#we would gossip about hunter

[momoftortoise]

smoking and thinking about him, wishing he was here with me

[ssvnriseya]

IN TOO DEEP (D.D.)

summary - he wants more of you day by day as if he was being seduced by the forbidden fruit.

warnings - MDNI 18+ mentions of attempted rape, violence, language, dark!daryl, unprotected p in v (wrap it up), age gap ( reader is 18, daryl is 30. he has no weird feelings before she was 18 ), breeding kink, panty sniffing, intended lowercase (let me know if i missed anything)

request - keep a secret was amazing! i have a request for you, can you do a dark daryl fic set in prison era. where he keeps tabs on the reader, stalker stuff (steals her undies) and fucks her in prison showers. please include age gap (reader is 18, daryl is 30) and a breeding kink, please! - 🎀

note - okay, the characters deserve a happy ending at the prison, no one can change my mind!

masterlist

it was a hard year for you, you've lost too many people you cared about and gained more to care about.

your mother, lori, she died after giving birth to your baby sister. your little sister and brother were your angels.

they were the reason you still kept going, along with your dad, and the memories of your mom.

you had grown to care about the people of woodbury that now resided at your home, the prison.

whether it be the children, elders, teen, and adults. you absolutely love sasha, tyreese, and mika.

"hey, honey." carol smiled at you as she continued stirring the pot where all the people and your meals is being cooked.

"hey, carol. you didn't wake me up." you groaned at her as you walked to stand by her side.

"you were tired from the run yesterday, rick would kill me if i exhaust you too much." she smiled at you as she cut onions.

"i'll cut them." you smiled at her as you took the knife and chopping board.

"thank you. and i didn't wake you up because everything here is handled." she assured you.

it was early morning and no one was up yet, it gave you both the time to cook and chat freely.

"but, i woke up anyway." you teased her and nudged her as she stirred the pot and you chopped the onions.

"what are we having today?" you asked as you peered inside the bowl.

"just soup again with deer meat." she told you and you nodded, giggling.

"watery soup because we're lacking ingredients." you told her with a groan as you pour the onions in the soup.

"please, carol, remind me when i go on runs to pick up spices." you added.

"alright, young lady." she teased and you smiled, you both had been close ever since lori died.

she had been the mother figure, but not romantically to rick, she also stood as a mother to rick, if that was possible.

"who caught the deer? daryl again?" you asked as you frowned at the chopped meat.

"who else? he's our only hunter." she smiled at you, knowing that you utterly despised the man.

"okay, maybe i won't eat." you joked with a huff as you crossed your arms.

"then don'." someone told you from behind making you gasp in shock.

"daryl! don't sneak up on people like that!" you told him as you looked at him with disapproval.

"if ye' don't like m' deers, don't eat!" he sneered at you making you let out a small smile.

"okay, i won't." you told him and leaned in to carol, to gossip with her. daryl is in a fair distance.

you took over stirring and whispered something to her, "i'm fucking missing one again."

you groaned as you frowned, it was very hard to loose a pair of panties.

it was very hard to find one on runs and you will suddenly loose some?

"if one of the women are stealing them, it's very unhygienic." you shook your head.

"it would disappear only to appear two days or a day after, you'll get it back." she reassured you.

"what the fuck are they doing with my knickers?" you told aloud making daryl look at you.

you rolled your eyes at him and stared into the pot, it was boiling and the delicious smell of it was making you hungry.

your pride was high so you went right back into your cell block once the woodbury people came out into the courtyard.

it hadn't only been half an hour before daryl came knocking at your cell.

"ye' can eat, was jus' jokin'." he told you in a quiet voice, you smiled.

"okay!" you stood up from your bed and placed your book to the side.

you were never the first to apologize, if you knew you weren't in the biggest wrong.

"carol told you to apologize?" you smiled as you stood in front of him, he was a lot taller than you.

"nah." he responded and you nodded, smiling. you stepped out of the cell, brushing past him.

"i'll follow ye' back, 'm jus' gon' do somethin'." he told you with a nod.

you gave him a thumbs up before going down the stairs and out the cell block.

daryl waited for a few minutes before going into your cell, he went to your basket full of clothes.

he quickly placed the panty, that you were missing, back into the basket. he grabbed another one and stuffed it into his pocket.

he wasn't usually like this but you made him crazy, with you scent and the way you acted around him.

you despised him sometimes, yet you could tolerate him enough to flirt with him.

he hated how you made him feel, he wanted to stop what crazy shit he was even doing.

but the thing is, he can't, he's in too deep in the situation. he's fucking addicted to your natural smell.

he fucked your underwear every night, imagining that it was you. he absolutely loved those moments.

call him a creep and whatsoever but he's obsessed with you. so fucking obsessed.

he loved the smell and heat in the shower when he got in right after you finished bathing.

he loved your hair, the way it flows smoothly whenever you ran your fingers in them when frustrated.

don't get him started in your smile, he can fucking kill an entire herd if that means he gets to see you smile.

he loved your skin, your soft milky skin and how they easily turn red when being gripped to tight.

he wondered if he gripped your wrists to tight when he was fucking deep balls into you, would they leave a fucking bruise? he loved that idea, meaning everyone would see that someone fucked you that night.

he loved your body, every curve, every form of you from head to toe.

he went crazy on every teenagers from woodbury who even tried to go near you.

he did it in private, just to not have him scare you off. he almost killed for you, he would do anything just to protect you.

it was when you were on the road, right after the farm fell. you, maggie, glenn and daryl encountered a group of men when you were on the run for the group.

the men was obviously stuffed full, having the weapons and foods that you all were desperately trying to find.

they were obviously a whole lot bigger, not starved during the months that the whole apocalypse started.

glenn and daryl tried to talk to the men, in hopes of escaping the men.

they failed and two of them went to beat up glenn and daryl, making you pull out a gun.

it was a very ugly fight, glenn received a broken nose and multiple bruises in the face and stomach.

daryl was worse, he tried to punch back just to get to you, but to no avail it only made things worse.

that left two other men that was onto you and maggie, you fucking tried to fight him off, he was too big.

he tried to rape the both of you, and that made daryl see red, he was on full adrenaline that he fucking killed the four men single-handedly.

it ended with glenn almost passed out cold, you and maggie shaken up and lastly daryl who was still gritting his teeth in anger.

he fucking swore to himself not to let any other dirty men touch you for their own pleasure.

"daryl!" he was cut-off in his trance by a small voice calling out to him.

he stood up immediately from his crouched position and turned to face the door.

carl stood there with a smile on his face as he nodded at daryl.

"what are you doing here? anyways where is she?" carl asked, looking for you as he inspected the room-cell.

"out in the courtyard... ye' eat already?" daryl asked the little boy as he stepped out from your cell, closing the gate behind him.

"no, i was just going to call her so we could eat together." carl said in a small voice, he wanted to spend more time with you, he felt as if everything that's been happening has been pulling you away from him.

"let's go 'ere together." he put a hand on the little boy's shoulder, giving him a thin smile.

"she's probably eatin' with andrea and carol." he said referring to the older women you hung out with.

"yeah, i'll run so i can see sophia." carl told daryl as the little boy beamed.

"ya..." daryl nodded at carl, and the latter took it as a sign to ran out to the court yard.

when he arrived at the courtyard it was busy with people and their own conversations.

he looked for you and didn't see you, he was worried that maybe you were off with some boys.

he would definitely fucking beat the shit out of the boy who ever tried to take you from him.

his thoughts were proven wrong when a small bunch of people were by gate.

he immediately spotted your hair that made him crazy but not as much as you made him crazy.

he walked towards you with a frown, his frown falling and replaced with a small smile as he heard you laugh.

michonne was there, looking proud and almost eye-teary. you hugged her as you also sobbed with joy.

he was confused why but his smile also grew bigger once he saw what was inside the box that michonne brought back.

the head of the governor was sitting there, eyes in shock and lifeless.

they had spent months hunting for the governor and now they found him, they can finally breath in peace.

the governor looked dirty, his beard and moustache was grown, wildly. like he doesn't have a place to stay and clean himself up.

"we're free, daryl." you whispered to him and you also hugged him, cheeks stained in tears.

he pulled away and wiped your tears away, just like he's always wanted to do.

he looked behind michonne to find a small group of people. they looked relieved to see a sanctuary ahead of them.

"oh, this is the family i found with philip. they didn't know who he truly was, so i explained it all." michonne pointed to the three people standing at the corner.

you gave them a slight wave as you smiled at the little girl, "this is tara, lilly and her daughter, meghan." michonne added.

they smiled awkwardly and gave a little wave back, glancing at daryl, rick, michonne, carol and you.

"and this is eugene, he pretended to be a scientist who knows the cure to all but all is well, rosita, and abraham." michonne pointed to the other three standing at a fair distance from tara's family.

"hi!" you gave rosita, eugene and abraham a small smile and a wave.

you walked to stand beside your dad, wrapping your hand around his arms as he inspected the strangers.

"you sure they could be trusted?" rick looked at michonne, she nodded and glanced back at the six.

"alright." rick said with a smile at michonne, he trusted her and would listen to every thing she said.

"welcome to the group!" you greeted them cheerily, you went near meghan and took her small hands into yours.

"i'll take her to meet the kids." you told lilly and she nodded, she can't believe that there's a sanctuary for them to live in, for her daughter and sister to live in peacefully.

you walked with meghan, hand in hand as you took her to the field where the kids played.

"join them, okay? if anyone bullies you, tell me. i'll kick their ass." you smiled at the young girl.

you instantly warmed up to her innocent eyes and warm heart, listening to whatever she was told.

you turned around and jumped back, looking at daryl in shock as you held your hand to your chest to calm your breathing.

"you scared me, dixon!" you told him with a shark glare as you walked past him.

"ye' makin' threats to lil' kids now?" he joke half heartedly, you giggled.

"i like her, she's sweet." you told him with a small sigh as you walked side by side with him.

"wha' s'wrong?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows as he scanned your face.

"nothing, i just really wanted a baby before all this. they're cute and really sweet." you ranted as you puffed your cheeks.

"ye? baby?" he asked like he couldn't believe it, you pouted at him and rolled your eyes.

"sorry, was kiddin'." he told you with a small smile, you only frowned in response.

"yes... but it's hard, and i don't think i'm ready again as i was before. there's an apocalypse now and there's hardly anyone my age around here, and if there is... t—they just avoid me like plague!" you said with an unreadable emotion.

"who told ye' anything about boys yer' age?" he asked as he walked with you into the cell block.

"i don't get it..." you told him as you walked up the stairs and stopping right outside your cell.

you walked inside and he followed in suit, you smiled and gestured for him to sit on the bed.

"maybe ye' can try wit' someone younger or older." he said with a grunt.

"what are you suggesting, dixon?!" you teased him as you stopped pacing.

you wiggled your eyebrows at him when he started stuttering and turn a bit red.

"nothin' forget it." he told you and he stood up but you immediately were in front of him and held his shoulders to get him back to sitting.

"i was just teasing you, daryl. but, no kidding, i really should try with someone older?" you asked with pure innocence that daryl couldn't face.

"y—ya..." he stuttered and scratched the back of his neck as he looked at his lap.

"well, there's johnny, he's five years older." you told him as you sat beside him.

"nah... he's been wit' almost everyone 'ere." he told you as he shook his head.

"okay... i really need to take a bath, do you mind if we talk later?" you asked him as you stood up from the bed.

he shook his head and also stood up, "also got somethin' else t'do."

