#too lucid to sleep more but too tired to get up

[lesenbyan]

I am trying so hard to sleep so much but it's not workingggg

[leighsartworks216]

For A Cuddle?

Astarion x gn!Tav/Reader

Wrote this this morning bc the brainrot is real

Warnings: mentions of dried blood, referenced blood drinking and hunting

Word Count: 535

Masterlist

AO3

You're so tired. Your eyelids droop, almost fluttering shut, before you blink them open once more. It's late at night. You haven't slept at all. You certainly could, if you allowed yourself to give in to the warm embrace of dreams. But you didn't.

Astarion went out to hunt a while ago, and hasn't come back yet. This was completely normal. Sometimes he'd be out all night and only come back in the wee hours of the morning. Other times he was gone for just a few hours. You don't recall when exactly he left - so you can't really tell if it's been a couple hours or several. All you know is you feel wrong laying in your bedroll without him. There is an emptiness that could only be filled by him.

You were so tired - you didn't need him to be there to sleep. You could sleep now. And tomorrow you could ask him to lay with you until you fell asleep, before he goes hunting. But tomorrow was so far away. You wanted him beside you now.

"Still awake, darling?" Had you been more lucid, his voice would have startled you. He'd have laughed and remarked on your lackluster performance as a lookout. "I thought you'd be asleep by now."

You hummed noncommittally, rolling over toward the sound of his voice. He was kneeling by your bedroll. It was extremely reminiscent of the time he tried to sneak a bite. Now you freely allowed him a drink whenever he wanted it. "S'waiting for you," you murmur. He almost can't make out the words.

"Why is that?" he asks softly. His voice is so nice... His hand brushes through your hair. "Why did you stay up, my dear?"

"Lay with me?" It's almost a whimper. A plea.

He huffs a laugh. "You stayed up for a cuddle?"

You nod, leaning into his fingers as they gently detangle knots and massage your scalp. "Please?"

He doesn't say anything for a moment. He watches you force your eyes open repeatedly, trying to keep them trained on his face even as exhaustion blurred his features into a pale blob. Every time he runs his fingers from the crown of your head to the nape of your neck, they fall shut just a little longer. When he's quiet for too long, lost in studying your face, you make a sort of whining noise and reach clumsily for him. His cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

"Calm down, love, I'll stay."

You watch as best you can as he shuffles to lay down beside you. Before he can get fully comfortable, you're pressing your face into his neck and wrapping your arms around him. You don't complain when he continues to shift and get settled in. Once he does, however, he can feel your body fall slack in his arms. Your breath evens out against his neck; your heart slows to a steady thrum.

He presses a kiss to your head. Your hair is greasy, with flecks of dried blood scattered throughout, and you didn't smell too pleasant either. But you were soft and warm, and he couldn't find it in himself to care otherwise.

"Sweet dreams, my love."

[suashii]

꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ 𝒮𝒜𝐹𝐸𝒯𝒴 𝒩𝐸𝒯

info ⭑ suna rintaro x reader. 1.3k wc. sfw ﾉ fluff ﾉ spider-man!suna 

note ⭑ i cannot stop thinking about spider!suna !! possibly expect a few more drabbles in this au :3��

you’re toeing the line between wakefulness and slumber; about to slip into dreamland but lucid enough to hear the tick… tick… tick… of the alarm clock situated on your beside table. the rhythmic sound begins to grow distant the deeper into the sleep you fall.

and before you actually drift off, you’re jolted awake by a noisy bang! at your window. the sound rips a startled scream from your throat as you scramble to sit up. the comforter bunched up in your fists is held up to your face to shield you from whatever just slammed into your window. you peer over the top of your flimsy safeguard, hoping that the source of the jarring noise is long gone.

unfortunately for you, it isn’t. although, there’s no reason for you to be so nervous anymore.

you recognize the glimpse of black and white haphazardly swinging at the corner of your window. rubbing your tired eyes with a sigh, you toss your blanket aside and leave the warm comfort of your bed to approach the glass. 

you’re met with a groan of pain and some muffled swears when you reach your destination. your lips wobble, threatening to break out into a grin upon hearing the familiar voice.

the clicks of your window unlocking sound throughout the quiet of your room before you lift up the pane. a chilly draft enters the space and goosebumps raise on your arms almost immediately. you ignore the unpleasant sensation in favor of greeting your clumsy, untimely visitor. “did you seriously just swing straight into my window?”

regaining his balance, suna perches himself on the concrete lip of your window. with one hand by his feet to keep steady, he uses the other to snatch the black mask off his head. strands of dark hair stick up in different directions and it takes a moment for his grayish-yellow eyes to adjust to his normal vision outside the mask. when it finally does, he’s met your face, the corner of your lips twitching with a smile. somehow it makes him feel less embarrassed—but only a little. “i meant to land on the ledge but i came in too fast.”

“if you’re all this city has to rely on as a hero, we’re doomed.” you only mean it as a joke, you know that and so does suna, but he still feigns hurt at your comment, poking out his lip in a pout. he’s mastered the kicked puppy expression but you only offer him a sickeningly sweet smile in response. you jerk your thumb behind you as you take a few steps back to allow him some space. “come in, you’re making my room cold.”

he does as you say, climbing into your window much more gracefully than he had arrived. he closes it behind him as you scurry back to the warmth of your bed. you’re busy getting comfortable under your blanket when suna plops down beside you. you’d chastise him for lying on your bedding in his suit that’s been who knows where, but there’s something more pressing at the forefront of your mind.  “what brings you here so late? you’re not hurt or anything, are you?”

“would you kiss it better if i was?” he asks, his eyes flitting over to meet yours. his tone is entirely serious but it’s accompanied by a grin that tells you he’s trying to get a reaction out of you.

you’re tempted to shut him down, just so he isn’t allowed the satisfaction he’s so desperately seeking, but the more you consider his question, the more you think about his circumstances.

this role of superhero, protector, defender, was thrust on him without his say—against his will. the once normal college student who played volleyball and video games in his free time now risks his life every day so the people around him stay safe. he downplays the danger he faces and you try not to show that you worry for him but you do.

you don’t know what you’d do with yourself if he ended up hurt.

so, even if he came to you with some minor injury like a bruised cheek or a split lip or a sprained ankle, you’d do anything in your power to make him feel better—even if that remedy was a kiss.

rolling onto your side so you’re facing him, you prop your chin in the palm of your hand. suna’s gaze is still glued to you and you challenge it with a stare of your own. “you know what? i would.”

the curl of the corners of his lips falls upon hearing your unforeseen reply. a weird feeling overcomes him, too. he can feel his heart rate pick up and can hear the ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump of the organ in his ears. the closest he’s felt to this sensation before is when he’s soaring through the air evading villains and crooks. but those are real threats and you’re the farthest thing from it. you’re his safety net, there to catch him whenever he feels himself falling.

why is he falling now?

he blinks and clears his throat. “what?”

“i said i would kiss it better if you were hurt.” you proudly tell him, sporting the smile of someone who beat the master at their own game. it isn’t often you render suna speechless and a sense of satisfaction washes over you knowing that you were able to do so by simply saying something you meant.

it’s difficult to see him in the dark of your room but you do pick up on the way his fingers nervously tap at his stomach and how he’s mindlessly chewing on the inside of his cheek. he isn’t looking at you anymore, either. you wonder what’s going on in his head, what thoughts are swimming in his skull. outside of his joking, he tends to keep a lot to himself.

you suspect he’s doing that much now. between his uncharacteristic silence and the fact that he never told you why he dropped in, you think it might be something he isn’t quite ready to share yet. it’s not something you’ll ever hold against him and if you’re the comfort he seeks after a long day, you don’t want to ruin that by pushing him. so, instead of waiting for suna to speak up, you ask, “wanna stay the night?”

he turns his head to face you. “can i?”

“mhm,” you hum, nodding your head. “you left a bag here last time, there might be something you can wear to sleep in it.”

you point to the bag propped up in the corner of your room. his gaze follows your finger and lands on the drawstring pouch he’s been looking for since last week. he internally chuckles at himself—he should have known he could find it here, where else would it be?

suna pulls himself up from his reclined position to make his way across the room. though, partway through the process, a sharp pain shoots up his side. his hand shoots out to hold his aching ribs as he bites back a groan of complaint.

you quickly sit up with him. there’s concern painted all over your face. “what’s wrong?”

“nothing, it’s where i—” he stops in the middle of his explanation, remembering the humiliation that blanketed him earlier.

“hit the window?” you finish his sentence with a quiet laugh that you fail to hold back.

he nods in confirmation, dragging the palms of his hands over his face in a show of bashfulness. it’s cute and so unlike suna. you can’t help but want to tease him just a little more.

“aw, don’t be embarrassed. want me to kiss it better?”

hiya, it's manon! thank you for giving this a read! if you enjoyed, please consider reblogging and/or leaving a comment! much love from me to you ❤︎

[sopiao]

ghost with a pregnant!wife!reader with late night/general cravings :P

sending him to the nearest convenience store late at night started to become a regular thing a couple months after you two found out your pregnant.

Cravings start pretty early on but their more mild, craving and wanting food at random times of the day or having certain snacks on your mind for hours whenever it’s mentioned. But on the second trimester is when it gets really bad, odd foods or combinations start to taste amazing, the cravings and need for certain foods gets so strong it feels like your starving even after a full meal.

But your husband already knows how to deal with you, knows how to talk to you and calm you down in any state of mind. He was especially attentive and sensitive when you both found out about the baby.

Always scratching your back whenever you need him too. Keeping up with his research and looking up every little detail or notice. If you mention that your feet hurt or that you woke up in the middle of the night. He’ll spend the next hour surfing the internet to see if it’s something that’s bothering you or the baby.

He’ll sing it hum to your bump (only when your asleep), caressing the round with his scarred hands, sometimes even holding normal conversations about his day even though the baby can’t answer back.

Simon already can’t get much sleep with his insomnia or late nights that he’s up working. But when you wake him up in the middle of the night to tell him that you’re hungry. He immediately sits up, still a bit tired and lucid, but is more than willing to drive you to Sonic to get you whatever you want, or to the nearest gas station or 7-11 to buy you your snacks.

He’d still be half away when he’s standing in the aisle with you. Slightly swaying side to side, still in his pajamas which is just a black tank and black sweats. Watching you, still wearing his sleep shirt, happily fill your arms with snacks and drinks.

Simon still keeps his.

—

“Love, seriously?” Simon walked into your and his shared bedroom, holding a plastic bag of food you asked him to buy. The small confused smile on his face when he sees you sitting in the middle of the bed, watching your favorite show.

“What? You know I get snacky sometimes” You shrug, wearing one of his favorite band shirts that he loves to see you in, as you watch him walk up to the bed and set the bag in front of you. Sitting at your side with his hand on your stomach, pecking your cheek.

“Chocolate and strawberries are fine. But watermelon and salt? You don’t think that’s a little odd?” Your husband chuckled, sitting behind you in a way that your sitting between his legs and you can rest your back on his chest. Rolling your eyes, rummaging through the bag.

“I’m carrying the baby here. Don’t question the baby’s needs” You try to shush his sass by loosely laying your hand over his mouth. He chuckles full of adoration, holding your hand as he watches you snack away. Wrapping his strong arms around you, mainly your bump, likes to think that he’s protecting both you and the baby when he does this.

—

There were many nights that he woke up, sleepily searching for your figure in the bed with his arm. But when he can’t feel for you he sits up and opens his eyes to find your spot of the bed empty. And the door open with the hallway and kitchen lights on.

“Hun? What are you doing up?” He grumbles, rubbing his face to try and wake himself up, leaning against the door frame. His heart drops when he sees you turn around with a knife. He strides over and swiftly but gently removes the knife from your hand.

“I got hungry and I didn’t wanna wake you” By the sound of your voice he can tell that you’ve been up for a while and is wide awake.

Yes, you are often clumsy, but not that clumsy. Ever since the bump started to become more pronounced he was more protective of you from counter tops, shark objects, or anything blunt.

“Love, I don’t mind helping you with anything, especially now. You won’t bother me by asking” He explained in a tone that was slightly scolding but still very loving and soft, feeling so lucky that he was like this to you, it was so different than how he is with others or at work.

Simon later finds out that you just needed to cut your sandwich in triangles. For some reason it just taste better for you.

—

He never once complained or thought negatively about how much you eat. Simon is absolutely in love with the thought of getting to hold a chubby baby on his inked arm. How chubby the little arms and fingers are. Being able to squish the chub of the cheeks and the roundness of the tummy.

Loves to think that every time you eat and indulge in your weird snacks, that the baby will grow more stronger and healthier. And if your happy, the baby is happy.

Simon even remembers which of your unusual food combos and snacks is your favorite to pack in your hospital bag.

[pacifymebby]

God i just had the worst dream experience with both a sleep paralysis and a lucid nightmare right after! This is a totally self indulgent ask, as i am seeking comfort in your writings rather than in someone i know, so i don't mind you not answering it! Could i request PB boys (any of them you are good with, really) reaction to a s/o who had a similar experience and is lowkey scared to sleep again (totally not me.)? Take care, and stay healthy! Thank you!

Oh angel I just wanna give you a hug!!! sleep paralysis is the worst and I totally understand you not wanting to go back to sleep again after that!!! I'm sorry I didn't answer this right away I've been pretty under the weather and not really writing or doing much for like two weeks. But I hope you can find some comfort in this anyway!

Tommy

🌿 Is familiar with traumatic nightmares, he often has ptsd flashback nightmares to his time in the tunnels, horrid nightmares which leave him shaken and haunted... for himself he has rules for coping, he tells himself to ignore them, to swallow down the fear and rise above it. He expects himself to be a man who just gets on with things.

🌿 However when it comes to you those rules go out of the window. Tommy hates to see you upset for whatever reason and when he wakes to find you tossing and turning, crying in your sleep, he can't stand to just leave you.

🌿 So he wakes you as gently as possible, he lies down nice and close to you, his warm breath on your cheek as he holds your shoulder gently and whispers your name in your ear. "Y/n, y/n angel wake up for me now eh, time to wake up..." he's being ever so soft, knowing that you're going to wake up scared anyway, not wanting to make it worse.

🌿 When you wake with a sudden fright his arms lock around you and he bundles you up straight away, he doesn't give you time to be afraid because he's wrapped you up and cradled you to his chest, your body pressed against his as he strokes your hair and kisses your head.

🌿 "S'alright now angel I've got you, you're safe y/n, was just a dream love, just a dream..." he'd hush you with his soothing words, press a long firm kiss to your forehead and wait for you to calm down a little. When he feels your shaking subdued a little he pulls away, strokes your cheek with his fingers and looks down at you.

🌿 He's trying to read your mind, trying to work out what your dream was about, trying to work out what you need from him in that moment. But you just nuzzle back into him, trying to hide away because you're a little embarrassed to have been so scared by your dream...

🌿 Tommy however won't let you be brave, thats his job, it isn't yours. So he pulls away again, caresses your cheek with his knuckles and then brushes your hair from your eyes and looks into them once more.

🌿 "Talk to me love, tell me all about it..." "It really wasn't that bad Tommy just gave me a..." "Hush now angel," he sounds tired and like he's all too familiar with this part of the conversation, "tell me all about it love, I wanna know... don't need to be embarrassed with me eh, not with your Tom..."

🌿 So you do as he tells you and you tell him all about it, voice trembling because thinking about it again is making you relive some of the fear. But Tommy is there for you the whole time, laying soft little kisses on you, your cheeks, your hair, on your nose.

🌿 You can't deny how safe and treasured he makes you feel, how warm you feel when you're all wrapped up in his arms. He offers you all the reassurance that you need.

🌿 "Was just a dream sweetheart, I'm here now eh, I've got you, I'll look after you, keep you safe, you're alright now my love..."

🌿 You're too scared to go back to sleep however and although Tommy is tired he doesn't want to leave you fearful and alone in the dark, so he props the two of you up and turns the lamp on. He reaches for his spectacles, (those wee specs are so cute man!) and the book on the bedside table, its your favourite and he keeps it there specifically for occasions such as this...

🌿 and then, with you resting against his chest, one arm wrapped around you, holding you safe and secure, he starts to read to you. His voice is soft and gentle but sleepy too and the lethargy in his voice as he reads to you is enough to lull you gently back to sleep.

🌿 In the morning you wake up in the same position, the book abandoned on the quilt next to Tommys limp hand, he's still sleeping, his spectacles balanced on his nose. So you wake him with a little kiss as you remove them and place them on the bedside table, then the two of you curl up together beneath the covers and go back to sleep.

Alfie

🐻 I don't know why right, but I can't imagine that Alfie really gets horrible dreams, which is odd considering all the horrific things he's seen and done. I also just don't really think he gets scared the same way "normal" people get scared... The only person I think he really fears is Tommy Shelby and if he was dreaming about him well, he's not going to admit to that is he...

🐻 Anyway, just because Alfie doesn't really get bad dreams doesn't mean he isn't going to be there for you when you wake up frightened in the night. At first you're hesitant to wake him... your Alfie isn't scared of anything, he's so strong and fearless and you think that he'll think less of you for being scared...

🐻 So at first you just let him sleep, you sit there knees hugged to your chest in the bed, shivering right next to him as he sleeps. You don't want him to wake up and find you crying but at the same time all you want is one of his bear hugs..

🐻 And when you finally give in you only have to say his name once, your little whimper of fear, and he's wide awake, pushing himself up, looking around the room, reaching for the gun he keeps in his bedside table because he thinks something terrible has happened...

🐻 But when he asks you what's the matter and you shrink away, apologising saying "had a bad dream..." he places the gun down carefully and turns to you with the softest expression.

🐻 He'd let out a long dramatic sigh and open his arms up for you, rolling his eyes, teasing you but not teasing you too much. Just enough to leave a shy smile on your lips as he welcomes you into his loving embrace. He just wants to hold you tight and offer you all the comfort in the world.

🐻 "Now then Ziskeit, just what kind of bad are we talkin about here yeah? Paint me a picture... are we talking teeny tiny, just a little bit spooky bad, or are we talking real dark, horrifying, enough to make even the coldest, meanest man shiver..." and you'd giggle and look up at him with a cheeky smile, already feeling better just for being in his arms, "but nothing scares you Alfie.."

🐻 He'd chuckle and then and shake his head, squeeze your cheeks between his thumb and forefinger affectionately. "That true is it poppet?"

