#the content i have been living and dying for has arrived to me

[lyrefromthesea]

Do you think you could maybe do the Hashiras with a dying reader? Not like dying in there arms but a reader who's so ill that they can't move and bed ridden, dying?

Remember to take care of yourself!!

Hashira x Reader - how sickening

pairing: Tengen x reader, Obanai x reader, Rengoku x reader, Sanemi x reader, Giyuu x reader, Gyomei x reader, Shinobu x reader, Mitsuri x reader

content warning: angst, fluff?

Tengen:

"i'm home" he said, still both his swords in hand. he had started immediately coming home after his missions, worried over your safety.

since the doctor told you to stay in bed, he had to help you more now. he didn't mind, he would give you acts of service as long as you live.

however, when he heard sounds coming from the kitchen, he dropped both his swords, rushing towards the room.

you stood in front of the counter, trying to chop vegetables. his eyes widened, knowing that you put a toll on your body. with a swift movement, his hand was on yours as he stood right behind you.

"darling, it's enough." he told you, gently taking the knife out of your hands. he almost felt bad when you looked at him with big deer eyes. "the doctor told you to rest."

"i know, but it doesn't sit right with me. i still feel like i can do things myself. i want to be helpful." you admitted, your head lowering.

"i know, but it's important to rest at times. let's bring you to bed, I can finish this." he answered, nodding at the vegetables. he put an arm around your shoulder, leading you towards the bedroom.

listening to your words, he knew you still wanted to feel helpful - strong, but he saw how weak your body truly was.

he knew that there was a slim chance of survival. he didn't want the time you still had decreasing because you were pushing yourself too much.

Obanai:

you were asleep again. it happened more often since he came visiting you every day. his eyes were looking you over, trying to find anything out of place.

you had more bandages on your arms, probably from all the shots you were receiving. your lips have turned more pale and dark circles were slowly growing under your eyes.

he had come up with a routine when you were asleep upon his arrival, checking your body first and then placing his head on your chest.

he closed his eyes, trying to focus on the sound of your heart. the steady beat always managed to calm him down, but it has grown weaker over the past days.

he felt worry consuming the back of his mind, not noticing how your hand moved until it was placed on his head.

"Obanai.. you came to visit again." you mumbled, opening your eyes just a bit, everything else felt too exhausting.

"i promised." he answered, carefully pulling away. he knew it was stupid, but he was worried about putting too much weight on you.

"you can continue, i don't mind.." you tried to encourage him to continue, not wanting him to feel stressed. he declined your offer right away, much rather looking after you.

"i'm fine."

Rengoku:

his eyes were locked on your plate. the two of you have eaten lunch about half an hour ago. when he decided to do the dishes and found your nearly untouched plate, worry began to pool in his gut.

you hadn't eaten properly over the past few weeks, but it had been so much worse since last week. he put the plate down, not feeling like cleaning it right now.

his mind was elsewhere - with you - trying to figure out how to make you feel better.

he had already known what an untreatable disease could do to people. he had watched his mother be bedridden until the moment of her death.

and even though you've told him that you made peace with the fact you were going to die, he had at least wanted to make your days as bearable as possible.

he shook his head, trying to lock the negative thoughts out. times were hard, he needed to show you he was a reliable husband - that he still had hope.

he cleared his throat, trying to look more confident a he wandered to your room. perhaps he could convince you to eat a small treat.

Sanemi:

visiting the hospital was something Sanemi dreaded every day. he would've avoided ever seeing this place, but that meant he wouldn't be able to see you.

entering your room, he found himself swallowing down his sorrows. he did it for you, but it got harder for him with each passing day.

he stood next to your hospital bed, looking down at your face. you nearly looked like last time, but you've grown more pale.

he wondered if you could feel the change - feel anything. if he only knew that his daily visits were helping you grow healthy.

yet there was no indication of your well-being. you had been in a coma for three months now and the doctors didn't believe in your recovery anymore.

"i tried cooking your favourite, when you wake up again, i want to show you." he started, standing next to your bed. he didn't know what to do, so he decided to tell you about his day when he visited.

he knew it wasn't anything interesting, but he hoped you would hear something - anything. he hoped you would wake up and prove the doctors wrong.

Giyuu:

this wasn't fair. his sister. his friend. the people he fought to protect. and now you.

ever since you've grown sick, he has stayed by your side. he knew you couldn't move on your own so he did it for you. it was easy to carry you around, you've grown much lighter in his arms. it worried him, even the inexperienced eye could tell you weren't healthy.

"the sun will set soon." his quiet voice proclaimed, feeling your head move. he sat down on the engawa, keeping you in his arms.

"is this okay?" he asked, trying to ensure you weren't uncomfortable in his hold. he wanted you to feel at ease at all times.

"it's good, don't worry." you mumbled, placing your head against his chest. his hold on you grew tighter, he was glad you put your trust in him.

he swore to protect you, but protecting someone from a demon is different than this. he felt helpless, afraid of losing you.

he didn't know how many sunsets you would be able to see.

Gyomei:

when the first signs of your sickness started occuring and you wished to still indulge in the pleasures of life, he had supported you.

deep down he thought it would maybe make you feel better, treat what was untreatable.

however, it didn't change the number of times you were more tired than usual, passing out in the midst of a conversation or task.

"Gyomei..?" you awoke in your bed, hands slowly rubbing over your eyes. you didn't know why you were here, you had been walking through the meadow a few moments prior.

"your fever has returned." he informed you, placing a wet towel on your forehead. you shuddered at the feeling, sinking deeper into the blankets.

"i didn't notice, i'm sorry." he said, his voice having grown more quiet. he felt guilty, he should've noticed that you had grown more ill again.

"don't apologize. it's nothing we could've seen coming." you answered, a quiet chuckle leaving your lips.

he smiled, yet he couldn't unhear how weak your voice has gotten, how you had to exhaust yourself everytime you answered.

Shinobu:

"are you ready for your daily shot?" she asked you, wanting to make sure you're fine. you nodded, trying to force a smile on your face.

she glanced at your face for a short moment, then proceeded to take the syringe in her hand. you had been staying in the butterfly mansion for a while now, but you still didn't look any better.

the sting of the needle barely hurt and feeling the small amount of liquid entering your arm made a weird sensation spread throughout your body.

you wanted to tell Shinobu, but stopped when you saw her face. the smile she tried to keep up vanished every time she had to give you a shot.

you figured that he was worried about your state, not wanting it to worsen. naturally, you brought your hand on top of hers, her eyes meeting yours.

"it's going to be fine." you told her, a weak smile forming on your face. she smiled back. "i know."

she needed to leave a few moments later, telling you to rest some more. your emotional strength was admirable, but it wouldn't keep you safe this time.

how long would she be able to treat you until she gave up fighting a deadly disease?

Mitsuri:

"[name]!" Mitsuri cheered, rushing towards you after she entered your shared estate. it was the first thing she did since you had been bed-ridden.

"i brought you some sakura mochi! i thought sharing some would lift your mood!" she cheered, placing a huge plate of the sweet treat down next to you.

she smiled happily, though her face dropped when she saw your apologetic look. had she done something wrong again?

"thank you, Mitsuri, but i'm not supposed to eat sweets.." you reminded her. now she really lost her smile, looking at the plate and then back at you.

"i'm so sorry! i just wanted to cheer you up!" she whined, her hands immediately coming up to meet yours. she didn't do this will ill intentions, she had just wanted to make your day brighter.

"it's fine. i appreciate the gesture." you comforted her, gently squeezing her hands. at least that's what you tried, but your strength has drastically reduced, making the action barely noticable.

"sit down and tell me about your day. i've been worried about your mission." you said, watching her slowly sit down. she did as you asked, wanting to make you happy.

and as you two sat there, speaking for hours, she didn't notice how you had pushed the sakura mochi further to her - by the end of your conversation the plate was empty.

[komitomi]

“Let me warm you up.” — Childe x afab!reader

synopsis: when childe takes you to his homeland, snezhnaya, you didn't expect it to be extremely cold, but luckily for you, he has his ways of warming you up.

; if you feel yourself wanting to community label this, please kindly just block me instead, it's annoying how people ignore the warnings right in front of them.

NSFW CONTENT! MDNI; afab!reader, p in v sex, porn with little plot, unprotected sex, breeding kink, clit stimulation, clitoral orgasm, cumming inside, missionary. + not proofread

By clicking read more, you are consenting to view this explicit content, you are responsible for your own experience

You shiver as you clutch the long and thick coat wrapped around you, which was given to you by childe himself when you arrived a while back in snezhnaya. You had not expected it to be this cold, it was worse than dragonstone and that says a lot.

People here are accustomed to wearing long and thick coats and going about their day, they say the nation represents the archon they are ruled by and your first impression of tsaritsa was that she is probably cold hearted and sharp minded, the bite from the environment tells you at least.

You know that childe works for her, in fact, the fatui were founded by her and there are other members, neither a friend or foe, and childe told you that he would introduce you to them when he gets a chance, he was currently gone too, probably in a meeting.

You had just finished putting his younger siblings to sleep, the eldest one helping you, Tonia was such a sweetheart, she was very nice and gentle, it seems she is used to this lifestyle since her elder siblings leave often, you have yet to meet childe's older siblings, they are absent quite often, and for days too, you felt bad for Tonia, having to take up such responsibility.

You were in childe's room, sitting by the fire as you clutched on tightly to the coat around you, in a way to warm you up, you sighed contently when your body temperature started adjusting and you finally felt warm.

You heard the door open behind you and you looked to see who it was, Childe was back and he gave you a small smile before sat down next to you and leaned his head on your shoulder, “How was the meeting?” you break the silence.

“Mhm well, we are discussing who should take up the 6th harbingers place since it has been empty for many years.” he said and you nodded, you didn't know what to tell him, you remember who the sixth harbinger was, scaramouche, specifically, childe was the one who told you that, yet it seems somehow everyone forgot about him and you didn't have a heart to remind them cause you had a sense of doom that if you were to remind them, bad things will fall upon teyvat.

You have heard about what forbidden knowledge had done in sumeru, you also remember their old God who everyone seemed to forget, so you stayed quiet, often times you wonder why you remember, wondered if you were crazy, wondered if it was only you who had memories of it but quickly you shake those thoughts away, deeming them useless to ponder about, and live in ignorance and pretense.

You shiver due to the cold once again, the cool air which entered the room when childe opened the door has lingered and finally felt it's chill, childe removed his head from your shoulder and looked at you, head tilting.

“Are you cold?” he asks and you nod, “Yeah, it seems that the weather here is quite difficult for me to get used to, I would much rather prefer the weather of mondstat or liyue, where the air is warm and crisp.” you tell him and he blinks at you.

“Quite the opposite for me, although it is nice to be in warmth and sunlight, I find myself preferring cold and cloudy skies, gives me a sense of familiarity.” he smiles and you smile back until you shiver again, you looked at the fire place and it seems that the fire is dying down, so you reach for the spare wood next to it only to find none and you groan.

“ugh, we ran out of wood, how am I supposed to survive this weather and night now? I am going to die without the warmth.” you sigh and childe looks at you in thought before a small devious smirk makes its way up his features.

“I can warm you up.” he says, tone changing as he leans forward, “How—” you cut yourself off when you realise how close he is, his breath hitting your face. Before you can process, his lips engulf yours and he lets out a satisfied groan.

“fuck, I missed these lips.” he pulls back and says before readjusting and kissing you once again, his hand cups your face as you kiss them back, coat falling to the ground, he pulls back and gets up, and you follow him to the bed.

He wastes no time in pushing you unto the bed before he slams his lips against you once again, this time the kiss was desperate as if he was controlling himself from losing control, you wrap your hands around his shoulders and pull him closer, he supports himself on one of his arm on your side while his knees rests in between your thigh, he pulls away and looks at your face.

Your eyes were dazed and you feel warm and fuzzy from the inside, he can tell you want it as badly as he does, so he quickly pulls off his clothing along with yours, the fireplace running out, your nipples harden as the now chill air bites your skin, arising goosebumps on your skin.

You feel cold but not for long when he presses his warm body against yours as he kisses your neck, leaving bite marks and he travels those wet kisses down your neck to your breasts before biting the flesh making you gasp.

His plays with your nipples with his hand, pinching them and pulling on them as you let out breathless moans, his hand leaves your nipples and travels to your exposed cunt where he finds your heat already wet. He groans against your neck when he feels your slick coating his fingers.

He brings the slick up your to clit and rubs small and slow circles making you grind against his hand, desperate to scratch that itch thats forming in your stomach as his hand gradually increases its pace.

It's only a few moments until he pulls on your clit, and your orgasm hits you, causing you to clench around nothing and throw your head back, moaning, he shuffles to place himself between your legs and grabs his now hard cock and gives it a few pumps.

You look at him and his cock, eyes darting back and forth, you gasp when you feel him line up against your aching hole, he gently pushes himself in, biting his lip when he feels how your cunt engulfs him as if it's made for him and him only, this ignites something in him.

“Holy archons— look at the way you take me so well.” he praises, causing heat to crawl up your face, he finally pushes himself inside completely and you let out a whimper, he places his hands on the sides of your shoulder and leans in to kiss you before he starts moving his lips, in and out of you.

You wrap your arms and legs around him for leverage as he ruts into you, pace increasing with time, you felt so full, no matter how many times you guys had sex you always found him too big, and he found you tight as well.

You moan loudly when childe hits the rough patch that was located inside you, which makes childe slap a hand over your mouth and hush you, “shh, not too loud, love. You don't want to wake the kids up, do you?” he asks and you nod, biting your lip to suppress your noises as he pounds mercilessly into you.

His stared at you with so much hunger, as if he had been starved for so many days, the way your eyebrows furrow, the way your eyes never leave his, looking at him half closed, it sends him over the edge.

He had noticed how you took care of his siblings, doting on them and being kind and gentle, oh how perfect of a mother you would make, he had always been a big family guy, wanting to have as many children as possible.

He wouldn't admit it to himself but he definitely had a breeding kink, disguised under the mask of a creampie kink, yet the cracks started to form once he found you laying with his siblings on the sofa, or when you would play with his brothers, running around and lifting them into your arms.

He wondered if you'd do that with your children as well, he groaned at the thought, the thought of you carrying his baby, your belly swelling round with his seed, “F-fuck i want to fill you up.” he groans out loud making you gasp.

“I want to knock you up, with my babies, you would make a good mother, I know it.” he babbles on and his pace begins to falter, indicating that he was near, you blush at his words and close your eyes when you feel a familiar coil begin to form in your stomach.

You and childe both cum at the same time, causing you to clench around him as he let's out a grunt when he feels you milking him, it almost feeling like you were squeezing out his seed to which he became even more aroused at.

You both ride out your highs before childe pulls out and flops down onto your side, pulling you into his arms and kissing your forehead, before pulling the sheets over your naked bodies, you close your eyes and basked in his warmth.

You wondered how he managed to keep you more warm than the fireplace, that too naked, his body heat engulfed yours and you feel warm and fuzzy, sleep coming to both of you as you guys were tired due to the events of the day.

You both fell asleep that way.

[chinomiko]

HIIII CHINO HOW U ARE?!! 💗💗🫂💗 I also want the interesting things for Leiftan or any thing/fact about Leiftan I’m dying I need content of him 😭😭😭😭🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🫂 mabeibi ma beibi please I beg you sweetie, xoxooo love you sweetie!!

Heya ! I am fine thank you I guess the easiest for me to tell about Leiftan is his all backstory who was actually and unfortunately never correctly exploited and explained in game. Leiftan was a toddler during the time of the Blue Sacrifice. The aengels didn’t want to sacrifice as planned, and for this reason they ended up being persecuted by the other faes. Leiftan’s parents were killed, but before they died they put him in a stasis spell to hide and protect him.

An aengel survivor, Verom, ended up finding him. (Mowgli style XD ) Verom was weak after the persecution and he decided to establish himself at the Fountain of Youth in company of the Naiade nymphe who guarded the fountain. (She is linked to her fountain as hamadryades are with their tree.) She was a good soul and offered her help. They cared for Leiftan, still in stasis at this point.

After some centuries, Leiftan’s soulmate was born and Leiftan not destined to be alone anymore, the freezing spell broke. Toddler Leiftan slowly awoke and started living again.

So he grew up with his adoptive parents. As soon as he could, Verom trained Leiftan into using aengel powers, and taught him about the Blue Sacrifice etc.

When he was still very young, a group of exploring humans found the fountain’s place by pure luck. They ended up trying to steal its water but in the fight they killed the Naiade. The fountain dried immediately and she turned to stone. There was just a little bit of water left, she could rejuvenate with a lot of time and patience, and hope.

And then we arrive when Leiftan was a young teen, some humans found the fountain again, but this time they knew what they were looking for. And these humans happened to be... leaded by Erika's father. He was looking for that youth fountain discovered years ago, Erika was sick and dying from some unknown disease (certainly related to her Fae genes), and that was the only way he knew that could save her. He wanted the remaining water. They fought for it, of course. Charles kills Verom (he is an old man by now) and by taking the last drops of the fountain he also kills the Naiade.

With that bit of magical water with him, he and the soldiers left as he came. Thinking everyone dead.

But Leiftan was not, and he is left as a young daemon, partially trained and able to hide his nature. Full of anger and hate. Hate for both faeries and humans and this is his villain origin story.

(And so, Charles is the person who killed his parents, but also the one who saved his soulmate in doing so. How so tragic hehe.) ———————

Another thing is the potion they make Erika drink later in the story so they would forget about her on Earth.

It was Leiftan’s idea all along, he suggested it to Miiko. With this solution, he was sure Erika would have to stay by their side and he would do anything to keep her close to him. He then acted innocent around her.

And for those who might be mad at this revelation, sorry but don’t forget Leiftan has always been a villain and a good two faced one at this. (Especially in the earlier story)

[bullet-prooflove]

First kiss with Alden

Tagging: @kmc1989 @sarakafarrah @caffeinatedwoman @elefrog25-blog

You don’t realise that Alden’s courting you, not at first. The dinners start off as a thing between colleagues to vent and discuss the challenges of being in a leadership role. He’d been trying to negotiate muddied waters with Nick Torres and came to you looking for ideas because of the nature of the work you do.

“You’re good at getting people to talk, at making them feel comfortable enough to open up, maybe you can give me a few pointers.” He’d said as the two of you shared a coffee in the breakroom. “I’m at my wit’s end with him.”

“I’ve got a couple of ideas, things I use for difficult witnesses.” You’d told him as you glanced at your watch and sighed. “I don’t have the time right now…”

“There’s this great Portuguese place I’ve been dying to try out.” Alden says with an enthusiasm you envy. Alden Parker and his pastries are legendary around the office. When he first arrived it was suspected to be some form of mind game “Perhaps you can meet me there, we can grab a couple of drinks, maybe a bite and you can help me figure out what to do about Torres.”

The first part of the night is spend discussing strategy. You work with people in trauma on a daily basis, it isn’t hard to recognise it in Nick Torres. You give Alden a little insight into Nick’s history before you lay out a few techniques you’ve had success with in the past. It segues after that into other topics, books you’ve read, the music you love, the fact you have this weird thing for plush lobsters.

“It’s something about the little claws.” You tell him, your hand mimicking the pincer as he peppers you with questions about this revelation. “My niece buys me one every Christmas. It helps that they live in Maine so there’s an abundance of choice.”