"okay, bye!" you waved at him and ushered him out of your cell.

you groaned and went to your clean basket, in search of clothes to wear in the sunny day.

you picked out your clothes and took a glance at the dirty pile.

your underwear, was already there. you picked it up carefully and examined it.

you dropped it with a groan, you had to get used to someone stealing your panties just to bring them back.

but it's creepy as fuck and totally unhygienic if they're wearing it or what ever.

you stood up from your crouched position, your towel and clothes in hand.

you walked out of your cell and closed it behind you, it was quiet inside as almost all of the people living in the cell block was outside.

it was a good time to shower, considering there's a population of a hundred in the prison.

it really was hard to shower with that many people, there were many showers but it looks like the time people wants to shower is whenever you wanted to.

you entered the room where a dozen of shower was, you and your original group shared this shower.

you didn't have to worry about peeping tom's or creepy men spying you.

you placed the towel on the hanging bar and your clothes on the table outside.

you stepped in, undressing yourself as you placed your dirty clothes on another rack.

the fucking cold water was refreshing, you really needed it, considering that it was a hot day in the prison.

you showered very quickly so your group can still have cold water, you felt bad because they've been spending all day in the sun ever since summer.

you pulled on your towel and wrapped it around your body, stepping out on the shower.

you went to the table and grabbed your clothes, going back inside the shower to change.

the clothes you wore were just a jeans short and a camisole, perfect wear for a sunny day.

besides you will be working on the fence today, so you still had to shower later.

work on the fence was exhausting, imagine that you will be standing outside for a few hours just killing walkers with the sun glaring down at you.

but it's worth it because by the end of the day there weren't walkers anymore by the fence.

and when you wake up the next morning there is walkers, and you kill them again.

that was your routine but sometimes you're on babysitting duty with beth, a girl just your age.

she was the sister of maggie, innocent just like you, just more shy and she's not as open-mouthed as you.

you stepped out of the shower again, dressed in clean clothes. you went to the rack that you found on a run a month ago and placed your towel there along with a few others.

an old lady was kind enough to stitch your name on the towel so it doesn't get mixed with the others.

it was a very sweet thing to do, she also was one of the elders you absolutely adore.

you went back to your cell and brushed your hair, it has grown longly, it wasn't the same mid-hair length when the apocalypse started.

instead it reached just above your butt, you smiled as you braided your hair and put little clips on it.

you shuffled on your make-shift drawer and looked for the sunscreen that thankfully michonne found on a run a week ago.

she found a full box of sunscreen and gave it to those who were on fence duty which was twenty people or so.

you don't get bored as much in fence duty when you had karen to gossip with.

she's always telling you how romantic tyreese is, how their dates always end with a sweet kiss.

it makes your heart flutter that your friend found love amidst all this.

you applied sunscreen on your exposed skin, you even went about thinking that you should just wear long-sleeves and pants.

karen would kill you, ranting about how you might faint again like you did once on fence duty.

it worried the hell out of everyone and you were on cooking and babysitting duty for a month after that.

you kind of don't want that to happen so you decided against it.

you placed the sunscreen back on your drawer and went out the cell, after slipping on your cowboy boots.

you walked past cell's when you heard grunts and moans in a particular cell you know too well.

you walked near it with cautious step, "daryl?" you asked him, you can't see anything because of the white sheet that covered the gate.

you opened the cell and found daryl flustered, "you okay, old man? are you having back pain?"

asking him was kind of you, considering you were starting to warm up to him.

"i can massage you if you want, i'll just skip fence duty." you offered to him as you walked by his bed.

your brows were furrowed in worry, he felt bad for making you worry when he was just jerking himself onto your underwear, smelling it like a creep.

"i do it all the time with dad, when he's having back problems." you explained as you sat beside him.

this was one of the reasons he fell for you, your kindness and no hesitation to help.

he didn't know why he started liking you when you all found the prison.

he hated himself at first, for falling for you who's almost half his age and you're most importantly, the daughter of a man he considered his best friend.

he felt sick but he can't do anything with it, his feelings for you grew deeper especially when the woodbury people arrived.

he didn't know what to tell rick. “hey man, i like your daughter.” was that what he's supposed to say?

"nah... 'm fine. ye' should go before yer' late f'fence duty." he told you.

you shrugged but nodded, "okay..." you st oppd up from his bed.

"if you feel sick, tell me." you smiled at him and went out of his cell, continuing your walk down the stairs.

it took a good minute before you were out of the cell block, you walked in the hallways before you managed to exit the prison.

"hi, karen..." you waved at the said woman and walked to approach her.

you also greeted tyreese who kissed his girlfriend good bye and waved back at you.

"that was a sweet kiss, i'm jealous." you teased her and then pouted, you wanted to experience loving someone.

beth have zack and she's your age, carl have sophia and they're younger than you! how was it fair?

you even asked rick if he would allow you to have a boyfriend over dinner the other night.

the rest of the group laughed while carol, michonne and andrea teased you.

you didn't notice how daryl's mood was down the whole night after that.

he wanted you to notice him, he tried to argue with you every chance he got just to have you notice him.

"you'll find them someday." karen knew what you were thinking and you gave her a small nod.

she handed you a sharp spear and you both walked to the fence where the other's are working now.

you worked for hours along side karen and by the time you were done, the sun was almost setting.

it made every sweat worth it because there's not a single walker in sight.

it was really a good setting, with the council and how they handled every thing.

you all were working to make the prison a home, the crops had grown and are ready to harvest every three weeks.

it was all because of the fertilizers you all try to find every run, and the pigs and chicken had more babies.

it was a good life and it would stay like that forever. you said goodbye to karen and placed the spear on the basket just outside the prison doors.

you went to your cell and picked out a set of sleepwear for a quick shower before dinner.

"hey, daryl... you going to shower too?" you asked when you met him down the stairs.

it's been a weird day, you've been seeing more of him ever since today.

you felt like you've seen him a lot more today that you ever did before the prison.

"mhm." was all he responded, you nodded and walked with him towards the bathroom.

"daryl, have you been talking to dad?" you asked him as you synced your footsteps with his.

"ya, why?" he asked as he glanced at your face, he quickly looked away.

"has he been doing better? maybe he wants to step-up again soon, the governor's gone now." you said lowly.

"he's yer' dad. why're ye' askin' me?" he groaned as he tried to not respond.

"we've all been busy, i don't even have time for them anymore." you said sadly, referring to your dad, carl, and judith.

"he's been better, improvin' since lori." he nodded, his southern accent thick.

"do you miss the people we've lost? like jacqui, mom, jim, and dale?" you asked him.

he shook his head, "they were never important t'me." he shrugged and you nodded.

"you must felt absolutely relieved when you found out merle's alive." you nudged him with your elbow.

you were happy for him that he's doing good with his brother, who was a jerk at first.

merle was starting to adjust to the prison and found a woman he love, he's in the council along with a few others.

"what about shane, ye' miss him?" daryl teased you, nodding to your words about merle.

"ew, no! he's a fucker." you groaned in disgust as you imagined the things he did to your family.

"did a number on ye' didn't he?" daryl smirked and you can feel your cheeks heat up just by his smirk.

"but i can't say that he shouldn't have done the things he did, 'cause jude wouldn't be here." you smiled sadly.

"ye' little ass-kicker is growin' fast." he shook his head with a smile.

"i heard that maggie is pregnant." you beamed at daryl, your eyes glinting with happiness at a new baby in the prison.

"ye', glenn told me earlier." daryl nodded, also happy for the couple since the farm.

you both stopped at the entrance of the bathroom, the sound of water droplets is the only thing that could be heard.

you looked at him as you bit your lip, analyzing his brows, his lashes, eye color, and his lips.

you gulped when he leaned in closer, you couldn't deny that sometimes there's that attraction for him deep down.

the attraction you kept hidden down in fear. he was a very closed off man, you were just scared of rejection.

how can you resist him? now that he's leaning in to place his lips onto yours.

you also can't deny that he's a very attractive man, with a shoulder that could make you swoon, and his arms that you wished to hold.

he has tattoos and you found them pretty and meaningful, he had a tattoo on his collar bone.

you didn't know what it meant but it's just a letter, a simple letter placed there.

it was an x.

you closed your eyes when you felt his lips touch yours gently, as if they were just tasting.

he tasted like cigarettes and booze. you can feel yourself getting drunk on his mouth.

you let out a small whimper when he squeezed your ass, he pulled away and took of his shirt.

he placed it on the laundry basket and kissed you again. you took a step back and he pulled the curtains out of the way to enter the bathroom.

"we shouldn't be doing this." you told him, pulling away as you shrugged of your own shirt.

"ya." he agreed and started attacking your neck, making you release small moans.

the clothes and towels you both had were left scattered on the table when you have thrown it.

he gently guided you, taking a step forward as you took a step back.

he guided you to the nearest room to shower, pressing your back against the wall.

he fumbled with your bra as you grabbed onto his hair, keeping your moans at bay.

you helped him slip it off, and he immediately attacked your breasts with kisses.

he turned on the shower and it made you smile at him as you got wet by the water.

you brushed your fingers through his hair, fixing it and moving it out of his face.

placing your hands on his neck, you leaned in and kissed him once again.

you can feel his erection on your stomach and that made you groan.

he held you by the waist and leaned down to meet your kisses as he was taller and bigger than you.

you slid off your panties slowly and you can feel the wetness on your thighs, not by the water but because of him.

he groaned as he rubbed your clit when his hands found it's way there.

you burried your face on his shoulder as you stopped yourself from moaning.

you heard the water stop running on the other stall and a few shuffle here and there.

and finally the moment you were waiting for, the shuffle of the curtains, indicating the person has left.

he lined the tip of his cock onto your entrance and you gripped his shoulders, you weren't sure if it would fit.

he pushed in with one deep thrust making you cry out in pain, you didn't expect him to be that rough.

he started thrusting in and out as you bit your lip you can taste the metallic taste in your tongue.

you moaned, as your hips met his desperately. all the pain was gone now and was replaced by bliss and pleasure.

"s'fuckin' tight, princess." he went deeper and faster with each thrust making you moan loudly.

you were scared to get caught but you couldn't stop the sinful moans that were leaving your mouth.

everyone was probably at dinner already.

you would be disgusted when someone told you that you'd be having sex with your dad's best friend a year ago.

it was so sinful, he was much older and also your dad's best friend, you want to stop but he felt so fucking good.

"daryl, mhm..." you moaned as he kept his thrusting, you can feel the tingling on your lower stomach.

a sense of sign that you were about to cum, it was quick but you can't help yourself.

he felt so good and it was too long ago that you've done this and felt pleasure, the only good thing was that this was better.

"i—i'm about to... c—cum." you moaned as you met his lips for a passionate kiss.

"cum 'round daddy's cock, baby." he groaned into your ear once you pulled away from the kiss.

he can feel your velvety walls clench around him, if he kept going on like this he would also cum.

"yer' so warm." he praised you making you whine, you were so turned on by the sound of your skin slapping together.

"i—I'm cumming." you informed him as you closed your eyes in pleasure.

stopping your hips from meeting his as you came. you moaned from the high feeling.

he kept thrusting into you with force, into your wet, tight and sensitive cunt.

"i'm gonna cum inside you." he looked into your eyes with a dark look.

you shook your head, "i—i'm not on birth control..." you whined as you shook from another orgasm.

"don't care." he shut you up by kissing you with much domination and force, he bit your lip and you pulled away.

"daryl... i—i'm not ready." you whimpered as you pushed on his shoulders.

he ignored you, "i'm gonna fill you up with my babies." he said once again, ignoring your total protests.

"you'd look so pretty carrying my babies." he kissed your jaw and sucked on your sweet spot.

you felt his cock twitch before he finished up inside you, you moaned.

"y-you came inside me!" you looked at him with anger as you unlatch yourself from him.

your legs giving out from intense orgasm, he held you to support you up.

"i love ye', we can have a happy family, you'll have a baby like you've always wanted." he assured you.

you shook your head as you wiped your tears, "w-what would dad say." you whisper to him as you pout.

"i'll worry about him, just be a good girl for me." he grabbed the shampoo as he put some on your hair, washing it for you.

"ye' feel good, so fuckin' good. better than yer' panties." he said with a smirk

you gasped and looked at him, there were a million questions running around your head.