🐻 Even if you don't want to talk about it Alfie is going to coax the whole terrifying tale from you so that he can pick it apart until it's no longer scary at all. He'll point out all the discrepancies and will constantly interrupt you with things like, "Oh so you were all alone were you well... you definitely don't need to worry about that do you cause me yeah, mean, paranoid old brute that I am yeah, I don't never let you out my sight do I...so you know this dream ain't ever gonna come true just for that reason alone don't you ziskeit..."

🐻 Whatever evil was chasing you and threatening you in that dream Alfie is not going to let you fear it and when you tell him about the sleep paralysis he really feels for you, and gets really serious.

🐻 "Now you listen very carefully to me now little ziskeit, very carefully yeah... close your eyes and listen carefully and then lock what I have to say to you somewhere away in that pretty little head of yours, somewhere you won't ever lose it or forget it, somewhere you can find it even when you're sleepin right... Whenever you're asleep I'm right beside you yeah, always right here with you watchin over you like the ugliest guardian angel you ever did see right... and I ain't never, never ever yeah, never gonna let anyone hurt you, never let any harm come your way... whenever I'm around you're safe and listen to me now my sweet girl, I'm always, always gonna be around yeah?"

🐻 He will ask you what he just said, so that you have to say it back to him, "whenever I'm sleepin you're always watchin over me and you're never gonna leave me on me own.." you're pretty shy about saying it back but until Alfie is certain you understand and won't ever forget it, he's gonna keep you there, his hand holding your cheek to keep you looking up at him, making you repeat it until he's certain you believe him.

🐻 The added effect that this brings out your shy smile is just a bonus to him.

🐻 He will very begrudgingly invite Cyril up onto the bed to rest his head in your lap and then he'll remind you that although Cyril might be old and soft, he makes a very fierce guard dog and he loves you very much so you can be sure he'll always protect you too.

🐻 Alfie will make you feel so safe and secure. If you're scared to sleep he'll sit up with you, stroking his hand through your hair, telling you all the reassuring things he can think, his voice meandering through that strange tangle of thoughts in his fathomless mind, soothing you to sleep so slowly you don't even realise you're drifting off until you've woken up the next morning cuddled up in his arms.

Arthur

🍂 Gets fucking horrid awful terrifying nightmares and usually it's you soothing him, cradling his head to your chest as you tangle your fingers in his hair and whisper soothing things to him about how you love him, how he's safe, how you've got him and it's all alright now...

🍂 And Arthur has always felt s little bad for that, a little like it makes him less of a man that you're always having to sooth and look after him. Even if you do reassure him that when someone's been through the horrors he survived nightmares are normal and they don't make you any less of a man for being scared to sleep...

🍂 Anyway, when you awake with a start, waking both yourself and him up with your scream, your hand clutched over your mouth as you flinch awake sat bolt upright in the bed, heart racing because you'd been trying to scream all throughout your dream and found yourself unable to make a sound...

🍂 Arthur is torn because first things first, he's worried about you, he's never seen you look so frightened and you really don't look well but...

🍂 He's also a little nervous because this is his bog opportunity to look after you for a change, his time to comfort you and be the strong and brave one in a time of crisis... he wants to be perfect doesn't want to let you down.

🍂 so at first he's a little clumsy, a little anxious when he reaches out to you... your scream set his own adrenaline soaring and he can't deny that he's struggling to calm his own fight or flight response down too...

🍂 But he reaches for your hand across the mattress, tries to keep his voice soft and low... it comes out gravelly and thick with sleep but it will have to do... "Y/n sweetheart.." he starts to say but when his hand brushes yours you flinch and turn to him with wide terrified eyes as if you're not sure you're really out of the nightmare yet.

🍂 "S'only me my darlin, shh girl it's only me you're alright love it's just me an you yeah, you're safe, at home, tucked up in your bed with your Arthur eh?" He's copying you almost word for word, these are the words you always say to him when he wakes from a nightmare in the dark and believes for a second he's still in the tunnels under France.

🍂 "Oh...oh my god Arthur I'm.." you'd start but before you can get your words out a sob would surprise you and you'd burst into tears throwing your arms around him. He'd be stunned at first, struggling to move for all of a second as he processes what you're doing and remembers what he needs to do next. Then he closes his arms around you and squeezes you tight against his chest.

🍂 "There there sweetheart, it's alright my darlin was just a bad dream eh, nothin can hurt you now cause I'm here yeah, ain't no monster or ghost that ain't scared of Arthur Shelby eh love?"

🍂 He won't need to ask you what the dream was about because you're always your most fierce and most vulnerable with Arthur, it's how you've managed to get him to open up to you. By sharing everything with him. So in your terrified and sobbing sorry state you'd spill everything to him, telling him all about the nightmare, about how you'd been trying to scream, how you were so scared and how you were trying so hard to scream but no sound was coming out and no one could hear you...

🍂 He'd listen to you with his serious face on but he would spare you the overbearing serious face then, instead choosing to kiss your cheek and offer you a little smile as he sighs, "Well my darlin I certainly heard you just then... reckon you woke the whole farm up with that one love," he'd kiss you again, bury his face in your neck and kiss you there too, his beard tickling your skin, his playful interlude painting a smile on your teary face.

🍂 And when he sees you smiling he's so so proud of himself because that means he must be doing well, he must be cheering you up and comforting you the way you always manage to help him.

🍂 He might... might try that other thing you do for him when he's wound up and he needs a distraction after a bad dream... if you seem like you're not really settling down, if you seem like you're still thinking about your dream...

🍂 He'll kiss you again, and shift you in his arms so that your sitting between his legs, leaning back against his chest, your head resting in the crook of his neck as he kisses your cheek and wraps his arms around you... he's still whispering about how you don't need to be scared, was just a dream, he's gonna look after you now... and as he's talking he trails his hands down your body, dips his head to trail kisses over your neck and your shoulder so that your eyes flutter shut and a little sigh escapes you...

🍂 He'll let his hands distract you from your bad dream whilst he mumbles in your ear all those comforting things, bringing you to a rather comforting high whilst he tells you, "I've got you my darlin, your Arthur's got you eh, don't need to be scared my sweetheart I'll look after you..."

John

🌼 Not a fan of seeing his girl upset, not a fan of seeing her scared... and he isn't exactly used to it either because you're always putting on the fierce and brave mammy act in front of the kids. Always claiming that nothing scares you so that your little ones won't be scared.

🌼 And when you wake up after a bad dream and you shake him awake, he's a little grumpy because he doesn't like being woken up in the middle of the night. He's also suddenly very worried because you sound scared and that could mean something awful has happened, the family could be under attack...

🌼 So when he shoots up and grabs the gun he keeps under the bed, his sudden movement only scares you more and you stifle a shriek as you scramble back and hit your back on the headboard.

🌼 "Shh love, what is it tell me what the matter is, what did you wake me for eh theres no one here?" he frowns turning around, his expression a little harsher than it really should be, he's definitely a little disgruntled about having been woken up in the middle of the night - even though he's used to midnight disturbances when the kids have bad dreams.

🌼 "Sorry John, shit sorry its nothin no ones here don't worry go back to sleep..." you'd sigh trying to shake your own fear off and pull yourself together. But he's still grumbling and, in truth, a little concerned because you look all twitchy and nervous like a frightened rabbit. "Right well flower, if there ain't no one here p'rhaps you'd like to tell me what you woke me up for eh?" he's talking to you like you're in trouble but the look in his eyes is that of amusement, teasing... so you know you're not.

🌼 You admit it eventually, blushing when you tell him that you had a nightmare, playing down how scared you were because you like to be brave. And because you play it down John teases you about it, grinning and making a joke at your expense all, "and here I thought you were a brave and fierce mammy who isn't scared of anyone or anything... now all of a sudden you're waking me up in the middle of the night over a little bad dream..." he spider walks his fingers up your arm to tickle you just under your chin, expecting you to smile and laugh but you don't.

🌼 because your nightmare was actually terrifying and now you're upset he's not taking you seriously. So you pout, and tears well up in your eyes and John frowns in confusion, he doesn't understand why you aren't laughing with him, "eh eh what's the matter flower, what's that face for eh? You know am only messing with you love, y'can wake me up whenever you like..."

🌼 And it's his sudden softness which sees you burst into tears, you feel so silly for it but you can't help it and all of a sudden you're crying to him about your horrifying nightmare, "it was the kids John, they got the kids an, an you an, I was trying to save em but I couldn't get to em and and..." He'll cut you off before you can work yourself up into a state over the dream, shushing you so that you don't wake the littlens up, his finger to your lips as he leans in to kiss your cheek.

🌼 He'll put his gun down under the bed back where it belongs and then he'll climb back into bed, sitting up against the headboard and putting his arm around you. He'll coax you into a hug and say he's sorry for teasing you. "That sounds like a 'orrible dream love," his voice is all husky where he's tired and trying to speak softly to you.

🌼 Holds you close to his side and strokes your cheek, kisses your hair and then cups your face in his hand so that you'll look up at him. Uses your tears to draw "war" paint on your face, grinning down at you like a child, "there y'are fuckin beautiful.." When you try to squirm away and wipe your tears away yourself he grumbles at you for ruining his work, "eh come back love come back am not finished, I was gonna give you a moustache next... a biggen like our Arthurs!"

🌼 He will keep at it until you're smiling and giggling with him, the two of you forgetting yourselves in your sudden playful mood so that your giggles wake the kids up and John finds himself being disturbed for the second time that evening.

🌼 Katie is stood at the foot of the bed, her eyes wide as she tells him she got scared by a noise, "heard someone screaming..." she whispers all frightened until you open your arms up and try to go back to playing the fearless mammy once more.

🌼 But Johns got other ideas and he cuts you off before you can tell Katie that it was just you and her dad being stupid... "That was y/n princess, she had a bad dream and it scared her..." "But y/n ain't scared of anything!" gasps Katie, "you weren't really scared were you y/n?"

🌼 and even though you go to shake your head and tell her that her dads being a rotter, telling tales again John interrupts again pulling Katie up into his lap, deciding that quarter past 3 in the morning is prime time for valuable life lessons with dad...

🌼 "She was Kitty, she was really scared weren't you y/n, cause everyone gets scared every now and again don't they... its good to get scared sometimes love, cause if you're never scared then you never get to be brave do ye..." and suddenly you're realising that this little life lesson he's teaching Katie, is really for you... because he knows you feel embarrassed and silly for getting scared of a bad dream, and he doesn't think you should. "An y'know the scarier the dream the more brave you've gotta be..." "Was your dream really really scary y/n?" Katie's looking at you now, her hands to her cheeks, her eyes all wide in awe of you when you nod your head and say "uhuh, pretty scary yeah..." You're blushing a bit but Johns really pleased and proud of you for being honest with her.

🌼 "So y/n's really really brave then?" asks Katie looking back at her dad who just grins and lets her scramble into your arms to hug you tightly... "Yeah princess, y/n's the bravest mammy in the world..."

🌼 You feel much better having one of the littleuns all cosy in your arms and with Katie tucked up between you and her dad, his arm draped over the two of you all snug and protective you're able to go back to sleep feeling safe and warm.

Bonnie

🍀 Bonnie is generally quite a heavy sleeper once he's awake, its because he's so relaxed about everything, once he really drifts off he's hard to wake up

🍀 however, because generally he sleeps spooning you or with you resting on top of him, his arms wrapped around you, he will stir whenever you stir and often you waking up is enough to wake him up too.

🍀 Which means when you start crying and tossing and turning in your sleep, getting more and more upset, he'd start comforting you and shushing you in his sleep. Both of you still lost to your own separate dreams, his much calmer than yours.

🍀 His arms would tighten their grip around you and he'd nuzzle into you, "shhh little dove, shh," his voice leaking into your nightmare somehow soothing you as you struggle to wake up.

🍀 So when you do wake up, even though it was his comforting words which were guiding you out of your nightmare, he's still sleeping peacefully, his face nuzzled into your neck, his lips mumbling against you. He even presses a little kiss to your skin and for a second you wonder if he's woken up, but he isn't and you realise he's still asleep when his words trail off and stop making sense.

🍀 So you try to lie there very still, try to shut your eyes and go back to sleep, you don't want to ruin his sleep because he really needs to be well rested for his boxing, and you wouldn't want him to be tired when he's doing Blinder work. If something happened to him then you'd blame yourself forever... and actually thats what the dream had been about so you start spiralling...

🍀 You'd get so lost in your catastrophising thoughts, imagining what would happen if he died, how heartbroken you'd be, you're so lost in the thought, already grieving the boy who is perfectly fine, tucked up in bed next to you, that you don't realise you've started to cry, that you've started sniffling and sobbing and that your shaking has woken him up.

🍀 "Little dove what's the matter sweet pea?" he asks, his arms tightening around you as you try to pull away from him and wipe your eyes dry. He'd hold onto you tightly, kissing your cheek, propping himself up on his elbow so that you'd sink closer into his side, lying on your back looking up at him. He'd look down at you with concern in his eyes, his serious expression tugging his brows together.

🍀 He'd catch one of your tears with his thumb and stroke it away, and when you tried to shy away from him, when you tried to roll into him and hide your face against his chest he'd catch you before you could, his hand on your shoulder holding you back, pushing you gently back down into the mattress.

🍀 "Asked you a question little dove," he'd say with a cheeky smile, "cmon sweetheart tell me what's wrong eh, you look sad..." He strokes your shoulder with his hand and then when you sniffle and a bigger sob escapes you he give in, bundles you up in his arms and lets you bury your face in his chest so that you can have a big cry.

🍀 Strokes your hair and hushes you whilst you cry, kisses your head and lets it linger. He's got his serious face on because it's always a serious thing when his little dove is crying.

🍀 Sings you a little folk song thats always made you smile, his voice soft and low, you can hear the little smile in his voice as he sings and it soothes you, paints a little smile on your face too despite your tears and eventually you've calmed enough to tell him what's wrong.

🍀 You're not embarrassed to tell Bonnie about your bad dream, you don't feel the need to put on a brave face in front of him because he's always been so soft with you, always been your fierce protector, always had a way of making you feel small and safe, and not embarrassed to need him...

🍀 And as you talk to him and get sad all over again he listens quietly and scatters you in gentle brushing kisses, stroking your hair and using the corner of the covers to wipe your tears away.

🍀 He'd rest your head on his chest and slowly sink back down so that he's lying on his back head propped up on the pillows and you're leaning against him, him cradling your head to his chest with both hands.

🍀 "S'alright now little dove, m'here an m'gonna look after you yeah, always be here for you, always be safe cause I'll always be here t'protect you won't I?" he'll make you answer that question, he'll tilt your chin up with his fingers so that your gaze meets his when you say "uhuh."

🍀 If you're still too scared to sleep, he'll be very sleepy and his sleepiness will go some way to relaxing you, even if you're scared you'll have that heaviness in your eyes and his yawns will be contagious.

🍀 He'll sit up with you resting against his chest, he'll pull the covers right up and get you snug, and then he'll start whispering that little lullaby folk song to you again to sooth you, his voice sweet and low, a little husky where he's half asleep. And he'll keep singing to you until you're both drifting off together, he'll try to stay awake for as long as you, and he'll make you promise him you'll wake him up if you need him again.

🍀 "I mean it little dove, tell me what're you gonna do if you wake up scared again?" ".... I'll wake you up Bon..." "Promise?" "Promise." He'd kiss you on the forehead, "good girl," and then probably kiss you again, holding you close and snug and safe.

Isaiah

🐀 Does not take your nightmare seriously enough because he's stupid, a dumb man who thinks it's funny to tease his poor girl even when she's scared.

🐀 You wake up terrified, the dream you'd been having had been awful, it was a sleep paralysis one where you couldn't move and you were certain you were going to die... your hearts racing when you wake up and as you shoot bolt up right in bed your hands clasp over your mouth to stifle your scream.

🐀 Which wakes Isaiah up, and he's grumpy about that because he's a man who likes his sleep.

🐀 "What the fuck y/n what're y'doin its the middle of the bloody night..." he'd be mumbling and grumbling, one arm reaching out to try and coax you back down into bed.

🐀 But when you try to speak and a gasp comes out instead he sits up to get qa better look at you. You try to be brave, shaking your head, letting out a little breath, closing your eyes and saying "just a dream, just a bad dream everything's fine,"

🐀 And Isaiah hears you and snorts, can't hold back his stupid little laugh because he can't believe the boldest woman he knows is trying to calm herself down after a bad dream. He can't believe theres a dream you could have had that would scare you enough you'd need calming down.

🐀 "What's this love? Bad dream... surely you ain't scared by a bad dream?" he doesn't really mean it, he's smiling when he says it, grinning until you turn to him with tears in your eyes and he realises that actually you really are upset.

🐀 "Shit love you really are ain't ye... fuckin hell what happened? Did I break up with you or something?" You glare at him, your eyes watery with thick gloopy tears, you want to smack him, want to tell him you'll be the one breaking up with him in a minute if he's not careful, but you're too upset and your mind is still on that terrible dream so instead of hitting him or snapping back with a sharp joke of your own you just burst into tears instead.

🐀 "Shut up Isaiah you stupid prick!" you sob trying to be angry at him but instead being too upset. All you want is a hug and your stupid boyfriends sitting there chuckling at you... thinks this is funny!

🐀 But when you start really crying he stops laughing, or at least tries to because it isn't funny anymore... he just can't help himself, this time his chuckling and his stupid little joke is because he's nervous and trying to back track

🐀 "ah am sorry mousy come here eh love, come here have a cuddle eh you're alright am here..." and though you don't really want a cuddle off him now because he's laughed at you and humiliated you, you let him sit up and wrap his arms around you anyway. He cuddles you into his body and shifts you so that you're sitting in his lap.

🐀 He'd drape the covers around you both and rock you gently, "am sorry love, didn't mean to make you cry eh, didn't realise you were so upset yeah, not like you is it being bothered over a little dream.." "Wasn't just some dream Saiah it was fuckin horrid!" you sob, upsetting yourself more and getting annoyed with yourself for showing him this vulnerable side he doesn't usually get to see.

🐀 "Shhh, I know love, must have been fuckin horrid to scare you eh, usually the other way round..." he's teasing you again now because thats a lie, you're a brave girl, usually pretty fearless, but you certainly don't strike fear into other people. No ones scared of Isaiah's Mousy lass.

