant him release. Michael begging and pleading for me. Michael absolutely blissed out under my touch, unable to put to words how good I make him feel. Michael~

I bit my lip with concentration as I felt the pressure in my core mounting. I involuntarily clenched around Michael, and he responded by gripping my thighs and bucking his hips with my movements while letting out a string of incoherent begs and pleas.

“Ah- That’s it, Michael.” I praised him through broken moans. “You make me feel so good…”

“Ohhh… I- I’m close…” Tears slowly streamed out of Michael’s eyes. “Please, darling, please… Ohhhh…”

I leaned forward, still thrusting, and whispered, “Cum for me, hun. Show me how good it feels.”

That was enough to send Michael over the edge. His eyes rolled back and his voice cracked as he hit his climax. I helped him ride out his high as his cock twitched and spilled cum into the condom, trailing ravenous kisses along his neck before my own orgasm crashed into me.

I let out a loud moan as the waves of my climax washed over me. The world slowed for a moment, and the only thing keeping me tethered to reality was feeling Michael’s body against mine. For a moment, I wished I could spend the rest of my days in this state of ecstasy. Once we were both finished, we held each other in our arms, panting and satisfied.

I went to lift off of Michael when he softly grabbed my thighs and pulled me back down onto him. “Just a little longer… Please?”

“Okay.” I pecked his cheek. “Just a little longer.” I lazily smiled at him, my eyes trailing down his neck to find the bruise I left when I trailed kisses along it. I knew he would be embarrassed and wear his collar just a little higher to hide it during his next shift, but I would know that I marked him. I was instantly filled with a sense of pride. My pretty boy~

“Thank you.” He breathed, rubbing his hand along my back. “For… everything today. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

“Not just me. You deserve the world.” I rested my face in the crook of his neck, embracing him and his body heat. “And I love you so much that I’d do anything to give it to you.”

“I- I don’t know what to say.” Michael wrapped his arms tighter around me before softly sighing. “I love you, too.”

#smut #smut fanfiction #michael afton #michael afton smut #michael afton x reader #sub!michael afton #fnaf smut #five nights at freddy's #dom!y/n #little hints of angst #little bits of comfort

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emotionalcadaver · 9 months

Text

Part 9: The Scarecrow & The Shadow

Fandom: The Dark Knight Trilogy

Pairing: Jonathan Crane x OC

Summary: Worried about the potential consequences of either of them getting arrested, Vanessa presents Jonathan with a proposal.

Word Count: 2,360

Notes: I know that technically very few states have self solemnization in real life, but we’re just going to pretend that Gotham has its own special laws regarding that because this is what I always envisioned for them. Warnings for references to sexual content.

Masterlists: Main • Series

Previous Part • Next Part

Vanessa watched from the entrance as the police car pulled away, hands stuffed into her pockets, frowning. Beside her, Jonathan sighed, taking off his glasses and cleaning them before sliding them back up his nose.

“Come on, let’s get out of the rain,” he said, making a move to go back inside the asylum. When she didn’t follow him, he stopped. “Nes?”

“Coming,” she tore her eyes away from where the police car had just been, going to follow Jonathan back inside. Neither of them said much as they went to the elevator, Jonathan punching the number for the floor of their offices. Vanessa followed him into his office, closing the door behind her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, head tilted while he adjusted the cuffs on his shirt.

“That was close.”

“Not really,” he shrugged.

“We’ve had too many incidents here over the past few months. People are going to start to get suspicious.”

“Most people already believe that the asylum is cursed or haunted or both.”

“Jonathan,” she said sternly. He sighed.

“The cops around here are dumber than a box of rocks. They couldn’t solve a case if the answer was written out for them at the crime scene in blood.”

“That Jim Gordon is smarter than the others,” she said, lowering herself onto the couch. “I think he’s been suspicious of us since we got rid of Dr. Arkham.”

“Hm,” Jonathan hummed, looking out the window, lips pursing as he considered. Straightening, he came to sit down beside her. “So what do you want to do? Get rid of him?”

“That will only make them all more suspicious,” she shook her head, sighing. “I don’t know.”

He reached across to take her hands, rubbing over her knuckles with his thumb. “We’ll be fine.”

“We should prepare for the possibility that someday, someone might figure out what it is that we’ve been doing here.”

Jonathan’s ice blue eyes searched hers carefully, before nodding. “Okay. You have anything in mind?”

“Not right now,” she admitted. Her mind was spinning with undeveloped ideas; but nothing concrete. There were so many angles to cover, it would take some time.

“Well, we can both mull it over at least. Talk about some ideas after work,” he checked his watch. “I have to get downstairs to an appointment.”

“Okay,” she let him go. He kissed her tenderly on the cheek before rising from his seat.

“It’s going to be fine, Nes.”

She nodded.

∗ ∗ ∗

“I do have an idea,” she said, nervously swirling her wine in her glass, watching the deep red liquid swish around and around and around. Beside her on the couch, Jonathan shifted, arm wrapped around her shoulders. Vanessa was leaning up against his side, her legs stretched out on the remainder of the couch not occupied by either of them. It had been a long day at work; both of them more than content to just curl up on the couch together with a bottle of wine, Chinese food, and a horror movie for the evening.

“Oh?” Jonathan asked curiously, pressing pause on the movie. “What is it?”

Bringing her wine glass to her lips, Vanessa swallowed down the remainder of the alcohol in a nervous gulp, leaning forward to set it down on the coffee table in front of them. Taking a deep breath, she twisted her hands together, glancing at him anxiously.

“Now, listen…you can say no, if you want,” she started. One of his brows kicked upwards, but other than that, he didn’t say a thing. “I’ve been reading up about laws, about certain options for immunity if one of us gets caught. And, um…” she stuttered around the words, utterly unsure of how he would feel about what she was going to suggest. “The most sure way for a couple to prevent being compelled by a prosecution to testify against one another is through marriage.”

Jonathan stiffened against her, pulling back to set his wine glass down on the end table and look at her more fully, eyes wide. Vanessa swallowed hard as she stared up at him levelly.

“Vanessa,” he said, very slowly, and she could see his mind working a mile a minute behind his beautiful blue eyes. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

“I–” she felt her cheeks flare with warmth. “Only if you want to.”

He let out a sharp laugh at that, sitting up more fully, encouraging her to do the same as he tucked some hair behind her ear and clutched her hands. “If I want to…” he cradled her face, kissing her on the mouth.

She smiled, leaning closer to him, until their noses bumped, closing her eyes and resting her head against his palm. When she opened her eyes again, he was staring at her with an analytical expression, though the softness with which he often regarded her was still there. Turning her head, she kissed the center of his palm. “I love you.”

Jonathan’s eyes softened further, throat working as he swallowed, leaning in closer to kiss her again. Then he pulled away, standing while still holding her hands.

“What are you doing?” she asked. He pulled her to her feet.

“Doing this properly.”

“What–” her eyes widened as he sank down onto one knee in front of her, heart jumping into her throat as she blinked hard at the sudden, unexpected tears springing forth into her eyes. “I thought that you didn’t care about being traditional.”

“I don’t,” he rubbed her knuckles with his thumbs, cracking a smile. “But I’m willing to make an exception for this,” he cleared his throat dramatically and she giggled, squeezing his fingers. When he spoke, his voice was deadly serious. “I love you. You’re my favorite person in the world,” his fingers flexed around hers, his cheeks turning pink. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” she jumped when he lifted a hand to caress her cheek, wiping away a few tears that she hadn’t even realized had fallen. “And I would very much like not to be forced to testify against you if we ever get arrested.”

She laughed at the unexpected joke, the hand he had on her face returning to clasp her fingers in his.

“So,” he drew in a deep, nervous breath. “Vanessa Charlotte Sullivan, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she said, almost instantaneously, and he surged up from where he was kneeling, arms going around her waist as he kissed her. She beamed against his lips, hands cupping his cheeks, laughing joyfully as he pressed her down firmly into the couch, lips salty form the combination of their ecstatic tears.

∗ ∗ ∗

Vanessa made an appointment with the county clerk’s office that weekend, and they headed down there first thing Saturday morning, hand in hand. They were dressed nicely, but not over the top: Jonathan in just a dark suit while Vanessa wore a lacy black dress she had yet to find an occasion to wear.

Neither of them had ever been particularly interested in the idea of a wedding. It all seemed rather ridiculous and over the top to them. Not to mention that neither of them had any other real friends or even acquaintances to invite to a wedding, had they decided to have one.

At the end of the day, they both agree that self-solemnization was the best course of action for both of them. No religious fuss to get Jonathan’s hair to stand on end, nor witnesses or an officiant staring at them as they spoke deeply personal words to each other to make Vanessa feel all violated and twitchy.

Gotham was one of the few places in the country that allowed self-solemnization. And made it a surprisingly popular place for eloping couples. Vanessa didn’t particularly care why Gotham allowed self-solemnization when the rest of the state didn’t; she was just thrilled that the process involved as little fuss as possible.

“You two been together long?” the clerk asked as she checked their photo IDs and began to doll out the paperwork they would need to fill out.

“Since college,” Vanessa said simply.

“That’s lovely,” the clerk smiled at her sweetly. She just nodded, fingers squeezing against Jonathan’s arm as they filled out the paperwork and handed it back.

“And just sign your names here,” the clerk presented the paper to them. Vanessa wrapped her arms around Jonathan’s waist as soon as the clerk had retreated away to give them some privacy.

“Last chance to change your mind,” she whispered in his ear, pressing a kiss into his cheek. It wasn’t like either of them were all that invested in any form of a traditional lifestyle. Had it not been for the possibility of one or both of them getting arrested at some point, they probably would have forgone marriage all together. Neither of them needed a slip of paper to know that they would be together forever.

But still, there were benefits of that little slip of paper that neither of them could dismiss. Not to mention the peace of mind it would bring her. It would do good to have all their ducks in a row; should shit one day hit the fan.

Jonathan snorted, turning his head to nose at her hair affectionately before scribbling his name down on the line and handing her the pen. She reluctantly let him go to take it between her fingers, laughing as she felt him hug her from behind, kissing her temple and hooking his chin over her shoulder. The pen scratched against the paper as she signed her name, heart jumping as she looked down at the two near illegible doctor’s signatures side by side on the paper.

Glancing over her shoulder at Jonathan, she smiled at him with lowered eyes, stroking his cheek. “Hi, husband.”

His laugh vibrated against her back, leaning closer until their foreheads touched. “Hello, wife,” he purred, pressing his mouth against hers. The kiss was deep and heated; a far cry from the usual quick pecks that they usually shared in public. Like he was trying to tell her without words just how happy he was; how much he loved her.

Once they broke apart, she cradled a hand at the back of his head, keeping him close as she hummed in happiness, nuzzling at his nose. Finally turning away, she picked up the paperwork, and together they took it over to the clerk, holding each other’s hands.

“Anything else?” she asked the clerk as she took the paper.

“No, that’s everything. I’m assuming that you would like to file right away? There’s no waiting period in the city of Gotham.”

“Yes, please.”

The clerk nodded. “Then you’re all set. Congratulations, both of you.”

“Thank you,” they both said, heading to the exit.

“That was much easier than I thought,” Jonathan commented.

“I thought that surely they would give us more shit about it,” Vanessa commented, hugging his arm. Their apartment wasn’t all that far away, and the moment that they were inside and the door was shut behind them, she pressed him up against it firmly, chuckling at the little yelp he let out as she crowded into his space and kissed him.

“Mm…what’re you doing?” he chuckled as she moved her lips down to his neck.

“There’s still one thing left that we have to do,” she purred into his skin, enjoying the way that he shivered and tilted his head back against the wood of the door.

“Is that so?” he teased, eyes shining mirthfully behind his glasses. Vanessa nodded, hands smoothing out along his chest as she tilted her head up to kiss him again, grinning as his hands landed on her hips and he started to walk her backwards.

“At least we won’t technically be living in sin anymore,” she said dryly. Jonathan snorted.

“Granny would be so thrilled,” his voice dripped with sarcasm.

“I’m sure that we can come up with many other things to do that would have horrified her to her very core.”

“God, I love you.”

Laughing, she wrapped her arms around him, letting him scoop her up into his embrace, both of them kissing enthusiastically as he carried her into the bedroom.