He has the same thing with birds, he explains. He still isn’t allowed in a certain national park because he climbed a fence he wasn’t supposed to in order to snap a picture. It’s what started his feud with the Park Service.

He puts you in a cab at the end of the night with the promise to feedback how it goes with Nick. It goes from there after that, dinner becomes a weekly thing, something you look forward to throughout the week because Alden knows all the best places to eat and he’s excellent company.

It’s the night he walks you home that things change. The back of your hand brushed against his, shoulders nudging. There’s this chemistry between the two of you, a connection. It’s been happening for a while now, the little touches that feel like electricity, the heated looks. You can’t stop thinking about how good his hands would feel on your body, what it would be like to undress him.

When he says goodbye, your hand captures his, drawing him back. You can see the surprise in his eyes but you can also see the yearning, the want. Your fingers chase up the lapels of his jacket as you raise up on tip toes and press your mouth to his.

That kiss…

It’s everything.

It’s fire and it’s passion, everything you’d been missing throughout the duration of your marriage. It awakens something in you, something wild, something reckless. You need him, his mouth on your skin, the scrape of his beard between your thighs. You’ve fantasied about this man for weeks and now it’s time for the reckoning.

“Come upstairs.” You request and Alden, he can’t resist.

Love Alden? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[jieunoclock]

Love Your Feeling (JJK) || Chapter two

- Making Mistakes₊˚⊹♡

He looks in my eyes, tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “You look good today” he says. That's it, I kiss him.

Pair: jjk x femOC, college students, best friends

Word count: 6.6k

Warning: this chapter includes explicit scenes⚠️

masterlist || taglist

!Friends to Lovers, Protective Brother, Secret Dating, Friends with Benefits, Angst, Mature content, Dysfunctional Family, Fluff, Smut, Mentions of Alcoholism and Abuse

——————————————————————₊˚⊹♡

It's a perfect warm spring day, perfect for a party. I see the bus coming into my peripheral vision, looking up from my phone. AirPods in my ears, blasting some ransom hype playlist Spotify made for me. I check in and sit down.

Last party I've been to must've been a few weeks ago, so needless to say I'm quite excited for tonight. Need to get my mind off of school for a second. The bus ride feels slow. Arriving at Jia's and Nabi's place, a little before 6.30.

They only live 5 minutes away from campus. Bought their own little apartment when they enrolled here. It's nothing fancy, right outside of the campus area, into an alley. It's mostly 20+ year olds living here since it's so close to school.

They all got to know each other over time. To the left are the residential units. They look like the big Minecraft houses. The two story oak plank houses, with double doors, staircase in the middle and a farm in front of it.

It's basically like that. Big two story house, staircase in the middle of it, leading to two doors. One on the left and one on the the right.

It's basically split in four parts. Jia and Nabi live on the left upper floor. The bottom floor belongs to someone else.

On the right side you have the exact same layout, only mirrored. The person who has the top floor is blessed with an attic, whilst the bottom floor can enjoy a little bit of garden space.

It might look small, but it's actually not. It'll surprise you how spacious it is. There's 3 of these units pasted next to each other, Counting a left and right side of a unit one.

On the right side of the alley there's a convenience store. At the end of the path it curves left around the store, to access either the big road or more units.  Never been there, so I wouldn’t really know.

Jia and Nabi live in unit one. the first one to your right, as you walk through the alley. I go up the stairs, turn my body to the left and ring the doorbell.

Staring at the welcome mat beneath my feet, I hear some rummaging behind the door. At the same time I hear footsteps coming up the stairs, and I look to see who’s approaching me. It’s Minnie.

"HEYY!" I say opening my arms to hug her. "Missed you yesterday you know" I smiled.

"Sorry" she giggles, smile from ear to ear.

We hear a big thud from behind the door, turning our heads to where the sound came from. "Ouch"

I try not to laugh, pressing my lips together and covering them with my hand. Then the door swings open. "FINALLY!" Jia says

"We're on time Gi" I say setting foot in their house.

“EVEN ME!” Minnie says. She does tend to get late.

"Expected you earlier" she says walking past us, running upstairs. Both Minnie and I follow her, to the attic. They've got two bedrooms, a bathroom, living room and a kitchen, on the first floor.

They turned the entire attic into a walk in closet, devided into two parts. One side for Nabi, vanity on the left wall. Other side for Jia, mirroring Nabi's side.

"So.. I was thinking" Jia starts "Black denim, mini skirts" she smiles.

"I hear ya" I say.

She starts frantically looking through her closet. "We need to look hot and sexy, but also casual"

"Gigi it's just a house party" Minnie rolls her eyes, sitting down in her vanity chair.

"Kai's house party" she says "Wrong.. the football teams house party" She answers. Tilting her head back,  dyed platinum blonde hair hanging over the back rest. "Yeah and Kai is gonna be there"

She continues pulling out pieces of clothing from her closet, occasionally moving to Nabi's side to find specific pieces of clothing. Slowly creating 4 different, matching outfits.

"Where's Nabi at?" I wonder. "Oh! She's getting groceries, she's cooking pasta" she answers. Head buried in between the clothes.

There's not really much to do for me. Nabi's in charge of dinner, and Jia's in charge of the outfits.

Outfit one:

Classic black denim mini skirt, has a light wash to it. White crop top on top of it. White socks, and platform converses for foot wear.

Outfit two:

Same classic black denim mini skirt, with the light wash to it. A black crop top. And again the same white sock, and platform converses.

Outfit three:

Black denim mini skirt again, it has a star on the right side of it. Classic black crop top. White socks, black adidas campus shoes.

Outfit four:

Black denim mini skirt, this time it ruffles midway through. Instead of the usual tight fit. White crop top. Again white socks, white new balance 550's. It's certainly matching.

"This one's for Minnie" she says. Grabbing the stacked pieces of clothing in one hand, the shoes in the other.

"Ruffles for you" she smiles, eyes sparkling. Stretching her arms out, handing her the outfit.

"No platform for you two since you're the tallest ones" she once smiles again. Chin down a little. Eyes up, looking at Minnie through her lashes.

It's true, we're not specifically 'tall'. Nabi and Jia are just really short. Had fought about it many times to see who’s taller. Since Nabi and I only have a height difference of two centimeters. The rest doesn’t need discussion, Minnie sticks out compared to the rest of us. And Jia well… you can certainly see she’s the shortest. Shes 153cm, only wears platforms to appear taller. Minnie is right about 167cm. I'm next reaching 160cm.

She walks back to where she's put the different outfits, then we hear the door open. It must be Nabi coming back from the store, she's a really good cook.

There was this time. I couldnt to stay home, for many reasons. Ran to their unit, crying. Phone was smashed, cards left at home. I was unable to pay for the bus, took me a while to get there. They took me in for about 3 weeks, until I decided it was enough. Couldn't keep living under their roof for ever.

Nabi even gave up her room for me, slept in a bed with Jia the entire time. They told me not to worry, and that I'm welcome anytime. Just felt like I was being a burden sometimes, when they had guests of family over.

Needless to say I know what her cooking tastes like, and it never disappoints.

"NABS COME UP HERE, BRING WINE!" Jia yells, from her closet. And not much later, Nabi comes upstairs. Four wine glasses, and a bottle of rosé in her hands.

"Heyy!!" She says to us. Lifting the bottle of wine up in the air, swinging it a little as she smiles. Scurrying over to Jia's vanity, the one Minnie's sitting at again.

She places down the four glasses, and fills them with the rosé.

"Ohh we're matching matching?" She asks. looking up at Jia, giving her, her glass.

"What? How could you tell?" I say laughing within the words. Utterly confused, I mean there's still three outfits lying there.

She turns around, looking at me. "Do you really think she'd give you the platforms? It’s an easy giveaway, you're second tallest" she explains. It’ll always be a petty competition. You’re taller, you do it! Whilst the gap isn’t even that big. Jia shrugs, satisfied smile plastered on her face “What can I say, she knows me” I gotta give her that.

Then Nabi walks over to me, gives me one of the glasses she's holding and sits next to me on the stool. The kind of stools you see in one of those fancy walk in closets, I guess you could call this a fancy walk in closet.

"Sooo.. Minnie" I laugh, leaning over to look at her, past Nabi. "Who's the lucky guy?" I raise my eye brows. She groans, leaning her head back once again.

"You know we'll find out one day, especially with Jia's detective skills" Nabi says.

"Oh please let me know once you do, I'll enjoy the privacy in the mean time" she answers, sipping her wine. Everyone just sighs, clicking their tongues.

"Okay okay, calm down" she says, Signing with her hands to 'sush' us. "He's tall, black hair, broad shoulders, he's got thick lips and is utterly handsome, he's funny, a gentleman and he goes to our school" she says.

"Oh god, do we know him?" I ask. "Stop no this is so exciting!!" Jia exclaims. Minnie just stays quiet, keeps on sipping her wine.

"C'mon, show us a picture" I say, but all she does is just shake his head. "Someday babes, just not today" she laughs.

"Enough about mystery boy, you guys should get changed."

"Here" Jia says, grabbing My outfit. The one with the star on the skirt, and gives it to me.

Walks back to the two outfits that are left. Grabs the one with the black top, and gives it to Nabi. Getting all of us changed, Jia then does our hair and makeup. Doesnt forget to drench herself in glitter spray, shes always so glittery. It suits her personality though.

All of us are already have a hard time getting out the glitter she leaves on us, let alone if we spray ourselves aswell.

Nabi cooks us dinner, chicken pasta. Already drooling at the name of it. Usually with a bunch of garlic, but not today. They're planning on getting it on with their crushes, what worse than to smell like a humanied piece of garlic. It tastes delicious though, even with the lack of garlic.

——————————————————————————

"Alrightyy let's go!" Nabi cheers

We all down the shots infront of us. Shake away the burning sensation in our throats, and walk towards the door. Asses nearly out, but still casual enough for it to not be weird.

I secretly I hope the outfit grabs the attention of a certain someone, won't admit it to them though. Though I wear mini skirts more often, it’s nothing special for me.

We walk over the big of campus. Dark out, all four of our arms intertwined with each other. I can hear the party's music from far, the cheers of people. It makes me feel excited, sounds like tonight will be fun.

Jia is immediately welcomed by many people, won't take her long to find Kai.

I look around the room, filled with people. They've got drinks in their hands, talking to their friends. Some are even dancing.

It doesn't take me long to spot the kitchen. Sometimes I think my kitchens dirty, this takes it to a whole other level. I grab Minnie's hand from behind me, sign to her that I know where the alcohols at.

We walk past Jia and Nabi, who are still saying hi to random people. I place my hands on front of me, on the kitchen counter. Stretched out, leaning on them.

"So, what you want 'm lady?" I ask Minnie.

"I have a strong desire for a vodka sunset ma'am" she replies. Pursing her lips, keeping a formal tone to her voice. "It is my pleasure" I smile, turning around on my heels.

Found the orange juice, in the fridge. and some strawberry syrup next to it, on the counter. Vodka wasn't difficult to find, and so I have all ingredients to make a 'vodka sunset', my specialty.

I see Jia and Nabi walking up to us, automatically assume they'll want sunsets too. Put them in front of them, as they sit down.

“Welcome ladies!” I hear behind me.

The look on Jia's and Nabi's face gives away easily who's standing behind me, so I turn around. Keeping my cool, hear absolutely going insane.

"Hello boys" I say, we all smile. "Craving some sunsets? It's my specialty" I look up at Taehyung standing in front of me. He’s so gorgeous, even up close. As much as you can call it 'in front' though, they're not that close.

They're standing there as if they're in a movie, clearly popular guys. Taehyung, Kai and Jimin. He laughs "Sure" And so I make three more sunsets. I could get addicted to that laugh, feel like I’m gonna fall to my knees just be looking at it.

"Extra sweet for the pretty ones amongst us" I joke. Clearly flirting, as I look up into Taehyungs eyes.

We all say cheers, down our shots.

"Damn, these really are your specialty" he says. Jia and Nabi are clearly eyeing the other two boys.

"So.. you guys party a lot?" Jimin asks. Jia looks down, shes shy. Shes never really 'shy', shes the social butterfly amongst us. Seems like she might really have an eye on Kai, standing next to Jimin.

Nabi had decided to sit down on the bar stool, that's placed beside the kitchen island. Legs crossed, chin leaning on her hand. Batting her eyelashes, as Jimin speaks.

I’m standing closer to the guys, therefore decide to answer his question. "Jia does! Personally not really tho" Turning my head to look at the girls, behind me. Jia looks up. She smiles softly, and raises her hand a little.

"We noticed some.. new followings on insta" I say teasingly. Taehyung laughs a little. He looks down at the floor, his hand reaching for the back of his neck. I swear I’m going insane.

"Aha yeah.. well we noticed some fangirls so"

I try not to laugh at that, smiles obvious on my face. Close my eyes, and shake my head just a little. Before turning my heels, back to the kitchen island.

These men i swear to god.

He’s charming, Taehyung. I’ve heard the stories, girls go feral for him. Talking so casually to him like this, makes me feel as if I have a chance with him. Works me in my delusions, something I’ve dreamed of for months now.

"Another round?" I look around myself, everyone agrees. So I make 7 new sunsets. We talk, we have fun. Nabi started talking to Jimin, finally. And Jia to Kai. Minnie wondered off, probably meeting her boyfriend somewhere.

——————————————————————————

"So why haven't we spoken before" he laughs. "I don't know" i respond, rolling my eyes playfully.

"Maybe because I don't want all of the girls in school to hate me! I don't know our status are just too different I guess" I laugh. It's true. He's a popular school jock, I'm a well.. a normal student.

"Jia is quite popular, could've gotten to us through her for sure" he answers. Sorta is what happened. If it wasn't for Nabi and Jia's fangirling, i wouldnt have sat here.

We're sat on a couch at this point. It's late, don't know what time though. It's still full, it's a Saturday so I don't expect anyone to leave soon.

Taehyung is sat next to me, my legs over his lap. Too far gone to go insane, we're chatting nicely. Some girls walking past have eyed me, but the amounts of alcohol I've had by now makes me not care about that.

With the stress of all the homework and tests I've been having, I feel like I'm allowed to treat myself. "You want another drink?" I say, getting up from the couch.

"Oh no I'm alright" he says. I get up, and walk back to the kitchen again.

Working myself through the crowd of people, there's not too many people though. Stumbling across the room, nearly tripping over my feet multiple times. I manage to get myself to the kitchen counter. "Ugh what do I fancy~"

I lean onto the counter with the palms of my hands, rocking on my feet a little. One of them red, American, cups will do. I scan the messy counter, different kinds of alcohol, different brands, different sodas.

I could kill for a vodka Red Bull actually, doesn't matter that I've probably already had enough alcohol for the day.

Can't even bother to measure my drink out, it's probably gonna taste like shit. And when I take a sip, it confirms my assumptions.. yeah tastes like shit.

I turn around, decide to make my way back to Taehyung.

This is why I hate partying. There's sweaty people crawling the place, and I don't even have to bother with the cleanup. Can't imagine what a real club is like, this is just a normal house party.

I do have to say, it loosened up my conversations with Taehyung. I'm not particularly the shy type, just don't like stepping out to others that much. Especially since Taehyung and I are in such different status levels, it would've been weird if I just randomly started speaking to him. Gosh he'd laugh in my face if I’d done that.

I never expected him to be this nice though, he seems actually interested. Well he shows interest in my private life. Looks at me a certain way that makes my cheeks burn hot. And for what reason? He doesn’t like me. We literally just met. I could definitely see him being my first boyfriend, have been.. I mean can you blame me? He’s complete and total bout-

What..

I stop my tracks, eyes wide. I feel as if I'm somewhere I shouldn't be, as if I just caught someone and should apologize profusely.

In the small amount of time it took me to get my drink and get back, he managed to move onto the next girl.. someone who's a lot easier than me apparently.

Took him too long to get into my pants and figured to just get some easy slut to do the job or something?

There's.. a girl. On his.. lap? Really?

Five minutes, FIVE MINUTES ID BEEN GONE??

God why do I even care, I've known the guy for what. Two hours? Still the short scene, makes my world spin a little.

I chug down the drink I had just gotten, and go back to the kitchen to make another one. More vodka in it than last time, tastes even more disgusting than the first one. Chugging it down, nearly gagging, hanging over the sink.

"YOO BUNNY" there's only one person who calls me that. "Didn't expect you here"

He stands next to me, ass leaning onto the counter. Arms crossed, looking into the crowd.

I look up at him, out of breath as if I just puked my brains out. Eyes pained. "You alright?" Jungkook asks.

"Uhm" I clear my throat. "Yeah no ofcourse" I say whilst shaking my head.

"Why are you here?" Stupid question, anyone can just come in and join. Don't need a special invitation or anything.

"Well, sorry for interrupting Yun. Let's dance, it'll take ur mind off of things" He tends to be be the kind of person that takes your mind off of things, rather than talking about it. If I do need to have a serious talk, he's always there for me.

He grabs my wrist, and drags me to the dance floor. There isn't really a 'dance floor', the living room has just been repurposed as one.

The world spins a tiny bit, just nothing too bad. I don't feel like I'm about to throw up anymore, like I've felt copious amounts of times. I genuinely hate it.

I have my back turned to the sofa, Taehyung and I were sitting at. I didn't check if he was still sitting there, as we walked over. But the way Jungkook shifts his gaze between me and the sofa, has me guessing that he is.

"Gon’ tell me what happened?" He asks

I keep my mouth shut, not wanting to talk about it. "Wanna make him jealous?" He then asks again. I raise my eyebrows. "Jealous?"

He doesn't say anything. He places his hands on my hips, to make me step closer. He then takes my arms, and places them on top of his shoulders behind his neck.

He placed his hands on my hips again. Moves his hips himself, swaying to the music. Guiding my hips with his hands to do the exact same thing, 'swaying to the music'.

The moment, somewhat caught me off guard. The alcohol is getting to my head, and it's making me that that Jungkook is looking a little too good tonight.

It's probably the way my stomach just turned, when I saw Taehyung there. To have someone's attention feels nice. It's dark in the room, music is blasting through my ears. And all I can seem to focus on, is the way he's so in the moment.

He seems so unbothered, faint smile on his face from the drinks he's had. The smallest trail of sweat running down the side of his neck, because of how hot it is in here. Yet he doesn't smell bad, good even.

"Yun!" He says, raising his voice just a little bit. "Huh what?" I say, shaken out of my own thoughts.

"Taehyung, he's watching" he nudges his head a little, to where Taehyung was sitting. Now knowing that Taehyung is watching, I wanted to get revenge.

Taehyung probably wouldn't even care, but atleast it's for my peace of mind. Anyone can tell the droopy, sad, expression on my face. I really just want to leave.

But still I choose to not admit to that just yet, focusing on Jungkook once again. Following his guide, to dancing together.

Though, I feel like my emotions are making him feel sad as well. "You here with someone?" I ask him.

Im done with this party, it's been an emotional roller coaster. I was having fun, and I'm letting some useless boy ruin that.

He shakes his head. "Can I stay at yours?"

I don't want to go home, be put up with Yoongi. He'll see right through me, will investigate who hurt me. Just to run off and hurt them.

On one hand, it's nice to have someone care like that. On the other hand, it hurts me too. I keep being left alone, dealing with myself. And having to take care of mum, with Yoongi ran off.

I'm just not in the mood for it tonight. Plus, I've stayed at Jungkooks house copious amounts of times.

He doesn't seem to have a problem with it. Leading me out of the house. Him up front, hand stuck out behind him to stabilize me a little.