🐀 "Don't be stupid Saiah" you mumble nuzzling into him, letting him kiss you and dry your tears, his teasing settling you a little. "Nah it's true love, you don't need to be scared of anything cause you're the scariest lass in small heath, no ones ever gonna pick a fight with you..." he's trying to build your confidence up so that you'll believe in yourself a bit more, so that you'll start believing him and won't be scared anymore.

🐀 Does ask you what the dream was about but he's not sure he wants to know because if it was scary enough to scare you he worries it will scare him too and he won't be able to comfort you...

🐀 But when he asks you get all defensive and smirk at him, trying to joke despite your tears, "You broke up with me..." and though he laughs he still wants to know, "Aye well we know that ain't gonna happen any time soon eh mousy," he'd tease kissing your nose and then tricking you, flipping you over so he's hovering above you and he's got you pinned to the mattress in a tangle of covers, he's threatening to tickle you and you can't help but giggle and try to squirm away... "Gonna tell me what really scared you now eh love?"

🐀 So after a little more of this apparent play fight you finally tell him all about the dream and this time he doesn't laugh at you or tease you and instead he gets very serious. He lets himself fall back down into bed beside you and kisses the centre of your collar bones, resting his head on your chest so he can listen to your heart beating.

🐀 "Sounds fucked up love," he says looking up at you and pinching your chin between his thumb and forefinger, steering your gaze down to him, "but you don't need to be scared now right, cause your mans a peaky fuckin blinder eh, no ones gonna mess with us..." Then he'll tell you he won't ever let anything bad happen to you.

🐀 Kind of like Bonnie, Isaiah is a sleepy boy and he'd be struggling to stay awake for you, but he'll do his best. He'd probably spoon you, kissing your shoulders and stroking your hair out of your face, his strong arms wrapped around you, holding you nice and tight against him so that you know you're snug and secure.

🐀 Will either start aggressively flirting with you to distract you or make you laugh, or he'll keep making stupid little jokes to try and ease your mind, the jokes getting sillier and sillier the more tired he gets. He won't let you fall asleep sad though.

🐀 Probably use it as an excuse to get you to have a lie in with him the next morning, he'll be grafting for sleepy morning sex, any excuse to squeeze you a little closer to him.

🐀 Might tease you about your nightmare a few days later only to flinch away from the death glare you fix him with.

Michael

☘️ Michael has a lot of bad dreams, haunting memories from his childhood which he refuses to talk about though you recognise that fearful blank look in his eyes when he wakes in the middle of the night and has to light a cigarette to calm down.

☘️ So he's very sympathetic to your nightmares and he doesn't like the fact that he can't control your dreams, can't get into your head and stop you from ever having a nightmare ever again.

☘️ So when you have you nightmares and wake up crying and shaking, breathless with fear he wakes up like clockwork, working on autopilot. His lethargic sigh leaving him as he pushes himself up, eyes not even open yet when he reaches to bundle you up in his arms.

☘️ He'd have you bundled in his lap, his chin resting on top of your head so that you feel secure with his arm around you, all held snug in place. He'd reach for the cigarettes he keeps by his bed, taking a box of matches, still half asleep as he mumbles a little comfort to you.

☘️ "Alright love, you're alright now, I've got you, s'all alright now love..."

☘️ Because the two of you have this routine down and you know the motions by heart, you'd begun to calm the second you felt his arms around you, the second you heard that long sleepy sigh leave his lips. You know you're safe because he's there.

☘️ "Have a cigarette love, you'll feel better in a minute eh?" he says placing the cigarette between your lips, drying your tears with his sleeve as he does. He'd place one between his lips too and light yours then his. The two of you cuddled up together having your cigarettes and gazing at your quiet cosy bedroom.

☘️ "The same dream?" he'll ask and when you nod your head he feel a pang of sympathy for you because you've described it to him before and he knows if it was him he'd hate to be trapped in such an awful nightmare. "Wanna talk about it?" his questions are so calm and so simple, going through the motions of your shared routine, it's so familiar, so secure and you feel so much calmer knowing he's there with you.

☘️ Because you both have your bad dreams and you both struggle to sleep you have this thing where you keep your bedroom as safe and snug as you can. It isn't very big and theres nothing that could cast an unpleasant shadow in the night. You sleep with the window open just a little, on a high up enough floor that nothing, no one could ever get in. It's your little sanctuary and you both know you're safe there.

☘️ And thats what Michael will tell you whilst you smoke your cigarette. "See this bedroom love, this bedrooms our sanctuary right, so you know yeah, that you and me are safe and sound in here, s'just me and you and absolutely no one or nothin is ever gonna hurt you in here, it's just me and you love," he's tired but he holds back his yawn and kisses your temple, blows smoke out above your head.

☘️ With the warm glow of the lamp, the soft smouldering smell of cigarette smoke clouding around you, the sound of Michaels breathing beside yours, the feeling of his chin resting in your hair, his arm hold you close to his chest, you feel so safe and secure. You know he really means it when he says you're safe in that room, really believes it.

☘️ And if Michael really believes it then you believe it too. You'd close your eyes and nestle into his side, take a deep breath in and then a long sleepy sigh as he pulls the covers up over you, takes your cigarette end and stubs it out in the ash tray. Puts his out too and then slips down against the headboard, still holding you. Cradling your head against his chest.

☘️ "See," he'd yawn then, "safe and sound eh, just me an you, safe and sound..." he'd close his eyes and kiss your forehead, rest his cheek on top of your head and slowly the two of you would drift back off to sleep together sweet as you like.

Taglist (add yourself here)

@call-sign-shark @zablife@jomarch-wannabe @inalovesrabbits-blog @liliac-dreamer @elina-777 @impossibleheartflower @mollybegger-blog @itsghostgirlyo @babayaga67 @marwwfairy @toddlerbodybag

[underdark-dreams]

Not sure if anyone is still following this oneshot, but I ended up writing a second chapter. Turns out I couldn't stop thinking about giving them a happier ending. (Rated M now 👀)

Rolan x Fem!Tav (Unnamed)

Good Night For Company - ch. 2

Tags: Mild Angst, Sexual Content

Word Count: 4,794 [Read on AO3]

Rolan had spent many hours cursing his timidity that night. 

He’d lain sleepless at his camp as the sky lightened outside the Emerald Grove, replaying each moment in his mind. The look in her eye when she asked to kiss him—her hand tugging him toward her tent—the lovely way she collapsed against him when his lips found her soft neck.

He'd escaped the very fires of Avernus itself with his whole family miraculously alive and in tow. Yet confronted with the puzzle of her hands drawing him down to her bedroll, his mind had seized up in uncertainty. How much easier could she have made it for him?

Although, he allowed himself, he had made some sense that night. For one who daydreamed of her face as often as Rolan, the strain in her features was instantly noticeable by campfire light. Her eyes were heavy-lidded and shadowed with dark, tired circles. Even her skin seemed drained of its usual color. She needed a good night’s sleep more than anything.

But as they said their goodbyes that night outside his campsite, Rolan's hands still holding her shoulders, he could have sworn she wanted him just as badly as he did her.

Rolan shut his eyes with a groan—her face only swam behind his eyelids, that same invitation drawing him into her gaze. He pressed palms to his eye sockets until she burst apart into popping stars.

When he opened them, he was back in the torchlight of Last Light Inn and sitting in his grim new reality. There was empty silence on either side of him where Cal and Lia should have stood chattering.

Rolan dragged his tankard back towards him across the bar, until he peered down and saw the bottom.

"You two," he snapped at the little Tieflings behind the bar. The boys' conspiratorial giggles hushed immediately as they both looked at him. "Are you tending bar or not?" He waved his empty mug toward them.

"I don't know," Ide said, brows lowering in a skeptical line. Rolan tutted at him.

"It's not difficult. Bottle," he pointed at the open dry red behind the bar. "Cup," he continued, waving a hand in front of him. 

"Mistress Jaheira said not to over-pour," Umi piped up, clearly not knowing the term but understanding the sentiment behind it.

"Mistress Jaheira didn't save both your hides from the Shadow Curse, did she?" Rolan snapped. He badly needed another drink; unwelcome lucidity threatened to close in. "If it weren't for me, who knows whether you two would still be out there right now."

“Stop it, mister Rolan,” Ide insisted. Rolan was opening his mouth to chastise him before he caught sight of Umi’s lip trembling. 

The child was already a timid thing. Through the recent memories of too many kin lying on the road, Rolan recalled Asharak, the childrens’ fighting instructor from the Grove. He’d been cut down before their young eyes just days ago. Umi seemed especially affected by the loss. No doubt the man’s body still lay spread-eagle on the path up the hill; the urgency of survival had left no time to bury their dead.

Rolan gave a heavy sigh as he watched the child’s forlorn face. Yet again, he felt like a monster. “Go. I swear I’ll practice moderation. And if Jaheira asks, tell her I ordered you off.”

The two of them scampered away without a response, clearly eager to get away from Rolan at the first chance. If only he could escape his own unpleasant company just as easily. 

But that, Rolan reminded himself, was what all this wine was for. He lurched across the bar for the bottle and tipped the rest of its contents into his tankard. Its heat down his throat welcomed him back toward oblivion.

If he still lived, their errant paladin had everything to answer for. Whether he’d lost his senses to the curse or just lost his mind entirely, Rolan cursed Zevlor for the umpteenth time for fucking off with the cultists and landing him in this unwelcome position of authority. 

Rolan was no leader…at best a very, very uninspiring one. The yoke should have fallen to someone brave and selfless. Someone like broad-shouldered Ikaron. But Ikaron was now another empty body lying along the Risen Road, to be slowly consumed by the shadows.

Rolan knew he was no beacon of encouragement. He’d done his best to herd the other panicked survivors onward, however, using every last bit of evocation knowledge he had to keep them surrounded with light and flame.

He also knew it was sheer good fortune that saved them in the end. If they hadn’t found the sanctuary of Last Light Inn when they did, they’d all be shambling undead by now.

Yet somehow in the days since the ambush, he found all the children hovering around him with frightened eyes, asking him questions he barely knew the answers to himself. How were they going to save the ones who’d been taken by the cult?

Perhaps his unpleasant habit of ordering others about was finally coming around to bite him in the ass.

Nevertheless, Rolan felt vexed and inconvenienced by the unasked responsibility. Weren't his siblings enough of a weight on his shoulders already? Saving everyone would be a miracle; all he could privately hope for was Cal and Lia returned to him. 

If they’re still alive. Those were the thoughts that drove him to drink, and drink he did, tipping back the pewter vessel with abandon. In between bouts of liquor, however, Rolan’s mind was working as hard as it ever had. 

Cal and Lia would be at Moonrise Towers. No question. Moonrise was the headquarters of this insane Absolute cult, the one whose small patrol had butchered their numbers on the road. And a fortress of that size had to have a dungeon of some sort on the lower level. Why would they go through the trouble of taking them alive just to kill them? They must have plans for them all—ones Rolan tried not to imagine in detail.

He had to think of a way to slip through unnoticed—possibly by river, if the rumors he’d overheard from the Harpers were right. How far could he get on his own? Asking any of his fellows for help was out of the question. 

Rolan glanced across the common room at what pitiful few remained. Alfira sat near the open hearth, fingers going through the motions of tuning her lute strings. Her usually cheerful eyes were blank and distant. Rolan hadn’t heard her play a single note since Lakrissa had been taken with his siblings. He should have thought to comfort her, but that kind of gentleness never seemed to occur to him.

Rolan crossed his arms on the bar and dropped his horns to them. If only he’d thought faster, acted sooner, left the others to fend for themselves in order to grab hold of his brother and sister before their screams grew distant. His sharp nails dug into his palms as the sound replayed in his mind. 

He wished he had anyone besides himself to be angry at. He wished he could be angry at her.

If only she'd never taught Cal and Lia how to hope to fight back or be heroes. If only she'd never taught him how to hope…for anything, he decided. For any single single thing he might wish were possible.

Through his haze of drunken self-pity, his ears pricked at some kind of shouting and commotion out front. No doubt another attack by some new shadow-cursed horror. Rolan heard one of the little ones begin calling his name. 

"I’m coming, I’m coming,” Rolan spat, sliding petulantly to his feet as one hand reached for the quarterstaff leaning against the bar. “The damned hells is it this time?" He didn’t care what language the child might hear, but young Mattis was unphased.

“Stow your frown—” Mattis was grinning toothily. “Goblin killer finally made it!”

“What?” But the boy was already gone, bounding away from him through the front doors. Rolan swallowed dry against his fuzzy tongue. He felt fully awake for the first time in days, and he gripped the bar to steady himself before his feet stumbled forward.

Jaheira's enchanted vines were disentangling from her legs just as Rolan entered the courtyard. It was fortunate; he'd grown to respect Jaheira, and it would've been a shame to have to hex her. Rolan jostled through the gathered Harpers without a care in order to push closer. 

She and her companions had been waylaid just past the bridge. Harper Lassandra was relaying a report in her defense, it seemed, but all Rolan could concentrate on was her face.

Her cheeks were splattered with dark, shadow-magic blood. One of her sleeves was ripped open at the shoulder, displaying another patch of blood-stained skin at the seam of her leather jerkin. By the dark circles under her eyes, she still hadn't slept properly since the Grove.

She was the most beautiful thing Rolan had seen in weeks.

Her eyes came to rest on his own face then; he watched her blink hard, as if she might be dreaming.

"Rolan?" She croaked out softly. 

He had already half-closed the gap by the time she started toward him. They caught each other so hard Rolan felt the air leave his lungs in a huff, but he gathered whatever of her familiar scent he could, tinged with coppery blood though it was.

“I’m so glad you’re—I’m so glad,” she laughed shakily into his shoulder. Rolan wished he could kiss her, but it didn’t feel right in front of so many other eyes. He settled for standing back with his arms circled tight around her middle.

"Where's Lia and Cal?" She glanced around behind him, her smile fading. Rolan should have expected her constant concern for others by now, but could only look at her. Her eyes landed back on his face. "Zevlor?" She added quietly.

“Come inside.” Jaheira’s voice interrupted the silence between them. “We can talk over a drink.” 

As the druid directed forces back to their posts, Rolan felt her slip out from under his arms. She approached Gale to ask something—Rolan saw the wizard glance his direction before he replied.

“Come on,” she said, jogging back into his embrace. 

“What about Jaheira?”

“Gale can handle it, he’s good at talking.” She notched herself back firm against his side as they walked in. “I’d rather hear from you.”

Rolan tried his best not to stumble up the stairs beside her. He cursed his impulse to reach for the bottle at any sorrow—he must reek of it. If he did, she was kind enough not to say anything.

He led her to the empty room beside the cleric’s and shut the heavy door behind them.

“We were ambushed,” he said in a rush, before she could open her mouth. “Cal and Lia were grabbed up by those monsters on wings. Along with others. They’re being held at Moonrise.”

“We’ll find them.” Her voice was automatic and steely-certain. 

Rolan nodded, borrowing what strength he could from her eyes. “We will.”

“I thought…Zevlor was leading you,” she prompted him slowly, as if she might not want to know the answer. He only shook his head at her. How could he explain what he didn’t understand himself?

“We took the same path here that you did,” she admitted to him. Rolan knew what she was saying. He remembered each and every blank, upturned face that shrank to a pinpoint in the darkness as he led the survivors away. 

“I’m so sorry, Rolan.” His numbness was broken by her two hands rising to hold his face. “I just—I’m so fucking sorry—”

For some reason, his grief felt more real than it had yet. Rolan looked down at her bloodstained face and folded his fingers around one of her wrists. It would be idiotic to cry in front of her, so he kissed her instead.

His lips shook against hers, from sorrow and from want in equal measure. Rolan didn’t want to think about his dead friends, or his family waiting for rescue in a dark dungeon—just for a moment, he wished he could lose himself in her. She was the one person he could let himself unravel with.

“Rolan, wait—” But she didn’t want him to wait. Rolan heard it in her breathless voice against his lips, felt it in the way her hands clutched at his clothing to pull him closer.

He knew she must taste the alcohol on his breath. Hadn’t he said something to her that night in her tent? Something about wine and sex being a bad mix.

Foolish words of a foolish man who still thought he'd have time to do things properly. Rolan couldn’t remember them, and right now, this seemed like the best thing that could ever happen in such a desolate place. 

Was it so wrong to want her? Even now, with the rest of his life crumbling around him? 

Only his very real feelings for her could have broken through the haze. With a lurch of effort, Rolan stumbled back from her. The four walls of their room pressed in unbearably quiet without the sounds of hands and lips filling the air. Her eyes shone dark to him in the candlelight, pupils blown wide in a way that his deepest instincts recognized with primal satisfaction. He was certain his eyes blazed with just as much desire. 

Rolan licked his lips, gathering his last shreds of control. “Tell me to go,” he rasped. “Say it, and I will.”

He was rooted to the spot to await her judgment. She was silent before him, only a soft pant from between her lips. Rolan stood there for what felt like an agonizing eternity as her eyes traveled over his face. 

So slowly it felt like a dream, she raised one arm across to her opposite shoulder. The gesture made no sense to him at first. Until Rolan heard buckles clicking and watched the plates of her leather armor shed from her chest like scales to the floorboards.

Her tunic was next, and before Rolan could ready himself it was up over her head and thrown on top of her armor, her bare breasts covered only by a few stray wisps of her hair. 

He swayed where he stood, lightheaded; her darkly shining eyes didn’t break from his for a moment, even as her hands were already moving to the fastenings of her belt.

Rolan felt an ache like loss. Those should be his hands—gently undressing her, taking his time as he slowly unveiled each new and beautiful expanse of her flesh—not the two of them rushing through this first moment of newness that they’d never get back. Because even as the thought occurred, he himself was ripping his own robes off his shoulders without a care for the state of them. They would have time enough some other night.

She was faster, already kicking her pants off her bare feet. She wore nothing underneath—the realization brought a groan from his throat. Once his last garments dropped forgotten to the floor, she practically pounced.

Rolan had just enough reflex to catch her as she threw her body against his. Her bare skin on his was electric, filling his mind with wild want even as he tried to take in every sensation at once. Her taut breasts pressed against his chest—fingers lovingly exploring the ridges on his shoulders and back—the heat between her legs barely grazing against his thigh, yet enough to send his mind reeling. She made him feel real again.

