#we don't know what the curse is exactly but if you have some shit inside you that can rewrite the rules x2 who knows...

[yaeggravate]

been thinking about this what if the reason why kaeya isn't cursed is because it has something to do with the khvarena? maybe his mother and father had khvarena and abyssal power respectively thus neutralizing or suppressing the curse

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

archives l Javier Peña

Summary:  you shouldn't have met him there

Warnings:  +18, smut, angst, swearing, sex without protection (don’t do that!),

A/N: I don't have much to say. I'll just leave this here. please be gentle with me. your feedback is very important to me and I thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. 🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

"Shit!"

You cursed quietly as the cardboard box you were trying to take off slipped out of your hands and fell to the archive floor, spilling its contents. Folders with carelessly written names, scattered pages of typescript, photos - all of this now lay under your feet.

You had been sitting in this dark and musty room for almost an hour, trying to find the documents you needed. But the number of shelves and bookcases made this place a real labyrinth. Your eyes slid over the names and places that the files lying on the floor referred to - still not that one.

Another dark alley didn’t look inviting, but you had no other choice. You strained your eyes when suddenly you heard a strange movement, and then a voice that sent shivers down your spine.

"A lonely woman in a place like this." someone tsk-tsked approaching you "I guess they don't teach you anything in this office, do they?"

You sighed with relief when you saw the familiar face of a man leaning against the shelf next to you.

"Javier. You shouldn't be sneaking around like that." you hissed. "What are you doing here anyway? It's late."

"I had some paperwork." he replied, his dark eyes shamelessly gliding over your figure. "I saw you left your stuff. I thought I'd look for you."

"Mhm. For what purpose?"

You saw the tip of his tongue as he licked his lips with it. "I haven't seen you in a while." he noted.

"I'm here all the time." you mumbled and averted your gaze to the shelves in front of you. Although you could see the letters that formed the descriptions of individual boxes, you didn't understand anything from them. The room suddenly seemed even more stuffy to you.

"I haven't seen you at my place." he clarified.

Something tightened your insides. You knew perfectly well what Javier meant. You knew it all too well…

For the past few months, you and Javier Peña had a certain relationship. It all started after one of the more brutal arrests. You were both stressed and overstimulated, and then something snapped and without knowing how you ended up in Javier's apartment fucking him on the couch.

No. You knew exactly how you ended up there. You weren't drunk, and neither was he. But then you had a few drinks and felt terrible guilt. Javier absolved you, and showed up at your place a few days later. And you fucked again, this time in your bed.

It was just sex. 

To get rid of the pressure and stress. And Peña had a lot of it in him. Sometimes it was rough and strong, sometimes he used the time to play with you, like a predator before devouring its prey. But you didn't complain.

Only when you noticed that you were waiting for the familiar knock on the door, that you were searching for him with your eyes in the office, that you were sensitive to the sound of his voice - that made you think.

That's when you backed off. "This is the last time." You told him as you put on your panties. "I met someone. He's a nice guy. He works at the embassy." Javier snorted. He didn't believe that you could leave him. Not when his cum was still dripping down your thigh. But you left his apartment, the door closed, and that was it.

He saw you with that guy. Once in one of the bars. And he knew that you saw him too. That evening, for the first time in a long time, he took a hooker home. But she wasn't you.

You became his obsession. You were within arm's reach, and yet he couldn't touch you. And then he realized that it hadn't been just about sex for a long time.

He could see that you were confused. Your fingers were nervously tapping some rhythm on one of the shelves, your eyes were avoiding his.

"We talked about it." You finally answered.

"Yeah, I know. You have someone." Javier snorted "A nice guy from the embassy. Did you tell him about us?"

"There was no 'us'."

"So you didn't." A smirk spread under his mustache, and you felt like punching him in the face. "You're a naughty girl."

"Oh, stop it!" You snapped, crossing your arms over your chest. "Don't act like a kid who lost a toy. You have plenty of them!"

Peña tilted his head, watching you carefully, processing your words. There was something hypnotizing about him. You saw his Adam's apple move as he swallowed, his chest heaving with his steady breath. His eyes, dark as night, were still watching you, and you were slowly afraid to move.

Finally, you were the first to speak. "Listen, I don't know what you've got in mind, but I'm not going to get into this. I'm in a healthy relationship with a cool guy, you're not going to interrogate me now."

"A happy relationship?"

"W-What?" you stuttered, surprised.

"I'm asking if it's a happy relationship." Javier raised his eyebrows slightly, repeating his question, "You know, satisfying. Exciting. Arousing."

He said each word in a way that hit all your senses at once.

"A healthy one." You repeated, and he smiled again.

He took a few lazy steps toward you, his fingers sliding over the boxes on the shelves.

"So you're not getting wet just thinking about him?" his voice lowered and you felt warmth creeping up your neck "Don't you feel that pleasant shiver when he's close? Does he know what he has to do to make you come in just a few minutes? How long did it take us, hermosa? Four, or five?"

"You're an asshole, Peña!" you hissed.

"I am." he shrugged "But you felt good with me, didn't you? You were in my bed like that lazy kitten stretching in the sheets. Your thighs covered in hickeys. You had chaff instead of brains from how many times I let you come."

Every word he said struck those chords inside you that made your legs go numb. Peña was a devil in human skin and he decided to possess you. He was so close that you could smell the remnants of his cologne and cigarettes. This must have been what hell looked like. You were damned.

"I'm happy, Javier." you said quietly "He treats me well."

Warm fingers brushed a few strands of hair away from your face, running over your warm cheeks to your chin.

"That's good." he mumbled. "If he treated you badly I would have to kill him, cariño. But was I bad to you? Tell me."

Finally you looked into his eyes, almost defiantly. Javier wanted to kiss you right then, but he held back.

"So you tell me how you treated me, Javier." you said. "Who was I to you? A pussy on two legs that you had whenever you wanted?"

"That's funny." he laughed quietly. "You don't say anything about the evenings when you came to visit me." you swallowed loudly. "You were so horny then. So unsatisfied. You let me do such things to you..."

"Shut up!"

A sly smile appeared on his face again. You were already in a losing position. But suddenly Javier softened.

"Do you love him?"

"Please."

"Do you?"

"It's not that simple."

"Oh, it is. You see, baby, if someone asked me if I loved you..." your heart stopped beating for a moment, you listened to his words with horror "...I'd tell him to fuck off." You couldn't help but snort, and Javier smiled but didn't stop talking "But if I asked myself, do you know what I'd answer? I'd say you're a thorn in my side. You've dug yourself under my skin. You've made yourself at home in my heart. I'm pissed off when I see you with him. And when I think of him fucking you..."

His hands tightened on your hips. You were so stunned by his words that you didn't protest when he pulled you closer.

"Tell me that if I slip my hand into your panties, I won't feel how wet you are. This pussy knows she’s only mine. And I want you, all of you."

"Javier, please..." your lips brushed against his.

"What are you asking for, cariño? I'll do anything for you. Just tell me."

Tears pressed into your eyes. His words filled your head, reaching for everything you didn't want to feel. Fear followed right behind the desire, how much Javier had imprinted himself on your heart.

"Don't destroy me, Javier." You whispered as the first tear rolled down your cheek. "I couldn't be just your girl for one night anymore. It was killing me... The thought of never owning you."

"I've been just yours for a long time, hermosa. And I'll never stop being."

His lips crashed against yours so hard that you could barely catch your breath.

Your fingers slid into his hair as you pressed yourself even closer to him. God! You missed him so much. It was torture to work with Peña in the same place, when looking at him you remembered how his head was between your legs giving you orgasm after orgasm.

And now his tongue was deep in your mouth again, his hand tightened on your breast, but your moan was drowned out.

You felt the shelf behind you, and Javier's body pressed you against it hard, spreading your legs with his thigh. The hard bulge in his pants rubbed against you, making you feel hot in your core.

His lips slid down your neck, nibbling and kissing the sensitive skin. Your blouse and  bra were pulled up to free your breasts. Hot lips sucked on your nipple. You rolled your hips to feel the friction, something to give you relief, because you couldn't hold it in anymore.

Javier overwhelmed your senses, and your body begged for him intensely.

"Just as I thought." he mumbled as your breast slipped from his lips and his hand dug into your panties. "You're wet. So juicy, hermosa. Just for me."

"Please, Javier, I want to feel you." you stuttered with difficulty.

You could see in his eyes that he was already on the edge. He was barely holding himself back from destroying you right now, in a second. But as your hands began to unbuckle his belt, he began to pull up your skirt.

"I want to feel that tight pussy again." he panted as he grabbed your thigh tightly and rested it on his hip, opening you up for him. "You were rude to take her away from me, you know? I was starving to taste her again." he pushed your panties aside and his fingers ran over your folds "Tell me you want me. Tell me you want me to ruin this beautiful pussy, hermosa."

"I want you, Javi." you whispered "I'm only yours."

"That's right. Only mine."

With one quick thrust, his hard cock slid inside you. You moaned loudly at the sudden stretch. Javir pushed himself all the way to the base, filling you up like only he could. You were pinned to the shelf behind you by his body, but you didn't mind.

Peña began to move hard. His hand gripped your thigh, and the other helped you stabilize. With each subsequent thrust, you felt like he was going deeper. His lips found yours, but they were just kisses stealing your precious breath.

"Fuck, you take me so well. You're made for me, baby." he panted as he pressed his face against your cheek "I want you all to myself again, to fuck you the way you like. To hear you scream my name until - shit - I fill you to the brim. You like that, don't you? You love the way my cum leaks out of you."

"I... I didn't let him." you replied, tightening your fingers in his hair "He never... I never let him cum inside me. Only you, Javi... Only you."

"Fuck! I knew it!" he kissed you hard, his movements quickening.

You couldn't pretend anymore. You were on the edge, and Javier wanted to push you off with great pleasure. His cock moved inside you, hitting the spot you needed.

"Cum for me, cariño! I want to feel you. I want to feel that pussy squeeze me. Shit! I’ve got you, baby!"

An animalistic moan escaped your throat, your nails digging into his shoulder. But Javier didn't feel any pain. He only felt you, saw only you. He saw your body trembling with the pleasure he gave you. Now his thrusts were stronger, but he didn't need much to come.

"Fuck, you're only mine. Only mine." he panted, hiding his face near your neck as his seed poured inside you.

You felt a twitch as he spurted the last drops, and then he stopped. This small space was filled only by your breath. You felt the sweat running down your back, Javier's hot body. And then he pulled out, leaving you strangely empty.

You adjusted your clothes as he buttoned his pants, and after a moment you felt warm hands cupping your face, his lips finding yours again. He kissed you slowly, tenderly, gently. Like a lover, not the man who had just fucked you in your office archives. Although maybe it was the same thing.

He rested his forehead against yours leaving you in a sweet distraction "I don't want you to slip away from me again." he whispered "Never again."

"I won't do that." you replied "I'll always be a thorn in your side."

"The sexiest I know."

He kissed you again and you knew what you had to do. You were scared but you knew that together you would do it. And after this all you had was each other.

And that was good.

☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

[step-on-me-khun]

why can't I sleep some more

I normally just throw myself straight into smut, but I'm having trouble doing that w Hoshina, so I'm working up to it, I'm going to do a second part of this and make it smut. requests are always welcome tho

warning(s): afab reader, fluff, cursing, suggestive content words: 730 taglist: n/a - ask to be added to future fics and other stuff

You should be awake by now. Not for work or any other task, but because you were usually awake by now. But there you were, and beside you was Hoshina, who watched you sleep lovingly. Your back towards him as you soundly slept. A soft smile graces his face, normally closed eyes open. Hoshina's gaze says how much he loved you. The snuggle bug inside him urged him to hold you, but his eyes remained fixed on the skin of your back, heaving with every beautiful breath you took.

Every inch of skin on your back and shoulders looked so tempting. Hoshina didn't know whether to bite or kiss it, but he did neither. You were so perfect and didn't need to wake up yet. Calm, peaceful mornings like this were what the two of you deserved, especially after everything you'd both been through and seen.

The tip of Hoshina's index finger skims your spine, making you shiver instinctively. Fortunately, it didn't awaken you. As his finger reaches your nape, it retreats under his head.

Wouldn't it be better to ignore the kaiju's existence for one day? To savour each other and have a single moment of happiness? Either of you might die tomorrow, so you wanted to spend as much time together as possible, including being intimate and expressing affection. Hoshina enjoyed complimenting you for every little reaction, even if it was just teasing.

Before turning onto his side to cuddle you, Soshiro stretches his arms, and your fingers lock together as your hands touch. Your bodies were still sweaty from the previous night, but that didn't stop Hoshina. He was clingy during intimate moments and acknowledged your similar behaviour.

As Hoshina got comfy beside you, a groggy groan escaped your mouth. Your hand squeezes his as you slowly awaken, stretching your legs. As your eyes open, Hoshina feigns a yawn and rests his chest on your back, trapping you between him and the bed.

"Good mornin', beautiful." Hoshina playfully groans, his head resting on your shoulder.

"Is it?" You giggle, still groggy. "I can barely move."

"Aw, come on, it's our day off."

"Exactly. I want to stay in bed and sleep." You were still sore from the previous night.

Hoshina sighs contently in response, focusing on the sounds you made and your breaths.

In times of stress, you cherished these moments.

Your skin was warm and soft, and you didn't struggle under him. It was like you knew he was being intentionally playful and not trying to get his dick wet, not like you wouldn't be able to feel him if he got hard.

"Soshiro," you call softly, grabbing his attention, "will we be like this forever?"

"Maybe," Hoshina teases, kissing your shoulder blade, his hands finding your tits and groping them, eliciting a soft moan from your lips.

"Maybe?"

"Don't worry," his chin resting on your shoulder, "I was only trying to get your attention."

"You don't need to do much for that to happen."

"Really?" Hoshina asks, his tone sounding suspicious. What was he thinking?

"Uh, yes," you were waiting for something to happen.

You prepared yourself for something - anything. Soshiro liked to be a little unpredictable around you, but not too much. Scaring you away wouldn't be fun, and he needed you by his side.

Hoshina briskly moves away from you, his hands tugging on the duvet covering you, exposing your naked body to the cold air.

"Shit," you exclaim, hurriedly trying to cover yourself again. "Hey, it's cold, you asshole."

"I could make ya warm again," Hoshina teases, pinning you down. His voice was enough to send shivers down your spine. You could feel yourself getting hotter.

"How?" You innocently ask.

"Not in the way you're thinking," Hoshina whispers.

Hoshina falls on his back and pulls you down, keeping you warm and safe in his powerful arms.

It was nice being close to the one you loved. You loved it when Hoshina held you like this, and you loved cuddling him the same way, with him lying on your chest.

As you close your eyes and get comfy, Hoshina pulls the duvet over you.

"We can stay here as long as you want," Hoshina comments as his hands lie on your back.

If only you weren't somewhat awake by now. It didn't look like you could sleep again, but you were happy.

{please don't steal what I write}

[restinslices]

Everything pt2

PJO Show Ares X Child!Reader (no gender specified)

Word count: 6168 (I realized a bit late that majority is me setting up the scene. If you just wanna see their talk, read after the “~~”)

Summary: You haven’t seen your father since the last time you talked, but of course with your luck he finds you again and you’re forced to make a big decision.

Warnings: Reader is going through it, poor attempt at a fight scene, the lore and timeline is probably fucked up but ignore that, OOC Ares probably and as of typing I’m realizing MAJOR SPOILER FOR THE TITANS CURSE. To avoid this, scroll until you see “I don’t have any friends that come over” or “~” if you wanna be extra careful.

You’d love to say that not seeing your father after your last talk was some sort of surprise, but it wasn’t. Thankfully (is that selfish to think?) none of the demigods had a real good relationship with their parent. Well, Percy seemed to have a solid relationship with Posideon, but it’s not like he saw him everyday. And as selfish and heartless as it sounded, that offered you a bit of relief and comfort. It’s not like your father was sensitive and loving to you and you screwed it up. Everything was pretty much back to normal. 

 It was a pretty somber day at camp. Percy, Grover and Thalia had managed to save Annabeth and Artemis, but it didn’t come without casualties. You weren’t necessarily friends with Bianca or Zoë but you still grieved over them. The hardest part though, was watching how sad your friends had gotten, especially Percy. You knew what Percy was like. Percy was extremely loyal but that loyalty led to carrying a lot more weight on his shoulders than what was necessary. If your suspicions were right (and you knew they were), he’d blame himself for Bianca’s death. That made zero sense to you. He told you exactly how she died and to you, it seemed like Bianca made a choice. Percy couldn’t have done anything to stop it. He didn’t see it that way and you weren’t sure why you insisted on telling him over and over again and trying to cheer him up. 

 “Nico?” Percy raised to his feet when he saw you approaching. You shook your head,

 “No sign of him. He’s been missing for a week now Percy. If we were gonna find him, we would’ve found him by now”. Percy looked defeated. You were sure he knew the chances of finding him were slim to none, but you kept combing areas of the woods for him to keep him somewhat at peace. If he thought there was a chance, he wouldn’t be as depressed hopefully. 