Later, much later, they were curled up in bed with an opened bottle of champagne that Jonathan had bought earlier in the day, licking grease from the pizza they’d ordered off of their fingers. Vanessa stretched, the soft material of Jonathan’s shirt riding up her bare thighs, smirking to herself when she caught him staring. Not that she could blame him, as she allowed herself to appreciate how he looked in his boxer shorts and nothing else.

With a hand on the small of her back, Jonathan drew her in closer until she was pressed flush to him, one of her thighs hooked over his hip and her palms on his chest.

“I like being married to you,” he admitted, dropping his head into her neck, spreading kisses down it and then moving onto her shoulder. Vanessa wrapped her arms around him, heart squeezing happily at the words. Even though they’d technically gotten married for the immunity, she couldn’t say that the idea of him as her husband didn’t make her feel a little giddy; all warm and fuzzy with affection.

And she did love him. More than anything. And she knew that he loved her; no matter what she did. What atrocities she had inflicted; or that had been inflicted upon her. Vanessa knew that her mind was sick. Twisted and torn, probably beyond repair. Just like his. They were the same in that way too, true equals in every sense of the word. It was incredibly soothing, to know that he loved her without expectations, without limits. No matter how much of a monster she became.

She supposed that in a way, at least in her mind, they had already been married.

“Mm. I like being married to you too,” she told him, grazing her lips along the shell of his ear. Jonathan just hummed in deep agreement, and pulled her closer.

Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!

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#jonathan crane #jonathan crane x oc #the dark knight trilogy #vanessa sullivan #vanessa sullivan x jonathan crane #my ocs #my fanfiction #fanfiction #the scarecrow & the shadow

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eiirisworkshop · 5 months

Text

One More Notch

A Glee fanfiction Complete fic available to read on Ao3 here.

So here's what you missed on Glee:

Blaine got drunk and made out with Rachel so he thought he might be bi.

In Rachel's basement, she and Blaine kiss sloppily, surrounded by the rest of the glee kids.

Kurt didn't take that too well since he doesn't seem to think bisexuals are real.

Across a coffee shop table, Kurt gives Blaine a scathing look. "Bi is just what people call themselves when they're scared to admit they're gay."

Blaine got really fed up with Kurt so he dumped him.

"You're being so narrow minded and dismissive!" Blaine shouts across the choir room. "I'm sick of it! I'm done."

Then he went out with Rachel, but they had no chemistry so they called it off and Blaine's sure he really is gay. Kurt was really upset over getting dumped so he and Blaine just kinda didn't get back together. They're mostly over it but things are still a little weird.

At the end of a musical number, hugs and high fives are going around. Kurt and Blaine shake hands stiffly.

And that's what you missed on Glee.

~*~

"Again, winning Sectionals has done absolutely nothing for our cred," Mercedes lamented as she set her lunch tray down and dropped into her seat.

Kurt brushed his hair off his forehead with a sigh. "Let's face it, it's going to take a bigger win to earn us the respect we deserve."

"Yeah." Tina stared listlessly at her chicken nuggets. "On a less depressing note," she ate a nugget, "have either of you seen the new transfer kid?"

"Yeah." Mercedes made a face. "What kinda kid changes schools in November ?"

"Bargain store cowboys with no-name jeans and a ridiculously thick accent."

The two girls stared at Kurt. He shrugged. "He's in my math class."

"Oh," both girls said, nodding.

"He's kinda cute, though, in a pickup truck commercial kinda way," Mercedes said casually.

Tina and Kurt considered her, looked to each other, then nodded.

Meanwhile, a knock at his office doorframe startled Mr. Schuester into looking up from the stack of quizzes he was grading. A tall boy in a faded buttonfront, worn jeans, and scuffed boots was standing in the doorway under a thatch of sun-blonded hair, hands crammed in his pockets, shoulders hunched. "Mr. Schuester? I was in your Spanish One class this mornin'."

"Yeah, yeah." Mr. Schuester set the quizzes aside. "It's Joel, right?"

"Yessir. Joel Henry."

"Come in, sit. What can I do for you?"

Joel folded himself into the chair across from Mr. Schuester—quite a feat given the kid was at least as tall as Finn. He shook his head despairingly and met Mr. Schuester's gaze. "I don't know what I'm doin' in your class. I don't speak a word a Spanish. I been takin' German the past two years."

"We don't have a German program here," Mr. Schuester said carefully. "Shouldn't you be eating lunch right now?"

"I wasn't talkin' to nobody, didn't take long to eat." Joel sighed. "I'm gonna fail your class; I can't speak Spanish."

"It's an intro class, Joel."

"That I'm three months behind in! And I'm not good with languages."

"Okay." Mr. Schuester nodded. "Can you stay after school or do you have to catch a bus?"

"No, I drive."

"Great. Then right after school let's you and me go talk to Principal Figgins about moving you out of Spanish."

"Thank you, sir," Joel said. "But why couldn't we go talk to him during afternoon free period in a couple hours?"

Mr. Schuester held up his palms apologetically. "I coach the school's glee club and we meet during afternoon free period."

"Oh. Alright. Well, thank you, sir." Joel got to his feet. "Uh, before I go though, can you tell me how to get to the physics rooms? This school is a lot bigger than my old one."

~*~

After physics and history when afternoon free period came around, Joel found himself at loose ends just like he had at morning free period. So, just like that morning, he wandered the halls, trying to learn his way around. The handful of other kids not occupied with clubs, making out in corners, or smoking pot in the bathroom mercifully ignored him. He turned down another hall—the hall Mr. Schuester's office was on—and he heard music.

Oh yeah, glee club.

He lingered by the half-open door, watching as about a dozen kids danced around singing some pop song he didn't know. He recognized a few of the kids though—one of them, the kid who looked like the creepy Austrian ceramic dolls Joel's grandma collected, was definitely in his math class. The kid was hard to miss. Then there was the Latina cheerleader who'd blatantly offered him sex that morning. She scared him. And she'd noticed him. She'd stopped dancing to stare through the door at him, one eyebrow arched. Another of the girls—the short one in a cat sweater—noticed the scary Latina staring and followed her gaze. Joel gave them a pleading look and put a finger to his lips. The two girls shared a look, then resumed dancing, ignoring him.

The next morning, with his schedule fixed—home ec in place of Spanish, not great, but workable—Joel settled into his seat in the back of his first period math class. Suddenly, an argyle-clad butt perched itself on the edge of the table in front of him. He looked up to find the owner of the butt smiling down at him: creepy Austrian doll kid. "Hi, I'm Kurt Hummel."

Joel blinked. "Your last name is actually Hummel?"

Kurt frowned. "Yes, is that a problem?"

"No." Joel shook his head slowly. "The universe just has one hell of a sense a humor."

"I'm going to assume for your sake that that wasn't offensive. Anyway." Kurt leaned in, smile re-plastering itself across his rosy-cheeked face. "A little bird told me that you were spying on our glee club yesterday."

Joel gave him an unimpressed look. "Was it the sexy bird or the short one?"

"Both of them but that's beside the point." Kurt brushed away the question with a wave of his hand. "The point is, you should join."

Joel slid his math book and notebook between himself and Kurt. "I don't know, I don't really sing."

"Well, if you change your mind, we meet during free period every afternoon and on Monday mornings and after school on Thursdays. Sometimes after school on Fridays, too, but don't count on that one—it's on an as needed basis. Bring a song." Kurt's smile had turned fake. He patted Joel's shoulder and sashayed off to his own seat. Joel watched him go. He had no idea where the hell somebody would get purple argyle skinny jeans in suburban Ohio. He also had no idea why anyone would want to.

After that, class was uneventful. Trigonometry couldn't only be so exciting. Joel's next class, though, was unexpectedly awesome. It was home ec, and they'd been told to pair up to make no-bake cheesecake. A pretty blond girl in a cheerleading uniform walked right up to him, decidedly within Joel's personal space, and looked at him with intense, shiny blue eyes. "Santana told me that if I saw you I should seduce you into joining glee club so I think we should totally make cake out of cheese together." She leaned in to whisper, "What kind of cheese do you want?"

"Uh." Joel took a step back. "I already told your buddy Kurt I don't really sing." He handed her a block of cream cheese. "You really don't need to seduce me, either. Santana is the scary, sexy, Latina one, right?"

"Yeah, she's super hot."

"Well, I already told her I'm not really on the market."

"On the market for what?" The girl cocked her head to the side like a puppy.

Joel stared at her for a second then shook his head. "Nevermind. What's your name?"

"Brittany."

"I'm Joel."

Brittany's eyes widen and she whispered in awe. "You're a famous singer, we were just singing that song of yours about not being an arsonist."

Joel stared at her again. "That's Billy Joel. I'm not related to him."

"Oh...." She looked down at the cream cheese disappointedly.

He chewed his tongue briefly, then leaned toward her to confide, "But I'm a cowboy."

She immediately lit up with excitement. "A real one?"

"Mhm." He grinned.

"That's so cool."

At the end of home ec, Brittany handed Joel their cheesecake, then pulled him out of the room, ignoring his protests. She dragged him to the choir room where, despite the lack of an official club meeting, most of the club was hanging out—well, arguing.

"I think we should go caroling," the short one was saying. Her sweater had an owl today.

An Asian girl who looked like some kind of Victorian heiress who'd sold her soul to a demon butler gave the short one an incredulous look. "Do you remember how badly that went last year? We got a shoe thrown at us. By a teacher ."

"Hey, everyone," Brittany said pleasantly. "So it turns out he's not a famous singer like I thought when he said his name, but I brought the new guy and I didn't even have to seduce him." She grinned at Santana, who looked both impressed and disappointed.

"I was brought here against my will," Joel said. "But I have cheesecake if anyone wants some," he offered feebly.

"I will take some cheesecake," a curvy black girl with big heart-shaped earrings said. Joel handed her the pie pan he was holding.

"I'm glad you decided to join us," the short one said brightly, stepping forward to give him a salesman's smile. "I'm Rachel, I essentially run this—"

"I have not decided to join you," Joel said firmly. "Why are you all hounding me outta nowhere like this? I been at this school less than two days."

"We're pretty much always hoping for new members," Kurt said, lounging across two chairs next to the black girl. "You showed interest. And you're here now, so you might as well show us what you've got."

"I told you, I don't really sing." Joel shook his head and looked around the room. There was Kurt, the hip hop princess eating cheesecake, Rachel the American Girl doll, Asian vampire chick, a super nerdy kid in a wheelchair, a total of three cheerleaders, a guy with a mohawk, a guy in a sweatervest and bowtie, a blond Bieber-type, and three more dudes in letterman jackets. "Do you realize that most of you look more like cartoon characters than real people?"

Rachel huffed haughtily, Kurt and the girl next to him both frowned. The blond cheerleader who wasn't Brittany leaned on her elbows. "He's not wrong, though."

The guy in the sweatervest held his hands out and shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much everyone in this club is crazy."

"But, we're the most fun people in this whole damn school." The black girl stood up. "Look—what's your name?"

"Joel."

"Heya, Joel. I'm Mercedes. You gave me cheesecake, as far as I'm concerned that makes us friends. This is your second day here, so I figure you don't have too many friends yet."

"Not really, no." Joel admitted.

"Uh huh." Mercedes settled her weight into her hip. "And how many people not in this room have actually talked to you?"

"A guy with a jewfro shoved a microphone in my face...."

"Jacob doesn't count," sweatervest guy interjected. "He's a gossip blogger and you're the new kid, he'll harass you for a few weeks. I'm sorry. I transferred in last year, I never did find a way to avoid him entirely. Puck chasing him off is a good temporary measure though." He gestured at the guy with the mohawk.

"And," one of the letterman jacket guys said, "I don't really sing, either." He shrugged. "I used to sway in the background but now I dance."

Joel scrubbed a hand through his hair. "I'll think about it." He looked at sweatervest guy. "But you're right, you're all crazy." He walked out.

At lunch two classes later, Mercedes came up to Joel in the line. "Hey, Joel." She smiled and got a serving of tots. "You wanna sit with us?"

"Who's us?" He grabbed the least bruised apple available.

"Me, Tina, and Kurt."

"Uh," Joel hesitated.