"you're the one who's been stealing them?!" you asked in anger and embarrassment.

"hm, ye' smell so fuckin' good, baby." he praised you, making your cheeks hot again.

"that's embarrassing." you said in a small voice, looking away from him.

"i'll take care of ye' and in just a few months you'll have a baby bump." he kissed you once again.

you shivered and couldn't help but look at your stomach, caressing it.

you can feel his warm cum inside you, it was probably getting to work now.

it was too late for you to take pills, you felt like crying. you weren't ready for a baby, you were before, but you weren't sure now.

he promised to take care of you, he should. what if your dad gets angry if you tell him?

you can't bear the thought of your dad or carl ever being mad at you.

it would ruin you and you can't even think about the people at the prison, the people you love hating you because of your relationship with daryl.

"ye'll look good with m'babies, trust m'." daryl whispered to you, sucking on your neck.

what have you gotten yourself into?

[hatsunemitskislobotomy]

✧.*“ 𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚒'𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚗 ”·˚ ༘

“ every piece of me, holds parts of you ”

↳ ❝ ¡love and deepspace headcannon, y’all know that one trend where you match nail polish with each other’s eyes? yeahhhhh!❞

•◦இ•◦

xavier

there’s something about his blue eyes that just aren’t like the others yknow?

they’re expressing and deep like one’s unwavering desire

pools of deep blue that surely if you look hard enough would reveal his heart and soul to you

and when the light hits them a certain way? they look almost space like

all things aside— this man is an odd one truly

he’ll never be aware of it but he’s incredibly clingy

and he’s such a pouty baby bless his soul

you were having a girls night with tara and a few other female coworkers

he was a bit perturbed when he came knocking at your apartment seeking his favorite napping buddy only to greeted by a tara with hair curlers in and a sheet mask

ever since then he had been insistent on having a “girls night” with you

you really didn’t know what to do with him some days

you explain to him the concepts of it— the bonding and the more or less gossiping with some snacks as you guys helped each other wind down for the night painting each other’s nails or doing each other’s hair

that man is unfazed— he wants all in

though he insists it’s less of a girls thing and more of a you and him thing, you figured

so after a long exhausting week of deepspace hunter stuff, you and him have your little girls night

you get into the nitty gritty of it, although he wasn’t one for gossip he liked hearing you fill him in on the work culture he didn’t bother to immerse himself in

you introduce him to sunscreen and a few other things in mortification after finding out his entire skincare is bar soap and warm water

as the night winded down, you both wearing your face masks and snacking— it was time to paint your nails

you didn’t exactly expect him to join in, it was a preference and he’d definitely stand out more than he likes to if he did so you just go on looking for whatever color you’re feeling

but you get an idea and suddenly you’re holding up every blue polish to his eyes

he’s reasonably confused but he couldn’t help but melt when you explained that you wanted your nails to match the pretty blue of his eyes

now he’s determined and starts doing the same to yours, pulling up bottle after bottle to match with yours

once you two settle on your colors, you get to work

but of course nail painting is a tedious task, it wasn’t long before the two of you fell asleep against each other with half painted nails

but at least you wore a part of each other

rafayel

his eyes— lord

they’re ethereal

like the blueish purple shifting to a pinky hue like that color combo is mesmerizing

believe it or not but he’s the one who approaches you with the idea

something about it being only natural that he and his self appointed bodyguard should match

of course you go along with his antics, after all it’s been a while since you’ve gotten your nails done

he’s very insistent that he paints them for you, after all they’re just another canvas for him

when you visit him at his studio he shows out with a multitude of different nail polishes and gems and what not

it seems like he lost the plot

he tells you not to worry and to trust the process but this man is gluing acrylic tips on your nails as we speak

his work is precise and detailed and before you know it you have a full set of acrylic nails on

he definitely went overboard but not in a bad way— aside from the color of his eyes the nails had elements of his other aspects

basically he gave you mermaid nails following the color scheme of his eyes

you can’t even complain because they look GOOD

genuinely you’re wondering when this man learned how to be a nail tech

you feel kinda bad because although you painted his nails your eye color (or colors for the heterochromia babes) they were kinda… meh

of course he comforts you… by saying there’s only room for one artist in your relationship

all jokes aside (after you smack him with a pillow) he reassures you, the color of your eyes was already beautiful enough for him and now he could look at his hands to remind himself of you

zayne

his eyes are gorgeous

like think summer greens and woodsy vibes

for someone who’s so cold, his eyes look so warm

lately when you’ve been getting your nails done you’ve stuck with neutrals, you didn’t want anything crazy to stand out yet you wanted something subtle and soft for you to look at

and you just so happened to have an affinity for the color green

the first time he notices is after he invites you over to make dinner with him

he was distracting you, you were in charge of chopping the vegetables and he had the audacity to make you laugh

it was no wonder you slipped with the knife and was now sitting on the counter while he tended to your finger while chastising you in his normal manner

as he stood positioned in between your legs cleaning the wound he couldn’t help but notice your nails, a nice shade in between olive and forest green— although the polish was chipping a little

you know he was going to ask so you pull your finger away in embarrassment

hearing you meekly admit that the color reminded you of his eyes stirred something in him

as he wrapped your finger with care he mentions that he has a day off coming up in the upcoming weeks

he offered to treat you, getting your nails done of course after all who is he to not feel honored by your color choice?

although embarrassed, you accept his offer it was sweet of him

when the time comes and you’re sitting at the salon getting your nails done, you join the sweet old ladies into egging him on to also get his nails done

and no clear polish nonsense either

although he could’ve argued that being a surgeon required that his hands neat and clean, he can’t help but humor you

so you both walk out with painted nails, you with your forest olive green— and his with the colors mirroring your own eyes

when the ladies at the salon caught wind of the reasons behind your color choices they insisted you got the magnetic gel polish giving the cat eye affect free of charge

now when you looked at your nails, you could also get lost in them like you would in his eyes

sylus

his eyes have to be the scariest pool of red you’ve ever seen

yet there’s a certain way when he looks at you that you can’t help but get lost in them for hours

when you first proposed the idea he thought it was stupid and a waste of time��� but in that same breath… he couldn’t say no to you

also he liked the fact that you’d have something to constantly remind yourself of him and his presence when he wasn’t already physically looming over you

so he decides to humor it, just this once because it makes your eyes light up and he thinks it’s worth it

as you’re looking for the perfect nail polish to match his eyes, he’s also quietly searching

he might as well return the favor after all, even if having painted nails compromised his stature and respect he’d just get rid of anyone who even dared to think of such a thing

besides— you also had really pretty eyes

when the next time he sees you, he sees the ethereal shade of red shimmering on your nails and it’s like a force possesses him

quite literally cannot keep his eyes off of them and his hands off of you, your hand has a permanent place in his as he rubs against your knuckles with the pad of his thumb

you couldn’t help but notice that he also went and painted his nails, a familiar color as well

he was very nonchalant about his nails of course, giving attention to your nails only

the affect it had on him was insane— it looked almost as if it were a brand, a sign that you were his

he swears to himself that you’d continue to be adorned in red, it was definitely your color

❀° ┄───╮

a/n: yall ive been meaning to post this concept for ages but i didn’t have a good song and then sylus came out (which btw a little commotion for sylus’s debut in my silly little posts 🤗) anyways we love beabadoobee in this household say thank you beabadoobee

on a more or less real note— i am trying to post more 😭😭😭 like it’s summer time and i’m on vacation but it doesn’t feel like a vacation so I don’t even know man

please look forward to more while i empty out my brain of these silly little ideas for you all and while i box it out with my wallet who will understandably hate me once sylus is a officially out

love u all mwaaaah 💋🫶🏾

╰───┄ °❀

[here-comes-the-moose]

Things My Dad Does That I Think Each Bad Batch Member Would Do

Hunter- Can watch murder documentaries and horror films but absolutely CANNOT watch anything in which a child is harmed or distressed; also goes crazy over seeing babies in public

Wrecker- Steals sweet treats that he’s technically not supposed to be eating dad why did you take my cookies???

Tech- Watches documentaries about whatever subject he is interested at the moment (he goes through different phases of interests and next thing we know he’s watched every documentary on Netflix about that interest)

Crosshair- Claims to not like drama or gossip that my mom tells him about, but will then say the most RUTHLESS thing about the subject of said drama or gossip; also looking out the window whenever there’s people or cars he doesn’t recognize in the neighborhood

Echo- Drops the most insane lore in the middle of lunch and then continue on as if nothing happened (we’re either going crazy because of how cool what he just said was or sobbing because he just said the most gut-wrenching thing ever there’s no in-between)

Omega- Shows us the new clothes he just bought after trying them on; shows off the family dog on work calls and calls with friends and family; also gives said dog the most treats out of all of us (and has to be told to not give him so many because he’s too spoiled now)

[rzyraffek]

Slashers with y/n that just gets along with everything

Like slasher could litteraly kill somone near y/n and she would be like alr alr whats really important is that you are happy🤠😎. Im sorry that first 2character had super long headcanons while last ones have way less :( I had no ideas Request open!

Billy Lenz

He always expects some sort of negative response when he calls people and when he heard new voice on the Phone he got even more exited cuz new person new reaction! He totally didnt expect her to just go "yeah yeah sure buddy, anyways... how is your day man? Cuz im so so tired...*starts normal converstation*

He probably tries to stay in character but he is so caught of Guard he doesnt know how to react really (hehe the table has turn)

Now he kinda hopes that she will pick up cuz shes very intresting😈 billy likey

"Ew its this creep again! He is asking for you y/n? Of please dont tell me you befriended him??" "So what? He said hes favourite fruit is strawberry he cant be that bad!" *billy saying slurs on the phone*

You need to constantly tell him that, no Billy no harrasing women isnt sexy, you arent quirky, you are mentally ill

"Y/n i killed that bitch that was gossiping about you 🧍 " "👍good for you billy im glad you found healthy way to cope with that negative emotion😇" "on god"

His whole moral compass is created around the simple question 'does it hurt y/n?' .1:no it doesnt so feel free to do it .2 do not do it, she will ban Billy from sweets (bad ending)

The man from hush

This guy. This dude. This Little gremlin. He is upset that he gets no reaction! Like please oh please act all angy when he 'acidently' shot tire in her car! But oh no ofc no, she had to be like "oh its okay honey i have backup in garage🥰" hes like HHUH SINCE WHEN WE HAVE GARAGE

Like tbh thats how i imagine how they met: he saw her, he wanted to hunt her, she was so chill that she didnt even leave her household while the power was off and he went inside and just saw her having lil nap on couch. 🧍🤨erm exuse me gurl im trying to roleplay epic hunter here tf

He probably kidnaped her cuz she was too weird to just kill her but he didnt want to risk her calling police. He probably tied her up and yeeted her on backseats. And then she begun judging music on the radio"yo big guy can i get some good music taste?" "What? Whats wrong with Taylor Swift?"

He will overshare everything to kinda check where is her limit if it comes to being chill "yeah so i killed this old lady.." "im sure you had good reason🥰" "🤨... anyways... yeah so i was drinking some redbull when some guy said i look ugly so i shoot his head off and-" "HEY HEY hold up geez you CANT drink Energy drinks?? Bestie you know it is unhealthy?? Also you like hunt for sport it will ruin your condition!? How you gonna shoot people with shakey hands?? You crazy or something?" "Damn😔"

Micheal myers

I tried to put him here but i realised he will be as chill as her.

Like he can give her gifts covered in blood and she' just going to clean it and wear it like nothing happened or completley ignore it

He cares about this stuff as much as y/n so like not at all. I mean tbh theres is a bit of difrence: shes at least positive about it! Like "yeah micheal go for it, love🥰😇 i know its hard to cope with trauma take it all out alr?" Shes trying to be a good supporting gf not her fault she never had serial killer bf!