 “I’m gonna say it again-“

 “Don’t”

 “Well what should I say to calm you down?”

 Percy thought for a moment but just shrugged and started heading inside his cabin and you followed. Percy collapsed on his own bed and you took it upon yourself to sit on the bed next to his. You didn’t know if it was because you held resentment towards your father, or if you actually liked Cabin 3 but you really wished this was your cabin instead. “Must be nice having a cabin all to yourself. No obnoxious cabin mates, no extra noise, nobody leaving their shit on the floor”.

 “I guess” was all he said back to you and you sighed. You didn’t wanna keep repeating yourself but you genuinely didn’t know what to say but not saying anything made you feel like an asshole that was ignoring the situation. 

 So you tried to change the subject. 

“Is it like this at home too? Just you and your mom? No friends over?”. 

 “I don't have any friends that can come over”

 “None at school?”

 “None”.

 That made you frown. You were older than Percy by a few years, so you had time to adjust to how lonely life could be as a half-blood and by now, you didn't return “home” either. Camp was your home now year round. You understood why Percy kept going home though. You heard about his mom and she seemed like a nice woman. You were grateful he at least had that. 

 But instead of saying something sweet and nice and voicing your thoughts, you made a joke instead. “That's why your little ass keeps getting into trouble. You have no one out there watching out for you”

 “My mom watches out for me plenty”

 “But she's not keeping schools from being blown up now is she?”. Percy rolled his eyes, but he didn't look as sad as before so you took this as a sign to keep talking “if I was watching you, you'd be alright. At least you'd have help”

 “You're tryna live with me now?”

 “Sure”, you said with a shrug. “A cool mom, random blue food, stopping you from exposing yourself - it all sounds grand”. You both laughed at your joke because that's what it was. A joke. 

 At least… it was at first. 

 Either Percy didn't know what a joke was, or he was pretty fond of having a big sibling when he was home because the next day he told you he sent an Iris message to his mom and she was fine with getting an air mattress for you. You almost told Percy that it was just a joke, but then you thought about how lonely he must be at home and how annoying it can be only having his mom to talk to about this demigod stuff. Plus, it hopefully wouldn't hurt to get a break from camp. 

 You didn't know why you decided to pray and tell Poseidon about this, but you did. The sun had set and you slipped out of your cabin and snuck into the woods. You made a mini fire and threw two candy bars the Stoll brothers managed to sneak in, which was a real shitty offering but it was all you had. You couldn't do it during the feast. You had too much to say and someone would hear. 

 “Terrible offering, I know. I hope you're listening anyway” you started. “I'm gonna be following Percy around when he goes home and I'm gonna try and keep him and Sally somewhat safe. I don't know how safe Percy can really be but I'll try anyway. I hope that's not a problem. I'm not tryna step on your toes or anything”. 

 In all honesty praying and giving offerings felt strange. You were supposed to pray to Ares everyday and give him an offering, but you stopped doing that after your last talk. The first time you threw food in a fire and didn't say his name, you thought you'd combust as a punishment. You didn't though, so you kept doing it. Occasionally you'd give offerings to other gods but it was mainly Athena. Partially because she was like Ares but not really and partially because you hoped it would upset Ares. Was it childish? Yes. But compared to someone as old as Ares, you were a child. 

 “That's all I really have to say. If you don't want me to go you can drown me in my sleep or maybe send a letter. Whatever works for you”. You looked around, expecting for some paper saying “absolutely not” to land somewhere around you but nothing happened, so you put out the fire and snuck back into your cabin. 

~

 You don't think you have a huge ego, but you definitely felt you deserved a pat on the back for how good your work was. 

 You were able to convince your own lousy family to hand over any legal documents to Sally and thankfully Percy's middle school had a highschool right next to it. Although the demigods weren't supposed to use phones, a minor text here and there saying “hey, I think there's monsters here” didn't hurt anyone. There were plenty of times you had to sneak out of your school and into his, and if you weren't so busy fighting for your life, you'd audition to be in some spy or assassin movie. 

 Thankfully though, you weren't always busy helping Percy. You figured you might as well help Sally out so you got a job at a nearby bookstore inside of a mall and honestly? You'd prefer fighting monsters over dealing with bratty customers. Seriously though, how can you be a bitch at a bookstore? 

 “I've already told you ma'am” you said in a monotone voice, “we can't give you a refund if you do not have a receipt”. 

 The black hair woman scoffed and looked at you as if you caused the problem she was having. “A receipt? Do I seem like the type of woman who keeps a receipt?! When I bought Twilight, I expected better and I hate it and now I want a refund and as the customer, I am always right!”. 

 The entire conversation made you wanna explode in front of her and change the trajectory of her life, but unfortunately it didn't happen. What was with mortals and not understanding basic store rules?

 “I would love it if you were right but you're not. No receipt. No refund”. She scoffed again and you wanted to grab her by the throat and stop the noise from ever leaving her mouth again. 

 “Well what do you expect me to do?!”

 “Pick up a different book then get out maybe?”. 

 You couldn't put a finger on the noise that came out of her next. It was some deep throaty sound with a mix of anger and disgust. “Do you know who I am? I'm Holly Holiday-” you accidentally cracked a smile at her stupid name and that just fueled her rage. She pointed a finger at your name tag and said your name, followed by “you are so done for! I'll have you eaten alive for this!”. 

 She turned on her heels and left in a huff. Fucking finally. 

 You looked over at your coworker Harper and pretended your fingers were a gun and shot yourself, getting a laugh out of her. Harper and her twin Hazel shared a few classes with you and by some coincidence they also worked in the mall. Harper was with you while Hazel worked at the costume store downstairs. You couldn't tell them apart and you weren't sure if you'd ever pass the “we talk sometimes” stage but it didn't matter right now. 

 “I know it's closing time but are you ok if I take a bathroom break really quick? I can help out when I get back”

She waved dismissively, “take your time man. Hazel'll be coming up here too”. You nodded with a small thank you and stepped into the mostly vacant mall. The mall was usually lively but with it being so late at night, the only people around were other people like that annoying customer and workers who had the misfortune of still working this late. 

 It was eerily quiet. Sure, you thought you were used to how silent it was at this time of night, but you still got the creeps and did not take your time alone in the bathroom. 

 Maybe you should have though, because once you left the bathroom that same annoying lady was waiting outside, which she definitely should not have been doing. 

 “I told you I did not like that book”. 

 Seriously? She was still complaining? She was still here after the store had pretty much closed? 

 You said something that would've gotten you fired if your boss was around, “yeah? Tough shit lady. No receipt, no refund, it's as simple as that. Don't buy books you haven't read. Now get out the mall and go take care of your kids”. 

 She snarled. A genuine snarl that made you start to sneakily slip off the bracelet you were wearing. You didn't know if gods could give other kids gifts, and either it had been allowed this whole time or Poseidon didn't care since shortly after your “chat” after hours you received a dagger that could transform into a bracelet. You thought maybe Ares had sent it, but his gifts didn't smell of the ocean and a fresh breeze. 

 Regardless of who gave it to you, that snarl didn't sound good. 

 “I don't think you're very good at your job”

 “I guess I'm not. Now do us both a favor and just leave”. 

 She didn't leave. Instead she smirked and that was all the confirmation you needed to know something was wrong. The bracelet slipped off your wrist and while the monster was transforming, you gripped your weapon and brought it up through the bottom of her mouth. You pulled it out, but not through the entry wound. You pulled it towards you, letting it split her face in half. 

 Just in case, you stabbed her in the heart, twisted the knife then pulled it out of her through the side of her chest. You didn’t have to wait for her to crumble. It was game over. A surprisingly easy win. 

 You grabbed some nearby napkins so you could wipe your dagger clean then returned it back to your wrist. 

 “What happened?” Harper asked once you stepped back inside, which was really odd for multiple reasons. 

 Firstly, you looked like you usually did. Nothing about you was particularly out of place. At least you didn't think so. 

 Secondly, she didn't sound curious. She didn't sound concerned. She sounded frustrated, like you did something wrong. 

 “Nothing” you lied. “It's nothing. Let's just clean up, yeah?”. 

 “I'm sure it's not nothing Child of Ares”. 

Your brows knitted together and you hoped you just heard wrong. You turned to look at Harper and that's when it started to click. 

 Harper. Hazel. Holly. 

 Harpies. 

 They were too lazy to pick a different initial for the first name and you fell for it like an idiot. Plus the “I’ll have you eaten alive” comment. But in all fairness, who actually takes those comments seriously? If you took every threatening comment seriously, you'd be sent to an asylum. 

 Harper's short red hair looked like flames now. Her green eyes looked hungry for your flesh and her sharp teeth glistened in the light as feathers grew from her arms. Realistically, you should've been scared. There were two alive harpies in the building, but something about a monster with a gray shirt with mini white books decorated on it really made you wanna laugh. She must've sensed this since she sneered, 

 “You think I'm funny?”

 “Do you want an honest answer?”

 “You won't think I'm so funny soon you spoiled demigod!”. You wanted to make a joke about how calling children with severe abandonment issues “spoiled” was silly, but you decided this wasn't the time. Instead you took the bracelet off. 

 Harper laughed in your face. “You think that will stop me?” 

 “Handled your friend pretty well. How about you stop trash talking and come over here so we can see if you're any different”. You don't know which comment got her so angry but she leapt at you. 

 You sidestepped her and planned on delivering a quick stab to the neck, but she must've seen it coming. She grabbed something and quickly turned to bat you in the face with it, making you stumble back. It took you a quick second to realize she hit you with a book. A Goosebumps book no less. 

 “You are incredibly childish” you mumbled and you wished you could laugh it off. Maybe you were childish too because you picked up the book and launched it at her face, feeling a tad bit disappointed when she dodged it. 

 You swung at her but she caught your wrist and squeezed hard enough to make you drop your dagger. You were quick on your feet though and you brought your available elbow down on her inner elbow (you were sure it had a scientific name but honestly who cares?). You heard a crunch and Harper screeched. Her grip loosened enough for you to snatch away while kicking her, her flying and hitting the railing. 

 You grabbed the dagger and threw it. You meant for it to hit somewhere fatal but she moved and instead it hit her directly in the eye, which made her screech even louder. 

 You snatched your necklace off and the object quickly took the shape of a double sided sword. It was a gift from your father and although he was probably pissed at you, you figured he probably wasn't watching and wouldn't care. 

 You charged at her and swung the sword. Although she was screaming in pain and was no doubt in agony, she slid under the blade. As she turned to face you, her hands moved and a sharp gust of wind knocked you off the third floor. 

 To make matters worse, Hazel decided to make an appearance. She was right below you, cackling, arms outstretched and you knew if you landed in those arms she'd devour you. 

 You did the only thing you could think of with such short timing. You angled the sword vertically and aimed directly for her mouth. She seemed to understand but it was too late. You came crashing down, your sword along with you and it slid directly in her mouth and down her throat. Because of the sword having a solid middle so you could hold onto something, it didn't go all the way through and you stumbled a bit, but you were better off than her. She stopped all movement and to make sure the job was done, you ripped the sword through her, cutting her in half. 

 “MY SISTER!”,  Harper screeched and you looked up at her with your messy sword in hand. 

 “You want more from the Child of Ares?!” You claimed you hated trash talk and you especially hated being called his child but the adrenaline was really getting to you. “I have plenty to give!”. 

 She flew up higher and started to come down fast towards you. You readied your sword, prepared to end this but suddenly she stopped and started trembling. 

 “L-L-Lord Ares. I-”

 Before you could ask any questions and she could finish her sentence, you were being launched into the air. The scream you let out was embarrassing but it didn't matter in the end. You both collided and hit the wall and instead of being knocked out or injured like you thought you'd be, you were completely fine. Your sword went straight through her chest and pinned her to the wall behind her and you were hanging above the ground, grasping onto the hilt of your sword and hoping your hands wouldn’t start sweating. 

 “L-L-Lord Ares. I-”

 No. No way. It couldn’t be. But who else could’ve launched you in the air like that?

 You looked down and there he was. You don’t know why, but you expected him to look somewhat different. Maybe a new haircut or a new jacket. Maybe he’d try contacts, but no. He looked exactly the same. You didn’t know if you were comforted or unnerved by it.

 You wished you had something cool to say but all you said was “what are you doing here?”.

 “Saving your life”. Yeah right. You had everything 100% under control. He chuckled and you started to wonder if he could read your mind. When you screamed internally though, he didn’t flinch so that theory went out the window. Maybe you looked annoyed and didn’t know it. 

 “Are you gonna catch me?” You asked.

 “What for?”

 “Because you threw me all the way to the fifth floor and it’d be nice not to break something”

 “You need me to warm up milk up for you too?”.

 Fuck it. You’d risk the broken leg.

 You tightened your hands around the hilt and planted your feet on the wall then pushed off with all your might. Fortunately, you got the sword out the wall. Unfortunately, you were now falling from five floors up. 

 You braced for impact, but instead of falling and hitting the floor, you fell into someone’s arms. You looked up, thinking that maybe someone was with your father that you didn’t see before, but no. It was him. He caught you. Something you weren’t expecting but you weren’t against.

 You mumbled a thanks and stood on your feet. The year was 2006 when you last talked. It was early in 2008 and while that wasn’t that big of a gap, the talk you had last time made things more awkward. 

 “I thought you’re not allowed to interfere”

 He raised a brow at you as if saying “you care about rules now when you’ve been breaking them?”. Were you breaking them though? Sure you were encouraged to give offerings to your parent but you hadn’t been punished… yet. If it was so bad you wouldn’t be walking right now. And you doubted he paid enough attention to notice. He was probably relieved to have one less kid bothering him.

 Gods, you were a downer.

 “Are you gonna tell on me?” He asked.

 “If you hadn’t caught me”

 “And now?”

 “My lips are sealed”. You didn’t see his expression. You were too busy looking down at your shoes. A habit you hated you developed. It made you feel small. But you guessed demigods were supposed to be small in comparison to their parent. That’s why you showed them respect but they hardly returned the favor. 

 A moment of silence passed before he spoke up again.

 “You have money on you?”.

 Was he gonna rob you now? “Uh, yeah”.

 “You’re paying for dinner. Let’s go”

 He started walking away before you could even respond, and like a reflex you grabbed his arm to slow him down. “I can’t”.

 “Can’t?” He said so calmly it kinda scared you.

 “Yeah. I can’t. My uh…” you decided not to tell him the entire truth about staying with Percy and Sally. “My ride… mom. She’s coming to get me. You don’t want mom knowing you’re in town, right?”. 

 He looked you up and down and you tried your best to not seem nervous. You weren’t sure he believed you but he let it go for the night.

 You wished it stayed that way. That he’d just go back wherever he came from but instead he told you the name of a diner nearby and said to be there by noon tomorrow and that you were paying. 

 “Great. Thanks dad” you thought. “I always love our talks”.

~~

 The good thing about his random plan to go to a diner at noon was that you were allowed to clean yourself and sleep beforehand. The bad thing was that now you were sitting across from him and it was incredibly awkward. 

 Ares kept laughing at his phone and you debated on asking him what was so funny but he said “started a Twitter war about vaccination. It’s getting good”. You screamed in your head again, but once again he didn’t flinch. Maybe he just had a good poker face.

 “I’m happy for you?”. He glanced up at you and instead of going back to his phone, he set it face down on the table. You didn’t know if he seemed to glow because of the little war he started, or if a source of light was hitting him nicely. Maybe it was a god thing. 

 “You’re probably wondering why I’ve called you here”

 Was this an HR meeting? “I’m wondering why I’m paying”

 “Ask me”

 “You know I wanna know though so why am I asking?”

He didn’t respond. He just looked at you and you could hear his foot tapping on the floor.

 You rubbed your brow, already feeling a migraine coming on. You took a deep breath and let out a sarcastic response (which was not a good idea but your mouth worked faster than your brain). 

 “Ares, the amazing God of War. The Protector of Mistreated Women. Wearer of biker jackets. I come before you as your humble child, begging thee to tell me what required my summons and why you were at the mall last night. Please please please tell me. I’ll fall over and die if you don’t”.

 Sarcastic or not, he accepted it. He motioned towards the platter of burgers and fries, “this is your thank you. This is your offering to me since you haven’t been doing that”. 

 Well fuck. You didn’t think he’d notice. 

You leaned back in your seat and your fingers strummed against your knees and you had to remind yourself that running out probably wouldn’t end well.

 “You noticed?”

 “I did” he said simply. It reminded you of how emotionless he was the last time you talked. It reminded you of how frustrated you were that he talked as if nothing was wrong and as if your pain didn’t affect him. 

 “You demigods think you’re so smart. You have these big egos and think you’re ahead of us. You gave your offerings to Athena and Poseidon of all people ” he spat their names like it left a bitter taste in his mouth to mention them. 

 “And then you stay with that fish boy and his mom. Yeah. I saw that too. And I save your life and you don’t seem the least bit grateful”.