And her lips—how could he have already forgotten how sweet she tasted? He kissed her back with hunger, wishing he might dissolve into her soft warmth for good.

Rolan wasn’t as strong as he wished, and he was tipsy as all hells, but he did his best as he guided their bodies down on top of their clothing. Her hips and shoulders thumped under his weight against the wood boards. Surely it must have hurt her—but then he felt her legs cross behind his bare flanks, rutting their hips together, and every other concern was lost.

Slick wetness pressed against his pelvis as she rolled herself against him. The proof of how much she wanted him, if Rolan had any lingering doubts. He fell braced on his forearms around her.

“I missed you so much,” she gasped against his lips. Rolan paused everything as his eyes opened to meet hers, almost too close to focus. “Rolan, I wish we—I should have—” Her face shone with more yearning than he could bear.

"I know, dearest, I know—" The endearment fell with shocking ease from his lips. Though he might share them, tonight was not for regrets. There were enough of those going around to last a lifetime. 

Rolan stopped them with his mouth, licking and tasting her as deeply as she would let him, one hand splaying under her thigh to angle her hips deeper against his own. 

With anyone else, Rolan might have felt self-conscious about how hard he’d been since the moment she undressed for him. With her, what would be the point? She'd confessed more with her body and her words than he'd ever expected.

His ridged length pressed between them, his underside slickening with each rocking motion she made against him. He broke from her slightly.

"Tell me." The words came out husky. Rolan didn't mean them to tease her, only wanted her to direct him, but the way she squirmed under him was addictive.

"I want you," she breathed, and he felt fingers clasp behind his neck. "Please, Rolan—"

How could he deny her anything? Rolan grabbed himself to guide and nudge his tip to her folds, spreading her wetness along his length best he could. She deserved so much better than a hard floor in the middle of nowhere. But everything felt too urgent, like they were at the edge of the world’s end. And her face held nothing but eagerness as she watched him.

Gently, slowly, he guided himself just inside her. She was perfect; Rolan's head dropped to her chest as he exhaled with a shudder.

"Oh—" She only let out the little gasp, but her hands hooked under his ears, tilting his head back up so she could press lips to his forehead and eyelids. 

"More," she purred against him.

Reflexive, Rolan pushed into her to the hilt and let out a groan at how perfectly she gripped him. She hummed in satisfaction, her legs pressing tighter around his hips to hold him there.

It was somehow tender and frantic all at once. Rolan's hips rolled into her with increasing urgency, even as he cradled her face up toward his with both his forearms, wanting to watch each sensation play out over her face.

When he hit a new angle inside her, her fingers actually gripped one of his horns as her lips gasped open. It sent a shudder reverberating through his core.

"So good," she gasped. "You feel so perfect—"

He would do anything to keep it feeling that way for her. He ducked his mouth to her breast, sliding his tongue over one tight bud and sucking her into his mouth.

"Fuck, Rolan—" Her voice canted up a register, and he felt her walls tremble and grip around him with each thrust. Her fingers clutched sweetly at the ridges over his shoulder blades.

In the back of his mind Rolan wondered whether the whole inn could hear his name on her lips, but he wasn't sure he cared, wasn't sure he didn't fucking love the idea in fact.

Both of them were starved for it, and neither of them could last much longer. Rolan groaned something into the flesh of her breast, words lost to the way her body shook under him just as he unraveled all around her. He collapsed against her soft chest and held her tight with trembling arms.

—---

"What did you say before?" 

As he drifted back to reality, Rolan lifted his head from her to rest his chin on her stomach. "Hmm?" 

She was looking down at him with shy curiosity. "When you came," she said. He loved hearing words like that casually tumble from her. "You said something, I didn't recognize the language."

Rolan realized with some embarrassment that she was right. "I did, didn't I." He moved to press his lips along her abdomen, as if it might distract her from the topic. But she was far too stubborn for that.

"Going to tell me or not?" He felt his insides melt as she traced her thumb along the lines of one of his pointed ears.

Rolan regretted letting her in on that fact about Tiefling anatomy, and he told her so with a grumble. She only laughed and gave his ear point a teasing tug.

Rolan closed his eyes against the feeling instead. "It's Infernal," he admitted to her. He hadn't spoken the tongue in many years; the fact he remembered any was a surprise even to himself.

"Oh." She didn't sound put off, only curious. "What did it mean?"

He carefully considered how to answer. "There's…not a word in Common that directly translates." Rolan met her eyes as his lips brushed absently near her navel. "A feeling that cleanses like holy fire. 'Love of salvation.'"

She gazed down at him. "That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard," she whispered.

Rolan reached to smooth her hair across her forehead. "Is it? To be cleansed, you have to be corrupted first."

"Is that an offer?" she asked, a grin teasing at the corners of her mouth. “I mean, we’re all pretty corrupted around here. Don’t forget I’ve already got a worm in the head.”

Abruptly, she pushed herself seated upright; Rolan caught himself back against his knees.

"I’m an idiot," she gasped. “Rolan—that’s how I get to the Moonrise dungeons. This tadpole makes me a True Soul. I can walk right through the fucking front door!”

Anxiety gripped him as he watched the excitement unfold on her face. Rolan wasn't sure he could watch her willingly rush into a den of vipers. 

"I'm coming with you," he insisted, already knowing she would tell him no. She shook her head at him.

“I wish you could,” she told him, and he believed her. “You're not tadpoled, the guards would know. But I'll take as many of my companions as I can, I swear. We can do this," she added, gripping his forearm.

It was all too fast; Rolan caught her hand before she could rise. "Wait," he implored firmly. “Let me travel with you to the bridge, at least.”

That she agreed to. They dressed quickly—though Rolan couldn't resist grabbing her a few times to kiss what bare flesh was still exposed, absolutely adoring the way she melted under his hands and mouth each time.

When he and her party stood at the bridge to the Tower, Rolan regretted agreeing to this all over again. She only gave him a quick peck on the lips with the soft promise of more later, and headed down the walkway with her companions.

Rolan stayed back in the shadows to watch her speak with the guards. His heart pounded in his throat. There was a short exchange; even his sensitive ears couldn’t catch the words. But then the guards stood down, and she and her friends walked freely through the front doors of Moonrise Towers. He allowed himself to feel a sliver of hope.

Back at the Inn, Rolan paced around the hall for what felt like an eternity. Mol complained he was making her dizzy. In reality, it couldn't have been more than a few hours. 

When he heard the soft shout of the patrol below, Rolan rushed through the wide doors and down to the underground port.

Cal and Lia stood alive and well on the wooden docks. Her too, further down the line—she even caught his eye with a smile. Rolan could have laughed in relief, but the guards curtly ordered him back while the Harper on duty checked them over with Jaheira's bottled tadpole. 

Rolan deeply wished to aim a cantrip at the man's skull, but he clenched his fists to gather his last remaining shreds of patience.

When they were cleared, all of them dashed together. Rolan gripped Cal and Lia's heads with a hand each, holding them tight against him.

"You absolute fucking idiots—" Rolan was half scolding, half trying not to cry. "Don't you dare stick your necks out like that again, do you hear me?"

"I'll remember that the next time we get kidnapped by murderous lunatics," Lia's voice said into his shoulder, but she was squeezing his ribs tight.

"Sorry," was Cal's only meek response, and Rolan stifled the juvenile urge to rumple his little brother's hair. 

"Just get inside," Rolan said as he released them. "When was the last time you both ate?"

They both complained over his continued fussing, but each of them obeyed him in the end. The return of bickering and normality somehow eased a weight from Rolan's heart. 

As the Tieflings he knew and the deep gnomes he didn't all made their way up the stairs to the Inn, Rolan linked his arm around her waist beside him.

"I love you," he told her first, low so that only she could hear. Then—"thank you."

"Thank those lot up there," she told him, though he heard through the smile in her voice that she hadn't missed his confession. "They were ready to fight tooth and nail out of there. I just unlocked the bars."

In the dark Rolan placed a swift kiss on the crown of her head, and was rewarded by the feel of her cheek leaning sideways against his shoulder.

Last Light Inn still had an undeniable gloom to it, but it was lightened considerably by the reunions of friends and lovers. To Rolan's eye the hall seemed practically packed compared to a few hours earlier.

His siblings settled back at the bar, removed from the chatter at the hearth. Rolan watched them toast each other with two very well-earned pints. As they both launched into conflicting narratives of their adventure, Rolan felt a deep sense of ease soak into his bones.

"This one's fucking amazing, by the way—" Lia was gesturing her mug to the woman at Rolan's side. "Watched her cut down a Moonrise guard with one swing of a sword. You better have thanked her properly, Rolan," she added.

His sister was clever; Rolan strongly suspected she knew what she was doing. He decided to play dumb for the sake of the dear person beside him, whose cheeks he could practically feel burning from here.

"Believe me, I will," Rolan said. As he spoke, he drew her toward him again with an arm around her middle.

Cal was significantly slower on the uptake. "Eughh." He let out an amused noise of disgust. "Why don't you two just kiss each other alre—"

But Rolan's lips were already on hers, tilting her chin up and back with a hand so he could capture her mouth. His other arm wrapped her shoulders back against his chest, and he felt her fingers grip tight over his forearm. As they gently broke apart, the quiet lasted only for a second.

"Twelve pints at the Elfsong." Lia smacked the bar next to Cal. "That's it, you owe me."

"Taking bets on my fucking love life now?" Rolan began, his indignance slightly undercut by the fact that his love in question was shaking with laughter under his arm, both hands clasped over her face.

In the end, Rolan left his siblings to argue over the details. He was too overwhelmed with embarrassment and the desire to save her from any of the same.

As he drew her back up the stairs, Rolan felt her shoulders shaking with laughter again under his arm. He glanced sideways, wondering what had ruined the mood now.

“What?” he prompted her.

“Nothing, it’s just—” She was positively sparkling as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Can we use the bed this time?”

With a mortifying jolt, Rolan realized there was indeed a perfectly serviceable bed in the room where he’d unceremoniously taken her on the floor.

“Fuck,” he breathed.

“Plenty of time for that,” she agreed, biting her lip as she drew him with her hand. “Now come on.”

[oliversrarebooks]

you have chosen: chloroform rag

from the sedation vending machine poll

TW: kidnapping, chloroform rag ofc

You push the button for a chloroform rag. There's a soft whirring from the machine.

You reach into the slot to retrieve your purchase, but there doesn't seem to be anything in there. You wave your hand around -- a chloroform rag would be flat and hard to find, wouldn't it? Maybe it got caught on something inside the machine. You crouch down, trying to see inside the door. There doesn't seem to be anything there.

Just as you're standing up, you're roughly grabbed around the waist by a strong arm. Another arm clamps a chemical-smelling cloth firmly over your mouth and nose. "Just breathe it in," they whisper in your ear. "Isn't that nice and sweet? And so sleepy. Just let it put you to sleep..."

Your eyes widen. You try to hold your breath and struggle with both hands against the arm holding the cloth to your face. They're strong, superhumanly so. Their arm isn't budging at all, and they're not reacting to your struggles and kicks in the slightest. You try not to panic, knowing that wild flailing will only make you breathe in more of the drug, spread it around your system faster. But if you don't escape soon...

"Don't fight it," says your kidnapper. "You're just going to have a nice sleep. A refreshing little nap..."

Your struggles are growing more desperate, and you can't help but gulp down a few chemical-laden breaths. There's something like a tingle at the base of your skull, a strange numbing feeling, and you're starting to feel a bit woozy. It's starting to kick in. Your time is running out.

"It's working, isn't it? Don't worry. You're going to relax, and your body will feel warm and heavy, and you're going to feel very, very sleepy."

No! You have to get free before it's too late. But you can't budge the hand with the cloth an inch, can't get any fresh air in your system. Everything smells like chemicals, and as you pull on your kidnapper's arm, you can feel your limbs starting to get numb and heavy. Your head is spinning.

"It feels good, doesn't it? So soothing, so relaxing. You're starting to get sleepy, aren't you? You're getting so, so drowsy."

Your eyelids droop. You've been so focused on trying to escape that you didn't even notice the drowsiness stealing up on you, but now that it has, it's impossible to ignore. Your legs stopped kicking a while ago; you can't stop your arms from losing their grip on your assailant, effectively sealing your fate.

"Good, that's it, stop fighting. Just keep taking nice deep breaths, get real sleepy. Very, very sleepy."

You can feel your muscles relax as your body goes limp in your kidnapper's hold. Your eyelids feel heavy now, like they could close down all by themselves. You can't let them shut. You have to stay awake.

"You're so tired now, aren't you? Why don't you just rest your eyes?" your kidnapper coaxes. "Just let those drowsy eyes close down tight and rest them for a minute. Just shut your eyes..."

Your eyelids are fluttering. You're trying everything you can to keep yourself awake, but you're losing that battle. The chemical on the rag is slowly but surely putting you to sleep.

"Your eyes are very, very heavy, aren't they? Just close your eyes, close your eyes and go to sleep..."

Your head nods forward as your eyes close all by themselves. You're slipping in and out of consciousness now, fighting the urge to sleep with the last scrap of your lucidity.

"Good, good," says the oddly soothing voice at your ear. Your kidnapper has loosened their grip on you, to hold you up more than restrain you. "Shut your eyes and take nice, deep breaths. The drug's going to put you to sleep now. It's gonna put you fast asleep..."

Your heavy, drowsy eyes crack open only briefly. You're so incredibly tired. Sleep is calling for you, and you can't resist. You're utterly helpless in the grip of the drugged cloth.

"Go to sleep," your kidnapper whispers. "Sleep... sleep..."

It's the last thing you hear before going under.

Masterlist

[gorgeouslypink]

ARE YOU TIRED OF NOT ENTERING THE VOID? DO YOU WANT A VERY EASY, ALMOST GUARANTEED METHOD TO ENTER?

Well let me tell you my story. My name is Rarin and I have been in the community for more than a year and I have tried everything and struggled and given up many times but always found my way back because bad situations.

Last night I entered the void state and it was by the easiest method I've ever tried. Basically all I did was play this video: https://youtu.be/22vOkSWiNwQ and fall asleep. Now you can read through thr comment sections and everyone seemed to get lucid dreams every time they played this. Don't worry the music isn't too jarring or anything like that either.

Anyways I played it and was falling asleep. I didn't even affirm for the void or anything, I was just thinking about a anime I watched (gorgeous I know u like anime, you should check out ice guy and his cool female colleague). Anyways I gained awareness and I was in the void but I wasn't sure so I just affirmed for a few minutes and nothing really changed so I just affirmed for my desired face and to always wake up in the void and I woke up with my desired face and tonight I know I'm going to wake up in thr void and I can manifest the rest of everything.

This is literally the easiest method ever and you're guaranteed to get atleast something, if it's a lucid dream, make sure you're doing finger taps or something regularly and then make a portal or something for the void. If you end up in sleep paralysis, make sure to affirm and get into the void. And if you just end up straight in the void like me, make sire to affirm ur desires.

I am literally so happy right now and gorgeous I just wanted to thank u for all your help. You were honestly the only blogger I followed and all your advice helped me so much. I cant believe i have my desired face, i look so cute. I love you ❤️

Hi love!! WOW!!! Congratulations Rarin, I'm so happy for you. And I think your ask is so cute, the way you made into like a post almost. I will check out that anime and thank you for your kind words, I'm really happy for you and thank you for sharing your method will everyone 💗

[maisonaime]

Give and Take

Softdom!Cassian x Healer!Reader

Premise: You get back after a long day of work and Cassian is ready to take over everything, you give him control so that you don’t lose it entirely. 

Splitting this into two parts so that I don't lose my mind over it anymore. Love to all who jumped on this prompt!

Warnings: Dom/sub dynamics, smutty fluff, emotional overstimulation, self-sacrificing, poor self-care (bordering on self-harm), injury and slight gore, 18+ minors DNI

Part 1:

The last flight of stairs up to the rooms you and Cassian occupied in the River House seemed steeper than you had ever remembered, dragging yourself up the stairs was utterly Sisyphean, the last stretch in a long day that had frustrated tears finally pricking in your eyes. You were tired to your bones, fed up with being hunched over a desk, and the day was still far from done over eleven hours after it had begun. You woke and dressed when the sky was dark, and were returning hours after the braziers lining the hallways had been lit.

You had two bags hanging in the crook of one elbow, full of brewing equipment that needed to be polished with a protective tonic before being used in class tomorrow. In the same arm, you were clutching a thick stack of essays requiring grading. Tucked under your other arm was a folio of research on restorative therapies for Illyrians who had their wings clipped. Slung over your shoulder from training was your weapons belt, sheathed with two daggers and a longsword Cassian had wrought for you as a wedding gift.  

The file of research slipped from your arms, scattering down all the steps you had just climbed in complete disarray. You made a small sound of anguish and finally, the tears were flowing freely. You were so grateful for it all, for this beautiful life you had. You were grateful for the research you were able to do to find a way to reverse the horrors wrought on Illyrian females. You were enthusiastic about teaching your students, passing along ancient knowledge to the trainees who would one day be your peers. You itched for training with Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyn; pouring intentional movement into your body after long days of obligatory motion.

Healing people, feeling your tendrils of power sweep over broken bones, seeking out the source of symptoms, touching the broken parts of people’s souls. It was the greatest gift, one that multiplied every time you held a newborn babe, watched someone run or dance on legs that had never worked before, and felt the relief of familial caregivers as you restored hearing or sight or even small amounts of lucidity to their aging parents. It was quite possibly the only gift that you valued more than your precious mate. The one who you had remade and been remade by. 

 You were so grateful for it all, for this beautiful life you had. But there were some days when you felt the burden of worlds bearing down on you. Days when failed healings left you shattered. Days when there was simply too much to do and not enough hours to do it. 

“What’s all this sweetheart.” Cassian appeared at the top of the stairs, his darkened gaze forcing you to rethink your current predicament. 

Despite his intimidating size and title, the Lord of Bloodshed was as gentle a lover as you had ever known. He had honed his resolve over the centuries, along with all his other skills. Even in the most feral moments between the two of you, lost entirely to the bond in skin and teeth and brutish groans, he would never lose himself. He could balance himself over you for hours with just the head of his cock pressing into your center, and could sit perfectly still while stuffed down your pretty little throat. 