Mercedes glared at him. "Kurt doesn't bite, you know."

"I know." Joel let out a breath and glanced over to the table where Kurt and Asian vampire chick were sitting. She must've been Tina. Joel shrugged. "I've just never met anyone like him before in my life. He's...a little overwhelming."

"I'll admit that he—and Rachel, and sometimes me and Santana—have a flare for the dramatic and it can get a little over the top." She shrugged. "Occupational hazard of showbiz."

Joel sighed.

"Who you gonna sit with if not us?"

"You got a point," Joel admitted. He followed her to the table and carefully sat between her and Tina the vampire. She and Kurt smiled at him. He nodded to them and focused on his food.

Brittany and Santana joined the table a minute later, paying zero attention to anyone else sitting there while they chit-chatted. After that, sweatervest bowtie guy came over carrying a tray. He and Kurt looked directly at each other, Kurt busied himself with his phone, and sweatervest pulled up a chair between Joel and Mercedes. Joel glanced between him and Kurt a couple times. “Well, absolutely no one can tell the two of you used to date.”

Both boys grimaced and glanced at each other.

“Is the awkward that obvious?” sweatervest guy asked.

Joel nodded and gestured between them. “There's laser beams of awkward.”

“Good God, he said what we've all been thinking,” Santana said in astonishment. “At least, I think he did. I'm only sure of every other word. Where the hell are you from, cowboy?”

“Wyoming,” Joel said flatly.

Santana blinked and tilted her head. “See, there's a problem with that: I'm pretty sure Wyoming really doesn't exist.”

Joel rolled his eyes. “I promise you it does.”

Santana shook her head. “I don't believe y—”

“Where in Wyoming?” Kurt interrupted.

Joel poked at his food. “Trust me, you've never heard of it.” He paused and took a moment to study Kurt. “But I'm gonna go way out on a limb and say you've seen Brokeback Mountain.”

Kurt nodded. “Everyone at this table has, even if only because I made them.”

Joel couldn't help but snicker. “Okay, so in Brokeback, Ennis—the blond one, Heath Ledger—and his wife live in Riverton. I'm from Crowheart, 'bout an hour northwest a Riverton.”

Everyone exchanged looks and nodded or shrugged.

“Well, I still don't think we have any idea where that is,” sweatervest guy said, “but that's a pretty good frame of reference.”

“Why did you move here in the middle of the semester?” Tina asked.

“My folks split,” Joel said quickly. “Me an' my mama an' my sister moved in with my mama's sister. Sorry, who're you?” He looked at sweatervest guy. “Never got yer name.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Blaine.”

“Pleased to meetcha.” Joel went back to eating.

End of chapter! Read the rest on Ao3 here.

#eiiri made this #fanfiction #glee #i still can't believe i wrote a glee fic but i did

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wingedvow · 1 year

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sorry if this sound a random question but how do you feel about Odette and Adam (Beast) as a potential ship? I think is fascinating, because Adam's whole storyline is centered on the theme that "beauty is found within" and his own despair that no one would love someone like a "monster" as him. Odette on the other hand with her line "Is beauty all that matters to you?" clearly follows that theme introduced in Beauty and the Beast, and her own curse that also can be broken with a vow of true love makes me think of a very rich and deep relationship between the two of them: both cursed and waiting for true love to break the spell, he who is hopeless that nobody would love him because his appearance and she wanting more than being seen only for her beauty. Ngl it's just intriguing for me! But what are your thoughts?

Thank you so much for the question! It's a captivating one, as I've actually dedicated a lot of time to Gaston/Odette as a ship, but never Adam/Odette. Both present such fascinating possibilities...honestly, I could see her in either situation, since I think she'd be more effective in the tale than Belle would for a few reasons?

While the film builds Belle up as being intelligent for being a reader (which Odette is, too), Belle is also a pretty poor communicator. She'll have a smug comment for someone that she thinks will insult them, but it'll go over their head entirely which kind of defeats the purpose. This is most evident in her dynamic with Gaston where she never actually voices her stance, but instead confuses him with sarcastic lines like "I just don't deserve you." Odette, on the other hand, thrives with effective communication and Derek's inept ability to express what he likes about her verbally is what brings her to leave him, ultimately.

Odette brings more nuance when it comes to magic. She can't speak to humans as a swan, so she's more reserved in certain moments and knows when to attack in others. In contrast, Belle goes to the West Wing when everyone tells her not to and almost touches the rose. She even shows the magic mirror to the town, revealing the Beast's hiding spot, and putting his life in jeopardy. I think Odette would create more interesting story because she's more privy to the ins and outs of magic and what could compromise someone else's safety and what would be okay to share with a crowd versus what would best be kept to the chest.

Belle gives her life in exchange for Maurice, but leaves the castle the minute the Beast yells at her for breaking the rules and then, later, when Gaston asks for her hand in marriage to free her father, Belle flatly refuses. So, she doesn't really stand for anything...on the contrary, Odette would occupy a similar role within the plot but she actually would have something to fight for, as we see her refuse Rothbart's proposals time and time again to protect her father's kingdom.

Odette works so well with both Adam and Gaston. Imagine Adam as the Derek insert- a Prince she's betrothed to, that can't see her value or beauty until it's too late and he has to go through a journey of his own??? They spend every summer together for him to learn this lesson and at the end of the ten years, perhaps his inability to change is what curses both of them??? Idk still in workship but the genesis of their relationship provides so much.

With Odette and Gaston, I feel like she'd pull her weight way more than Belle would. Belle, at best, is a passive consumer, while Odette fights and wrestles and hikes, etc, so I could see her pulling her weight on their farm or in the tavern, instead of being privileged enough to just sit and read and choose not to engage with anyone. Plus I have a headcanon that Odette would definitely be capable of picking Gaston up and carrying him on her shoulders, so there's that lol

#- sure as the dawn brings the sunrise /#ask #anonymous #indie rp #indie fantasy rp #fantasy rp #thank you so much for asking something!#this blog never gets any love

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bouwrites · 9 months

Text

Those Warm and Halcyon Days: Chapter 63

Sanctus

Ao3.

First, Previous, Next.

Story under read-more.

Veery pads softly through the halls of Garreg Mach, following a scent he knows by heart. It’s not long before he’s facing a door. He doesn’t allow himself to consider what may be happening behind that door. Claude trusts him, so it’s not like his interruption will stop any sensitive information, but Veery knows how busy Claude is and he’s not sure this is… entirely necessary.

Veery knows that Claude will want to know about this, he’s just not sure it’s worth taking him away from war planning for it.

Well, he does have at least one important thing Claude will want as soon as possible. It’s the rest that feels a little unnecessary.

He knocks, then, without waiting for an invitation, he peeks his head inside. It’s Claude, Teach, and Seteth talking animatedly over Areadbhar and Lúin on the table. They fall silent when they hear the knock and the door opening.

“Claude?” Veery asks before they can say anything. He meets Veery’s gaze. Professor Byleth drops her head to stare intently at Areadbhar. “Do you have a minute?”

Claude schools his expression, a perfectly conscientious one that makes Veery think he really doesn’t have a minute, but nonetheless, with only a glance to the other two, he says, “For you? Of course. What do you need?”

Veery looks at Professor Byleth – she won’t lift her head, then to Seteth, he’s frowning neutrally, not explicitly annoyed by the intrusion, at least. Veery slips inside and closes the door. “I asked Anna to look into a few things for me while we were on the march in Adrestia.”

Claude and Seteth both raise their brows. “Oh?” Claude says. “And what did she find?”

“Firstly,” Veery says, taking the slip of paper from his waistband and smoothing it out a little, “this.”

Claude takes it, looks down at it. “This is… huh. Well, it’s not like we didn’t know this already, but it’s convenient to put it together like this. Oh, Crusher is still in Dominic? How recent is this information?”

“Anna collected it while we were marching,” Veery says. “So, as recent as it can be.”

“Good to know,” Claude murmurs. “I was worried Cornelia might try something with Crusher, but if House Dominic still has a hold of it, we can hopefully retrieve it for ourselves. Maybe Annette can even convince her family to give it up without a fight.”

“Unlikely,” Seteth says. “House Dominic is currently occupied by Imperial forces. I doubt even they would actively try to hurt her in her own home – the public outcry would be tremendous – but if she were to approach Dominic territory, her family would likely either turn her away outright or have no choice but attempt to imprison her.”

“There’s also the matter of Gustave’s death,” Claude says. “It may be a way in, although using that to infiltrate Dominic just to steal a Relic leaves a bad taste in my mouth… We’ll workshop it with Annette once we meet up in Fraldarius. Let’s see, what else is interesting here…?” Claude hums for a moment, examining the list. “Blutgang… that’s expected. If even Anna can’t find it, Marianne has her work cut out for her – though the possibility Marianne can find something on Maurice isn’t unreasonable… Aymr? That’s what Edelgard is calling that axe of hers?”

“Aymr?” Seteth echoes, moving finally to look over Claude’s shoulder at the list himself. “There is no Heroes’ Relic by that name.”

“I think it’s like Vajra Mushti and the Fetters of Dromi,” Veery says. “Considering it’s most likely linked to the Crest of Seiros, since Edelgard is using it, and there haven’t been signs of any other new Relics, my guess would be it has something to do with Rhea.”

Seteth pales. “You… don’t think they turned her into that…”

“…I can’t rule it out,” Veery admits. “But I don’t think it would be strictly necessary. Remember the demonic beast at the Great Bridge of Myrddin? You guys gave me its Crest Stone after the battle. It’s… different. I talked with Linhardt about it earlier. We’re tempted to say it’s completely artificial.”

“Artificial…” Claude says. “That would explain how the Empire has so many of those beasts so suddenly. Dragon Crest Stones aren’t exactly easy to come by, but if they’re creating something artificially that has the same power…”

“Which,” Veery says, “if that is what they’re doing, it’s most likely based on Rhea’s power. It’s only a theory, and one I’d have to study the Crest Stones a lot more to have any confidence in, but I think it’s possible that they’re using Rhea’s blood to make these artificial Crest Stones. If it’s linked to the Crest of Seiros, Aymr might be the same thing. Any other Crest and I’d be more concerned, but I think there’s a good chance they’re keeping Rhea alive to use her for those purposes.”

Seteth leans on the table, head bowed, mirroring Professor Byleth who still refuses to look at or speak to Veery. “The thought that they might be doing such vile things to Rhea is… and yet it is also the only evidence we have that she may yet live. I do not know whether to pray that you are wrong, or right.”

Whether Rhea still lives is frankly among the least of Veery’s concerns. He doesn’t want to see her dead, but he doesn’t trust her alive, either. “Regardless,” Veery says, “the last thing of any real note about the Relics is the Rafail Gem.”

Claude immediately eyes the list. “Emile von Bartels?”

Finally, Professor Byleth lifts her head. “Emile? Mercedes’ brother?”

“The Death Knight?” Claude gasps. “That… would explain a lot. If he has a Relic… No wonder he’s been such a formidable foe. But now that we know, we can keep an eye out for it. Thank you, Veery. We’ll make good use of this information.”

Veery nods and pulls out another paper. “I also found this hidden in the crate of ingredients Anna got for me. I didn’t actually ask for it, and honestly I don’t understand most of what’s on here, but… well, look.”

Claude accepts the paper. Almost immediately, his lips stretch out into a wide grin. “My, my, Anna has been working hard, hasn’t she?” He looks back to Seteth and Professor Byleth. “Our favorite merchant just snuck us Dukedom plans.”

Seteth gasps and rushes to take a look. “Unbelievable. For these to come to us now is no less than a blessing.”

“Not a blessing,” Veery says casually. “Look at her note at the end.”

Claude does, and reads it aloud, “Use it wisely. Remember, time is money.”

“So, even Anna…” Seteth sighs, still leaning heavily on the table. “We will make full use of the time these plans grant us.”

“We definitely will,” Claude says firmly. Eyeing Veery, he says, “You said something about a crate of ingredients? Something I should know about?”

Veery grabs his own tail, shuffling a little. “That’s the last thing I wanted to talk to you about. The ingredients aren’t for me. They’re for Caub.”

“Caub?” Claude smiles once more. “Is he planning on peering into fate for us?”