 Grateful.

 Something about that word you hated.

 Grateful? What was there to be grateful for? “Yeah dad, I’m super grateful my life consists of monsters trying to eat me and a dad I only see once in a blue moon. Totally grateful”.

 “We can’t interfere”

 “Didn’t stop you last night”

 He tsked, “I don’t get you. You complain about my absence then you complain when I’m here when I could be doing anything else!”. His voice rose but the people in the diner were either used to this or didn’t care enough to say anything.

 The nervousness and the fear rolled off you the more he spoke. Gratefulness? Doing anything else? You weren’t stopping him. 

 “Then go do those things. I’m not holding your hand and making you stay”. Your brain told you to shut up and apologize, but your mouth wasn’t having it. “And this isn’t about us and you know it. This is about you. This is about your ego being hurt. You don’t care about my safety. You didn’t go to the mall to protect me. You just love a fight and you were probably disappointed you couldn’t do more”

 “That’s what you think?” His eyes burned with something you couldn’t quite place. Anger obviously, but it seemed like something else was there. Or maybe there was literal fire in his eyes. Either way, it was clear he was upset and if you didn’t shut up soon, he’d probably turn you into a random animal.

 But who didn’t love animals?

 “That’s what I know. And I didn’t need your help. I was just fine. The only thing you would’ve missed if I somehow died was your little offerings. I don’t matter to you. Just admit it so we can move on”. Ares opened his mouth to say something, but you spoke again “and for your information Percy and Sally are very nice people. They feel more like family than you do”. 

 That shut up whatever he planned on saying. The last time you two talked you swore you saw an emotion cross his face. This time you were definitely sure you saw something cross his face before it went back to its default expression. 

 Was that regret? 

 No. That was stupid and you’ve had plenty of stupid thoughts. 

 It went silent. Weirdly, eerily silent. 

The diner wasn’t silent obviously but you two were.

You both were just staring at each other like statues. You wished you could read his mind. You hoped you would see thoughts of regret and sorrow and maybe hopefulness about your relationship going forward. You wished he had the same thoughts you had. Another stupid thought. Being hopeful didn’t work with him.

 For whatever reason, your mind wandered off to the late night talks you’d have with Sally and for whatever other reason, you started to speak.

 “Have you heard the song American Pie? Yes, it’s somewhat important to what I have to say. Yes or no only please”

 He looked bored and unamused but he answered anyway. “I don’t know. Maybe? Who cares?”.

 “There’s a line in the song that says this’ll be the day that I die. And for whatever reason it made me think about what I’d do if I were dying. If I woke up one day and I knew I was gonna die that day, what would I do? You wanna know what I realized?”

 He raised his brows for a second and leaned back in his chair. There was a possibility he was still bored but he seemed somewhat interested. “Shoot”.

 You smiled bitterly. Here he was so calm and fine and here you were, speaking slow and hoping your voice didn’t waver or crack. “I realized-” you failed. Your voice wobbled a bit and you cleared your throat a little too loud. “I realized I’d spend every second trying to make you love me”.

 You didn’t bother trying to read any expression he had next. You knew you’d always get it wrong and you’d imagine what you wanted to see. “And I uh… I don’t wanna be that way anymore”. You blinked rapidly, trying to prevent any tears from falling out. You didn’t have the rain to cover your face and blend in like you did last time. “And selfishly I hope that scares you”.

 “Gods don’t feel fear”

 “Well whatever you wanna call it I hope you feel it. I hope -and I’m gonna keep calling it fear- I hope you feel afraid for what that means for us”

 “Allow me to humor you for a bit” you felt as though the comment was supposed to be sarcastic but it didn’t sound sarcastic or aggressive. It was weirdly soft. “Why would you not wanting to spend your last day with me scare me?”

 “Because that means I won’t admire you anymore” you answered. “You don’t get it. You don’t get how much you mean to me. You don’t get how much I used to idolize you. Before I was claimed, I was already intrigued by you. Once I was claimed I read every single story that had to do with you. I was honored to be your child and tried to show you how honored I was everyday. I didn’t do all this for me. The training, bettering my Greek, learning everything I could about mythology. I didn’t do that for me. I did that so I would never shame your name and make you look like you raised incompetent idiots. The way I would defend your name and what you represent, you’d think I was being paid”

 “Me not admiring you anymore means I won’t care about defending you. It means I won’t care anymore about our family relationship. And I hope the idea of me calling you Ares instead of dad terrifies you. That emptiness or indifference I’ll feel when I hear your name… I know it hasn’t happened yet but thinking about it terrifies me too. Maybe I’m just selfish and don’t wanna be alone”. You used your sleeve to wipe at your wet face, a mix of embarrassment and relief for finally getting this out of you. “I could be right. I doubt it. I’m probably just making all that up but either way I need you to stop doing this. Seeing you at all, it gives me hope. I don’t want an enemy for life. I’m not Percy. But this is just gonna make this harder and if you hate me I am begging you to have mercy and leave me be. No visiting. I won’t come to see you when we do that little field trip either. I’ll stay at camp or I’ll go bother another god. Hermes is really nice. And if I break my end of the deal you can do whatever you want to me. Turn me into an ant, rearrange my fingers, throw me down a flight of stairs at full force, whatever”.

 There you went again making up shit. Swearing you saw something worse than sadness on his face; grief. That was impossible. Your eyes were just playing tricks on you like they always did. 

 You didn’t know what you wanted him to say, but you didn’t expect “you think, but you don’t know anything”.

 “Then tell me what I don’t know”. He didn’t say anything. He went silent and you were getting real tired of his silences. You sighed, “Sally’s been waiting outside so…”

 “Yeah…”. He let out a breath. Annoyance. Had to be. “You want this?” He asked.

 You were honest. “No” you said instantly. “No I don’t but this just seems like the best thing to do”. He didn’t argue with you. 

 Your hand went to reach inside your pocket for money but then he spoke again “keep it”.

 “It’s no problem-”.

 “Just keep it”.

 You nodded. 

 You stayed sitting down. Why was it so hard to stand? Why did your legs feel so wobbly and your throat so dry? Why did your chest feel like a huge weight was crushing it? Weren’t you supposed to feel the opposite? Free and lively? Feel like you could float?

 Another stupid thing escaped your lips. “Can you do me a favor?”.

 “Another one?” He asked lifelessly- no. He was not lifeless. He was happy. You were sure of it. You’d leave and he’d cheer because he wouldn’t have to deal with another kid anymore. You knew it.

 “It’s not a favor if you don’t wanna see me either”. Another bit of silence but you weren’t surprised. “Can we do that thing mortals do? You know, when they hug and say they love each other before they go their own way? Or maybe just the ‘I love you’ part”. He looked at you for a bit and you were about to apologize for making it weird and leave but Ares stood up. 

 You stood up.

 It’s strange how something you’ve never done before can feel so right. Like it was always meant to happen or always supposed to be this way. You weren’t necessarily cold and Ares wasn’t a heater, but the second he wrapped his arms around you and you did the same for him, you felt much warmer. Not a burden type of warmth. The kind of warmth that brings you relief on a freezing cold day. That crushing feeling stayed the same though.

 “I love you dad” you said and it fell out so naturally, you’d forgive anyone for thinking this was a normal occurrence. That the fight you had was just a small disagreement but otherwise you two had an amazing relationship.

 You didn’t know how the words “I love you too” would sound coming out of his mouth, but it sounded better than you hoped for. It once again sounded natural and genuine even if you knew it wasn’t. 

 You thought it wasn’t.

 No. You knew it wasn’t. This was no time for brain tricks and delusions. 

 Pulling apart was probably the hardest thing you had to do and your job was keeping Percy Jackson safe. That sudden coldness fell over you again and the crushing got worse.

 It didn’t get any better when you left. You didn’t have the guts to look at him one last time, afraid you’d call off your deal right then and there if you made eye contact with him. 

 Luckily Sally was an intelligent person. She was smart enough not to ask how it went. Even if she did, it’s not like you could answer with the huge lump in your throat. 

 “Do you want ice cream dear?”.

 You shrugged. There was that word again. Want. You didn’t know what you wanted anymore. You thought you did but it all felt wrong. There was no weight lifted off your shoulders and you didn’t feel light on your feet. You felt cold and hollow. The weight got worse and pushed down on you with so much force, you didn’t know it was even possible. 

 Then your eyes landed on his bike and it all came out. Your head fell into your hands and you let out sobs that were lodged deep in your chest. Your ears were ringing and you were sure you looked and sounded like the most pathetic person alive but you couldn’t care anymore. Sally, once again being an intelligent woman, took that as a sign it was time to go and pulled off. You assumed Sally would’ve dropped Percy off after you went inside. You assumed he wouldn’t wanna wait out here for you while you talked to one of the people that hated him the most. His hand patted your shoulder, notifying you that he was in the car still. Usually you’d make a joke and tell them that you were fine, but nothing came out but borderline hysterical sobs. 

 You grew jealous of Percy. He didn’t see Poseidon much but at least he knew deep down that Poseidon cared for him. Sometimes you’d get that feeling but you thought it was all a delusion. Fuck. Why did you keep doing that? You knew it was all a delusion. 

 That choice had to be the right one. It needed to be the right one.

 That didn’t stop this wave of agony from drowning you, and you’d fight a thousand harpies if it meant this feeling would go away.

Omg y’all I did it😭. I mixed two ideas someone suggested with my own ideas and here we are. I hope y’all like it even though a huge portion is me yapping but to be fair I didn’t realize until after I was done and summarizing all of that didn’t seem like it’d sound right, yk? There was definitely a way I could’ve done it but I’m stupid soooo… yeah. Anyway, OOC Ares but this is my angsty fantasy so I’m making him care about his kids. In my head the whole “I hate my own kids” is him trying to convince himself he doesn’t care for them so it’s easier to stay apart from them. Idk, maybe I’ll make a part 3 from his perspective and answer why he said he was saving their life. I make no promises tho. And I know I said it’s show Ares so skipping ahead doesn’t make sense but we know what’s gonna happen Taglist: @kyuupidwrites @chadmeeksmartinswifey @lebguardians @beansficreblogs (one asked to be tagged, one asked for more dad fics, then one commented plus reblogged and one reblogged, so although majority did not ask, imma just assume y’all would wanna see a part 2😀. We’re getting the band back together like this is Phineas and Ferb)

[meanbossart]

do you have any thoughts on cazador as a character? personally i really loved the parallels between him and astarion & the way that the master/spawn relationship is used as an allegory for cyclical abuse. the scene with cazador’s master’s skull where you find out that he was once victimized in the exact same way that he later victimized astarion was really a lightbulb moment for me re: what vampirism represents in this game.

BOY DO I, i don't think much of it hasn't already been said, though. He's a tragic character in his own right of course, not that that takes away from the awful man he is.

Me and my boyfriend make fun of him a lot, we call him "the best BG3 character" as a little inside joke between us and come up with ridiculous scenarios of things that might have occurred throughout those 200 miserable years the spawn had under his command lol. Maybe he had a month where he was really specific about the shoes everyone wore, maybe once every other decade he had a weird week where he tried to be "nice" only to become frustrated when his efforts weren't immediately met in kind by the rightfully-terrified spawn, maybe between all the torture and horrific-ness he just did some plain weird shit like making someone crouch by in his fainting couch and wait by open-handed for grapes that he dramatically chewed on and then spat right out since he can't actually eat them lmao

And that's hysterical but I think we also started doing that because when you meet Cazador, when you first hear his voice and see his demeanor in person your immediate reaction is probably somewhere along the lines of "THIS is the clown you were so scared of, Astarion?"

And the answer is, of course, yes. This embarrassing little man stuck in a cage of his making instills fear beyond comprehension in Astarion and all his siblings. This man who undoubtedly showed all these spawn, inadvertently, the strangest, most arguably "human" aspects of himself at some point or another during these two centuries they had together is also an absolute monster. And i really like that! I think its far more effective and fitting for his story than if he was, lets say, a Ketheric type.

(this got very long so, more under the cut)

Look at Ascended Astarion in the epilogue now, for example. Everyone agrees that he's an absolute fucking dork - and I think we all also agree that he will go on to destroy the lives of many people beyond repair, especially his own, until the day he is killed.

In the topic of vampirism as an allegory for abuse, I both agree and also don't, at least not exactly - i just think it's deeper than that. I've spoken about this in another post but i find it incredibly refreshing how, to me, it seems like Baldur's Gate 3 has no interest in painting vampirism as sexy or fun past a surface level. It's a curse that nobody asks for unless put in a situation where they feel as if they have no other way out, and it shapes and haunts you for the rest of your undead existence.

Even if you enjoy its benefits at first, that has a time limit. You will see your family and loved ones die, you will see culture evolve while you stay perpetually the same. You will experience so much hurt and pain because the only thing that makes life truly sweet is knowing that it is finite, and eventually it will wear down all of your humanity. And since you can't die unless you are scorched by the sun, staked, or dismembered, you must live with the knowledge that you will never have a peaceful death - and since you won't have a peaceful death, you better not die - and if you don't want to die, you better not be weak - and if you don't want to be weak, you must seek out power at all cost and slash things like love and friendship out of your life.

And what is funny, is that in his attempt to be more like a mortal - to eat, drink, walk the sun, such incredibly simple desires - Cazador (and Astarion, if he ascends) is accidentally only drawing further away from the person he supposedly once was, because that fear of weakness has already utterly corrupted his soul.

That's quite a grim way to look at it, of course. But I genuinely think that it is the natural conclusion of something like immortality.

That's why I quite like that, even after Astarion has found happiness, even after he finds his peace, he still doesn't exactly embrace being a vampire - because It's not something he should be expected to embrace. I think it's a very unique take on the trope.

I also want to leave here this message written by his character writer, which really got me thinking about him on a deeper level since i saw it months ago. It is specifically about the sexual aspect, but I think it branches beyond it too, when you think about it.

[atlasscrumpit]

Professor Lecter x Reader

Ever since he had started teaching as a psychology professor, he had spotted you immediately as if there were a large spotlight on you.

Every class he had he would glance at you, noticing how quiet you often were.

One day you waited for everyone to leave before you began to leave, a habit he had noticed.

"It's Y/N. Right?" He asked as you turned around and smiled.

"Yes, yeah that's me." You said, he noticed a small blush on your face.

"I must say you turn in some very impressive work. The way you view things is very unique." He said as you smiled again at the compliment.

"Oh, thank you. I actually get that quite a bit. I hope it's a good thing." You replied, he liked to watch the way you avoided eye contact.

"It's a wonderful thing, people often don't think outside the square like you do. Your view on the world makes it seem like there's hope in everything, even darkness." He admitted, slowly stepping closer.

"This world isn't easy, being a human isn't easy. We have to find ways to deal with the ever crushing certainty of death. Maybe I'm too much of a dreamer but...what's the alternative? Just wallow in self pity and fear?" You replied with a small chuckle as he watched you speak with admiration in his eyes.

"You are far beyond your years, Y/N." He said, tilting his head slightly as he studied you.

"A curse really..." You muttered, solemnly.

"Perhaps, but do you really wish to be oblivious lile the rest of your class. Just drinking and experimenting as they like to say." He said making you chuckle a little.

"I suppose not. Knowledge can be a blessing and a curse." You said, finally meeting his gaze.

You both held the look for a few minutes before you inevitably looked away again.

"Anyway, I should probably get going. It was nice talking to you, I'm really really looking forward to more of your classes." You complimented making him smile.

"And I look forward to teaching you, Y/N."

--

You started to notice how much Dr. Lecter would look at you while he teaches, you didn't know if he was interest by you or interested in you.

But, you start talking after nearly every class.

This university used to be safe and happy but...it began to change.

You started to feel unsafe in your own dorm.

One night you were on your way home from the one party you've ever attended, and of course it all went to shit.

You sat on the edge of the stairs up to your dorm and sighed.

"Everything alright?" You heard a voice say, startling you back to reality.

"Oh god... Sorry you scared me." You muttered, seeing Dr. Lecter above you.

He wasn't used to seeing you so dishevelled and messy.

"What happened?" He asked, tilting his head and studying your body language.

"Well, I tried to go to a party for the first time... Just to try it. Some guy tried to have sex with me even though I said no. I ended up beating him up and getting kicked out." You grumbled as his brows furrowed a little.

"I'm glad you were able to defend yourself. Who was the boy?" He asked making you sigh.

"I think his name is Ben, Ben Sail or something." You said as he nodded, he knew exactly who you were talking about.

"You should head back to your dorm and get some rest." He said, helping you stand up.

You nodded and rubbed your eyes.

"Yeah... You're right. Night, Dr. Lecter." You said with a yawn before heading inside, Hannibal watched you leave and made sure you were safe before going on his way.

--

A week later you rushed into Hannibal's class room early in the morning.

"It was you, wasn't it!" You screamed as he looked at you and sighed.

He knew how smart you were and also knew you would figure it out.

"I was due for another meal, he happened to be the perfect target." He said as you stared at him in fear.