He doesn't live too far. But walking is certainly the longer route. Will take a while.

Jungkook is definitely a better drunk, than me. I can tell by the way he looks, smells and acts, that he's had quite some drinks. Though he's still able to walk properly, act somewhat normal.

Were walking on the sidewalk, I try not to stumble. Focusing on the pavement, watching my feet closely. One foot in front of the other and switch. But it doesn't work, I trip. Face down.

"Ah!" I immediately reach for the stinging sensation on my knee. It's not terrible, nothing I'd usually cry over. That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

"Nayun! Are you okay?" Jungkook immediately rushes over to me. "Ah yeah, my knee just hurts."

I sit down on the ground, as Jungkook kneels beside me

He grazes his fingers over my hurt knee, blows on it. “Just a little scratch, can you walk?” He asks as he helps me up.

I’m on the verge of tears, world crashing down. As if he knows, he crouches down in front of me, signing for me to get in his back. “U sure you can handle my weight” I ask. “Yun. don’t even start, I can handle you perfectly fine” he reassures me.

I get on his back, even though I could’ve just walked myself. The gesture is nice.

Not really in the mood to talk we eventually reach his apartment. He shares it with his friend, Mingyu. He’s nice, only really see him whenever I stay over.

He sets me down on my feet in front of his apartment, and opens the door for me. “Mingyu’s not home, I can take his bed if you want”

Usually we grab 2 separate covers, and sleep in his bed.

I don’t move, don’t know why. My expression feels droopy, empty, hurt. Mustn’t look nice from a third persons perspective. Can’t seem to take my eyes off him. his fluffy hair, that’s wildly distributed because of his dancing. His big hands that are holding the door open. His pretty face that looks at me as he asks.

“Is everything okay?” Answering him feels too difficult, with what’s going on in my head. I’ve never denied the fact that he grew up to be good looking, but to observe him the way I have tonight? Were there shrooms in the pasta or something?

So I don’t answer at all. switch my gaze to look inside of his apartment, and walk in.

“Go sit on the kitchen counter” he tells me, I silently obey his words. Walking to the kitchen and sitting on the empty counter, next to the sink.

He takes a little before he walks over to me, box in his hands. Places it beside me and inspects my knee. I watch him carefully as he takes the disinfection spray, sprays it on my knee. It stings a little but I’ve felt worse.

“Hurts?” He asks looking up at me. I quickly look at me knee, pretending I hadn’t had my eyes glued on him since he started taking care of my knee. Shake me head, because it doesn’t.

He wets a cloth with warm water and dabs in on the skin, before he dries it of plasters it shut with a band aid.

Hips leaning on the counter, hands on both sides of my legs on the counter. He looks in my eyes, tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. I gulp, for some reason.

“You look good today” he says.

Why. Why does he say that? I’m not in the right state of mind to be handling this right now. I’m afraid I'm going to make wrong decisions, decisions I shouldn’t. But he looks so damn good.. so damn good..

My eyes search his face, no expression. I like my lips, clearly some version of nervous. Still somewhere drunk, I cup his cheeks with my hands. Lean in, close my eyes, and kiss him. And he kisses me back, he actually kisses back. He doesn’t move a lot though, but also doesn’t move away.

As if a switch in my mind flipped, I break the kiss. Hands off him. “Omg, I-I’m so sorry” I apologize. Get back on my feet, ready to flee the scene walking past him.

But he catches my wrist, I swing around back to him. Hair flying around me, almost cinematically. And he kisses me again. More forceful this time, pushing my back against the counter again. He brushes a hand through my hair and rests it on my neck. Before placing me on top of it again.

He licks the bottom of my lip, testing the waters. I copy his movements. Tongue exploring my mouth, I let a moan slip. With the amount of alcohol I’ve had today, embarrassing is a stage I’ve far surpassed.

He takes it as a sign. kisses me along my jaw, down my neck. Moving my head to the side to give him easy access. His hands on my waist.

“You look good too I guess” I say. He laughs at that, sending vibrations all through my body.

“Shut up” he says with a slight chuckle in his voice.

“Make me” what in the word possessed me to say that. He’s my best friend, I don’t want this. Expected it to be Taehyung.

He stops what he’s doing, looks me in the eyes. “Sure?” He says. “yes..” I whisper. No, no is what I should’ve said. But it feels too good to stop, feels wrong for it to be him. But feels so good.

As if he doesn’t need telling twice, he connects his lips with mine again. Rougher this time, as if they’ve been wanting it for years. Though it’s just a one time thing. Doesn’t see him like that.

He picks me up from the counter, my legs wrapping around his waist. No idea where he brings me to as my back is turned to the apartment, too busy focusing on his lips.

“Gon make you feel so good” he says between kisses. Until my back hits the back of his bed. Legs still wrapped around his waist.

He takes off his shirt, he’s certainly been working out. Big biceps, soft skin, toned abs. Oh do I love muscles.. “Like the view huh?” He cocks. GOD do I want to roll my eyes at him. But instead I take my shirt off as well. Left in my bra, and skirt.

“Expected someone?” Is the first thing he said at the sight of my bra. “No” I lied. He doesn’t respond. far too occupied kissing my chest now, as my moans occupy the room.

He trails his fingers across my thighs, teasing me. He stops kissing me, looks me in my eyes. Don’t know what to say to him. No words come to mind. Brows furrowed, biting down on my lip.

“What you want bunny” he teases higher up on my inner thighs, should’ve worn safety shorts but decided not to. Wearing a baby pink, lacy thong, that matches my bra.

“Don’t call me that” I say breathily, hate it when he calls me that. Called him bunny once because I thought it was funny, he’d call me bunny too. Mine stuck, his didn’t. He knows I hate it.

“What?.. Bunny?” As he says that, he presses down on my clit. Receiving a soft moan from me. “Seems like you like it” he smirks. Hate that smirk.

He dares to shoot even lower, finger at my entrance. He circles around, not wanting to put them in yet.

I want to speak up, talk back. Tell him to shut his mouth. “I-ah, fuck” failed miserably. Just as I want to tell him off, he dips one finger in.

“Fuck, you’re so wet bunny” that stupid name again. My hand shoots up to his bicep, holding onto it for dear life. “More” he’s not even really doing anything, yet I want his big hands to stretch me out further.

He obliges, adding another finger.

“How bad do you want it bun” he asks, pumping his fingers in and out painfully slow.

“Shut up” I hiss. Though u have to admit, I clench around his fingers as he calls me that.

“Tell me” he says again and still his fingers completely. “Finger me Koo” I look at him, doe eyed. I can feel him fucking twitch against my leg as I say that. He looks at me for a few seconds, completely still “Koo?” He breathes in heavily, leaving a groan as he releases his breath.

He crashes his lips against mine, moving his fingers again. He's certainly skilled to say the least. two fingers moving in and out of me again, curling inside of me, hitting the exact right places. Thumb on my clit circling around it.

My mouth falters open, unable to kiss him back. The back of my head burying deep in the mattress. Eyes shut. Fuck it feels good.

He kisses down my collarbone. If he continues like this I'm actually going to come soon.

"Fuck, Koo" I moan loudly, he can feel my walls clench around his fingers. He stops kissing me. "Look at me when you cum" He says, well.. more like demands. "Look who's making you feel like this yun" I absolutely try my best to look at him, eyes faltering shut before opening them again. "That's it" He praises, That's what it does for me. My orgasm hitting me hard, as I try my absolute best to look at him. Tears nearly peeping through.

Both our heads snap at his door, before we look at each other shocked. "I thought you said Mingyu wasn't home" I say as he quickly pulls his fingers out of me, feeling empty inside. "He told me he was staying at his girlfriends house" quickly closing his bedroom door as the front door opens.

We both find our discarded shirts on the ground putting them back on. I run to his mirror checking if I look presentable. we both stay completely silent, holding our breath afraid to make a single sound.

We can hear Mingyu walk past the door, to his own bedroom slamming his door shut. both letting out a breath we've been holding for far too long.

Jungkook leans his head back against the door. I can see the disappointment in his face. the walls are thin, heard Mingyu in action one time.

I feel disappointed, bad for him. Poor dude getting blue balled. I'm afraid to admit I was kind of looking forward to returning the favour to him.

Who says we still can't?

I walk over to him, as quiet as I can. As soon as I approach him I trail my finger across his abdomen, placing kisses on his shoulder and collarbone.

"Bun? what ar-" I cut him off, shushing him wish a kiss to his mouth. "Just stay quiet" I whisper against his ear. my hands at his waist band, unbuckling his belt and undoing his jeans. dropping down to my knees.

to be honest I have no idea what I'm doing. mimicking things I've seen, and read. Pulling his jeans down a little, placing a kiss on his clothed cock. I can feel he's still rock hard. I can hear his breath hitch as I place a kiss on it.

Not wanting to waste too much time, I pull his boxers down too. nearly jump scaring me as he springs free. I need a moment to register what I'm seeing, I've always seen dicks as something pretty ugly. But having him in front of me like this, makes me think otherwise. He's big. Bigger than I thought existed in real life. But nothing abnormal. "Stop staring" He whispers. I meet his eyes. shaking me out of my thoughts. There's no way in hell I can take all of him.

I place my hands at his base, Notice he's struggling not to moan at my touch. Place a kiss on the side of his cock, licking a long stripe across the vein that goes from the base to his tip. placing a kiss on it as I reach the end. swiping my tongue across his slit, tasting his precum. And take him in my mouth.

I can tell he's struggling to keep quiet, his hand finding it's way into my hair. I try to take as much of him as I can, without trying to gag on him. bobbing my head up and down, moving my hands wherever I cant reach.

Never would I have thought, giving a blowjob can be arousing for the one whose giving it as well. noticing I'm rubbing my thighs together as if I didn't just orgasm around the same fingers that are in my hair right now.

he pushes my head down a little, making me moan softly against him making him groan in response. I look at him through my lashes, eyes meeting his as he was already looking at me.

I squish his balls lightly, sending him over the edge. he pushes my head down hard, tears peeking through the corner of my eyes. he comes down my throat. soft humming coming from above me as he tries his best to stay quiet. warm liquid trickling down my throat as I swallow all of it.

sucking him empty and letting go with a plop. He wipes the corner of my mouth, as I smile at him proudly. "Good girl" he says, making me clench on absolutely nothing.

He puts himself back in his boxers, putting his jeans back on as well as I get back to my feet. He nudges his head to his door that he's still leaning against.

"U can take a shower if you want to. take a tee of mine" I nod at him, swinging around to his dresser stealing one of his shirts. running off to the bathroom.

Been to his house so many times is normal for me to be here.

I walk back to his room after my shower, hair blow dried, big shirt of Jungkook's. he switches places with me and disappears into the bathroom.

suddenly it all feels empty again, quiet. events of this evening reoccurring in my head. Jungkook seemed to take my mind of Taehyung for a little. but now that, that moment is over, it all comes flushing back.

I feel so stupid to think I had an actual chance with him.

I make my way to Jungkook's bed, curling up under his covers. Too empty to even open my phone to see my missed messages. Or to look at TikTok to pass the time.

Time passes so slowly, staring right in front of me. No thoughts running through my mind, but at the same time so many.

Jungkook makes his way back into his room. I didn’t even notice until he was in squatting next to me. tucking a piece of hair behind my ear as I'm laid on my side. I look at him, only my eyes moving to find his.

"you sure you're alright?" I don't want to answer him, feel embarrassed about what happened. I feel so naïve.

"Lets pretend nothing happened okay?" I tell him. He nods. a simple "okay" leaving his mouth.

he walks over to the other side of his bed. back facing me, my back facing him. I feel like I shouldn't leave him in the dark on what happened.

"had a crush on Taehyung" I admit to him, feel like I'm admitting it to myself as I tell him. "Was talking with him at the party for like 2 hours.." he stays silent, not sure if he's listening or maybe already sleeping. "left for a drink, saw another girl on his lap when I came back"

"I felt so naïve, to think he'd like me back. but he just wanted to get in my pants. was devastated when I saw them, felt like I was gonna throw up" I tell him "Oh yeah and then I fell." I add.

He's completely silent. no clue if he's even awake, maybe he's wearing headphones. maybe he fell asleep, I don't know.

"Koo?" I say softly. I get a soft "yeah?" back, almost like a whisper.

"Wasn’t sure if you were listening" I say. there's so much room between us. I left to his house to feel comfortable, to not be alone. knew my brother would be a pain in the arse at home. and if he wouldn't, than mum would be. I feel.. empty, even tough my night was so full.

After everything that happened with Jungkook tonight, how is my mind still with Taehyung? "Koo?.." I say again. "yeah?.." Somehow I’m nervous for what I'm about to ask him, afraid he’ll reject me. Part of me knows he wouldn't. Part of me knows it isn't usually weird. Just after what happened today I'm unsure.

"Can we cuddle?" I ask quietly, Almost embarrassed.

He doesn't reply, all he does I move. Move closer to me in his bed. And as I look over I see him holding his arm up. Open for me to join him. Not a single moment in my mind that doubts rolling over to him.

He wraps me up in his arms as I hug his waist tightly, not wanting to let go of someone else at the moment. So desperately in need of physical touch, is sad.

A tear falls down from my face. too much going on at the moment. too much for me to handle. I know he can feel me sob in his embrace, I know his shirt is getting salty wet because of my tears. he doesn't mention it. caresses my hair and suits circles on my back. even places a kiss on my forehead.

"Back to normal tomorrow m'kay?" He whispers, hearing the vibrations from his chest through my cheeks, are soothing. secretly wishing they could last forever.

I nod, and fall asleep quite vastly.

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[spennsrs]

Hi! I noticed that your requests are open and that you are a Spencer simp (same!!) so I was wondering if I could request something with him? Anything really, I just think that the world needs more Spencer Agnew fics :))

TYPE OF WRITING: one sided pining drabble CONTENT CREATOR(S): spencer agnew of smosh SONG REC: my type by saint motel MARNIE'S NOTE: THE WORLD NEEDS MORE SPENCER !! i hope this satiates not only your need for more spence, but also my need lawl ... also spence is 100% besties to lovers type guy... also mayhaps part 2 in the future???

from: spenner 🐌 ' [y/n] ' ' [y/n] answer plz ' ' are u dead ' ' is this because i won at mario kart ' ' heeeeeeeeey ' ' im off work and im booooooored '

[y/n] lifts the pillow from their face, the constant buzzing of their phone making them frown. they pick the phone up, scrolling through the notifications. youtube... threads... x (you stick your tongue out... elon you bitch, twitter was fine)... a goofy smile tugs at their lips at the onslaught of texts from their best friend, spencer agnew, and as more came in.

from: spenner 🐌 ' my best friend, [y/n] [l/n] is dead!!1 ' ' haha get it ' ' family guy reference ' ' see [y/n] this is how much i need u in my life ' ' im making fucking family guy references '

they simply watch the three dots, signaling spencer was typing as more and more texts were sent by the curly haired man, shaking their head. finally, they decide it was enough torture for their poor friend, typing out a few texts. they giggle as the three dots disappear for a moment, only to reappear.

to: spenner 🐌 ' chill out you funion fuck ' ' im here ' ' unlike some people, some of us have lives while our best friend is at work '

this was a lie. they had (very shamelessly) not answered spencer in favor of catching up on their favorite tv show.

from: spenner 🐌 ' about damn time ' ' i was dying without you ' ' soooooo whats the plan can i come over or ' ' also funion fuck?????? '

to: spenner 🐌 ' so you can eat my food? ' ' ig you can :/ '

there was no response, and [y/n] had reason to believe spencer had either pulled a fast one and was now ignoring them, or was on his way. they opted to believe the latter.

they hurriedly get up to clean up what little mess there was, knowing spence really didn't care.

ㅤ ೀ ㅤ۫ ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ㅤ ♡ ㅤ

spencer arrived at [y/n]'s apartment, sticking the key into the door and unlocking it. he got an odd thought as he stepped into the apartment, his mind wandering into what if territory. it was dangerous, sure... but it was hard when he had developed this huge, heart wrenching, heavy crush on his best friend.

he shakes his head when a voice calls out. "spencer? that you?" he chuckles at [y/n]'s voice, they knew the answer. but he decided to tease them.

"spencer who? it's a robber, announcing my break in. here i come!" he can't help but cackle as his best friend's head comes into view, frowning deeply. "yeah, yeah, it's me. literally the only other person that has a key to your apartment, dumbass."

"not true! angela and amanda have a key!"

a pang stung in his heart, but he shrugged it off. they were [y/n]'s friends, spence, chill. he was not about to be jealous over coworkers.

he makes his way to where [y/n] was, in their room with a sigh. he flops onto their bed dramatically, much to [y/n]'s amusement. they pat his leg before sitting back at their laptop, scrolling through their email. a comfortable quiet falls over the two, the only real noise coming from the soft clicking of keys from the laptop.

spencer turns his head to gaze at his friend- or, the back of them... not that he cared. this had become a common thing, him coming over to just.. decompress from work. he loved his position at smosh, but [y/n] was really his rock. they had been a constant in his life, keeping him grounded. he owed a lot to them... but he guessed it wouldn't be long before the whole crush thing began. how could he not? they were such a genuine and loving person, they accepted spencer for all his weirdness and even parroted it back to him. with [y/n], he could be himself, his true authentic self. not a facade he had to put on in front of a camera, not the one he had with other friends, he was himself with [y/n].

he slowly smiles as they turn their head to check on spencer, a soft pink painting itself on their cheeks.

"stop staring, weirdo. not a good look." "can i not stare at my amazingly gorgeous best friend?"

next thing he knew, spencer was laughing as a pen was chucked in his direction, sitting up.

one day, he would spill it all to [y/n]. but for now... this dynamic was good enough for him.

[writing-for-life]

To Be Human Means to Die (Even for Morpheus)

I know one of the biggest points of contention in the Sandman fandom (especially between show-only and graphic novel fans) is the end:

On the regular, we all hear the wish that the ending should have been more hopeful, that Morpheus dying is soul-crushing and devastating and sends the wrong message. And while I agree that it is incredibly sad upon first read (I actually cried my eyes out many moons ago when I first read World’s End, because that’s when I knew, without a doubt, what was going to happen), I would like to expand a bit on why I think we are actually getting the most hopeful message of them all…

It’s a Tragedy: Yes, but That’s Also Simplifying It

Let me briefly talk about tragedies first, because many people, myself included, often bring up the purpose of a tragedy first when we are talking about why realistically, there can be no other ending to The Sandman than the one we already have. That purpose is that we, as the audience/reader, are supposed to do better, and that we are supposed to learn from our hero’s fatal flaw(s).

And while all of this is true, it is also too simple.

Yes, Morpheus has fatal flaws, his inherent rigidity being the most prominent of them (on that rigidity, everything else hinges: his occasional cruelty, his sense of responsibility even if it destroys him, his inability to hold down relationships because he won’t communicate and compromise…).

But it would be too easy to say: “This is what we are supposed to learn from it, let’s not do that and instead be capable of change. Lesson learned, the end”.

For me, the most important personal truth of The Sandman goes far beyond that, and it is connected to the through-line:

Gods Can Die and Humans Can Be Immortal

When we first meet Morpheus, he is Endless in the truest sense of the word—although captured, it is very clear that he is not mortal, not human, and one step further: That he also doesn’t always understand what it means to be human. We get to know him as aloof, arrogant, proud, often devoid of empathy, and even cruel. And we all know that this changes throughout his arc. That the being who always asserted he is incapable of change finally has to admit, to himself and others, that he has changed, most poignantly in The Kindly Ones (e.g. when he tells Nuala that he lied to Ishtar when he denied he had changed).