“That’s the idea.” Veery doesn’t like it. He doesn’t believe in fate in the first place, so to place any importance on it seems silly. “Most of the ingredients can only be found in Albinea, so it’s taken a while for Anna to get them here, but Caub’s taken over the old Black Eagle classroom to set up for his rituals now that he has everything. He wanted to let you know what to expect before he starts.”

“To glimpse fate…” Claude hums. Strangely enough, Claude looks delighted at the thought. “Well, if the god of fate favors us, that will be a great boon. I trust Caub knows what he’s doing. Should I be present?”

“No, actually, it’s better if you aren’t,” Veery says, echoing what Caub tells him just earlier today as he enthusiastically unpacked his materials like it’s his birthday. “Apparently it’s all ritual and stuff and it’ll be easier to just be alone than to have a bunch of people who don’t know what they’re doing trying to help. I think Dorothea is with him, anyway, but… yeah. Mostly we just want to let you know that he’ll be unavailable for at least a few hours, ideally a whole day, and get your approval to go ahead considering that.”

Claude taps his chin for a moment. “Today or tomorrow would be a good time for it, before we march to Fraldarius, especially if it’s so taxing on him. I want him fully recovered before we set out.”

“He will be,” Veery says confidently. He’s never been a part of the rituals, but he’s met with Caub soon after them before. It doesn’t take more than a single day to be back at perfect form.

“Then give him the go-ahead whenever he’s ready. I want him reporting directly to me afterwards, too. A vision of fate is not something to take lightly. If he’s going to do this, we’re going to work together once he’s recovered to learn everything we can from his vision.”

Part of Veery is surprised that Claude is taking this so seriously. Someone like Claude, who some might consider a cynic at heart, isn’t the kind of person Veery expects would put such stock in something like fate.

But this isn’t the first time Claude mentions a god of fate. Whatever Almyran traditions Claude believes in clearly lead him to take Caub more seriously than Veery expects anyone to. (Even Veery doesn’t truly take Caub’s visions all that seriously, excepting in that Veery naturally understands that Caub believes fully in them.)

“I’ll let him know, then. Expect him… either tonight or tomorrow morning.”

Claude grins, eager. “I am looking forward to it.”

Caub has been sitting forward, fingers entwined, shading his tightly-shut eyes from the dim room for a while now. The door opens as gently as possible, and Dorothea slips back inside. She eyes Caub for a moment, then looks to Veery, and sets the pitcher in her hands down on a nearby desk.

“Nothing?” she whispers, leaning close despite Veery’s sensitive hearing and the deathly silent room.

“Not yet,” Veery murmurs. “But I don’t know when we’re supposed to expect anything.”

Dorothea frowns. “…I don’t want to insult his religion, or anything, but… those are hallucinogenic, right? He is literally drugging himself and taking his hallucination as a sign from the gods, right?”

“Don’t look at me,” Veery says. “I’m with you on this one.”

Dorothea worries her lip for a moment. “And we’re using this to plan where we go from here in the war that will determine Fódlan’s future.”

“Not entirely,” Veery says. “But… yeah, Claude seems to be taking this pretty seriously.”

“Of course, he is.” Dorothea sighs. “And what’s your take on this? Caub is your best friend, isn’t he?”

Veery decides to hold his tongue. All he’s willing to say is, “I trust Caub as much as I trust any human. I… would not trust him like that if I thought he was stupid.”

Dorothea purses her lips, looking distinctly unsatisfied with his answer, but doesn’t push the subject.

“…I’m going to wait outside,” Veery says after a long silence. “This hurts my nose.”

Dorothea casts a passing glance at the incense and pungent herb mixes around the room and winces. “Go ahead,” she says. “I’m not sure I totally trust those drugs, so I’ll keep an eye on him for you.”

“Thanks.”

Veery is relatively certain that Caub is closer to being back to normal than the depths of his hallucinations at this point. In fact, he’s relatively certain Caub is aware enough to be listening in on their conversation, though he makes no movement to indicate such.

Mostly, Veery assumes this much because Caub is sitting upright all on his own. Which is a massive improvement over being completely out of it and collapsed on the floor.

Humans are weird. Hilda gives Veery catnip once, and that’s already enough for Veery to know he’s going to avoid drugs at all costs. The fact that anyone uses stuff like that ritually is… well, Veery doesn’t have any word but weird. Not bad, necessarily, he’s just never going to understand it.

He’s not sure how long he sits out there, camped out by the door of the Black Eagles classroom, trying to ignore the still-overwhelming scent wafting from the open windows. But one of the few things he’s really good at is passing time. He sits there, content in his idleness, until eventually the sky begins to dim and Claude approaches with Lysithea on his heels.

“Veery!” Claude calls, quietly mindful of the open windows and what’s happening just inside. “I know you said he’d come to me, but I got excited. Is Caub finished? Can I take a peek even if he isn’t?”

Veery holds his tail. “Dorothea is already in there with him. Haven’t heard anything in a while. I think he should be done by now, but… I’ll take a look and call you in if it’ll be okay.”

Claude dips his head, accepting, so Veery stands and slips through the door.

Caub looks up at him. He looks so tired, as if he’s been fighting a battle instead of those herbs. He smiles, widely, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

So, he’s lucid now, at least. That’s good. And as Caub returns to the pitcher of water and takes another drink, Veery is satisfied that he’s rehydrating, which is also good.

“Claude is here,” Veery whispers. He’s looking almost as much to Dorothea for an answer as Caub, at this point. “Are you ready now, or should we wait until morning?”

“Now is fine,” Caub says immediately.

Dorothea huffs but nods anyway. So, Caub’s condition isn’t bad enough for any real concern. That’s a relief.

“Alright.” Veery opens the door wider, beckoning Claude and Lysithea inside. Lysithea scrunches her nose at the scents, but Claude perks up, grin widening with each step into the room as his eyes dart around, taking in every addition Caub has made in preparation for his ritual.

“How are you feeling?” Claude asks first.

Caub smiles weakly. “The gods have favored me today,” he says quietly. “I saw more than I ever have before.”

“More?” Claude echoes. “Only a chosen few are granted the ability to witness fate like you can. And you saw more than usual for a vision like this? Favored by the gods, indeed.”

“More,” Caub says with a nod. He opens his mouth to speak but cuts himself off with a quiet sigh, shaking his head. “My apologies. I just need a moment to get my thoughts in order. Else you might end up hearing my report in verse.”

Claude smirks, obviously delighted. “And that’s a bad thing?” he asks.

Caub chuckles awkwardly. “Ordinarily, no. It’s habit at this point precisely because it’s what I was taught to do. But this is… It is important that I am understood, and you are not Albinean. I have heard that, for foreigners, Albinean courtly meter can make things difficult to parse.”

A snicker from Dorothea, and a scoff under her breath, “Lorenz.”

“Don’t stress yourself on my account,” Claude says eagerly. Veery would like to say that Claude is only teasing, but… no, Claude would be ecstatic to be given a report entirely in verse. Sometimes, Veery forgets that Claude himself is also a poet, but now he is sharply reminded of that fact. “Honestly, sometimes I forget that you’re a poet, too.”

“I don’t,” Dorothea snorts. “He’s wonderful! Albinean singing is a bit throaty for me, but Caub is undoubtedly talented in the arts, and I’ve never met a poet like him. You should see him and Lorenz get together sometime.”

Caub blushes a little and rubs his neck. “Ah, what an honor to receive such a compliment from the songstress herself.”

Dorothea swiftly blushes in turn, but Claude, meanwhile, looks as if today is the best day of his life.

Veery shares a look with Lysithea which conveys her thoughts of something along the lines of, “children.”

“So, not that I’d complain,” Claude says, and Veery thinks by the notable lack of humor in his face and voice that he’s merely stalling for time so Caub can recover a little more before the real report, “but why tell people about your visions in verse? You said you were taught to do so?”

Caub hums. “My teacher, Yrsa, only allowed me to speak of visions through poetry. I still think she was just teasing me, but it does serve a purpose. Not to be intentionally vague, but as you know, there are some things better kept secret. People tend to ask fewer questions, which makes it easier to say only exactly what I mean to, when it’s given to them in verse.”

Claude, hearing this, gets a vaguely betrayed expression and a distant look in his eye, and Veery has just enough context for Claude’s life to imagine that he has experiences with people in similar roles from Almyra and is just now realizing that the way they treated him might just be a prank.

Nonetheless, Lysithea moves them right along, already sounding exhausted, “Please, just explain normally.”

Caub laughs at them all, finally losing just a little of the somber weight that seems to be in the room from the moment Veery enters.

“I saw dragons,” Caub says with no fanfare, quickly settling into seriousness once more. “They fought great beasts of steel. In every shadow cast by the dragon’s flames, something moved. I… pardon. Typically, after a vision, I first attempt to separate important figures. There were many massive figures, towering over the battlefield. Most dragons, but…” his eyes slide over to Veery momentarily, but quickly turn back to the floor. “I believe many, if not all, were simply those Relics of yours.”

“Dragons fighting in the war?” Claude hums. “They must be the Relics. Sounds like there were too many figures just to be Seteth, Flayn, Teach, and Veery.”

“I’m not a dragon,” Veery says.

“But you’re marked by Sothis’ power, remember,” Claude says. “For abstract visions like these, that might be enough.”

“Veery was no dragon,” Caub says firmly. “I see him often in my visions. He has never been abstract.”

“I trust you know your visions best,” Claude says. “So, we have dragons in battle against something… artificial? Could be Agarthan weaponry, maybe even the artificial demonic beasts.”

“I don’t think so,” Caub says. “I would not be surprised if those metal beasts are Agarthan weapons, but I think they are something we have not yet encountered. They were reminiscent of those golems in the Holy Tomb, do you remember? Puppets, designed for war. Watch out for weapons fitting that description. Review tactics that might work on them.”

“Noted. I’ll prepare the troops and see if we can’t uncover anything like that before our army has to face them in battle.”

Caub sighs heavily. “Other important figures… A woman – fair and beloved but with a wicked shape to her smile. Linhardt, Lysithea, Marianne, the storm-raven, and a demonic beast.”

“Me?” Lysithea asks. “You saw me?”

Caub nods. “I saw you guide the dragons. You and Linhardt led the march. Our first enemy, one we will meet very soon, I suspect, was the woman.”

“A beautiful, beloved woman with hidden wickedness, who we’re bound to encounter soon?” Claude says, “Might be Cornelia.”

Caub inclines his head. “Possibly. I wouldn’t know to recognize her. What I do know is that you won’t kill her. Not until after she orchestrates m-” Rather than trailing off, Caub stops suddenly, as if the words simply can’t escape his throat. “Well, it will not be easy, is what is important here. There will be losses, but there also be victory. A city in the snow. A funeral. These, I saw.”

“Here’s hoping it’s just Dimitri’s,” Claude says, though his voice takes on a distinct tone that presses into Veery. “But fate is telling us we’ll take Fhirdiad. That’s a sure a sign as any that we’re on the right path.”

“To Fhirdiad, yes, but your true goal is yet hidden to you, isn’t it?”

Lysithea stiffens.

“This war-march I’ve described; Cornelia, Linhardt, Lysithea, Marianne, the demonic beast, the storm-raven. They will guide you to your true goal.”

“My true goal…” Claude murmurs thoughtfully. “To the end of this war? Or beyond that?”

Caub shakes his head. “You are a central figure to this war. Naturally you were central to this vision, too. All I know is that it is your destination, not what it means to you.”

“I understand myself and Linhardt,” Lysithea says suddenly, “at least in the context of guiding Claude to the end of the war. We’re advisors in a very literal sense. Not to discount Marianne’s contribution, but… what makes her so important to the path you see? And what is a storm-raven?”

Caub leans forward resting his head on his hands and his elbows on his knees. “Marianne and the storm-raven… In my vision, we march steadily forward. You and Linhardt guide the path. But eventually, night falls. What slithers in the dark encroaches. Marianne, the storm-raven… I fear things become more… abstract at this point in the vision. More open to interpretation. I believe that Marianne and the storm-raven are the key to lighting up the darkness. To keeping that which slithers there at bay.”

Lysithea shares a wide-eyed look with Veery, then with Claude.

“What?” Dorothea asks, finally interrupting to glare at Lysithea and Claude once it’s clear they have no intention of elaborating on their thoughts. “You two know something. Spill it.”