"You ate him!?" You screamed before he lunged forward and clamped his hand over your mouth.

His other hand went to your hip, gripping it to pull you closer to him.

"Shh, keep your voice down. I know you are not shocked, so don't act like you are. You have known since the moment you spoke to me. Your mother was a killer, you can spot them from a mile away. So, don't try to act like the sweet girl everyone thinks you are." He growled before taking his hand off your mouth.

"You think I'm pissed that prick is dead? I'm pissed you stole my fucking kill." You said as he smirked.

"So, there she is. The real Y/N." He said with a smirk as you leant against his desk.

"Should've known you would figure me out... I hope you won't be blowing my cover." You said as he moved closer, he had known for a quite a while you were a killer, all the same as him.

"Your secret is safe with me, I swear. I am also sorry for stealing your prey. Perhaps I could make it up to you at dinner." He said as you smirked and looked at him.

"As long as it's not human, I'm a killer but I don't eat my prey like you." You said making him chuckle softly.

"I promise no human meat." He said with a charming smile.

"It's a date."

[spacebaby1]

Hi babe 🥹 I love your vlog!

Can I request a Gojo oneshot where the reader is a foreigner and new to Jujutsu High? Like she was just entering high school and then Satoru falls in love with her as soon as he looks at her?

I also have another idea but I don't know if you like it. I was also thinking about Satoru's lifelong friend reader. Where he has feelings of love for her but she doesn't seem to realize it. And then Suguru's defection happens, and the reader wants to leave with him 😫

I really don't know if you're going to read this, I love you very much and I love your vlog, I'm always watching it!  Greetings from Venezuela 🇻🇪

Omg hello! Thank you for supporting! I really love the second idea and I would love to write it soon🫡💙enjoy, hope you like it!

Standing in front of the huge school building, you read the paper in your hand over and over; Jujutsu High. Yes, it was the building, your new school, but looking around, it seemed haunted and way too quiet since no one was around. You have just transferred to this new school, in the new country far away from your home and didn't know what to do. With a sigh, you walked inside the building, hoping to find someone and ask them for help, and that's exactly what you did.

Walking down the empty hallway was terrifying; your just joined being a sorcerer back in your home country for less than two months and they already decided to send you away since the higher ups needed more sorcerer in japan. Most of the classes were empty as you walked and that's when you heard a sound of talking and laughter and you followed it happy that the building isn't completely empty. Entering the class you saw two boys who immediately turned their head towards the door when you opend it. The one sitting on the chair has his hair in a messy bun while the other was wearing dark sunglasses and had white hair. "Uh, I just transferred here. Sorry to bother you but can you show me where to find the principles office?"

The open with white hair had his jaw slightly open while the one with black hair got with a small smile, "Welcome, I'm Geto suguru and this is Gojo Satoru. Sure we can show you the office." You smiled and followed Geto as he lead the way and Gojo joined him whispering something to Geto to which he elbowed Gojo and murmured a slight "shit up, don't start."

They walked few corridor down till they reached an office, "thank you for helping me. That's very kind of you." Geto simply smiled with a wave and grabbed Gojo by the collar as they walked away. Goja smiled and waved at you as Geto pulled him.

The meeting was brief with the principal and you were happy to get some sleep after the long flight. Falling on the bed you let out a long sigh and without another minute you feel asleep. Only to wake up earlier than everyone or as you thought. After getting dressed in your workout clothes you decided to go for a morning run even though you weren't familiar with the area you thought that you'll stay close; wrong idea as you got lost while running. You sighed when you realised that you had left your phone in your room. So you decided to walk back and hopefully you'll find your back, another back idea. You accidentally walked further into the woods, a sound of footsteps made you turn and that's when you saw it a curse running towards you; your body went numb as you couldn't move. The only reaction you gave was trying to cover your face with your hand but the loud bang made the curse disappear. Your heavy breathing was all you could hear before you looked up to find Gojo standing in distance from you with a concerned look on his face, "you okay?" You pouted before running to hug him for saving you as you cried. His cheeks were burning red but he played it cool by hugging you back and chuckled, "ah, of course you are okay, I saved you." You looked at him with teary eyes and he swears that something screamed in his heart at how cute you looked to which he gripped his arms tightly around you, "thank you." You whispered making his blush and giggle.

[one-fin-wonder]

Headcanons: Building a blanket fort with the Moon Boys (After finding out they've never built one before)

A/N: Hey so I've been stuck with being sick this past week and some of last week. So I've had literally no time to write coherently till 3 am this morning. I'm so sorry it's been a hot min since I uploaded. I really liked this concept tho! I found it when looking up date ideas for these headcanons.

Warnings: Fluff, Comfort, cute tooth rotting shit. Jake Lockely being a emotionally unavailable man, But also he has tears so. Don't worry you comfort him. No use of Y/N but it says "you" more often than typically in my writings. Established relationship, I also once again accidently wrote the most for Jake. Sorry, not sorry.

“You never what????” You stare at your boyfriend in shock and bewilderment. “I’ve never built a blanket fort.” He says back plainly with a shrug. You stand up abruptly and run to your shared ‘bedroom’ grabbing pillows and blankets running to the couch periodically to throw them down. “Come on,” you say as you grab his hand and drag him to help “we’re making a blanket fort *right now*”

Steven Grant:

Steven is so excited to get the chance to build a blanket fort with you 

He also is extremely happy that you want to do it with him, I mean how can he not be? You’re adorable with how excited you are to share this moment with him. 

He does what you ask, pinning blankets up over the loft and grabbing chairs to make into a cute little tent of blankets. 

"Love, that's so many blankets."

He fidgets with his hands as you make the fort

He's a little nervous because he's out of his element with this,

"Come on!" you'd tug him inside with a smile and he would gladly follow

He smiles once he’s sitting inside of it with you all the blankets and pillows placed carefully around you both as you settle into the bed 

“So this is what it’s like? It’s so comfortable” 

He has the plushies from the museum, I don't make the rules. (I say as I quite obviously make the rules)

He would gently hold you as you both talked while sitting in the fort you built together. 

Marc Spector:

he watches you very confused as to what is happening 

“I mean we didn't exactly have an ideal childhood..” 

you’d kindly stop what you were doing and hug him for a moment “I know, I know hon,” you’d say softly “now grab that blanket and follow me.”

He’d do as you’d say. Still very confused but willing to follow your lead 

“Y’know we’re going to have to refold all of these right?” He tells you as you unravel the fifth blanket to complete the fort 

You’d deadpan looking at him and he’d raise his hands in a fake surrender, 

He’d help you when you needed it but mostly he has no idea what to do.

He’s just standing there, he’s out of his element and he doesn’t know how to help. 

Marc said: 🧍‍♂️

Once you finish he looks at the fort then at you “soooo?”

You’d shove him towards the entrance (carefully of course.) 

He’d crawl into the small space and you’d follow suite 

He sits in the fort looking around at all the blankets and pillows you’d gathered for it 

“I already have a pidgeon in my life you know.” He’d say sarcastically at you nodding to the nest like interior and you’d stick your tongue out at him

He’d laugh as he pulls you close “thank you,” he’d say quietly 

“Of course,” you reply “you deserve the world. And also building forts is like the epitome of childhood.”

 You’d rest against him relaxing in the comfort of your newly made fort.  

He holds you close as you both chat away, cuddling till the sunsets. 

Jake Lockley:

You yank his blanket away and run to the bedroom and he starts cursing in Spanish 

“Oye! Bring that back! I was using it.” 

He’d then stop in the space between the small kitchen and Gus’ tank and the entrance to his bed as he watched you pulling blankets from every spot you could find them 

“The fuck you doin?” He’d ask as he puts his hands on his hips walking up to the edge of the bed slowly 

“Fort.” You’d respond shortly 

“The fucking hell does that mean??” This poor Spanish man has no clue what’s going on. 

He takes his hat off and scratches his head as he watches you utterly confused. 

I think Jake didn’t see much of any childhood, he doesn’t know what it’s like to have that whimsical imagination or the enjoyment of toys that the others did (even if their enjoyment was cut short they still experienced it a tad) 

This makes him not even aware of the benefits of a good fort. 

You’d pull the blankets up gently creating the perfect fort as you look back at him. 

“Que?” He’d look between you and the fort several times 

“Get in”

“You kidding me?” 

“Get. In.” You’d walk over dragging him by his hand 

“Jesus Christ! okay, okay!” He gets inside and immediately his eyes light up at the comfort 

You watch with a smile as he adjusts himself in the pillows and blankets 

Once he settled you get in beside him and bring a blanket over you both 

“You like it..?” You’d ask

“Si, gracias, mi amor,” (yes, thank you, my love.) 

You cuddle against him as you stare at the ceiling with him 

I wonder if he’d cry at the idea of having someone who loves him this deeply to share pieces of their childhood because he didn’t get an ideal one. And he can’t believe that he’s loved in this way. 

“Oh, baby..” you’d say wiping a stray tear away and kissing his cheek where it had been “it’s okay,” you’d whisper as you hold him close allowing him to express himself however he feels comfortable because this man is so emotionally cold that he probably has no clue how to express himself. 

“Gracias.. gracias desde el fondo de mi corazón, gracias” (thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you.)

[rapha-reads]

IWTV rewatch

Season 1 episode 7 [The Thing Lay Still] - part 3/3

- Okay, the triple confrontation Daniel/Louis, Daniel/Armand and Louis/Louis is long but there's so much to say, I have to quote it entirely:

[Daniel] "Well, isn't that neat and tidy?" - THANK YOU DANIEL, I know I can always count on you to point out the flaws and holes in the fabric of Louis' recollection.

[Louis] "'There was a ship. We did get on it.'

[Daniel] 'Yeah, I read that, the first 50 pages. Not exactly the, uh, adventure-of-our-lives feeling I'm feeling.'

[Louis] 'It was a traumatic escape.'

[Daniel] 'Yeah, but she didn't say that explicitly. […] But, um… there's a feeling that she hated your guts there for a while. Why is that?'"

Trust Daniel to always see the little thing that would be inconsequential to anyone else.

[Louis] "'I was haunted by my brother's death, by the abandonment of my sister, by the murder of Lestat, I…'

[Daniel] 'Murder? What murder? It was an act of mercy. You didn't kill Lestat. You spared him out of some fucked-up idea you had about love.'

[Louis] 'Love? I bled him like a pig and waited for the death rattle.'"

Oh, Louis. You are so good at lying to yourself. Good thing Daniel's too much of an excellent investigative reporter to let you fool him like you're fooling yourself. Notice how Louis looks as Daniel undoes all his lies and smoke mirrors? Like he's still trying to cling so hard to the story he's told himself for the past 80 years, like the lie is the only thing that keeps him upright, like if he admits the love, admits he wanted to save Lestat, that would completely undo him and there would be no going back?

[Daniel] "You were shot point-blank by an alderman. You were dropped a thousand feet and survived. You torched Antoinette just to make sure. Where does the trash go, Louis? You take the trash down to the street, some guys show up in a truck and they throw it in the back, and then, they drive it out to the middle of nowhere, right? No. They take the trash to the dump. And having lived two blocks away from the dump just outside of Fishkill, New York, with my first wife, I can state, with authority, what else you'll find there. Rats. Big fucking rats, the size of Kevin Durant's sneakers. Enough blood in them to bring back the dead. Especially one in a trunk with locks on the inside. You knew it, Louis. You had to. The biggest rat eater of them all."

Thank you for bringing back Moonlight Sonata! Haven't figured out yet if it's intra or extradiegetic tho. I love its presence in this episode. It's my favourite piece of classical music (I know, very original) and it's so gothic par excellence.

Mention of the first wife, Alice/Armand, no, I will not get down from this hill.

I love how Daniel's theory posit Louis as having done some planning for himself outside of Claudia's and even Lestat's, with the trunks locking on the inside and the rats needed to revive.

[Rashid/Armand] "'This session is over.'

[Daniel] 'How many days in the Islamic year? How many names are there for Allah?'

[Rashid/Armand] '355 and 99.'

[Daniel] 'Why does a 200-pound bouncer pass out after he sucks him off, and you, a wet T-shirt away from 130, doesn't even blink?'"

Ha, Daniel said 'okay who the eff are you and why am I smelling bullshit'. Meanwhile Armand said 'oh shit we're getting too close to dangerous waters and Louis is about to lose it, better reassert control'. But also, Muslim!Armand. Definitely. Not a throwaway line, not just pretence. Rolin Jones I'm counting on you to not fuck this up.

[Louis] "'I couldn't burn him.'

[Daniel] 'But Claudia could.'

[Louis] 'No', she couldn't.'

[Daniel] 'She stuck a pen in his neck. She recorded his last words in his own blood. The girl did not have a fuckin' problem tossing him on the grill, okay?'"

And Louis' wall of lies is breaking and shattering… And the pebbles of the zen garden, his other big trauma, don't help either…

[Daniel] "You cursed her into the darkness. You chose Lestat over her time and time again. You don't need a memoir, Louis. You need a hundred sessions of EMDR. You know the shit they put soldiers through when they see one of their platoon buddies get blown up in front of them?"

Say it, Daniel! These messy vamps need therapy.

Making jokes to avoid the sheer anguish in Louis' face, voice and body language, both in the 1940 flashback (the image of Louis holding Lestat's body and yelling is tattooed on my eyelids) and in 2022 (Louis sitting in his zen garden hugging and rocking himself, eyes screwed shut, trying to block Daniel and Armand's voices and the memories lives rent free in my mind).

[Daniel] "'144 years and you're still Louis the Pimp, paying a whore to sit in a room and talk with you. 'Cause why? You got some story you wanna tell the whole world about yourself?'

[Rashid/Armand] 'When you hear it you'll be ashamed, ashamed of what you say to him now!'"

Please don't hold back, Danny, do tell us what you think exactly. But hey, Louis needs to hear it.

The fuck are you talking about, Armand… Also notice how agitated he is? Feeling protective of Louis, or feeling like he's losing control of the interview, the interviewee and the interviewer all at once?

Love Armand taking off is gloves in the background. So subtle, so crucial. And then the lenses.

[Daniel] "'This is the same shit that happened in San Francisco.'

[Louis] 'Not exactly.'

[Daniel] 'How is it any different, Louis?'

[Armand] 'This time I won't save your life. Louis can sometimes act out. I protect him from himself, always have. Stopped him that night in San Francisco.'"

Oh, hello, Armand's decided to play Superman. Aaaaah, Armand's orange eyes, I love them!!!

Can we talk about Armand's infantilisation of Louis? "He acts out, I protect him from himself"… Like a child that can't regulate his feelings and needs to be put on time's out. The manipulation is deep and multi-layered, it's not just the memory alteration. Notice how Louis is pretty much dissociating, staring at the grey wall, face slowly becoming inexpressive and voice returning to flat and empty, from the moment Armand started telling off Daniel?

[Daniel] "'You were there.'

[Louis] 'You don't remember.'

[Daniel] 'No, I don't remember.'

[Louis] 'What was that you said about memory? 'A monster', was it?'

[Daniel] 'But I saw you standing in the sun.'

[Armand] 'As we age, the sun loses its power over us. What's a mediocre star to a 514-year-old vampire?'

[Louis] 'Daniel Molloy, I'd like you to meet the vampire Armand, the love of my life.'"

One, don't be too cocky, Louis, there's plenty you don't remember about that night too yourself.

Two, and we've come full circle again, the monster memory making itself fully known after lurking all season long.

Three, shut up Armand, the Sun is not a mediocre star, it's part of the entire reason there's life on this planet, show some respect. Sun deities are some of the most frequent deities around the globe. You need to come back down to earth.

Four, all the books being out of reach to Louis, another way Armand's exerting subtle control.

Five, "love of my life", BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAGA *deep breath* HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAA, that line kills me every time I hear time. Why you lying Louis, stop fucking lying all the time. Sorry, Armand.

Daniel seeing them side by side and hearing that stupid line after listening to Louis ramble and compose poetry on the spot about Lestat for the past week or so: "hm. I sense bullshit of the highest degree. Time to destroy that whole tower of lies one by one.".

Aaaaaaaaaah, that was such a rich and intense episode!!!! What a grandiose season 1 final!!! So many different elements that have got to be revisited by other perspectives to get the full painting. So many seeds planted for season 2 and even season 3!! The writing is flawless, the acting is exquisite, the music is gorgeous, the costume, set design and stage direction are masterful. I am in love with this show.

ep1 | ep2 | ep3 | ep4 | ep5 | ep6 | part 1 | part 2

[christinebloodwrittings]

Something exactly like this.

Here we start a new series, at last I regained my love for writing n' reading 🥰

I have no idea how to write Hobie's accent, so apologies for that in advance. Any input and advise is well welcomed ☺️

Pairing: Hobie Brown x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Mention of blood, injuries, fighting, cursing, anxiety.

Words: 2022

Chapter one: What else you got?

"When will you ever grow up?! Going against our path, is going against the family!" My father yelled, speaking about his religion and how I refused to believe in his insanity while punching the table to accentuate his anger.