And that change was initially a slow one--perhaps that is why he denied it for so long. But by the time we arrive at the end of Brief Lives, his change and, yes, his humanity, are already so clear to the reader that most of us probably went: “You really are slow on the uptake sometimes.”

Even Frank McConnell writes in his intro to The Kindly Ones: “And with [killing Orpheus], Dream has entered time, choice, guilt and regret—has entered the sphere of the human.” And Nuala is right when she asks him: “You want them to punish you, don’t you? You want them to punish you for Orpheus’ death.” Guilt, regret, and a choice. And his reply is silence, and it’s deafening.

On Becoming Human

By the end of The Kindly Ones, Morpheus basically is human in the metaphorical sense: He feels like a human, and even his body (or at least his relationship to his body) has changed. The most important indication for the latter is when we put in contrast that the Corinthian stabbing him in Collectors doesn’t draw a single drop of blood, but the scorpion whip of the Fates in The Kindly Ones does, and that scar remains. We can of course argue about who can hurt him and who can’t, but in either case, we see a Morpheus now who is more flesh and blood than he has ever been, and he feels a sense of mortality not only mentally/emotionally, but also physically.

(I have to throw in here that the change they made in the show at this point greatly confused me, and I think it is significant, as are a lot of other changes that have been made. And I personally hope they only use them to hint at a more human side to him from the outset to make us relate more, but not as a change to the whole arc. I will admit that I would have preferred if he didn’t bleed at this point because to me, it would have had more impact when we finally do see him bleed at the end. And we got foreshadowing for the scar in the show, when the earthquakes crack one of the windows and he looks through it for the second time. Yeah, I’m really that obsessive when I rewatch it, it’s embarrassing).

To Be Human Means to Die

And before we all collectively go into our evolutionarily ingrained wish to pretend that’s not true (because most of us fear death):

It is our mortality that gives our lives meaning. Without an end, life has no meaning bar feeling empty responsibility (or endless hedonism that gets boring at some point). And after 10 billion years, maybe the burden of that responsibility simply becomes too heavy (“But even the freedom of the Dreaming can be a cage, of a kind, my sister,” he says to Death in #69. And that he is “very tired”). It can’t make up for what truly makes our lives worth living:

The Impermanence of it.

Destruction got it right when he said that the illusion of permanence basically depends on our vantage point. That we can pretend if we so wish, and that there is comfort to be found in that, but that things simply don’t last. And that the Endless are truly no exception to that rule (“…even our existences are brief and bounded. None of us will last longer than this version of the universe.”)

And yet, we look at Morpheus choosing death and think: ”But that’s it then, he can't go back on that, but he deserved happiness because he has changed, he deserved (insert preference/head-canon of choice) and will never get a chance to have it now.”

And I get it. Psychologically speaking, we often fight the idea of death tooth and nail. We fear our own, and we have to deal with the loss of loved ones. So the denial is real—it’s not one of the stages of grief for nothing. But staying in that stage of denial is stagnation—the very antithesis of change. Death and change are linked—in the Sandman, they are not truly presented as alternatives, even if we might think so. They are two sides to the same coin. Death says to her mortal form in The High Cost of Living that the fact that life ends is what gives it meaning. That’s why it always ends. And that message has already been given to us in The Wake: “(Death) gives you peace. She gives you meaning. And she bids her brother goodbye.”

It’s Not Just About Dying, It’s Also About Coping With Grief

It tells us something about our own mortality, but also about mourning our loved ones. That’s why The Sandman doesn’t end with Morpheus’ death/The Kindly Ones, but we get a whole story arc after he is gone/The Wake. Because mortality isn’t just about us. It is also about the ones we love, the ones we need to let go while keeping on living, but we also hold on to them in certain ways (“humans can be immortal” because we make them so). All the mourners are us, and in the case of grieving Morpheus, many of us are probably a bit like Matthew:

In the throes of grief, we don’t care that there might be someone else who might even be more kind and loving (poor Daniel)—we don’t want a “replacement”, we want back what we have lost. And we are not ready to move on, until we somehow are/do. And that path is painful and long, as everyone who ever lost a loved one will be able to attest to. The pain never truly goes away, but it changes, from something so raw and painful that it knocks the air out of your lungs, to something that shows up here and there unexpectedly, still painful, but a little less so. Until it only hurts around the edges of memories that make us smile, miss and love someone, all at once. That love is permanent, even if life is not. It doesn’t really die with us either, because we can pass it on.

And it is somewhat fitting that the idea of “to be human means to die”, and that death is what gives life meaning, also extends to storytelling:

Without an end, a story has no true meaning. Our lives are stories, and every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Morpheus’ story is meaningful because it has an end (I already wrote about this before in “Why the order of the last three issues of The Sandman matters” and have attached a long reblog chain)—not because it plods on endlessly (no pun intended). And that end is exactly what makes it last, what makes people feel, reflect, understand, learn, pass it on.

We, a whole fandom. continuously talk about how upset we are that he died, what we learned from it, what we would do differently (be that in our own lives or in a retelling of the story), and I’ll just leave it at that, because it drives the message home so much more than any further exploration could….

[hayleylatour]

Finding Peace 🕊️

content warnings- none really, cocky Noah, talks of sex but none as of right now.

Summary- Mia is a 24 year old new bookstore owner who got pregnant by a one night stand with Bad Omens front man Noah Sebastian. Deciding to stay friends and raise their daughter together. What hardships and challenges will they face?

Parings- Baby daddy! Noah Sebastian x OC Mia

Chapter five ~ Mia’s pov

~ 3 days later~

Noah never had to call the guys, with the tour canceled they were able to come home. Jolly called the next morning to tell us they were coming home and to ask how I was and how the baby was. Noah and I decided to take the opportunity of the guys being out to lunch to set up the reveal. We were telling them that we’re having a girl, Ophelia. Noah was hanging a pink banner above the fireplace pink balloons scattered around the living room. the white cake sitting on the kitchen island. they should be here soon and are going to walk into a pink wonderland

“I think it’s enough angel, they’re going to get the surprise. Theres a giant pink banner that says it’s a girl” Noah says stepping down from the ladder.

“Everything has to be perfect. We’re telling them her name tonight too right? Or should we wait till shes born?” I Fidget with the hem of my shirt. Running my hand along my belly tapping my fingers as I go. Ophelia kicks in response. Shes already so loved, she has a whole family that cares about her so much and she doesn’t even know it. I’ve stayed in Noah’s room since the accident. He is still on edge that something is wrong with her, even though my doctor assured him she’s fine and is right on track for a 20 week pregnancy.

“Whatever you decide, I’m sure that they will love her name. It may keep them from calling her a little bean” Noah says pulling me to a hug.

When the guys arrive the excitement is clear on their faces. A choir of voices can be heard throughout the house. This is what family feels like.

“So Mia, do you guys have a name picked out?” Jolly asks sitting down next to me on the couch. I’ve been thinking all night if we tell them her name now or wait till her birth.

“We do but I think we’re going to wait to tell everyone for just a little bit. One surprise at a time.” I laugh as jolly nods. I make eye contact with Noah from the kitchen. Smiling he grabs my cup and makes his way to the living room.

~10 weeks later~

Everything hurts or is starting to hurt. My clothes no longer fit, living in oversized shirts and sweatpants is completely horrible and it doesn’t make me feel any better, as sweet as Noah is to me it continues to piss me off. He doesn’t quite understand that I can do things for myself. He doesn’t understand that his daughter is kicking me in the ribs and bladder at the same time. I can’t look in the mirror without seeing a different person. None of my clothes fit so I look like a slob most of the time. And god dammit I’m frustrated, sexually speaking but emotionally speaking too.

“Noah I really need you to stop fussing over me. I am fine please let me be.” I sigh pulling the glass of water from him and setting it on the counter. He huffs. “I’m grown I can get up and make myself a glass of water and my own lunch. I can walk upstairs without you right behind me, I’m not a child I need you to stop babying me! Christ Noah I’m pregnant I’m not dying!” Tears welling in my eyes.

“Alright what is your fucking problem lately? You’re really starting to piss me off!” Noah says pulling at his roots.

“You wanna know what my fucking problem is? Huh! My problem is I’m so frustrated and tired. My feet are swollen my hips are killing me. I’ve got a foot in my ribs and your daughter is head butting my damn bladder! I can’t see my feet anymore! I’ve got stretch marks in place i didn’t know I could get them! I’m horny beyond belief, and I can’t just ask you to fuck me because god know that you can’t find this attractive anymore! None of my clothes fit right and maternity clothes look like they were made for old people! God Noah I’m not trying to be a bitch but i don’t feel like myself anymore! I cant look in the mirror anymore. I mean fuck man!” I say tears now streaming down my face Noah’s features soften

“I’d still have sex with you, i just didn’t wanna hurt her or you. I find you incredibly attractive. Angel I will have sex with you. Will that make you be nicer to me, you need me to make that attitude change with some dick?” He says stepping into my space as his hand cup my face sliding one hand into my hard. His lips so close I can taste to mint on his breath. Whimpering I close the space enveloping his lips. His tongue swipes across my bottom lip and I immediately grant him access. I don’t fight him for dominance, at this point id gladly give it up for him.

Pulling away he smirks “that’s all it took for you to be slightly nicer. Huh? I’ll have sex with you angel all you have to do is ask baby. I still find you sexy as hell Mia.” He says before lowering his lips to mine once more.

“Upstairs, please Noah” I whisper as I step away pulling him to the staircase. Laughing he scoops me up bridal style taking the steps two at a time before kicking the door shut and laying me on the bed.

[qiutls]

TNGDH 011

'Ack, my whole body is aching...'

I can't count how many days I've been working out in this supposed no exercise life of mine.

As if that wasn't enough for the muscles of my body to scream out of pain, the uncomfortable cohabitation with mealworms lasted all night and I had no choice but to sleep at the top of the slide which was a tight fit for me.

How can someone sleep with a bug by their bedside. I can't do it. I mean, I'm a cowardly urban type of person who can't even farm because of insects.

I really can't live like this. This is unfair, I want to run away from home. That's it, I'm leaving the house!

"I prepared a different special meal for you today, Cashew Nut."

Just as I've made up my mind, Kyle came into the study to collect the bugs at the corner of the house.

"Sen said this raw food might not be to your taste. It's my fault."

― Eek! [ That's right, you were wrong. ]

"This morning I prepared dried pollack, and later in the evening I'll let you have some beef. There's plenty of meat because it's festival season. Tomorrow, should I bring you some chicken?"

'... Maybe I should think about running away twice.'

Hmm. That's right put your whole heart into it, since you're set in taking care of me anyways.

Kyle's face lit up noticeably as I came down the slide and looked up at him. He quickly put a piece of dried pollack in my hand and took the water bowl I spilled and filled it with clean water.

I nibbled away at the dried pollack. It seems it wasn't seasoned at all since he was planning on giving it to me, so it tasted a little bland, but it was worth eating. To be honest, this is a blessing considering the past few meals he tried to make me eat.

'It should've been like this in the first place.'

If I had no choice but to eat the bugs... Ah my poor life.

I choked and drummed my fist on my chest, then Kyle placed the water bowl beside me.

"The castle's atmosphere has been unsettling recently. Although you'll only be staying here and there's really nothing to worry about, just in case that pervert who confessed comes back..."

― Squeak!

I suddenly choked drinking the water and it almost went through my nose.

'W-what? The p-pervert who confessed?!'

Isn't that me? No, but which crazy bastard made that as my nickname?

"But don't worry, Cashew Nut, you have nothing to worry about, I've placed a guard in front of the study."

Of course, I have nothing to worry about, because that pervert is actually me...

When I shook my head, Kyle lifted me up and made a face as if he was dying because of my cuteness, then proceeded to shower me with kisses.

Hey, stop! Why do you care about kissing me more than giving me food. Do your men know you live like this, huh? 

You said you were the Duke of the North. You said you were the strongest knight in Minehardt, and that you don't have tears nor blood. You're supposed to be the greatest leader of this barren wasteland. But you're just a damn hamster otaku!

"Your Highness."

Someone knocked on the door and Kyle put me back inside the house in the speed of light, and pretended nothing was amiss.

He spoke with a stern look, as if he was a completely different person.

"Come on in."

Wah, are you really the same person just now.

I can't get used to it, no matter how many times I see it. He completely turned his back from my gaze and received a report from the knight.

The second prince, Belial Serena Minehardt, was about to arrive at the estate.

*his name is Serena too... I thought only empresses could have that name bc the book said so, maybe the second name of the characters are their mom's name, since Kyle's second name was Jane?*

The report was so meticulous that it seemed unusual, the knight reported everything from the welcome procession, the location of all decorations, the route from the entrance of the castle to the dining area, down to the menu and ingredients.

It sounded like an irregular audit just by listening to the contents, Kyle's serious expression shows just how much importance was given to make this perfect.

'I knew you weren't on good terms with the royal family, and I even heard the servants talk about it while I was human... Just how serious is it?'

If you look at his expression now, you would think Kyle was fighting against demonic beasts.

"I should leave now."

Kyle glanced back at me. His eyes filled with lingering feelings.

I don't know if he just likes to hide his gentle feelings, or if he's only gentle to me. Or maybe he's only sweet towards animals, well there's no harm in it...

"Goodbye, Cashew Nut."

I held out my hand instead of answering. Give me one more dried pollack before you go.

"It's not good for you if you eat a lot, hmm?"

He whispered.

'... Okay...'

I decided to lie down on my back and just imagine the food I wanted to eat.

A hamburger with three patties, hot pot, shrimp meatballs, a T-bone steak bigger than my face, two pieces of pork belly on top of a lettuce. Herring sashimi during autumn, yellowtail sashimi in winter and for spring...

As I lay down and rolled around after finishing the rest of the dried pollack, an idea suddenly came to mind.

'Come to think of it, why did Kyle have a bad relationship with the royal family? Although it's not a loss on his side, he's still a son of the previous emperor, what could've happened?'

Indeed, there are stories that you can't hear without shedding tears. You're supposed to be a prince living luxuriously, yet right now, you're acting as a duke in this barren land.

Kyle Jane Minehardt was not a very important character in the original. Moreover, he died quickly, so his past story was not treated as important.

System, do you know what he wants to achieve?  If I can lend a hand, then maybe the future might change.

[ Kyle's only wish is revenge. ]

'He also wants revenge?'

There are so many dreamers of revenge here and there.

It's probably because of his origin that he opposes the royal family. His biological mother was not accepted as a royal family member and lead to her taking her life in misery.

But that didn't make Belial and Kyle's relationship bad from the beginning. Maybe as he grew up, he started to despise Kyle.

The North was in danger, even though no one was actively trying to crush it, still it was good to reduce the possibilities of this happening, hence Kyle's meticulousness.

But despite Kyle's efforts to maintain peace in the North, Belial succeeded in his plan and found an excuse for the imperial family to pressure the North.

Just in time, the system showed the current situation as it happened in the original.

[ "Kyle Jane Minehardt, decorated an assault under the guise of a festival. There was proof that the chandelier fell on top of the Second Prince, Belial Serena Minehardt, at the banquet on the last day of the festival! In response, the Duke of Klein labels Kyle as an enemy of the imperial family and declares that he will confront everyone under the Blake's estate." ]

'That's it, this chandelier incident!'

On the last day of the festival, Belial's accident led to declare his maternal family's hostility towards the Blake estate.

And if it really happened, there's a possibility that Serena and Belial would first meet here. Sen might've been appointed to treat Belial's injury and they might have found out they shared the same goal.

If Belial, and his maternal family, the Duke of Klein, join forces together to antagonize Kyle, the North will be more isolated than it is now. That probably was the major cause of Kyle's death.

So, we need to stop this situation from happening.

'Since the banquet will happen on the last day...'

​There's a simple way to stop it, whatever I need to do, I just need to delay Belial's appearance so he can't appear during the banquet.

'What should I do...'

Should I meet Belial, first? I need to figure out how he looks like. I also have to think about how to persuade him not to attend the banquet. If it doesn't work out, then just hit him at a weak point.

It was time to remove the sawdust stuck in my front paws after a long day of thinking.

"Why do you keep soldiers by the door?"

An unfamiliar voice sounded outside the study.

It was a soft and gentle voice that was close to a whisper. Soon the door opened, and Kyle brought the guest inside as he answered.

​"I told you I strengthened the security because of a small matter."

He used a tone often use here in the study, a tone that made my nerves feel taut. The man behind Kyle laughed quietly.

"It seems even the Grand Duke's study encounters such unexpected changes."

​Is he telling Kyle that he can't even manage one of his rooms? A cold smile appeared on Kyle's face for a second and then it quickly disappeared. I stepped out of my hiding place and climbed to the side of the wheel on the top floor to look at them. Then, I finally saw the man sitting across Kyle.

[ Belial Serena Minehardt. ]

As expected, it was Belial.

Golden hair that shone like honey, bright green eyes, a lively yet gentle appearance. His eyes pointing downwards making him look like a gentle sheep and a polite smile adorned his face...

If I were to manifest a prince from a fairytale, I think it would look exactly like him. What am I saying, of course it would look like him, he's a real prince.

"Other than that, I heard you started to raise a strange beast in your study?"

Ah. That strange beast would be me.

As I chewed on the walnut I brought up to the top floor, I saw Kyle's eyebrows twitch. H-hey! Don't react!

"It's a magical beast cub that I saved from the eastern forest, it's none of your business."

"I heard demonic beasts eat people when they grow up. It is very courageous of the Grand Duke to raise such a beast."

Belial smiled at Kyle with his eyes closed, while he (Kyle) just stared at him expressionless.

There seemed to be an invisible spark between the two. The festival is just starting, so why are you two like this already. Let's get along, okay?

"Do you have any other plans regarding that beast?"

*Belial kept hinting Kyle will use the hamster to kill people in the future...*

...Ahhhh! I really can't stop you two huh?

"You cannot take back words once spoken, Prince Belial."

"Shouldn't you begin by saying no, Grand Duke?"

It was an obvious provocation. And it was a bad one, as it insinuates Kyle would like to commit treason.

But look at me, could you not say those kinds of words. When I grow up, I'll attack the imperial city? Am I not the size of half a palm? I'm only getting angry because you're spouting nonsense.

But Kyle seemed to be in a different situation. The cold air felt like it froze. I looked at them, rubbing my arms with my front paws.

'Hey... Don't tell me.'

You're not pulling out the sword are you? Be tolerable, don't commit murder. Just hang in there. Breathe.

"Don't suddenly throw a punch Kyle. You'll look as vulgar as your mother."

Kyle's hand crawled to the sword.

No! Don't kill him! Of course, I think he's a crazy bastard that shouldn't be forgiven for swearing at your mother, but still! Killing is not...

I didn't have much time to think about what to do in the situation. I jumped from the top floor and my body rolled down the slide.  Thump. Clack. Thump.

At the sudden sound, both of them were stunned and turned to look at me. 

".... Cashew Nut?"

Kyle was shocked and approached me quickly, when I didn't answer he shouted at the knight guarding the door.

"Take the prince to his chamber and bring a doctor quickly!"

The knight responded to the orders urgently. Then there was a creak as the door opened and someone stepped into the study.

It was Sen, who came to bring me snacks.

"..... Your Highness?"

"Sen, please lead the prince to his chamber."

