#the joy of watching with others has returned for the first time in forever

[witch-of-the-sands]

2023 is not my year 99% of the time, but it is my year for movies. The dnd movie, across the spiderverse, Barbie, fnaf, the movie industry is finally feeding a hungry watcher after years.

[helaintoloki]

The Unbearable Truth

pairing: Five Hargreeves x reader

warnings: angst with no happy ending, spoilers

notes: so i actually hated this storyline in the show but i also recognize angst potential when i see it so here’s this

summary: after getting lost in the subway system, Five comes to a grave realization

Five Hargreeves doesn’t love you anymore, and you’re completely oblivious to the fact.

You’re in the kitchen of Lila’s home baking holiday treats with your niece while awaiting the arrival of the rest of your family to begin the festivities. You smell of cinnamon and pinecones, and for the first time in years you actually feel content and happy with where your life is now. Sure, there’s technically a looming apocalypse hanging over you right now, but it’s nothing you haven’t handled before. You’re actually part of a family now with a man who adores you, and it’s all you’ve ever wanted.

“Alright, Grace, would you like to do the honors of putting the gumdrop buttons on the gingerbread men while I check on the sugar cookies?”

“Yes, aunt y/n!” The girl exclaims cheerfully before immediately diving into the candy bowl. You laugh at her eagerness and turn towards the oven only to be met with the sight of Five in the kitchen doorway. He looks disheveled and unnerved, but you’re too engrossed in your own joy filled bubble to pick up on it right away and instead mistake him for being tired and overwhelmed with the situation surrounding Ben and Jennifer.

“Hey, you made it!” You say with a smile as you press a chaste kiss to his cheek before turning your attention to the sugar cookies. Five can only stand there stiffly as he clings onto the ghost of your lips against his skin. He had hoped that by seeing you again, by being in your presence and showered in your love for him, the feelings he once held for you would return.

But as he stands there in the middle of the kitchen watching you run about, he realizes that he feels absolutely nothing.

Initially, he had wanted nothing more than to return home to you and his siblings. Five had fought tooth and nail trying to figure out a way to get out of that damned subway system so he could have you in his arms again and tell you how much he missed you even if for you he had only been gone a couple hours. But a man could only take eating so many subway rats and being shot at so many times. He had grown tired, weary, and depressed. For a moment it seemed they’d be stuck there forever, and so he decided that maybe it was time to make the most of it.

What he didn’t expect was to fall in love with his brother’s wife.

A woman he had once hated with his entire being now was his sole companion, and whether it was due to some sick twist of fate or a moment of weakness, he had begun to look at her the way he once looked at you. With complete adoration and care as well as a fierce need to protect her and keep her safe. He knew the chances of ever seeing you again were highly unlikely, and the next logical step would be to move on. So he did.

But now here he is, back in his original timeline left to deal with the aftermath of his decisions.

In what was seven years for Five and three hours for you, the boy has fallen out of love with you. Your smile still may be as beautiful as ever and your scent of red berry plum and jasmine may be intoxicating to any other man, but he feels absolutely nothing when he looks at you. The spark is gone, and unbeknownst to you your relationship is about to fall apart.

“Where did you run off to?” You ask him after setting the freshly baked sugar cookies onto the cooling rack nearby.

“I had an… errand to run,” he utters carefully, growing stiff when you wrap your arms around his torso and rest your head upon his shoulder. Calculatingly, Five hesitantly rests a hand on your back while the other comes to comb his fingers through your hair. It’s a familiar motion that he is easily able to replicate in order to portray himself as the same doting partner you know and love. Lila had sworn him to secrecy, but he wasn’t sure just how to break it off with you without telling the truth. So for now he would go through the motions and hope to god you didn’t pick up on the fact that something was completely wrong.

“I’m happy you’re here,” you profess earnestly, peering up at him with fluttering lashes and a devoted smile. “I love you, Five.”

His chest tightens in agony at your words, his hold on you tightening in an attempt to ground himself as he harshly swallows down his discomfort. He meets your adoring gaze and smiles, carefully tilting your chin upwards to meet his lips in a tender kiss. It’s believable enough to keep you feeling secure and oblivious to his detachment, and he hopes that maybe if he keeps this up he can forget all about Lila and go back to normal.

Even if it means he’s just playing a part.

Pulling away, he meets your loving stare and offers you a small smile. Hesitating, as if he has to force the words out of him, Five murmurs out a quiet, “I love you, too.”

And you believe him.

[jetii]

The Possibility of Infinity

Pairing: Tech x fem!Reader / Tech x Jedi!Reader

Words: 3,028

Tags/Warnings: none, just a lot of softness

Summary: Tech finally has you back after all this time, and he's determined to let you know what that means to him.

A/N: Surprise! To celebrate 300 followers, here's my continuation of Infinite Possibilities of the Universe. I had some requests for more Tech and Sarad, and after I saw this lovely fanart from @a-cryptid-called-magetha yesterday, I was inspired to actually finish this ficlet. I have another part drafted with smut, but the tone is different enough that I wanted to keep them separate and post this first. 💙

The sun was shining, and the air was filled with the scent of flowers and grass and summer. The breeze was cool and gentle, and the sky was clear and blue, with a few wispy clouds drifting lazily across the horizon. Tech had never stopped to admire the view, and he supposed it was because he had never really thought about it.

But today was different. Today, he was seeing the world through new eyes. Today, everything seemed brighter, and more vivid, and more real.

Because today, Sarad was with him.

The first day after your return had been a blur. You had told him your story, and he had told you his. There had been tears, and laughter, and long conversations in the early hours of the morning. And, in between, there had been moments of silence, and of just being together. Of holding each other, and sharing in each other's presence, and finding comfort in the simple act of existing.

You had stayed close to him, as if afraid he would disappear. And he had understood the feeling, because he had been afraid of the same thing.

And, even now, even as he watched you walk next to him, and felt the warmth of your hand on his arm, it all felt a little unreal.

But the sunlight was bright, and the breeze was soft, and the stone was warm beneath his feet, and the world was in focus.

And Sarad was here, and she was smiling.

"This is a lovely spot," you commented as you came to a stop in front of the Archium. Tech had showed it to you yesterday, but you hadn't been in the mood to sit and enjoy the view. Today, you were more relaxed, and Tech was glad. You deserved a moment of peace.

"Yes," Tech agreed. "It is."

"I like the tree," you added, your hand trailing across the rough bark. "It's a weeping maya. I'd need to run a few tests to know for sure, but I believe it's at least two millenia old."

Tech's mouth twitched into a smile. He had known the species of the tree, but hearing it from you brought a new kind of joy. One that was warm, and sweet, and made him feel like his chest might burst. It was the kind of joy he had thought he'd lost forever. But here it was, and it was more beautiful than he had remembered.

"Are you sure?" he teased, his fingers grazing yours over the bark. "Maybe I should take a look."

You laughed, a light, musical sound that made his heart swell.

"I think you'll find that my expertise outweighs yours in this area," you replied, your eyes sparkling. "But if you're not convinced, we can always get a second opinion."

"I wouldn't dare," he chuckled, his hand settling on your waist. "Your word is the only one I trust."

"Flatterer," you accused, but there was no bite to the words.

"I simply speak the truth," he said, his smile widening.

You rolled your eyes, and the motion was so familiar, so achingly familiar, that his throat tightened, and his words faded.

Hearing your laughter, and watching you smile, and feeling your presence at his side...it was almost overwhelming. He had dreamed of this moment, but his imagination had never been able to capture the way his heart felt when you were close. The way his chest seemed to expand, and his mind grew lighter, and the world seemed brighter. 

You seemed to sense his sudden change in mood, because your smile faded, and you turned to him, your expression soft and worried. "Tech? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he murmured, his voice low. "Just...happy."

"Oh, love," you whispered, your hands moving to cup his cheeks. "It's going to be alright."

"I know." He swallowed thickly and dipped his head, avoiding your gaze. "I seem to be having trouble accepting it. That you're here. That this is real."

"I understand," you said softly. "But I promise, I'm not going anywhere."

"I believe you," he replied, his voice shaking slightly. "I'm just..."

"Overwhelmed?" you supplied.

"Yes." Tech sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Overwhelmed."

"That's alright," you said, your hands sliding down to his neck, your fingers trailing along his jaw. "Take all the time you need."

He smiled, and leaned into your touch. You were so patient, and so understanding, and so gentle. You knew exactly what to say, and how to make him feel better. He didn't deserve you, and yet, here you were. You were the most precious thing in his life, and he vowed to never let you go again. He had already spent so much time apart from you. He couldn't bear to waste another moment.

"My apologies," he murmured, his gaze dropping back to the ground. "I didn't mean to ruin the moment."

"You didn't," you assured him, and the sincerity in your voice was almost enough to make him tear up. "There will be plenty of moments, Tech. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

"Thank you," he whispered. "For everything."

"It's nothing," you said, your thumbs tracing circles on his cheeks. They were light, and tender, and reassuring. "It's just what we do for the people we love."

His breath caught, and he looked up, his eyes meeting yours. He felt the heat rise to his cheeks, and he swallowed thickly, trying to find the words.

"Sarad..."

"Yes?" you prompted, your voice soft and expectant.

"I love you," he managed, his voice strained.

"I love you, too," you murmured, and the corners of your lips tugged upwards. "Always."

He leaned down, his forehead resting against yours, and your eyes fluttered shut. He took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, letting the tension ease from his body. His heart was pounding, but he didn't mind. It was a reminder that he was alive, and that you were here, and that the universe had brought you together once more.

"Are you alright?" you asked, your voice quiet.

"Yes," he replied. "I am now."

Your smile widened, and you pushed yourself onto your toes to place a gentle kiss on his lips. It was brief, and soft, and perfect, and when you drew back, your eyes were shining.

"Go on," Tech encouraged, nodding towards the tree. "I know you've been waiting for the chance to study it."

You grinned, and he felt his own smile widen. You were radiant, and beautiful, and he wanted nothing more than to capture the moment in his memory. He hesitated a moment before activating the recording device on his goggles. 

The images recorded by the device were a poor substitute for the real thing, but it was something. And, even though he knew that you wouldn't be going anywhere, and that he would have countless other opportunities to see you smile, Tech didn't want to miss this.

"Are you recording me?" you asked, though you knew the answer already. He could see it in the amusement dancing across your features.

"Yes," he replied, his voice soft. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," you said, giving him a sly grin. "Just don't share it with anyone. I'm not looking my best."

"Nonsense," he countered, his hands curling around yours. "You're as coruscating as the stars."

You snorted, but didn't pull away. Instead, you leaned in, your nose brushing against his, and your breath tickling his lips.

"You're biased," you teased, your eyes meeting his. Tech felt his breath catch in his throat, and he swallowed thickly, his pulse quickening. Your proximity was intoxicating, and he couldn't help but wonder if you were doing it on purpose. But then again, it didn't matter. He wasn't complaining. Not when he was this close to you.

"Perhaps," he allowed, his voice low and husky. "But that doesn't make it any less true."

You hummed, a sound that sent a shiver down his spine, and then you were kissing him, and his mind went blank. He didn't know how long the kiss lasted, but when you pulled away, he was breathless, and his knees were weak.

"What was that for?" he asked, his voice unsteady.

"No reason," you said, a sly grin spreading across your lips. "Now, can I borrow your scanner? I'd like to get a closer look at the blossoms."

"Of course," he replied, handing you the device. He was a bit dazed, and it took him a moment to gather his thoughts. You didn't seem to mind, though, and he watched as you turned your attention to the tree, running your hand over the bark and muttering to yourself. 

He leaned against the trunk, content to simply watch you. There would be time for questions later, and for explanations. But for now, he just wanted to enjoy the moment. He wanted to soak in every detail, and memorize every line of your face, and commit every sound and sensation to memory. He didn't know if he would ever feel this way again, and he wanted to savor it.

He had hoped for so long, and waited for so long, and missed you so much. But now, here you were, and his heart was full. It was a strange sensation, and it took him a while to identify it. Happiness. Joy. Peace. Hope. Things he hadn't thought he would feel again. But here, in this moment, with the sun warming his skin, and the breeze rustling the leaves, and the woman he loved by his side, he felt them.

You suddenly leaped upward into the air, using the Force to vault yourself off a nearby root. 

Tech blinked, startled, and then laughed, shaking his head in disbelief, the tears starting to sting his eyes forgotten. He looked up and watched as you grabbed hold of a branch and swung yourself onto it, balancing easily on the limb.

"This is amazing," you called down to him, gesturing at the tree. "I've never seen one of these with white blossoms."

Tech smiled, and his hand instinctively reached for the datapad in his pocket.

"Would you like a copy of the information I have on them?"

You pulled away from the trunk and peered down at him, your hair glinting in the sunlight. Your smile was radiant, and his breath caught in his throat. You were so beautiful. And he was so lucky.

"Please," you replied, and the delight in your voice made his heart ache. "And, if it's not too much trouble, could you include whatever you have on the soil composition of the area? I'd love to see if there's a correlation between the environment and the color variation."

"How do you know the information I have will include that?"

"Because I know you," you laughed. "And I know how meticulous you are. If there's anything you don't have, I'll come back to take some samples."

"That will not be necessary," he admitted with a wry grin. He pulled the datapad from his pocket, and began typing quickly, his fingers flying over the keys. A few moments later, the data packet had been transmitted to you, and he looked up to see you examining the results.

"Thank you," you said with a bright grin. "You're the best, Tech."

"You are very welcome," he replied, unable to keep the smile from his face. You were so enthusiastic, and curious, and full of life, and he felt his heart swell with pride and love.

"Care to join me up here?" you asked as you dropped into a seat on the branch.

"I'm afraid I would not fare as well as you," he answered, eyeing the height of your position with apprehension.

"Please?" you pout, extending a hand towards him.

"Sarad," he protested weakly, knowing full well he had lost the battle.

"Pretty please?"

"Fine," he sighed, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He pocketed his datapad and pushed himself off the trunk before he reached out and grabbed the nearest branch, pulling himself up.

The tree was large, and the branches were thick, and he didn't have much difficulty maneuvering himself up to where you were seated. When he reached your level, you leaned over and kissed his cheek, a gesture that had his heart stuttering in his chest.

You were sitting cross-legged on the branch, and you shifted over to make room for him. He sat down, his back against the trunk to steady himself, and he let one of his legs swing down, while the other remained bent at the knee. You settled in next to him, and his arm automatically wrapped around you, pulling you close.

"So, what do you think?" he asked as his hand idly traced patterns on your back.

"It's beautiful," you replied, your gaze fixed on the horizon. You leaned into his touch, and he couldn't help but smile. "I could stay here forever."

"That can be arranged," he murmured, his voice soft.

"Really?" you asked, glancing up at him.