What he couldn’t do was abide by disobedience. And disobedience to Cassian was self-neglect. Disobedience was forgetting to eat, not getting enough sleep. Disobedience was piling too much onto your plate. Disobedience was trying to lug over one-hundred pounds of shit up the stairs after you had left before dawn and were returning long after dark. And disobedience would earn you punishment.

—

Ever since you had helped Azriel rehabilitate his shredded wings after Hybern wrought his havoc, you had remained in close connection with the High Lord’s Inner Circle. Your attentive and tranquil care healed both Azriel’s wings and the lingering horror that wracked his soul in the following weeks as he tried to move on from those paralyzing moments of agony. You treated his flesh and soul with equal gentleness, cementing your regard as a healer with the capacity to treat vulnerability with as much tenderness as you treated wounds and sickness.

When Cassian lay broken and bleeding, of course, it was you who was summoned to the tent. He was like every other patient before in your ability and desire to help him. But he was also like no other patient before because he was your mate. You could still feel his screaming cleaving the air and reverberating through your jaw, dulling all senses to anything but him. His brothers had to hold him down with tears in their eyes; Feyre lost her stomach; Mor just sat in the corner silently shaking. You were cursed to remember every ounce of hopelessness in his eyes as he scrambled away from your hands, refusing any of your help or assessment for fear of what you might find.

You found femur bone shattered like glass, tearing into the muscle and tendon of his massive thigh. You found snapped cartilage, torn muscle, and severe hemorrhaging that nearly cut off blood supply to his entire left wing; the damage so bad it would have resulted in field amputation had you not been there. You found the husk of a man who had been so sure he was going to die without being able to save his family, without even being able to say goodbye. 

You burned yourself out with the raw power that flooded from you as you were confronted with the primal need to save him. You gave yourself entirely to the will of the goddess that had blessed your hands. At one point Rhys had to blanket your mind in darkness so that you wouldn’t drain that well of power entirely. 

When finally, the damage left could only be healed by time, you had collapsed over him and refused to move. Unable to. Gentle, weak arms had dragged you ungracefully to a warm chest, to a beating heart. The only thing you could hear through the thundering haze of your overwrought senses. 

“Don’t you ever do that again, for anyone. Not even me sweetheart.” 

And then it was Cassian’s turn to heal you. To watch over your trembling body as you recovered from the depletion of your powers. He fed and bathed you. Stretched and massaged the muscles that felt as though they had been filleted by lightning. Braided your hair to keep it from knotting during the long hours you slept. 

He poured himself into you in a way you had never had before. In a way you had only ever provided to others, never received yourself. In a way you hadn’t ever known you wanted so badly until you were sobbing hoarsely into his arms, years of self-sacrifice pouring out of you.

It didn’t stop there. Only when you had settled into living together did either of you realize the extent to which overextending yourself had become a way of life. The first time you came home past midnight, Cass was in a panic thinking you had been hurt or taken. When you stumbled through the door on legs bent with exhaustion and informed him that you had eaten exactly three crackers and a handful of berries all day, he just stared at you for a long time.

“How do you expect to save everyone if you destroy yourself in the process? This level of self-sacrifice isn’t noble, it’s irresponsible. Now, get on your fucking knees.” Your head snapped to him, pinning him with a disbelieving scoff. But he was dead serious. 

In a flash he had your hair gathered in a stern but gentle fist, and you had your mouth very, very full. He fucked your mouth with a fervor, his fingers finding the corners so he could pop your jaw open further and push himself even deeper down your throat. 

He came with a hiss, freeing a hand from your ruined mouth to pound in a fist against the unyielding stone wall. 

Then he scooped you up and laid you in bed, pouring water with lemon and honeyed tea down your throat. Leaving your side briefly, only to return with a veritable feast of foods specifically selected to strengthen your body and magic. His care was almost overwhelming, but you found yourself surrendering to his vigil over you.

—

“Put it down” he said, pure authority radiating from him.

“Put what down?” you feigned. 

“All of it, sweetheart. And don’t make me ask again. I’d hate to have to take you down to Az’s workroom. He put up such a fuss last time, even after I cleaned everything in front of him.” There was no room for disobedience in his tone, even if the remark had you chuckling. 

You struggled to unburden yourself, unsure of how to extend your arms and set down one item without imperiling another. You met Cassian’s gaze with pleading eyes that quickly turned fiery at his smugness. You drew yourself up slowly, eyes narrowing…

And dropped everything from your hands, letting the first bag of glassware slide off your arms and crash to the ground – even if the sound of tinkering glass made something in you twist and cringe. 

“Don’t be a fucking brat, you know it’ll only make things worse.” he snapped, lips pulling back in a feral grin as he raked his gaze over your body, your leather-bound dips and curves displayed to him unobstructed. 

The belt you set down gently, minding your beautiful blade. In the middle of the night after your mating ceremony, in the haze of your frenzy, Cassian had marched you down to the deepest chambers of the Court of Nightmares, where the mountain burned nearly as hot as your bond. You had watched with lust-glazed eyes as he hammered out a blade and fused it to the hilt he had already carved and polished—smooth, rounded obsidian imbued with the cavernous powers of the Mountains. 

He fucked you hard into the stone floor and then soared into the night sky with you and the weapon, cooling skin and steel alike. And when you finally touched ground again, he wasted no time showing you exactly why he chose that particular shape for the handle. 

A snap of his fingers had the scattered papers piled neatly beside it. Then you gingerly set down the second bag of glassware, cringing as you considered how your eager disobedience would reflect back in Cassian’s treatment.

“Good.” he crooned. “Now go bathe and wait for me in bed.”

Cass abided by your whims for the most part, always eager to take care of you but never pressuring you to submit. He could always tell when you needed to give away control. When you needed to be told what and when to eat, how to dress, when to speak, and when to be silent. When to “get on your fucking knees” and when to “lay down darling, that’s it, now hush my love and let me work.” And he would give it to you every time without tire, for the rest of his days. 

As you passed him to make towards your suite, he sidestepped into your path and halted you with a hand to your shoulder, the palm of his other hand cupping your face. He looked down at you with gentle eyes. You leaned into his touch instinctively, eager to shove away the pressures of your autonomy, even if just for the next few hours.

“I counted five things that you placed over your own needs today. Your patients, your students, your research, your training, your healing. Then you had to go and double it by bratting off and making a mess of your things.” He glanced around, unimpressed at your display of resistance. 

“It’ll take me time to fix and polish the glassware and reorganize your papers. So you’ll wait. You’ll be doing a lot of that tonight. It only makes sense, I think, that you take ten hard edges before we think about next steps.” His voice was hard, determined, even as his hands were so so soft.

Your eyes widened, head shaking even as his words had your blood thrumming with desire. 

“Yes, sweetheart. Yes, you will. Maybe this time you’ll finally learn your lesson about what happens when we deny ourselves what we need.”

[oxymorayuri]

Hiii i read the acex reader i dont remember the title but its the one where she was the revolver?

I wanted to request more parts for it please BCS THE WAY U WRITE IT ITS SO CAPTIVATING I CANT

So yes thats all i wanted PLEASE DO CONSIDER 🙏

It will get me through my exams 😔🔫

❞𝐍𝐨 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬❝

Part two

If you haven't read the first part yet, you can find it here or the overview. ♡♡♡

✦ Pairing: Portgas D. Ace x Reader ✦ Warnings: cussing/language, suggestive content ✦ Spoiler: none

A/N: Aw that is so cute! You know what? Why not? I really fell in love with the revolver too. I had to think of something to continue it but see for yourself, I hope you like it sweetie. PS: I hope everything goes well with your studies <3

wordcount: 2488

! ᴍᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ !

ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴄᴛ

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓: Ivan Imros

Everything before your eyes appears as if you're looking through a curtain. Time passes more slowly, every touch seems both intense and unreal, but you feel the desire.

There is nothing but desire... the thirst for more.

Light as a feather, you feel as if you are not even in control of your body. But that's not a problem. You enjoy every second, no matter how blurred everything seems to you.

Perhaps because you know that it is nothing more than just a desire. Your movements are rhythmic and you try to intensify the feeling with every thrust, but there are limits to how much you can feel.

Your options are small but you are grateful for what is in front of you.

You can dimly see the lust shining in Ace's eyes, while barely feeling his hands on your hips as they guide you into bliss. Your mind is constantly shifting between lucid yet dazed and one moment you are riding him while the next his lips are caressing yours.

Full of pleasure you close your eyes, your voice says 'more' but you don't feel your lips moving and although your eyes are closed, it gets brighter and brighter behind your eyelids…

You groan in annoyance as you pull the covers over your head. Damn that sucks. This isn't the first dream you've had about Ace, but it's never been as intense as this one.

You cannot escape the images of the things that happened between you and you keep dreaming about that night on the beach. A whole week has passed since then and you and Ace are far from what you could have become and whose fault is it?

Yep, yours.

The angry wiggle in bed gets you nowhere, but you are so annoyed by the situation that you have to let it out.

After your fit of rage, you look up at the ceiling of your room in defeat. Slight dark circles adorn your face because it takes half an eternity for your brain to finally shut up. You don't even want to think about Ace and when you are surrounded by complete silence, his face automatically appears before your eyes. You've spent a few nights tossing and turning in your bed because every time you close your eyes you see him. No matter how tired you were, you couldn't get a wink of sleep.

You tousle your hair. Your ego is so big that you would rather die than approach Ace.

You wonder why you reacted the way you did. After your night, you woke up alone in your room and even though you didn't expect him to be lying next to you, you wished for it.

Loneliness engulfed you and as lonely as you felt, the more you didn't want him to get near you. You felt so available and that's a pretty strange feeling for you… Would it have been different if you had woken up next to him?

You'll never know.

As usual you gave him the cold shoulder but this time you had an additional reason... but somehow you feel a bit childish about it now.

Your thoughts are spinning around. What is your reason anyway? The answer seems to secretly pile up inside you and that makes you nervous.

Should you really have reacted like this? You haven't said a single word to each other. Okay, you haven't said a single word to him… At least he tried, you have to give him that, but after 3 days he had given up. He just leaves you alone and doesn't even get on your "nerves" like before. Nothing nada

Somewhat sadly, you pull your knees towards you and put your head down. You can only blame yourself.

You idiot!

If it wasn't for Jozu, you would probably never have come out of your cabin. He actually managed to get you out of the room.

Well, he more or less dragged you out. He just barged into your room, came up to you without saying a word and grabbed you by the neck. You noticed him, but you didn't have the strength in your bones to really react.

Somewhat belatedly you grab him by his bulky arm but every attempt is in vain and when you realized, that he wanted to leave your room with you, all alarm bells rang in your head.

Like a wild animal, you tried to escape from his grip but no matter how much you scratched him or how hard you hissed, he wouldn't budge. You feisty thing. Without paying the slightest attention to you, he brought you onto the deck and although you were brought here rather roughly, he set you down on the ground with care.

"Touch me like that again and…!!!!!" You are caught off guard when your mouth is suddenly covered with tape; you hadn't expected that. You can only grumble in anger and your eyebrows furrow up furiously as you look up at your commander.

"Hah your stare can't do anything to me you stupid ass!" He makes fun of you while he ties your arms and legs and you have no chance to resist.

The big man took a step back as he watched you wobble pathetically back and forth. You try to free yourself because you are beginning to feel that you are in a critical situation.

Your strength returns and the ropes loosen. Jozu doesn't hesitate any longer and immediately ties you up completely from head to toe, which looks ridiculous. Like a mummy, with only your head free, he leaned you against the ship's mast.

From behind you, you hear Ace apparently going through something similar as you and suddenly he is thrown to the ground in front of you by Marco. He wasn't set down as gently as you were, and with a pained look he rubs his cheek, which has just kissed the ground.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Confused, he looks at the men in front of him who just look down at him with stern expressions and folded arms. Jozu's eyes wandered over to you and Ace's eyes followed his. With shock written all over his face, he looked at you with widened eyes.

Without commenting, he looked back at the two commanders and then Marco broke the silence.

"What have you done Ace." Marco's voice seemed a little threatening. Astonishment spread across Ace's face.

"ME?" Startled, he pointed his own finger at his chest. "I have done NOTHING!" He defends himself with a slightly raised voice.

You want to laugh out loud but the tape stops you.

"I don't know what happened between you, but one thing is clear and that is that the two of you have something to sort out!" Jozu lays out the facts.

"You're so wrapped up in your thoughts that you're constantly setting yourself on fire and even if it doesn't hurt you, it's affecting the people around you." His gaze went to you as he noticed your muffled laughter. "And you? We don't even need to talk about you, y/n. But let me refresh your memory. First you shouted at Ace, then you didn't say a word to ANYONE and then you didn't come out of your room for two whole DAYS!!!" The commander breathes in and out, somewhat exhausted.

You weren't even aware that you were behaving outrageously, but now that Jozu has reminded you, you can't deny it. Ace is bothering you and you are bothering him.

Marco touches his forehead, somewhat distraught.

"Listen, if Newgate gets wind of this, he'll talk to you… is that what you want?!" You both shake your heads in panic at the same time.

"I thought so." - "Ace, you were last with y/n that night and she's been so nasty ever since. Did something happen between you?" Jozu interjects.

He exhales a little helplessly and drops his shoulders.

"hahhh, I don't know… I thought we had a good time but the next day everything was different than I thought and that's why I wanted to talk to her to find out what I did wrong!" He turns to you and for the first time you see a look on his face that you never expected to see. He looks angry with a hint of confusion.

"But SHE doesn't want to talk!" he points his finger at you like a child. Offended, you grimace. Luckily, the tape is stuck to your lips because no matter what you would have said, it wouldn't have made any sense anyway. You're so irrational that you don't even recognize yourself.

The two standing men looked at each other and nodded. You and Ace don't quite understand what's happening now, but you'll find out soon enough.

Marco grabbed Ace by the shoulder and led him ahead of him. Ace doesn't really resist and starts to move. When Jozu approached you, you didn't want to leave the stage without a fight. You tried to move like a worm to escape from your commander and even though he admires your efforts, there's no point in trying to escape, because you're just as fast as a worm - not at all. Jozu has an easy time with you and throws you over his shoulder.

The two of them threw you into a prison cell made of sea stone and before they locked the cell, Jozu freed you from your full body bondage. You are glad that your mouth is free again because now you can finally let out all the bad words you have left for Jozu.

"You son of a bitch! Just wait until I'm out of here, then you'll be given a bloody surprise… I'm telling you!"

But you idiot threw yourself against the bars to grab the big man, forgetting that the bars are made of sea stone and that you now have the power of a devil fruit that you still have to get used to.

The energy sapping feeling in your body is sudden, overwhelming and slowly you go down to the ground.

While the men walk away from the cell, Marco shouts something back to you.

"You stay in there until you've sorted this out!" Grinding your teeth, you roll onto your back with the last ounce of your strength and close your eyes.

If I can't see him, then he's not there...

Yeah, exactly, that will work… You don't really believe that, do you?

"Hey… I'll leave you alone if you want, but the others are right. We take it out on the others and that's not okay. We're a crew…" The word crew makes you open your eyes without wanting to.

You sigh in annoyance and roll onto your side so that Ace can stare at your back.

"Yea, maybe. Leave me alone." Your stubbornness is driving Ace crazy, but he doesn't really want you to be like this with each other. Above all, he wants to know why you're like this to him. What did he do wrong?

He's been racking his brains for days about what he could have done or said that upset you so much. He wants to make things better if you would let him.

"If you're not going to talk to me, at least take the bed. Sleeping on the floor won't do you any good." You have no idea what kind of cheap trick that is. Is he trying to get you to sleep in a bed with him? You look back towards the bed but Ace isn't there. He's sitting next to the bed with his back against the wall.

Unexpectedly, disappointment spreads through you. Wait a minute? Is that what you secretly wanted?

A little confused, you stand up and stop in front of Ace, who looks up at you. His unkempt hair falls back slightly as he looks up at you. How you would like to swallow your pride and fall into his arms, but you have no idea where to start. You don't know what to say because you don't even quite understand what is wrong with you. So you say nothing and stare at him with tired eyes as he sits in front of you with one leg bent and his arm resting on his knee.

Ace doesn't quite know how to react, but he's not one to do nothing.

He stands up just a few centimeters away from you and now you are the one looking up at him.

His gaze scans your face for answers that you can't even give yourself.

"What have I done?" he whispers to you. His pained voice tears apart your heart. You didn't know Ace could sound so vulnerable.

"I…, I don't know." you mumble your words, but your gaze remains fixed on Ace.

You have no further answer for Ace and walk towards the bed and lie down with your back to him again.

"Sleeping on the floor won't do you any good…" You repeat Ace's words back to him, feeling less pathetic since he said it first.

You listen closely as you can make out the sound of his feet approaching the bed. His shadow falls on the wall, which you stare at, waiting to see what comes next.

You feel the mattress go down a little and you automatically hold your breath until you can hear your heartbeat.

Ace looks down at your slender figure. His eyes wander over your delicate curves. He would love to stroke your hips until you fall asleep, but he's not sure how far he can go without making a mistake... but he has a feeling that doing nothing would be a mistake too.

He decides to lie down with his chest against your back. Lying on his back doesn't really work, there wouldn't be enough room and back to back would be awkward. He really makes an effort not to touch you unnecessarily. He's already glad that you offered him the bed.

You try to calm down, but Ace's breathing gives you goose bumps on the back of your neck. You pinch your eyes shut and try to concentrate on Ace's warmth, hoping you'll be able to fall asleep soon.

Luckily for you, you quickly find your way to the land of dreams because with Ace behind you, one could say; he's no longer buzzing around in your head...

Stay tuned for the next Part babes <3

➽ Next chapter

[roxygen22]

Timothee sickfic but you chose whatever sickness

With Female reader plz

Since I just posted a Timothée/Laurie sickfic yesterday, I switched to a sick reader instead.

Stay With Me

C/W: fever, fainting, hospitals

I heard a muffled voice as I came to, like I was underwater. When did I fall asleep? I felt someone shaking my shoulders.

"[incoherent mumbling]...[y/n]...[Y/N]!" The voice became clearer. Timothée's voice. "There you are. Stay with me, baby. Stay with me," I heard him say in a panic. I felt him kiss my forehead. "Oh f*ck, you're burning up."