Kyle said as he pulled me out of the hamster house. Sen took a second to assess the situation, then nodded and walked out of the study with Belial.

The noisy study quickly became silent, and I could feel Kyle's anxious gaze on me.

​'It should be fine now, right?'

It was an acting masterpiece that will go down in history.

[ ó﹏ò ]

Why! What! Look at how everyone was deceived. If this is not a masterpiece, then what is?

I moved my body as if I had just woken up, and Kyle sighed in relief. He put me closer to his face and asked in a gentle voice if I was okay.

As expected, I like this side of him more than him pretending to be indifferent.

*earlier in the chap, Kyle was pretending to be indifferent towards Soohyun when a knight/attendant was reporting the festival preparations*

novel ⠀✿⠀ next

[bronx-bomber87]

Happy Saturday! First off Hallelujah the actors strike is over. Now it’s just semantics and such before we get our ship back on our screens. Just saw the SAG board approved the deal with 86% percent in favor on Friday. All that is left is getting it ratified and an episode order. We’re on the right track I can not wait. Been too damn long since we’ve been excited about some new content.

Till then I shall continue my rewatch. Hoping to line it up ending it whenever a premiere date appears. So fingers crossed on that. Once we do have that might amp it up to 3 reviews a week instead of 2. This one is not a huge content heavy one for them. It's shorter than normal, but it is Lucy’s first ep as his aide. They’re riding back together. I love it so much. Absence makes the heart grow fonder they say. Some good moments peppered in this one. Sassy married moments we all love. Off we go.

4x04 Red Hot

We start off with our lovely duo at the end of roll call. Tim coming in hot and sassy. Calling her Gofer right off the bat. Asking if she’s ready to go? He had to know he was gonna get a sassy reply calling her that first thing. Man knows what he’s doing. Tim loves their little dance and banter. So he lights the fire and waits for the results. (Also good Tall/Smol shots here my fav.)

Lucy matching said sass with some of her own. A little flirting mixed in cause they can't help it. Not showing an ounce of fear with his 'authority' haha Tim picking up on that right away. Flirting right back saying he’s sensing a lack of fear in his authority.

Oh Timothy you lost that long ago my love. You have her utmost respect but the fear? Yeah that went bye bye some time ago heh Some pre-shift foreplay going on here. We know they’re both just excited to be riding together again. It’s all over their body language and this flirty exchange.

Her ‘Yes, sir.’ So cute basically saying for her 'You don’t scare me.' LOL Lucy's body language is everything with that flirty smile. She has no problem roasting him. Tim loves it despite the words coming out of his mouth. Sunshine x Grumpy ride again. I'm so happy for it. Missed it since 3x09 that’s a long time apart for them. We’ve had lovely moments in between but nothing better than them riding together. Plus they needed time to miss one another.

They’re so obvious together. Grey hears their exchange and is holding back a chuckle as he comes up to Tim. Wade knew long before they did...That is a fact. They continuously forget everyone can hear them. It’s so funny. Carrying on like a married couple in front of their colleagues.

Lucy and Tim end up joining Nolan on his missing wife call. (So happy they’re riding together. Making my heart happy) His call has gotten more complicated because well it’s John’s call….Nolan tells them she was drugged and the people claiming to know her we're speaking Russian. So they all go back to the house where the call originated.

No one is there when they arrive. They notice the house seems off... Like it’s staged and no one actually lives there. John noting it feels a lot smaller on the inside. Tim saying it’s like a reverse Tardis...Lucy’s reaction is so damn funny. Props to Melissa for the facial expression here. I’m dying. Tim already sensing her judgement cuts it off. She doesn’t even have to say what she’s thinking. He just knows and defends himself.

S4 is the fruit of all that rapport building. We get to see the end result constantly. Watch how close they are. That silent communication coming through, the comfortability and playfulness. Not even trying to hide it anymore. The amount of sass in Tim's reply. My god she has rubbed off on this man. I love it sfm I can’t stand it. Such flirty dorks in front of Nolan it’s the absolute best. So nice to have them together on cases again. I missed it.

They get a report the car was torched but no sign of the woman over the radio. Nolan opens the cabinet and sees an impressive setup. A panel with cyrilic buttons they can't read. Goes into contractor mode saying they have 500 MCM wires. Running 400 amp service out of this place. Lucy not knowing what that means but wanting to save face says her line above. Also knows Tim may not either so she throws him under the bus LOL

It’s so cute and cheeky. The theme of this episode for them is sass. 100%. The way Tim looks at her plus his little leg stamp. LMAO His reaction saying 'Seriously Lucy?' He’s not even mad about it so much as in awe of her being so damn fresh at this point. Doesn’t even fight her giving him shit anymore. Just accepts it. Smitten man right here. Front and center.

Nolan goes on to say a normal household doesn’t tend to go past 200. Whatever they’re powering is big because just the minimum can power a house and a/c under that. Nolan starts messing around with the panel like an idiot and trips something. Because well it's Nolan. Like an unattended child. It locks down the entire house and they pull their guns in case.

Tim’s reply is the best. ‘I don’t know what it says so I push it?’ LMAO Roasting John like a marshmallow. Sassy Tim has come out to play and I’m dying. A tv turns on showing surveillance of the entire neighborhood. John asks if human traffickers normally are this sophisticated? Tim replies no…It’s a safe house.

Lucy’s interest is piqued of course. Asking if it’s for spies? Tim gives her a small peak into his past. Which you know she will eat up like crazy. Always craving to know about it. Hell me too. Any morsel we can get from Tim’s past I’m all about. Lucy in wifey mode tries to get it out of him. The when and where? You can see the absolute curiosity all over her face. He just drops a bomb like that and expects her not to try and dig a little deeper?

Tim is classic in his reply. Saying it’s classified and that is that for his answer. I'm sure he was wanting to impress her with that reply. When really she's just annoyed at him haha Lucy’s reaction is so damn funny. She is offended he won’t just share his classified past with her in front of Nolan LOL That wifey look in the second gif. Ha. Look at them just flirting away no problem in front of John. That’s not an issue but asking about his past is. These two... Also when they talk in this scene it’s like Nolan isn’t even there. I love this about them. They only pay attention to one another when they get like this. I just love their banter. It’s fantastic.

Nolan discovers a panel after hitting another button. It leads to a whole other hidden part of the house. It’s clearly where they were torturing her. They dig a little deeper and find more surveillance camera's set up. Looks like they tried destroying everything before they took off. There is still some paper work and such lying around. Looks like they didn't get everything. Tim wants them to take pictures of everything before the feds show up. Because they’ll ice them out ASAP. I love when he’s a sexy leader directing everyone. yum. gimme.

This next section when the feds finally show up is primo. Mike Weston introduces himself and Tim knows right away he’s CIA. The feds are with him though. Reason being Weston has to work with them since he isn't allowed to work domestically. Tim has some serious smug husband energy going on in this scene. Watching his girl square off and win with this guy. Lying on his behalf it’s amazing. Lucy handles herself like the bad ass he knows her to be. Coming up with this on the fly. That UC training kicking in right here.

The immense amount of pride on his face is everything. He didn’t even have to tell her to lie she just did for him. Their silent communication once again is out of this world. He just stands there proud af. Like yeah that’s my girl. Doesn’t have to say a damn word. Knows she’s got this covered. Smugly smiling at this guy trying to get them to do their job. Knowing they secured the scene and got all the photos they needed. Part of that smugness is from knowing they’re not sharing. Lucy shutting them down completely and he just stands there happy as a clam while she handles the situation.

Lucy is bummed they’re taking over. Nolan reminds them she touched his hood. Tim says they can get a true ID. Try and solve this thing before the feds and CIA know what hit them. I love this. They get a hit in the database. She’s a Russian citizen here on a NGO visa. Tim saying it’s perfect cover for a Russian agent.

Lucy with her social media skills found her Instagram page. Linking her to an Air Force major named Lyle Marks. Who she was apparently dating. Nolan says she was probably dating him just to get to secret information. Lucy calls him a cynic heh I love it. Then says yeah that’s probably the most likely scenario…

That he works for drone command and hasn’t shown up for work today. Tim says no need to loop in Weston. If they’re onto something good he will find them. They show up to Mark's house and find him tortured and killed. Weston of course shows up right after they find his body. Just like Tim said. He’s so smart. Beauty and Brains.

The fact that a soldier was killed this can’t be contained any longer. Weston realizes he’s going to need their help. Especially since this is on US soil. He brings them back to his fancy spy van. So they can have a private conversation protected. Tim gets right down to business. Asking what they know about Katerina? Mike tells them they believe her to be a FSB case officer. Just like Tim said earlier. Sexy how smart he is. Intelligence is attractive af.

Apparently she went rogue during her mission. She was supposed to be recruiting intelligence assets for Russia. It’s why those two guys came into the country after her. Rather her die than be in the hands of the CIA after she escaped. Tim asks if they knew about the relationship with officer Marks? Weston replies no or they would’ve stepped in weeks ago.

Also let’s note the lack of space with them in this scene. The Grand Canyon between John and Tim. The smallest sliver between Tim and Lucy. Another theme of this season. Personal Space? Never heard of her…

This next part is more of that proud/smug hubby energy from Tim. The way she dismantles Mike is glorious. Trying to say she’s naive and espionage isn’t a romance novel. She crushes him with some solid ass logic. Lucy owns this guy not once but twice in the same day. Lucy came to play and it's so fun to watch her confidence. The way she handles herself now. So self-assured it's just as glorious to watch as Tim's growth.

I love the look on Tim’s face. (also him licking his lips I see that tongue sir. Mmm.) His reaction is 'Wifey is right and you are dead to rights sir.' He couldn’t be prouder of her confidence with this man. Held her own from the jump. The growth here is amazing. Lucy just confidently owning her moments. Tim backing her without a second of hesitation. True partners. Nolan gives a 'Told you so' look too but it’s not as important as Tim’s LOL Weston concedes and says she has a fair point…

That being said Mike said he’s read her file. That isn’t the type of person she is. They ask why she was dating Marks then? Weston says he ran the entire west coast drone command. That he had the keys to the entire program. Tim then poses if she wasn’t stealing secrets or planning to defect then what’s her play? Mike says doesn’t know..and that scares the hell out of him

That’s their last scene together for the ep sadly. We find out with just John and Bailey she killed Marks. He issued a drone strike that killed her brother. The flash drive Nolan finds in his shop is what she wants. She wants to kill everyone else on the list of the mission. Sadly Lucy’s love theory is kaput after that haha That's all she wrote for this one. Short but sweet one for them.

Side notes-non chenford

I love Lucy reaching out to Aaron to be his support through training. He fights her at first then gives in and calls her when he has bad experience with an old friend. Aaron does stick his foot in his mouth about Jackson. Poor Lucy still hurts her talk about him.

Then they bond over it. He talks about Patrick and says it still gets him too. How it sneaks up on you. You could be having normal day and something triggers it. Aaron tells her it’s nice to have someone to talk to. Love this friendship being built.

Thanks as always to those who read these reviews and show your support through likes, comments and reblogs. It’s my fuel haha so thank you. Shall see you all in 4x05

[judesmoonbeauty]

Ellis Twilight Chapters 21-25 Mad Love Route Summaries 🗡

MDNI, NSFW - Contains 18+ Content! Fan translation only. Not 100% accurate. Please expect grammatical errors. This is an extremely pared down SUMMARY of each chapter. Cybird owns everything. Feel free to re-blog, but please do NOT post my translations elsewhere. The summaries will be uploaded in groups.

Chapter 21

Ellis: Stay with me forever.

Ellis: I’ll never let you go again.

Kate hugs Ellis tightly in response to his words and his body flinches in pain because he's been injured, but didn't want to say anything to her in case he ruined the happy atmosphere. Kate tries to help him up, but she herself collapses due to being tied up in the casket for so long. He reassures her that it's going to be alright because help is on the way. Roger soon arrives at the scene, and after he asks if they're okay, he tells them that they look like shit. He quickly patches them up just enough to get them to a nearby infirmary (his clinic) outside of Crown Castle. Ellis is now completely pale and loses consciousness, which causes Kate to panic, but Roger says he still has a pulse, so he's just passed out.

He removes Ellis shirt which reveals a nasty wound, and Rogers speculates that a weapon covered in poison was most likely the cause of it. Roger excises the superficial necrotic skin tissue, drains as much of the poison as possible, and then disinfects the wounds (AKA an I&D or an irrigation and debridement). All they can do now is wait, so he turns his attention to Kate who he says has skin abrasions, nail lacerations, bruising and mild dehydration. While being treated by Roger, Kate keeps looking at Ellis, and he tells in a matter-of-fact way her that Crown missions always come at the risk of death, and if you're working with Jude, these situations are more frequent than this.

Roger says that he's seen the fate of those cursed by the Briar Thorn with his own eyes – which is to be destroyed by justice. He asks: It was the the prince's sword that destroyed the thorn hedge when rescuing the sleeping princess, wasn't it? Is he to be chopped up literally or metaphorically?

He decides not to muddy the waters anymore with this kind of talk, but tells her that she has to swallow reality properly and make her own choices. Kate now thinks about her future with Ellis, she loves and wants to be with him, but also knows that she must be willing to accept living with this anxiety of him possibly dying. She declares that no matter what she wants to always be with Ellis and have a happy tomorrow with him. Roger smiles and say that he knew the two would be a good fit. That night, Kate never leaves Ellis' side and falls asleep watching over him. The next morning, she feels something soft touching her lips and when she slowly wakes up she sees Ellis watching over her. He says that he was going to wait for her to wake up, but she was so cute that he thought it'd be okay to touch her a little bit, so he kissed her. His color is now back and he apologizes for making Kate worry, who in turn, tells him that she was afraid that he was going to die after all the trouble she went through to finally become lovers with him.

He smiles and says he's not going to die until he kills her, so Kate asks him what they should do because she is so happy right now? He agrees that he is just as happy as she is, wiping away tears from her eyes, and she thinks that she'd rather die right now then ever experience what they just went through. That's when she realizes that being with Ellis will also mean being next to a gaping hole of darkness, so that is why these moments are so irreplaceable and dazzling.

Ellis says he knows something that will make him even more happy, and that's going back home to the castle and sleeping not in separate beds like at the infirmary, but in the same bed. Ellis leans over her as she's lying down and kisses her when all the sudden Roger walks in (omg secondhand embarrassment), and he says that if they're well enough to do that then they are well enough to go home. When they get back to the castle the both say to each other: “I'm home”, and then they both say back to each other “Welcome back home”. AWWWW!

Chapter 22

After they get back to castle and greet each other, Roger said he's going for a beer and when Kate calls out to thank him for his help, Roger tells her to be cautious about not being too reckless with their flirting as they are still recovering. Ellis asks him how reckless is too reckless? Which embarrasses Kate, but Ellis is dead serious which makes Roger laugh, and he says not to do anything that will cause them to break their bodies. Ellis says that he's going to be nice to Kate so she doesn't feel any pain, and Roger is like: That's right, good for you lil' lady. Afterwards, Kate's chamber maid comes rushing up to them and signs to them about how terrible they look.

After Ellis and Kate are separated to take baths, it's dinner time and Kate finds a grumpy Jude in the dining room smoking a cigarette along with Alfons and Elbert. She thinks about how she doesn't know much about Elbert and she observes how every time Elbert asks if a piece of silverware or china is beautiful, Alfons has a rebuttal for it. Then, Alfons starts force feeding Elbert his dinner. The unfamiliar interaction between the two of them makes her feel tense in a way she hasn't felt before, so she asks Jude if it's okay for Elbert to be forced fed by Alfons, but the way he stares at her makes her speech falter. Of course, the grumpy fairy asks her if there isn't another question she should be asking?

Kate thinks for a moment, since Jude no doubt knew about her disappearance, and yet did not show up with Ellis to rescue her, then that means that Jude's been busy tracking down the mastermind of her abduction. This make him smugly smile and say, “Of course,” but it was difficult to do with out the help of Ellis. Alfons chimed in saying that Jude was so busy since his assistant was missing, that he worked twice as hard to research the Privy Council that released the gang.

Since Kate didn't know anything about this, Alfons explains that the Privy Council is always out to get Crown, and so she was kidnapped as part of a ploy to ensnare Crown. Ellis shows up and tells Jude that he owes him that information, and that Ellis himself was going to do a thorough investigation on the origin of her abduction. Ellis' voice was laced with a quiet anger that made a shiver run down her spine, it was as if she could smell the blood in the air. Afraid she runs to him and grabs his sleeve, he hugs her and asks if she applied medicine to her wounds, which prompts Alfons to ask with a heart-shaped hand if they're together?

Kate's face blushes red and Ellis announces that they are now together. Alfons congratulates them and Elbert says he hopes they'll be together a long time making Kate feel ticklish, but she realizes that she hasn't even said anything to Jude about it yet. So, she apologizes to Jude and Ellis for leaving the castle on her own, getting kidnapped and putting Crown at risk. Jude says that a verbal apology won't do her any good as he clicks his tongue at her while she is bowing, and he tells her that she was only, “got caught up”, in the grudge against the Crown, so there is no need to feel responsible. Kate is surprised because she was expecting Jude to say something like: You want to offer an apology, then I'll work you like a cart horse.

Just as she was thinking that, he says, “But you know, with Ellis' escort mission being abandoned, and the princess's selfish behavior. I don't really care about Crown, I just want you to pay for all you put me through. I'm going to have to work you twice as hard for all the time I missed, you're so happy you could cry, aren't you?”

Kate thinks she knew it was too good to be true, and firmly says, “Yes!”, to his request. Ellis says Jude can use him too, so Jude smiles and says, “Then let's get to it. Her Majesty the Queen has given me a direct order to kill the member of the Privy Counsel who released the rest of the gang they had locked up.”

Kate is shocked that the Queen would order the execution of a member of her own Council, and Ellis asks Jude if he can kill him with his own hands. Jude smiles and says Ellis can do whatever suits him. Kate questions Jude as to why an execution has been ordered just because she was kidnapped, and he says its because the person originally had ties with the gang, was receiving money from them (remember this was a human-trafficking case), and this person is completely black-bellied. Additionally, they're sniffing around the kidnappings case that Crown is working, as well as, being the same man who organized her abduction. The council member even put pressure on the police to overlook the incident.

With Jude's smile confirming the punishment fits the crime, Kate says no more, and afterwards she and Ellis are in his room having warm milk when their hands bump into each other when they both reach for a glass at the same time.....

Chapter 23 - MDNI

In Ellis' bedroom, their hands touch each other accidentally, and Kate thinks about how long it's been since they've been alone. She thanks him again for all his help and apologizes for making Ellis feel like he had to say they couldn't be together the last time they were alone. Ellis says that he also needs to thank Kate for caring for his heart all along, for accepting him and his abnormalities even when his parents called him a demon.

Kate says she had often wondered if she should've gone even further with Ellis, and compares her heart to the jar of raspberry jam that spilled over on the table before. Just as there was no way for it to go back in the jar once spilled, her heart could never go back to the way it was before. Ellis says that after the mission is over, they will go shopping together, buy ingredients and make jam in the kitchen together. He explains that if Kate's heart is like jam, and if they ate it together then maybe he could understand how she feels since he wants to know why she fell in love with him, what she thought of him – he wants to know everything so he can get closer to her heart and make her happy.