"Yes," he said, his lips quirking into a smile. "We could set up a lab, and a greenhouse, and a small garden. We could build a home here. It wouldn't be difficult."

"A home," you repeated with wide eyes. "You would do that? For me?"

"Sarad, I would do anything for you." 

He meant it, and he could see the effect his words had on you. "I would build a thousand homes for you, if that was what you wanted. I would travel to the farthest corners of the galaxy, and I would search for a thousand years, if it meant I could spend a thousand days with you."

"Tech," you whispered, your voice trembling.

"I'm serious," he said earnestly. "I have never been more certain of anything in my life."

"But what about your family? The war? All of this..." You trailed off, gesturing to the village around you. "You can't just leave it all behind."

"They would understand," he said. "They are a part of me, but they are not my only family. And, as for the war, I think I've done my part. I have seen enough, and lost enough, and suffered enough. And, now that I have found you, I cannot bear to be apart from you again. So, please, if this is what you want, I will do it. I will leave everything behind, and build a new life with you. Here, or elsewhere. Wherever you wish to go. Just tell me."

You stared at him, and the emotions swirling in your eyes were impossible to name, but he felt them all. And, when you spoke, your voice was thick with tears. "You really mean that."

"Yes," he said. He reached up and cupped your cheek, his thumb brushing over your skin. "I will not lose you again."

You smiled, your eyes shining, and his heart ached at the sight.

"I—" You swallowed thickly, your lower lip quivering. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," he said as his fingers brushed a strand of hair away from your face. "Just...consider it. I won't press the issue if you're not ready."

"I am," you said quickly. "Ready, I mean."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," you breathed. "I'm sure. I've missed you so much, Tech. And I don't want to spend another day without you."

He pulled you into his arms, holding you tight. You clung to him, and he felt your tears dampen his shirt, but he didn't mind. He simply held you, and soothed you, and stroked your hair, and let you cry. He knew you needed it more than you would admit, and he would gladly give you whatever you needed.

"Then it's settled," he said, leaning in to press a kiss to your forehead. "We'll build a home. Just for the two of us."

"Tech, I..." Your voice trailed off, and you took a deep breath, composing yourself. "I love you. So much."

"I love you too, Sarad," he murmured.

"But are you sure this is what you want?" you asked. "A life with me?"

"Yes," he replied, without hesitation.

"You're not...you're not just saying that because you think it's what I want?"

"No," he assured you, his hands coming up to cup your face. "I am saying it because it's what I want. Because it's what I've always wanted. Even before I knew it was possible."

"Really?"

"Yes," he said softly. "I have never been more sure of anything."

Your breath hitched, and your eyes were glassy with unshed tears. You bit your lip, and Tech knew that you were trying to hold them back. He brushed his thumb over your cheek, wiping away the moisture. He felt a tear slip down his own, and you reached up to wipe it away. Your hands lingered, cupping his face, and your thumbs traced gentle circles on his cheeks.

"Then let's do it," you said, your voice wavering. "Let's build a home. Here, or anywhere else. I don't care. Just...just promise me we'll never be apart again."

"Never," he whispered.

"I can't believe it," you laughed, the sound half-sob, half-delight. "It's really going to happen. We're really going to be together."

"Yes," he murmured, leaning forward to rest his forehead against yours. "We are."

You exhaled slowly, a long, shaky breath, and then you closed your eyes, and rested your head on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around you, and he held you close, letting his chin come to rest on the top of your head as you breathed together.

The sun was warm, and the breeze was cool, and the scent of flowers filled the air. And he was here, with you. With the woman he loved, the one who had given him so much hope, and shown him a life he had never imagined. The one who had given him the stars, and the possibility of infinity, and the chance to be happy.

Taglist (also tagged some people who mentioned a sequel): @baddest-batchers @covert1ntrovert @stellarbit @bruh-myguy-what @kindalonleystars

@cw80831 @qvnthesia @totallyunidentified @heidnspeak @lovelytech9902

@frozenreptile @chocolatewastelandtriumph @etod @Puppetscenario @umekohiganbana

@resistantecho @dindjarins1ut @tech-aficionado @aynavaano @burningnerdchild

@ihatesaaand @lolwey @hobbititties @mere-bear @thegreatpipster

@lordofthenerds97 @tentakelspektakel @notslaybabes @mali-777 @schrodingersraven

@floofyroro @megmegalodondon @dangraccoon @dreamie411 @sukithebean

@bimboshaggy

[gallusrostromegalus]

So how much are you willing to talk about Ulquiorra?

I will talk so much about him. There are so many things wrong with that man, but to make a brief list of his most notable features:

He's dumb as hell.

I say that with tremendous sympathetic affection. Ulquiorra barely thinks. It's easy for him to do nothing and go nowhere. He eats chocolate in the middle of the night in the dark. When he gets access to a garden, he often just stands around in it. He's often waiting for things to happen.

He just LOOKS smart compared to nearly everyone else in the fic because he doesn't have much to say, so he's not constantly opening his mouth to jam his foot down it.

Consequently, Ulquiorra starts off having little to no initiative of his own. Stuff just happens to him. Some of that is because he is colossally depressed, but he's depressed because the idea that he has control over his circumstances has straight up not occured to him.

The first person he meets that shows him that "You can just do whatever you want, forever" and the boundless joy it is to be a creature of free will is, unfortunately, Aizen. And Aizen left off the key corollary "-EVERYONE is allowed to do whatever they want, forever. We are all equal in God's dead, empty eye sockets."

So Ulquiorra wanders around trying out this "doing stuff" thing without any concept of ethics.

I realize I am infantilizing this character, but I am doing so in a twilight zone "hey, wouldn't it be fucked up to watch a fully anatomically functional person who is able to speak and blow stuff up with his mind go through the emotional development steps of a toddler?", because I think that's a fun high-concept premise to explore with him. Yeah, what if a toddler could speak articulately and also destroy you? How would he act? How does he feel, learning to have feelings?

It'd probably suck for him and everyone around him, and make him very easy to manipulate, for one thing.

So I don't think Ulquiorra is evil, because evil takes intent. He is dangerous to be in the general proximity of, though

Like a horse

lose

in a hospital!

I love that sketch as much as the next person but if an IRL horse got loose in a hospital it would be bedlam, but the horse would be mostly confused and probably willing to follow around the first person who looked like they knew what they were doing.

You know, like how Ulquiorra follows Aizen around because that's the first guy he's met who THINKS he knows what he's doing, and is good at convincing others he knows what he's doing!

So Ulquiorra's entire first character arc is being exposed to more and more people and realizing he does have control over his life, and that he can take actions, and that those actions have consequences.

Like being emotionally devastated by a teenage girl because he was an asshole to her and she's willing to scream at him about it.

Hm.

Consequences hurt.

He lives through the Las Noches arc, and decides to follow his own star!

He follows it right through a portal that was not meant for him and now he's sort of trapped in somewhere he's really, really, really, really, REALLY not supposed to be.

But it's a beautiful place

And nobody is forcing him to do anything.

And for a long time, he just stands out in the garden, waiting for something.

But then

Ulquiorra experiences a novel pair of emotions that he's recently learned from his new...

Orihime is too mad at him for him to call her a friend.

-but he did learn the names and therefore the experience of two new emotions from her: boredom, and it's natural remedy: curiosity.

So Ulquiorra's second character arc is him learning how to be himself without anyone telling him who he is and what he ought to be.

He's travelling up Maslow's hierarchy with the inscrutable but unstoppable instinctual drive of a salmon returning to its spawning ground.

This has lead to an important discovery on my part: Ulquiorra is terrific for comedy because he is the ULTIMATE straight man to everyone else's nonsense, because he's immune to nearly all nonsense.

He doesn't have societal taboos to be hung up on, nor any sense of what is "normal", so the sole thing he geta hung up on is a lack of internal consistency in others, meaning he can slip between straight man to the absurdist at the drop of a single scathing observation. Yet, he retains a sort of understated dignity that compels people to try to earn his respect.

Hence, I'm having fun turning him loose on the most absurd, internally inconsistent and frankly, insane batch of characters in the series:

The Royal Guard.

:)

[narcissistcookbook]

about thirteen or fourteen years ago @inkylizard told me about this show Sleep No More (description beneath the cut) they'd seen in an early run in Boston, and i had such bittersweet feelings listening to them talk about it because 1) it was absolutely my kind of thing, and 2) it was basically impossible to see it because it was so far away (i'm Scotland-based)

and since then i probably thought about the show more than most people who have seen it. i ended up working some of what kit described to me into my own music and shows, in a very vague sense

anyway, fast forward over a decade and i'm in NYC for ten days prior to tour and kit tells me that Sleep No More is still on, and it's about to close forever so this is my first and last chance to see it

so anyway

i finally saw it and it was amazing. for once hype wasn't the joy killer. it was inspiring and empowering and it's made me want to explore some of the more outlandish ideas that have been tickling my brain in terms of music writing/performance

i almost went again today, but low energy mixed with a fear of not wanting to dilute the magic by returning to the source convinced me otherwise. i think it means more to me to wait over a decade to see it, and then never be able to see it again.

Brief description of Sleep No More if you haven't seen it and aren't aware of it, told from the perspective of someone who had it described to them once and then saw it once 13 years later and has done no reading or research beyond that. Apologies if I describe it in a way that makes you squirm and go "nooo you aren't explaining it right" 💜

Sleep No More is an adaptation of Macbeth told mostly through the medium of Dance and Vibes. It takes place across the breadth and depth of an entire five floor building called the McKittrick Hotel, which is a dreamlike network of TV/movie-quality sets (a ballroom, a hotel, a city apartment, hell, a street of open shops, a mental hospital, a forest, witches' dens, a huge room full clocks connected to a tiny prayer vestibule, there's too many to mention) and masked audience members are encouraged to wander freely and explore the entirety of the building in any way they like

all the sets are fully explorable and designed to be examined in close detail. if you dig around you'll find letters, medical records, diaries, a fully stocked and unguarded sweet shop, hidden dressing rooms, discarded props, again much more than I could list off here. rooms have backrooms which have other backrooms. secret passageways connect parts of the building/story to other parts.

and through all this the cast are whirling and screeching and sprinting from place to another with little regard for who is or isn't following their storyline. at one point I was one of only two people watching an actor sew up a disembowled teddybear in a child's bedroom - and in the mirror, the same bedroom was reflected covered in blood. at another I was the only person watching a nurse tuck a man made of rocks into a hospital bed. at another, I turned a corner and one of the witches (with about twenty people in tow struggling to keep up) barrelled into me on their way to a scene elsewhere (he stopped and gave me a boop on the nose). another time, i walked into what I thought was an empty interrogation room only to realise after *far too long* that one of the characters was hiding in there with me

and on top of all this, each character has a scene they will only perform to one other audience member chosen by them

the magic for me is that not only can you not see the whole show in a single visit, but that it's basically impossible for anyone to see the whole show period no matter how hard they try. someone i know has seen it seven times and i've seen parts of it that they didn't even know about. it creates a sense of longing for what you'll never see, a sense of loss for the parts you missed, and a deep sense of personal connection with what you were lucky enough to see

what a banger

[sunlighthroughthe-ashes]

"the earth was made for lovers — " and no purer lovers exist than sol and sunjae. fate fell in love with them at first glance: and how could it not? it knew what a miracle it was witnessing: two souls bound to each other beyond the reaches of death and life. forever intertwined. "how could you make me live without you?" sunjae asks — the devastation in his eyes almost a living thing; a bleeding heart. how indeed? how can two people that neither time nor evil could separate stay apart any longer? and then, right after: "i'm sorry i'm late." this boy — this beautiful, beautiful boy. after finding out that sol erased his memories, that he DIED for her — his first instinct is to apologize. TO APOLOGIZE for not remembering her earlier. and the childlike surrender in sol's sobs — because HER sunjae has finally returned. has remembered her. will no longer let her be alone: how she instantly reaches for him. how they reach for each other. a lifetime's worth of love, finally fulfilled. the fact that they got to celebrate just being with each other, savoring the sweetness of each other's company: it meant the world to me. when you walk with pain as your constant companion, ordinary moments like being held in someone's arms, waking up to the face of the person you love most — they take on a kind of holiness. and you can see that blessing bestow itself over both their heads; the profound relief and joy shining in their faces during every scene. because nothing can keep them apart any longer. the callbacks during this episode were beautiful: it means so much to me that sunjae put aside his proposal to let sol pursue her dream. it's the pinnacle of love — he's willing to wait as long as it takes. and why shouldn't he? they have all the time in the world, now. taesung's last scene being him smiling at a happy sol — wishing her well from the bottom of his heart. being the key to their freedom at last. never has a second lead storyline been resolved so gently, with so much kindness. i was in tears for the entire hour: i think my body broke into blossom, it was filled with so much pleasure seeing sol and sunjae be happy together at last. i've always been a reluctant cynic, but i felt my imagination bloom, soften into pink watching sunjae propose to sol while the cherry blossoms looked on, witnessing the weight of three timelines fall away at last — make space for the radiant future: a bride and groom with eyes for no one but each other. love is real. love is reachable, attainable, capable of pouring sunlight into the darkest recesses of the soul: only someone who truly believed that could have made this show. i have loved every second of lovely runner; and no second more so than their expressions at the very end: incandescent with joy, finally free of all fear. they are safe in their love for each other; in the sanctuary of each other's arms.

poet joy harjo said it best: "i am not afraid of love / or its consequence of light."