Brahms Heelshire

He lives for attention! What do you mean the war crime he commited this lunch break is okay!?!? Baby pleasee

But this negativity disapears the moment he realised he can get a lot of positive attention when he will do some nice stuff! "Oh honey I didnt kill any rats today" "oh that's amazing brahms I'm sure you and the rats inside walls will get along well soon🥰" (rats in walls bully brahms)

Please complement him or he will get a tantrum and destroy something

Brahms and rats have very hard past i might do seperate hc about that

Ghostface

"Look babe! My newest victim *shows photo*" "ugh baby...😰 you NEED to buy new camera or watch some youtube tutorials about how to take good photos" "aw man whats wrong with my pictures 😔"

Otherwise y/n supports his hobbies! People need to grow😇 (and he needs to grow up)

If theres 2ghostfaces(like in most movies) they will bet money on how long you gonna keep this 'do whatever as long as youre happy' act. Well they didnt know that this wasnt an act but her personality

Also they will probably try to use this chillnes aginst her like "oooh y/n something terrible happened! I crushed my car oh what will i do!" "Alr bestie i will drive you over there😇" "😈omg you are so nice i totally didnt expect that(heheh i dont need to pay for gas today (hes very evil))

[romanstheory]

Mine All Mine

Warnings: smut, fluff, unprotected sex, language, Jey x OC

Word Count: 2,340

18+

Person In The Picture

"Destiny you've performed in front of thousands of people before why are you nervous now?" My manager says as we walk out of the building after signing my WWE contract. "This is different I belong on stage singing and dancing, I'm not sure i belong in a wrestling ring no matter how long i've trained" My stomach twists, I've been a WWE fan my entire life and I've always wanted to get in the ring but man am I nervous. There's so much that could go wrong, so that could happen. "Then pretend you're dancing and singing in the wrestling ring. You were made for this, Des". I inhale deeply before we both get in the car.

Today is it... my debut. I've been told to arrive early and see Hunter in his office to discuss how my debut will be going. Up until now i've been left in the dark and I can only assume it's because they have no idea what to do with me. I've been under contract for months and people have been whispering and gossiping about how I will be introduced. Hands in my oversized sweatpants I walk to Hunter's office, knocking twice before being invited in. "Hey Destiny, how are you?" hunter says looking over his glasses. "I'm great, and yourself?" I reply before sitting in one of the two chair in front of the big desk. It smells like one of those mahogany candles in here, so strong it slaps you in the face.

"So as you already know you will be debuting today" He begins "But in order to slowly introduce you to the craft we're going to have you tag with someone.... Someone who is late now". Hunter annoyingly looks at the clock on the wall behind me and then at the door that is now swinging open. "I'm so sorry boss man the traffic out there was cr-" Jey says walking into the room, eyes darting to me for a second... a long, long second and then to Hunter. "Am I really that late?" Jey asks "I can come back...". Hunter rubs his temples and chuckles to himself "No man just take a seat. This is Destiny, you probably know her from her music but she's going to be debuting tonight and that's what I wanted to talk to you both about". Jey and I nod at each other.

I would be the worlds biggest liar if I said I wasn't secretly scanning him from head to toe. Cut off cropped shirt, joggers, and jordans. So simple but somehow so sexy. "So... Jey you've been around for quite a while now" He begins "And the crowd loves you. I want you and Destiny here to team tonight. We will see how it goes tonight, but I think Jey would be the perfect person to show you the ropes. Any push back, suggestions, anything?" I remain painfully silent.... What am I going to say? Throw me in the ring alone? Jey looks at me and then back at Hunter "I want the ring reserved for us alone two hours before every RAW live event". It wasn't a suggestion, but a demand. "If we're going to do it we're doing it the right way". Hunter nods and says it's done. He picks up his phone and i'm assuming sends out a text to have whoever clear the ring. "How is two and a half tonight? Extra thirty to adjust". I inhale deeply "Sounds good to me" I say softly

---

"You know how to take a bump?" Jey asks me resting his weight against the ropes. "Yeah I've been training for months" I reply quickly "I know the basics but I'm not confident". Poking his bottom lip out he nods his head. For an hour we run the ropes practicing out joint move set, building my tolerance for taking bumps, getting our hearts pumping. My confidence quickly builds while we practice over and over again for our time in the ring. "Not bad, turn it up when it's really go time though" Jey says locking eyes with me, chest raising and falling quickly while his body recovers.

"Do you ever get nervous when you go out here?" I ask, sitting in the middle of the rings staring at the empty seats that will soon be full. In the center of this ring I feel so small, so minoot in the grand scheme of this show. Jey sits next to me, legs crossed "Every night, If you don't then you ain't doing it right". I lay back in the ring and cover my face with my hands. "I'm really about to do this.... I'm REALLY about to do this" I say out loud but more to myself. "Yeah and it's time to go get ready" Jey softly pats my thigh sending electric through my body.

---

Quickly I put my gear on, adrenaline pumping through my veins before I amp myself up even more. We are closing the show, the match has been hyped up all night long... Pressure is on. Jey has done his own thing all night, and I've become acquainted with the other women in the locker room. I make my way to the curtain when Jey's music hits. "Just pretend like you're dancing and singing in a WWE ring" I say to myself under my breath when my music finally comes on. The curtain opens and I swear I walked straight into heaven. The lights were bright, fans loud, music blaring. And my mind shuts off but my body moves.

Flexing, interacting with the fans, soaking everything up. And there goes Jey at the bottom of the ramp like he promised he would be so I didn't have to go into the room alone. Jey mouths the word "wow" while his eyes scan my body, stopping at my ass for longer than a moment. He sits on the ropes allowing me easy access into the ring and the match begins.

Jey is in the ring obliterating Chad Gable when Auska tries to interfere. Before she can I deliver a super kick. The match was well received getting us "this is awesome" chants over and over again. Jey's music blasts as the crowd sings along. Quickly I get on the top rope, Jey directly behind me as we do his signature arm movement to hype the crowd up even more. Incredible.... It was all so incredible and I think I'm already addicted to the high the crowd just gave me. Itching for more I cannot wait until next week.

Backstage I jump into Jey's arms, squealing in excitement. "That was amazing!" Tightly I wrap my arms around him. "You were amazing" He replies. "We have to stay together! They loved us together! We could do so much, take over RAW even!" Excitement overtakes every part of me. "You might be onto something" He replies with a smirk, putting me down, hands slightly grazing my ass but I don't mine or even acknowledge it and neither does he. I've found myself wanting to be close to him all the time. And the way he makes my spot purr.... How could I stay away.

---

Weeks pass and we main event every show, captivating the fans together every Monday night and every house show we attend. Jey and I have become closer and closer every week. Traveling together, staying at the same hotels, eating at new places together, slight flirting every now and again. Tonight we're in my hometown and my entire immediate family will be there front row. I've updated my attire to be blue and black to coordinate with Jey, we look like a real team now. We arrive at the hotel "Give me like five minutes and then come to the room" Jey says stopping in the middle of the hotel lobby. Typically we share a room to cut costs, two bed or he takes to couch if only one is available. I huff and gesture for him to go on.

Five minutes later exactly he texts me telling me to come up, do I do. Swiping my room key I slowly open the door. "Jey?" I close the door softly behind me. The light are off despite the flickering of what I can only assume is a candle around the corner. "I figured you could use some relaxing" He says softly putting his hand around my waist, guiding me around the corner to reveal my favorite wine, chocolate, and blue roses, of course they're blue. A grin spreads across my face, this seems intimate, romantic even but it's sweet nonetheless. "This is beautiful! Thank you" I coo. We drain our glasses and eat the chocolate but I keep catching him staring at me.

"What are you looking at?" I joke before leaning back on my elbows. "You" Is all he says in return, his eyes stuck on mine as if they're glued together. "I'm always looking at you" Is this.... Is this really happening right now? Sitting up, I crawl onto his lap "And what do you think about when you look at me?" I purr into his ear. I can feel him growing under me. "First I thought about what you looked like under those sweatpants, now I wanna lay you across this bed and see what you look like when you cum" He replies eyes still locked on mine. Warmth rips through my body settling into my middle. I knew it, I knew he kept looking at me that day in Hunter's office but I never had the balls to straight up ask him.

Pressing my lips onto his, he slides his hands under my loose shirt exploring my body. "I've been waiting for this" He whispers into my lips. His hands rest on my ass, squeezing it, moving it so I jiggle on top of him. Jey plants soft kisses on my jaw and neck, lightly licking in between. My hands trail through his freshly cut hair. He smells so damn good. My body aches for him, the feel of him, to be close to him. His lips trail my body like he's hungry for me the way I am for him. His hands grip my ass and thighs firmly before he lays my back onto the bed, standing, looking at my body. i slide my clothes off, giving him a show before laying back on the bed. His swollen member struggles against his joggers. "Damn Des..." Jey says, mouth slightly open.

He undresses himself, sliding his boxers off, his fully erect member springing free. I gasp at his size gaining me a chuckle from him. Hovering over me he kisses me deeply, passionately before taking my breast into his mouth. I moan softly, closing my eyes while his tongue circles my nipple, nipping it slightly sending shockwaves of pleasure through my body. Jey looks up at me and I swear I can see a fire burning behind his eyes. I want him so bad this might just be enough for me to meet my undoing. "Please" I whisper, his eyes still locked on mine "I need you now". My breast leaves him mouth with a 'pop' before he grabs my legs, throwing them over his shoulder. His member teases my entrance, I can feel the warmth from his body so close to mine I want to push him into me myself.

"Des" Jey says, I hum in response "You are incredible... God damn you're perfect" Hungrily he scans my body again before pushing himself into me slowly. I gasp at his size "Are you okay? Should I stop?" Jey asks sweetly. I shake my head, biting my bottom lip. "Keep going, I need you" I whisper. He continues pushing his length into me until out bodies are flush together and his sits there allowing me time to adjust. Slowly he begins pulling out and pressing back in, groaning, gripping my legs tightly. Loud moans escape me "Oh my god!" I moan. Jey presses his lips into an 'o' shape before spewing out curse words over and over again. His strokes feel passionate, calculated, and like he cares more about me finishing than him.

Jey presses my legs up to my chest allowing him to go deeper into me causing me to let out a lustful yelp. His tattoos flex and move iwth each stroke, god his beautiful tattoos.... and his arms. I swear this man is perfect in every single way. My eyes drift from his body to his face that now hovers just above mine, sweat collecting at his brow. I pull his lips to mine and kiss him like I love him while he strokes me long and deep. Fireworks explode between us and as if he felt it too both of our eyes shoot open only to close again before our kisses got sloppier. Tongues loop and battle back and fourth, his stokes get faster and suddenly both of us are loud. "Ahh! Fuck! Mhhh! You feel so good" Jey groans "This is mine. Only mine!"

Curse words leave my mouth, I can barely form a thought. "O- FUCK JEY! O-only y-yours" I groan back. "This pussy is mine and only mine" He groans in my ear. Fuck! I reach my climax, my vision blurs and my body trembles as he continues stroking me, pressing deeply into me before releasing his load into me. He presses his arms into the bed on either side of me, panting just like I am. "I meant that. I need this... You to be all mine." He says through his breaths. "I did too" I say breathlessly. The rest of the night I spend in Jey's arms watching movies and telling jokes. Of all of the places in this world I've been in his arms is my favorite. And to think, weeks ago he was coaching me, comforting me and now he is mine... all mine.

[ohdeersthings]

Float Like Clouds

Neteyam x F!Reader

Part 2 of: Soft as Clouds

Summary: Neteyam becomes a clumsy fool around you, and the clan has started to notice you more

Warning: Neteyam being clumsy asf, Reader being over-stimulated, was not proof read 😂

Note: BTW all my characters and the love interest from the movie/show are always aged up to 18+

Neteyam groaned into his hand, his body flush with humiliation. Ever since you started coming around more after that day when you brought Tuk back and he'd gotten to know you, he now thought you were the most precious thing in the world. The way you seemed to float by, an aura of peace and patience enveloping your whole essence.