"Then maybe I was never really a part of this shit family!" A smack on the face, it came from across my step mother that had entered the conversation, "Never come back, insufferable brat" she spit at me.

I had had it with them, so I flipped them off and left with a duffle bag on my shoulder.

As soon as I arrived to the train station and took seat inside the train, my heart broke, tears streamed down my face, like a wild river I tried to hold back when I looked the disappointment in my father's eyes.

Let's start from the beginning, my name is Y/n L/n, and it's been two weeks since I moved to the big city. A friend got me a job on a coffee shop and a small flat near it, without her I would've slept on the streets probably, so I owe her a lot.

Every day is the same! It's going to drive me crazy. I make the minimum for attending crazy fucked up people! Every day is the same compalints, some about the damm prices, the ice cream flavors, the fact that not always we have cash to break a 20, bitch come on, who buys a two dollar coffee with 20 or 100 bucks?? Seriously, people are crazy, and they take it on me just because I'm on the counter almost all the time.

I'm fucking tired.

Then one night, I was doing inventory when Jess, on the subject that I owe her a lot, she practically begged me to accompany her to a very illegal show downtown, on a sketchy bar no less. "I don't know Jess, those shows aren't really my thing, neither is a lot of people on a confined space" you shrugged, "Come on Y/n, my boyfriend is playing the bass, but I don't wanna go alone, maybe I could even present you to a few people, so you have friends, other than me" I looked at her with a stern look, that was the least of my concerns.

"It's just...you look so lonely and sad all the time, maybe you could have some fun, ya' know, to loosen up the stress from work" before she could keep blabbering reasons to go, I caved. "Fine" she yelled a high pitched "Yay" and hugged me.

It's amazing how easy is to get killed in the city nowadays, my first couple of days working I got shocked with how many corpses I encountered as soon as I opened my apartment door, but then I got used to it? I don't throw up as much as before, so that's a start.

But everything is so messy right now, with V.E.N.O.M tasks forces roaming the streets, people instead of being scared, they've become violent. I have no idea how Jess can be so hyped about a show when there's like an 80% chance we'll get killed in the process.

But hey, YOLO right?

Since it was a punk event, she wanted me to "blend in", as to not dress as a total nerd like I always do according to her. So we stopped at her apartment to get ready.

She lend me a plaid mini skirt, mid thigh stockings, a learher jacket that ended mid torso, a dark red shirt with a weird spider logo, a spiky choker and did a very goth or punk-like work on my face.

I didn't recognized myself, but I didn't quite hated it either.

Black boots with chains completed the look according to her, "Ya' look stunnin', honey" she squealed, coming out of the bathroom ready herself, wearing all things similar to mine, with the addition of a oversized denim jacket filled with band related pins and patches.

"Your boyfriend's, I suppose" she turned back to me, blushed slightly, "He gifted this to me, he's so cool and corny, I love him so much".

I am jealous of her. Her boyfriend has stopped by work a few times, he's tough but nice and very likeable. I could tell he would go to hell and back for her.

I was so fucking jealous of that.

The place wasn't really far from my apartment, which would allow me to slip away in case I needed it, oh boy, not even two seconds inside and I already wanted to run away.

It was a mess of all kinds of black dressed people, like the pride parade but goth, punk and violently weird. Jess seemed to be fine around the mess, she was a natural, totally in her element.

There was this feeling climbing up my spine, weakening my knees and my lungs, anxiety making her debut.

"C'mon let's get to the front before they start playin', otherwise we won't be able to see shit!" She pulled me across the sea of leather and spikes, I sensed a lot of stares and wolf whistles, probably not for me, but it felt so alien to me.

The group made its introduction, the crowd wildly started screaming and jumping, shoving us against the fence that kept us away from the stage. The amps to the limit, and the people jumping and shoving, everything begun to spin, in a haze I believed myself to be drunk but totally sober, "Jess! I wanna leave" I tried to scream but she couldn't hear me. Couldn't move either, trapped in between the fence I could only close my eyes in hopes the pain in my ears and my chest would end soon.

A hand took mine, out of a sudden I was on the other side of the fence. Due to the momentum I clashed against a bunch of pins and chains, "Follow me" He said, not ever letting my hand go, he lead me backstage, where the sound of the still going music and cheering was a bit muffled, barely bearable.

"Better?" I looked up to him, he had a wild black mane, piercings on his brows and his lower lip, stunning factions and he was built amazingly. "Yeah, sorry about the trouble" he chuckled at my embarrassment, "S' nothin', stay here all you need" he winked and rushed back to the stage, the screaming intensified as soon as he did.

A while later, Jess got to the backstage by the arm of her boyfriend, "Oh, honey I'm so sorry, are you feeling okay now?" I shook my head, hugging myself in absolute embarrassment. "'m gonna head back, sorry" she held me as soon as I was about to leave, "First, your knight in denim armor, Hobie I can't thank you enough" she thank him.

So that was his name, Hobie.

"No problem, that was a bad edge" his accent was so thick that's all I got to hear him say. "Hobie we need to scram, they are on their way, get the explosives" said none other than Jess's boyfriend, "Another raid? But babe" she whined, not caring about the sudden violence about to be unleashed apparently.

"Jess we need to leave, now!" I tried to take her away, but she resisted and shoved my hand away from hers, "I'm actually gonna stay for this one, Spider-Man might actually appear this time" She excitedly left with her boyfriend.

How could she just left when there was going to be another raid outside?! "Why today, I knew I shouldn't have come to this stupid thing!" Searching routes, but nothing came to mind, the sound of the tasks forces was loud, and the one from the rebellion was even more so.

Everything went down because of Oscorp taking over, then Spider-Man showed up to shake up the masses into a furious rebellion, it bothered me tat the rebels acted as if the destruction, the purchase of weapons from gangsters, and the eternal bustle, would change the fact that V.E.N.O.M had almost completely taken over the streets. The rebellion regained territory in the last assault, but in that hell several young people died, and not even Spider-Man could do anything about it.

Usually I don't get into that shit, because for fun I rather go dancing at the club, though I admit I threw a Molotov at a task forces's car, once the opportunity presented itself.

When I got out, everything was smoke, explosions, people running, crying and shouting with hate. The alley that led to the passage where I would hopefully make it to my apartment was across the fire. I plucked up my courage and ran, a little difficult because of the platforms on my shoes, the damn mini skirt, and because of the shooting that started when I managed to jump over the puddle of burning gasoline.

I fell and hit all the cement on my legs and arms, I got up quickly because the adrenaline was stronger than the bullet that grazed my knee, so I managed to take refuge in the back of the building.

"Where you think you goin' bitch" A cop grabbed my arm, seeing that I resisted him the baton on his other hand hit the back of my knees and then I had no other choice but to fall, the cut on my knee bleeding even more, but I couldn't feel it yet.

He rises the baton to hit me again, but it got swooped off his hand, in about a second that same cop was literally mummified to the wall, all covered in spider webs.

"You okay?" Red and blue suit, spikes on the head of the mask, denim jacket and boots, yeah a hero alright. "Peachy" He just saved me, but the bitterness from my friend bailing on me, the recent anxiety attack, the raid, the pulsing wound that I made the mistake of acknowledge, and the posible bruise from the baton, got to me pretty fast.

"Go save the others, I'm fine" he didn't moved, instead he stretched his hand towards me, "Let me take you some'ere safe first" normally I would've sent him to hell itself, but taking everything into consideration, I ended up agreeing.

As soon as I took his hand, he pulled me up and into his arms. He secured my waist with his arm, "By the green building is alright" he nodded then fired his web, without warning he took flight, taking an even firmer grasp on my waist.

Meanwhile I hid my face on his neck and yelled a bit.

As soon as we landed I shoved myself off of his grasp, clinging to the fire stairs railing for dear life, "Bit nauseous there love?" He joked, "A warning would've been appreciated" I swallowed the bit of puke that threatened the back of my throat, "But thanks, I'll take it form here".

My knees quivered when trying to make a decent step, the pulsing hurt behind my legs, "Ya' sure?" He asked, getting at a safe distance from my pathetic state, "Yeah, now aren't you needed elsewhere?" He slightly laughed at my embarrassment, "That can wait, they were holding it up, a'right" I could hear his smile under that mask.

"Need help there, love?" He offered, making it sound more like a tease, his hand reaching towards me once more, "I'll be careful" He promised. I caved again, after all, I lived in the eighth floor.

"Now we're good, night spiderman" I tried to close the door but he stopped it with his combat boots, "What" he stayed silent for a second, "Not even a kiss?" He joked? I couldn't tell because of the mask, then he just leaned on the doorframe. I genuinely laughed, like I haven't in a while, "Thanks for the laugh, maybe next time you save me, I'll give you that kiss, how's that?" He tilted his head a bit, like thinking, then just nodded.

I think he was about to say something, but an explosion on the raid site got to his attention, "I think you're needed" When I turned my head around he had already left.

[goldenpinof]

What do you think is happening with the wad recording? What I mean is, obviously Dan’s still working on it and I trust he's doing everything he can, but do you think it will have the same vibe as when it was performed during the tour? Since it's been so long. And do you think, if he doesn't for some reason manage to record it, does he have some kind of backup recording from the tour, be it from one camera, but at least with a passable audio? You know way more about this than I do, sorry if this is not how these things work actually 👀

oi, i don't know anything but i have theories. my roman empire.

i don't think it's gonna be released as wad dvd (not anymore, lol). i still call it dvd because it's easier. it can be put on a streaming platform. he didn't record the whole show during his tour but he has recordings of some shows (segments of some shows) that were used for promo. and i'm sure there is more footage than we have already seen. i think it's a good backup that could be used if other plans went to shit. did they go to shit though?

at the end of October i was told that Inter Talent was reaching out to companies trying to sell wad movie rights, basically (hello, op if you're still here). and then in November Dan told us that, "the oven has almost reached temperature" and i would assume they finally sold the rights. to what exactly? i have no idea. a one-man show? has something to do with the place and the festival we shouldn't name? BBC is involved again? if he actually performed wad show in front of some audience we would have known, i assume. so it leaves me with a theory about the "gay and not proud" format that was surely adapted to wad as much as possible. Bo Burnham: Inside (Daniel Howell edition), idk. or another theory - a mix of the footage they have (the promo one) and Dan "performing" on stage alone. no idea how they would make it look natural but they could try.

in both October and November people called the product a movie and a film. it also makes me think that there's gonna be either bts or actual acting in the final product, instead of just what we saw live. so, not the same vibe for sure.

also, since there were adjustments to the script for almost every live show he probably had to make changes for dvd as well. and also he had enough feedback to modify some jokes. this whole delay of wad dvd is a blessing and curse, honestly. he had a chance to perfect it, and i hope he did.

p.s. if he is only about to perform it in front of an audience for filming purposes, and he was selling only the movie idea to get funds, i'm gonna cry. but it would be funny.

[dantakeyoman]

𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐘 | 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐧𝐞

♡ 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦! 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

♡ * 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈, 𝒔𝒆𝒙𝒚, 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒆, 𝒛𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒆-𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑱𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒔. *

♡ 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐳𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 (𝐳𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬), 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 (𝐨𝐟 𝐳𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬), 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐬, 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐱, 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬, 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐞𝐭𝐜.

♡ * 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚: 𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍 *

𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

"Looks like anyone who's ever been in a movie lives on this block," Columbus stated, reading the map he picked up as Tally drove you through the Hollywood Hills.

"What exactly you think we're doin' in the 90210, Sally?" Tallahassee smirked.

"I pictured Tom Cruise living somewhere nicer," Wichita stated as you passed his house.

"Definitely," you agreed, watching it go by.

After driving through Arizona and into California, the five of you agreed to keep your little troupe going until you reached Pacific Playland.

Though, Tallahassee had an idea of somewhere you all could crash for some R 'n R.

So that was where you were going first.

"He's a B-lister compared to who I got in mind, folks. We're goin' to the tippy top of the A-list," he assured

"Who?" Little Rock asked.

"You'll see," he cheesed.

Turning the corner, he rode up the driveway of a house with a golden BM on its gates.

"It's a big BM?" Columbus asked.

"And it ain't Bob Marley," Tal quipped.

He pulled over and the lot of you got out, heading in through the ornate front doors.

The place was beyond fancy with golden in nearly every corner, and big, beautiful archways.

It was a gorgeous house.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to La Mancion de Murray," Tal proudly introduced, walking the four of you into a room where a large painting of the famous comedian stood.

"You've gotta be jokin'," you smiled.

"No way. This guy has a direct line to my funny bone," Wichita gasped.

"Whoa, whoa, wait. Who's Bill Murray?" Little Rock asked, confused.

"Hey, I've never hit a kid before," Tal shook his head, disappointed.

"I blame you," you turned to Wichita, "Poor girl wasn't educated."

"I mean, that's like asking who Gandhi is," Tal waved off.

"Who's Gandhi?" The little girl asked again.

You cocked a brow at Wichita, and she scoffed, "She's twelve."

"And you're failing as a parental figure," you shrugged, heading towards the kitchen.

"There's no Twinkies in here," Columbus reported, already having checked every cabinet.

"Shit fuck!" Tally cursed, walking in and kicking a low cabinet.

"Told ya we shoulda gone to Russell Crowe's," you cooed, sitting yourself down on the counter in front of him, "But you don't listen."

"Excuse me for makin' mistake, Miss Perfect," he taunted, rolling his eyes and leaning against the side of the counter.

"Hello? Inside voices," Columbus reminded, picking up his gun, "At least until we know we're alone. Tallahassee, Jersey, take that way. Little Rock, Wichita, come with me."

"Why do I get stuck with her?" Tal complained.

Fakely, of course.

"I'm not jumpin' to be put with you, either, cowboy," you scoffed with a smile, hopping off the counter and bumping him with your hip, heading off in the direction Columbus pointed.

Before he followed you, shut his eyes and took a deep breath, regaining his composure.

You had to be doing this shit on purpose.

No way you weren't.

𝒛 𝒐 𝒎 𝒃 𝒊 𝒆 𝒍 𝒂 𝒏 𝒅

Walking into one of the bedrooms, the two of you shared a look, glancing at the bed, before looking at each other again.

You booked it, but Tal, already guessing your plan, grabbed you by your waist and tossed you back, running for the bed himself.

"Fuckin' cheat!" You exclaimed, recovering and chasing him.

"You snooze, you lose, sweetheart," he smirked, flopping belly first onto the bed.

But you walked over and grabbed him by his ankles, flipping him over the side.

He landed on the floor with a groan, and you happily crawled on the bed, leaning over the edge to look at him.

You grabbed his hat off his head, carefully placing it on your head.

"Guess you could say I gotchu floored, huh?" You smirked.

He looked up at you with a smile, caught off-guard by the horrible pun.

God, you looked so pretty with his hat on your head.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that," he denied.

"Oh, c'mon, you've said way worse," you scoffed, crawling over and putting down your feet.

"I just add that charm to it," he smirked, standing up and dusting himself off, "S'a me thing, y'know."

"All right, then. Let me try," you cleared your throat, prepping your voice for his country accent, "Guess you could say I gotchu floored, huh?"

He shook his head, throwing an arm around your shoulder, "Needs work."

"I think the hat should give me extra points," you adjusted it as you two walked into the next room.

It sounded like the other three were watching Ghostbusters somewhere, 'cause the theme song could be heard crystal clear in this room.

Tally threw off his jacket as he shimmied, throwing himself onto the couch and holding up his feet.

"Help me with the boots. C'mon," he bicycled to the music, clapping.

You rolled your eyes and grabbed the things, yanking them off and tossing them somewhere.

"Thanks, doll," he smiled, sitting up.

"Sure," you blushed, quickly covering by picking up the golf club and balls you found in the corner of the room.

You set up shop were you found them, picking out a ball and winding up your swing, smacking it into the fireplace.

Tally was back up again, horribly dancing to the music still playing, humming along here and there.

You wound up another swing, hitting the ball into the wall, making it roll off somewhere.

Behind the music, you could've sworn you heard the sounds of footsteps, but you paid it no mind.

Probably just one of the others.

Or maybe some sort of creaking.

This place was abandoned, after all.

You didn't really care either way.

It was the one time you could finally let your guard down, finally let loose and live life past the nightmare outside.

You already had enough to worry about.

You wound up again, a little anger fueling your swing as the ball smacked into the window sill, ricocheting off a whole bunch of things until it hit Tallahassee in the face.

He groaned, and dropped to his knees, before allowing himself to fully flop on the ground.

"Shit!" You winced, quickly running over, and kneeling down in front to him "Tally, I am so sorry. It was an accident."

The footsteps had gotten louder but you still ignored it, more focused on making sure your cowboy was all right.

You lifted his chin, checking his eyes to make sure he didn't have a concussion, and they looked fine until they went wide, landing on something behind you.

"Bill Murray, you're a zombie?" He winced.

You quickly whipped around and grabbed your club in one motion, using it to hit Murray in the knees and make him fall.

"Auugh! Ow! I'm on fire!" He shouted in pain, rolling over and clutching his ass, "Ouch!"