Claude clears his throat. “The Agarthans have been called ‘Those Who Slither in the Dark’ by historical sources and even Hubert. We were just thinking… I trust her to be strong enough to handle it, but… Marianne keeping Agartha at bay?”

“Marianne and the storm-raven,” Veery says. “And even if they’re the keys, that doesn’t mean they’re doing it alone. Besides, Caub says this part is less clear, anyway. We may be interpreting it wrong.”

Claude nods. Lysithea sighs, slumping as she hugs herself. “I hope so,” Lysithea says. “I’m not putting that weight on her shoulders. I understand that she’s part of this and that we’re all planning on chasing them down, but…”

“But it feels like it should be someone with a personal stake in it who should be central to this,” Claude says. “Maybe you?”

Lysithea glares, but the fierce expression dies quickly. “…Something like that. But, Caub, you never said what a storm-raven is supposed to be.”

Caub drops his head. “That is because I do not know. The figure is always obscured in a storm cloud. The flashes of lightning it creates scared that which slithered in the dark. It was called to the battlefield by the blood already spilled, like a carrion bird, but the only thing I could make out past the storm was an imposing figure and large wings. Thus, storm-raven is the most apt kenning I can use to cause the least confusion.”

“I see,” Lysithea says, “and what does Marianne have to do with this storm-raven?”

“It is her who controls it,” Caub says simply. “Or perhaps she is it. I know not exactly how they are involved, but what they accomplish is one and the same.”

Claude rubs his chin. “Hm… Things are starting to become clearer. My friend, I think you’ve just mapped out our road to beating Agartha. I’m not pleased by the path you describe, not by a long shot, but… Well, if that’s what the god of fate has decided for us, we’ll have to make do with what they give us. Is there anything else you can tell us?”

Caub chuckles bitterly. “A great many things. Awakening, loved ones killing each other, Loog and an ancient battle of separation, your teache- er…” Caub winces. “Have some tact,” he mutters. “The, ah… end of the war.”

“Excuse me?” Dorothea says before Caub can continue. “Don’t just skip past that. What do you mean about Teach and the end of the war? She doesn’t… you don’t mean to say that she’ll…”

“…Only in the way that you always knew is inevitable,” Caub says. “Every child of hers that she strikes down is another blow to herself.”

“Oh,” Dorothea sighs. “Yes, I… I know exactly what you mean.”

“Do watch out for her,” Caub says. “After this war is over and she no longer has an outside force keeping her moving forward, she will need you, Dorothea.”

“Me?” Dorothea asks. “Did you see this, too?”

“Not saw,” Caub says. “Heard. The most beautiful galdr, which renews even a dead spirit. Your voice. A white heron.”

Dorothea snorts, though it’s cut off and tense. “I lost the White Heron Cup, you know.”

Caub smiles, shakes his head. “No, you didn’t. The winner is trained in dancer’s magic; am I mistaken?”

“…No, that was the prize.”

“You already have that magic,” Caub says. “And unlike the one who won five years ago, you will be the one to use it. That is your fate, through my eyes. Although… speaking from experience as a healer who deals often with scars like this, it will take more than song to help your teacher, when the time comes.”

“I know,” Dorothea says. “I always knew that was coming, anyway. I will be all that I can, and I will support her in every way possible.”

Claude touches her shoulder. “As will we all. But you say you’ve seen the end of the war? What does fate have to say about that outcome?”

Caub smiles wryly. “I’ve told you from the start that you are fated to win, Claude. I’ve seen Arcadia long before today’s vision. But tell me, if I were to say you were fated to lose, that I saw Edelgard take your head and that of your teacher… would that change anything?”

Claude crosses him arms, standing stolidly with his head bowed. “…Not for me, at least,” he says after a moment. “But maybe I could help our allies avoid the same fate.”

Caub nods slowly, expecting that answer. “Fate can be a terrifying thing. It is already woven, and so to view that tapestry is to accept the utmost helplessness. Certainly, there are things we can nudge in our favor, but our threads are woven tightly, and will not come undone.”

“I don’t believe in fate,” Lysithea says. “But I understand helplessness better than most. That’s why I will never accept it.”

Veery agrees. “Mortals have the power to overthrow even the gods. No one says such a thing is easy, but it’s never helpless. Even if fate does exist and is so stubborn, I believe it cannot possibly be immutable.”

“I have always admired the way you see the world, Veery,” Caub says, impossibly fondly. “Even if I could dissuade you, I would not want to. But accepting and letting go are valuable skills in this world. You know that not everything is in your control. In those moments, when things simply happen and you can do nothing about them, acceptance and release are possibly the most important skills one can learn.”

He looks over to everyone individually. “One of you has already learned this lesson intimately,” Dorothea grimaces, “but we would all do well to remember that.”

“Wise counsel,” Claude says. “What else do we need to know?”

Caub silently stares at the floor for a long time. Eventually, after far too long, he takes in a slow breath to say, “Power comes with a price. Always. Edelgard believes that she is the one paying the price for her power, and eventually, she will – a terrible price indeed for such terrible power – but in the present moment, she is mistaken. I saw a glimpse of Arcadia, of the world you fashion with your power, Claude. Do not make the same mistake.”

Claude stands frozen for a few seconds, jaw agape. He roughly shrugs off whatever stuns him so and says, “I… will stay mindful. And I hope that if my vision ever becomes so clouded, my friends will be there to set me back on the right path.”

“They will, but only if you allow yourself to trust in them,” Caub says.

“That’s what you see?”

Caub nods. “That is what I see.”

Quiet. No one makes any move to wrap this up and leave. “…Can I ask something?” Dorothea asks not long into the pause. “You’ve told us all what our roles will be and given us warnings about what’s going to come. Even me. Even Marianne, who isn’t even here. But you haven’t mentioned Veery at all.”

“That’s right,” Lysithea says thoughtfully. “Except to say at the beginning that he wasn’t a dragon, as if he was in the vision and you recognized him, but you’ve avoided any hint of his place in what’s to come.”

Caub leans forward hiding his face behind large hands. “Veery was there. Veery is always there. I do not mention him because…” He sighs wearily. “You remember Ambrose. You know what he is like. People like him and I, who see more than most… we must learn when to share and when to keep silent. I don’t deny that I make mistakes in that regard, but knowledge can ruin as much as it can save.

“Before you ask, I am not talking about a great tragedy or anything of that ilk which you should be concerned about. If such a thing were approaching Veery, you know that I would be first to combat it. I simply mean to say that different people understand things differently. I know Veery well enough to know that he does not need me nudging him along his path.”

“He never tells me any details about my role in his visions,” Veery says to calm the three tensing around him. “There’s no need to be paranoid about it.”

Claude passes his fingers through his hair, frowning at the room. “I think that makes me more paranoid.”

Caub shifts awkwardly. “I understand that you have no reason to trust me,” he says.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lysithea says quickly. “We have every reason to trust you. It’s just that we care a lot about Veery, so leaving him out is a little conspicuous… and worrying.”

“…Claude. You are the human Veery trusts more than any other. More than me, even. I dare call myself his best friend, but you are his brother.” Claude straightens up, expression completely serious. Caub slouches even further. “In many ways… I am deeply jealous of you. So, I will tell all to you, and you can decide what to do with that from there. Would that help ease everyone’s suspicions?”

Lysithea and Dorothea look at each other, then to Veery. “It’s a start,” Lysithea says. “Though I won’t be satisfied being kept out of the loop. Are you really okay with this, Veery?”

Veery shrugs. “It doesn’t matter to me. I trust Caub’s judgement far more than I trust a vision from fate.”

“Which isn’t saying much,” Dorothea sighs. “But I understand. I agree, actually. I trust Caub far more than these visions in the first place, so if he thinks something shouldn’t be told, I’m alright with trusting him on it. Especially if Claude agrees.”

“Your understanding is humbling,” Caub says. “Thank you both.”

Eyes slowly turn to Claude, who stands with his hand on his chin, focused intently on Caub. “I did not mean to pressure you into sharing what you think should be kept secret,” Claude says. “As you say, those who see more than most should know how to make those decisions. I trust you, as my brother’s best friend and a reliable ally for as long as I’ve known you.”

“I appreciate that,” Caub says, “but I want to tell you this. I think… you are the one for whom this message is meant.”

“Then I will stay and listen,” Claude says. “The rest of you…”

“We’ll go,” Veery says. “Maybe find Seteth. He believes in fate, right?”

“That’s a good idea,” Claude says. “Update him on everything we covered here. I’ll be up later once we’re finished. After that, go ahead and get to bed. It’s already late.”

Veery can’t say why he wanders so close to the training grounds today. He’s just waiting for a few hours until Linhardt is ready for him so they can spend the day researching in the Holy Tomb while they still have access to it and happens to meander past while he’s debating good napping spots.

Ordinarily, he wouldn’t think twice about the sounds and smells coming from the training grounds as he passes by, but today, Veery picks up on a scent he vaguely recognizes, which takes him a minute to place even once he stops and focuses on it.

It’s all mixed up with a bunch of scents he doesn’t know – which isn’t too surprising with the whole army here – but it nags at Veery and draws him in to investigate. Just to satisfy his curiosity.

He slips inside quietly, keeping to the edge, following his nose, until finally his eyes land on the source of the scent in question. “Holst?”

Holst Goneril, halfway through wiping the sweat of exertion off his brow, looks up to grin and wave excitedly. “Veery! I was wondering when I’d run into you! Are you here to train?”

“Not today,” Veery says. “I was just following a scent I thought I recognized. I thought you were stuck at the Locket.”

“I was,” Holst says, “but thanks to Claude, talks with Almyra finally came through. Dad doesn’t trust enough to take any more soldiers away from the Locket, but he at least let me go. I think he expects me to keep an eye on the Almyrans we let join up with your army. Make sure there isn’t any funny business.”

Veery flicks his ear. “That would explain why there was suddenly a bunch of soldiers speaking Almyran.”

“You mean you didn’t know?” Holst gasps. “I thought for sure you’d be the first one Claude would tell.”

Veery shrugs. “Fódlander, Almyran, you’re all just human to me. And I’m terrible with numbers, so I don’t care about army statistics or anything like that. Claude probably didn’t mention it because it doesn’t really mean anything to me.”

Holst laughs. “And you didn’t notice all the Almyrans around after the battle at Fort Merceus?”

“…I did just say you’re all human to me. I noticed people were speaking Almyran. And I knew that a bunch of Empire troops defected to join us, so I didn’t think about new people around. But no, not really. I take it I’m the last to know?”

“Uh, yeah. Claude made a huge show of it when the Almyran reinforcements arrived in the middle of the battle. And you know how tongues wag in an army camp.”

That’s true. People gossip. And now that he thinks about it, Veery does remember the topic coming up more than a few times. It’s just something so utterly inconsequential to him that he dismisses it as easily as small talk about the weather.

“So, Claude made peace with Almyra, huh?” Veery says.

“A temporary truce, for now.” A large man approaches, Holst’s sparring partner, with a slight Almyran accent to his voice. He’s scarred and imposing, but jovial as he grins at Veery. “As soon as this war is over and Claude can spare more time focusing on Almyra, though, that’ll change fast.”

“Knowing Claude,” Veery says, “that’s seems right. Who’re you?”

“I’m Nader the Undefeated! I got to say, I couldn’t wait to meet you! Claude talks about you all the time!”

Nader the Undefeated? Veery tilts his head. “You’ve got an epithet? Am I supposed to know you?”

Nader stops short, hanging his head. “How cruel. All this time you’ve known about Claude and he still hasn’t mentioned me? I understand when he’s keeping those secrets, but…”

Holst cackles. He pats Nader hard on the back. “Don’t worry about it. They’re all like that. My Hilda’s the same way.”

“No, she’s not,” Veery says. “She doesn’t shut up about you.”

“Really?” Holst lights up like Veery has given him a star to hold.

Veery takes a moment to ponder if he’s just made a terrible mistake that will result in Hilda trying to get revenge on him in some way. He decides to ignore it and hope Holst forgets. To Nader, he says, “So, does that make you Claude’s brother, or something?”