[spacexseven]

tuna I'm about to go to bed but consider. demon au fyodor. hangs around you for no discernable reason. gives you terrible nightmares for fun (and later pleasant dreams as he starts to like you more, so he can see you smile when he watches you sleep). keeps wanting to play with your computer. ooo maybe he could possess your phone or something, so you can go out like normal but he'll Always Be There! Watching!

do u think gogol and sigma would be fellow demons or fyodor cultists

- 🩹

demon fyodor is a tech genius you heard it from us first! also also i like the idea of gogol and sigma being demons but like fyodor's little helpers mayb...ill think about it

cw: yandere character, stalking, invasion of privacy, hacking?, sleep deprivation, paranoia,

unlike dazai and chuuya, who came to stay with you because they have no choice, fyodor's just there because...he wants to. he hates humans but loves tormenting them, loves watching them lose their mind from weeks of sleepless nights and constant paranoia, loves watching them stare at him when he finally comes to claim his prize (their tortured souls), and loves the many fantastic emotions they show him. he's definitely a lot more...evil as compared to the other demons you may have met.

so you start off as his latest prey. maybe he saw you strolling past, maybe he just happened to land at your doorstep, but whatever cruel twist of fate brought him there, it sealed your life forever. you're just as entertaining as he'd hoped; he watches you 'patrol' your room with your phone flashlight and a useless object in hand, delights in the way you jump and knock over your water when he blows into your ear randomly, and most of all, he adores the fearful expressions you show when he's consuming you in your nightmares (literally).

while you're suffering from a lack of sleep and spending more time outside your home, fyodor puts his knowledge to good use and looks around your devices. he's become used to how they work after studying them for so long, and is able to easily infiltrate your computer and later your phone. (it's terribly funny to see you search up all sorts of outlandish things as a way to explain the horrors happening to you)

but you're persevering, to his surprise. and perhaps, that's what ultimately saves you.

though you're thoroughly sleep-deprived and trembling, you still go on with your life. you go to work, continue with your hobbies (even if the shaking hands and jumpiness doesn't help much), and try to keep up the image of a stable life. sure, you don't talk to people much anymore, and you need to try out new things every night that promise you a well-needed rest, but for the most part, you're trying.

this would be his favorite part, usually. completely destroying whatever will was left in you, watching you become a shell of who you were, but things were different this time. he's not sure what brought upon the sudden change, but he stops interrupting your sleep for just one night; and the soft smile that stays on your face the whole time mesmerizes him.

fyodor has seen his share of beautiful sights, but you stood out amongst them all. when he saw you whistling while making breakfast, the lost sparkle in your eye returning, when you look happy to return home after a hectic day for the first time in weeks, and when you're singing while cleaning up, the radiant joy almost blinding—that's when he knows what he really wants to see from you.

and when he takes a liking to you, no matter how twisted it was, he takes it to an extreme. he wants to be the sole decider on whether you'd be having a good day or not, so eliminating any influences in your life comes first. it wouldn't be fair if all his hard work was ruined because a friend buys you a cup of coffee or you're let out early by a superior who thinks you look too tired, right?

fyodor doesn't stop his torment; not immediately. he lets you bask in the joy of going about a day unbothered and feeling free, and then immediately snaps his jaws down on you to visit you in your dreams and frighten you. he loves watching all of you; scared, happy, carefree, stressed—but now, he can't help but be curious. what face would you show when he reveals himself to you? he's hoping it would be anger; a deep, violent, rage. something he hadn't quite had the honor of seeing from you yet.

there was only one way to find out...

[howtotwirlaknife22]

Mother

David “Hesh” Walker x Fem!Reader

Summary: you and Hesh have been living together for a little while now, and you recently found something out that will change the dynamic between the two of you, forever.

Warnings ⚠️: pregnancy, reader has some mood swings, intimate themes

A/N: happy belated Mother’s Day out there to current mothers, your own mothers, mothers to be, step mothers, or any mother figure really! I hope ya’ll like this cute little one shot I did for Hesh, let me know if you want more!

For the last few months, you and husband Hesh had been living together in your new house just outside of San Diego. Things had finally seemed to start getting back to some form of normalcy after the federation had been successfully defeated. When the news broke that the United States had come out on top, everyone was ecstatic. Including Hesh. So much so, that the second he and his team had returned home from a mission successful, he popped the question to you. You couldn’t contain the joy you felt in that moment. You had a small wedding ceremony, with his team and some of your family and friends attending. It was a cozy wedding, and you were happy Hesh’s team could be there for him. Losing his father was hard on him, and not to mention his brother going MIA for a while as well. But they eventually found Logan, though he was in a hostile state after being tormented by the feds. But they were able to get him back to his old self after a few good months of therapy. You were happy to hear this, and you were happy you were able to see Logan at your wedding, acting as Hesh’s best man. Shortly after you were married, you had bought a house together. It was one of the newer houses in the outskirts of San Diego that had been built after the federation collapsed, and Hesh’s military connection definitely came in handy when it came to obtaining it. You and Hesh had so much fun going to different department stores in the main city choosing out different furniture and kitchen equipment, and you both loved to play house with one another in the fake housing set ups. Once the two of you had gotten fully moved in, you were ready to finally start your sweet little life together as husband and wife. Once you both adjusted to each others schedules in your day to day lives, you had finally found time to hang out with one another for casual date nights. And when you just wanted to spend time at home, you often times cuddled on the couch together and watched a movie, played video games, and sometimes you even cooked a fancy meal together and laughed when one of you burnt it or added to much flour, often times resulting in ordering take out for the night. But your all time favorite thing was the alone time you two had. The intimate and deliciously passionate bedroom activities you enjoyed together. You two tried to make time for each others needs, and you couldn’t remember a day since you had been married that you hadn’t explored one another’s bodies in some form. But lately, Hesh had gotten a little more tied up back on base with his new promotion, and you had been a little more lonesome at the house than usual. You usually wouldn’t mind, and you didn’t the first few times he came home late, but this time felt different. You felt…anxious. You had always considered yourself strong and independent and you didn’t feel like you needed a man there to support you. But this night in particular made you feel uneasy. You couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. It was starting to get closer to around midnight by the time Hesh stepped through the door, and you were still wide awake sitting on the couch once he came inside.

“Babe?” He questioned, shocked that you were still up. “What are you still doing up? I told you you don’t have to wait up for me.” He placed his coat on the coat rack and his keys on their hook. You stared at him for a moment. For some reason, that sentence was off to you. It rubbed you the wrong way. You couldn’t shake off the feeling of pure annoyance. took a deep breath, and finally you blurted out

“are you cheating on me!?”

Hesh was shocked. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. You were always so calm and collected, and you knew he had been working later hours as he had been adjusting to filling out new reports. With raised eyebrows, he placed a hand up in defense.

“Whoa, where the hell did that come from?”

You lip curled a little and you muttered.

“Yes or no…”

Hesh furrowed his brows and crossed his arms.

“No. God no. Babe, Where the hell would you even pull an idea like that from? You know I’ve been stuck on base since I ranked up.” His tone shifted into a slightly softer one towards the end of his sentence, and he slowly began to take a few steps towards you on the couch. You felt your curled lip begin to quiver, and in a few seconds you went from a sneer to tears fully streaming down your face as you began to sob into your hands. Hesh was disturbed to say the least. He had never seen you this distraught in the 5 years he had been with you. You looked up at him once he sat beside you, choking out an apology through sobs.

“I-I’m sorry…I..I don’t know what’s wrong with me…I just…I’m so worried that you..that you’re…y’know…I’m worried you don’t like me anymore..” you didn’t even know what you were saying. None of it was truly what you meant, but it felt right to say it anyways. So you kept on rambling. “I’m just worried you find me gross…I’m worried you’re gonna ditch me for someone who’s prettier and smarter than I am…I’m..I’m worried you’re bored of me!” You sobbed and curled into him as he slowly sat down beside you, curling an arm around your shoulder to comfort you. Hesh tried to shush you and rub your back as you cried into his chest, but it was no use. You were sobbing uncontrollably in his arms and the only thing he could do was hold you.

“Babe…are you feeling okay? This isn’t really like you..” he tilted your chin up and was heartbroken to stare into your red and teary eyes. You sniffled and glanced up at him.

“I…I don’t know…I just..fuck..” you pushed yourself off of him and wiped your tears off on you sleeve. “I…I think I’m gonna go to bed…goodnight.” With that, you huffed and promptly turned on your heels heading straight for bed, leaving Hesh alone and confused in the living room.

“What the fuck was that?” He questioned, sighing heavily.

A few days had passed after that incident, and you had continued to grow more and more irritated with Hesh. Whether that was a dish left in the sink for too long, or the toilet seat getting left up once or twice a day, or even the trash getting taken out an hour later than usual. Everything he did seemed to annoy you. And you couldn’t prevent the little outbursts you would have on him, no matter how hard you tried to look past those petty little incidents. These often ended with you crying and locking yourself away in your shared bedroom for hours at a time, and Hesh had begun to grow irritated with these outbursts as well. It all came to a head one day when Hesh had to leave for work earlier than usual one day, and you had been greeted in with facial hair scattered all around your bathroom sink, most likely from him rushing to get ready for work that day. You gritted your teeth and began to type out an angry text, your fingers dancing across the screen at a million miles an hour. Just before you were able to hit send, you felt a sudden wave of nausea wash over your body. You paused, clutching your stomach. Maybe you had just eaten some bad chicken the night prior? After all, you had meant to throw it out a few nights ago. You felt another wave of nausea, this one stronger than the last. You groaned and slowly slid down to the floor, setting your phone to the side. You blinked a few times and whimpered as you felt your stomach turn. You could feel the aching feeling you get when you’re about to vomit creeping up on you. You slowly made your way to the toilet and lifted the seat, feeling your mouth begin to fill with saliva. You whimpered again, this time spitting into the toilet as the Silva became too much. You felt your stomach begin to bubble up, before you felt the rush of vomit coming up your esophagus. You coughed, spitting up the remains of the foul bile into the toilet. It took a few minutes for your vision to return to normal again, and you stared into the toilet before you had the slow realization as to why your mood had been so shitty for the past few days. You gulped and opened your phone, the unsent text staring back at you. You felt guilty and embarrassed and quickly deleted it. But you switched contacts over to your best friend, who you swiftly texted a few words to.

Can you please buy me some pregnancy tests?

You sat on the toilet, holding the plastic stick that you had just urinated on in front of you. You stared back at it as you waited for a few agonizing minutes for the final results. Your friend was outside the bathroom door for moral support, calling out to you.

“Any results?” You sighed.

“Not yet…two more minutes.” You had a timer set on your phone as the seconds counted down. You gulped, hoping that the mood swings could be explained because you were about to get your period instead. You and Hesh had discussed having children a few times, but neither of you really thought it was necessary in the near future. And you weren’t sure how Hesh would even react to the news, especially given his new position. You were quickly ripped from your thoughts as your timer went off, and your eyes snapped from your phone to the test. You thought you were going crazy. You blinked a few times and shook your head before you stared at the test as hard as you could. Two lines. Two blue lines staring back at you. You couldn’t believe it. You were ripped out of your thoughts when you heard a loud knock on the door.

“Hey! You good? What does it say?” Your friend called out from the other side, a hint of worry tinged in her voice. You opened your mouth to speak but no words came out. Your friend knocked again. “Y/N? You okay?” You swallowed hard and stuttered out.

“I…I’m okay..” you sat up from the toilet and flushed it, washing your hands quickly and opening the door. You were staring down at the test before you held it up, showing her the plastic stick. Her eyes widened and she stared back at you with her mouth agape.

“Are…are we celebrating?” She asked quietly, her tone unsure. You didn’t even know. You were unsure yourself.

“I…maybe?” You felt tears begin to well in your eyes. “I…I gotta talk to Hesh once he gets back. Fuck…this would explain why I’ve been so mean. But..damn. Shit..he didn’t deserve that. He didn’t deserve any of it!” You began to sob into your hands as your friend rubbed your back gently.

“Hey hey, it’s okay. I’m sure he’s gonna understand. But…that does mean you’re gonna have to tell him soon.” She pulled your hair back and tied it into a loose ponytail. You let out a shaky sigh and looked up at her.

“You’re right…I just…I don’t know how to break it to him.” You friend gave you a sympathetic look and you knew this would be some of the hardest news you’d ever have to break to anyone. You weren’t 100% sure how he’d react, but you knew you had to tell him.

You had been avoiding him for the past few days after you found out. But you didn’t really have to, as he had been giving you the silent treatment for the past few days anyways. Your most recent outburst didn’t help you out much in that field, and you were trying to figure out a good way to bring it up to him. Trying to find the right time was the current issue. Things had been so tense since your hormones had started to go crazy, and you were so anxious that you had ruined a core piece of your relationship permanently because of them. It was a Saturday night, and Hesh had been home from work all day. He had barricaded himself in his office all day, and you stayed in bed for most of the day, trying to work your way around your newfound nausea battles. It had been in and out of the bathroom since 5 that morning, and it was currently nearing 7. You groaned and decided that it was a good time to shower and go to bed. You inhaled sharply and decided that you would at least try talking to Hesh first. You knocked on his office door and slowly opened the door, peeking your head around as you slid it open.

“Babe?” You called out quietly. Hesh was sitting at his desk, typing away at something on his computer before he grunted out, not even turning towards you.

“You’re supposed to wait for me to say ‘come in’ before you come in y’know.” He responded coldly, continuing to type away on his keyboard. You felt your lip quiver. You knew you had been mean the last few weeks, but you didn’t realize you had been so mean that he was giving you the cold shoulder.

“Sorry..I’m going to bed. Goodnight.” You mumbled, turning on your heel and slowly closing the door behind you. You felt tears begin to prickle in your eyes as you walked through your hallway to your bedroom. You could hear a quiet but defeated sigh come from the office, and you wiped your tears as you gathered some comfortable pajamas from your dresser drawer. You opened the door to your bathroom and entered, turning the shower on as you got things set up for your nighttime routine. You stripped yourself down and entered the shower, the warm water washing away some of the tension in your aching muscles. You inhaled as the steam rose, and you hummed quietly. You placed your hands on your stomach and rubbed it gently. You had your first appointment with the doctors on Monday, and you knew you had to tell Hesh soon. You wanted him to be there with you at the first appointment, but you still had to make sure he was on board with the whole thing. Not to mention patching up the last few weeks of hostility. You shook your head and rinsed yourself off, stepping out of the shower to dry yourself off and slip into your comfortable clothes for the night.

The time was now 11:30, and you were still awake in bed. You knew you should sleep, you hadn’t gotten a good full night the past few days due to morning sickness, but your body just wouldn’t let you sleep. You tossed and turned and eventually gave up, resting on your side and staring out of your window, looking up into the night sky as the moon shone through your open blinds. You heard your bedroom door creek open, and you heard footsteps approaching your bed. You didn’t turn over, but you were happy to hear your husband coming to bed. You had been going to bed before he did or after he did the last few days, so this would be the first time you’ve gone together for a bit. You didn’t say anything and instead kept looking up at the moon until you felt the opposite side of the bed dip, and you slowly turned your head towards him as he crawled under the covers next to you. Hesh noticed your head turn and he raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“What are you still doing up? I thought you went to bed almost 4 hours ago.” He mumbled, pulling the covers up towards him. You exhaled through your nose and muttered out.

“I couldn’t sleep…I just..I couldn’t.” Your eyes wandered over his form until they met with his eyes. His hardened gaze softened a little as he scanned your swollen red eyes and puffy cheeks.

“Were you crying?” He reached his hands up and cupped your cheeks, rubbing his thumb over the apple of your cheek. Your lip began to tremble once again and you gave a small nod, avoiding his gaze as tears welled again. He bit the inside of his cheek and sighed. “I’m sorry baby. I didn’t mean to be such an asshole to you earlier. Or anytime the past few days really. It’s just..you’ve had a bit of an attitude lately and I don’t know what I did wrong. Did I do something wrong? Or did something happen that I don’t know about?” He questioned, continuing to stroke his thumb over your cheek. You bit your lip and slowly slid yourself up onto your knees, sitting over him. He slid up onto his elbows and cocked an eyebrow at you. You began to speak in a quiet voice.