He takes the empty cup from her hand and asks if she's ready for bed, she thinks back to incident at the cliff side where he offers her to sleep with him so she doesn't have nightmares of being attacked by Jake, and she wonders if he means the same thing now. He hugs her tightly and says that he won't be letting her go today. Kate wonders if his secret box is finally opened up, and if she's being devoured by it? Her mind suddenly fills with unimportant things like the fact that she didn't bring a change of clothes for the next day because she thought they were only drinking warm milk together. Ellis says that even if Kate thinks it's a bad idea, he isn't going to let her go since his selfishness of making her happy takes precedence over what she thinks.

He swiftly scoops her up and takes her to the bed, which smells like sunshine and Ellis, and soon her few seconds of ease are interrupted with a shower of kisses. Soon his tongue opens her mouth causing her body to grow hotter, and after a long kiss he tells Kate that he won't finish this today. Kate is like, WHY?? He smiles and says that of course he wants to and he wants to hold her, but he wants to be careful with her body and he wants to spend time making her feel good. Kate says she wants him to feel good and finish too, but he is firm on his decision, so he pushes her down on the bed and strips her naked.

Her breasts bounce in the palms of his hands and are also loved with his tongue and lips, his fingers slide down her hips while she makes lewd sounds. Ellis smiles and thanks Kate for letting him to find all of her weak points, showing him her sweetest face, and eventually with his gentle whispers her trembling body falls into a comfortable sleep. Ellis watches a happy Kate sleeping and wishes he could look at her forever like that, that he can spoil her so much she can't live without him. Feeling such desires swirling around in his core - “In the end, you're desires are what's most important” - The unforgettable voice echoes in his head and Ellis thinks that someday Kate is going to hate him, and if that time comes....no, rather, he will fill Kate with happiness before that time comes. (Hinting he will then kill her before she grows tired and leaves him). He smiles and places his hand on her neck and thinks about that “someday”.

Soon, it is time for Jude, Ellis and Roger to carry out their mission against the man of the Privy Council having been lured out by false information planted by William, Alfons and Elbert. Kate stands at a distance from the group as she observes the mission, and Ellis wants to know why. She says that she's doing it so that she doesn't slow everyone else down. Ellis tells her that he isn't worried about that and he just doesn't want her to hate him. As Kate turns around, she says, “Hate?”

Chapter 24 - MDNI

“Hate?” Kate asks, and Ellis explains that it's different now than it was before because if he looks the man who tried to kill Kate in the eye, he may kill him in a worse way than any of the other murders she's seen him commit before, and he might make her sad. Kate thought he was concerned with her coming to a dangerous place, but he was just worried that her heart might get broken. She tells him that if Ellis loses his cool, it's okay because they will take the blame together. Kate reasons that she's the one who opened Ellis' box and if Ellis' will is mixed with the will sin, then it makes him even more sinful, so his sin is her sin too.

She tells him she is the one who wanted him to love her like that, and that she doesn't hate him. He smiles a horrifyingly sweet smile, and thanks her because he can't let her go anymore. His face changes when he hears their target walking towards them. The man from the Privy Council arrives with several guards, and asks where the woman is at since he plans to move her before Crown comes to save her, calling the Crown members monsters who need to be eradicated.

Jude cuts him off saying it was the council member who was using the gangs to capture innocent women in order to trample over them like bugs, “Look in the mirror and see which one of us is the monster.” His voice echoes in the pitch black ruins as the guards form a perimeter around the man, then a large thud entered among the guards (it was Roger jumping in the middle of them). The target tells the guards to shoot and kill them all, Roger grabs his rifle and starts firing it while Jude tells Kate she's going to help him, handing her a contraption that was ornament-like object with 'a lot of shiny tube-like things attached to it,' which makes Kate ask, “What is this?”

Jude says that she'll “Know it when you see it. If you set it on fire, he gunpowder inside will explode. Be careful not to blow it up.” But it's already on fire she says, and in a panic she throws it to the other side. When it lands there was a loud BANG due to the gunpowder igniting, making the other side go into a panic. (He gave her a live grenade LOLLLL.) Jude says that now he (Ellis) will take care of the rest, and Kate soon spots Ellis in the midst of the chaos standing behind the man of the Privy Council. He takes his black blade and slashes the man's neck and without a word the target falls to the ground. Jude joins Ellis and Roger and finishes up decimating the remaining guards causing numerous screams to echo in the darkness for a long time before silence finally settles in.

Kate debates if she should find Ellis or not since she knows he doesn't want her to see him committing his sin and making her sad, but she really wants to be near him. When she steps forward to find him she hears Roger yell, “ELLIS!!!!” Kate sees that a guard who is still alive on the ground point a gun at Ellis' back, and the fate of Ellis' tragic end – to be judged of his sin and have his sins cut down - race into her mind. Happiness is fleeting. A moment's inattention, a minor mistake can make it disappear. With out thinking she runs up to the guard and kicks his hand as hard as she could which causes a burning pain to rise in her toes, but just before that she had heard a gunshot.

She calls out to Ellis to see if he is safe, but her vision is covered with darkness and it smells good. When she looks up she sees Ellis hugging her tightly, and when she hears a noise beneath her she looks down to see the guards eyes thinly open with no light left in them, and Ellis' foot lifting from his neck. She instantly becomes confused because she has to let Ellis kill, but is this right? Ellis killed the man who was going to kill him, and she is very very happy that Ellis is alive, still it's something she has to deal with. Just as she was about to move a sharp pain from her foot makes her flinch, looking down she sees blood seeping from it possibly due to the bullet grazing her foot when she kicked the gun.

Ellis tells her that she shouldn't do anything rash, so she apologizes, but says she's glad he's safe. He gives her a hug, thanks her for keeping him safe and says he'll take care of her wounds again. He tells her that now, he'll do everything for her not just breakfast.

A few days later......he checks her wound which has healed up nicely. Fortunately, her shoe protected her from the grazing and it was only a flesh wound, so she only needed to keep off her foot for a while. When Ellis offers to assist her, Jude gripes about when he has time for that? Jude asks him about the report of their mission, and tells him to get to it so he doesn't have to tell him twice. He leaves with Jude, finishes the report, runs back to Kate and has been taking care of her ever since. Ellis helps her to bed, they say good night and he turns off the lights. She accidentally touches his leg when she has a mischievous thought, after she was injured he would only kiss or fondle her besides holding her tightly in bed, so when she looks at Ellis his lips smile nastily like he was having the same thoughts. His face draws closer.....

Premium Story - MDNI

His face draws closer and at first, he offers countless nibbling kisses, and soon his tongue creeps in sinuously, softly debauched. Kate thinks that tonight she's finally going to be able to go all the way with Ellis. For the past few days, she had been dyed by Ellis' touches, hugs and scent. She told herself that she had to be patient because she was waiting for her wound to heal, but more and more she wanted him. She moans with his kisses and he tells her that they've been kissing all day when their lips finally part. Each time one pulls away from the kiss, the other will grab them and pull them back in for more. Kate tells Ellis that she'd be lost without him, he kisses her like he his going to devour her while reaching inside her negligee and tells her he's going to undress her. He also smiles and mentions that since she isn't wearing a corset it's easier to take off. She moans when he touches her bare skin with his soft palms, “So pretty....I'm going to make it harder and harder for you to stay away from me.”

The tip of his lips kiss her nipples and soon his tongue licks them like he's licking up raspberry jam, and Kate realizes that she is trapped in this love that will kill her, but now that she knows such vivid happiness she can never go back to before she knew Ellis. He asks if she feels good, and then asks if she feels even better if he touches her “here”, his long fingers sink deeply into her wetness and without resistance her body swallows his finger up which causes a color of excitement to enter his eyes.

“It's so hot inside you, I feel like my fingers are melting.” He pumps her relentlessly and says that he's glad he has long fingers because it's easier to reach places that make her feel good. Kate can't help but mutter that she wishes Ellis can't do without her either. Ellis says that he's already at a loss without her, but he is concerned that he is going to lose control of himself and hurt her, but Kate reassures him that she wants this. He slowly enters her and asks if he's hurting her (in case you haven't guessed, baby briar is packin'), afterwards he is assured it's okay for him to do as he pleases, he starts thrusting into her and both of them are in sheer ecstasy!

Chapter 25

The one I love will kill me. That's his distorted view of love. If it were a fairy tale, some may say this is a bad ending. But in our case -

Victor tells Kate that she's kept her word, so she is free to fly away or she can stay here and he asks her what she wants to do. She closes her eyes and reflects on all the light and positive things in her life back home versus the dark and sinister things she's witnessed of those who suffer. She stares into Victor's eyes and thinks how both he and William who founded Crown must've peered in unfathomable darkness unlike the fraction of it she's experienced. She will not be able to share or open up with the things she experiences to the people she cares about, but she wants to be with Ellis, who strives for other people's happiness even to the point of getting his hands dirty.

She tells Victor that she would like to continue as a fairy tale keeper if the Queen allows it. At first, Kate thinks she'll be rejected since she got injured twice during the missions and since she put Crown in danger when she got kidnapped. Victor was surprised at first, but he openly welcomes her performing a magic trick which causes doves to fly from his hands when he opens his palm. Kate is amazed and claps her hands, while Victor bows and winks at her, he tells her that no matter what she chose he had been planning to congratulate her like this – even preparing for it all night. He asks her to let her smile illuminate those who dwell in the night even if it may be a curse on her, she thinks that his smile is filled with so much compassion for the Crown boys and her and she agrees.

After Kate leaves, Jude enters the scene saying he was going to leave when Victor had called him over and then saw him playing magic tricks. Victor tells him to wait because he called him over to discuss a proper mission, one that is an order from the Queen this time. Jude clicks his tongue when he snatches the papers that are offered to him, and says that if it's in writing then it's good enough to keep in his room. He asks Victor if he called Jude over just to listen to Kate's answer? Victor says that he is very perceptive and then tasks him with keeping Kate's smile unclouded, but Jude tells him to ask Ellis. Victor asks Jude to take care of the both of them since Ellis is their youngest member. Jude sighs and walks away making grumpy sounds, and while Victor looks up at the light through the trees, he says that he already had both of them rolled up into his pocket, that's why it was an afterthought. (This is an obvious hint about Victor. I translated this individual line, but this is pretty much what he says. I have a theory, but will keep it to myself for now.)

Kate says her goodbyes to her old co-workers as Victor has notified them she will continue working for the palace. During the evening she looks up at the twilight sky and asks herself where she is standing? It's between the day and night. Between what has been and what will be. It felt vague and uncertain, like she isn't connected to anywhere. She suddenly wants to see Ellis, but out of nowhere she is gently hugged from behind, and she immediately knows who it is because his arms wrap around her in a way she could never unravel from. As soon as she sees him the anxiety and frustration of twilight disappear and she is filled with happiness. She thought he was going to wait for her at the castle, but he said that he had a feeling that she'd miss him a little, but that he missed her a lot too. His arms hold her and confines her. He says that he was going to come for her sooner, but a florist's wagon was in trouble and he helped fix it. That sounds like him, Kate thinks as she listens to his story. He is like twilight itself, a mixture of the sinful night and the bright daylight, and she wants to be in these arms forever.

“I love you, Ellis.”

“Kate, it's twilight....”

“Hey Ellis......now is the best time.”

“I'm happy to be hugging you like this Kate, but....”

“We still have to make raspberry jam.”

Kate's heart beat fast as Ellis was looking towards tomorrow with his eyes.

He tells her that, “Someday, with the greatest happiness, he will stop time.”

“Then you'll be mine forever.”

He gently lays his lips on hers. Ellis' secret box has swallowed her whole and gently closed it's lid on her. In a box wrapped in thorns, alone together forever.

The one I love will kill me. That's his distorted view of love. If it were a fairy tale, some may say this is a bad ending. But in our case......One day that day will come and it will be the happiest ending.

[Previous] [Mad Love Epilogue] [Master List]

[sophierequests]

Can I request a Hurt/Comfort & Angst fic featuring Nikolai x f!Reader? Maybe f!Reader is some sort of duke's daughter and promised to the second prince of Ravka who is serving in the first Army infantry at the time. However, when news of his devastating injuries arrive to the palace, she rushes off to see him in the medic tent at the Fjerdan front as the doctors are unsure whether he will live or not - only to be joined by a person she'd least suspected by her side: Vasily Lantsov. His royal idiotness himself. How will they react to seeing Nikolai dying? Maybe f! Reader has some previously hidden abilities that will be able to save the little Lantsov...

my blood is tainted // in the bright lilac light part one

Navigation┃Main Masterlist┃Request

Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov x f!Reader

A/N: This request was so good oml! I loved writing it, even though I was very sleep-deprived whilst reading it for the first time, because I thought you wanted me to write a love triangle kind of thing with Nikolai and Vasily dslgsakg (don't ask). But I really like how this turned out, so thank you for the request! <333 Also, I love the term royal idiotness, so thank you for that.

You can find part two here!

Summary: After Nikolai gets badly injured, the reader throws all caution to the wind to go and see him. Is there still a chance for him to survive?

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, slight Fluff

Word Count: 4.0K

Warnings: mention of death, injuries, blood, infections and Vasily Lantsov (this is a teeny tiny bit gorey, but not too much)

You felt sick. Violently sick. At this point, you would have preferred hunching over the toilet to empty the contents of your stomach than obsessively rereading the slightly crumpled-up letter you held on so firmly. It didn't matter how many times your eyes skimmed over the neatly written lines, the words didn't magically distort and somehow create a different sentence. They stayed the exact same.

Lady Y/N Y/L/N,

I deeply regret to inform you that your fiancé Nikolai Lantsov, Major of the Twenty-Second Regiment, has been majorly wounded in action in the performance of duty and service of his country. The nature of his wounds has not been fully assessed as of now, but I would advise you to calm your worries. Our mediks are highly trained and will do everything in their power to restore his health. You will be promptly furnished with any additional information received.

Your obedient Servant,

Sergeant Pechkin

Sergeant in Charge of Records

No matter how many soothing words littered the text, you were well aware that his actual state was far from decent. After years and years of political training from your father, you knew that the First Army only bothered to send out notifications once the soldier was on the brink of death.

Nikolai was dying.

Your soon-to-be husband was dying, and they didn't even have the guts to tell you the truth. The man you had been friends with since childhood - the man you had been promised to for even longer - was dying and there was nothing you could do about it.

Well, nothing official, at least.

"Ma? Da? I'm going out for a ride!" You called into the drawing room of the visitor quarters of the Grand Palace. You didn't push your luck by going in to say goodbye to your parents properly. They would never approve of your plan, so any sort of confrontation would be ill-advised.

"Of course, my dear!" Your father's baritone voice called from behind the door. The sound of his voice was rather joyous, indicating that he already had one too many glasses of wine today. Maybe this would help with concealing your absence.

"Be back before supper! We're not waiting for you this time." Your mother added in her usual scolding tone. Maybe staying away unnoticed wasn’t that easy after all.

"I promise!" As soon as you finished that sentence, you began hurrying off in the direction of the stables. The bag on your shoulder wasn't filled with your usual riding equipment, but with a few rations of food and other things you would need for a three-day ride to the Fjerdan border.

On your way down the stairs the devil himself - Vasily Lantsov - passed you. He paused, letting his eyes dart over your dishevelled appearance. By now, they should have also received the notice about Nikolai’s injuries. However, the King and Queen were notorious for keeping their letters stashed away until they had time to open them in the evening. You imagined how they would react. Would they be devastated? Would they want to seek revenge? Or would they continue to act stone-faced, even though their son could already be dead?

“Well, you look…lovely.” He chuckled, giving you a quizzical look. Even though it was still early in the afternoon, he looked like he was already terribly drunk. And judging by the sour smell coming from his mouth, that shouldn’t be too far from the truth. “Where are you headed?” Saints, you really couldn’t stand him.

“I’m off to go on a ride. The weather seems pleasant today, so I just have to seize the chance.” The honeyed pitch of your voice would have been blatantly obvious to any sober person, but thankfully, Vasily didn’t belong to that group of people.

“Sadly, my dearest brother isn’t here. I’m sure he wouldn’t have allowed his future wife to go on a ride all by herself.”

“What a shame he isn’t here then. But if you’ll excuse me, I intend on leaving while it’s still light outside.” You didn’t wait for him to say anything in return before speeding down the few remaining flights of stairs.

The military encampment wasn’t too far from the Fjerdan border, so with a bit of pep in your horse’s step, you completed the journey in three days. You only took breaks to eat and rest, but the adrenaline of needing to see Nikolai before he died kept you awake.

“Lady Y/L/N! What are you doing here?” Pechkin appeared from one of the tents as you handed your horse to one of the soldiers, who was assigned to take care of it. The sergeant looked as if he hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in forever, and you couldn’t help but flinch at the thought of what might’ve caused his distress.

“I’m here to see my fiancé.” You answered sternly, putting all the years of training your facial expression to use. The man shifted on his feet, not wanting to deny you, whilst also not wanting you to see whatever husk was left of Nikolai.

“His Royal Highness is currently not in a state to allow visitors I’m afraid. It really would be best to.-”

“I’m here to see my fiancé. I won’t leave until I know what happened to him, and how his chances of survival are. This is not up for discussion, Sergeant.”

He let out a sigh, running a hand through his already greying hair. He knew that you were stubborn - you were supposed to wed Nikolai Lantsov, of course, you were stubborn - but he had hoped that you would at least be a bit less persistent.

“Fine. But you might not enjoy seeing him like this.” He motioned for you to follow him in the direction of a small grey tent. The medik tent. Your heart sank when you reached the entrance. What would you see? Would you be able to stomach it?

Pechkin halted briefly, sparing you another thoughtful glance before lifting the flap and allowing you to enter the cluttered room. It seemed to have been his personal tent before it was repurposed as his infirmary. You peered around. A tiny desk stood in the corner of the room, a stack of opened letters - probably yours - was sprawled out on top of it, right next to a collection of various maps and plans.

Your heart dropped when your gaze met the reason for your distress. An unnaturally pale-looking Nikolai Lantsov laid in a makeshift sickbed. His face was completely devoid of any emotion or life, as a medik stood next to him, presumably checking his vitals and medicine intake.

"Saints…" You whispered under your breath. You had seen him injured countless times before, but never had he looked this empty.

The man behind you rested his hand on your shoulder in a futile attempt to comfort you, but you didn’t even acknowledge his presence. The medik turned to face you with a glum expression on his face. In that moment, you assumed the worst.

“How did he get injured?” It took you a few seconds to register that the words were your own. It felt surreal.

“His group got ambushed, and he tried to defend the others. They got overpowered and he was stabbed. We were lucky to find them while it was still daytime. Had the night already started to set in, we would probably not have been able to retrieve them.” Pechkin explained. You didn’t have to face him to know that a tight scowl was adorning his face. He and Nikolai had gotten along great - it was a fact that always seemed to matter greatly, when he brought it up in his letters - so you could assume that he was quite affected by the whole situation.

You walked over to the bed, sitting down on the free space right next to him. If he hadn’t looked so pale, one could have mistaken his critical condition with a very relaxing good night’s sleep. His breathing was unnaturally shallow, but it still could’ve just meant that he was asleep. However, you knew better.

“His heartbeat is drastically too slow.” The medik spoke up, taking the elongated silence as his turn to address you. “There were minor scratches we managed to heal fine, but the stab wound seems to have a much larger effect on his body than we had expected, even though it appeared to be quite minor on first glance. By being exposed to dirt and other outside influences, it looked quite infected once he came into our care. We tried to treat it as best as we could, however, the infection still remains. It pains me deeply to say this, but it is unsure whether he’ll manage to survive his injuries.”