Unfortunately that meant he embarrassed the shit out of himself every chance he got. Just moments ago he had tried to approach you to say hello but he tripped and while flailing his arms like an idiot to not fall, he grabbed the nearest thing which happened to have been a rope connected to a crate, pulling it ontop of himself and bashing his head.

Nearby girls and men his age had laughed under their breath, enjoying the sight of the future Olo'eyktan making himself look like a fool in front of the clans beauty, you holding that title now that attention has been shifted to you.

You however were worried and ran over, carefully brushing his braids back to examine his head and sighing in relief that Neteyam was alright. He ignored the others around and focused only on you, his palms becoming clammy and his nerves were on edge, but once you told him he was alright he found himself running off so he didn't have to look you in the eyes anymore.

The gatherers talked about how you were the perfect gatherer, always knowing what to do with fruits and herbs. Hunters boasted about how the food you harvested went beautifully with their hunts of the days. Healers reveled in the fact your herbs were perfectly collected, divided up and placed neatly. Men his age whispered about how graceful and patient you were, a prize for any man. Women gossiped about how you were so perfect, but they reeked of jealousy.

If only he could talk to you without making a joke of himself, but it seemed Eywa had other plans for him.

From outside the tent where he had hidden himself, he heard the clans people going about their day. Neteyam could barely make out his own families voices, Tuks being the loudest as she talked to who he could only imagine was you.

"Come on! We gotta get to the clearing before the flowers bloom! You said it would be amazing!" Tuks voice was full of excitement, almost a demanding tone. Neteyam could see a vision of her trying to pull and push you, your face probably just a smile as you had a soft spot for the youngest Sully sibling. "Actually we need (Y/n) for something," came a unrecognizable voice, more soon followed.

"We need her to help us gather more food!" "Well we need her to help us decide which size basket to weave,"

Many clans people had started to argue, Neteyam deciding enough was enough. He stepped outside of the tent and saw many people surrounding you, Tuk had been pushed off to the side and was trying to get back through the crowd.

You on the other hand, were down right overwhelmed. Everyday someone had tried to have you do something, go somewhere or talk to somebody. You wanted things to go back to the way they were before. You missed laying on the grass or tree branches without a care in the world.

Your breath had started to get heavy, your chest feeling like it couldn't expand. Clutching your hands to your chest to make yourself feel smaller, your eyes darted everywhere, trying to find some type of escape. The feeling of being closed in almost brought tears to your eyes.

"Enough!"

Neteyams voice cut through the crowd, their voices going silence at once. He stalked through the crowd, shoving people out of the way,"you all are ridiculous! You've been perfectly capable before (Y/n) graced you with her presence, now go away and leave her and Tuk alone!"

There was a bit of a growl with his voice that made your tail twitch, but his arm around your shoulder helped ground you as he brought you out of the crowd and towards Tuk.

"Breathe (Y/n), it's okay, they won't bother you again," Neteyam whispered into your ear, Tuk grabbing your hand to help you relax. "I hate when they do that, (Y/n) gets so upset," Tuk told him softly, they both lead you away to the forest, the place they knew you loved more than anything.

Coming to a small clearing, you felt your breath stabilize and you gave Tuk a smile, a hand caressing her face,"I'm sorry you had to see me like that Tuk," this made her confused. You didn't ask for the village people to go crazy, and they had caused to you have some weird attack, so why were you apologizing? Neteyam himself thought you were a blessing, even though you were so overwhelmed you only focused on Tuk and how she felt.

"Tuk, why don't you go ahead to those flowers you mentioned and we'll be right along?" Tuk threw a questioning gaze at Neteyam, but smirked when a thought crossed her mind, "Oh okay, don't take too long!" She giggled, running off through the bushes.

He helped you sit on a fallen tree,"Are you alright?" Neteyam turned his attention towards you completely, finding you smiling at him a little uneasy. "Yes, thank you Neteyam," the way you said his name made him buzz with energy, but he coughed, his own smile gracing his lips to help you feel better, "They shouldn't have acted like that, I know you don't like the hustle and bustle of village life, though that must be hard now that your friendship with Tuk is public,"

You nodded with a small shrug of your shoulders," Yes I suppose it is, but Tuk makes it worth while," you sighed fondly, Neteyam chuckling, "I do miss being able to sneak around the people without being stopped every few seconds, but it's not all bad when I get to spend time with you guys,"

Neteyam felt his tail begin to slightly move and twitch, "with just Tuk or?" He left the sentence open, wanting you to finish it as he scooched in closer, his body and face all giddy.

"Well, Tuk will always come first," you nudged his arm with yours, but when you turned your eyes to look at him, a sort of smirk on your lips as you stared into his eyes,"but I find it quite funny to watch you,"

Neteyam groaned in his throat, leaning his head back,"Please don't remind me, I always make a fool out of myself when I try to talk to you," you smiled, placing a hand on his knee, "I think it's cute,"

Neteyam thought your hands were so soft and gentle, but if your hand stayed any longer he'd probably end up doing something crazy. "Should we go join Tuk?" He stood up, reaching a hand out to help you up. You nodded, hand in his as you stood up, both beginning to walk in the direction that Tuk had disappeared too.

~.~

"There you are!" Tuk laughed, running up to you and pulling you away from her brother who frowned, noticing your hand had slipped out of his. "Look, they're about to bloom!"

In the vast meadow you three stood in, different colored flower bulbs that had a glow were slowly starting to open, Eclipse casting a shadow as night began.

"What is so important about these flowers?" Neteyam wondered, but you looked to him with that soft smile, so gentle and he felt himself swoon, "watch,"

As the bulbs opened, small, light like creatures began to emerge. Different colors of yellow, gold, white, even a few blue started to float upwards towards the sky, the wind softly blowing them to and from.

"These light bugs only come once a year, they're better to spot at night," you informed, a laugh escaping when Tuk began to run through them.

Neteyam crept up beside you, "Beautiful," he mumbled, but he was trained on your face in the glowing of the lights. Your own white freckles on your face decorated your cheeks and nose, your green eyes seeming to glow, now with the reflection of these light bugs, it seemed you held a thousand stars in your eyes.

"Yes, almost takes my breath away," You whispered, glancing at him to find him staring at you already. You felt your cheeks warm under his gaze, starting to turn away when you felt him tenderly grab your hand into his, bringing it to his chest where his heart sat.

You gasped, your body turning flush into his as he held your hand to his heart, his other hand brushing your cheek.

You both could only stand there, eyes gazing into each other. So confused, yet certain this felt right, the two of you having only known each other personally for a short time but still feeling a pull towards one another.

"(Y/N)" Neteyam whispered, "I want you to know, um," he stumbled over his words, trying to find the right thing to say. "Neteyam," you whispered back, your faces seeming to get closer.

"(Y/n)!" Tuk yelled, your face instantly turning toward her and you watched as she laughed and ran through the light bugs, her hands beckoning for you to join her.

You gazed back at Neteyam who's eyes were shut, his head falling back as he let out a big breath exasperated, his own sister had stopped him in his moment of courage,"Don't look so sad," you giggled, "we can always continue this later,"

Neteyams eyes shot open at that, his face in shock as you skipped off to join Tuk in the tall grass, the light bugs making you look even more enchanting, his eyes trailing over your body.

'I am in way over my head,' he thought, but chuckled and ran to join two of his favorite girls.

~.~

When Tuk had began to tire out, Neteyam carried her as the two of you started the walk back to the village. Her soft snores made you smile, eyes looking over her tired form that was drapped on Neteyams back.

"So, maybe we should do this again," Neteyam started, eyes trying to focus on the ground but he would glance up quickly to see your face. To his relief, you were bashfully looking at him too.

"All three of us or?" Your phrasing reminded him of earlier and he laughed, "Maybe just the two of us, Tuk wouldn't mind if I stole you every once and a while right?" He knew Tuk definitely would, but if she knew he was trying to make (Y/n) her sister officially, it might change her mind.

"I don't see why not, maybe you could take me flying?" Your soft voice and slight pep to your step had him grinning from ear to ear. "Really!? I mean," he cleared his throat, trying to deepen it, "I mean, sure yeah," he shrugged, your laugh making him feel like he was walking on air.

Coming to his families tent, you lightly traced your fingers up Tuks back, whispering goodnight as she sleepily 'hmmed', Neytiri appearing to take her from her oldest so that you and her son could have a moment to say goodnight.

You acknowledged their mother, "Hello, Neytiri," Neytiri smiled at you, nodding her head as she slipped back into the tent.

"So, I'll see you later?" Neteyam asked, his yellow eyes were holding your green ones hostage. Your lips pursed, eyes looking off to the side like you were thinking.

"How about one hour? Take me on a night time ride?" He felt his stomach get tingly, not able to make a noise as he nodded rather fast pace. You left him speechless by your next move.

You grabbed his necklace and pulled him down to your height, your lips laying on his own for a moment and then you were gone with a wink over your shoulder.

Neteyam felt frozen, still as a statue where you'd left him with a longing sense for you to stay, but excitement for the next hour to hurry up. Heartbeat racing, he found some function back and touched his fingers to his lips.

"Oh yeah," he grinned, "Soft as clouds,"

~.~

Part 3?? 👀

Taglist:

@jaymiemallari21 @ssc7514 @itsemy01 @zbeez-outlet @danamq1 @cwufst @sourpatches111 @eywas-heir @heaven1oo4 @neteyamforlife @naynay2808 @msjae @ultimatebluff @jjkclub @ksata @destinylb @otukirey @saniyahgordon @nijha2tact @laylabunbunny @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @rax-raxus @ilivboi @coocciz @jiru-camels @whenercolorfulrainbowlol @lothvt @teyamdefender17 @v4mp1rr3 @tejas-kris @jimfiqs @catcrapandpuppypoo @serpientez @thexplosivegirl @xoxobabe @inluvwithneteyam @dead-28 @brooklynscherry-z @weridpersonhelp @he110hon @rainbowsocks

[liittleemiixeer]

I know this theory has already been thought but I wanna delve deeper into it. I think the man who appears at the end of s2 ep1 is Abel. I know there have been theories about him being a demon hunter, but some of the reasons I'm not that sure he is one are tied to the circumstances of his appearance and the context provided by the narrative.

[long rant ahead hehehe]

Both look unusually pale and have a similar face structure, and the contrast of white hair vs. black hair makes me believe he might be the abel to his cain lmao. The contrast suggests an obvious juxtaposition, as if they were meant to be two sides of the same coin.

We know Cain hasn’t visited Heaven in a long time, and his strained relationships with the other immortals hint at a larger, unresolved conflict (they basically gossip about him going against his own family). AND let's not forget the deeper context here. In the biblical narrative, they're the first children of Adam and Eve. Then, Cain kills Abel out of jealousy after God favors Abel's offering over his own. But what if in HSR Abel never truly died? What if he survived and is now on a mission to confront his brother, perhaps to stop him from causing further destruction or to seek vengeance for what he did to him?

If Abel somehow endured, it would make sense for him to appear now, especially after we’ve just learned about Cain’s alternative, more destructive form. Besides, the fact that Pileon, a demon, is the one who finds him is rather telling. If this character were a demon hunter, it seems unlikely that a demon would be the one to discover him in such a vulnerable state—bloodied, weakened, and seemingly at the end of a fierce battle. The timing of this man’s arrival—just as we uncover Cain's darker nature—is too precise to be coincidental.

As a philologist, plotwise, him being Abel would certainly make sense in the context of the story's themes—of survival, moral conflict, and the struggles between heavenly and demonic forces in a world devastated by apocalyptic events. His return could add a layer of depth to the ongoing narrative, representing a force of justice or redemption against Cain's darker tendencies.