“No…no you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m..I’m really sorry I’ve been so bitchy and mean lately..” you balled the blanket up in your fists as you sighed. “You didn’t deserve that…I’ve just..everything has been so out of wack lately..” you voice broke at the end of your sentence as the tears began to stream down your hot cheeks, and Hesh sat up fully and pulled you into a warm hug.

“Hey hey, it’s okay…don’t even worry about it, okay? I promise you I’m not mad..at least not anymore..and whatever is wrong, we’ll work through it together. Just tell me what’s up and we’ll figure it out, alright?” He pulled away and brushed some strands of hair out of your face. You looked up at him with a nervous gaze and opened your mouth to speak, but nothing came out. This went on for a few moments before Hesh furrowed his brows at you questioningly. “What?”

You couldn’t bare to keep it in any longer. And there was simply no time like the present.

“I’m…I’m pregnant.”

The both of you froze for a moment. Hesh’s eyes went wide and he stared right back at you with a blank expression. You stared back with a nervous one, and you waited for a while agonizing minute for him to respond.

“You’re..you’re pregnant?” Hesh whispered. You swallowed hard and nodded at him, whispering back.

“Yes..”

You were engulfed in a tight bear hug, and you could hear a choked out sob exit your husband’s mouth. Your eyes widened and you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, hugging him back just as tightly. You could hear him sobbing quietly into your hair as you felt tears coming from your own eyes. Were these happy sobs you heard, you weren’t quite positive until Hesh pulled away, a small smile lining his tear stricken face.

“I’m gonna be a dad…and you’re gonna be a mom!” He exclaimed, sliding his hands from your shoulders down to your stomach. “How long have you known?” He looked up at you with a new shimmer in his vibrant green eyes. You smiled softly.

“Only a couple of days…I haven’t even had my first doctors appointment yet, but I took about 3 tests, and all came out positive.” You placed your hands over his on your stomach and you leaned in to kiss him gently. He kissed you back, this time with the same sweet passion that you had missed for the past few days. You hummed against his lips before you pulled away. “My first appointment is Monday.” You smiled as he beamed at you.

“I’m taking off of work then. I want to be there for your first appointment. And every other appointment from here on out.” He placed a hand on your cheek again, grinning from ear to ear. You bit your cheek as you searched his gaze shyly.

“So…you’re not upset? You want to have this baby with me?” He gave you a confused look and leaned in to give you another gentle hug, placing his hand on the back of your head.

“Upset? Baby, this is the best news I’ve heard all week, or that I’ll ever hear in my life even.” He pulled away from you and took your hands in his. “I’m so happy to have you in my life baby. I was already happy to call you my wife, but now you’re going to be the mother of my children as well.” You couldn’t help the happy tears that streamed down your face as you sniffled and smiled at his sweet words. “I love you so much baby…please, don’t ever forget that.” You squeezed his hands and looked up at him with glistening eyes.

“I love you too, Hesh.”

Taglist; @kun3ho141 @milkteaarttime @forsworned @keegansshark @blacktacmopsi @pricebf

Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! -💌

[evan4ever]

James March x reader. The reader is very innocent like they don’t curse, drink, smoke, etc. James just adores it so much cuz it’s the opposite of him. He gives them random gifts and special dinners (maybe some slow dancing). As well as tons of affection like cheek and hand kisses, cuddles, holding hands, and helps you get ready for the day. He’s very overprotective and possessive of them like a kid who has a special teddy bear, so the other ghosts better watch their backs if they try to mess with the reader. He never lets them know he’s a serial killer but they know he’s a ghost.

Innocence

Warnings: talk about murder just a bit but no warnings really, just a sweet fic again!

a/n: you didn’t really give me a plot andI wasn’t sure if you wanted lime a headcannon or not so I hope what I came up with works for you 😅 but with reader being innocent and almost too naive while JPM protects her and is possessive lol 🥹

—

You first met James when you had to find a hotel quick and one that didn’t cost your entire paychecks worth to stay in for a night. You were in the city for a last minute job interview the next day, and you were lucky enough to meet the owner of the Cortez who has offered you a deal to stay.

You were pretty blown away by his offer, having been at the lounge where you enjoyed a nice glass of lemon water before the man, who introduced himself as James Patrick March, approached you. After some visiting, and many odd but enjoyable questions from him later, he offered you the night for a discounted price of $15. You weren’t sure why, but didn’t dare object.

However, your original plan to call it a night by 8 PM soon turned to 11 PM, then next thing you knew it was 2 in the morning and James and yourself just couldn’t seem to pry away from each other. It was magnetizing being around the other, for both.

James was so beyond intrigued by you. He knew times had changed, and that modern day women weren’t as classy and “well kept” as they were in his day. But you were different, not at all like the females that trotted into the hotel, getting drunk or high and using such foul language with every word, wearing nothing more than a dress that barely covered them. No. You were the classy that James once adored and almost never saw again.

It drew him to you. Not just how you dressed or how you spoke, but your pure and complete innocence. It was something James wanted to protect, he wanted you to keep forever. And he’d make sure of it, if you let him of course.

Though he drank, he, on occasion, would use a foul word, and he had no innocence left in him — you were the opposite of him. And if it were a true myth, James believed it was love at first sight.

That night was the beginning of your most exciting, spoiled life; and that is said with confidence.

You had started returning to see James often, more and more often, until you practically lived there. You met many people, some you enjoyed, some you weren’t fond of. But it was many months later that James finally vowed his love to you, you returning the vow, and James filling you in on part of his secret.

You learned he was a ghost. And for someone like you, it didn’t take much convincing. However, you weren’t scared of him in the slightest. It did make you more cautious around the other ghosts and ghouls that forever took residency in the hotel, but never around James. And he promised himself he’d never allow you to find out of his dark side, the murder side of him. That was a side of him that he kept hidden away because he had found such joy through you that he almost didn’t need to feel the excitement of killing others by his own hands.

He knew someone like you would never be okay with murder. Especially if those who were innocent. And he didn’t expect you to ever change that part of you, so he simply never let you in on that secret side of him.

It was easy.

Besides Devils Night.

That was hard the first time you had been in the hotel during it. But, he was able to keep you preoccupied long enough with the help of Liz to get the night over with, where he expressed to the other monsters he guessed that you were completely and utterly off limits.

But the years spent together after that, Devils Night was never a concern. You never even caught on.

But the years spent with James were years he spoiled you rotten. He’d buy you anything you expressed interest in. He’d shower you in flowers. He’d run you a bath every night. He simply could not do enough for you to feel satisfied, because he was just that in love with you.

And though you were just as in love with him, he’d never allow you to go above and beyond for him the way he did for you. You would try, and he’d stop you. The most you were able to do for him was buy him his favorite cologne or alcohol, even when you had no idea about anything alcohol related. He loved the gesture, but never let you do much more.

You weren’t sure what you did to deserve someone like James. Needless to say, you never went to your job interview that first time staying in the hotel. And only a few months later, you basically lived in the hotel. Only some months after that, you stayed with James in his suite 24/7. At that point, you were his and he was yours. Even now, 6 years later.

You made it so easy for him, too. You never questioned anything. He was able to run three quarters of his life with you while using the other quarter to fulfill his murder tendencies and keep the hotel running accordingly. He even managed to keep you from meeting the countess, somehow. He had Liz and Sally to thank for that. He was aware of the mess that could bring, and he was in such a good place with you, wrapped around each others fingers.

That nearly came to an end.

“My love?” You entered the living area of your suite where James had been filling his cup with whatever alcohol he was drinking this time. He glanced at you and smiled brightly.

“Yes dear?” He sips while eyeing you so you’d know you had his full attention. You smiled, a half way smile, not your typical smile, and James immediately became concerned. “What is it? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, James, really.. it’s just.. I had an encounter today. With—“

“Elizabeth.” James finished your sentence, noticeably unhappy by this. You only nodded, allowing him to explain himself. “Ah yes. The time has come that I must tell you about her.” He sighs, taking ahold of your hand gently and leading you to the couch where you allowed him to help you sit, he sitting beside you. “Listen, dear,” he pauses, seeming unsure of where to start.

“I’m not angry, James.” You reassured before he could start again. His eyes seemed to relax as they remained glued to yours. “I just want to know the story from you.”

“What all… did she say.. exactly?” He asked, genuinely curious. He didn’t care about much of anything she could possibly tell you, only if she were to have revealed his deepest secret about his love for murdering, or if she had threatened you at all.

“She only told me of her past with you. I’m unsure whether it was a warning? Like, her way of telling me I should run while I can?” You raised your eyebrow at him curiously before letting a smile take place on your lips. “Not that I would ever listen to such a silly suggestion. I love you too much.” You grabbed his hand this time, squeezing it. “I just had no idea you were ever married.”

James sighed but held your hand tightly, bringing it up to his lips and placing a soft kiss to your knuckles before setting and holding it against his chest.

“I was, yes. A long, long… long time ago. Elizabeth being the original owner of this hotel, we married and I took over. I showered her with all my love, I gave her everything. I thought she was my one and only.” James goes quiet as you tilt your head, letting him finish. “I know now how very wrong I was.” He met your eyes again with sincerity, squeezing your hands that he was still holding against his chest.

“So what happened?” You asked, curious to know more about him. James kept things hidden from you, you were aware of that. But you were much too in love to question him too much, and some things you knew better than to want to know, so you were okay with being kept in the dark. But since this was an opportunity to learn a little more about his past, you couldn’t help but indulge in it.

“She was only using me, dear. I was a means to fill a void that I wasn’t aware was empty and longing for a past lover. She loved my gifts and my attention. But had no interest in loving me like I did her. Later, her past lover showed up out of nowhere and she was planning to run away with him. After that, I no longer cared for her.”

“But, she’s still here? Why?”

James went silent, not sure how to fill this part of the story. He didn’t kill Rudolph or Natacha. But he did lock them in this hotel and remove the door so they’d have to spend eternity here… since they were already vampires and couldn’t die. James felt it was a nice revenge on his now ex-wife, she believes they re-abandoned her all over again. She loves her life in anger and wonder, and it’s so sweet for James to see.

“They left her. Abandoned her again.” He nodded. You frown, feeling somewhat sympathetic for Elizabeth. “Don’t frown for the woman!” James states, a deep frown on his own face. “She was a monster, dear. I know you’re not one to feel this way for anyone you know but, she got all she deserved.”

You gazed at him for a moment as you took in his words before sighing and taking your hands from hi, resting one hand on the side of his face. “I do love you, James. So very much.” James leans into your hand, his eyes closing as he takes in the feeling of your skin against his, your scent so strong and as intoxicating as the alcohol he sips daily. “You don’t have to feel anger anymore, though. You can let it go, all the hurt and betrayal that woman caused you. She is no longer worth your while. For your own happiness, you should let it go.”

James listened to you, knowing your words held so much truth. It amazes him at times, how a woman of your culture could be so intelligent, so mature past your young age. He was blessed beyond words.

“You’re right, dear. You are very right.” He takes ahold of and turns his face into your hand, kissing from your palm up the majority of your soft, fragile arm. You smiled in awe as you watched him, his eyes glancing up to meet yours. “You amaze be every day.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Because you keep me on my toes every day. Never can know just what to expect here, but I would never trade it for anything.”

—

[justsomerandomfanfic]

Whipped - Luke Skywalker X GN Reader

Title: Whipped

Luke Skywalker X GN Reader (Han X Leia included)

Additional Characters: Han, Leia, Chewie, R2D2, C3PO (Mentioned), Yoda (Mentioned), Rebel Alliance people (Mentioned), and TIE Fighters (Mentioned)

Requested by @micheleamidalajedi

WC: 2,325

Warnings: Luke is smitten, teasing, taunting, anxiety, nervousness, wingman Han, wingwoman Leia, baby angst, bets, joke fighitng mentioned, fighting mentioned, blasters mentioned, killing so of briefly mentioned, set sometime during The Empire Strikes Back, confession, friends to lovers, cute name-calling (on Leia's part), and fluff

Luke sighed, his hand resting on his chin as his half-lidded daydreaming eyes gazed at you from afar. You were brushing your hair, talking to Chewie and Leia about something, your occasional laugh echoing throughout the base. The sound of your voice was enough to make him smile in an idyllic way and he wished for nothing more than to hear that melodic voice forever. He didn't know if this was a crush or not but Luke couldn't help it; he had been smitten ever since your first encounter a while ago. He thought you were beautiful, the most beautiful person he'd ever encountered. He felt a pang of sadness whenever he thought about the fact that he couldn't have you all to himself, and so often he would find himself fantasizing about what could happen between the two of you. And every time, he would melt into a puddle of goo.

You had taken a liking to Luke, thinking he was quite adorable. It wasn't long before you found yourself gravitating towards him even though you couldn’t go a couple sentences before freezing up. You didn't think you'd be so shy, usually, you were good at conversation with others, but with Luke... You stumbled over your words. Every time you opened your mouth to speak to him, you found yourself unable to utter a single word. It was quite strange because he seemed so nice, kind, and funny. You didn't understand how anyone would be able to not resist such an angelic-looking face, yet here you were doing just that, falling hopelessly in love with him.

Leia saw right through you, she saw the way you looked at Luke, almost longingly. "What are you waiting for?" She teased when she noticed your fidgety state. "Go talk to him." She encouraged, trying to contain her own happiness over the fact that you had a crush on the young man. "He has been staring at you for days now." She pointed out. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he liked you too."

"He doesn't." Your cheeks burned at the accusation. "He couldn't possibly." You muttered sadly, shaking your head. You had only known the boy for a few months, after all. You weren't sure he liked you back. But there was a small part of you, deep down, that hoped. Hoped that maybe, just maybe, he did. That hope was the only thing keeping you going as you continued to brush your hair and occasionally glance up to gaze dreamily at Luke. You loved this boy already. You were hopelessly in love with him and you wanted nothing more than to tell him.

Looking up, you watched as Luke's eyes widened before he quickly looked away, turning to face Han instead with his hidden blushing face, making you second-guess. You chuckled at the sight of him getting flustered either way, your heart swelling with joy. His attention warmed your heart more than you could ever express to anyone else. You smiled fondly before you returned to your brushing, before placing down your brush and turning back to Leia and Chewie. They gave you a knowing look, a silent message for you to just do it already. But you stayed sitting, your nerves getting the best of you.

Han smirked as he watched Luke look away from you with a blushing face after he got caught, his lips curling upwards, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "I think they like you, kid," Han spoke up, his tone amused. "They're just too shy to say anything."

The blush on Luke's face darkened at the statement. "Really? It doesn't seem like it." He muttered. "It seems like it's just..." He trailed off again, unsure what he wanted to say. "Like they don't really want me around them. Like I'm annoying them."