"You're not a zombie, you're talkin'....you're okay?" Tal asked, confused, as the two of you stood up.

"The hell I am!" He exclaimed, slowly and painfully, pulling himself up.

'Coulda fooled me.'

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that it was you you," you apologized.

"Are you...? What's with the get up?" Tal asked, referring to the zombie makeup the actor had on for some reason.

"Oh, I do it to blend in. Zombies don't mess with other zombies," he panted, breathing himself through the pain, "Buddy of mine showed me how to do this. Cornstarch. You know, some berries, a little licorice for the ladies."

You nodded, not understanding a single word of what this man was saying.

'Maybe he hit his head, too.'

"Suits my lifestyle, y'know. I like to get out and do stuff. Just played nine holes on the Riviera. Just walked on. Nobody there."

Tal smiled his shouting smile, and you took a deep sigh, prepping your ears.

"Goddamn it, Bill fuckin' Murray!" He exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air, "I had to get that out. I don't mean to gush. This is so surreal. I mean, you probably get this all the time. ....Well, maybe not lately, but I'm such a huge fan of yours."

Bill smiled, bowing a humble thanks.

"I've seen every one of your movies a million times. I even love your dramatic roles and just everything," he continued, "Seven people left in the world, one of them is Bill fuckin' Murray. I know that's not your middle name but I just...I been watching your movies since I was...er...since I could masturbate. Not that the two were connected."

You could tell he was going off the rails a little, so you rested a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Tal, hon, I think he understands," you snickered, hopefully reeling him in a little bit.

"It's all right. That's why we do it," Bill smiled.

"I love you, Bill. I love you," Tal finished, giving him a quick bow.

"Thank you," he turned to you, noticing that your eyes had set sights on his unruly hair.

"You are staring at me. It's a hairpiece," he assured, lifting it and putting it back down.

"Sorry, no, it was just that you look remarkably like Eddie Van Halen," you laughed.

"I just saw Eddie Van Halen" he nodded.

"No way," you gasped.

"Where?" Tal asked.

"At the Hollywood Bowl."

"How was that?"

"Well, he's a zombie."

You sucked your teeth, "That's a tough break."

The three of you stood there for a moment, awkwardly, until Bill broke the silence.

"Well, how about a little West Coast hospitality. Can I get you something? What would you like?"

You and Tally turned to each other at the same time, sharing the same devilish smirk.

𝒛 𝒐 𝒎 𝒃 𝒊 𝒆 𝒍 𝒂 𝒏 𝒅

A bunch of weed and couple reenactments later, and the three of you were now right outside the home theater, getting ready to send in Bill.

Wichita, Little Rock, and Columbus were in there, watching Ghostbusters, and you and Tal planned to have Bill walk in and scare the shit out of them.

Everyone will scream, everyone will laugh, it was gonna be a grand ol' time.

"Wait, wait, wait," you stopped them, "I saw a Polaroid in the other room. I wanna get a pic of Doofus' face."

The two men nodded and you quickly scurried off to find the camera, excited.

They both were warmed at how giddy and relaxed you looked, but Bill could tell that Tal was enjoying it a great deal more than him.

"Your wife's lovely. A very kind woman," Bill complimented, leaning against the wall.

"Oh, you're seein' her happy. Wait 'til you piss 'er off," Tally scoffed with a smile.

After a moment's delay, he finally processed the sentence, snapping his head over to the actor, "Wait, wife?"

"Yeah," Bill nodded, cocking a brow, "You guys are married, right?"

"Oh, no, no, no, we're not like that," Tal assured, "Just very good friends."

Bill's eyebrows flattened almost immediately, and he gave the man a very sarcastic look.

People were still doing this shit at the end of the world?

"You're joking, right?" He asked, wondering if this was all a big joke.

Tal shook his head.

Bill sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "That's impossible. You two are very obviously in love."

"Nah," Tal shook his head again, crossing his arms, "I mean, don't get me wrong, I may be sweet on the gal, but she's too good for me. She deserves someone better."

"Don't know if you took a look outside lately, but last I checked, there is no one better," Bill corrected.

"And even if there was, that woman is still blatantly in love with y-." "Sorry for the wait, I got lost," you came back, camera in hand.

The two men quickly clammed up, covering any sort of hint as to what they were talking about before.

"So Columbus is the scared one?" Bill asked, slipping on his wig as if nothing happened.

Must be all the acting.

"Yeah. He's like a little mouse," you nodded, holding the camera at the ready.

Tal was still lost in deep thought, replaying his conversation with Bill.

Him being in love with you? ....Possibility

You being in love with him? No way in hell.

Bill had to be pulling his leg. It was impossible.

If it was true, surely he would've seen some sort of sign from you.

But you'd done nothing out of the ordinary....to his recollection.

"I'll get him," Bill assured, holding up his arms like a zombie, "Watch this.

He skulked into the theater, loudly groaning and grunting like a zombie.

And Columbus yelped in fright.

But just as you popped in the door to snap the picture, Columbus picked up his gun and shot Bill square in the chest, your camera catching the whole thing.

He let out a loud shout of pain and dropped into the closest chair.

"Holy shit!" You exclaimed, everyone quickly rushing to his aid.

"No, no, it's okay, it's okay. I got him," Columbus assured.

"Is that.... how you say hello.... where you're from?" Bill asked, weakly.

Columbus' eyes went wide in realization, and he raked a nervous hand through his hair, "Oh my God. I can't believe I just shot Bill Murray."

Tal shook his head sadly, turning to the poor man, "Mr. Murray?"

"I'm just Bill, I think, now," he sighed.

"Bill...I don't think we're gonna be able to stitch this," Tal admitted.

You rested a soft hand on Bill's shoulder, "You think you can pull through?"

He turned to you, and shook his head, "No."

"If it's worth anything now, I am so sorry. It was just instinctive," Columbus quickly apologized.

"It was my bad," Bill assured, "I was never a very good practical joker."

Little Rock crouched down to his eye level, "So, do you have any regrets?"

He paused for a moment, thinking.

"Garfield, maybe."

'Very fair.'

And with a final, incredibly long breath, Bill Murray, the zombie-impersonating actor, was dead.

Wichita let out a snicker, and everyone turned to her with disbelief.

"I'm sorry. He just gets me," she apologized, her smile quickly falling, "But it still is sad."

You nodded, "Even worse to have a polaroid of it."

You somberly held up the photo, which showed the flash of the gun and Columbus' terrified face, along with Bill's body falling into the chair.

𝒛 𝒐 𝒎 𝒃 𝒊 𝒆 𝒍 𝒂 𝒏 𝒅

After giving Bill a proper send off, and disposing the body, the crew decided the best way to cancel out the depressing end of the day was to play some late night Monopoly.

So here you were, curled up next to Tallahassee as you did your best to stay awake through the painfully boring game

"Ooo, free parking," Wichita commended Little Rock as she landed on the space, "Which is the best thing about Zombieland."

"No, best thing about Z-land, no Facebook status updates," Columbus chimed, "You know, Rob Curtis is gearin' up for Friday. Who cares?"

"The best thing is no more flushing," Tal corrected, taking a bite of his Ding Dong, "Epic."

"And the worst thing about Z-land?" Wichita asked.

"You mean, other than the fact that I shot Bill Murray?" Columbus hung his head.

"That's easy," Tal nodded, "Losin' Buck."

The girls looked confused

"S'his puppy," you yawned, trying to stay awake and present in the conversation.

"I'm gonna tell you, I never thought I could love anything like Buck," he sighed, "He was just...the day he was born, I just lost my mind."

Wichita looked down, guilty, "Sorry."

"We were two peas. He had my personality, my laugh, my appetite."

...

'Laugh?'

And that's when it hit you.

Buck wasn't a puppy.

Buck was a boy.

Buck was his son.

'Holy shit.'

You felt like shit. Pure, bonefide shit.

How had you not noticed the signs?

How had you not noticed that outside your own selfish pool of despair, there were others circling the drain, too?

Tal had gotten choked up, his eyes glassy as he fished something out his pocket.

"We made this wallet together out of duct tape," he sniffled, handing it to you.

You carefully took it, tearing up at the pictures of the little, blonde boy, who was nothing but smiles.

It was adorably homemade, the tape not uniform at all and still a little sticky. But it was clear that it was well loved and held a multitude of memories for Tal.

'Fuckin' hell.'

You handed it back to him, giving his shoulder a comforting rub and shooting a sincere look.

He gave you a small nod of thanks, and started to pull himself together, sniffling for the last time.

"I haven't cried like that since Titantic," he sighed, dabbing away a couple tears with some cash.

𝒛 𝒐 𝒎 𝒃 𝒊 𝒆 𝒍 𝒂 𝒏 𝒅

[thelittleliars]

Love Forever? | Pt. 2

Natasha Romanoff x fem!Reader Yelena Belova x fem!Reader (Platonic)

Warnings: cursing, yelling

Words: 2.1K

AN: This one has more interactions with Yelena than Natasha but it's all a huge part for the full story! Also the 3rd part is going to take at least 1-2 weeks since I'll be traveling to Budapest in the next couple of days! Gonna visit all the Black Widow filming locations there 🔥

Part 1 , Part 3

"Cyka" Yelena cursed in russian before she cursed you in english again. "You bitch! Why would you travel to Russia without me?" She shook her head in disappointment, you saw a grin on her lips tho when she turned her head to the side to see who walked in. You didn't see who it was since you were on FaceTime with her and only she was in the frame. "Who is in Russia?" You heard her voice in the background asking Yelena.

"Your ex-wife." Ex-wife, it was still something that pained you but the separation did you good. Your anxiety with all the worrying whenever Natasha went on a mission was gone now. You felt more at peace thanks to the break up. "Anyways, have you visit mama and papa yet? Last time I heard they were going insane to see you again. Apparently they can't wait to spoil you rotten with russian culture and stories of us as kids ugh."

"Don't forget about the baby pictures they're gonna show her." Nat reminded Yelena who's expression looked a mix of embarrassment and panic. "Yours gonna be there too Natalia. Can't wait for Y/N to see your awful blue hair phase."

You saw a shadow coming closer to the blonde widow, then a hand came into view hitting the back of her head. "You little bitch! Next time I'm there I'll burn all of them."

"Let's just burn the whole place down yeah?" A gasp escaped your mouth, even though you knew she was kidding it was something she'd really do. "Yel NO! Also Nat please don't burn any of them." You said sadly. "I wish I had at least a single photo of myself as a child. Hell I don't even know where I'm from, apart from being held by hydra for half my life."

"Guess we're all in the same boat. None of us knows where exactly we come from. Oh oh we can be the lost daughters buddies." The younger sister screamed out in pain after her older sister slapped the back of her head once again. "Try sheering her up instead of ruining the mood with some sad shit from our past."

Suddenly your screen went black, you were about yo look at your wifi to see if the connection was lost but before that could even happen you heard a chair screeching. "What gave you the right to give me that fucking advice huh? How about you stay out of my business with her since you were the one who destroyed your relationship." Yelena was mad, no she was furious with her sister, that's why you weren't surprised that she hung up on you. This was a great time to start driving towards your (ex) parents in law.

You took your bags, threw them into the car you rented, then jumping into the drivers seat and made your way towards Melina's and Alexei's little farm outside of Saint Petersburg. Not long after, you arrived your destination, Melina and Alexei both stood outside already as if they were expecting you. You did not call or text them since it was supposed to be a surprise.

"Ahh finally, my daughter is home again." Alexei walked to you and immediately his arms around your body, squeezing you to death. "I need to breath big guy." He let you go but still smiled at you happily. "Come on inside. I'll show you your room. We decorated a bit, hope you'll like it."

The decoration he was talking about were only new curtains and a stuffed penguin animal. You appreciated their effort.

Later that day when you were outside feeding the pigs, you heard and saw a Quinjet coming. Of course Yelena had the nerve taking a jet and flying to russia. But she wasn't alone. Natasha also tagged along. You gulped at the sight of her standing there in casual clothes. It was actually your first time seeing her in six months. The last time was after the divorce all those months ago. Alexei of course was the happiest, now that all his daughters were home. Melina was happy to see them too but she was more worried about you. At times she was more protective over you than Yelena and even though it was heartwarming, it pained you too. She was like a mother figure that you never had. The longing and grieving of a life you could have had nearly destroyed you whenever you think deeply about it.

"Natasha I need a little help in the kitchen." Was all she said before going inside and the red head trailing after her like a good god. Yelena and dad catched up on stuff while you sat down on a bench near the front door that had a great view on the animals. You had no clue how much time had gone by until your friend and sister sat down next to you. "What is on your mind Y/N Y/L/N?" She tried to get you talking by saying your whole name as teasing but you were starting to feel numb so nothing would bother you anyways.

"As you'd say my ex wife." Seeing her after all this time stirred up a lot of thoughts in you. "What about her precisely?"

You sighed quietly. "I don't know. I guess it's just us in general and how we ended up here." It wasn't a lie but also not the whole truth either. You didn't want to talk in details since you knew it would get you in a vulnerable state. "She was a bitch for demanding that divorce.."

Out of reflex you started to defend your ex. "She got trigged Yel-" "No. Don't. Don't you dare make excuses for her." Yelena cut you off fast. She hated you for defending Natasha in this situation when you deserved so much better.

"It's just the truth. Plus I'm not as innocent in this situation as you think I am." You could have fought more for your wife but instead you signed the divorce papers quick. Probably because of the things that happened before the accident. "Natasha and I had a pretty nasty fight right before she got called on a mission and got her head injury." You paused for a minute. "If I'm being honest.. our marriage was falling apart anyways."

Yelena gaped at you. "I don't understand Natasha always talked so highly of you." You wished that was true, you wished all the good she found in you was actually good.

"I told you this was going to happen!" You yell at her, feeling angry and betrayed that she didn't listen to you. "And yet you ignored me and continue doing it anyways." Natasha hates herself for not listening to you but she'd never admit that out loud. Instead she blames you for everything, she knows it is wrong but it's difficult for her being truthful and vulnerable right now. "This wouldn't have happened if you were more open to the idea of being more affectioned in public. Maybe then he'd have known that I'm not single!"

"He kissed you. Because you kept flirting with him to get what you want.. you're an avenger for gods sake! You can get anything you want just by asking Tony or any of us." You stop yourself from getting even more louder. A deep breath and a few seconds is all you need to be more calm. "You know what? Maybe they all were right when they said you are a monster. Because right now, that's all I see."

The fight didn't leave your mind, it stayed and harassed you daily on repeat. You knew you guys covered up a lot of your problems. A marriage is a piece of work and you guessed you both weren't just ready for that huge marriage step. "Would you ever take her back?" She asked you softly. You were looking so hard for the right words to say but you fell flat. "I'm not in love with her anymore so I don't know." Though you didn't know for sure you constantly told yourself you'rw not in love anymore. If that was the truth then why did you panic when a knock came from the door frame? Why did your heart beat faster when you saw it was Natasha who knocked?

"Dinner is ready." Her voice was quiet but still so damn soft. While you stood up and walked towards the front foor, Yelena's gaze lingered on you for a while before she rushed after you into the house. At dinner you all fell into a comfortable conversation. It felt very awkward at first especially since you were convinced that your ex-lover overheard what you told Yelena. You were also anxious but it got better once Alexei started talking about his new tattoo shop. He had opened it two months ago and was fully booked out already. You were happy for him, tattoos were something what he was extremly good at so the demand was so deserved. After dinner was over you all three went to the bedrooms which you all had to share.

The next morning you wondered why 'dad' was still here. He explained that there was a new girl who worked at his tattoo shop, helping him out for all the appointments. Then he joked about how he'd set any of you three up with her. The blonde daughter just snorted, not wanting anything to do with romance, but he was too excited for an introduction to notice Yelena's obvious disinterest. Maybe he did notice since he showed a photo of her only to Natasha and you. And that was when something struck in you, you didn’t know how or why but you had to see the girl personally. You asked him where his shop was located and after giving you directions you stood up, turned to Yelena asking her to drive you there. Natasha felt irritated at how fast you wanted to see that new girl.

As soon as your eyes met hers, everything around you stopped, you felt a pull to her, a magical pull that you couldn't control. Your arms came around each other and somehow nothing on the world made more sense than this moment.

"Voi herranjumala." (Oh my god.) She said something in a language you thought you knew yet you didn't understood a thing. You pulled away, still standing close to her, she then put your face in between her hands. "Kaipaan sinua, kaksos Y/N." (I missed you, twin Y/N)

"Please don't tell me this is some long lost love reunion." Yelena groaned in misery. You looked at her cluelessly, hoping she'd also pick up your silent plead to help you out in this situation. "Don't look at me! You were the one who rushed me here and hugged her like no there's no tomorrow."

The girl next to you cleared her throat before speaking up, this time finally in a language you all could understand. "Ohh right.. I'm sorry I forgot you don't understand Finnish anymore." Anymore?? What the hell did that mean? "We don't have much time, I'll explain everything later. Twin Y/N do tell me, have you found your one and only?"