Nader guffaws. “No way! That’s you, kiddo!” He reaches out to ruffle Veery’s hair but, because there is not a chance that Veery will allow this perfect stranger to pet him, his large hand is swiftly avoided. Nader, at least, doesn’t seem the slightest bit perturbed by the rejection. “I’m his retainer, and a friend of his dad. I practically helped raise the kid.”

“Ah,” Veery says, nodding sagely. That makes a kind of sense. This guy seems honest, if a little eager. The simple fact that he’s here means Claude trusts him today, so Veery can’t imagine that ever hasn’t been true if they’ve known each other for so long. There’s a good chance that Nader is partially responsible for Claude being able to trust like he does, despite the depths of his heart refusing.

Veery remembers the brief moment he shares hearts with Claude, the feeling of that loneliness and mistrust – familiar to Veery – but also of the loneliness and desperation, because he knows what it’s like to trust – which Veery never had. Nader is likely the reason for that. “So, it’s your fault he’s like that,” Veery says.

“Huh?” Nader reels back. “Like what?”

“Hey, Holst, Nader, how much of a part did you play in the negotiations to get that peace with Almyra?”

“Like what?” Nader repeats.

“Not as much as my father or Claude,” Holst says simply, “but enough. No peace could last on our side without my say-so, no matter what my father says. Goneril troops are loyal to the one who leads them in battle, and Father hung up his axe years ago. Can’t say much about the Almyran side, but Claude and Nader together seemed convincing enough for them. Why?”

Veery hums, mulling that information over in his head. He doesn’t expect Holst to be a master diplomat or anything, and he expects Claude will eventually be the one who really changes things, but… what interests Veery about this situation is that all this is done even though Duke Goneril is still alive and still, it seems, somewhat hesitant about it all. “I was just thinking that, once we get to Faerghus, you might be able to help Sylvain. He’s planning on making peace with Sreng, but even once the war ends, he doesn’t expect to make any progress until his father dies and he inherits the title. There are just too many similarities between the Almyran border and the Srengi one.”

“Well, I don’t know much about Sreng,” Holst says, “but I’m happy to help if I can. What is Margrave Gautier doing in the war, anyway?”

“Guarding the border,” Veery says. “While Sylvain fights the Empire. Sort of like your father and you.”

“Is he actually on the battlefield?” Holst asks. “That makes a big difference.”

“It sounds like it, at least,” Veery sighs. “My understanding is that Sreng is trying to take advantage of the war to take the canal. Maybe more. I’m just surprised Margrave Gautier is letting Sylvain take the Lance of Ruin to fight this war instead of keeping it at the border.”

Holst laughs. “That sounds about right. Remember, Dad also sent Freikugel with Hilda instead of using it at the border. Granted, Dad doesn’t fight himself anymore, but the fact of the matter is that, to Margrave Gautier, the Empire isn’t any different from Sreng. They’re just another invading force trying to push their way into Faerghus. The Margrave will have dealt with Srengi tactics and combat styles his whole life, but the Empire is a threat he has less experience against. Of course, he’ll send the Relic to that battle if he’s confident he can hold the border long enough without it.”

“Huh… that does make sense.”

“And, maybe he wants Sylvain to have the Lance of Ruin to protect him. He is the heir. Margrave Gautier may still be able to handle the border now, but he isn’t getting any younger. That’s part of the reason Dad gave Freikugel to Hilda. Hilda is safer with Freikugel than without it, and that’s what matters to us.”

Knowing Sylvain’s opinions on his father… Veery is much less inclined to believe that theory than the first.

“Well,” Veery says, “I guess it’s possible.” He shakes his head. “Anyway. I’m going to take a nap before I have to meet up with Linhardt. It’s good to have you here, Holst.”

“And what about me?” Nader asks teasingly.

Veery forgets about him, honestly. “…Sure. I’m going to go.”

“Hey, wait!” Holst says before Veery can turn away. “We still have to spar sometime! I can’t wait to fight you!”

Veery curls his lip. He really hates fighting. “Maybe another time,” he says. “In the meantime, if you see an Albinean around named Caub, he’d be more than happy to fight you anytime.”

“He must be strong if you’re recommending him,” Holst bellows. “I’ll keep an eye out for him. This should be fun!”

Veery hopes those two will tire themselves out on each other and forget entirely about dragging Veery into training. Now that he’s thinking about it, maybe he should send Leonie and Petra their way, too. It’ll be a party.

#write #fanfiction #FE Fanfiction #Fire Emblem Three Houses #fe3h

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isolavirtuosa · 2 years

Text

Cass & Dean's Infinite and Beyond Playlist 16-20

[fanfiction] Dean/Castiel

Canon Compliant Coda / Sequel to Cass & Dean's Infinite Playlist

The one where Cass makes a Daddy Issues playlist.

Referenced songs playlist on Spotify.

Parts 16-20/26 under the cut. Previous parts here.

- 16 -

Judy Collins was blasting from the living room when I got home from Bobby’s. I peaked my head through the doorway, surprised to see my mom and Cass on the floor, surrounded by records.

Mom was laughing and she looked young with long blonde curls framing her face, but when her eyes met mine she was suddenly the short-haired woman I’d known as an adult again. “Hey, sweetie.”

“Hey, Mom,” I greeted her, patting her shoulder and leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

She grinned up at me. “Hope you don’t mind us commandeering your living room.”

“Mi casa is su casa,” I said, eyes flicking over to Cass. “Hi.”

“Hello,” he said, looking up at me expectantly.

I looked between him and my mom, both staring at me. I swallowed, then shifted over to Cass and kissed the top of his head.

Cass’s whole face scrunched up in a smile.

Mom smiled, too, and went back to looking at records.

I slid down between them, feeling a little embarrassed but pleased. My mom had had a similar reaction to my announcement as everyone else; I’d asked her, “hey, you know that Cass and me are… you know?” and she’d nodded and said, “I know.”

But then she’d gone and changed the script a little, saying, “I’m so glad you two finally found each other.”

Like she’d always known.

I settled my hand on Cass’s knee, picking up a record. Carole King. “These new?”

“Mary’s contributions to our collection,” he said, and I didn’t miss the our.

“Chick music?” I questioned before I could stop myself.

Mom made a dismissive noise. “I taught you to respect the greats better than that.”

Cass was looking at me like I was an idiot. “You and Mary have exactly the same taste in music, irregardless of your gender.”

“We don’t have the exact same taste,” I tried to protest, but just hearing this stupid Judy Collins song was tightening up something in my chest, something nostalgic and familiar and well-loved.

“Have you ever ridden in the car with your mother?” Cass asked, squinting at me. “Dean, I put your body together atom by atom-”

“Jesus, Cass, in front of Mom?”

He stopped at that, looking confused. “I simply mean that I know you on the deepest levels.”

I wanted to make a dirty joke about that, but as I’d pointed out myself, Mom really was sitting right across from us, so instead I gestured magnanimously for him to continue.

He frowned at me, but continued, “…and as the person who knows you on the deepest levels, I can assure you that there is little discernible difference between the musical selections of Mary Winchester and the musical selections of Dean Winchester played at obscene volumes during long drives.”

‘Obscene,’ Mom mouthed at me, amusement crinkling around her eyes.

I snorted.

“Including female singer-songwriters,” Cass added, giving us both a frown for our cheekiness.

“I don’t-” I tried to protest, and then just let the lie die off my lips. “Whatever,” I grumbled instead.

Fine, Cass had converted me; I liked chick music. That didn’t mean I had to admit it out loud. The two people in this room could read it on my face without me having to say it, anyway.

“Sooo,” Mom said, still amused from my admission before her face suddenly went serious. “Family dinner.”

“What about it?” I asked.

“I told Sam he could bring Eileen,” she said slowly.

“Cool,” I said with a shrug.

Mom and Cass were both giving me A Look again.

“What?”

“I thought it’d be nice if you brought Castiel, too,” Mom said casually.

I didn’t mean to laugh.

Mom gave me a tired look, while Cass did his broody pout thing.

“What?” I protested. “He doesn’t eat,” I tried, taking my hand off of Cass’s knee and flailing it in his direction.

“You do not occupy a physical body and therefore do not require sustenance, either,” Cass said, wrinkling his nose at me. “If you do not wish for me to come, then simply say so.”

“Cass, come on, man,” I said in a tone that definitely wasn’t a whine. “You know how hard…” I trailed off, eyes nervously flitting to Mom before deciding to just push forward, “…how hard it’s been for me and Dad to… you know… and then if you’re there, I mean you two aren’t exactly…”

“John Winchester and I have spoken,” Cass said, bringing my rambling to a screeching halt.

“What? When?” I asked, then thought about the important stuff. “Spoken about what?”

“I apologized about my previous abruptness with him, but he understood and respected that I had been protecting you.”

“Protecting me?” I repeated.

Cass leaned in closer, gaze catching mine. “He makes you upset, Dean,” he said, reaching up to cup my cheek gently. “You are in heaven, and yet speaking with your father makes you upset, and I cannot abide that.”

“I’m a grown man, Cass, it’s okay,” I said, rolling my eyes and trying to break that hypnotic gaze but not quite succeeding.

“It is not okay, but John Winchester and I have agreed to ‘start’ ‘fresh’.”

“Wish I could ‘start fresh’ with him,” I muttered.

“He’d like that, Dean,” Mom cut in softly.

“I know, Jesus,” I complained with a frustrated sigh. “I’d like that, too, but it’s not that friggin’ easy.”

“It’s not,” she agreed, reaching over and patting my knee. “It took a long time for me and your dad, and we still have our arguments, but… it’s like the edges have softened?” she mused. “When you finally let go, it just…” she trailed off, searching for the right words, then seemed to give up with a shrug. “I’m happy, and I want you to be happy.”

“I’m happy, Mom,” I told her, and it was more or less true.

She squeezed my knee gently, eyes meeting mine steadily before she retreated back to the pile of records.

I felt a little brave. “Cass makes me happy,” I said, my voice coming out stronger than I expected.

Mom breathed out, her lips curling upwards, though she kept at her task without looking at me.

“Dean, that’s…” Cass trailed off, staring up at me like I created the universe in seven days.

“Don’t start,” I told him, squishing his face.

“Try and stop me,” he said, his words muffled by his squishy fish face.

I grinned and kissed him without a thought.

It was just Mom, and she’d always known, anyway.

- 17 -

“Why haven’t we done this before?” Cass marveled at me like he’d just discovered the secret of the universe.

“Because we are two fully grown men smushed together in a very small space?” I attempted to complain, when really I had no complaints at all about driving to a scenic lookout and proceeding to make out in the backseat of my Baby like a couple of teenagers.

“I think it’s… cozy,” he decided.

I shook my head, cupping his jaw and pulling him back down into a kiss. Only Cass would think that steaming up the windows of the Impala was ‘cozy’. “You’re like a horny teenage grandpa,” I mumbled against his mouth.

“The logistics of becoming a grandfather during the teenage years-”

“Nope,” I cut him off, moving my mouth down his neck. “Less talky, more kissy.”

“Dean,” he complained at me.

I shifted, letting our eyes meet.

“We can both talk and kiss,” he informed me gravely.

“Cass, man, come on,” I groaned.

“I enjoy talking to you,” he persisted.

“I enjoy talking to you, too, sweetheart,” I told him, earning myself a toothy smile. “But make out conversations should be more, ya know, dirty talk and stuff.”

“Oh,” he mused with a thoughtful frown. “I don’t think you would be able to handle my ‘dirty talk’ in this confined space, Dean.”

I snorted at that. “Yeah, okay, I’ll try and keep it together from your ridiculous idea of dirty talk.”

“You always say it’s ridiculous, but it sure seems to… ‘get the job done’,” he pointed out.

“Well aren’t you a cocky sonuvabitch.”

“Is it cockiness if it’s true?”

“Yes,” I said, then thought about it. “Maybe? Whatever, you’re bad at dirty talk even if it turns me on. Everything turns me on, so it’s hardly an accomplishment.”

He looked crestfallen.

I groaned, resting my head back against the door. “Look, the windows are already unfogging…”

Cass pushed out his bottom lip in a pout.

I reached up to push an errant hair behind his ear, then left my hand there, cupping his cheek.

He leaned into the touch, eyes still staring into mine intently.

“C’mere,” I said softly.