Han let out a bursting laugh, surprising Luke as he stared at Han with furrowed brows, "Luke, buddy, as I said... They are just shy. You need to make the first move if you truly care about them." He paused, "Besides, it isn't their fault you're too blind to see that they like you."

Luke pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes slightly, "How do you even know about all this? How can you be so sure?"

Han smirked lightly, shrugging as he stuffed his hands into his pants pockets, "Oh, you know... I know when someone likes me." He answered, his eye glancing over to Leia briefly. "It's a talent to know when there's romantic tension in the air."

Luke gave Han a look, "Uh-huh." He said slowly, eyeing him suspiciously, "And what makes you think there is romance?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes. "Maybe they think of me as a friend and are still just shy." He concluded.

"That." Han waved his pointer finger in the air, and Luke's eyes followed confused, "Do you see it?"

"See what?"

Han sighed, "The love in the air."

Luke groaned and got up, rolling his eyes, "I'm done with you..."

"Hey! Luke! Don't run from love!" Han called out to Luke as he quickly walked away, embarrassed.

You, Chewie, and Leia walked over to Han, confused. "What's up with Luke?" You asked as Leia and Han gave each other a brief glance before both shrugging.

"It's probably nothing," Han replied. "He's being dramatic again."

"You should go check on him," Leia suggested to you. "You always know how to cheer everyone up."

You bit your lip, "Okay..." You mumbled before walking away in search of Luke, gaining the confidence you needed. 

"Who do you think will confess first?" Han asked, crossing his arms, watching as you left the room. "My credits are on Y/N."

Leia mimicked Han's stance, crossing his own arms, "Sppf, oh no, my credits are on Luke."

Han smirked, glancing down at Leia, "Well, if I win, I get to have a drink with you."

Leia rolled her eyes, "And if I win, Chewie and I will braid your hair."

Han furrowed his eyebrows, "My hair's too short to braid, princess."

"That's what you think," Leia smirked.

~~~

You wandered over to find Luke in the cockpit, he was sitting in the corner of the room, on the corner booth; just staring off into the distance as the ship hummed deeply. "Are you okay?" You asked as you sat next to him, causing him to jump in surprise. "Sorry," you apologized with a chuckle, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Luke shook his head, smiling softly at you, "No, it's alright." He responded. "Is everything alright?" He inquired.

You gave him a small smile, "You didn't answer my question first." Your voice grew serious, "Are you alright?" Your tone was soft and you stared up at Luke with concern, swallowing hard as you pushed your nerve down.

Luke took a moment to respond, before pursing his lips and nodding, "Yeah, I'm okay." He then turned to you, "What about you? Are you okay?"

You nodded your head as you averted your gaze from his, "Yeah, I'm fine. Everything is alright."

"Good..." Luke hesitated before continuing, "So, what were you, Chewie, and Leia talking about?"

You shrugged, "Nothing much, just asking Chewie about Kashyyyk." You muttered before taking a glance at the young man before you, "What about you and Han? What were you two talking about?"

Luke quickly glanced away from you, rubbing the back of his neck as he let out an awkward laugh, "Nothing special. Just Han messing around with me."

"Do you want me to talk to Leia about him? You know she'd kick his butt if anyone asked." You offered and Luke chuckled lightly.

"Could you? That'd be great." He joked as the two of you laughed together for a moment, before falling into a nerve-racking silence. 

You glanced nervously at Luke, as he gazed at you. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're awfully quiet today." He commented as you tilted your head to the side. 

You frowned, "Am I?" 

He nodded his head, "Yeah, but I... I mean you're quiet most of the day... But, are you really okay?" Luke asked worriedly, and you let out a little giggle.

"Yeah, I am okay, Luke. Don't worry." You sighed, your hands fiddling in your lap, "You worry too much."

"I'm not that bad." He pouted.

"You're worse than me," You corrected as you playfully nudged him in the arm. "But I'm okay, really. I'm sorry that I've been acting weird lately."

Luke shook his head, noticing your fidgeting hands and taking one of your hands in his. "No, no, I get it. You don't have to apologize." Your fingers tightened around Luke's hand in response. "You know... I... I really admire you. I admire you so much, Y/N. You're strong, smart, beautiful... A wonderful person." You looked away from him, feeling your cheeks flush. 

"Thank you, Luke. That means a lot. And... You're all those things and more too." You bit your lip nervously, looking back up at him, "I admire you too. So much."

"Y/N, listen-" He began, but something hit the ship, cutting him off.

Han ran into the cockpit with Chewie, landing in their seat to get out of autopilot before flying around; trying not to get hit by any more blasts.

"Kid, I need you at the blaster!" Luke stood quickly and ran to the blaster, leaving you at the booth.

"Can you get away from them?" Leia asked, stumbling over to hold tight to Han's seat.

"You know I can, your Highness, would you kindly sit down?" Han asked through gritted teeth as he turned the wheel, maneuvering past another blast.

"How long until we get to Hoth?" You asked, and Chewie belted, and you sighed. It was going to be a long and bumpy ride.

~~~

It had taken a while, but Luke was able to shoot the TIE Fighters, and soon after that, you went into hyperspace; entering Hoth's atmosphere. Time was moving so fast, it felt like right as you landed Luke was going off to find some Jedi Master. You hardly had any time to really spend time with him. He could hardly talk to you, having to get ready to go along with going to mission debriefs. You spent most of your time on the sidelines, watching Luke rushing around, and Chewie working on the Falcon as Han did... Whatever he was doing, as Leia spoke with other Rebel leaders, and R2 and 3PO bickering in the corner.

As Luke rushed by, wearing his orange suit, carrying his helmet in his arms, you rushed over. The large metal claw grabbed R2 and placed him in the back seat of the X-Wing, R2 whistling and beeping in annoyance. Leia and Han peeked out behind a hall, watching as you said your goodbyes to Luke before he flew off to Dagobah. They watched as Luke pulled you into a long hug, holding onto you for just a little bit longer than necessary; you even seemed like you never wanted to let go. And you didn't.

"Do you have to go?" You asked softly, digging your face into Luke's neck as he held his arms tightly around your waist.

"Yeah," He muttered, "I do."

"Can't I come with you?" You asked, practically begging as Luke chuckled gently, pulling back. 

"My ship won't have enough room. It'll only hold R2 and I." He spoke, and you glanced up at R2D2 as he whistled, making you sigh. 

You pouted lightly as you stared into his deep blue eyes, "You'll be safe, won't you?"

"Of course, I will." He smiled softly down at you, reaching forward with one hand and stroking through your hair soothingly, "Besides, I'll get to see you again soon, okay?" You nodded slowly, before stepping back to give him space. 

Luke bit his lip briefly, as he stared at you, before turning around to head up to the ladder. Pausing halfway, Luke quickly turned around and rushed over, taking you into his arms, and kissing you deeply. Surprised, you slowly melted into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck as he pressed his body against yours, kissing you hard and passionately. His arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer to him, and lifting you slightly off the ground. Pulling away, he buried his head into your neck, gripping you as he breathed heavily.

When he pulled back, you smiled softly at him before pecking his lips once more. "Be careful." You whispered, resting your forehead against his.

He nodded his head, "I will." He promised, pressing one last kiss to your lips before pulling away from you completely and climbing up the ladder. Luke glanced at you once more before slipping on his helmet and closing the X-Wing hatch closed. You sighed, walking backward slowly, giving room for the Wing to lift off. Han and Leia stood beside you, the three of you waving as Luke flew off. You let out a sigh, and Leia rubbed your shoulder.

"He'll be fine." She assured you.

You nodded your head, letting out a sigh, "I hope so..." You trailed off. "I know so."

Leia squeezed your shoulders comfortingly before she turned to Han, "I win, fuzzball."

Han's jaw dropped in offense, "Fuzzball!? Who are you callin' Fuzzball!?" He asked indignantly as the two of them walked off, leaving you to stand alone in the center of the hangar.

You let out a chuckle before running your fingers through your hair, sighing contently, staring off into the distance as you thought about Luke. Your mind drifted back to when he kissed you, how his hands felt so soft against your skin, how his lips felt so warm against yours, how perfect his kiss tasted, how amazing he felt against you; everything. He made you feel like nothing else mattered in the entire universe, and you loved every minute of it.

[liyawritesss]

hmm riri finding the perfect ring for you and then proposing hmmmm

ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ɪ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀꜱᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴜᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ

Characters: MCU!Riri Williams x Black!Fem!Reader

Type: Drabble

Word Count: 1k

Synopsis: Normally vows are made at the altar, but Riri just can’t seem to wait till your decked out in white to swear her life to you.

Warnings: mild cursing 

A/N: This is honestly such a cute ask….i love Riri being a hopeless romantic and when she finds that one person she knows she’s gonna be with, there’s nothing stopping her from loving you in the way a wife would

Tags: @6-noir @playhousedistee @shuririsdefenseattorney @shuriszn @venusdusse @wrendermedone @writingintheshadowsforever @mbakuetshurisprincess @verachii @slytherin-34 @the_lesbian-fangirl @itsmaniiiiiiiii @strangefishflapturtle @cuddl3s4shur1 @shuriislut @dejaonline @babyboiboyega @badass-dora-milaje @inmyheadimobsessed @aaliyg @cafehyunji @chunkybabygorl @rosielovesfamily @lulu-network @killmongerskeepermain @riri-red-car

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“I have a question.”

It’s the first thing said that breaks the silence that had been looming in Riri’s room for the past hour. It was a comfortable silence, spent with the two of you laying in each other's arms. You’d snuggled up under Riri’s side as she was entranced in a pretty intense basketball game on her gaming console, you busying yourself by watching TikToks on your phone when she had opened the floor for a conversation.

“Yeah?” You respond, still entranced in your phone.

Riri took a pause, her fingers stilling on her controller. She bites her lip, choosing the next words carefully.

“What does a ring mean to you?”

You find yourself stilling with your scrolling as well, eyebrows furrowing as you tear your eyes from your screen to look up at the girl you were cuddled under. Her eyes had stayed glued to the television screen; probably because if Riri were to return your gaze, the practiced prose she had conjured up would have flown out the window.

“What do you mean?” You asked, rightfully confused by her choice of words. A second passes before Riri completely pauses her game to direct her attention to you.

“If I got you a ring, what would it mean to you?”

Many people would say that nineteen was too young to know the person you’d want to spend forever with. At nineteen, you’re supposed to be finishing your first year of college. At nineteen, you’re supposed to be partying with your friends, drinking the night away, figuring out what you want your twenties to look like. 

At 19, you’re supposed to be taking risks. But Riri has had enough of taking risks.

You’d been the first good thing to happen to Riri in a long time. Since the death of her best friend. Since the whole ordeal with Wakanda and Talokan. And in the two years of knowing you, and the year of dating you, if anything had become more certain to the young engineer, it was that the way she felt about you was the kind of love her mother and step-father had. The kind of love you could feel from miles away, intense and all-knowing. And she had no intention of letting it go.

“I…I would love it, obviously,” you say, “i love anything you get me, Riri, even though I keep telling you I’on need nothin’-”

“-because having me is enough, yeah, yeah- that’s not the point.”

You move to sit up, and Riri helps you, snaking an arm around your waist, discarding her controller to the side as she puts all her attention on you now. She swears the thumping of her heart can be heard outside her body, it being so harsh and profound in her chest that it almost feels as if it shakes her being with each pump of blood in and out of the organ.

“What would it mean to you if I got you a ring?”

You took a moment, letting the thoughts swirl in your mind, trying to conjure up a response that would satisfy her. There isn’t a word imaginable that would describe the absolute joy you’d be in if the purpose of said jewelry piece was for what you thought it was for.

You took one of Riri’s hands into your own, the caramel velvet of her skin beautifully clashing with your own, molding together as if crafted to belong together. 

“It would mean the world to me,” you say, and you’re sure you had more words to say, but once your eyes lock with hers, they get lost in your throat. Perhaps it was the intensity of her stare, and the amount of love they’ve always had for you, or perhaps it’s the way she gently pulls her hand from yours to rest under your chin, focusing your attention onto her, “why?”

Because I have a promise ring under my pillow with our marriage date engraved inside the band. Because I love you fucking much I can’t see life without you anymore. I’ve lost too much. I can’t lose you. I want to promise to be with you until we can make it official.

“Look under my pillow over there,” Riri hums. 

There’s a tightness that rises in your chest; a good kind of tightness, anticipation for what you would find. The sound of rustling sheets fill the room as you reach up towards the head of the bed, a hand diving under the feather stuffed pillows, fishing around until your fingers curl around something small, cube like, velvet. You almost stall for a moment, but the hand on your lower back is a reminder that the anticipation you feel is maximized by ten for the engineer behind you. So you pull back, and with you comes the tiny jewelers box, as well as what you know to be inside of it.

A silence fills the room as your gaze switches between Riri and examining the velvet box in your hand. 

“It ain’t the real thing yet, but-” Riri begins, her hand slipping the box from yours and into her own, opening the top to reveal the ring inside. It takes a minute for you to recognize that it’s the same ring you’d been gawking at in one of the jewelry stores window displays downtown a month prior. If your calculations were correct, that ring would have cost her at least a band; and if she got herself one as well, then more.

She takes the ring from it’s plush white crevice inside the box, holding it up for the both of you to see, “-I figured it’d be enough til we get everything right.”

It takes everything in you to hold back the tears swelling in your eyes, begging to fall from your lids. Speaking would have surely opened the floodgates as well. All you could do was allow her to hold your hand as she slipped the jewelry onto your ring finger, fitting perfectly onto it.

“I ain’t letting you go, (Y/N),” Riri proclaims, as one hand interlocks with your now ringed hand and the other fishes under her hoodie to reveal the silver chain, which has another ring hanging from it, as you suspected, “but I swear when I get my shit together, there won’t be anything that’s gon’ stop me from asking you.”

And yet, with the glistening in your eyes, and the tightness of which you hold her hand, Riri already knows your answer.

If you enjoyed, please leave a like, comment, and reblog for others to see! And don’t be shy to send in a request!

[muffinbeliever]

Jacob black for prompt 12 would be appreciated. (fem reader)

Forever Yours

The reader spots Jacob and Bella walking along the shores of La Push, and she is reminded of everything that had happened, before she is faced with a choice of what could be.

Pairing: Jacob Black x Reader

Word Count: 1809

Warnings: just like sad stuff i guess... not much resolution but a little resolution at the end ?

A/N: wow. this is actually so terrible. i have no words as to how long it took me to crank this out and im actually really disappointed in myself and i would like to formally apologize to everyone, especially @sugaraddict301 who has been waiting patiently for MONTHS and now its just a terrible one shot that i could barely eke out but it has been weighing on my mind particularly heavily these past couple of days so i just knocked something out

Masterlist

The cool ocean breeze swept your hair across your face, leaving you sputtering like a fool. You wrapped the ends of your blanket tighter around your body, as the sounds of the waves crashing accompanied your friends giggles beside you. 