I blinked and looked around, confused. Why am I in my bedroom floor? When did Timothée get here? I saw the outline of Timothée's form, but I couldn't focus on it. I only knew it was him by the sound of his voice. It sounded like he was calling someone. I didn't want to sleep, but I couldn't stop my eyelids from closing again...so tired...

The next time I woke, I heard the distinct sound of a heart rate monitor. I could smell noxious aroma of disinfectant. Am I in the hospital? Why am I here? The beeping intensified as I became more cognizant - and fearful - of my surroundings. It took a lot of effort to finally get my eyes open. All I could see at first was the harsh fluorescent light above me.

Once I could focus, I looked over and spotted Timothée's head on the bed. His frame was slumped over from his seat next to me. His hand held mine as he slept using his forearm as a pillow. He jumped up from his seat when he felt me stir. I saw the look of sheer relief on his face when he locked eyes with me.

"Oh, [Y/N], baby, you're awake! Oh, thank God, you're awake." Timothée sandwiched my hand between his and kissed it repeatedly. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"What-" I tried to ask what happened, but my throat was too dry to make more than a raspy sound.

"Shh, shhh, don't strain your voice. Here, let's get you some water." He used one hand to support my head and the other to hold the cup as I took tiny sips from the straw. It felt like I hadn't drank anything in days.

"What happened?" I finally managed to get the words out.

"You didn't answer the door when I came by to pick you up for dinner. I got worried because I hadn't heard from you since we exchanged texts that morning, so I used my key to get in. I found you passed out in your bedroom floor. I have no idea how long you were like that. You-" his voice cracked. "You weren't responsive when I tried to wake you up. When you came to, it wasn't for long. You were feverish, too. I got scared and called 911. They brought you to the hospital."

"Do they know what's wrong with me? How long have I been here?" I had so many questions, but that was all I could muster.

"You've been in and out of consciousness for two days. But even when you were awake, you weren't lucid. They ran tests - you contracted West Nile Virus."

"Two days?! Have YOU been here for two days?" You dropped your head to the pillow. "All of those mosquito bites from the photography walk."

Timothée nodded. "That's what tipped them off to check for WNV first. They asked me about your travel history and habits. They wanted me to stay in the waiting room until they confirmed you didn't have anything contagious, but they relented if I agreed to mask and glove up after I kept bugging the nurses for updates. I didn't want you to wake up alone."

"You hate hospitals," I whimpered.

He half-smiled. "Not as much as I hated the thought of you being alone and scared." He kissed my hand again.

Timothée stayed with me until I was discharged days later, only leaving long enough to go shower and grab some clothes for both of us. He drove me home and helped me to my apartment. He cleaned out my fridge of any expired foods and went shopping to restock it. He waited on me hand and foot and even tucked me into bed. When he acted like he was about to leave, I asked:

"Stay with me, Timmy. Please."

"Always," Timothée whispered as he settled under the covers next to me.

<><><><><>

Masterlist

Tag List:

@croatianprincess

@bluizh

@jindongdongie

@groovyqueer

[aarkose]

Everyone calls Dream a pathetic petty little baby girl and like, yeah he is - but 

And the characters themselves are like Morpheus is cold, unfeeling, harsh, cruel and yeah he can be and he holds intense grudges - but 

I haven't really seen anyone talk about the scene where he's facing the Corinthian, who Morpheus admits was his masterpiece. And our favourite nightmare pointedly says that Dream doesn't care about humanity. He only cares about himself, and his realm and his rules. 

Morpheus sort of gets exasperated here, like really dude? And tells us he contains the entire collective unconscious, without his rules it would consume him and humanity. Like maybe he's been there before, or close to it. He admitted he lost an entire universe before because he didn't take out their vortex.

His voice trembles on the word consume, like its always there, ready to crush him, like he's constantly battling, like he's tired, like no one's ever really asked, understood or comprehended that before and he's admitting it for maybe the first time or it's one of the very few. And of all the beings he's admitting it to the Corinthian who throws it in his face.

Death more or less says dream mopes and he should get over it. Fiddler's Green insinuates he's almost incapable of apology or empathy. Lucienne believes he dismisses their efforts and that he's harsh with his punishments. Gault in their defiance tries to make him see that things should be capable of change and wanting something different. 

No one seems to get the truth of him? Or part of it. Or if they do it's not apparent and it seems a great tragedy to me. When he says the entire collective unconscious, I'm assuming he means entire, as in not just human - as in all life including other species we don't know of, that are otherwise 'alien'. It seems almost unfathomable to me no one stops to think he's the way he is for a reason. 

Every single unconscious thought, decision, fear, nightmare, dream, hope - anything and everything that can manifest in dreams from the nonsensical and absurd to disturbing and whimsical, including concepts we don't even understand as humans. That is what Morpheus is made of. The screams dying in throats as people wake from horrors, the reoccurring scenes of falling, being chased, being late, the grief from loved ones dying, flying, school, sex - the ones that don't make any sense. 

The nightmares that are so real and strong you can't get back to sleep. The dreams that are so sweet or fantastic you wake up mourning their loss. Day dreams, dreams that pick up where they left off, lucid dreams, depraved and disturbing dreams. The little thoughts we have about others we'd never say out loud or tell another living soul but they exist. It's all real, part of what makes us who we are and every other being that can dream - no wonder Morpheus' voice trembles on the word consume. That has to be near maddening? Like he's riding the line between insanity at any given moment because dreams can be entirely bizarre as much as they can hold significant meaning. 

So he mopes? He's distant? He's cruel or uncaring. Unfeeling in how he operates - I feel like I would be too if I contained the concepts of the entirety of existence - everything his siblings govern exists in his realm in the form of dreams. You can dream about desire, death, destruction, delirium, destiny, despair, all of it. He doesn't feel enough? Distant? Ungrateful? 

I think he feels too much, way too much and he can only push it down so far, or hold it back just enough. It makes him seem so delicate in my mind, like those who bottle and bottle. Pushing everything down or back just to keep functioning and then one little thing makes them snap. Suddenly you've damned your former lover to ten thousand years in hell because that amount of time and processing doesn't seem unreasonable against the impossibly incomprehensible thing that is existences unconscious. Let's not forget the souls in hell or every other afterlife, if they also dream, the concept of dreams as goals, the act of dreaming, creation and destruction, every nasty little thought, every fucked up thing anyone has ever comprehended and every joy. 

Maybe that's why everyone's harsh on him in my eyes, that he should have all this perspective but seemingly doesn't? But he believes what he does because he has that perspective and some things within that spectrum do not change, they repeat because there's only so much that can exist, and that has to be tiresome. 

But honestly, the other Endless, dreams and nightmares should realise what he's dealing with? Especially those close to him, or orbiting because no one is ever really close, and if dreams and nightmares can dream then Morpheus should know those too. I'd probs keep everyone away from me if I was a scrambled construct of emotions.

Fuck me up honestly. My tiny human brain is snapping trying to even comprehend the inner workings of Dream. None of this even makes sense. Just let the man rest, give the baby girl some slack. He's got both feet off the edge and no one's got his back. I'm tired now.

TLDR: Dream probably is the way he is because being who he is, is a lot. 

[mangowillow]

maybe if

pairing: jungkook x female reader

summary: jeongguk, a free spirit, an adventurer, sees you a year later still picking up the pieces he left behind.

genre/tags: exes, angst, post-break-up, hurt & comfort, some fluff here and there

word count: 4k

a/n: i play favorites with my stories and i will say that this one sits on the throne— at least for now. there will be a mini-sequel for release soon (fingers crossed)

Walking into the club, Jeongguk feels his throat tighten. After being away for a year to figure out what he wanted to do in life, it wasn’t easy to just slide his way back into the lives of the people he once knew—

—into the lives of the people he once left behind.

The welcome back party his friends have thrown for him was nice. He hasn’t felt the company of familiarity in a while now. It was good to see them again— like nothing ever happened. Like he never left.

Backpacking across Europe, Jeongguk felt free and light. He has always wanted to see beyond the confines of his home, to see what’s out there, what’s waiting for him.

Yet in doing so, he also had to make sacrifices— ones he didn’t want.

Stepping out of the club, Jeongguk needed to breathe. He might have been in and out of festivals and parties during his stay abroad, but the stuffiness of a crowded club will always make him uncomfortable. As soon as he is out, he hears a pair of heels tap against the pavement.

To his right, he sees a man trying to support a woman by her waist, her heels making dull noises as they hit the cold pavement.

“Come on, beautiful, let me take you home.”

Jeongguk hears the woman groan and slur at her words seemingly drunk, “I don’t know you, can you just please let me go.”

He recognizes that voice.

“My place is just a few blocks away, we’ll be there in no—”

“She told you to let her go.”

The man whirs behind him, only to see Jeongguk standing too close to where he is.

“Let her go,” Jeongguk says as his jaw slacks.

“And who are you?” the man sneers.

“Her boyfriend. Do you have a problem with that?”

The man chuckles and huffs, “You have got to be kidding me.”

“I’m not going to ask you again,” Jeongguk’s voice is now lower than it’s supposed to be. “Let her go.”

The man raises his arms in surrender, causing the woman to stumble all on her own. Jeongguk is quick to not let her fall on her own feet.

“Walk away.”

Jeongguk is honestly ready to fight if he has to, seeing that the man tensed and looked like he was about to pounce. Luckily, he didn’t. Jeongguk watches him stride back inside the club before looking at the woman.

He would recognize you anywhere.

Your hair is longer and you dyed it a light brown. Your eyes still shine, even though they look tired. You are still beautiful.

And very much drunk.

When you finally had enough strength to look into the eyes of the stranger who seems to have saved your ass, recognition dawns on you.

“Shit, I need to stop taking sleeping pills. For a second there, I thought you were my ex.”

Jeongguk swallows the lump forming in his throat, “____, it’s me.”

As soon as you hear his voice, your will to become more lucid has never been stronger.

“W-ait wha—? J-jeongguk?”

“Are you with anyone? They should know that you’re out here,” When you don’t respond, Jeongguk continues, “You’re drunk, ____. If you’re with someone inside—-”

You pull your arm away from him, slightly stumbling backward.

“I a-am not with… anyone. No—” You started to stumble once more, causing Jeongguk to hold onto your waist.

“Okay, come on, let’s get you home.”

“I am not going home with you,” you mumble.

“You’ve had enough to drink.”

“That— that is true,” you sloppily agreed, your head bobbing to the side, resting on Jeongguk’s shoulder.

“Okay then, the night’s over for you, let’s go.”

Surprisingly, you do not put up much of a fight. Jeongguk ushers you to his car and gently placed his palm on top of your head to prevent you from hitting your head on the car door frame. Getting into the car himself, he reaches across you to fasten your seatbelt. He can smell the alcohol on you, yet once the honey and lavender notes of your shampoo invade his senses, he has to keep himself from pulling you into a tight embrace.

Fuck, he misses you.

You shifted in the passenger seat as Jeongguk started the engine. “I need to know where you live, ____”

You lay your head back onto the headrest and mumble, “You know where I live.”

For a while, Jeongguk couldn’t move. He didn’t want to believe it. You must have sensed his body grow tense because you turn to look at him, eyes half-lidded but enough to tell Jeongguk about the sadness lingering.

“I still live there.”

The car ride back to your place was a quiet one. You seem to have fallen into a light sleep, occasionally stirring when Jeongguk stopped at a light or when he took a turn. He still knows the way to the apartment—- almost like muscle memory, like the back of his hand. As he listens to the sound of your breathing, his thoughts are all over the place.

What were you doing in a club all alone?

Why do you still live in our old apartment?

Why do you look like you’re still hurting?

Jeongguk tries his best to help you get into the apartment in one piece. You being drunk isn’t something new to him, not really. When you were still together, there were nights when he had to do the same thing—- take you back home safely.

Jeongguk wanted to chuckle at the irony but quickly realize that the only difference now is that you’re no longer his.

Not only does Jeongguk know what kind of drunk you are—- the quiet one—- he also knows that you require, at all costs, a shower before lying on the bed because you hate the idea of alcohol and smoke touching your sheets. He knew you’d throw a fit when you didn’t get your shower.

He watches you stumble your way through the dark surroundings of the apartment, trying to find the light switch. When you finally find it and light helped illuminate the room, Jeongguk feels his chest ache. A quick look around the apartment tells him everything and nothing has changed since he left. He is quickly pulled out of his thoughts when he hears a dull thump.

“Shit.”

He sees you rub on your leg right after it hit the kitchen counter and he quickly rushes to your side. As he was about to lead you into the master bedroom, he feels you resist.

“That’s not where I sleep.” Jeongguk looks at you, all puzzled until you try to redirect him to the other side of the hallway.

Jeongguk’s heart drops upon realizing one of the changes in the apartment since he left—- you now sleep in the room that was once his own small photography and video-editing room.

“M— I’m going to take a s-show—er,” you tried to say coherently, but your tongue still felt like lead.

“Do you need any help?”

You shake your head and stumble, “M’ fine…”

“I’ll be here if you need me.”

You seem to nod your head, at least that’s what Jeongguk likes to think. As soon as the bathroom door closed, Jeongguk allows his eyes to wander around the room.

The walls still hold the same hue, there was now a small bonsai sitting on the window sill. The bed you sleep on holds the same familiarity and it grips at his heart—- it’s the same bed where you both whispered promises of love to one another in the middle of the night, the same bed where you both made love as two souls intertwined, the same bed where you held each other through good and bad. Tears threaten to prick at Jeongguk’s eyes. He didn’t expect his first night back to turn out this way, didn’t anticipate he’d run into you and see you moving on yet also holding on to everything you both once shared.

The whole time, Jeongguk listens intently for any sign of you on the other side of the door, ready to help you if you need it. When he heard a loud clank, he jumped to the door but hesitated last minute. He heard you curse.

With one hand on the doorknob, he knocked, “_____? Are you okay?” When no response came, he tried again, “I’m coming in, okay?”

When he opens the bathroom, he finds you sitting on the floor, a green bottle with its contents spilled out onto the floor. Jeongguk immediately kneels before you, holding your face in his hands.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Your eyes start to droop, the effects of alcohol still kicking in. “M’fine, I just—- I think I wasted a whole bottle of toner because I’m stupid.”

“You’re not stupid, ____. It was an accident.”

His words made the corner of your lip twitch and you hummed. Jeongguk helped you up and carried you to the bathroom counter.

This was another familiar setting between you and Jeongguk—- him helping you with your skincare after taking a shower, especially when you’re too inebriated to do it yourself. Picking up the bottle of your toner, he smiled, “There’s still some left.” He grabbed a piece of face pad and dabbled the toner onto your skin. Your eyes fall close and sigh as soon as his fingers did their work.

Jeongguk misses seeing your facial features relax under his touch. In the past, he used to see you smile even just a little bit as he ran the tips of his fingers, trying to get all that serum in. He misses this quiet intimacy you both shared.

He opens the medicine cabinet and found your moisturizer. He squeezed a bit of it onto the back of his hand before gently rubbing circles across your cheeks, forehead, and neck.

“Jeongguk I’m so sleepy…”

“We’re almost done, love.”

The term of endearment naturally slips and Jeongguk immediately looks at you to see if you picked it up. His heart swells at the sight of you—- glowing, whispering a soft agreement, almost like you’re giving him your full trust. If you had heard what he just addressed you with, you were good at hiding your reaction.

Jeongguk helps you settle in for bed, tucking you in under the soft blankets. As he smoothens out the creases in different places, he hears you whisper his name.

He didn’t expect tears to stream down your face as you look at him through half-lidded eyes.

“Hey, hey… _____ what’s wrong, why are you crying?”

He knows how you tend to get emotional during those rare moments you get really drunk—- that was another thing that bothered him since he saw you back at the club. You only get drunk when you’re really, really trying to escape from something.

He wipes your tears using his knuckles, “_____ please don’t cry.”

“Did you… did you find what you were looking for?”

Jeongguk knows what you were trying to ask and his heart aches because you haven’t forgotten, “What do you mean?”

“Did you get to experience a good life, Jeongguk? Because—- because it’s all I ever wanted for you…”

Your eyes were starting to close, almost fully succumbing to sleep. Jeongguk allowed his own tears to fall.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

Jeongguk tried his best not to sob right there and then, “Hmm. I did experience good things.”

It took you a while to respond and for a minute, Jeongguk thought you had already fallen asleep. “Was I ever enough?”

Jeongguk feels his whole body tense and freeze, his fingers stopping in the middle of caressing your cheek.

“Was I ever enough for you?”

There have been a lot of things you had wanted to ask Jeongguk in the past but didn’t get to. Jeongguk knew now that he could have done a lot of things differently—- that he could have chased his dreams without letting you go.

“You have always been more than enough for me, ____.”

You smiled, but it didn’t reach your eyes, “I’m glad—- I’m glad life has been kind to you.” You try to fight off the sleep because even in the state you are in, you still manage to see how Jeongguk tries his best to fight off his tears. You slowly lifted your hand to reach out and touch his face. “You deserve to be happy, Jeongguk.”

Jeongguk holds your hand in his, kissing your palm as he cries. There are a lot of things he could have done differently in the past—- and that includes not losing you and making you sad as you have been since he left. He cried for you— the only person who made life worth living. He cried for the both of you— the only good thing in his life that he ruined.

You wake up with the sunlight peeking through the blinds. The first thing you felt was your throbbing headache. You couldn’t remember how you even managed to come home last night. You went into the club to have some fun, maybe look for a good time, all because you wanted to do anything except wallow. You tried sitting up, realizing there is already a glass of water and aspirin on the bedside table— you definitely do not recall putting both of those there. You were almost finished drinking the whole glass when you heard the sound of plates and cutlery outside your room. You don’t remember bringing anyone home last night, no no no.

The moment you step into your kitchen, you see someone with their back to you finding their way around the pots and stove.

You recognize those broad shoulders.

“Uh… hello?”

Jeongguk slightly jumps at the sound of your voice. His features relax when he realizes you’ve woken up.

“Good morning, ____”

“Y-you’re here.”

“I’m here,” Jeongguk whispered, holding his breath.

“H-how did you—” Goddamn, you really need to stop drinking so much.

“I ran into you last night at the club. You were trying to get away from someone and I told them to fuck off.”

“O–oh.”

Jeongguk placed the cutlery on either side of the bowl, “Come, I made you some hangover soup.”

You timidly made your way to the kitchen counter, trying to wrack your brain as to what happened last night.

“I can hear you thinking, ____.”