He leaned in until his forehead rested against mine.

“The way you talk is weird,” I informed him.

Cass worked himself up to a thoroughly exasperated look.

“But it’s kinda sexy when your voice gets all… growly and stuff, so it doesn’t really matter what you say.”

“Oh, I see,” he said, and he was using that low, growly voice just to spite me.

“I just…” I trailed off, trying to make good words and failing. “I like it. I like you,” I finally said, which I didn’t think was what I’d been trying to say, what with how junior-high-school-crush it sounded.

“I like you, too, Dean,” Cass said, smiling all sunnily. At least I’d uncrammed my foot from my mouth a little, even if what was coming out of my mouth was still stupid.

“I just… I mean… you know?”

He squinted at me.

I flushed, feeling stupid and tongue-tied.

“I know,” he finally said, letting me off the hook.

We went back to steaming up the windows.

I rocked my hips up lazily between his thighs, with no real intent behind the motion, reveling in the way Cass kissed me in that joyful way of his, like he was being given a gift.

Then he started joyfully licking my nose.

“You’re not a dog!” I protested, trying to push him away.

“I have often been referred to as such,” he said with a shrug, then went back to planting kisses all over my face before licking my nose again.

“Cass!” I may or may not have shrieked before bursting out laughing as he friggin’ persisted in his nonsense. “What are you doing, you’re so weird,” I gasped out.

“I’m showing you my affections,” he declared with a grin that said he knew he was being a weirdo and didn’t care.

“Enough,” I tried to groan, even though I was still laughing. I pushed us up into a sitting position, one hand guarding Cass’s head from bumping into Baby’s roof while the other settled comfortably on his ass.

“You’ve done that before,” he observed, settling his arms around my neck.

“Me and Baby have been around the block a time or two,” I said with a wink.

Cass rolled his eyes.

“Hey, you appreciate me and my experience,” I said, giving his ass a squeeze.

He squirmed a little at that, but then his look went deadpan. “Yes, your vast experience in seducing women in your car to the soundtrack of Bad Company-”

“Dude, Bad Company rocks,” I interrupted him before he could get any more hits in.

“Well, I’m certainly going to associate this album with your sweet lips for the rest of my existence,” Cass said, looking a little dreamy.

‘Sweet lips?’ I mouthed at him incredulously.

He winked at me.

I threw my head back, laughing. “You are simultaneously the dorkiest and suavest person I’ve ever met.”

“You think I’m suave?” he asked, pleased.

“You did just get me to make out with you for like three hours,” I pointed out. “With no happy ending.”

“I think it ended pretty happi-” Cass started, then frowned. “Oh. You were making a lewd reference to a hand job after a massage.”

“I was making a lewd reference to a hand job after a massage.”

“I can do that, too.”

“Wasn’t asking,” I said with a snort. “Wouldn’t say no, but wasn’t asking.”

“When we get home,” he promised, and I felt my cheeks heat up. Cass squinted at me for a long while, then said, “I love you, Dean.”

“Back atcha, buddy,” I mumbled, tucking my face into his neck.

“I think you may have actually come up with something more offensive than ‘I know’,” he grumbled at me.

“How is that offensive?” I complained, still not looking up at him.

“I dunno, ‘buddy’, whaddyu think?”

I snorted at his impression of me, and attempted to not sound sarcastic when I replied, “I’m sorry, darling, I love you, too.”

“Thank you,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “It’s nice to hear.”

“I know,” I said quietly, hugging him more tightly.

We held each other for a while, then I decided it was time to end our little romcom scene and head home.

Cass settled a hand on my shoulder as I drove, and I cast a questioning glance over at him.

“You seem more relaxed,” he said.

“More relaxed than what?” I asked before I could stop myself.

He leveled me with a knowing look.

I sighed, focusing on the road ahead. “I’m fine.”

“You are anxious about me attending family dinner with you tomorrow.”

“It’s fine.”

“You’re fine, it’s fine, everything is just fine, fine, fine,” Cass grumbled at me.

“Don’t need Sassy Cass right now,” I complained.

“And yet you’ve got him.”

I rolled my eyes at him.

His hand slipped from my shoulder to cover mine on the steering wheel. “It’s okay to feel what you feel, Dean. To acknowledge it, to talk about it.”

“Yeah, sure, if I was, you know, a girl.”

“Dean,” Cass said in his most disappointed tone.

“Yeah, yeah, girls can be emotionally stunted, too.”

He paused at that, before letting out a startled laugh.

I felt myself grinning.

“You are so…” he trailed off, shaking his head.

“That’s what they say,” I agreed.

We sank back into silence, until I pulled up to the house.

“I just wish you’d express yourself,” he said into the quiet of the car.

“I don’t know how,” I replied honestly.

Cass nodded, squeezing my hand before getting out of the car.

I came up beside him as he moved along the walkway, sliding my arm around his shoulder. “It’s just dinner. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“It will be fine,” Cass echoed, trying to be optimistic even if he didn’t sound convinced.

- 18 -

Family dinner was fine.

When we got there, Dad was in the garage working on his car, so I left Cass with Sam and Eileen in the living room, while Mom and I headed to the kitchen to try and sort out whatever mess she’d made this time.

“Ya know, for how much you two are the same exact person, Dean sure is a good cook,” Sam commented as he passed through the kitchen to steal some carrots off of the cutting board.

“Stop with the rabbit food,” I said, smacking his hand away.

“I could have learned to cook,” Mom said with a frown. “If I had the opportunity.”

Neither Sam nor I could stop the disbelieving looks we both gave her.

“What?” she protested. “I totally could have. When I first moved into the bunker Dean was just starting to really cook. If he could get that good that fast-”

“Mom, I love you,” Sam said solemnly, “but please stop trying to cook.”

“It’s for your own good,” I agreed.

She made an offended noise, but then just shrugged. “Alright, well then I guess you two have got everything covered in here,” she declared, walking out of the kitchen.

“I don’t have anything covered,” Sam tried to protest.

“Shut up and make the salad, bitch,” I commanded him.

“I am not your salad bitch.”

“Oh, you are definitely the most bitchy of all the salad bitches,” I said as I carefully flipped the burgers in the frying pan.

Sam muttered something under his breath and I ignored him since he wasn’t man enough to say it out loud. Somehow we managed to put something halfway decent together from the mess Mom started, and then we were serving the food and everyone was coming to the table to eat.

“Hey, boys,” Dad said, passing through the kitchen, covered in grease. “Gimme a sec and I’ll join you.”

When he had disappeared into the bathroom, I breathed out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

“Dude,” Sam said, shaking his head.

“Dude,” I replied, shaking mine back at him.

He gave me A Look, taking the platter with the hamburgers from my hand and walking out to the dining room.

Mom sat at the end of the table, Eileen to one side of her and Cass to the other.

I let my hand drag across Cass’s shoulder as I passed him, the touch anchoring me as I took my seat next to him.

He gave me one of his puppy dog faces, so I leaned in to give him a quick kiss.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly, his nose still brushing against mine.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I assured him, kissing him one more time for luck before pulling away.

“Young love,” Eileen commented, rolling her eyes.

“Sorry your love is so old and crusty,” I replied flippantly.

“Crusty?” she asked incredulously, making some kind of sign that I didn’t understand.

Sam snorted.

I was opening my mouth to make another jab when my dad walked into the room. I yanked my hand away from Cass’s knee where it had been resting under the table, whacking it against the table in my haste to do so. I cleared my throat, straightening up.

Cass seemed resigned to my behavior, but Eileen looked shocked.

‘Dean?’ she finger signed at me.

‘OK,’ I signed back at her, just about the only coherent response I could manage in sign language.

“Is it just me, or did it suddenly get real quiet in here?” Dad joked, taking his seat across from Mom.

“It is not your imagination,” Cass stated gravely.

The two of them exchanged an unreadable look and the sweat on my palms increased about 20 percent.

“Burgers look great,” Mom commented, taking one off the platter and passing them to Cass.

“So they kicked you out of the kitchen?” Dad concluded, shooting her a shit-eating grin.

“Don’t you start, too,” she growled with a mock-glare.

This was all Typical Family Dinner Fun in the tradition of the one and only family dinner we ever had all together, alive and aware, back in Lebanon. It involved sticking to light topics like Mom’s terrible cooking, then pleasantly dispersing at the end of the meal, feeling like we were a passable family.

Usually I was good at playing my role, but there was something off this time.

I glanced over at Cass as he passed me the burgers.

He gave me a reassuring smile, acting completely nonplussed about how I’d just pulled away from him like he was on fire.

We’d discussed it before we came. Cass understood. He always understood.

That was a convenient excuse.

I picked at my food, barely listening to the conversation going on around me.

Cass watched me carefully, but kept his distance.

I glanced over at Dad as he and Eileen talked animatedly about ghoul-killing techniques.

Dad adored Eileen. She was exactly the kind of woman he wanted his sons to marry.

Her hand was on Sammy’s knee under the table.

It pissed me off.

“Dean.”

His voice was so quiet over the din of conversation that I almost didn’t hear him. Meeting Cass’s gaze, the sympathetic puppy look had ratcheted up to full power, and I felt my hand twitch, moving involuntarily towards him before I quickly snatched it back.

“Dean,” he repeated, giving me a sympathetic look.

“What?” I growled, but it came out a lot higher than I expected. Also, I had to flick my gaze up to meet his. “Sonuvabitch,” I muttered, because of course I had to revert to my teenage self in this stupid situation.

So then everyone stopped talking and stared at me.

“I’m gonna check on the…” I trailed off even as I was already moving to the kitchen, unable to come up with a proper excuse but running away anyway.

I expected Sammy or Cass to come drag me back to the dinner table, but instead it was Eileen who followed me into the kitchen. “Dean?”

“It’s fine,” I said, hands on the counter as I stared out the window.

“Dean?” she repeated.

“Look, I don’t want to-”

“I can’t read your lips,” she spoke over me.

“Oh, shit, sorry,” I said, whirling around to face her.

Eileen grinned at me.

“This why they sent you in here?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “So I hafta look you in the eye?”

“Devious masterminds, your brother and your boyfriend.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Goddamn, you are adorable,” she marveled at me.

“Huh?”

She gestured up and down my teenage frame. “If we all met when we were teenagers, forget Sam...”

I snorted at that. “You’re really sounding like a pedo here.”

She shook her head at me, slowly letting her own projected body de-age back to adolescence.

“Hey, you might be on to something with this whole ‘forget Sam’ thing…” I said, giving her a leer and a wink.

Eileen just laughed, hopping up to sit on the counter next to where I was standing. “Less flirting, more talking.”

“That’s just against my nature, darlin’,” I protested.

“Dean,” she said, shaking her head at me.

“Whaddya want me to say?” I asked, starting to look away again before catching myself. I didn’t want to be a dick to Eileen, but it was also a dick move sending her in after me when I clearly just needed a minute to clear my head.

“Why’d you freak out?” Eileen asked, not willing to give me that minute.

“I didn’t ‘freak’ ‘out’,” I said, realizing as the words were tumbling out of my mouth that I was using Cass’s air quotes. That was embarrassing.

Her eyebrows shot up, like she didn’t believe me.

“I just-” I started and stopped. I wasn’t going to be tricked by those big brown eyes. “I think Sam is negatively influencing you.”

“What?” she asked, letting out a surprised laugh.

“Come on, Eileen, you’re not the touchy feely type who always wants to talk about feelings.”

“Too loo rye ay,” she said with a shrug.

It took me a minute, and then it was my turn to laugh in surprise. “Never expected you to quote song lyrics at me.”

“I’m Irish, my name is Eileen, and I look like this,” she said, gesturing up and down her body. “Teenage boys are not as clever with their pickup lines as they think.”

“Got that one a lot?”

She made a face at me and I laughed again.

“I definitely woulda tried that ‘you in that dress’ bit on you in my younger days,” I confessed.

“In your younger days?” she asked with a snort. “I’ve heard you try ‘come here often?’ and ‘this coffee is hot’ in your definitely not younger days.”

“Listen, the classics are classics for a reason.”

“Hey, I’m not going to argue with your success rate,” she said, holding her hands up in deference.

“Damn straight.”

Eileen continued to look at me expectantly.