It was cloudy, but that didn’t stop your friends from dragging you out of the house and to La Push. None of you surfed, and it was definitely too cold to swim, but you were enjoying the time out with your friends, cracking jokes and complaining about classes. At least you had been, until two figures walking together along the shore caught your eye. 

It was like your heart had been crushed, and all of the air left your lungs. 

He was with her. 

Jacob Black— your first friend, first love, and first heartbreak. 

You got up from where you were sitting— no longer feeling like hanging out with your friends— and began walking alongside the shore, in the opposite direction of them. Eventually, you found a large rock, one that you could sit on and observe the depths of the water.

Of course, you were ecstatic to hear of her return to the rainy town, having fond memories of braiding hair and sleepovers, but along with the happiness came bits of grief. You knew of the feelings that lingered between her and Jacob, your ex-boyfriend never fully getting over the dark-haired girl.

You had read that first loves shine the brightest and hurt the worst, which you unfortunately found out the hard way. The two of you grew up together, tugging on each other’s hair in simple, childish bouts of teasing. It was unclear when romantic feelings for your friend developed, but one day you were suddenly hit by waves of emotion, and you found yourself on a rapidly-moving train with no stop in sight. 

It wasn’t until you were 14 that you began to act on these feelings, after sensing that Jacob had felt the same. Dating Jacob was like breathing— it never took much effort nor thought, it simply existed. Your routines didn’t change much; you still hung out for the majority of the week, enjoying the time spent together. 

Some days you would watch movies for hours, cuddling on the couch in your living room, throwing out corny quips and references that only the two of you understood. Other days, you would simply coexist, working side-by-side but separately. And that was okay too. 

For three years, you followed this routine. It was simple, and it worked. It was filled with love and adoration but also immense respect and joy. Until one night, Jacob revealed something to you, completely catching you off guard and changing the course of your relationship for the worse. 

“Jake,” you started as the laugh track of the sit-com you were watching accompanied in the background. 

“Hmm?” He asked, and you felt the reverberation from his chest through your body.

It was Saturday, and the two of you were intent on spending the day inside, away from the bitter cold of Forks winters. You had finished your homework last night, in anticipation of cuddling up with your boyfriend for hours on the couch. You were both laying on the couch, his arms wrapped around your waist pulling you close against his body.

“Did you ever think we would end up together?” You asked. 

It was not an investigative inquiry, but rather just a random question that popped into your mind. You twisted your head back, looking at him with a smile that fell when you saw his eyes clouded with a haunted look. 

“Babe?” You asked, tentatively. And he blinked quickly, snapping out of his trance. By this point, worry filled your heart, and it beat fervently against your chest. You felt your hands grow clammy with sweat, and you began to pull away from his warm embrace. 

“I, uh… If I’m going to be completely honest,” he started, and your breath hitched, a deep pit in your stomach forming. You mentally cursed yourself, cursing your curiosity and inability to simply leave things be. 

“I had the biggest crush on Isabella Swan when we were younger. I don’t know what it was, but something about her just drew me in,” he continued. 

You and Bella Swan used to be close friends, being the same age and all. But after she stopped visiting Forks for summer and winter break, the two of you began to drift apart, no longer writing each other letters filled with life updates. In your later teens, as life began to pick up, you had almost forgotten about her completely— the thought of her, merely a childhood memory.

Your heart clenched, and you stirred up the courage to ask the first question on your mind— the most important question. 

“If she didn’t move away, would you still be with me?” You weren’t sure if you wanted to know the answer, but you needed to. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted, scratching the back of his neck in nervousness. 

Your stomach dropped, and you pulled away further, no longer wanting to be near him. 

“Oh,” you said. And that was all you could say.

“No, baby, it’s not like that though. I love you, you know I love you. Who cares about the ‘what ifs’? Who cares about the hypotheticals? We’re together now, and that is all that matters to me. You matter.” 

You could tell he was trying his hardest to reassure you, to backtrack and make up for his mistake, and you knew that it was partially your fault for backing him into a corner, but the damage was done. 

What was said could not be unsaid, and that is the nature of living. 

That night was a low point in your relationship— in your life. It was the turning point of the pure, uncomplicated love that you had for Jacob. It created friction between you two, even though you desperately tried for it not to. You both did. At one point, it was too much to bear, and you let go. You walked away from him. 

You were unsure as to how long you were sitting there, but you heard soft footfalls in the sand, alerting your senses to a presence behind you. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who it was. 

“I should’ve known better than to come here,” you said, tears filling your eyes, still focused on the shore. 

You didn’t want to look at him. 

It was hard to speak, the huge lump in your throat creating a crack in your voice along with the stinging of tears. At that moment, you embraced the cliche. Childhood loves never fully died, and now, you could attest to that based on first-hand experience. 

“Y/N,” Jacob started, with a sad smile. “You’re always welcome here, you know that. Even though we may not be together anymore, the Rez is your home too.” 

You shook your head in defiance, and finally you found yourself staring into his dark eyes, ones that were once filled with love and happiness for you. 

“No, I can’t keep coming here. I think we should stay away from each other, Jacob.” 

His eyes softened with sadness, and you swore you saw heartbreak in his eyes. But maybe you were just projecting. 

“You don’t want to see me anymore?”

“I…” you sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want to see you. It’s that I can’t. I can’t move on from you if I don’t step away now.” 

His eyes crinkled in confusion and his head tilted, reminding you of a kicked dog that simply did not understand the complexities of life. 

“What changed? We still would see each other after we broke up. It was hard at times, sure, but I think that’s natural.” 

Your heart was heavy, and the tears spilled over as you came to terms with bearing your heart to him one last time. One more time and then never again. 

“I can’t stand looking at the two of you together, knowing that used to be us. I miss us. I miss the way we were together. And I know that you don’t feel the same, and that’s okay. I want you to know that I’m okay with that. I understand. I just don’t think this is healthy for me… for either of us,” you stated with finality, truth ringing in your voice. 

“You don’t think I miss you? Miss us?” He whispered, and you shook your head. 

“I know you don’t, Jacob. I see the way you look at her, and you never looked at me that way,” your breath shook as you attempted to take a calm inhale. “And like I said, that’s okay. I’m okay. I just can’t keep hurting myself by staying.” 

Jacob was quiet, and you waited with baited breath to hear his response. He looked away, his eyes towards the shore where the waves crashed upon the black sand. Sand that you would often roll around in together on the rare sunny days, laughing and splashing your time away. 

“You’re wrong,” he stated, still staring at the murky water. 

“I did… look at you like that. I still look at you like that. You just didn’t see it. You never do. You never look at me anymore, and it kills me to know that it’s my fault. I lost you. I should’ve held onto you when I had the chance— I should’ve fought harder for you. I lay in bed, thinking about you. About all the time we spent together, and how I would trade anything in the world to get those moments back. To get you back. And I am so sorry, Y/N, for not telling you. For not reassuring you that it’s you I want. Not her. Not anymore. Not for a long time.”

It was your turn to remain quiet, unsure of what to say, of what could be said. 

You found yourself in tears, silently sobbing on the rock that numbed your body, or so you had tried to convince yourself. That it was the rock that did it. And not the boy next to you. 

He pulled you in a comforting embrace, not unlike the ones he would pull you into when you were together. He rested his chin on top of your head, cradling you close to his chest. 

“I love you,” he whispered, barely heard over the crashing of the waves.

“I love you, too,” you whispered back, muffled by the fabric of his cotton black t-shirt.

You were unsure as to what this meant for the future, for the next steps of your relationship. But you knew that the pieces of your heart were beginning to be stitched back together, slowly, but surely. 

And that was all the reassurance you needed in that moment. 

Taglist: @final-girl96 @garfieldsladybird @britty443 @cevans-winchester @oh-kurva

[gamergirl-niffler]

I had a difficult time deciding what to choose. Finally, I'd want to ask for number 3 with Howl ❤️

Howl... with "Making a promise to remain friends forever"... sweetie! I feel friendzoned by him now, BUT oh well... a request is a request!

HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY IT!

My first time writing for him... so don't eat me alive...

BY THE WAY! I KNOW! IT'S JUST A SECOND WORK! AND IT TAKES ME A LOT OF TIME TO WRITE!

I AM SORRY AND I AM WORKING ON OTHER FICS!

Howl rushed over to Markl and Sophie, adjusting his shirt with a soft smile. "Markl, I hope you're ready. Sophie, you too." 

Sophie donned a hat and joined Howl, asking, "Where are we going?" 

Before he could finish his explanation, Markl interjected with a happy yell, "We're visiting Y/N!" The boy was ecstatic, jumping around in joy. 

"Y/N? Who's that?" Asked the curious girl.

Markl was eager to explain, but the wizard interrupted him and clarified, "Y/N is my friend, but she works hard, so I don't visit her often." 

"Y/N resides deep within the forest and despises it when the Master's castle intrudes upon her territory. She even sent a flock of birds after Master once," Markl exclaimed excitedly.

The wizard chuckled at the memory and confirmed, "That's precisely why we'll leave the castle here and walk to her. Enough chatter, let's go." He then opened the door, signaling for them to follow.

The forest was quiet, almost as if it was sleeping. Only sounds filling this air was the wind playing all over the place, ruffling the branches of trees and grass.

The day was warm and serene, the sun shining down through the thick canopy of trees. 

As you strolled along the forest path, carrying a basket brimming with fruits and herbs, you hummed softly to yourself. Your tail swished behind you with each step, though your ears twitched uncomfortably in the light breeze that was tickling your fur. 

As a wolf hybrid responsible for the welfare of the forest, life was far from easy, with days often unpredictable. And this day was about to prove no different.

After arriving home and putting away the basket, you let out a soft sigh and stretched, emitting a low growl. Suddenly, your ears perked up upon hearing someone approaching. It was rare for people to venture into the forest, let alone come so close to your hut. The visit was certainly suspicious.

As you made your way towards the source of the noise, you furrowed your brows and moved cautiously. Suddenly, a loud and joyful shout rang in your sensitive ears, startling you. However, you managed to catch the person who was running towards you. It turned out to be none other than Markl, a boy you knew. You couldn't help but laugh as he hugged you tightly.

"Y/N! I missed you!" He exclaimed.

You hugged him back, equally delighted to see him. "Oh, Markl! I missed you too! I am so glad to see you."

"Master Howl is here as well. Sophie stopped him to watch rabbits play!" The boy explained. "I am sure you will like her."

Your ears twitched as you listened to him. Now you were curious who Sophie was, but also you felt excited to see your friend again.

Just a few moments later, you saw him approaching; Howl didn't change much. He looked just as charming as always. You set the boy back on the ground and ran to greet him, practically jumping into his arms.

The young man effortlessly caught you and twirled you around, returning the hug with happiness. "Look at this! A wild forest beast has attacked us. How scary."

You couldn't help but laugh heartily at his jest. "Should I be scared that you came to my forest? At least you left that castle far away," you rolled your eyes and sighed. "It's great to see you again."

"Likewise, Y/N. I missed you, and I want you to meet someone," he set you down and gestured to Sophie with an open hand. "I would like to introduce you to my beloved Sophie. Sophie, this is my dear friend Y/N."

"Hello," the girl greeted you shyly with a wave of her palm.

You greeted Sophie and took a closer look at her while sniffing the air. She smelled sweet like a meadow full of flowers, making your ear twitch in interest. "It's nice to meet you Sophie! I'm glad he finally found someone decent. Come on, let's go inside. I'll make some herbal tea and cake," you said, leading the way with your tail swaying from side to side.

The whole visit was pleasant, allowing you to catch up with your friend and get to know Sophie better. She seemed like a kind and courageous girl, and you were starting to like her. However, a nagging worry lingered in the back of your mind: now that Howl had found his one true love, would he abandon your friendship for good? As you tried to put on a friendly demeanor, Howl was the only one who noticed your mood shift, indicated by your drooping tail. 

When night overtook the whole forest, you offered for your guests to spend the night in your hut to spare them from wandering in the wilderness. After preparing their rooms, you excused yourself to take a nighttime stroll to ease your mind and check for any disturbances in the woods.

Unbeknownst to you, someone trailed behind you. Eventually, you arrived at a vast meadow beneath a sky filled with countless twinkling stars. They were so numerous that you could not even begin to count them, each one more beautiful than the last.

As you closed your eyes and enjoyed the peaceful moment, you suddenly felt weightless, as if you were floating. Your eyes flew open in surprise, and you let out a gasp.

"Taking your beautiful ears, I was hoping you would hear me. Let me help you," your hand was grasped by another, bigger palm while an arm wrapped around your waist, steding you in a position resembling a regular one. "I thought you'd like it."

Looking up, you saw Howl with a warm smile on his face. 

"I do like it," you growled, slightly offended. "But next time, warn me before you do something like that!"

He only chuckled. "So? Will you dance with me? We haven't done this in a long time."

You nodded and let him lead the dance, since you felt a bit rusty and slightly uneasy. It was indeed a long time. 

The fact that you didn't look at him even for a moment didn't escape his attention, at least he could tell you're relaxed. "I noticed that during our little hang out, your tail and ears dropped. Mind telling me what's wrong?"

Immediately, you looked up at him, your ears and tail visibly stiff as you blushed deeply. "I-It's nothing. Really."

"Is that so?" He hummed, spinning you around a little. Of course, you didn't convince him.

Letting out a deep sigh, you decided to finally tell him the truth. "Fine. There is something bothering me," he simply nodded, encouraging you to continue, so you did. "Sophie is a wonderful person, I can tell she is perfect for you, but... I am just worried that now you will forget about me completely."

Your feet suddenly touched the ground. "Sit down," was all he said, and you followed, taking a seat on the grass. He joined you soon, wrapping his arm around your shoulder.

Howl asked, gently playing with your ear fur, "Y/N, you have been my friend for a long time. How could I ever forget about you? Look at the sky. How many stars are there?"

You looked up and nodded, gazing at the countless stars. "There are so many. Too many to count."

"And that's for how many years we will be friends. We will be friends forever."

You looked at him, blinking back tears. "Do you promise?"

Suddenly he pulled you closer, hugging you tightly with a soft laugh. "Of course I promise!”

Returning the laugh, you nodded, hugging him tightly. "I take that promise! And I promise to be your friend forever!"

You and Howl sat there, wrapped in each other's embrace, watching the stars in the sky. As the night wore on, you eventually went back to your hut to get some sleep.

[aloneinthehellfire]

Chapter Six: Prophetic Girl

The Pariahs That Saved The World

Word Count: 3.1k

Warnings: canon-events (demobats), some fluffy bits in this one, vecna's curse, not proof-read

[A/N: Oh my goodness, the procrastinator has returned- Whew, thank you all for your patience! I finally found some time to finish the next chapter; I really didn't want to rush anything so just know this one was created with every ounce of love <3)

Prophetic Girl

You don’t know why you dived into the water with the others.