“Did I— Did I say anything… last night?” You weren’t one for dilly-dallying, you have always been straightforward with Jeongguk. You were also like that the night he left.

Jeongguk didn’t respond right away and proceeded to pour another serving of soup onto a bowl. “No, not anything significant. Although, you did drop your new bottle of toner onto the bathroom floor.”

He hears you groan almost immediately. When he turns around, you had your head in your hands. “That was a new bottle of toner.”

“I know, you said so last night.” Biting your lip, he added, “I can swing by the store and buy you a new one.”

You continue to just look at Jeongguk, eyes turning glassy. You don’t remember everything you said last night, but you do recall Jeongguk crying.

“It wasn’t insignificant.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“What did we talk about last night, Jeongguk?”

“____, you need to eat first. You haven’t eaten anything since last night, I think.”

“No, Jeongguk. I asked you a question.”

Jeongguk knows this isn’t a battle he could win. Since last night, everything about you and him has been unconventional and this isn’t how he planned on meeting you again.

“You asked me if I found what I was looking for. I said I did, I had a good time… you also asked me if you were ever enough for me. I answered yes, _____. I will never stop saying it until you believe it. You have always been more than enough for me.”

Your hands were on the counter's edge, ready to stand and leave, “That’s unfair, Jeongguk. You do not mean that.”

“Why? Why is it so hard to believe?” Jeongguk briefly closed his eyes, reminding himself to not lose his cool because that stubbornness was one of the things that tore you both apart. “Look, _____. When I saw you last night, you were almost taken advantage of by some sleazeball. You never drink that much unless there’s a reason, but when I tried asking you if you were with anybody else, you told me there wasn’t. Since when did you start drinking alone at clubs? You could have gotten hurt—-”

“You don’t have any right to care about me, Jeongguk. You should have just left me there.”

“I know I lost that right a long time ago, but I can’t help it. You were once my girlfriend, _____, I cannot just leave you.”

The scoff you let out tore at Jeongguk. “You already left me once, Jeongguk. Surely it isn’t hard to do it the second time around.”

Jeongguk stands up to come near you, but you flinch. His heart aches once again.

“Now that’s unfair, _____,” Jeongguk closes his eyes for a fleeting moment, trying to temper the pain in his own heart, “You have every right to be angry with me—-”

“I am not angry, Jeongguk, I am in pain,” you try to level your voice despite wanting to scream, “I am still hurting so much and you put me here.” Your tears were now uncontrollable. “You were supposed to be the one person I could turn to when things became hard. Since you left, I tried to understand what I did wrong, what I did so bad enough for you to just up and leave.”

You turn your back on Jeongguk because looking at him is becoming too painful for you to bear. Your tongue is faster than your thoughts, threatening to spill every single ounce of pain you have kept in for far too long. You bite your lip in an attempt to stop talking, but then a small sob comes out instead.

“Shit, this isn’t supposed to be happening, I was already trying to move on from everything and I just—-” you bite on your bottom lip again before turning back to face him, “Did you know that it was supposed to be our third year anniversary yesterday?”

The gears in Jeongguk’s head started to turn; once more, he failed to remember. He failed you.

“I loved you so much, Jeongguk. But you broke my heart so much I can’t even bear to see you—” Jeongguk runs and catches you just before your knees gave in.

None of your fights with Jeongguk were this emotionally driven before. This is completely new territory to both of you and now you’re drowning in it. Jeongguk held you in his arms as you continue to sob, still too exhausted to push him away this time.

“I’m sorry, ____, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I was wrong to leave you behind. I should have just asked you to come with me, but I didn’t. I was selfish and I didn’t want to drag you down with me just because I didn’t know what I want. I’m sorry, ____, I know it isn’t enough to fix anything, but I really am sorry for hurting you like this.”

Both of you stay like that on the floor for a while, holding each other, not knowing what is going to happen next. Jeongguk cradles your head as close as you allow him as he cries tears of his own. He used to know how to comfort you, how to take care of you when you were upset.

This time around he doesn’t know how to do any of that because he knows he is the cause of your misery.

You open your eyes to a dim room. As you slowly come to, the argument with Jeongguk at breakfast came rushing back. With rain making itself known through the sounds of its downfall on your bedroom window, you realize Jeongguk was beside you— head laid on the edge of the bed, sleeping. You bring a hand up to remove the stray hairs that clouded his tired features. It’s been a year, you thought. Yet Jeongguk still looks peaceful despite the more evident circles under his eyes.

It’s been a year and Jeongguk found you again.

Tracing his cheek with your fingers didn’t last long because Jeongguk’s eyes slowly opened. Despite the tension from earlier, you didn’t feel the need to pull your hand away. Jeongguk turned his head to face you, chin resting on his hand.

“Hi,” Jeongguk whispered.

“Hey,” you replied, “It’s uncomfortable down there.”

Jeongguk carefully shook his head. “I only closed my eyes for a while, trying to listen to the rain.”

“It calms you.” You supplied.

“And you remember,” Jeongguk murmured with silent glee in his heart.

“Of course I do,” you said, giving him a small smile.

“I’m sorry, ____.”

“I know you are. I know. It’s not wrong to want things for yourself… to find yourself.”

“But it doesn’t change the fact that I left you for wanting those things. I could have handled it better,” Jeongguk defended.

You find yourself nodding, “I understand why you had to leave, Jeongguk. I didn’t want to be the one to hold you back from experiencing the good things in life,” you take a deep breath, “Even if that does not include me.”

Jeongguk moved to sit on the bed with you and gently held your hands. Looking up at you, he finally sees the stars in your eyes once more. They’re barely there— they have lost their light, but maybe he can still fix it.

“There are so many things I wasn’t able to tell you… not after we left things the way we did. I walked out on you, ____. You can’t let me off so easily for that… But I do want to make things right, somehow. If you will let me.”

You keep your eyes trained on your hands, the one being held the love of your life. If you really have to ask yourself, nothing has really changed about your feelings for Jeongguk. You still love him, deep down you know that.

“Hey, ____?” Jeongguk asked tentatively. You hum in response as you finally look at him.

“Why didn’t you move out? I mean—- the lease was up days before… before I left, and I just—”

“It was a hard decision at first,” you supplied, gripping Jeongguk’s hands just a bit tighter, “But I realized I didn’t want to move out. Honestly, I just really missed you and I’m reminded of it every single day when I’m here. But somehow, it also helped keep me going. Even though we didn’t end things well, I still wanted to hold on to what was left. I moved into your old studio because I wanted to feel close to you even though you’re no longer here. Deep down, I knew I didn’t resent you for leaving. It hurt like hell, I’m not denying that. But It also made me feel proud of you because you were finally achieving your dreams.”

Jeongguk reached out to cradle your face in his hand, “Why are you still so kind to me, _____? After all I’ve done to you?”

“You’re the only person who has ever made me feel happy,” you held his hand in yours as a tear trickled down your cheek, “I never stopped wishing for your happiness, Jeongguk. I want you to know that.”

“Can I— can we still work things out between us, ____? Will you let me make it up to you? I know it won’t be easy, but I am willing to do everything I can to mend us. Will you let me, ____?”

You reached out to wipe the tears that stained Jeongguk’s cheeks once more, “I would love that, Jeongguk.”

“I love you, _____. You— you don’t have to say it back, I just really want you to know that I love you so much… and I will wait for you for as long as you’ll have me…”

You lean forward to plant a soft kiss on Jeongguk’s forehead. With all the love in the world, you hope that for now, this will help him feel that you’re just as willing to wait for him, too.

“I love you too, Jeongguk. I always have.”

[daichiduskdrop]

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚⋆·˚ ༘ *𝙎𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 ⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚

Chapter 31

Pairing: BTS Ot7 X fem! reader

Genre: A/B/O AU, Fluff, Angst, Strangers to lovers,

Warnings: none :))

Words: 3594

Taglist: @thelilbutifulthings @ilovemoneymorethenmen @singukieee @cherrysainttt @felicityroth @mageprincess7 @lucis-noctiana @danielle143 @osakis-gf @girl-nahh @vintageoldfashion @neverthefirstchoice @juju-227592 @silentreadersthings @i-have-no-life-charlie @everyonehatesshani @iamkookiesforyou @dragons-flare @fangirl125reader @roseidol @frieschan @popcatx0 @liz67900 @exfolitae

(open)

Previous:

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

The pack members wished they could say the night was peaceful, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.

Everything was okay in the beginning; the alphas only occasionally moved into more comfortable positions, but with the pack warmth and you close by, they slept mostly peacefully.

You were closely held by Jimin, his soft hands keeping you close to his chest as he slept, unconsciously having his cheek caress the crook of your neck, scenting you.

Jungkook too kept you close, soft rumbles leaving his chest, as if his unconsciousness were telling him to lullaby you to a better rest.

Even though the living room wasn't as well heated as any of the other rooms, the place was quite large and open, so even when the heaters were turned on full blast by the alphas for you in an attempt to keep you warmer, it wasn't as good as they wanted.

But even then, you were warm and toasty, with all of the naturally warmer bodies keeping you safely tucked away and comfortable.

It was just after two a.m. when your eyes fluttered open, and your body was still a bit tired. A small yawn left you, your mind still hazy and sleepy.

Then you heard it. The creaking that sent you to a much more awake state, with your eyes snapping open wider.

It was quite distant, coming from much further into the house. Were you imagining things? The sound came from behind Jin, or did it?

You went to sit up, but with how closely all of the alphas held you, you couldn't really move either. And so, as a most natural reaction to your distress, a soft whine left you in hopes of getting some help.

Even when the packmembers slept visibly peacefully, though considering some of the fully cramped-up positions, it was weird, it didn't mean they were truly unaware.

It was a normal thing for many alphas to be actually, deeply asleep during only minimal times. While it was very common for omegas to sleep over 10 hours a day, healthy alphas would get around with much less time and could fully function with only about 4 or 3.

And even if they went to sleep early, most usually for their omega's sake, the lower-ranking packmate would probably be too in distress to truly sleep on their own; they would stay in a more lucid state.

And so, when the softest whine left you, the pack members were awake right away.

The first to shoot up was Namjoon, the packalpha turning to look over you, on high alert as if he was expecting you to be under attack.

Jungkook woke up only a second later, and Yoongi and Jin also rose up to look over what was causing you distress.

„Babybun? What's wrong? Alpha is right here,” the youngest whispered first, pulling you closer to his chest, having Jimin grumble softly.

„Pup? Pup, what is it? What's wrong?” Namjoon asked next, crawling over as carefully as possible.

When he felt a bump under his knee and Taehyung shot up, a light rumble leaving the young alpha's chest, he realised he wasn't so lucky as he stepped on the alpha.

„What the fuck hyung—seriously!" The younger alpha said, his angry voice only unsettling you more. While Tae still pretty much whispered, you were too far in your mind with the spook you got earlier and heard well enough.

„Sorry Tae-ah. Come to alpha, little baby." The packalpha didn't mind the younger for too long, choosing to pay attention to you. The way you closely gripped both of the lambs made him a little nervous.

Namjoon took you into his arms, quietly grabbing you from both Jimin's and Jungkook's arms. The older man now awake when he felt you being taken from him, having his eyes shot open.

„Yah, yah! That's my-” The young alpha's naturally well-hidden satoori accent showing, his voice much gruffer and harsh from the sudden awakening.

„It's just me, Jiminnie." Namjoon sighed softly, gently coaxing you closer as your arms wrapped around the packalpha's neck, your hands taking his t-shirt into your little fists.

„Come here, pup, tell alpha what's wrong, hm?” He asked, sitting back down in the middle of the rustled up duvet, all of the packmembers eventually sitting up, some of them still tired and yawny.

You didn't really answer; only a soft whine left you again, suddenly worried. Has someone broken in? That was a terrifying thought.

„Kitty? Come on, tell alphas what's wrong so they can fix it. You still need to sleep, little kitten." Yoongi murmured, leaning closer to gently cup your cheeks, kissing your forehead sweetly.

The alpha wanted you to sleep enough for tomorrow so you wouldn't have to nap in Hybe again, if you would go with them.

He could only imagine how unsettling and uncomfortable it would be for you to see the unknown place and then have to sleep there too.

Yoongi wanted to sleep some more himself too, though you were more important. He wouldn't like being woken up so suddenly during the night by anyone else but you, that was for sure. You were an exception; he would sacrifice all the sleep for you.

After a few soft coaxings from the packmembers, you mumbled about the eery noise you heard a few minutes ago, soon tucking your face deep into Namjoon's neck, where his scent gland was.

The packalpha sighed softly, leaning down to peck the top of your head a few times, his hands gently caressing your sides and back as he held you close.

The alphas would wake up if someone actually broke in; it didn't matter if your sweet scent was close to them, lightly clouding over their perception; they would always notice a new scent in the house.

„Silly cub, there is no one here peaches. Alphas would know, sweet baby." The eldest sighed, his softer side coming out as he came closer to his packalpha, leaning closer to kiss your temple himself.

„Bu-But the n-noise, oppa...” You mumbled, resting your head sideways on Namjoon's collarbone, looking at Jin with teary eyes.

At the soft look you gave him, the eldest couldn't help but coo at you, pecking your forehead repeatedly, his fingers combing through your hair.

„It was probably just the house sunshine. It's all okay." Hoseok smiled at you gently, his ruffled-up hair wild, just like everyone elses.

„B-But-” You went to tell them that someone was for sure inside, before you were gently cut off, your worries tucked away.

„Little kitty, you know alphas will always protect you, right?” You nodded a little, your fingers tightening the grip on Namjoon's t-shirt. Yoongi sighed softly, smiling at you.

„Why would alphas lie about anyone being here then? We would never put our little 'mega in danger, my sweet baby kitty." He said gently, your cheeks once again held in his palms.

You didn't really respond, tucking yourself back as close as possible to the packalpha's warmth, the man returning the gesture.

„How about alphas go check babycheeks? Would that make you feel better?” Taehyung asked softly, his gaze gentle as he noticed how unnaturally unsettled your scent still was.

They would do anything you might need and wish for if it meant that you would feel more comfortable and settled, ready to go back to rest.

Seeing the tiny nod, you heard them start to shuffle up, Namjoon gently pecking your temple again before he went to place you into Jin's awaiting embrace.

A distressed whine left you once again, not realising that you were about to be pampered, thinking the packalpha was only about to put you back down to be on your own.

„It's okay, pup, it's okay. Stay with Jin Hyung for a little bit, okay? Alpha will go look himself to make sure his little 'mega is safe and secure.”

Namjoon was quick to calm you down, gently caressing your sides before Jin finally took you into his arms, the alpha's cheek and chin rubbing over the top of your head.

A warm, orange light went over the room, Jimin standing next to the lamp as he ran his fingers through his hair, more lights turning on as a few of the alphas got up from the makeshift den to look around the house.

You were left with the eldest and the other alpha that came back soon after, both of them gently holding you close as they scented you carefully.

„There, there, baby princess. 's all good now. Alpha's are here." Jimin whispered softly, holding your hand and occasionally squeezing it in response to your grip.

„Do you want to drink something cub? ...Here baby, drink up." Jin gently said, reaching over to the water they prepared earlier that evening.

The eldest didn't let go of the water bottle, opening it and carefully tipping it to your lips, letting his natural instincts take over.

It took only a small while for the packmembers to go through the whole house, checking every room not only for an unknown scent but for anyone too.

Jungkook even went to check the outside pool. The night was cold, but he made quick work, shuffling over the snowy backyard in his slippers.

When he didn't see, hear, or sense anyone, the youngest made a quick round around the entire outside property, looking into the garage last, though apart from their nicely parked cars, there wasn't anything to look at.

With wide yawns and nothing to worry about, the alphas soon came back to the living room, seeing you get coddled and held closely by both Jin and Jimin, setting a smile on each of their faces.

„It's all okay, kitten. Come on, let's get you to bed now." Yoongi whispered, taking you into his own arms, before he went back over to the warm duvet and covers you slept under earlier.

He would definitely get too warm during the night, but he couldn't care less, spooning you gently as he scented you quickly himself.

It didn't matter that there was actually no one in their home; you were still quite distressed and scared, so keeping you safely tucked in his arms felt like the best medicine.

The other pack members followed soon after, your other side taken by Hobi, having the youngest three grumble and complain about wanting to rest with you tonight.

When you went to move to go to them, both Hoseok and Yoongi pulled you right back, letting you know that they were in fact making it up and that they would get to sleep with you sooner or later.

„You didn't have to worry about a thing now,” Hoseok said softly, „alphas are here now to take care of everything sweet sunny-bub. You don't have to worry about a thing, alphas will take care of their little 'mega...”

The other alphas didn't take much longer before they laid back into the now a bit rustled nest, all of them a little tired and sleepy.

With you falling asleep first, Namjoon was the last to stay awake, the packalpha seemingly peacefully resting, though he was basically awake for the next hour or two, carefully listening in for any sounds or noises.

When he didn't hear anything for a while, he went to sleep himself, making sure to keep his entire pack and mostly you safe.

 ❄️

Jin was the first to wake up the upcoming morning. A distant ringing sound from one of their phones woke him from his slumber.

The eldest sat up, blinking his sleep away as he stumbled up, climbing off of the couch, and going to the kitchen, where one of his younger packmates phones rang it's usual morning alarm.

It was only 6:00, but still Jin decided that he shouldn't go back to sleep or he would seriously not get up on time. He was too tempted to stay and cuddle and scent you all day long.

It sounded like a dream, having you in his arms to look over and keep close, maybe watch a movie too. He would then spoil you with some delicious lunch and snacks, and maybe, if you wanted to, he would go out with you too.

The alpha would then take you around some of his favourite stores, maybe go to a restaurant he bought a few years ago, or go to a candy shop to buy you sweets and snacks to munch on.

There was an American candy store in the middle of the city, the eldest thought, and while it was for sure crazy, overpriced, and definitely far from healthy, he should definitely take you sometimes.

He heard people saying online, that America has a lot of different candies compared them, and a lot of them are even available for omegas.

While Korea, of course, had a lot of snacks available on full shelves in pretty much all convenience stores, not all of them were available for the softest ones.

Jin never paid these things too much attention, usually passing over the different sections labelled as 'Alphas and Betas only', not really thinking about the things.

As an alpha, a lot of things were fully available and safe for him, and while it was a great privilege he was well aware of, he only now realised the severity of it.