“Has he been awake at some point or has he been unconscious the whole time?” You asked suspiciously. The mediks assigned to treat the sons of the Royal family were highly skilled, and you had your doubts that the effects of a supposedly minor stab wound would cause him to be in such a terrible state.

“Yes, there have been a few times he has been semi-conscious, but it appeared to be more of a feverish daze than actual consciousness. We have not found a feasible explanation for this sort of behaviour, though.”

“What does the wound look like?”

“I don’t think that this information is suited for-”

“Sergeant Pechkin, I have seen people’s tongues get cut out after betraying their country. I have seen people get beheaded for way less than that. I have seen the marks of war, and I wish to live long enough to survive its wake, so I should begin to get used to it.”

“If that is what you wish for.” The medik said slowly, coming up to stand right next to you. He removed the heavy blanket, revealing a previously white bandage that had been soaked with blood by now. You could see the man frown, as he worked on removing the fabric that covered his injuries.

Nothing could have prepared you for what hid underneath.

The gash truly didn’t seem to be that deep, what really startled you were the purple and black veiny bruise patterns that originated from the wound, spreading over the expanse of his chest. The smell emitting from the wound smelled foul, sickly-sweet, whilst also carrying the stench of mould with it. This wasn’t a normal stab wound.

“How long have the bruises been there?”

“Uhm, they started showing one day after he was retrieved. They started off as blue and purple bruises, but have changed over the last few days to look like…this. We have never seen an injury similar to this.”

This told you everything you needed to know. The sadness you had felt prior to this was replaced by anger.

“That’s because it isn’t-”

The flap to the tent was thrown open again, revealing a person you would have never expected. Vasily took wide strides as he walked inside. He looked surprisingly calm, but as much as you wanted to discredit his feelings, you knew that he would still be devastated if he had to watch his younger brother die.

“Your Royal Highness!” Pechkin called out, visibly startled by another royal showing up without notice. You imagined that another unannounced appearance would cause him to go into cardiac arrest. The sergeant wanted to speak again, but Vasily silenced him with a simple wave of his hand.

“I’m here to see my brother, that is my right.” You moved to stand up in order to allow him access to Nikolai, however, this offer was quickly dismissed by a disapproving glance. “Stay there, it’s fine. You,” He turned to the two other men inside the room with a grimace on his face. “I’d suggest you leave for the time being. I’m sure Lady Y/L/N would like some time with her betrothed without the presence of military officials.” After giving each other a reserved look, they both left the three of you alone.

“I see that you have diverted quite a bit from your original plan.” Vasily stared you down. It was the same stare he used to give Nikolai and you after finding out about your newest shenanigans back when you were young kids. “Do you have any idea how worried the duke and the duchess were, when you didn’t return in the evening? Having their only daughter suddenly disappear without any trace or note about her whereabouts? You should be glad that my parents didn’t send out the Royal Guard to look for you.”

“I know, but I had no other choice, Vasily! My parents would have never allowed me to go, and I couldn’t have lived with the fact that he might die without me seeing him one last time.” You felt the heat rise up in your cheeks. His chiding was the last thing you needed right now.

“You have no idea how long it took me to convince them to allow me to look for you.” He sighed, throwing the bag he carried on the ground next to him. His tone had also grown a bit softer, even though he still sounded as boastful as ever.

“Why?”

“I saw the letter, and I opened it. All hell would have broke loose if my mother had found out about her little precious boy being on the brink of death.” His gaze wandered to his brother, but it flinched away as soon as he saw the extent of his injuries. “I knew immediately where you went. It was the perfect opportunity for me to get here unnoticed, even though I’m sure that spell won’t last too long. I assume that they’ll figure it out soon enough.”

“So you lied to your parents, because you didn’t want them to know what actually happened?”

“When you put it like that it sounds a lot less honourable than I had imagined it. But yes. That’s precisely what I did.”

“I- I’m not quite sure what to say. That’s probably one of the most honourable things you’ve done.” He waved your comment off, allowing himself a more concrete glance at Nikolai, his eyes never meeting the wound, however.

“Saints, that smells terrible.” The crown prince had to cover his mouth in order to resist the urge to vomit. And for once, you couldn’t even blame him. “What happened?”

“Stab wound.” You didn’t feel like voicing your suspicion, but Vasily wasn’t satisfied with that answer.

“A stab wound? That does not look like a simple stab wound, Y/N.” That’s because it wasn’t. You knew exactly what it was, and how you could still give him a chance to survive this. The only thing keeping you from it, was the measures you had to take to make it happen. “You know more than you’re letting on. What is it?” It was for the best to give in. Maybe he could help you.

“Have you ever heard of Vaizite?” He shook his head as a response. “Some also call it the Violet Rot. It’s a very strong, chemically created poison, that you’d usually only find in Shu Han. I have no idea how the Fjerdans managed to get their hands on it, but I’m sure there had to be some crooked scheme going on.”

“Is it fatal?”

“That’s difficult to say.” He gave you a frown, but you weren’t keen on seeking his approval. “It was not specifically created to kill. The Shu usually tend to put it in their prisoner’s drinks to torture them. If ingested it poisons you from the inside out, but it doesn’t kill you. It does, however, make sure that every waking moment is spent in excruciating pain. It slowly eats away at your muscles, until you’re unable to do anything but lay there and endure the pain. When they think you have suffered enough, they dispose of them through killing them as a supposed act of mercy.”

“But he hasn’t digested it, has he? What happens if the blade was laced with it?”

“It is to assume that it could be fatal. Not immediately, but eventually. By indirectly injecting the poison in his blood stream, it could have a way worse effect on his health than if he had consumed it. I have never seen the bruises develop that fast.” You fiddled with the straps of your coat, avoiding his penetrative gaze.

“How do you know all of this?”

“Do you still recall what I studied at Ketterdam University?”

“Something that had to do with plants?”

“Herbology. That’s what I studied. There was a very long and drawn out unit on recognizing and working with poisonous plants. One unit included a plant called Oshrovov, also called Assassin’s Polkweed. It’s deadly when touched, but once you dilute it with some other chemicals, it can be the perfect weapon for torture. We talked about that quite a few times, so I do know a few things about it.”

“So you know what to do to save him?” Hope was evident in his voice, and you knew that you had no other option than to reveal something you had hoped to keep hidden for just a bit longer.

“I can try, but you might not like what I’m doing. And you have to promise me that you won’t allow anyone to enter while I work.” Vasily raised a brow in confusion. What exactly were you planning to do.

“A promise coming from me isn’t worth a dime, but if that’s all it takes for you to help him, I can’t say no.” That was good enough for you.

“Good. Get that bowl over there.” You pointed at a brass bowl that stood on one of the sidetables close to the entrance. He obliged, carefully watching you as you began to lean over Nikolai’s torso.

“Where am I supposed to put it?”

“You’re supposed to keep it in your hands, until I tell you to do otherwise.” Vasily had to bite back an offended remark as he listened to you bossing him around, but you just didn’t care about his royal feelings at that point. “I’ll need you to act quickly and catch the poison once I extracted it.”

“Extract it? How are you planning on-”

“See for yourself.” With that, you let your fingertips hover over his body, whilst shutting your eyes tightly. You had imagined that you might be a bit rusty in using your Small Science, but after you felt a familiar hum hit your palms, it was as if you had never stopped training it in the first place.

Since you had never been officially trained at the Little Palace, you had only a few minor lessons with your mother to fall back upon. They had kept your abilities hidden away from anyone that wasn’t close family, so it was a pretty dangerous for you to be so callous with using them, especially around someone like Vasily Lantsov. All of these worries faded away when you realized who exactly was lying in front of you. You needed to save him.

Your hands twitched ever so slightly when you located the poison. Quickly, you focussed your Small Science on directing the substance towards the open wound. You felt how it tried to latch onto his arteries, but your determination was stronger.

“Vasily, keep the bowl ready.” Not wanting to be asked twice, he stretched it out towards you, keeping it as far away from him as possible.

Slowly but surely, a thick mass of purple crawled out of his wound, taking the dark black tendrils with it. When you finally removed all of it from Nikolai’s torso, you didn’t hesitate to quickly drop it into the bowl. The substance splashed as it met the cold metal, but it didn’t manage to get even close to touching either of you. Even though you had been quite careful, Vasily still recoiled after watching the liquid fall. Before he could dump it on his shirt, you grabbed it from his hands, hastily making sure to keep it out of reach.

When your gaze shifted back towards your partner, you felt your heart do a flip as you noticed his normal breathing pattern return. The wound was still there - you weren’t a Healer, so what did you expect - but the dark bruises that littered his chest were finally gone almost completely, just like the rotten smell.

“You’re Gri-”

“If you finish that sentence, I’ll make sure to dump the whole bowl of poison on you.” You threatened, pointing an accusing finger at the slightly frightened Vasily. “And if anyone else should ever get wind of this, I’ll make sure to provide you with an even more painful death than anything you could imagine.” It was a completely empty threat, but it still did its job.

“Alright, I will take this secret to my grave!” He exclaimed, raising his hands with a scared expression on his face.

"You better do."

Vasily quickly called for a medik, giving him some half-arsed explanation for the sudden disappearance of the bruises. The medik quickly got to work, cleaning and disinfecting the gash again before bandaging the wound again.

You didn’t even have to wait a full day before Nikolai’s cheeks reclaimed their previous colour, and his eyes eventually pried open. He let out a low groan as he attempted to sit up, but you reacted faster. With one hand on his chest, you pressed him back down into the mattress. It was only then, that he noticed where he was.

“Y/N?” His voice sounded hoarse, but as long as he was alive, that didn’t matter. “Y/N! What are you doing here? Why are you-”

“You almost managed to get yourself killed, Nikolai. Of course, your fiancé is going to be here.” Vasily cut him off, a self-satisfied grin on his face as his brother’s head whipped around to face him.

“Vasily? What are you doing here?”

“Your situation was critical. No matter how many differences we might have, I’d still not let you die alone. You’re my brother, after all. Or do you really think that lowly of me?” If he heard your muttered ‘yes’, he chose to tactfully ignore it, rather taking joy in Nikolai’s utterly befuddled expression.

Whilst their brotherly bickering was continuing, his hand snaked its way into yours, gently squeezing it in an act of reassurance. You couldn’t even begin to describe how grateful you were, that he was still alive, giving you the warmest smile he could muster.

“I was poisoned?!” He exclaimed as his brother had finished the basics of what happened before you arrived.

“You were stabbed and poisoned.” You added with a sly smile, watching as his concerned gaze shot towards you.

“What happened to the poison? How did they get it out?” His eyes filled with realization, as he glanced between you and Vasily. “Y/N, please don’t tell me-”

“Vasily is the only one who knows. Don’t worry. The information will be safe with him, won’t it?”

“She threatened to kill me if I tell anyone, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.” Vasily grumbled, causing Nikolai to let his head fall back in relief. He had expected the worst, but he knew that you were smarter than that. “Wait, hold on a second, you knew about her…disposition?”

“Of course, I knew. She'll soon be my wife, in case you have forgotten.” You pressed a quick kiss to Nikolai’s hand, soaking up the feeling of finally being near him again. From now on, everything would be okay.

Well, after you explained to your parents why you had disappeared for other a week. You sadly couldn’t use your Small Science for that.

Taglist:

Grishaverse in general: @yesshewrites1 @dal-light

Nikolai Lantsov: @ell0ra-br3kk3r @kaye-here @maximoffgxrl

[ab4eva]

Austin x reader prompt “gentle” ..it’s a lazy Sunday morning with Austin and both of you decide to take a lazy day in bed together and enjoy each other’s company..the reader gives austin a sweet nickname calls him “gentle giant” turns into a day of love and cuddles..

‘Dominoes’

Warnings: none, pure fluff

a/n: Thanks for the request, dear anon! And thanks for bearing with me while I waited for inspiration. I changed up the nickname a tiny bit, hope that’s ok. And I hope you enjoy!

-

Your bed is so comfy. There’s almost no other place you’d rather be than in bed. Smooth, cool sheets dotted with tiny flowers. White, fluffy down comforter. Pillows that are just right - not too soft, not too firm. Oh and the warm, lanky boyfriend that’s in your bed. Him too. You stretch your legs, curling your toes and snuggling into the covers on this chilly Sunday morning. You yawn a little and blink the slumber from your eyes, focusing on Austin’s back in front of you. You really want to touch him, but he’s been so busy recently and you know he needs his rest. You settle for counting the freckles on his back, trapping your hands underneath your pillow so you’re not tempted to start lightly tracing constellations between them.

When you can no longer stand it, you gently scoot up closely behind him, tucking your legs behind his and wrapping your arm around his chest. Nuzzling your face into the back of his neck, sandy curls tickling your nose, you breathe in the scent of him - clean soap and sweet vanilla. You can’t help but place feather-light kisses between his shoulder blades. He stirs a little and places his hand over yours and squeezes.

“Morning, baby,” he says sleepily as he turns over to face you, kissing your forehead and pulling you close to his chest. “Morning, kid,” you whisper back. He hums happily and you’re content to just be in his arms again after so much time apart. You think about how hard the past few months have been - him away filming, you stuck at home and tied to your job. But he’s finally back and you’re determined to make the most of it.

“So babe,” you say, “I was thinking we could just take it easy today. I know we’re supposed to go to brunch with everyone but I’m thinking we bow out…I really just wanna stay here all day…in this bed….with you.” You pepper his mouth with kisses in between your words. He smiles down at you sleepily and you can tell he likes the idea immediately.

“Mmm, that sounds perfect, sweet girl. No place I’d rather be.” He nuzzles into your hair and in a minute you hear him breathing heavily, already asleep again. You smile softly to yourself and struggle to reach your phone on the nightstand, carefully trying not to wake Austin. You shoot a quick text to the group to let them know you won’t be at brunch and you yawn again and let the tiredness pull you under, the sound of Austin’s heartbeat all you need to lull you back to sleep.

When you both wake up refreshed a couple of hours later, it’s decided the order of the day is a bed-in, ala John and Yoko, except without the whole protest thing. Unless you’re protesting leaving your cozy bed on this lazy Sunday. Austin orders brunch to be delivered while you get a movie queued up on the bedroom tv. One that you’ve both been dying to watch but just haven’t found the time to yet. You pop to the kitchen to make some mimosas for the both of you and by that time the food has arrived. Carrying it all back to the bed, you and Austin settle in happily, munching on fried egg sandwiches and bacon. The movie is a silly comedy that has you both howling with laughter, the kind that makes your stomach hurt and eyes tear up. God, you’ll never get tired of hearing that man laugh. It’s so pure and sweet, it makes your heart flip-flop recklessly in your chest, every damn time.

After the movie, Austin grabs the Scrabble board from the living room and sets it up on the bed, and you settle on your stomach to try, really try, and beat your boyfriend this time. He’s just so darn good - he’s like a sponge with words - always trying out new ones on you, making notes in his phone of ones he’s not familiar with so he can look them up later. By the time the game is almost over, the scores are close, with Austin in the lead by only 20 points. You poke your tongue out of the side of your mouth in concentration as you stare at the letters you have to play for your last turn. Then you see it - the perfect word, the perfect place on the board.

“S-E-D-U-C-E. Let’s see…triple word score…27 points!” You crow gleefully. “Take that, Butler!” You jump up on the bed and start dancing around, not caring that you’re scattering Scrabble tiles all over the bed. Austin stares up at you from below and laughs.

“Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Robinson?” He smirks. He loves to call you this, his familiar tease owing to the fact that you’re a little bit older than him. “Because it’s working. I mean, I haven’t ever seen anyone do the Running Man on a bed before, and I have to say…I’m impressed.” Without warning, he grabs your legs, sweeping them out from under you and you come crashing to the bed, bouncing unharmed and giggling. He’s suddenly on top of you, tickling like there’s no tomorrow. He knows you can’t take being tickled, not for long anyway. You manage to grab pillow and smack Austin on the back with it. That shocks him just enough for you to scoot out from under him and hold up the pillow in defense.

“No more,” you gasp, trying to catch your breath. He looks at you with a devilish gleam in his blue eyes, one corner of his mouth quirking up as he advances slowly towards you.

“AUSTIN, I mean it!!” You shriek, still laughing. You don’t see the pillow he covertly grabs until it’s too late and he lightly whacks you in the head and you playfully fall to the bed, hair floating wildly around you. He’s standing over you, impossibly tall but with the goofiest smile on his face. A thought floats through your brain and you smile up at him.

“Come here, kid. My gentle boy,” you whisper, reaching out your hands to him. He takes them in his own large, warm ones and softly kneels on the bed, straddling your waist. He cups your face tenderly, staring into your eyes and your breath catches in your throat and you heart stops for a moment and then starts up again. He smiles at you then, and brings his lips to yours gingerly, his thumbs rubbing gentle circles on your cheeks.

“I knew you were trying to seduce me,” he says as he pulls away, shaking his head with a lopsided grin and face-scrunching wink.

“What can I say, babe? It was all my design. I’m a mastermind.”

Tagging: my dearest @aconflagrationofmyown

[writingsofestella]

vespera - ch. 0

Apostate!Din Djarin x Ex!Jedi!OC -(no use of Y/N Canon Divergent - some plot changed for sake of story, the razor crest lives )

tws // general canon violence, usage of blasters and weapons, mentions of death, minors DNI 18+ only, angst, mature content, more tags to be added later on

a/n: first chapter of the new story. posting this into the void and hoping someone likes it to read it. this story has been spiralling around in my brain for weeks now and i wanted to share it and get it out there. let me know what you all think, and i hope you like it.

wc: 2637

It was nice to see people celebrating. With all of the chaos in the galaxy, it was good to see celebrations of happiness, now and then. Children laughing and chasing each other, adults holding one another tightly, neighbors helping neighbors, excitedly talking and cheering.

The great stone water fountain in the middle of the small village hadn't been running for years. The marshal had seemingly had the only working fountain in the entire town in his home. Of course, he was a businessman first, and couldn't help but use that to his gain. Man had to make credits somehow, he claimed.

How ironic it was that after an anonymous tip, the people investigated the water lines that ran through the town, through the buildings, only to find that the pipes had been turned off and rerouted. The marshal, who had claimed to have his people's best interests at heart, had pled innocence.

It was also ironic how, overnight, he ghosted the town. By morning light, the great fountain in the center was bursting forth with fresh water from the underground spring. Other smaller fountains in the town were filled with water once again, restoring life to the dying town.

If someone were to be paying attention, they'd think it strange that all this seemingly happened within the few weeks after the stranger had arrived to their little town.

The hooded stranger paid them all no mind, as she stood in the shadow of an alleyway. She leaned against the cool stone wall, taking comfort in it.

The heat that bore down on the planet Utov from its' two suns was almost unbearable for her to handle, which might have been another reason the town's fountains were now back in order.

Maybe she just hated seeing old men in power.

It was all just coincidental, of course.

One of the townsfolk, a young mother with a kid on her hip, excitedly came up to her. She had a wide smile on her face, relief and joy evident on her once worn and tired features. "Fyra, isn't it amazing? We won't have to worry about water anymore!" 

Fyra smiled from under her scarf. "It is. What does the little one think?" She asked, looking from the mother to the child. 

"Oh, he's got all sorts of ideas in his head about who did it." The mother, who was named Siane, teased, lightly. 

The kid, a young boy no older than six, looked at Fyra with wide eyes and a toothy smile. "You did it, didn't you?" He loudly whispered. "They said it was a shadow in the night, that no one really saw who it was!" 