You blinked at her. "My what?" She cursed in Finnish, huffing and what seemed beating herself up about something. "Your, what humans would call here, Soulmate." You didn't question her 'what humans' and just shook your head. "I thought I did but no."

"Tell me, what happened?" Her gaze turned extremly intense, you started to feel uncomfortable. "Well we started to fight at one point and then she got a head injury and et voila we were divorced."

Yelena had enough of this conversation, the pulled you backwards and stood in front of you, giving the other girl a death stare. "Whatever you're doing to Y/N has to stop right now or otherwise I'll beat you up." You knew she was dead serious about it, your sister in law was super protective over you. "I'm not doing anything, it's all her doing. We do have to stop talking so slowly, we need to hurry."

"Why hurry? I don't understand?" She visibly got more restless which stresses you out. "You're out of time soon. We have to find your soulmate now." You shock your head at the lady and her crazy words. "I'm sorry this has to be done." And with one finger snap, both of you were gone.

Tags: @iamthescarlettwitch , @dark-hunter16 , @marvel-fan-2021 , @myfturn , @natsxwife , @wandanats-goodgirl , @supaheroine , @00alycia , @xxsekhmet , @franfrolix , @lonewalker17 , @newawakening9 , @marvelwomen-simp , @automaticwizardnerd , @wifeofnatasharomanoff

[good-beanswrites]

If ur still doing reqs id love older brother and little siblimg 0003!! I love es and fuuta sm, you can choose what they do but id rather it be post/no milgram!! Tysm

Ahh this was such a sweet request, thank you ✨ I had a lot of fun with it! I kept the details loose -- I don't know how t3 actually shakes out -- but Es still doesn't know much about themselves, so they end up moving in with the Kajiyamas. Enough time has passed for things to become fairly normal between the two.

“What are you doing? It’s giving me the fucking creeps.”

Fuuta made a disgusted face, but Es didn’t seem to notice. They just kept standing in the middle of the kitchen. It was 3am. They were barefoot, wearing one of Fuuta’s old pairs of pajamas. They stared at the countertop intently. They hadn’t even turned on the lights. Fuuta waved his phone flashlight around, trying to see what they were up to. It didn’t look like anything had been touched.

He took a step closer. His nerves were already on edge, coming into the kitchen to steal a late night snack and finding them standing ominously in the darkness. The little bit of light from his phone reflected in their icy gray eyes. 

“Oi, Es…?”

Sleepwalking. That had to be it. Fuuta rolled his eyes, breathing a small sigh at the realization. The sound was somewhere between relief and annoyance. Es was an odd kid as it was. It had been strange getting used to them living in his house, and now he had to deal with freaky stuff like this…

Fuuta approached as quietly as possible, putting his phone down. He reached out his hand. He planned on guiding them back to bed in silence, but he must have been too harsh with his grip. 

Es gasped, the dull look in their eyes turning to shock.

Fuuta immediately leapt backwards, his startled curse turning to frantic apology.

“Y-you were sleepwalking, I was trying not to wake you up but…” he trailed off, seeing Es scan the kitchen and get their bearings. 

“It’s alright. I’m used to waking up in strange places, I suppose.”

Fuuta grimaced. ‘Odd kid’ was an understatement. 

They didn’t seem to notice. Their expression had darkened. “I… I was dreaming. I was back there, and,” their voice shook with sudden emotion. “And we were all…” their breath caught.

“Hey, don’t go and start cryin’ on me.” They didn’t sound like they were going to cry exactly, but he couldn’t be too careful. He wouldn’t know what to do. “You’re not some baby. All of that is over now.” 

Fuuta had meant it as encouragement; he knew how strong Es was. As strange as they may be, they were the toughest person Fuuta had ever met. Realizing that his words may have come out a bit harsh, he tried to speak softer. “Really, it’s all over. You can relax here.”

Es nodded, but stayed silent. The two stood in the dim glow of the flashlight.

Fuuta coughed. “Now, did you want something, or…?” He gestured to the fridge, then made his way around them. He dug around inside for a snack. 

“N-no. Thank you. I’ll be heading back to bed, then. I’m sorry to have frightened you.”

“I wasn’t scared.” Fuuta said quickly. He took out something, sniffed it, and shrugged. “And anyway, it was way less terrifying than when Haruka did it.”

“Haruka sleepwalked?”

“Yeah, and when you wake a normal person up from it, they’re supposed to go into fight or flight. None of us were itching to deal with Haruka’s fight response, you know?” Fuuta took a big bite. He turned to find Es with a miserable look on their face. Through the food, he mumbled, “what?”

“I… I didn’t know that. About Haruka.”

“Okay?”

“There’s so much I didn’t know about all of you.”

“You also didn’t know jack shit about yourself, so we can call it even.” Fuuta took another bite, assuming the conversation was over.

Es wasn’t as satisfied. “I mean it,” they said, their voice still strained. “I thought I knew you, but I’ve learned so much here. There was so much I didn’t know about you. I never knew what your family was actually like, or how well-kept your room is,” they gestured to him, “or that you hardly ever sleep normally.”

Fuuta couldn’t tell if it was a criticism or not. He clicked his tongue. “Well, I never knew that strawberry milk was your favorite, but you don’t see me getting misty-eyed about it.”

Es had opened their mouth to continue, but they blinked in surprise. “How did you know I liked it?”

“Because I like it, and you keep drinking everything in the house.” He rolled his eyes.“I bought twice as much last time I went out, and you still ended up stealing it all. There’s only one little carton left…”

Es’ face slowly softened. Then, a devilish smirk crossed their lips. “You know, I thought I heard that milk is good to drink before you go to sleep…”

“Eh? Oh, hell no! That’s mine.” He went back to the fridge, rummaging around to get it.

“Says who?”

“Says me. I’m older. And I liked it first.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. And I should get it because I’m younger.”

“Now that doesn’t make sense!” Fuuta retrieved the milk. He turned the carton over in his hand. A thought crossed his mind – one he would never speak aloud to anyone, ever. He recalled his sister helping him when he was too small to reach the milk. She used to heat it up for him before bed.

He lazily tossed it across the kitchen. “Not like I care. Here, be grateful.” 

Es scrambled to catch it. Once again, their expression turned emotional. “Fuuta…”

“It’s not a big deal, sheesh!” He picked his phone up from the counter, biting down on the snack he’d grabbed. “Like I said, all that is over. You just gotta be normal now. I know that’s hard for a weirdo like you –”

“Hey!”

“– but just try, okay?” He shoved Es’ shoulder as he walked. “C’mon. Pops doesn’t care when I’m up, anymore. But he’ll give a goody-two-shoes like you a lecture if he hears.”

“I’m not a goody-two-shoes.”

“Psh, you’re the worst I’ve ever seen!”

“There’s nothing wrong with being disciplined.”

“Drink your damn milk.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

[teenandbeyond]

Levi Ackerman x M. Reader [Pt.3]

After reading a Levi fanfic, I got inspo to make a prequel to my Hero two-shot...now three-shot (technically). This is what lead up to parts 1 and two.

Want more from me? Masterlist 2

Here are Part One and Part Two.

☆*: .｡. .｡.:*☆☆*: .｡. .｡.:*☆☆*: .｡. .｡.:*☆

⚔Love, Sweat, and Tears⚔ (AOT or SNK)

Warning(s): Fluff, cursing (I think? I don't remember), long, low-key angsty toward the end

Levi just wants some tea, turns out he gets something a little sweet, too.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

"Where are we going?"

"They say this place has the best tea around here, you like tea, right?"

Levi glared at the outside of the building they stopped at.

RoyalTea.

He was still deciding on what he thought of the name.

The outside had a creamy purple color with white and gold painted accents in well-placed areas.

"Wanna go in?" Gabi, one of his caretakers asked.

"They better have good tea."

"It's been open for a year exactly today. But apparently it's very popular," she wheeled him inside.

The second they were inside, they were hit with the scents of different teas. Though every individual smell complemented each other.

But the interior was what really caught their attention.

"Whoa...I don't think I've ever seen a shop this clean looking..."

Levi liked this place already, this place was anti-dirt.

Customers were scattered across the shop, talking to each other over white tables, sitting in window seats, and girls were crowded at the counter table.

They didn't look like tea drinkers, so why were they looking so eager?

"It looks like this place is taken over by brats."

"Hello, sorry for the wait. I got the blend you wanted in your preferred amount."

Levi couldn't see who the voice belonged to over the throng of ladies as he got closer to the counter to hopefully be able to order.

"Yes, [Name], this is perfect! Thank you."

You laugh, "It's no problem. You, ladies, might want to start buying in bulk, though. Your usual order of two pouches can last about a week just between 4 people per bag. But you come here every other day ordering more."

"Yeah, we just love tea so much! And we just want to support our favorite shop owner," one leaned in.

"We should go, customer service is shitty here," Levi muttered.

"Sorry, Levi."

"Thank you, I appreciate that. But ladies, would you mind moving since you've paid already? There are customers behind you."

"Oh."

They turned to the two dryly, glaring at them before leaving the store altogether.

"Sorry about that, some of my customers can get that way! You look like you two must be new. Would you like to hear the options of tea I have? I also have pastries if you're interested."

Levi dragged his gaze back to you and he swore he stopped breathing.

Who was this beautiful man? [Name] he heard? He was suddenly much more interested.

"Sir?"

"What?"

"Do you need some time to think about it?"

"No. What do you have?"

You began to rattle off all the types of tea you possessed, even some that Levi's never heard of, which you explained when noticing any confusion.

Usually, he didn't like when people talked so much...but he found he didn't mind when you did it.

Privileges of finding you pretty, he guessed.

He stealthily observed you, from your jaw to your white dress shirt to the beginning of your waist until the counter blocked the rest of the view.

After he ordered, since Gabi didn't want anything, you smiled.

"Want any sugar or honey with it?"

Levi cringed, "What kind of moron adds shit to their tea?"

You only chuckle at his language, "It actually isn't too bad if it's done right."

"Nothing belongs in tea," he glared.

You rang them up, "Three dollars–and Mr. Levi, I'm sure I could change your mind. I'm very convincing. I'm pretty good at what I do," you gestured to his cup, "Just see for yourself."

After he was settled, he took a sip and almost groaned at its taste.

He was coming back here.

And he did.

Again. And again.

Until it was a regular thing.

"Welcome back, Levi."

That smile was lethal, did you not know that?

"Hey."

At this point, it'd been months and Levi became a [Name] addict.

"Same thing?"

"Yeah."

After serving him, you prepped some tea leaves to grind.

He watched as you work, enveloping the quiet atmosphere.

"I'm so happy I have this place."

"Hm?"

"I uh...When I was a kid, things came easy. So they didn't feel rewarding...until I bought this place and grew a business from the ground up...It taught me how to work, it taught me discipline, it taught me that an easier life doesn't mean it's better," you laugh to yourself, "Sorry, I know you don't want to hear this."

"That why you opened this place? To work hard after having an easy life?" he subtly signaled he did.

You snickered, "I know that seems backward, but yeah. I know it's selfish since there are people out there who'd kill to have the easy life I had...but...I wasn't being fed, or stimulated, I had nothing to wake up for. Then I met a military police officer—a good one—and he--he worked so hard, he had a passion for what he did. I wanted that. I wanted to know what it was like to have a reason to live, to serve others. So I left an easy life behind for a life of work...but it was worth it. It's so freeing to live this way. I was never free when it was easy."

After that day, Levi realized he crushed on you, hard. He couldn't talk to you straight after that.

You leaned on an elbow behind the counter one afternoon, "Hey, Levi. You look really handsome today--not that you don't always look handsome, of course. But today seems a little different."

His cheeks flushed pink, "I-I didn't do much brat, just...changed my hair a little..."

And one evening, you got bold.

"Hey Levi, can I get your opinion as an avid tea drinker? I'd feel like you'd be a better judge than me who leans more toward alcohol."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I've been testing a new tea brew, but I need another opinion before I decide to add it to the menu or not. Can you try it for me?"

"Sure."

"It's still in my apartment upstairs, I'll take you."

"[Name], I'm in a wheelchair, I can't go up the stairs on my own."

"I know, here."

"Pu-put me down!" he flushed red.

"But you can't walk..."

"You could've just helped me up. The other leg is still fine."

"It's faster."

It became regular for you two to hang out in your apartment above the shop after closing, and one night, you kissed. Neither of you knew how it happened, but it couldn't be taken back.

And once you finally get Levi comfortable with the thought, you decide to try being a couple.

And Levi needed time to get used to the foreign type of relationship.

He had to get used to someone smiling at the sight of him.

He had to get used to someone's lips brushing against his skin.

He had to get used to someone treating him like a prince.

Someone celebrating his birthday that he didn't think was important.

He had to get used to someone remembering the little things.

Someone with an open ear to listen to the feelings he hides within his depths.

Someone saying, "I love you, Levi."

And him saying it back.

And after three years of dating, he had to get used to living with someone he was in a relationship with.

Had to get used to full, warm meals from morning to night.

Someone restoring him back to health when he's sick.

Someone soothing him from the nightmares, someone showing him how to sleep better. And waking to another warm body in a bed he shares (which he had to force, for a while you'd let him have the bed to himself in respect).

He had to get used to finding more reasons to smile, he had to get used to making someone laugh and smile with ease.

He had to get used to someone cleaning for him, someone who's very stubborn with what they allow him to clean, "I know you like to clean baby, but let me do it, let me take care of you."

He had to get used to someone cutting his hair for him.

Someone who didn't judge him for his background, no matter what.

"Levi, you're practicing your writing?" you leaned over his shoulder.

"Habit."

"There's nothing wrong with where you're from. Because without that place, you wouldn't have become the Levi I love now. So don't feel like you have to hide it or be ashamed," you kissed the curve of his neck.

He had to get used to someone being attentive to him and his habits and behaviors. Someone knowing him better than he knows himself.

He had to get used to being protected and fought for, although he still likes to feel like he can protect, too.

"Levi! Never do that again, do you know how worried I was?" you growled, running a hand through your hair, "I swear you want to make me go more insane for you than I already have...Do you not understand that I would shed blood for you if I had to? Please don't take me lightly."

He had to get used to someone reading to him, someone tucking him in.

Someone making him try new things, like sugar in his tea. He couldn't believe it.

Someone...calling him beautiful...

Someone bathing him and joining him sometimes just for the pure connection of intimacy.

Someone that didn't need to have sex with him to connect with him.

Someone that will ask him how he's feeling, and happily fill the silence when he doesn't want to divulge.

Someone who buys him whatever books he wants. Spoils him and works hard to earn back the money spent.

Someone showing their love in physically any way they could, showing what it was like to have a gentle touch.

Someone who won't let him go to bed angry.

"Please, don't leave me, [Name]!"

"What?"

"I-I'm sorry, I do need you! And—And not just because you take care of me," Levi looked up in desperation, tears welling up in his eyes, he regretted every nasty word he'd just said to you.

You look like a broken-hearted puppy, "It really hurt, Levi."

"I know...I know, I...I'm not good with this 'feelings' stuff. I don't know how to tell you things, I don't know how to show you I care about you. But I'm tired of people leaving me! And you're the only person who hasn't, I don't want to be the reason why you finally do. So please," he approaches you with shaking hands, his face burrowing into your torso as he grips the back of your shirt. "Don't leave me...Please. I love you, I love you. I'm sorry."

(But he didn't tell you the real reason he blew up at you that night...because of his own hidden thoughts...)

He had to get used to someone who cried from his tears, someone holding him tight, keeping silent about the tears he knew they felt.

He had to get used to having a reason to keep going.

He...had to get used to you...

The one he loved more than anyone.

The one he wanted for the rest of his life...

...and the last person he'd want to see at the end of it.