Moreover, if this mysterious character were simply a demon hunter, his appearance might lack the same emotional and thematic weight. However, as Abel, his presence would be deeply significant and would make great storytelling. He would embody not just a force of opposition against Cain, but a figure who brings moral complexity and personal stakes to the narrative. He could even represent vengeance, adding layers to the conflict between good and evil in a world ravaged by apocalyptic forces.

With all that being said, if he ends up being a demon hunter or something completely different, I'd really like to see a compelling reason for it. Something that works as a plot device that deepens it even more. Since Alexandra is doing an amazing job with HSR, I don't doubt her, she'll excel at it!!!

[dean-winchester-is-a-warrior]

Things Learned and Unlearned Ch. 2

Series Summary: Y/N has spent her life trying to outrun her mother's reputation. When she meets the rich and successful playboy, Dean Winchester, how quickly can he get her to stop running?

Pairings/Characters: Dean Winchester x Y/N, Sam Winchester, Jessica Winchester, Lucy Winchester (OC)

Warnings: Each chapter will have it's own warnings, but there will be smut, seduction, virgin!reader, playboy!dean, Edwardian era BS attitudes surrounding sex and women. (Technically it's set in 1900 and the Edwardian era started in 1901, but you get it.) Angst, Fluff, all the good stuff that regularly pops up in my series. 😁

Chapter Warnings: Nothing major. Kissing. Pining. Lusting. 😁

Word Count: 5,192

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you're enjoying this 1900s Dean x Reader AU. Thanks for all your kind words about Ch. 1.

Series Master List || Main Master List || Tag Lists

Dean visited the library at the same time for the next two days, hoping Y/N would be spending Lucy's nap time there again. But she didn't show up. He saw her only briefly when she came to dinner every evening. However, she rarely spoke and left quickly at the end of the meal. She was always polite, always answered any question put to her, but mostly she kept her head bowed demurely and stayed silent.

On the evening of his second day, as soon as Y/N was out of the dining room, Jessica walked up to Dean and punched him in the arm.

He shot her a glare as she moved off to help Sophie, their kitchen maid, clear the table. "What was that for?" he asked.

"What did you do to her?" Before he could defend himself Jessica put a hand up to stop him. "No, don't try to look innocent. Before your arrival we were making headway with Y/N. She'd been so painfully shy when she first got here. It was all, 'Yes, Sir’ and ‘Yes, Ma'am'. She'd finally begun to call me Jessica, but now I'm back to being Ma'am. And she barely speaks now! What did you do?"

Dean shrugged and gave his most innocent look. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Jessica rolled her eyes and moved off to the kitchen. Sam watched his wife walk out of the room before confronting Dean.

"Look, you know I don't tell you how to live your life. I walked away from Father's life, and you took it onto your shoulders. You get all the pressure, all the societal gossip, all the responsibility of keeping the family business afloat. For all of that, I figure that you're entitled to do as you choose in your personal life." 

Sam ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "But Dean, don't mess around with this woman. She's kind and innocent and she doesn't deserve to be yanked around by you, or left broken-hearted."

Dean frowned. Did his brother really think he went around ruining women and breaking their hearts? "You wound me, Sammy." He said, only half joking. "I mostly bed bored wives and widows and they all know what the situation is. I don't go about my life leaving a trail of broken hearts behind me."

"How would you know?" Sam asked, sarcasm thick in his voice. "You never look back to notice." When Dean started to try and defend himself again Sam just shook his head. "Look, I just mean, don't treat Y/N with disrespect."

"Of course not." Dean said. But as Sam left to set up their card game in the parlor, Dean realized he had been disrespectful to Y/N. He'd have to track her down tomorrow and rectify that.

To Dean's delight the next day, he found Y/N at the far south end of Sam's property, sitting on a bench in the apple orchard. As he stepped from behind a large stand of trees, he cleared his throat, trying not to startle Y/N again. But she must have heard him coming through the leaves on the ground because she didn't look startled. She looked like a deer in the rifle sights of a hunter. He smiled, trying to put her at ease.

"Good afternoon, Y/N. I'm so glad I found you." He decided to do away with formalities, given the proposition he had planned.

She cleared her throat, but it was still soft and husky when she spoke. "Yes, so nice to see you too, Mr. Winchester. I was just about to head back up to the house, so if you'll excuse me…" She tried to walk briskly past him, but he caught her arm and tucked it into his.

"Wonderful, so was I. I'll walk you up to the house."

She looked like she wanted to argue, her mouth opening and closing several times before simply saying, "thank you" in a small voice. They walked a moment in silence. Then Dean decided to get right to the point.

"I realized that I may have seemed terribly rude the other day. I acted without explaining to you what my intentions were, what they are, I mean."

Y/N looked up at him, her expression surprised and slightly perplexed. "Your intentions?"

"Yes, you see, from the moment I saw you sitting on that bench by the train station, I've known I want to take you as my mistress."

Y/N stumbled, but Dean kept her upright. "Careful." He said as he stopped and turned to face her. "Now, I know that you're an intelligent, beautiful woman. I would never dream of asking you to come away with me if I couldn't provide for you." Dean smiled and began walking again, leading her forward.

"You'd have your own house, of course. I'd give you a household allowance and a clothing allowance. I'd expect you to attend some societal obligations with me. Only the ones where wives aren't present, obviously, but that's still a fair few. It would likely be one a week at least. Other than those obligations, your days would be yours and I would come to visit you a few times a week. I'll always try to let you know of my intentions the day before, but sometimes my schedule can be unpredictable."

Dean stopped again and turned to face Y/N. She stopped when he did, but stayed staring straight ahead. He couldn't tell what she thought of his proposal. He walked in front of her to try and see what her answer might be.

"Do you have any demands you would like to make of me?" He asked, unsure of her feelings.

Her features were flat and expressionless, until she met his gaze. Then he could see that her eyes burned so dark, they looked black. She raised her arm and her palm came down in a fiercely stinging slap across his left cheek. He stood stunned for a moment, before looking back to stare in astonishment at the absolutely furious woman standing before him. Her breasts were heaving, her cheeks were flushed and the anger sparked from her gaze like sparks from a fire. She was magnificent.

She raised her hand to slap him again, but he saw it coming this time and grabbed her wrist, holding tight. She pulled hard against his grip and he let her go, afraid that he'd break the fragile bones he could feel moving under his hand.

Suddenly her beautiful face contorted and she grabbed up her skirts and ran. It took Dean a moment to realize she was crying.

Well, dammit he thought. That did not go the way I planned.

***

Y/N sat in the library the next day alternating between rage and despair.

Clearly she was everything her mother had been. Obviously in spite of everything she'd worked for, the world could still tell she was the daughter of a fallen woman.

Her mother had been the disgraced daughter of an English Lord. She'd been shipped off to America to live with an elderly aunt until she could be safely married off to Y/N's father.

This was information she only learned at the age of sixteen when a so-called friend, Meg, had told her. Meg had tried to hide her glee as she explained to Y/N the reasons why some of the other girls at their boarding school shunned her. The rumors surrounding her mother and her hasty marriage were old, but still circulating.

Y/N had been mortified, but she'd confronted her mother about it at the summer break. Isobel had looked stricken but then said that yes, the rumors were true. She wouldn't talk about it except to say that Y/N should always keep herself pure and chaste. 

She took Y/N by the shoulders. "Your purity, your chastity, it is everything. The pious will tell you that your soul depends on it, but I'm telling you Y/N that not only will your soul suffer if you give in to passion, your life will suffer too. Stay away from men."

It was some of the last advice Isobel had ever given Y/N. Three weeks later, her mother died of blood poisoning after a cut had become infected.

Y/N hadn't known how to feel. She was sad, of course, but she'd barely known her mother, really. Her father had died when she was very young and her mother had been mostly absent, letting first the nannies and then teachers at the boarding school raise her daughter. 

On top of the rumors surrounding her early years, it was suggested by some that after her husband's death, Isobel lived as a kept woman. Y/N wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but she knew by the whispers and slightly curled lips that it was dirty and wrong.

And now she'd been offered the same life.

As she'd listened to Dean lay out his offer, she realized that this must have been what people had meant when they said her mother was "kept". A man had paid for her living expenses in exchange for…for what, exactly? Dean had said that he'd want her to accompany him out sometimes and that he'd visit her.

What would happen during those visits? Whatever it was had to be the reason people had seemed repulsed when they talked about Isobel.

Her mother had money, Y/N always knew that. It was how they afforded their beautiful home and the boarding school that was Y/N's other home. But when she'd been young she'd never thought where the money had come from, she assumed maybe from a trust her father had left.

But of course that was impossible. Her father had owned a modest general store with two locations in the city of New York. He had been firmly middle class, and couldn't have provided that kind of life for them.

When her schooling had ended shortly after her mother's death, she had no marriage prospects and no job prospects either. No one wanted a governess from a questionable past, especially one who was young and beautiful. That's what Mrs. Oliver had told her anyway.

Mrs. Oliver had been her savior. She was an elderly lady who sat on the board of the school and gave large donations. Y/N had met her at some of the school functions, when the girls were trotted out to converse with the patrons and show them their donations were creating lovely, demure young ladies.

Mrs. Oliver had liked Y/N right away. She liked her wit and her kindness and when Y/N left school, she’d offered her a position as her companion. Y/N took the position and counted her lucky stars.

Mrs. Oliver was still sharp and lively even into her seventies and working as her companion had been the happiest Y/N had ever been. She'd worked for Mrs. Oliver for just over five years before the lady passed away peacefully in her sleep.

Y/N had come to work for the Winchesters soon after, thanks to the glowing reference Mrs. Oliver had left for Y/N in her will. Now she'd been a governess for nearly two years, and had begun to believe that maybe she'd outrun her mother's scandalous life. Maybe she wouldn't turn into a "ruined woman incapable of controlling her passions". That was how she'd heard her mother described once.

But no, here she was, acting completely inappropriately with a man she'd only just met. Acting so inappropriately, in fact, that he believed she would welcome being a kept woman.

As she sat in the library, her rage left her and the despair rose again. She was a lost cause. Her soul was obviously already tarnished and if she wasn't careful, her life would be too.

***

Dean had gone to the orchard first, looking for Y/N, before trying the library, so his clothes were damp and his hair was wet from the misting drizzle that was falling. He tried the library as a last hope and almost heaved a sigh of relief as he saw Y/N's form folded into the green chair. 

He knew that Sam and Jessica had taken Lucy to town for a couple of hours to see the circus parade that was going down Main Street before setting up in the fairgrounds. Only the groundskeeper, Kenneth, and Sophie the cook were around. So Dean closed the door and turned the key in the lock. He didn't want to be disturbed.

As he approached her, he could tell that she had been crying. A pain he didn't recognize clenched his gut and he realized it was remorse. He had been the one to make her cry. He had to fix it.

"Good afternoon, Y/N." He said as he took a seat on the couch facing her.

She resolutely ignored him, as if he hadn't even spoken. She wasn't going to make this easy.

"Look," he began, "I can clearly see that I've hurt and insulted you. Please believe that was the last thing I intended. I only meant to show you that I didn't think you were just some easy maid to be tumbled and forgotten. I wanted you to know that I was offering you more. I wanted to provide you with luxury and wealth.”

He clasped his hands together. “I know my brother and sister-in-law pay well but still, a governess' salary isn't much. When we finished our time together, you would have had enough to live on your own quite comfortably. You'd be cared for, and wouldn't have to worry about earning money again. That's what I was trying to tell you. I wanted to offer you so much more than you have now. I thought perhaps you wanted more as well."

She looked up from her lap. Her stony face was still beautiful, even in its sharp, harsh lines. Her gaze scorched him.

"Please, leave. I am rejecting your proposal." Her voice was all ice; it made him long to melt it.

"I gathered that you rejected my proposal when you ran away from me and then refused to come to dinner last night." Sam and Jessica had been sure it was his fault she didn't come down and since he was also sure it was his fault, he didn't even argue very hard.