Gosh, you couldn't even drink dumb juice! And what stuck to him more was how the overall market made money on these instances.

The eldest was used to buying mostly healthy things since they had to stick closely to their diets over the years, but from time to time they would buy a bag of chips or two.

There were times when their diets were more strict, and they were held to high standards, but now that they are more known internationally, the sometimes unreasonable beauty standards don't have to be followed so much anymore.

The fans they gained over the years were sweet and loved them even if they ate kale or not, and whenever someone would harshly point out unreasonably said "weight gain", the packmembers had over time realised, that such people just didn't matter to them, and weren't they true fans.

Now that they had you to fully take care of, protect, feed, and warm up, they also had to watch over all of the products available in the house.

You could get hungry any time of the day, go and get some food from the fridge, and not check if it was okay for your tummy—and suddenly, you would become sick.

The eldest realised this well and started taking more precautions, telling his younger packmembers that they should eat the things that wouldn't be safe for you soon, preferably when you wouldn't really see them.

Truth be told, he was pretty sure not even himself would be able to hold back and tell you no, especially if you would ask so sweetly and cutely for a bite or two of whatever he was having.

And when he and Hoseok went to get the groceries, Jin made sure to very carefully read and check every label twice, having to make sure it was all okay for omegas.

He even had to ask an employee when he wasn't sure about the almond milk he wanted to get; the label was unclear as it stated:

For those in need of a refreshing alternative to traditional cow's milk, this creamy and delicious almond milk is just the thing.

Crafted from natural and organic almonds, this milk is a great source of vitamin E, zinc, and calcium.

With 7g of protein and only 3g of sugar per serving, it's the perfect choice for those seeking an energy boost without the added calories. Whether you're a coffee aficionado or simply need a glass of almond milk to start your day, this high-quality milk is the perfect choice.

Note: This milk contains almonds, which may be unsafe for some individuals. Please consult with a healthcare professional or your omega's dietitian before consuming.

In the end, Jin chose a more high-end brand; the carton cost almost three times the price he would normally pay. This one was truly omega-safe, though, as the almonds were treated during production, making it much safer.

It wasn't just the almond milk that was more unusually pricey, though they were lucky enough to not have to worry about the expenses.

Some things, like the vegetables and fruits, were basically the same; he and Hobi only made sure to pay extra attention to choosing the pretty ripe ones.

But things like yoghurt, eggs, meat, and cheese, among other things, had to be very carefully checked over by the two.

Plus, while for the alphas and betas there were quite many options to choose from, he also noticed that for omegas there were oftentimes only one or two.

What if you didn't like the bacon they bought for you? It might even be seasoned, though he never really saw that happen, or what if you preferred the flavoured yoghurts over the usual ones?

They could be a little sour on the tongue, and Jin was sure you would much rather have a sweet one; your sweet tooth was obvious. They could always make it better with honey...

The eldest sighed softly, starting to prepare the breakfast as quietly as possible. The alpha wanted to check and see if you would like some of the brands they chose since they never really tried them, seemingly as an unreasonable expense in most cases.

He decided to make a variety of smaller dishes so everyone would get to choose whichever they would like the best, but still, it wouldn't be too much for there to be too many leftovers.

Jin started with preparing the waffle batter; since it would need to proof for some time, he made quick work, setting the mixture into a warmed-up oven to rise.

The eldest then continued on other things, washing the rice well before he placed it in the rice cooker, boiling eggs, and frying pork belly and bacon.

While he was in the middle of the breakfast preparations, more and more of the packmates started to rise up, ending with only you, Jimin, and Yoongi in the nest still, both of the alphas holding you close.

The younger woke up with the others, but as soon as Hobi got up to help himself, he quickly crawled back under the very warm covers, taking his spot.

Jimin just couldn't help it; it was so comfortable to be in bed with you; your state of sweet slumber was cute and warm, and he wanted to savour it for a while longer.

It was a while after 6:30 when Taehyung came over to gently have them get up; some of the foods were already prepared, as the younger alphas helped.

Tae knew that waking up the oldest wouldn't be a wise idea, and so instead he chose to shake Jimin's shoulder quietly, mumbling about how he should wake up.

When he got only a mumbled out: „Get lost...“ In a heavy satoori accent, he clicked his teeth, realising well that the alpha just didn't want to get up due to the pure comfort.

„Hyung! Aish... Babycheeks, baby, come to alpha now; it's time to eat." He whispered gently, carefully pulling the comforter from being tightly tucked around your neck and chin, his fingers running through your hair.

Your eyes fluttered open, the difference in temperature was very noticeable. You were met with a brightly smiling Taehyung, the man leaning over to gently peck your temple.

„Hm? Is my 'mega still sleepy? Come on up now, babycheeks; you can go back to sleep after you eat a little baby." He said softly, caressing your hair.

It was very comfortable where you layed at the moment, both of the packmembers keeping you very warm and secure, their hands gently reminding you of their presence.

To be truthful, you didn't really want to get up, you realised, and so you just tucked your face right under Jimin's chin, the still-not-truly awakened alpha pulling you closer.

Taehyung went to sigh and speak again when Yoongi shuffled up slowly. The older man looked over how you were gently tucked away in Jimin's chest, pursing his lips.

„It's fine, Tae-ah. They can sleep some more and eat later." He whispered, his voice heavy and gruff from sleep. The alpha leaned over, pecking your head before he sat up fully, tucking the duvet to you and climbing out himself.

Taehyung soon followed, letting his lips gently cast against your cheek before he went to the kitchen himself.

Namjoon looked up from where he sat, a coffee mug before him. The man had already changed and was almost ready to leave after his breakfast.

„They are still sleeping? He asked gently, his eyes soft at the thought of you being too tired to get up yet. The packalpha wasn't too sleepy, used to not sleeping for too long.

Taehyung hummed quietly, taking a seat at his usual spot himself and having Namjoon stand up from his chair and start preparing him a dish of whatever he would point to and tell him he would like to have.

„That's okay, Jimin-ah is staying home today anyways... He can stay with little pup and have a lazy day; it's alright. It won't do neither of them any harm, especially after the rough night.”

„Yeah, bunbun was pretty freaked out earlier... But I really didn't see or smell anyone, so I think it was really just the house or something."

Jungkook said, coming over with a black towel around his neck and taking a large gulp of water before he sat down himself.

He was just after his short morning workout; the youngest preferred to hit the gym later in the day.

Namjoon hummed in answer, agreeing, as he served the youngest a plate too. Jungkook thanked him quietly, quickly going to bite into his meal.

„I think so too... I'll have to talk with Y/N later about the programs, she has to choose soon... I already called a few of the teachers, and they will let her enter, hopefully it will all go well...”

The packalpha followed, sighing. He had his MacBook in front of him, an opened word document with a selection of links for the online schooling programs you could choose from.

Hopefully, everything would go okay.

After all, they would stay and stick by you in any case and so, everything would truly be okay in the end.

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

Next:

[brainrotcharacters]

Legacy

I have to do everything myself. /nm

ship: Captain Price x filo!141!reader

summary: running away from your birth family and then using a new name to enlist in the military came back to haunt you... of course it does.

a/n: I awakened my daddy issues and create a little something for the platonic dad Price lovers of the fandom.

tags: sfw. angst comfort. platonic dad Price. reader is a member of 141. post-mw2 (2022). Price calls reader “kid” but they are an adult (Price is just a dad). John Price being a good dad because look at him he’s literally dad shaped, Filipino words, Price speaking Filipino

You knew this would happen, but you still hated that you had been correct.

The paper that your family used to write you their last letter rustled in your trembling hand. They discovered that you enlisted in the military, after you ran away from them. You were a skilled enough schemer to get on top of your government documents to change your name, but in the middle of Shepherds' and Graves' betrayal, they made sure your family found you. Now they were both dead, and they were still fucking up your life in particular.

Wag ka nang bumalik. it said at the bottom, in your father's heavy penmanship. You wouldn't be surprised if he broke the pen he used.

Cheering and laughter resounded from outside the hangar. Oh, what good would come out of telling the boys? They were tired from that goose chase with Shepherd, and Soap was with Rudy when they made sure Graves was KIA. What they deserved was a full 8 hours of sleep, a full meal, and maybe a good lay unless you flirted your way through and stole their girl for yourself.

"Hey." Captain Price jogged up to you. "Where's all that victory yellin' a while ago, huh? The noise doesn't feel complete without you."

You drew your lips into a line, angling the paper away from his line of sight. "Mhm."

Price narrowed his eyes. The softness in his voice was only exhaustion, you were sure. "Everything all right back home?"

That word made you laugh. Home. Spending each day of each week under a roof with children who don't have sympathy (or empathy for that matter) because their parents never do. There were adults who should've acted more like Laswell when Gaz asked her get-to-know questions over the stupid comms. You suffered so many 'family gatherings' where your cousins and yourself were told to be more brotherly or sisterly, but when Soap was bleeding out because of Graves, you kept him lucid while you maintained his wound. You went back-and-forth with Ghost and his jokes. You jumped over 4x4s with Gaz and made it a competition just because. Rudy bantering with you in Spanish felt sweeter because the others were learning the language at the sidelines. Alejandro was happy to see you too, when you all came to save him from custody. The fact is, you gained two new brothers living in Mexico, and the rest are lumbering from the plane to the barracks to get some damn rest.

And Price. To answer his question, you offered the paper to him.

He gave it a simple glance, then shifted his attention back up at your face. "You sure, kid?"

You nod. "I trust you."

He slowly took the letter from your hands, and muttered some words that caught his eye. You wandered several steps away, hands on your hips and thoughts zooming through your mind. The exhaustion hasn't quite settled into your bones yet... or maybe it already has.

"What does 'wag ka nang bumalik' mean?" Price's eyebrows were furrowed. He was confused but open-minded in the way that the father who wrote that letter could never be. Even for you.

You clench your jaw. "Don't come back."

Price blinked, and the weariness that he otherwise already showed a while ago disappeared from his eyes. His shoulders squared, he was alert again. He was back on mission mode because of you.

"Shepherd's and Graves's last hurrah, or whatever." You take the paper back, breathing in. "I always wondered what being rejected actually feels like. Normally, I'm already gone before it happens."

"Oi..."

You shake your head, lifting a finger at your captain. He shouldn't sound so fatherly at this moment. Not right now. "I don't care. Really! I don't care. If they don't want to take me back, I'm not going back. It's so much effort to pack my things, and book a flight, and drive there if I'm going to get kicked out before I even see the welcome mat behind the door."

Price was looking at you with that warm, understanding, patient look on his face. You don't fucking deserve that! "Listen, if you're mad, then be mad. You're allowed."

You threw your hands up, defeated. "You can tell, can't you, Captain? Because it's natural for you to pay attention to everyone under your authority. I believe that you'd protect me because you follow through all the damn time. You're very cool when you do that, by the way."

"Thanks." he smiled fondly.

"And you know what? When they put me in charge of a unit, the best thing I can hear from those people is how much I act like you. They like how organized my operations are, how I praise their skills in the field, how I check up on them. I never learned any of that from him!" you lifted the paper, physically unable to say the name of your biological father. "Captain, it is so easy not to give a shit about any of these people. But I know I'm your legacy, and I know how to do things right. It feels good to be in a team."

Price stepped closer. Within reach, if you were all right with that sort of thing now. While he does want to hold you, his judgment call inclines more to prioritizing what you need. "Yeah, I'm really proud of you."

The first tears escaped your eyes, and you turned your head away smiling. Your voice broke. "That's not fair. You know I turn into a baby when you say that."

"Aren't you our baby?" Price frowned. Playful. "Ghost would never say it, but we all know you have scary older brother privileges. You're absolutely infuriating when you're with Soap, and Gaz always talks about how you dethroned him. See? You're our bunso." (youngest)

You studied his face for signs of lies and deceit that you knew you'd never see. He continued, approaching with his hands open and pacifistic. "You let me read the letter, so I have some idea about what's going on here. It's not your fault."

"Shut the fuck up." you laugh through your tears.

"It’s not your fault. I'm proud of you for having the strength to leave, and the wits to make sure they don't follow you here... well, until Shepherd and Graves." he sighed, cradling your face between his palms. Never mind the dust and dirt on his gloves. It was all over the both of you. "But we're 141. On this little slice of the world, we have room for kids like you."

He pecked your forehead and then gently wrapped his arms around you. You gladly melted into his embrace, hugging him back as tightly and lovingly as you could. "Understood, anak?" (kid, child)

"Opo, papa." (Yes, dad.)

[icallhimjoey]

Hi, love your writing darling. Its amazing! How about dating Joe and one night while you’re sleeping he finds you tossing around in the bed having a wet dream and he ends up moving between your legs to rub himself on your clit to take the tension away?? 😉

oh so we're going for filth filth on this beautiful December Saturday, are we? ok, my sluts, here we go (also, tw i guess, 18+, read the request again, it's all in there) Wordcount: 1.1K

-----

There You Go

You were a heavy sleeper. The kind that would drift off fast, and would just be out cold for hours. You'd be so far removed from anything worldly, it would always take you a little while to sink back into your awake self again in the morning. It's why you weren't a morning person, but instead known to be all grouch and all grump.

Joe could be a heavy sleeper, too. Especially when he got to sleep in his own bed again after having been away for a bit. You could call out for him at various volumes, but he'd need a shake and a pull to let his consciousness find him.

Other times, he'd sometimes feel like he couldn't even properly drift off at all, instead lulling somewhere in between dreams and thoughts all night, picking up on all sounds in his surroundings. They'd either be woven into weird lucid hallucinations, or they'd be enough to wake him up fully, even if only for a moment.

You'd gone to bed way before Joe that night, and from the second Joe'd laid down next to you, you'd tossed and turned to the extent Joe didn't even think you were really asleep. You kept huffing and puffing, getting strangled up into the sheets, and seemed frustrated about something.

Joe said your name a few times, got no response, then laid an arm across your midriff, which seemed to calm you down enough and made you stop moving around so much. You sighed deeply, and Joe was pleased that his touch seemed to have fixed whatever had been keeping you from staying still and relaxing.

Joe tried drifting off. He was tired, but his mind kept running thoughts and playing reels that made him forget about time and space. They wouldn't let him find his sleep. They occupied his brain too much, kept it active and awake.

Joe couldn't fall asleep the way he wanted to. Not entirely. Especially not when you started rearranging the bed again, and he felt one of your hands grip onto his arm with an urgency he wasn't meant to find in someone sleeping.

"Babe?" Joe asked into the dark once more.

Your grip grew in strength, and for a second, Joe thought you were having a nightmare. Something scary that made you reach for comfort. Something got your adrenaline pumping, and technically, of course, you were safe, but the want to take you out of whatever awful thing your mind seemed to be putting you through overtook Joe completely. He sat up, and took a look at you, was about to wake you, but then, he hesitated.

You were biting down hard on your bottom lip, had fingers digging into Joe's forearm, eyebrows knitted up and... you were writhing. Breathing erratically.

"Baby?" Joe tried again. "Are you in pain?" maybe it was cramps, Joe wasn't sure. Asking you was futile - it was never going to wake you up.

He scanned your face until he suddenly recognised everything about it.

"Oh,"

He took a peek under the covers, saw your thighs clench, squirming, and then, just in case Joe wasn't sure he was entirely right about what he thought was going on, you moaned. It was soft enough for Joe to have missed it entirely had he not been paying such close attention. But he caught it, wouldn't have wanted to miss it.

"You need some help?" Joe softly said to no one, because clearly, you weren't listening. He inched closer, and brought his fingers to your inner thighs. It made you pull on the arm that was still draped across your body, and you pulled it 'til Joe moved on top of you.

"You awake?"

You just moaned more, arched your back, pressed yourself into Joe, searching for relief.

"Let me help you," Joe whispered, looking down between your bodies and pressing a knee into the mattress between your legs, slotting his thigh into place, feeding you pressure where you needed it.

"Joe," you breathed, still far away. Too far away to fully grasp what was happening, but aware enough to sense the pleasure. The want, the need, the satisfaction. Joe was there, you felt him above you, felt him against you, and your body let yourself take advantage.

Joe pushed into you, and you rocked. Rubbed. Gasped.

"That's it, come on,"

"Joe," you whined again, all sleepy, eyes closed, silently mewling and just grinding steadily against his thigh. The whole thing, all of it together, it did something to Joe. But you were asleep. Asleep enough - Joe would never. This was about you, getting yourself off. He was just helping you a little.

You hips gyrated, chased more friction and Joe silently wondered what you were dreaming off as he saw your cheeks flush redder by the second.

It wasn't enough. You made the best little noises, Joe thought, but it wasn't enough. Your hands started clambering around his shoulders, pulling him down, wanting to feel his full bodyweight on top of you. More pressure. More friction. So, Joe in turn, started rocking himself up and down. Small movements. Thigh muscles flexing.

You responded to it immediately. There was no way you were asleep still, Joe thought. He checked, dipped his head down to kiss you, a small peck, pulling back just as quick as he'd gone in. But you chased it, followed Joe's lips upwards, until you found them again and kissed him.

"That good?" Joe asked, grinning when you moaned into his mouth.

"More," you whispered, and were about to move a hand down to help yourself out, but Joe beat you to it.

"Let me," Joe said, easing his leg off you a little, pressing his hand down in between.

"More,"

Joe obliged immediately, started rubbing furiously until he had you panting, an absolute mess of arousal, and Joe could feel himself throbbing in unison within his boxers.

Your moans started shortening, climbing higher in pitch, until all you could manage was an open mouth and a breath held, arms tightening around Joe even more. Pressing your hips upward into everything Joe had placed in between your legs, you reached your climax.

"There you go," Joe cooed, keeping at it, doing all he could, knowing how to make it last. He would keep going as long as you could stand it, watched your face closely, searched for a sign until you frowned, signaling sensitivity overload, and Joe stopped.

Everything single muscle relaxed. All within you that had been tensed up seconds before was now lax. Completely slack, with your chest heaving as you caught your breath.

Finally, you opened your eyes and were met with your boyfriend looking down at you like he'd just witnessed something magical.

You held eye contact for a moment, until you saw the corners of Joe's mouth twitch a little, creating the smallest of smiles.

"You're welcome." Joe then joked.

"You're insane," you replied. You smiled at him as he grinned right back at you and didn't hesitate to kiss you again.

---

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