[golbrocklovely]

the chosen daughter // colby brock - chapter twenty-five

A/N: look at me not taking eight years to finally update this lol i promise yall that i'm gonna get this story done soon. there's really only five more chapters left after this one, so yall better strap in for the ride haha lmk what you think and thanks for all the love on this story over the years !!

story description

trigger warning: torture, mentions of vampire powers, cursing, angst, drinking, blood drinking

word count: 3728

~~~~~~~~~~~

"I never knew there was a dungeon inside the Trapp Haus." I whispered, glancing around in the dark space.

Kevin shrugged, "Well, it wasn't exactly a selling point on the Zillow listing."

It had been two hours since the ordeal with Ronnie happened. Sam and Colby took her to their spot where they interrogated vamps - the basement of the Trapp Haus. Kevin had stayed with me the whole time, watching me as I cleaned up Vampiro. He scrubbed the security tapes, leaving no trace of this incident behind. When I asked him to show me where they took Ronnie, he was reluctant but eventually caved. I followed him through a side door at the club, one I never noticed before, that led down to a dark and damp basement. It had been a while since Sam and Colby had used it, but Kevin informed me that this was where all their interrogations took place.

I paced outside the iron cell door, waiting for Sam and Colby to come out. I heard Ronnie scream out suddenly, my heart dropping. I know she attacked me and easily could have killed me all this time, but she was my friend.

Emphasize on the was.

A moment later the boys came out, annoyed expressions on their faces. I gazed at both of them, trying to understand their glares. I glanced down at Colby's hands. They were bandaged up, blood having soaked through the gauze. 

“Please tell me you didn't punch the living shit out of Ronnie.” I gasped.

"What? No... these were from earlier." I cocked my head to the side, his eyes catching mine for a moment. He stumbled over his words as he continued, "I was... training, before you called since I had the night off. And because I haven't eaten in a minute, they took a little while to heal."

Sam chimed in, looking at Kevin, “Can you go get him some blood, please? Our good cop, bad cop routine isn't exactly going as planned since someone's hangry.”

Colby scoffed, “Oh my apologies, Sam. The monster inside there almost killed my girlfriend and you and I'm supposed to pretend to be nice? Give me a fucking break.”

“Wait, she attacked you?” I turned to Sam, confused.

He shook his head. “Not tonight, no. But she-”

“She was the one from last night?” I finished, suddenly realizing.

He nodded. “Yes.”

I gulped, “H-How?”

Sam grabbed Ronnie's bag from the floor, yanking it open and pulling out a wristband from the Trapp Haus and a small perfume bottle. "Orange wristbands are used on Thursday nights. Which is when I was attacked. On top of that, this perfume... it smells exactly like the person that attacked me."

"You got the nose of a bloodhound, huh?" I joked lightly.

He deadpanned playfully. "I guess so."

I informed, “I found out from Roger that she disappeared for two hours last night before closing. That would be enough time to come to the Trapp Haus and attack you. But why?”

“We still haven't gotten her to explain herself.” Colby grunted.

“She won't listen to us.” Sam explained.

I suggested, “Why don't I come in and-”

“No.” All three stated.

Colby added, “No humans.”

“What the fuck is Sam then?” I jeered, scrunching my face..

“A human that can defend himself.” Kevin replied.

“I can defend myself!” I argued, turning to Colby, “How the fuck do you think her face got so deformed? I used the Angelica flower, like you told me to.”

He sucked his teeth, annoyed, “You did good on that front, but she's already healed. Not as strong as she once was, but she could easily kill you if she gets loose.”

"Well don't let her get loose then." Sam and Colby narrowed their eyes at me. I sighed, "Please, just let me see her. Maybe she's not talking because she doesn't trust y'all."

Colby's jaw clenched. He paused, then spoke bitterly, “If she, for even a second, seems dangerous, you're out. Even if I gotta drag you out of there myself. Got it?”

"Yes Sir." I saluted, jokingly.

“You are testing his patience today, Jade.” Sam snickered.

I smirked, “Someone's got to keep him on his toes.”

I took a deep breath, entering the cell slowly as Colby pulled the heavy door open. Ronnie had her head down, her body slumped against the chair she was tied to. My heart ached at the sight, my chest heaving.

My footsteps were the only sound in the room, until Ronnie finally spoke. “You... really think it's wise to be in here, Jade?”

I shuddered at her voice: husky and angry. I swallowed, calming myself. "Well, did you think it was wise to attack the person with an army of vampires on his side?"

“As I've repeated to your boy toys for the past hour, I have no idea what any of you are talking about!” She exclaimed, her eyes red as they glared up at me.

“Right. And like tonight, you have no idea why you attacked Jade?” Colby asked, his voice dripping with anger.

Ronnie rolled her eyes, shaking against her binds. “I've told you repeatedly: I have no clue what is happening to me. I've never attacked anyone in my entire life!” 

Sam huffed, “Well, my healed scars say otherwise. And the video footage of you clawing at Jade and trying to intimidate her paints a different story.”

Colby walked up to Ronnie, ignoring her scowl. “Let's see if she'll tell the truth with a little persuasion.” He slid leather gloves on, reaching over to a tray nearby and picking up a single stem of Angelica flower. 

Ronnie struggled in her seat, begging and pleading with me. "Please, Jade. I don't know what happened. I don't know why I attacked you or Sam. We've been friends for years! You have to believe me!"

I turned my head away, fighting back tears. Ronnie screeched out a venomous cry as Colby dragged the flower across her skin, burning her instantly. She shook and rattled in her chair, cursing him out.

“Tell us why you did it!” Colby’s voice thundered, pressing the flower more into her skin.

“I don't know! Fuck, stop!!” She screamed out, her fangs snapping at Colby. She struggled in her seat, fighting against her ties. Banshee-like yells coming from her as her skin sizzled and burned.

“Enough Colby!” I shouted, my stomach churning.

He pulled back, looking at me. “If it's too much for you, leave, Jade. We’ve barely gotten started.”

Ronnie slumped over in her chair, her breathing erratic as she calmed down.

“Clearly torturing her isn't gonna work.” I stepped towards him, lowering my voice, “Let me talk to her... alone.”

“You've got to be kidding me, Jade. No.” He fumed.

I insisted, crossing my arms. “I've known her for a long a time-”

“And yet, you didn't know she was a vampire.” He responded sharply.

I inhaled, “Let me try to talk to her. Without torture. Please.” 

His face twisted into a confused one, “I literally do this for a living. Do you honestly think talking to her like a normal person is gonna make her be honest with you?”

“Yes. She was normal before. I think…” I mumbled, “Rinaldi got to her. Or something. I don't know. But I have to ask for myself.”

He shook his head. “It's too risky.”

“Give me five minutes. That's all I ask,” I requested. “You are right on the other side of the door. And if she tries anything, you can do whatever you want to her. Use all the Angelica flower in the world if you so choose.”

“Tempting…” Colby swallowed hard, glaring down at Ronnie who stared at the floor. “Fine. Five minutes. Starting the moment I step outside.”

“Yes, Sir.” I murmured.

“Don't push it.” He whispered, a small smirk forming on his lips.

He took off the glove, dropping the flower back down onto the tray. Slowly, he and Sam left the room, giving me one last glance before shutting the door tightly.

“You have five minutes to explain to me what happened, Ronnie. After that, you're theirs. So answer my questions and I'll make sure they're nice to you after this.” I commanded.

She croaked fiercely. “And if I don't?” 

“They torture you. Kill you. Probably both. And that's not an exaggeration.” I explained, already annoyed.

“I thought your boyfriend was a bouncer. Not a... torturer.” She remarked, glaring at me.

“Well, he's a lot of things. And so is Sam, and the rest of the people that work here. So if you try anything on me now or later, it's your funeral.” I cautioned.

Ronnie took a moment, snorting out a bitter laugh. “Ask away.”

I kept my distance, taking all of her in before I spoke. “Why did you never tell me you were a vampire? We've been friends for years. Why did you hide that from me?”

Ronnie bit her lip, her eyes remaining on the floor. She exhaled deeply, then began. “I was born in 1982. And life was never... easy for me. When I was a kid, I was an ugly little thing. I'm talking zits, braces, the whole nine. Anything and everything kids deem as unattractive, I had going on. And since it was the 90s, things were a lot different back then. Tougher, I would say. Meaner.”

I stepped back, surprised by her answer. She didn’t look much older than me. She must have been turned in her late teens, early twenties.

“I never had a real friend. Anyone I became friends with usually ended up not sticking around or only befriending me as a joke,” she rolled her eyes at the memory. “Around my junior year of high school, I finally started growing into my looks. And I was starting to get attention from boys, which only made the girls in my school hate me more. But nothing ever really panned out. So... I was still very much alone.”

Ronnie took a moment, her face dropping. Her eyes cold. “New Years Eve, the new millennia.... I tried taking my life.”

My body froze. Ronnie's eyes welled up, tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. Her stare remained distance, almost like she was lost in her thoughts.

“A vampire found me, I guess because of the blood, and he changed me. I never saw him again after that. So I was, yet again, alone and confused.” She cleared her throat, sniffling. “It took a while for me to figure out what I was gonna do, but then I realized just how fun this new power of mine was.”

I answered. “The power to make people your friends.”

“Ironic, isn't it? It was nice, in the beginning. College was super easy because of it. I passed all of my classes without having to really put in any work, because everyone did my work for me. And the professors just loved me. Then I got out into the real world and thought, why get a good job that pays well when I can just work in bars and get tipped like crazy? So, I did just that.” Her voice wavered, going from a lighter tone to a somber one instantly. “I spent over ten years working in random bars, making friends and a lot of money. But when vampires became a publicly known thing, I knew I had to chill out on my abilities. Not only that, but I realized... I was still alone. I never made any actual friends. Just people that were under my influence. I woke up one day and noticed that no one actually cared for me, or knew me for who I really was. I didn’t even know who I was, either.”

She laughed for a second, shaking her head. “Then I got a job at Vampiro. And I met you. And I finally chalked up the courage to try out making friends naturally. So… I never tried my powers on you."

“Until tonight.” I commented.

Ronnie pursed her lips. “Until tonight. Guess it's good they don't work on you, then. Why exactly is that?”

“It's a long story. One that I don't even really have the answer to.” I admitted.

“Is it all vampires, or just me?” She questioned.

“All.” I changed the subject back to her, “Why did you attack Sam?”

Her eyes widened in fear, “I'll be honest with you, I have no idea. I swear to you, Jade. I don't know what's happening to me. I don't even know why I attacked you tonight, in truth. It's like I haven't had control of my body in a while. Things are so foggy anymore, it's like I'm blacking out and waking up more confused. Ever since that guy came into the bar, my mind has been all scrambled.”

My blood ran cold, “What guy?”

“The one I weirdly said you should date instead of Colby.” She mumbled to herself, “Why the hell did I say that?”

“...Max.” I blinked.

“Yeah, him. The moment he came to the bar, everything has been weird for me. I'm genuinely scared of what I might do because I can't stop myself.” She squeaked.

“What happened tonight? Do you remember?” I queried, stepping closer. 

“I remember you coming in. And us making drinks. But then things go blurry there.” She closed her eyes, “Then I remember coming to after the bar closed. And the last thing I remember is my phone ringing. And then I woke up here, being tortured by Sam and Colby.”

“What about the other night? When you left work for two hours? That's when you came here and attacked Sam.” I informed her.

“I don't know why I left work. Yesterday was a huge blur for me too.” Her eyes welled up again, staring up at me, “What the hell is happening to me, Jade?”

A loud bang interrupted us, signaling it had been five minutes. I looked over my shoulder, and then back to Ronnie. “I don't know either. I'm gonna go talk to the guys, and I'm gonna try to persuade them to let you go. But you have to promise me to get out of town for a while. Until it's safe to come back. Until you're not... blacking out.”

She nodded repeatedly. “I promise. I know I probably ruined all of this. The one real friendship I ever had, I still screwed it up.”

“You can fix it, you know. You're lucky I'm a very forgiving person,” I half-heartedly smiled. “You just... need to keep your distance for a while. Call out of work. Take a vacation.”

“I'll do that. Thank you, Jade. I mean it.” She choked.

I turned around, walking to the door. “Don't thank me yet. Hopefully the boys were listening to all of this.”

I knocked on the door twice, Colby yanking it open instantly. “We were.”

I turned to Ronnie, giving her one last glance, and Colby closed the cell door behind me.

Kevin cut us all off before we could speak. “Let's go upstairs and talk about this.”

We trudged up the stairs to the club. He began pouring us drinks as we sat at the bar. We all remained quiet for a moment, taking in everything that had just transpired. “So... let's discuss.”

Colby started, turning to me. “Do you honestly believe her?”

I took a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I do. Think of it this way, would it be easier to assume she's just a bad person who intentionally tried to harm me and Sam? Sure. But that would be a very weird and long con for her to pull. She's known me for years. The sudden change doesn't make sense. Unless…”

Sam finished my thought. “She's right about Max.”

“That part is the only thing that doesn't make sense to me. I know what his powers are. We've seen them in action. We've experienced them. He can't control people like that. Plus, how would he know about Kat?” I argued, sipping my drink.

“He's an Elder. We don't truly know what they are capable of.” Colby replied, glaring down at the bar.

“But their powers only extend so far. I don't think he would be able to control her when she's not asleep. His powers are dream manipulation.” I stated plainly. 

“Maybe he manipulated her in her dreams to do this, and that's why everything is foggy for her in the real world. Because she thought it was all a dream.” Colby speculated.

“I guess that's possible…” I paused but then shook my head. “But the aura. Hers is yellow. But it had a different lining around it. Like a red one. And I've only seen that when someone's being controlled. Mike had the same one when he was attacking me.”

“And you don't think it's his?” Sam questioned.

“No. I don't. I think it's Rinaldi. I know it’s Rinaldi’s.” I insisted.

“He left LA two months ago at this point. How is he controlling everyone?” Kevin hummed, “Unless, of course, he's using his brother to do it.”

My eyes widened, “Could he do that?”

“He's an Elder. Technically he could at least attempt to manipulate his brother. Who could then manipulate everyone else.” Kevin mentioned.

Sam huffed, “Jesus... pour me another shot, Kevin.”

Colby got up, leaving the bar abruptly and going upstairs to the apartment. I caught Kevin and Sam's eyes, all of us confused and worried.

I mumbled, “I'm gonna go talk to him.”

I followed Colby, entering the apartment and glancing around for him. He stood in the kitchen, drinking blood from a blood bag.

He cleared his throat, glancing at me for a moment. “Sorry, Jade. I just... could feel myself getting annoyed as the minutes ticked on, and figured I needed to drink.” 

“What's wrong, Colby?” I asked, walking over to him.

He bit his lip, locking eyes with me. “Why can't you believe Max is the one behind this? Do you honestly think he isn't capable enough to do this?”

“It's not that I think he's incapable. I just don't think it's him. All signs, to me, point to Rinaldi.” I answered, crossing my arms and leaning against the counter.

He disagreed, trashing the blood bag. “Kevin said it himself, Rinaldi has been gone for months. Max is the one that's been staying in town. It makes logical sense that it's him.”

“Sure, I guess,” I relented. “But... his powers.”

“He's powerful as hell, Jade," he snapped. "We don't even truly know the extent of what Elders are capable of doing. It's possible both of them are able to manipulate, Rinaldi is just better at it since it's his main power.”

I sighed, “Look, I've seen his aura before. He used it on you and me. And everyone at the club. It's red. And that's what was on the outside of Ronnie's and Mike's. That's why I think it's him.”

“Both of them have said it was Max that told them what to do. That he is the one that caused them to attack you, now twice, and Sam. I just... don't get why you can't accept that.” Colby pursed his lips, shaking his head.

“It feels like too easy of an answer. And everything I know points to Rinaldi,” I explained. “But look, I can see how it could also be Max. Maybe the both of them are working together to do all of this. I don't know.”

He glanced away from my gaze, his voice low. “It just feels like you have a soft spot for Max.”

My anger rose in my chest. I tried my best to remain calm. “I absolutely do not have a soft spot for him. I hate him just as much as you do. I just feel like it’s not him.”

He grabbed my hands gently, “I'm sorry I shouldn’t have said that. I'm just... scared.”

My heart ached at the sound of his voice. “Colby…” 

His shoulders slumped as he gazed down at the floor, “I feel like every time I turn my back to you, something comes for you. And it scares me shitless that I can't protect you all the time.”

I cupped his face softly, his eyes locking with mine. “Colby, you protect me plenty, and you don't need to be scared for me. We both can't live in fear of something coming for me. We are gonna figure this out, I can feel it.”

“I hope you're right, Jade. Because I seriously can't imagine losing you. You're my life now. You know that, right?” He rested his forehead against mine, whispering tenderly.

“And you're mine. I love you.” I breathed.

He smiled softly, connecting his lips to my forehead for a moment. “Just promise me you won't do anything rash now after what Ronnie told you.”

I nodded, not really answering him. "Are you gonna let her go?"

“Yeah. She gave us the info we wanted, even if it was by unorthodox means,” he smirked. “But you were right to tell her to leave town. We'll be on the lookout for her if she doesn't.”

“She's smart, plus she seems genuinely upset by her blackouts. I'm sure she'll get out of here ASAP.” I affirmed.

He pulled me close suddenly, giving me a tight hug. “I swear if one more person tries attacking you, I'm blowing up the Earth.”

I rubbed his back, laughing lightly. “Well that seems counterintuitive. I'll die then.” 

Colby pulled back, holding me still. “No, I'm taking you to Mars. Or some other planet.”

“Oh good, that sounds nice. Maybe then we can finally have a real vacation.” I joked, biting my lip.

“I'm gonna make that up to you,” he swore. “I had plans, you know.”

“Oh really, what were we gonna do?” I asked sweetly.

“Stay inside, eat to our hearts’ content, make love as much as you'd like. The works.” He grinned cheekily.

“Hmm... maybe we can still do one of those?” I batted my eyelashes, gazing up at him playfully.

His eyes darkened. “Which one?”

My lips danced across his for a moment. Then I smiled. “...Eat. I am quite hungry.”

"So am I." He picked me up, a laugh erupting from my chest, as he carried me into his bedroom, slamming the door.

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