"I accept your rejection of my proposal. But I don't want to leave. I wanted to talk with you a while."

Y/N just returned her attention to the book she had in her lap. He sighed. He took a chance and moved to kneel on one knee in front of her chair. The closeness had the desired effect of surprising her out of her block of ice.

He took her chin in one hand, lightly, so she could pull away if she wanted to. She didn't.

"Truly, Y/N, I want you to know how sorry I am to have insulted you or hurt you. Please believe that was never my intention."

He saw a slight thaw in her gaze and decided to take it as a win. He didn't want to push his luck so he left the library.

He returned the next day in the hope that she would be there; she was. She was also there the next day and the day after that. The hours between two o'clock and four o'clock quickly became his favorite time of day. Over the three afternoons they spent together the ice in Y/N's smile began to thaw more and more until he was able to pull actual, sweet smiles from her. They were like a prize.

They spent their time discussing books they’d read and loved and explaining only a little bit about their backgrounds - Y/N seemed as reluctant as he was to discuss it. So instead they talked of world events and Y/N described her excitement at the prospect of the World's Fair that was coming to St. Louis in 1904. 

She’d longed to go to the previous World's Fair in Omaha the year before, but of course, she couldn't afford it and Lucy had been too little for Sam and Jessica to want to take her. Y/N hoped that because Lucy would be nearly eight years old by the time the next World's Fair arrived,Jessica and Sam might take them all to St. Louis to see it. When she talked about it, her enthusiasm and excitement made Dean very happy.

After dinner one evening he caught up with her as she left to go to her room in the nursery. He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a large mahogany bookshelf. She looked surprised and tense. He smiled.

"Run away to the circus with me." It was such a ridiculous request that it shocked a chuckle out of her.

"What?" She asked, her mouth stretching into an adorable grin.

"Come with me tomorrow afternoon. It's the last day the circus will be in town, let's go see it. It's no World's Fair, but it should be fun. It's your day off tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"Don't say no. Say yes."

She shook her head. "Why are you even asking me if you're just going to answer your own question? Why not just ask yourself to go?" Her voice was teasing.

"I make terrible company."

"You're not being very convincing."

"I'll buy you popcorn."

"Well, that seals it then." Y/N said. "You should have started the request with popcorn."

***

Y/N stood in front of her mirror and contemplated changing for the third time that afternoon. The indigo blue cotton dress she wore now was simple and modest. The puffs on the sleeves weren't too large, which she'd liked a few minutes ago when she'd pulled it on. But now she was wondering if she should have puffed sleeves at all. Did it seem as if she was putting on airs, trying too hard to look like more than a governess? Perhaps she should have just worn the serviceable gray wool she wore during her days with Lucy.

Her opportunity to change ended when she heard the soft knock at the door and Jessica called, "The carriage is ready for you and Dean."

Y/N opened the door and smiled, trying to hide her nervousness. Jessica clasped her hands and brought them to her lips.

"Oh, Y/N, you look so beautiful. That dress is lovely."

"Thank you." Y/N said, suddenly shy. She liked Jessica very much, Sam too. They were both kind, fair, and wonderful employers. She felt as though they could be real friends if they weren't separated by the professional relationship between them.

She wondered what Jessica thought about her stepping out with her brother-in-law. Before she could wonder for very long, however, Jessica linked their arms and started walking Y/N towards the front door. On the way she offered some advice.

"Dean is a good man. You know, he paid for Sam's schooling and helped him start a practice in spite of their father's disapproval. He wanted both his sons to follow in his footsteps and run the business. But Dean knew that Sam's heart lay in the law. So, he defied the old man and took care of his brother." She took a deep breath. "So, please don't think that I'm giving you this warning out of any sort of concern about Dean's honor." 

She stopped just inside the front door. "He doesn't try to ruin women. He doesn't mean to break hearts. He's just…well, he's just him. And although he certainly knows he's more handsome than the devil," she rolled her eyes, "I really don't think he understands the effect he has on women. They fall for him, and he's moved on before he ever even thinks to catch them."

She grabbed Y/N's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I guess I just want you to be careful, and maybe put a bit of a wall up around your heart."

Y/N was blushing, but she nodded. She was way ahead of Jessica. Over the last few days Dean had shown her that he was intelligent, compassionate, sardonic but hilarious, and wonderful with his niece. She'd forgiven him for his proposal, believing that he was truly sorry and that it had all been a misunderstanding. Perhaps the way she'd behaved with him in the library that first day had made him believe she would welcome the offer.

Whatever the case, there had been no more such talk and in all other respects he'd acted as a perfect gentleman.

Did her heart still pick up its pace every time he walked into a room? Yes.

Did her stomach flip and fill with butterflies when she looked too long into his eyes? Yes.

Did her fingers sometimes itch and tingle with the need to reach out and touch him? Yes.

But as long as she didn't give in to her wanton thoughts, she would be fine. Dean was leaving in about a week; she could manage to hold herself in check. She admitted that she was excited for today's outing to the circus, but only because she'd always wanted to see one. It had nothing to do with Dean.

Then Jessica opened the front door and there he stood. He wore a dark gray suit that was tailored to him perfectly. His eyes were more of a mossy green than emerald today, and they were full of good humor. He smiled his dazzling smile at her and her belly was suddenly full of butterflies again.

He offered an outstretched hand for her to take so he could help her down the stairs. She slipped her hand into his and tried to ignore the warmth that spread up her arm because of the simple touch. But the thought came unbidden to her mind that she wanted to feel his hands everywhere. She was horrified and almost turned around to run back inside.

But she didn't. She continued with Dean into the carriage. Kenneth was driving them and he tipped his hat to her as she climbed in. The open air carriage allowed the sunlight to pour over her and she relished the extra days of summer they had been granted.

Dean climbed in and sat beside her. She could feel the hard length of his thigh even through her layers of skirts and petticoats. She tightened her fist around the parasol she carried and tried without success to ignore the feelings that came from sitting next to Dean.

He always smelled like shaving soap, and something very male, almost spicy, a scent that belonged to Dean alone. It never failed to make her salivate and swallow as though she was savoring a tasty treat.

They arrived at the circus grounds and Dean stepped out of the carriage and again offered Y/N a hand to help steady her down the steps in her skirts.

She stumbled slightly on the last step and Dean caught her under her elbow, pulling her into his side to stabilize her. She leaned into him for a moment, her body giving in to the feeling of bliss that came from his arm wrapped around her waist. But quickly, she straightened up and mumbled her thanks before rushing toward the gates.

This may have been a very bad idea.

***

"And the fire-eaters! Did you see them, Dean? I mean, they swallowed fire!" Dean chuckled as Y/N repeated her reverence for the fire-eaters, as she had at least a half a dozen times since seeing them that evening.

The circus had indeed been a lot of fun, much more fun for Dean because Y/N was clearly enjoying herself immensely. There had been acrobats, and jugglers, and a woman who walked on a tightrope. There were musicians and performers of all kinds. There were clowns and games to win prizes. In her purse Y/N carried a small bird made out of wool with real feathers sewn onto it. He had won it for her at a game of ring toss.

The day had sped by and Dean couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed himself this much doing something that didn't involve whiskey, women, and cards.

Now he was walking her up the steps of the porch and he wanted nothing more than to extend the evening. So, he didn't go inside immediately, instead he lingered when they got to the front door and he was happy to see she did too.

Some of her elation from the day seemed to slip away and she was shy again. Ducking her head she said, "Thank you so much for taking me, Mr. Winchester. It was a lovely day."

"Mr. Winchester?" Dean said, a reprimand in his voice. "We're not back to that are we, Y/N?" He took a step closer hoping she wouldn't step back. She didn't.

He lowered his voice, almost to a whisper. "May I kiss you goodnight?" he asked, unable to hide the heat in his eyes as he raised her chin with his forefinger.

Her eyes widened. "Why?"

A smile came to his lips. "Because I want to. And, tell me if I'm wrong, but I think you might want me to as well."

"No." she said succinctly and he immediately took a step away from her.

"No." she said again, but grabbed his hand. She shook her head. "I mean, no I want you to."

He frowned, struggling to understand what she was trying to say. She exhaled roughly as though she was exasperated. And then she leaned up on tiptoe and pressed her lips softly and fleetingly against his.

When she pulled away her skin was so red, he could see her blush even in the moonlit shadows they stood in. “I'm so sorry.” She said, clearly flustered. “I shouldn't have done that. I don't know what came over me."

Dean’s grin was wicked. "I know what came over you, it's come over me too. Will you let me kiss you now? And show you?" His voice was husky with his desire and it took all he had not to lean forward, grab her, and crush her lips with his own.

"You already kissed me." Y/N said, confusion on her face. "You just did." It took Dean a moment to realize she was referring to the little light-as-air kiss she'd just given him.

He tried to curb his laughter. "Well, that was certainly sweet, but not the same as me kissing you."

Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean? You just kissed me."

"No, you kissed me."

After a moment's contemplation, Y/N scoffed and looked at him suspiciously. "You kissing me, or me kissing you, it's the same thing. You're just trying to kiss me again."

Dean smiled. "You don't think there's a difference between you kissing me and me kissing you?"

She shook her head, her expression suspicious. "Of course not."

"Would you care to make a small wager on that?

"I don't gamble."

"Oh, this won't be for money. If, once I kiss you, you still think there's no difference, I will grant any request you make of me." Dean paused and heat flooded his hooded gaze. "And vice versa."

***

Y/N stood in the moonlight, staring up at her own ruin and she didn't even try to stop it. She nodded, agreeing to the wager.

Dean reached out and took her hand, shaking on the deal and then pulling her in close. Even in the semi-darkness his green eyes shone, jewel bright. He stood for a moment simply staring at her mouth. The hunger in his gaze made her shiver.

He took her chin in his fingers and leaned close to her, his mouth hovering over hers for what felt like an eternity.

"What are you…" Y/N was incapable of speech. Her heart beat so hard and fast she was sure it would soon burst. "Hurry up." She said, shaken completely.

Dean shook his head slowly. "No." His voice was deep and rough and he drew out the word, so it rumbled up from his chest.

When he was a hair's breadth away from her lips, she put her hands up between them, flat on his chest. The warmth of his skin through his shirt burned her palms.

"I concede." She blurted out. "It's different. It's not…this is different."

Dean's expression was pained. "Do you want me to walk away?"

The part of her mind that was desperately trying to preserve her sanity was screaming at her to say yes. But her body physically revolted at the thought of him moving away now and she shook her head.

"Thank God." He breathed against her lips before finally covering them in a kiss.

Dean's lips were soft and plump, but they pressed firmly against hers, and the pressure made her dizzy. She swayed slightly and Dean grasped her head in his two hands as he deepened the kiss.

She felt him sweep his tongue across her sealed lips, as though he was tasting her, and she gasped. He took advantage of the opening and swept his tongue inside. He tasted like the apple cider they'd drunk earlier; it was warm and spicy, and she reached her own tongue out to explore the taste further.

Dean groaned low in his throat, a sound that made all the hairs on her body stand up and gooseflesh race across her skin. His hands slipped from her head, down over her neck and shoulders. He slid them down to her waist and pulled her against him while he walked her backwards until they were up against the wall of the house.

He pressed his hard body into her, and moved his lips to her neck. Fire exploded along the path his lips had taken and Y/N was suddenly desperate to feel his mouth everywhere.

She was seconds away from asking him for exactly that, when a light went on in the house and they both froze. The light didn't spill onto them and it was extinguished fairly quickly, but it had been enough to bring Y/N to her senses. She stepped to the side, out of the circle of Dean's arms. She was instantly so cold she started to shiver.

She couldn't think what she could possibly say, so she simply rushed toward the entrance. But he caught up her hand just as she reached the door.

"What about my request? I won the bet, remember?"