“What, you think we’ve had enough friendly banter now so I should break down and bare my naked soul to you?”

She wrinkled her nose. “You don’t have to do all that,” she said. “Just want to know what’s wrong.”

I sighed, climbing up onto the counter next to her.

She bumped her shoulder into mine.

“It just sucks,” I said, hoping I could leave it at that.

But of course I couldn’t. “What sucks?”

I took in a deep breath and heaved it out loudly. “I’m a grown ass man, but I can’t…” I hesitated, then realized that Eileen could still read my lips if I closed my eyes. “I’m afraid. To touch Cass. To be with Cass.”

Even when I wasn’t looking into her eyes, I could feel her confusion.

“Infrontofmydad,” I rushed to finish.

The bump of her shoulder against mine became a more solid touch.

I didn’t want to put it into any more words than that.

That’s not how a man walks.

Cut your hair, boy, you look like a fag.

You’re not a sissy, you don’t cry over a little blood.

I remembered defiantly throwing my arm around Cass’s shoulder in front of him that one time at his house, feeling so empowered.

But that was before we were together.

That was before I proved every homophobic word that ever came out of my dad’s mouth about me to be true.

“Cass deserves better than that,” I finally said into the silence, keeping the darker things inside.

“Yeah, he does,” Eileen agreed. “But you’re not the one taking that away from him.”

I swallowed, still not wanting to open my eyes. “But I am,” I said quietly. “I’m the one who’s too weak to stand up for myself, to stand up for him, to…”

“So you’re going to run away?”

The challenge in her voice had my eyes flying open.

She smirked at me.

“You play dirty, Leahy,” I complained.

“Yep,” she agreed, sliding off the counter and back onto the tile. “Dean?”

“Yeah?” I said, then realized her back was to me.

“Sometimes… we have these ideas in our head of how things are supposed to be,” she said. “And we try to force those ideas into being, even when they don’t fit with reality.”

This was going a little over my head, but I couldn’t convey that to her back.

“I think I’ve dreamed my entire life of being with my parents and the three of us being a family. But when I got to heaven... I realized that we didn’t… we didn’t know each other. So… we wanted to be a family, but we were strangers, and when we tried to force it… We had to change our idea of what we wanted. And that made things easier, and maybe now we’re really starting to be a family, but it looks a lot different from how I pictured it when I was still alive. And that’s not a bad thing, just… different,” she concluded, turning around to meet my gaze again.

Sometimes I forgot how alike Eileen and I were, and other times it kicked me in the face.

I held my hand out to her, and she took it. I squeezed gently, then let go and hopped off the counter. “Let’s bring out dessert.”

She helped me get the bowls and spoons out, then we carried them along with the ice cream from the freezer back into the dining room, and we all endured the rest of yet another perfectly fine Winchester Family Dinner.

- 19 -

I was agreeing to spare the Pie Fairy as long as she kept my oven well-stocked when a crash startled me awake. I squinted into the dark of the room at Cass in the middle of the floor, frantically putting tapes into a big cardboard box. “You comin’ or goin’?” I managed to gravel out.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said, giving me a sheepish look, before adding, “and coming.”

“Thought you had to work,” I mumbled, rubbing my hand over my face. He’d told me before I went to sleep that he had Heaven Crap to do.

“I delegated,” he said, fishing the last tape out from under the bed and putting the box back in the middle of the floor.

“Maybe if you put that somewhere else, you wouldn’t trip over it?” I suggested.

“I didn’t trip,” Cass protested, sounding annoyed. “I simply… forgot it was there.”

“Yeah, okay,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Too damn early for this shit, Cass. Come to bed.”

He leveled me with A Look as he pulled off his trench coat and settled it over the back of my desk chair.

“Oh, am I getting a show?” I asked, waggling my eyebrows at him.

Cass paused in undoing his tie. “Will I receive a… ‘tip’?”

“Not just the tip, baby,” I said with a snort.

He raised an eyebrow at me.

I flushed but kept grinning.

He shook his head and carefully undid the buttons of his shirt before folding it and placing it on the chair.

“This show would be a lot more interesting if I didn’t know that the big reveal was a pair of giant white granny panties,” I sighed.

“They are neither panties nor for grannies,” he explained, pulling his pants over his feet, then folding them neatly and piling them on top of his shirt. “I would wear something else, but I don’t want you to snap at me for wearing your clothes.”

“I already apologized for that,” I complained. “You know I was stressed out about dinner with my dad.”

“Yes,” he said, standing in the middle of the room in just his giant white boxers and his sensible socks.

“I already admitted I was an ass.”

“Yes.”

“I won’t do it again?”

Cass gave me a head tilt and a squint that said he didn’t agree.

“I don’t want to do it again,” I reassessed.

“I know,” he agreed, his expression softening.

“I like when you wear my clothes,” I tried.

“Just not in front of your father.”

“He doesn’t… understand…”

“I understand.”

“Caaaaass,” I said in a tone that probably wasn’t a whine, but I was groggy and it was still dark and we could be cuddling if he wasn’t halfway across the room. “Pleeeeeease wear my clothes.”

He shrugged at me and started going through my bureau. “Your boxer shorts are the same size as mine, so I really do not know what you are carrying on about with your ‘granny’ ‘panties’ comments.”

“Yeah, but mine are black,” I pointed out, propping my chin up on my arm and watching him.

“And mine are white,” he stated.

“Everyone knows black is sexy.”

“I think white is very dapper.”

“Dapper isn’t gonna get you laid, man.”

“But Scooby Doo will?” he questioned me, holding up my Scooby Doo boxers.

“Hell yeah he will.”

“I think we have very different ideas about what is… sexually appealing.”

“I’m not gonna take fashion advice from the holy tax accountant.”

“That’s your prerogative,” he said, his voice muffled as he pulled his favorite AC/DC shirt over his head. He held his hands out, displaying the shirt and the pair of sweats he’d pulled on. “What do you think?”

“You look… comfy,” I concluded, pulling up the corner of the blanket and holding it open for him. “C’mere.”

Cass’s face lit up as he clambered into my waiting arms.

I didn’t know if I’d ever get used to that sight. “Hey, gorgeous,” I greeted him, brushing a lock of hair away from his forehead.

He looked even more pleased.

“You like that one?” I asked, letting my fingers linger in his hair.

He nodded. “You do not usually compliment this vessel so openly.”

“Dude, just call it a body like a normal person.”

“Sorry, dude,” he said, rolling his eyes at me.

“Mm-hm,” I hummed, pulling him into a brief kiss.

Cass was smiling again as he tucked his head under my chin, snuggling into my chest.

“You are gorgeous,” I said softly, nudging my nose into his hair.

“That’s a nice compliment, thank you.”

I breathed him in, feeling myself start to drift.

Cass hummed to himself, the sound reverberating in my chest as I fell back asleep.

- 20 -

Jody and I sat on the edge of the pier, drinking beers and watching the sun set. Her kid and her husband were swimming in the lake with Alex and Donna, splashing each other and laughing loudly.

“This ain’t bad,” I decided, kicking my bare feet lazily along the surface of the water.

“It’s not,” Jody agreed, looking more relaxed than I’d probably ever seen her.

“Thanks for inviting us,” I said, nodding my head back towards her cabin.

“You’re family, kiddo,” she said, knocking her shoulder into mine.

I knocked mine back into hers and enjoyed the quiet.

“Heard you really killed at karaoke last night,” Jody commented.

“Uh, hell yeah, I did,” I agreed. “Belted out some Eye of the Tiger, House of the Rising Sun…”

“Aerosmith’s Angel,” she contributed.

I couldn’t stop my whole face from going red. “Hey, what happens at karaoke, stays at karaoke,” I muttered.

“Yeah, not when you go to karaoke with Claire and she has a camera.”

“There are pictures?” I asked, mortified.

“And videos,” Jody added agreeably.

“I thought this was supposed to be heaven,” I groaned.

“If it helps, I mean besides your terrible singing, the video is really cute.”

“That does not help at all,” I said, finally facing her with an appalled look.

She held up a screen to me, pushing play.

I was drunk as hell, caterwauling, “you’re my aaaaaangeeeel,” and boy was that fucking embarrassing. “Jesus Christ, Jody.”

“He certainly has nothing to do with it,” she said, flinching as I hit a particularly off-key note. “Works better on mute,” she decided, hitting the mute button and saving us both.

Because then the camera shifted from me to Cass, who just looked completely smitten, face glowing with pure joy.

I bit my lip, a little moved seeing that raw emotion captured on film. And also it was embarrassing as hell. “Shut that off,” I complained, even though my eyes were still riveted to Cass’s laughing, smiling face.

“But you two are so adoooorable,” she fake-crooned.

I gave her the look of disgust that she deserved.

She grinned and turned the video off. “Maybe you should lay off the sauce,” she suggested, nodding her chin towards the beer in my hand.

“I have laid off the sauce, which is how I got so wasted in the first place,” I grumbled. “Gotta build my tolerance back up.”

Jody shook her head, but she was still grinning.

“Bombs away!”

Kaia and Claire streaked past us, jumping off the pier and canon-balling into the water.

Jody looked very unimpressed as the water splashed her. “Was that really necessary?”

“Love ya, Joooodyyyy,” Claire cooed as the two swam away.

I was suddenly in shadow, so I leaned my head back to see who was blocking the sun.

A person that I hoped to be Cass loomed over me.

There’d been this whole thing where maybe I’d accidentally grabbed Jimmy’s ass, so now I tried not to assume when Claire was around.

“Hello, Dean,” he rumbled at me. “Jody.”

“Hey, Cass, enjoy your walk?” she greeted him.

“It was… informative,” he decided.

“What could those two possibly be informing you about?” I scoffed.

“Music,” he said cheerfully.

I groaned. “Please don’t tell me…”

Cass pulled a mixtape from the pocket of his/my jeans. “We can listen to it on the drive home.”

“Oh, god,” I complained, dreading the grungy vocal stylings of Taylor Momsen that I was going to be subjected to.

“We also talked about ‘boys’,” he continued.

“What do the lesbians even know about boys?”

“A lot,” Cass told me with a very serious face.

“Really, Dean? ‘The lesbians’?” Jody repeated, shaking her head.

“It’s a descriptive term,” I said defensively.

“Should I start calling you and Cass ‘the gays’?” she asked with a snort.

“I’m not gay,” I put in irritably. “I’m b-” I started and immediately stopped, lifting my beer to my lips and taking a very long drink. I could feel two sets of eyes staring at me, but I looked out at the water resolutely and decided to pretend that the last thirty seconds had not happened.

I wasn’t sure if my acute embarrassment was because of what I’d almost said, or because I hadn’t been able to say it.

The quiet grated on me, so finally I snipped at Cass, “are you gonna stand there all day like a weirdo or are you gonna sit your ass down?”

“How is standing weird?” he complained, even has he was already lowering himself onto the pier, one jean-covered leg going over the edge towards the water.

“Stop, stop, stop!” I cried, grabbing his leg.

Cass kept his leg hovering over the water, looking at me like I was the weird one.

“You gotta roll your pants up, man,” I explained, rolling my eyes.

“Why?” he asked, unmoved.

“Because they’ll get all wet,” I said, exasperated.

“Then I will dry them.”

“Just roll them up so you don’t have to dry them in the first place!”

“If you insist,” he said, seeming very put out as he started mechanically rolling the jeans up to his knees.

“I insist,” I said with a huff, rolling up the other leg for him. “See? Much better.”

Cass gingerly lowered his legs into the water, letting it lap at his shins. “I really don’t see the difference.”

“Dude,” I groaned.

“Sorry, dude,” he replied in that extremely sarcastic way that he’d picked up recently.

“Sweetheart,” I corrected myself, getting a smile out of him. “You are so damn weird.”

“You like it,” he said with a shrug.

I rolled my eyes and passed him my beer.

He raised an eyebrow at me.

I looked out at the water.

Cass accepted the beer and took a sip, probably trying to analyze what pleasure humans derived from drinking lukewarm hops by the water and absolutely coming no closer to an explanation beyond ‘humans like molecules’.

Jody was giving us a sappy look, but I ignored her to help preserve her dignity.

She didn’t want people to start thinking she’d gone soft.

#isola cass & dean's infinite playlist #fanfiction #come on eileen

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