"Hush now! We don't want to be bothering our traveler with that." Siane lightly chastised, teasingly pinching the boy's ear.

He let out a whine in protest, squirming.

Fyra simply gave a tilt of her head, amused. "What a shadow that must've been then." She responded lightly, holding her fingers out and wiggling them playfully. 

The boy giggled, and reached his own little hand out for her to take. She squeezed his hand playfully, before letting it go. Fyra didn't miss the inquisitive look she received, however, from Siane.

"These kids and their imaginations." She sighed out, shaking her head, but there was a happy smile on her face. "We're going to Danthi's later to celebrate. Are you coming?" Siane asked, tilting her head slightly.

"I don't know. I might, might not." Fyra said, undecided yet. "You know I'm not one for large celebrations." She said.

Siane let out a snort, shaking her head. "Yeah, I can tell. You're over here sulking in the corner instead of coming out and celebrating with us."

"I'm not sulking, I'm in the shade." Fyra retorted, shaking her head.

Siane let out an exasperated sigh, and then shook her head. "Alright, alright. Well, if you wanna go, you know where we'll be at." She says, as her little boy starting squirming to be let down and go run around with the other children. "I'll see you later then." She said, and with a nod, was being dragged out to the crowd by her child.

Fyra let out a quiet huff, that smile still playing on her lips, as she shook her head. She slipped away from the main celebration, making her way down the alleyway. She might go get a drink later, maybe something refreshing since she felt parched already from the day.

As she walked around the corner, however, a sinking feeling filled her stomach, and the hairs on the back of her neck and her arms stood straight up. She held her breath as she slowed her steps.

Without warning, a vibrocord whip flew past her head and she swerved, just in time to avoid getting trapped in it.

The culprit of the vibrocord stepped around the corner as it whipped back to its owner. A Mandalorian, in worn, chipped armor, appeared in the shadows of the alleyway. The only thing new on him was his beskar helmet, which stared down at her, unrelenting. His fingers twitched over the blaster at his hip.

A bounty hunter.

All the way out here.

"That's a rude way to say hello." She found herself saying, body tense, ready to run.

"You're a hard woman to find." He spoke back, voice rough through the modulator in the helmet.

"Maybe that's the point."

He gave the slightest tilt of his head. "They told me not to bother speaking to you, just to bring you in." He spoke out, voice even, controlled. "But I'll offer you a deal. You can come with me peacefully, or, I can drag you, kicking and screaming."

"That's not much of a deal." She retorted back, her body tense with the adrenaline filling her to run once again. Her heart raced as she tried to will the Force to calm her, help her think rationally so she'd make it out of this alive.

"Murderers with a bounty of their head don't usually get deals at all." He retorted, taking a threatening, stalking step toward her.

She cursed internally. She thought she'd gotten far enough away to not have any bounty hunters follow her this far out.

She had thought wrong.

"How kind of you." She retorted, voice dry as she took a cautionary step backwards. "Too bad I'll have to decline your deal."

With a roll and a duck, she narrowly avoided the vibrocord whip that shot past her head. Without hesitation, she used that momentum to bolt forward. 

Right Into the busy marketplace. 

She didn't hesitate. Ducking and weaving in between people, she ignored the yells of profanity as she pushed through. She could hear his footsteps, heavy and powerful, chasing after her. The screams and yells of the people they pushed through.

She could only hope the people would slow him down enough for her to escape. She pushed herself further into the crowd, no longer pushing, blending in and moving with the crowd. 

Sharply, she turned into an alleyway, a small cantina set in the back. Making her way, briskly, past the couples lingering outside, she was quick to get inside. It took her a minute to blink, for her eyes to adjust, but she was still moving. She couldn't stop. Her heart raced, chest heaving, as she tried to keep the panic at bay.

The cantina wasn't busy, most crowds outside still in the marketplace, celebrating. There were a few people she knew inside, people she had helped, setting up for the party.

Her eyes landed on the bartender, who was hanging something up. 

Danthi, with her greying hair pulled back into a tight bun and a towel over her shoulder, immediately shot up to look at her. Her hazel eyes locked onto her.

Frya pulled down the cloth over her face. "Danthi-" She sucked in a panicked breath. 

"Oh Fyra! What's got you so panicked, you look like you've seen a ghost!" She immediately gushed out, coming down off of the ladder to her side.

"There's a Mandalorian after me." She said, trying to reign in her fear. "I don't know how he found me but-"

Danthi gently grasped her arms, standing in front of her. "Calm down, breathe." She said, voice soothing. She started to lead her behind the bar. "Hey, you two!" She yelled at the two sitting near the door. "Whoever distracts the Mandalorian gets free drinks for the next month." She barked out.

The two aliens grinned. Downed their drinks. They cracked their necks, then walked outside, casually, as if not going up to face a Mandalorian bounty hunter. 

Danthi turned back to her. "We knew this would eventually happen, right?" She said, continuing to lead her around the bar. Pushing open the half door, she led her in. 

"Yes, but I didn't think it'd happen so soon- I just came back here not that long ago." She breathed out, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

"There's a trapdoor leading to underground tunnels. Follow it, straight, 'till it dead-ends. You'll find a transport droid that'll take you to a port." She ducked under the bar, grabbing a canvas bag, giving it to her. "Take this and run." 

Fyra was overwhelmed with emotion, with information. She tried to control it, letting the Force in to try and let it wash over her again. "But what if he comes in here?" 

She gave a shrug, a grin growing on her face. "I'm not scared of any man, let alone a Mandalorian." She tucked Fyra's scarf better atop her head. "You need to go. Let this be your payment for helping us." She said. "Let us help you, just this once." 

"Danthi-" 

She pulled Fyra into a tight, quick hug, before pulling back. She pulled out the key from under the collar of her shirt, unlocking the trapdoor.

It looked dark, dimly lit. Like a dungeon or a tomb for the dead, dust and dirt spewing out down below.

Looking back up to Danthi, she gave one more look. "Thank you." She breathed out. 

"Go. May the Force be with you." She smiled, giving one last squeeze of Fyra's arms. 

They could hear yelling outside. An argument. She could sense the rising danger just outside the cantina doors.

"Come on, Mando! Don't you ever take a day off and drink?!" 

"You think there's a living bein' under that armor or do you think he is the armor?"

The two women locked eyes again, and Danthi all but pushed her down the trapdoor. 

She landed on her feet, half stumbling, with a cloud of dust, dirt, and sand shooting up around her. Jerking her head back up, she got one last look at Danthi's confident, grinning face, before it was sealed back up.

And she was left in complete darkness.

Swallowing thickly, she took in a steadying breath. Letting it out, she reached to her side for the silver-hilted weapon she kept at her side. Her fingers ran over the worn but familiar buttons, but she did not ignite it. Instead, she reached for the flashlight she kept on her belt.

Yellow flickering light ignited in the tunnel as the flashlight came to life. It casted shadows against the walls, down the endless tunnels. Little creatures of the darkness slithered back into it, hissing and clicking noises following as they disappeared back into their darkness.

Ignoring the shiver that ran up her spine, she slid her scarf back over her face. She started walking down the tunnel, heading straight and true as Danthi told her. She tried to keep her memories in check. She was not being left behind in a tomb. She was not being abandoned by her Master. 

There was, however, someone hunting her down once more.

She could sense danger up above her and she had no doubt that it was the Mandalorian. Quickening her steps, she continued down the tunnel, trying to keep herself calm and grounded. She had to keep moving, had to keep going. 

Reaching the end of the tunnel, she heard a noise that made her heart drop to her stomach. It was the sound of flame, and then, metal melting. 

She turned off the light, sliding it back onto her holster, swift. Jumping up onto the ladder, she could hear the metal trapdoor being melted, falling away and crashing to the ground. She pushed away any and all thoughts about Danti being hurt. She couldn't. She couldn't let herself slow or let Danthi's efforts go in vain to get her out safe.

She was fine. She had to be.

Rapidly, she climbed up the ladder, using her shoulder to try and open it. "Dank ferrik!" She hissed out when it didn't budge. With a lift of her hand, she swiped it across the lock. 

A click resounded and it flung open. 

She pulled herself up and out, finding herself in another alleyway, on the outskirts of town. Heaving for air as she pulled herself up, she saw the transport droids with the sandships, hovering and waiting. 

Shoving the trapdoor back, with a loud, resounding SLAM and another flick of her wrist, it locked behind her, sealing it shut. She bolted toward the ship, not caring if anyone was out to see her frantic movements. 

She slid to a stop in front of the sandship, wide eyes, heaving chest, looking at the R2 droid in the ship.

"I need to get to the port. Now." She commanded.

It beeped in response. A question of where she wanted to go.

"Doesn't matter. Closest one. One that can get me off-planet." She retorted, hopping into the sandship, tying the bag Danthi had given her around her back and under her shoulder. 

Within seconds, she was taking off, zooming across the dry, hot desert. She felt the blaster before she heard it, the heat flying past her ear.

She gasped, ducking down immediately, head shooting back to look behind them. 

The Mandalorian had made it out, standing with a blaster in hand. A shiver raced down her spine as their gazes locked. 

He fired again, and she did not hesitate to use the Force to project an invisible shield around them. 

The droid screamed in fear and the ship dipped to the side, swerving. She slammed into the side of the ship with a forceful exhale.

She sucked in a fast breath, pain in her ribs. "It's alright!" She yelled to the little droid, breathless from the impact. "I got you, keep going!" 

The droid sped along, and she used the Force to protect them from any other blaster shots, seemingly redirecting them as they flew past them.

The Mandalorian's form, shining and reflecting the dying suns' light, stared her down, slowly lowering the blaster as he grew smaller and smaller behind her. 

She knew, without a doubt, he was not giving up. Mandalorians, as they were, never gave up, never stopped, until they were dying. This would not be the last time she saw him. She only hoped she was far enough way when she did that she could escape him again.

With the rising stars and moon above, she could only hope to the Force that she'd have the strength to keep one step ahead. That the universe would guide her where she needed to go.

As he disappeared with the town growing steadily smaller and smaller, she let the town, and its' people, go from her heart. She would hold their kindness in her chest, but she knew she probably would never be able to come back again.

The life of a Jedi in this galaxy would never be safe.

all writing is my own. please do not redistribute, repost, or share on other platforms. thank you

[woodsfae]

Babylon 5 S03E17 War Without End: Part Two previous episode - table of contents

Emperor Londo of the Great Victim Complex. 

And so the fall of Babylon 5 begins, with two idiots deciding to take on Ivanova! 

DUDE sick fight moves by Susan Ivanova. And Marcus  must be internally fist-pumping that he pulle off a drop-out-of-the-ceiling attack. Style points: 1 Marcus, 100 Susan.

Zathras sees all. Zathras knows all. Poor Zathras. 

Oooooooo. Future John and Delenn have a baby! How exciting. Delenn calls Sheridan's time "so many years ago" and references the "terrible, terrible price," That's something for me to chew on. I wonder if it will be revealed this episode or is foretelling for the season 3 finale or even later. I am really not sure how the pacing on B5 goes or if they'll still be fighting the Shadows into season 5. 

The Shadows are only visible when they sleep? That's cool and unsettling information, but I'm not sure how that tracks with Londo's next reveal, which is that he is also possessed? So perhaps Londo tries to turn on the Shadows at some point and is leashed instead. 

G'Kar!! Down an eye and plus a sick leather patch. Must be time for Londo's death vision! I hope G'Kar gets to live to enjoy it. Londo caused a lot of death for the universe and the Narnuan people. Aww and then he didn't. I am a bit bummed that G'Kar's end appears to be with Londo, dying together as the Shadow possessing Londo kills G'Kar back. It is pretty punk rock of G'Kar, though. Who else has choked a shadow-possessed Centauri emperor before?? No one except G'Kar of Narn.

Right before Sheridan is pulled away, she tells him not to go to Zha'dum, but all these prophecies seem to be self-fulfilling and an inescapable part of the paradox. 

Uh-oh, why's that spacesuit doin' stuff. Ah. Never mind, it's a "yeah, Sheridan's back!" Someone slap a time stabilizer on him before he gets yote into the timestream again. 

And there goes the theft of Babylon 4!! Time heist! 

There goes Sheridan. Shoulda put a time anchor on him! 

Revised Sinclair prediction: his aging as they move towards their own time aging him is the/a reason why he gets the ole Minbari physical transformation since Minbari live so much longer, to extend his lifespan. 

Oop, Sheridan's back again. Or the space suit he was wearing is, at least. 

Yeah Susan Ivanova. she can do anything. Ivanova has B4's command station. 

Delenn in the blue spacesuit?? Plot twist!!

Hmmm, so some of what I thought Sheridan was going to do (fight 1000 years in the past) is actually Sinclair's plot. That makes more sense, actually. 

Zathras makes it all very clear: "You (Sinclair) are the one who was. You (Delenn) are the one who is. You (Sheridan) are the one who will be." 

Babylon 4, A Thousand Years Ago

Valen?? Sinclair has always been the prophet Valen!! I did not see that coming. What an entrance! Appearing to Minbar flanked by two Vorlons, arriving in a vast space station in a flash of tachyons...Sinclair is Valen. fuck, that's cool. 

Next!

[selmasemlan]

Crash into something epic - The first meeting

Author note: I was I supposed to posted a complete different fic; YES. Has this fic been living rent-free in my mind: ALSO YES. So enjoy the fact you´re getting fed Marcel Gerard fics finally. This will be a series of connected fics with an OFC. So enjoy!!

Pairing: Marcel Gerard x Luna Salvatore (OFC)

Warning: None, just a lot of freaking fluff and soft sweets

Word count: 1267

Series Masterlist

Crashing into something amazing

“I want you to promise me something”

Damon looked at his brother, not expecting this. “ Go on. What does my little brother want from his dying brother?”

Stefan stares silently for a few seconds, not knowing how to articulate this random wish. Damon was many bad things, but with this one thing, he had always stepped up. But his wish burst out of his mouth. Like when you rip off a bandaid. Quick and not thought through.

“I want you to spend this summer with Luna”

Damon gave him a weird look, a look that asked him if he was crazy. How would he spend the summer with his little sister, if he was dying? Dying quickly from a wolf bite no one knew the cure to. He couldn't even pick up the phone to have a final talk with his dear sister. His sister who he had randomly one day 11 years ago found and adopted, only because he saw parts of him and his brother in her. That little girl he loved from the moment he saw her. The little girl he raised to become strong and proud. God, how could a man like him, influence a child to become so kind and sweet? He had no answer to that. How could he have been so reckless, to not care about himself enough, to keep himself safe so that little girl, not so little anymore girl could have him in her life? He was about to break her heart. 

Damon chuckled humorlessly. 

“That's a little cruel, don't you think? Reminding me about the one thing that means something to me. The one thing I truly care about.”

Stefan shook his head. He was going to save him. He was going to save him, not just because he was his brother, but because of that girl. Luna needed him, needed them and as long as they both were alive, she would be happy. Luna had never been a child that asked for much, which wasn't a shock if you know how her life was, the first 6 years of her life. She never complained, never demanded. She was content and happy with what she was given. The love was given. 

“Just promise me!”, Stefan said desperately 

Damon looked at him in shock, not understanding what he was doing or trying to do. It was confusing. But even so, he answers.

“I promise that I'm going to spend the summer with Luna”

He was clear, something they both had agreed to when it came to Luna. To teach her morals and the value of your words. 

Stefan nodded and left the room. And Damon could only watch. Not knowing that he wouldn't see his brother again for the 3 coming months.

A week later

“Good morning, sunshine!”

Luna gazed up at her brother, her eyes still heavy with sleep. He had arrived the day before and had been pampering her non-stop. From waking her up with a plate of warm, crispy waffles to showering her with affectionate cuddles, he had been relentless.

"Hey, what do you think about going to New Orleans?" he asked, his voice laced with excitement.

"In Louisiana?" she inquired, giving him a quizzical look.

Damon flashed a mischievous grin and retorted sarcastically, "No, I meant New Orleans in outer space."

He paused for a moment and then confirmed, "Yes, in Louisiana. I know it's been your dream to visit, so why not spend the summer there?"

Luna's face lit up with joy. Overwhelmed with excitement, she simply nodded vigorously and threw her arms around her brother in a tight hug.

It had always been a dream. Luna had a thing for music and colors and that was something New Orleans was known for. But one thing was missing in this dream come true. 

“What about Stefan?”, Luna looked up at her brother. She loved the idea but wanted them all to enjoy this dream of hers. 

Damon sighed and brought her head back to his chest. He hugged her tighter and said,

“Stefan wanted us to be happy. We can always revisit the city when he comes back.”

Luna could only nod at this. 

A few days later 

“Luna don't run!”

Luna turns around and only giggles. Disregarding his caution, Luna raced forward and seized Damon's hand, her excitement palpable as she tugged him along. Immersed in her exuberance, she gestured animatedly, capturing every fleeting moment of joy through the lens of her camera. In this moment she is beyond happy. Of course, the constant thought of Stefan is flying around her head, but she's making it up by taking as many photos and videos as she can to somehow share this experience with Stefan. She does not doubt that the Salvatore siblings will be reunited. 

Suddenly, in her exhilaration, Luna collided with a stranger. Before she could comprehend the swift turn of events, she found herself ensconced in the stranger's steadying embrace. She meets the stranger's eyes and feels herself freeze. The stranger stares back, his eyes stare off in annoyed politeness but slowly change to a softer look. If the world had stopped, they didn't know. The only thing they knew was the person in front of them. They were lost to the world. However, this fleeting interlude was abruptly shattered as Damon swiftly intervened, pulling Luna back to reality.

"I warned you to be careful," Damon chided, his concern evident. Observing the stranger before them, he sensed an imposing strength and age beyond his own. Casting a respectful glance at the stranger, Damon offered a conciliatory nod. While he exuded an air of self-assured arrogance, but his sister's safety was his priority, and only then would he back off from a fight. 

The stranger regarded the siblings before him and, displaying a measure of forbearance, remarked, "It's all right. Could happen to anyone."

Luna, still nestled in her brother's protective embrace, puzzled over the unfolding encounter. She with her newly triggered powers sensed that the stranger was a vampire. She could also sense an inherent power that seemed to command Damon's deference. Concluding that the man in front of them was not to be messed with. 

"Are you new to the city?" the stranger inquired politely, directing his attention to the siblings.

Damon remained reserved, offering only an unspoken nod. Meanwhile, driven by an innate curiosity, Luna eagerly responded, "Yes, we're visiting."

The stranger looked at her, with the same look as before, softly and nodded, feeling the girl's happiness. Luna notes that the stranger in a way changes the way he stands. Luna didn't know how to explain it, but with just a small change to his body, everything shifted. If he had felt like a powerful force before, he felt more like a friend now. 

“Then let me introduce myself”, he said gently, his eyes locked with Luna's. "I'm Marcel, Marcel Gerard. If you need anything, just let me know, and I'll take care of it."

The siblings acknowledged his offer. Though Damon was inclined to depart. But he knew his sister was a curious being and she wanted to know more. Her eyes shined with a sort of shimmer. Damon didn't know if it was her powers doing or if that was just her. Luna stepped out of her brother's embrace and closer to Marcel.

"I'm Luna, Luna Salvatore," she introduced herself with a beaming smile.

Marcel chuckled softly at the imitation. 

As they exchanged knowing smiles, they both realized that this moment marked the beginning of something truly epic.