You weren’t a particularly strong swimmer, nor did you have a heroic nature urging you to help save a friend.

The look Robin gave you as her best friend was dragged under the water was probably the culprit, ripping open your heart with her absolute terror.

That was the scariest part of it all. The emotional discipline you had forced upon yourself over the past year could be shattered in seconds from just one look, reigniting a feeling you thought was lost forever. And god dammit, you would do anything to make sure that feeling never got away from you again.

“Steve!” Robin screams as you pull yourself out of the gate, wiping the water from your face.

The Upside Down. It wasn’t like you expected it to be. You know they had described it as a reflection of Hawkins, a darker universe than the one you resided in, yet part of you always assumed there’d be something strangely beautiful about this place. But you were here now, rushing to the others to help them fight off the local bats, looking around with nothing but disgust on your face.

Perhaps you couldn’t find the beauty in everything after all.

You barely reached the others before Eddie was shouting behind you. Duck? In the last second, you mange to crouch to the ground and avoid something with claws flying over your head, screeching into the dark sky. You blink. Was that a…

“Bats!” Eddie exasperates, grabbing an oar from the ground and charging full speed at the one swinging back for a second time.

It was a chaotic blur of stress and adrenaline, somehow batting away small razor sharp teeth and wrestling against their surprisingly slimy bodies. You had managed to pull one from Nancy’s back and drive your boot down on its head before Robin pulled you away from an attack, Eddie’s oar quick to slam it to the ground.

Steve was bitten pretty badly, the first thing you observed as he spat out the head of a bat, panting. You thought Eddie was about to explode from excitement, looking at you with wide eyes and suppressing a smile. How he managed to find joy even in hell, you would never know.

“You okay?” Robin’s hand shook as she places both hands on her best friend’s shoulders, worried eyes searching his. He lets out a breathy laugh and nods, her body practically depleting in relief.

“You’re sure?” Nancy prompts, and he examines himself closer, still nodding. “Took about a pound of flesh but, uh, other than that… never better.”

You let out a sigh and wipe your brow, watching as Robin crouches beside you to shine a light on a bat corpse.

“Uh, do you guys think these bats have, like, rabies?” Robin questions, looking up at you with a frown.

“What?” Steve gapes, and you suck in your lips.

“It’s just that rabies are, like, my number one greatest fear.” She explains, standing back up, “And I think we should get you to a doctor really soon because once symptoms set in, it’s too late. You’re already dead.”

Both Steve and Nancy look at her in exasperation, their features clearly telling that they didn’t appreciate Robin’s spiralling input. You start to smirk.

“Or you’ll become a vampire.” You offer with a grin and he mockingly nods his head.

“We need to get you patched up.” Nancy states, looking dishevelled from the fight, looking around, “Maybe we can-”

The trail of thoughts were lost as you all watch another group of bats fly down to where the gate rested, tearing at it. You squint your eyes, focusing. What were they doing?

“Uh, guys?” Eddie interrupts, and you turn to see him staring at the sky, your eyes widening. “I think we need to get out of here.”

“Nah, there’s not that many, we can take ‘em.” Steve breathes out, wincing when you lightly tap him. But it draws everyone else’s focus up to the sight that had you and Eddie stood in fear.

As your eyes fixate on the litter of shapes between the warm clashes of red and blue, you quickly start to nod, grabbing Eddie by the shirt and pulling him into a run as you all silently agree to a fast escape.

“The trees!” You yell, pointing to your left and you all head for the treeline, ducking for cover just as the bats attempt to swoop down, blocked by the thick expanse of wood.

You all manage to huddle under the flipped version of Skull Rock, panting as the bats fly past with no prey in their sight.

“That… was more cardio than I paid for.” Robin gasps and you collapse against a rock, catching your breath.

Nancy was quick to start patching Steve up despite his polite objections. You even raised an impressed eyebrow when she rips off the hem of her shirt to substitute bandages with fabric, sharing a look of awe with Eddie.

Out the corner of your eye, you see Robin trying to calm Steve down in a way that would have you smiling. But Steve didn’t look to be in the smiling nature.

Calmly, you place a hand on her shoulder and gently guide her away, the girl giving you a smile.

Instead of berating her best friend with a million facts and questions that would probably stress him out, she took a seat on the ground opposite you, her smile noticeably less bright when Eddie plops directly beside you, groaning.

“So… anyone got a blunt?”

“Jesus Christ.” You groan with a smirk, eyeing him with amusement. “You seriously think now is a good time to be getting high?”

“I personally think this is the best time to get high.” He says with confidence, stretching out his legs.

“You’re an idiot.” You say, adoration in your voice that made Robin’s skin crawl.

“Ouch.” He mockingly holds his hand to his heart, “I wasn’t treated this way when you needed a smoke after you rear-ended Mrs Click’s car-”

“Shut up!” You hiss with laughter, gently shoving him away from you and he chuckles, shoving back.

As she watched the two of you tease one another with an ease that made her queasy, Robin’s brows furrowed. You were both much closer than she had hoped for.

“Why did you guys break up?”

The quiet laughter broke into silence, inquisitive eyes suddenly set on hers. She feels her ears burn, quickly swooping her hair forward to conceal them.

“Thank you for asking.” Eddie claps his hands like it was an interview and you roll your eyes, immediately easing the tension. “Well, you see, we were like, what? 15? 15. It was cute, very short, and we realised we were better friends. Right?”

“That’s about it.” You shrug, smiling. Your eyes land on hers with a lightness to them that made her heart swoon.

“So why did you even get together in the first place?” She frowns, face dropping when his eyebrows shoot up. “Oh, god, that sounded meaner than it did in my head.”

“We hadn’t really tried the friend part yet.” You chuckle, and Eddie hums.

“Too blinded by our mutual hatred for King Steve and his merry band of idiots.”

“So you could say Steve brought us closer together.” You quip and Robin suppresses a laugh.

“One of you say my name?” Steve suddenly asks and you all fall into laughter, ignoring the boy’s curious frown.

After a while, Eddie shakes his head and jumps up to stalk over to a fallen tree trunk, inspecting it.

“He’s pretty cool.” Robin sighs, watching him step up onto the wood and survey the land like an explorer.

“Yeah.” You look over your shoulder with a smile, something like sadness flickering across your face for just a fleeting moment. If Robin didn’t find herself completely captivated with every movement you made, she would have missed it completely. Was it… regret? Did you regret the break up? Did you want him back-

“So, uh…” Eddie’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts as you all turn to where he stood at the tip of the tree trunk. “This place is like Hawkins, but with monsters and nasty shit?”

“Pretty much.” Nancy responds, grunting a little as she attempts to shift some of Steve’s weight onto her. “Wait, watch out for the vines. It’s all a hive mind.”

“It’s all a what?”

“All the creepy crawlies around here, dude. They’re like, one or something.” Steve tries to explain, wincing as he brushes his hand over the bandages.

“I repeat, it’s all a what?” Eddie frowns and you stand up, grimacing.

“Uh, step on a vine, you step on literally everything else at the same time and then, well, evil wizard comes to snap our bones.” You shrug, his mouth parted in shock as he nods slowly in recognition.

“Shit.” He simply says, starting his descent.

“But everything from our world is still here, right? Except people, obviously?” Robin appears beside you, her arm brushing against yours.

“As far as I understand it, yeah.” Nancy nods and you can practically hear the cogs turning in Robin’s mind, humming with excitement.

“So, theoretically, we could go to the police station and steal guns and grenades and whatever we need to blow up those bat things that are guarding the gate.” She suggests and you vigorously nod along to her idea, loving where her mind was at.

“I highly doubt the Hawkins PD has grenades, Robin. But guns, yeah, sure.” Steve rolls his eyes and you hum.

“I don’t know, I definitely think Hopper would stash grenades somewhere.” You say and Nancy tilts her head in acknowledgement, silently agreeing.

“Well, we don’t have to go all the way downtown for guns.” Nancy says and you raise your eyebrow. “I have guns. In my bedroom.”

“You,” Eddie jumps down with surprise, brows furrowed. “Nancy Wheeler, have guns, plural, in your bedroom?”

“Full of surprises, isn’t she?” Robin grins.

Eddie doesn’t look convinced.

“Be a sceptic, but I watched her shoot at a demogorgon that was emerging from the ceiling.” You snort, crossing your arms. “And I gotta tell ya, Nancy owning guns is the least surprising thing in that sentence.”

“A Russian Makarov and a revolver.” Nancy confirms.

“Yeah, you almost shot me with that one.” Steve comments, getting closer.

Nancy starts to smile, turning her head to him. “You almost deserved it.”

They share a look and you twist your face. “Gag me with a spoon.”

“I got it.” Eddie says, slipping off his denim vest and launching it at Steve, the boy barely catching it before it hit his face. “For your modesty, dude.”

You almost laughed at his face until the ground violently shook beneath you, throwing you off balance and sending you crashing into Robin. She tried her best to catch you, but she was already falling to the ground, your body laying on top of her and you both squeezed your eyes shut until the earthquake stopped.

“What… the hell… was that?” You pant, turning your head to see Robin’s wide eyes staring back at you. For a second, you couldn’t peel your eyes away, closer than you ever would have imagined.

The moment was short-lived, a chorus of snarls and screeches echoing through the woods like an omen.

“Yeah, so guns seem like a pretty good idea to me.” Eddie gasps.

“Yeah me too.”

“Me three.”

You and Robin both reply as you peel away from eachother, avoiding eye contact like neither of you had any kind of self-restraint.

It was impossible not to notice a particular pair of eyes on you as your own stayed glued to the ground, unfamiliar with the Upside Down and its tricks. For anyone to be watched would be somewhat discomforting, but not in this particular instance. Because, for as long as you can remember now, anytime she’s looked away, your eyes have been returning the favour.

“Did you wanna say something?”

You finally break the silent streak occurring between you and Robin, her sheepish smile brightening her face once she realises she’s been caught.

“I, uh…” She fumbles around for an excuse, letting out a low whistle. “Was just making sure you’re okay. That’s all. Nothing weird.”

“Why do you keep asking me that?” You laugh, catching her eyes and she almost melts. “Do I not look okay?”

“You look amazing.” Robin shakes her head, blinking when she realises what she just said. “Uh, I didn’t mean that. Not that you don’t look amazing, you do, even after all of that. Not in a weird- what I meant to say was I don’t think you aren’t okay, I was just…”

She lets out a groan and you laugh again.

“I’ve just dragged you into this and I can’t help thinking it will be my fault if you aren’t okay.”

“Robin.” You carefully step over a vine, clearing your throat. “Before you showed up at my door, I was already deciding that I was going to help.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” You bite your lip, shrugging. “The, uh, the first time Nancy asked me to help, I wasn’t thinking straight. I just wasn’t in the mood to try and save a town that I hated. It was… complicated.”

“What changed your mind?”

“My gran.” You smile, albeit sadly. “I suddenly realised that I’ve lost too many people here. Even if… even if I don’t belong here, the people living in this town don’t deserve to die. I can’t just leave when people I care about are in danger.”

“So my whole speech was just for nothing?”

“Not for nothing.” You shake your head, suddenly sending her a smirk. “It was very entertaining.”

“Shut up.” Robin giggles, nudging your arm playfully.

As she does, her joy momentarily distracts her from her own very important mission: do not trip.

It almost cost her, glancing down at the last second to come to a screeching halt, the toes of her boots a fraction away from brushing the side of a vine. Her sudden stop itself threw her off balance, and she felt herself falling back.

Until your hands reached out and caught hers, pulling her closer to you before she fell victim to gravity completely.

“Thanks.” She says breathlessly, and you can only nod, looking down to where your fingers interlocked hers.

Clearing your throat, you take your hands back and offer a smile, ignoring the sickly sweet feeling of your heartbeat drumming a little faster than it had been before your hands found someone’s to hold.

“Gotta be careful.” You whisper, returning your eyes to the path and moving towards Nancy’s silhouette up ahead. Robin stood there for a moment longer, biting her lip.

She was just torturing herself now. Either she said something, prayed for some kind of miracle, or she moved on. There was no point living in this romance limbo when there were more important things to worry about.

Her feet were tired by the time you reach the Wheeler house, shifting in her shoes as Steve takes the flashlight from her and clicks it on, the door creaking beneath his push.

The interior reflected its exterior, dark and covered head to toe with vines that made her grimace at the sight.

“Might be time to get a maid, Wheeler.” Robin jokes, almost jumping when she hears you shut the door.

“Sorry.” You mouth, walking into the space. “Wow. Love the décor.”

“Come on,” Nancy tilts her head to the staircase, “I don’t want to stay here longer than we have to.”

She starts bounding up the steps, and Robin gives you a shrug before she and Eddie start to follow up, your own footsteps behind Steve’s. Except, for some reason, he stops.

“Hello?” You crane your neck around to where he’s shining the flashlight at nothing. “Earth to Steve?”

“Shhh.” He whispers, holding a finger to his lips. You frown. “I hear something.”

“Oh god.” Your shoulders slump. “You’re not hallucinating, are you? Because I can’t be the one to tell Robin the rabies got you.”

“Just… shut up.” He says, slipping past you and moving to the corner. “It’s him.”

Any sarcastic quips you had rattling around your brain were pushed away, fear flooding your body. “Vecna?”

“What? No, no.” He shakes his head, holding his finger in the air. “Henderson.”

“Hend-” You stop, tilting your head. “You can hear Dustin?”

“Just…” He sighs and waltz over to you, placing a hand on your back and moving you to where he was previously stood.

“Oh, hey, Y/n, come over here.” You mumble as you shrug his hand off of you. “What am I-”

“Just listen.” He says and you sigh, shutting your mouth and entertaining the idea.

For a moment, nothing.

And then the voice whispers around you, muffled, and most definitely Dustin’s.

“Holy shit.” You breathe out and Steve nods furiously. “Holy shit.”

“Dustin!” He starts to shout and you join him, the both of you shouting around the space. “Dustin!”

Once they hear your yelling, the other three are running down the stairs, Robin’s heart beating fast, assuming that the minute she left you had been attacked and there would be no way to-

“What the…” Eddie mutters and she widens her eyes in disbelief.

“Dustin! Hello?!”

The two of you are yelling at the walls and ceilings, making her blink.

“Maybe he really does have rabies.” She comments and Eddie frowns.

“Is it contagious?” He asks and she tilts her head, still fixated on the shouting frenzy.

“Only if he bit her.”

“Hello?” Dustin?!”

“Guys, what are you doing?” Nancy interrupts your next cry for the young boy and you turn to them, breathing heavy.

“We heard Dustin.” You breathlessly explain and Steve nods behind you, still shouting.

“He's here. Henderson. That little shit, he's here. He's like... He's in the walls or something. Just listen.” Steve grins at them before walking away, continuing his call. “Dustin!”

“Uh…” You stare as he spins around in a circle. “He might look crazy, but I promise he’s right. Listen.”

You watch the realisation fall over their faces, making you smile.

They fan out, calling out his name and following in Steve’s lead, trying to communicate with the boy on the other side.

As you go to join them, you catch something out of the corner of your eye, reflecting on the glass of the window. You can still hear Dustin’s voice droning in and out, like a radio that hadn’t been sent to the right frequency. But it didn’t sound the same as before. Something was different.

Your refection was blurry, making you squint. Goosebumps started to trail across your skin, making you shiver. It wasn’t your reflection.

Robin was the only to see how you blinked into a state of paralysis, immediately calling out for help as she rushes over to you.

It seemed like Vecna had something else to say.

Chapter Seven: We Are The Pariahs

taglist: @kryztalglear . @learninglinesintherainn . @officerrrfriendly . @a-simpfortessa-lesbriean . @spacedoutdaydreamer . @endurexxsurvive . @em16cor . @gray-cheese . @chaosofmanyfandoms . @kitdjarin1 . @some-day--some-how . @cultish-corner . @marirxse .

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Solitary Man: Final Part

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.1k

Summary: You're feeling more like yourself for the first time in forever. You're not going to let anything spoil your good mood.

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Season Five Masterlist

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them.

x

Nancy's abduction hit the news pretty quickly. You just hope the unsub doesn't see it and dump Nancy's body out of fear. Penelope has been all over the HSK database and connected four more victims to the unsub. That brings his count to ten. If your team can figure out why he's choosing his victims, you'll find him easily.

After bringing Courtney to the police station, your team works on putting every victim's name and picture on the bulletin board. He started killing months before you thought he started. His first victim was a woman named Erika Joy from Lexington, South Carolina. She disappeared from a truck stop. According to her rap sheet, she did everyone she could for a living--a lot lizard. The other victims were waitresses, gas station employees, and even a female trucker. The only one who was married is Nancy even though she is recently a widow.

Nancy has been given the most amount of time in the news than the other women. She doesn't fit the unsub's MO. He had to have a reason for taking someone so far from the spectrum of the other victims.

"He had to have walked right by that minivan. Why didn't he take Courtney?" Emily asks.

"Maybe she's too young."

"She's closer to the victims' ages than her mother. That parking lot was deserted. He could have taken Courtney and nobody would have seen a thing. Instead, he walks past her."

"That's not who he wants. He watched Nancy. He followed her because he wanted her."

"So much so that he left Courtney as a witness? What could be that important?"

"You have your thinking face on," Derek says to you. "What's your theory?"

"What if he took Nancy because she is a mother? When I saw Tanya's body on the side of the road, she was in the fetal position. She looked like she was sleeping. That's exactly how a parent would care for their child. The other victims weren't mothers, Nancy is. Maybe this unsub is looking for someone to be a mother for a child, maybe his own?"

"It's a good theory. Tell that to Hotch."

You're about to when you notice Hotch and Rossi walk into the room.

"I heard," Hotch says. "It's good to have you back."

You can't help but smile at the small accomplishment.

"Nancy's been missing over twelve hours," JJ informs the team. "If he jumped on the I-40 before we got the police blocks out, he could be three states over by now."

"We don't think he has time for that. He's courting these women. He needs them in Edgewood."

"There are over eight hundred truckers on this list," Hotch sighs and looks at the list Penelope sent over. "We have to get Garcia to run background on all of them."

"Listen, I've already given you a list of all the trucker stops that we've checked in town," the sheriff says.

"We're gonna need to check them again."

Derek and Rossi head out to a truck stop to ask about truckers to try and narrow down the list, and they manage to get the manifest of the truckers who visited the stop. They come up with seventy-six truckers who are independent with Penelope's help. If this man is killing women and driving cross country with them, he has to be independent.

"Alright, so let's go over this again," Derek says after he and Rossi return. "This offender is preferential to young women mid to late twenties. He takes his time watching them. He makes sure there are no witnesses. He kills them twelve to twenty-four hours after abduction."

"Only now that timeframe's getting shorter."

"Then he comes home to Edgewood where he's home and he feels safe. There's no rape involved. So, is it the companionship he's after?"

"I really think he's looking for someone who will mother a child," you say. "Whether or not that's his own, I don't know."

"How do you figure?" JJ asks.

"Based on the way he positions the bodies once he dumps them. If he's not looking for a mom, he's definitely looking for a wife. He starts out with easy targets, then he moves on to women who could actually fill the role--sweet, outgoing, and warm."

"No, I think you're on the right track of it being a mother," Hotch says. "If he's got a kid of his own, that would explain what keeps him coming back to Edgewood. It would explain why he walks past Courtney to get to Nancy. Just by watching he knows she's a mother. She's already qualified to pass any test." He dials Penelope on the desk phone. "Garcia, I want you to narrow down the own authority trucker list and tell me which ones have been through a divorce or a custody battle recently."

"The custody fight would be a stressor. Limit your searches to months prior to the first murder," Rossi asks.

"Got it. Thanks."

"He might be sick. Maybe that's why he's trying so hard to find a mom for his child. He doesn't want her alone," you say.

"Cross-reference for men who have medical problems."

"Sure."

When the news of another body comes through, Courtney is in tears thinking it's her mother. After Rossi checks and confirms it's not Nancy, Courtney breaks down in tears this time, in relief. You're in the conference room with Hotch, Derek, and Spencer but looking at Courtney with Emily. You want to cry alongside Courtney not because you have unspoken trauma but because you feel and recognize her pain. The realization that you're not using her fear to fuel your own makes you want to cry. Are you finally free from prison?

"Hey, baby girl, talk to me," Derek says when Penelope calls.

"Of your seventy-six independent truckers, I have twenty-eight who are currently involved in custody cases."

"How many of those cases are still open?"

"Eight. Not the most relationship-friendly job, trucking."

"Look for instances where the mother died. A guy like this wouldn't tear a child away from his own mother."

"Okay, Caroline Hatchett died in a house fire, leaving behind seven-year-old daughter Jody and husband Wade Hatchett. Wade lost his home, his wife, and custody of his daughter when the courts deemed him unfit. He's still contesting the case."

"Why was he deemed unfit?" you ask.

"Double whammy... His job kept him away for weeks at a time, and he didn't have any other family to help him watch his daughter. It looks like he bent over backward trying to make it work, but she missed a lot of school, and he was charged with neglect of a minor."

"Do you have an address?"

"There is none. He's had a PO box for over a year."

"What about the daughter?"

"Jody currently resides in foster care. I'm sending you the file now."

Wade didn't bother posing the most recent victim and it was more brutal than the other ones which means it's more personal. Her name is Lynn Clemons, the foster mother of Jody Hatchett. She's in the process of being adopted so he must have run out of time if he killed her foster parent.

If you're going to get Wade, you have to get to Jody before he does. Your team heads over there just as she gets home from school.

"Hey, Jody," you smile.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Y/N."

"Where's Mrs. Clemons?"

"I'll tell you inside, okay? Come on." You bring her inside where the rest of your team is waiting for her. "It's okay, we're here to help."

"What's going on?"

"We're helping the police, and we're trying to find your dad. Do you know where he is?"

"No."

The hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you walk to the window facing the front yard. You pull back the curtain and see a semi-truck parked across the street. Nancy is sitting behind the wheel with a terrified look on her face. You can see a gun poking out from the sleeper which is why she's so terrified.

"He's here," you say and look at Hotch. Emily makes an excuse that she's thirsty so Jody takes her to the kitchen to grab something to drink. "Hotch, I think it's a good idea to let Jody talk to him. She might be able to get him to release Nancy without hurting her. We can tap into the CB radio. They all use the same channel."

Hotch agrees and sets up the entire line of communication. You bring Jody to the couch so she can talk to her dad using the radio. You don't want her to see him just yet.

"Here you go, sweetheart." You hand her the handheld radio. Your dad's out there. Listen, we need you to get your dad to let that woman go. Do you understand?"

"Yeah." She puts the radio to her mouth. "Daddy? Daddy, are you there?"

His head pops out from behind the dark curtain and looks at the house.

"Hi, baby."

"You need to tell me the rest of the story."

"Well, the lonely king and the queen are at the castle."

He's talking about himself and Nancy. Maybe he was lonely this entire time.

"To pick up the princess?" she smiles.

Herself.

"Well, the guards are in the way."

You and your team are the guards.

"Will you let the queen talk to them?"

"They won't listen."

"I want to see her. Will you let her go so she can hold me? You said that she's perfect, that she's the one. She wants to live in the big castle with me."

"I need to see you."

Hotch nods to you so you bring Jody to the window. Derek opens the curtains so he can see his daughter.

"Hi, Daddy!" she smiles and looks at Nancy.

"Hi, princess."

"She's so pretty, Daddy!" Wade knows there is no getting out of this and he isn't about to make a scene in front of his daughter. He says something to Nancy and she wretches the front door open. She runs out of the truck and toward the house. Derek meets her outside and brings her inside so she's away from Wade and his gun. "Now the king won't be lonely anymore."

"No, and they're gonna live happily ever after."

"Why aren't you coming, too, Daddy?"

"You did a great job, Jody," you whisper to her.

"Are you going to the better place?"

"What?" Your eyes widen.

"Yeah. We're both going to a better place, princess. Close your little eyes, sweet pea."

Derek runs out of the house toward the semi knowing what Wade is going to do to himself. You grab Jody and immediately turn her into you so she doesn't see her dad shooting himself. Derek doesn't make it and Wade is dead. Nancy is going to be okay and that's the most important thing even though it breaks your heart a bit to know that Jody won't have her father anymore.

Once you're back in Virginia, your parents agreed to come down and hang with you, JJ, Emily, and Penelope. JJ couldn't get a babysitter so she brought Henry with her. None of the girls are able to stay long but you wanted them to meet your parents, at least.

"Thanks for coming with me. I know you can't stay long but I wanted you to meet my parents. I hope you like them. Spencer doesn't. It's why he's not here. That and my dad seems to hate him."

"I'm sure they're wonderful," JJ smiles.

"Y/N!"

You turn to your parents who are outside the restaurant they reserved. The girls won't be joining you but you'd love to have dinner with your parents. Penelope and Emily stiffen up when they see your dad. You feel their hesitation from behind you which is weird because everyone loves your parents. Spencer would if your dad treated him right.

"Dad! Mom! I'd like you to meet some of my friends. JJ, Emily, and Penelope, I'd like you to meet my parents Joey and Julie."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," JJ says with a tight-lipped smile.

Your mom leans closer to JJ and sees her son looking up at her with curious eyes. She coos and leans in even closer, causing JJ to shuffle backward uncomfortably.

"Oh, is he your son?" your mom gasps.

"Yeah, his name is Henry. My boyfriend is at work and couldn't watch him."

You're not sure why but you're getting waves of uncomfortableness and uneasiness.

"May I hold him?" she asks.

"You know what, it's past his bedtime. I should get going. It was nice to meet you," JJ chuckles.

That was a fake chuckle and you frown at her.

"Yeah, you know what, I have to go. I promised Emily I'd help her with her dating profile."

That was a lie. What is going on? You're not going to put them on the spot by calling them out. You'll talk to them tomorrow about it.

"Oh, okay. It's nice to meet you, all," your dad smiles.

All three girls part from the group leaving you alone with your parents. Your dad slings an arm around your shoulder and pulls you close to him. He kisses the top of your head affectionately with a smile.

"I'm glad you're here with us."

If he's so glad, why do you feel anger coming off him in waves?

"The family is a haven in a heartless world." - Christopher Lasch

x

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[locke-esque-monster]

For all that "Criss Angel is a Douche Bag" is not the best episode of Supernatural, it is an interesting one. The bleak moral implications of the ending aside, the juxtaposition between Sam's and Dean's views is so worth digging into.

Because first you have Sam, who now that he's embraced he's a hunter now, doesn't necessarily want to do this forever. And he's got sort of a idealized version of it, that if he can get the worst of the evil taken out (Lilith) maybe he could go back to a more normal life. It's so John-coded. That they both only enter the life because of a tragedy and revenge, when they were perfectly happy living a regular life prior to that. And once their version of the mission is over, they have this dream they could just settle down and be normal. They're either intensely in the life (no friends, no settling anywhere too long like how John passed onto Sam and Sam onto Goul!Adam in 4x19), or intensely not in the life (Stanford!Sam) and there's literally no middle ground. No flexibility. For all that Sam has shades of gray when it comes to people/monsters, it shows how much he's like John with how how he structures his hunting life. And to a degree, how sheltered he is to think in way compared to Dean.

Because Dean isn't so idealized to think that hunting is something you can stop. He's watched revenge tear John and Sam apart. And while he wants revenge, he internalized that if there's evil to fight and people he could save, then they should be out there, more than John or Sam did. (Maybe because of the hurt he experienced as losing Mary and losing OG John, and he never wants anyone else to go through that.) That it's a fairy tale to think that taking out the big bad means that hunting is over. It's unclear if Sam thinks that taking Lilith down will be such a big blow that hunting won't be as necessary (because they'll be few enough monsters per remaining hunters that they could hunt little to not at all). Or if his personal responsibility to hunting will be over, and other hunters are out there to save people, but that's no longer his problem. But Dean is not so naïve to think that he could fully settle down knowing there's people dying that he could save. Or that he is he stays in the life he's not going to be hands on and reckless (or at least with low enough value of his own life over others) that it won't eventually get him killed (again). It's such disconnect between Sam's optimism and Dean's pessimism towards hunting. And it's interesting in the context of how the rest of the series goes with that mindset in mind, even chipping away at it slightly at times. That Dean tries to settle with a woman that knows about hunting so he can keep her safe openly. While Sam does settle down again with Amelia and treats hunting as an old part of his life he'll never address again, like Jess all over again, but goes back when Dean returns without a tragic revenge story. That Dean is willing to settle down in the bunker, because if you're going to hunt you take the joys in life where you can, nice kitchen, having a room full of creature comforts (also not surprising when Dean had to take his joys where he could get them when he never had the childhood Sam had). And Sam does settle in the bunker, but because his dial is stuck on either a hunting/not hunting setting, he never decorates his room, like he can't quite settle in and accept this is home and permanent.

Now a good ending to SPN would have fully contradicted Dean's statement in this episode about expecting to die young because there's no happy future growing old. And contradicted Sam's dread at ending up old and alone like Jay if he stayed in the life (because you can't tell me blurry wife and Dean jr is all the companionship Sam needs). But that's a whole different "tripping at the finish line" kind of conversation about the finale.