He stepped up close behind her, wrapping his strong hands around her upper arms, and whispering in her ear. The low rumble caused the shivers to move inside her body so that her insides trembled.

"Come to me tomorrow night, at midnight. The household will be long asleep, but I'll be waiting for you."

He let go of her arms and she ran into the house as fast as she possibly could, before she could agree to the request or deny it. She had no idea which one it would be.

Jensen RPF and Any/All Characters:

Dean Fics Only:

@lyarr24

@lacilou

@deans-spinster-witch

@globetrotter28

@suckitands33

@alwaystiredandconfused

@evznackles

@jackles010378

@impala67rollingthroughtown

@krazykelly@candy-coated-misery0731

@envyaurora95@spnwoman

@deans-baby-momma@luvr4miya

@arcannaa

@viviwatchestv

@winharry

Any/All Fics Regardless of Character or Fandom:

@roonthelittlespoon920

@slamminmine

@zepskies

@safiyas-world

@aylacavebear

Everything Incl. Fan Edits:

@kazsrm67

@slut-for-evans-stan

@sexyvixen7

@nancymcl

@hobby27

@waywardcheshire

@k-slla

@leigh70

@eevvvaa

@kickingitwithkirk

@foxyjwls007

@notinthislife50

@roseblue373

@mishkatelwarriorgoddess

@avanatural

@mrsjenniferwinchester

@all-alone-he-turns-to-stone

@deangirl96

@stoneyggirl2

[bumblesimagines]

i've been in love with you since the day we met. there. i said it. happy now?

Ginny Miller

i've been in love with you since the day we met. there. i said it. happy now?

Pronouns: He/Him/His, M!Reader

Ginny hated the crushing weight of realizing her crush would never like her back. It was a feeling she'd grown accustomed to since the moment her little mind had been able to process things like attraction. She couldn't help her feelings, always getting a crush on some guy just because he smiled, was kind, or just showed her the smallest bit of attention. It was frustrating, and embarrassing, watching them choose girls who looked like her polar opposite: tall, blonde, skinny, married parents, stable household, suburban white picket fence lifestyle. The pretty popular girls who looked perfect at every given moment. They didn't have to worry about struggling to control their hair or having to deal with their mom disrupting their life by moving from place to place or not getting to see their dad as often as they wanted. 

For a split, brief moment, she thought Wellsbury would be different. Sure, the residents were painfully white and looked too upbeat to be real people, but she'd found a group of friends that made her feel at home and had managed to land her first boyfriend. Sweet, considerate, attentive Hunter Chen. The perfect guy. He came from a good family, shared mutual friends, and was everything anyone could ever need or want in a boyfriend.

Except... Hunter wasn't the guy who'd first caught her eye when she arrived at Wellsbury High School and made her stomach turn to mush.

That spot had been taken up by (Y/N) Sanchez, the longtime friend of the Baker twins and brother to Sophie, the so-called 'hottest girl in school'. Ginny had the pleasure of meeting him at lunch when he'd gone back and forth in playful banter with Max and made Ginny feel more than welcome at their table. Hunter had been there too and while she blushed when he brushed off Max's semi-insensitive rambling, the spark just hadn't been the same.

She thought she'd get over it when Hunter asked her out but with her nearly always over at Max's place and (Y/N) and Marcus practically joined at the hip, her crush only worsened. And it absolutely didn't help that (Y/N) enjoyed being affectionate with his friends. An arm over Jordan's shoulders, piggyback rides with Abby, letting Max use his lap as a seat, playful drunk flirting with Brodie and Marcus. It'd taken a couple weeks before it started with Ginny. Hugs from behind, casual arm around her shoulder, the playfights and wrestling over snatched phones or beer bottles.

And then, it happened. 

M.A.N.G had gathered together at Max's place for a get-together with just the girls to gossip, chit-chat, and relax without the rowdy boys interfering with their stupid jokes or teasing. Ginny had settled down comfortably on Max's bed with a laptop resting over her outstretched legs as she searched for a movie they could watch. Nora and Abby arrived looking extremely pleased and an excited Nora couldn't help but spill out the news. 

(Y/N) had officially asked Abby out after years of flirting. 

Ginny had been crushed, to say the least, and barely paid any attention to the movies chosen while she thought back on each interaction he and Abby shared throughout her time knowing them. She'd never seen their closeness as something with flirtatious undertones but she supposed (Y/N) always teased Abby more than the others. 

From then on, her mood had considerably soured and it was beginning to be noticeable. She couldn't help it. Jealousy bubbled up in her chest and spread throughout her body whenever she saw the two together. She became snappier and standoffish, especially whenever the relationship was brought up and cooed over. Even Hunter had begun lightly questioning her, asking if everything was alright at home with Georgia and Austin. 

Ginny groaned softly under her breath and slammed the locker closed. She almost flinched at the person whose face had been hidden by it but her surprise was quickly washed away by a fluttery feeling in her stomach. (Y/N) flashed his pearly whites at her and arched a brow as he glanced between her and the locker. 

"What'd the locker do to you?"

"Nothing," She answered, slipping her backpack strap over her shoulder and shrugging. "Just... woke up on the wrong side of the bed." 

"Think you need to put your bed against the wall then, Gin and tonic. You've been bitchy all week and it's making Hunter think he pissed you off." (Y/N) pushed himself off the lockers and slipped an arm around her shoulders, tugging her close to his side as they headed down the hall. Ginny tried not to think about how perfectly she fit against him, like the last piece in a puzzle slotting right in. "What's going on, my little cocktail? Did Hunter try giving you a private tap dance class?"

Ginny giggled and lifted her hand to stifle it, the uneasiness that'd settled in her muscles slipping away. "No, he didn't. It's not him. I just..." She trailed off, the nerves flooding her system making her feel as if her guts were being twisted violently. She cleared her throat. "It's nothing, I swear. Having a bad day is all."

"You're a shit liar, Gin." 

"I'm not lying-"

"Yeah, you are. You can tell me what's going on, you know. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to, I promise." He assured her, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze. Ginny dug her teeth into the inside of her cheek and shook her head, brushing his arm off her shoulder and quickening her pace.

Before she could round the corner and try making a subtle break for it, a hand clamped around her forearm and dragged her into an empty classroom. (Y/N) planted himself in the doorway and crossed his arms, staring at her expectantly. Ginny pursed her lips and took a deep breath through her nose. Now or never.

"I've been in love with you since the day we met. I like Hunter but only as a good friend and- and I don't think you and Abby should date. She's a great friend but she can be mean and aloof and- and I hardly see you dating someone like her. I thought I could break up with Hunter and confess to you but then you got with Abby and I just- I... I can't handle it. I can't handle seeing you with her. I'm sorry, I can't..." She blurted out. "There. I said it. Happy now?"

[soaringthroughthegalaxy]

Kibo and Kisses

Taking a breather on a remote planet after working yet another job for Cid, Echo steals away with you for a moment.

Pairing: Echo x f!reader

Word count: 3.3k

Warnings: cuteness, sweetness, fluff, Echo is self-conscious but we love him, eavesdropping brothers, idiots in love, first kiss, pet names/nicknames, brief mention of Fives (who else was Echo going to learn some moves from?)

Translations: Uj’ika – kinda like ‘cupcake’

He was sweet behind all the gruffness and bad puns. If anything, it just added to his charm. War changed many men, and being kept prisoner, body altered without consent, and mind used to defeat your brethren? Yeah, that would undoubtedly change a man.

You wouldn’t think it, though, watching Echo listen intently to Omega’s story, laughing at the right moments and nodding to encourage her to continue. She only had a handful of stories, late-night tales Nala Se used to tell her back on Kamino, but she could remember them like the back of her hand, and once she grew tired of the boy’s war stories and the ones about your childhood, she would share hers.

You’d lost track of how long you’d been roaming the galaxy with Omega and the boys. Cid had insisted you accompany them on a mission, and that mission rolled to two and then to three…

Shaking your head fondly, a sigh slipped from between your lips. The Trandoshan had given you such a sly smile when she’d shoved you onto a ship with four charming men and a cute kid.

“He’s not going to disappear, you know.” Warmth blossomed in your chest as Hunter sat next to you on the crudely made wooden bench you’d fashioned shortly after landing two rotations ago on Yavin 4. While the boys had armour to protect their behinds from the damp grass, you and Omega didn’t have that luxury.

“Don’t know what you mean.” You lied, tilting your head to meet the Sergeant’s gaze, squinting a little as the setting sun dared to blind you.

“Mhm.” The corners of Hunter’s lips quirked up in amusement, but he refrained from pushing his point too far. Watching you moon over his brother from afar was adorable and frustrating that you were too stubborn and anxious to do anything about it. “What story is Omega telling this time?” He switched topics, noting how the tension melted slightly from your shoulders.

“You’re the one with the enhanced hearing, you tell me.” You rocked to the side, lightly nudging Hunter’s arm with your shoulder. You’d grown up with a brother, and though the war had taken him from you, it had also graced you with a few new ones.

Turning your gaze back to Echo and Omega, you waited as Hunter tuned in to their conversation. At first, his ability to eavesdrop from afar had caught you off guard, forcing you to switch to your mother tongue when quietly cussing anyone on the ship out. Still, you found amusement in using it to your advantage, twisting Hunter’s arm until he would eavesdrop on gossiping women in marketplaces or creepy men with lousy pick-up lines in cantinas.

“It’s not a Nala Se special.” He admitted, eyebrows rising closer to his hairline as Echo’s laughter filled the tiny clearing Tech had set the Marauder down in. “Did you tell someone that you prefer they take you for dinner before calling you names?”

The colour drained from your face, and your jaw slackened. “Oh no.” You squeaked, wide eyes watching the way Echo’s whole frame shook with laughter, while Omega grinned, oblivious to the true meaning behind the comeback you’d snapped at the rude market attendant the last time you’d touched down for supplies.

Turning your gaze to Hunter, his thinly veiled amusement had you stammering out an explanation. “A- A fruit vendor wasn’t looking where he was going. He walked into us. His goods went everywhere. He called me some choice names; I told him I preferred dinner beforehand – it slipped out before I could stop it. Oh, Maker, you think Omega knows what I meant?”

Allowing himself to chuckle at the horror on your face, Hunter stood, bringing a large hand down to land on your shoulder. “I hope not but try not to make such comments around the innocent child next time. I don’t think any of us are ready to have that talk with her yet.” He shook his head in disbelief, smile firmly in place as he retreated onto the ship.

“Omega.” You called out, desperately hoping to stop her from telling any more stories before she embarrassed you further.

Your voice drew the young girl’s attention, and with a quick wave of your hand, she came racing across the clearing, stopping right in front of you. Echo trailed behind her, his pace much more languid. “What is it?” Omega offered you a sweet smile, rocking on the spot with her hands locked behind her back.

“It’s getting dark, and we should head inside.” You gestured to the setting sun, which had dropped a little further towards the horizon since you’d first sat down to watch Omega and Echo.

Frowning, the young clone glared at the sun before returning her smile to you. “But you and Echo are out here with me.” She retorted, tampering down her grin as she watched Echo sit beside you on the bench, his knee lightly knocking against yours.

Grateful he couldn’t hear your heart hammering away at the physical contact, you bit down on the inside of your lip. “I know, but it’s bedtime.” You insisted. You tried to keep a routine for her, conscious that she was young and growing. Omega never skipped a meal, even if it meant you did on the quiet, and where possible, she got eight hours of sleep.

“I’m not tired.” Omega’s smile turned to a pout. She wasn’t ready for the evening to end.

“It’s been a long day. You’ll fall asleep as soon as you’re in bed and have Lula.” Echo chimed in, catching how your shoulders relaxed as he took the reins. He enjoyed that you mothered Omega, offering her one of the things that they had been deprived of. But he also knew how difficult it could be, especially when the child in question wasn’t your own. There were invisible boundaries to negotiate and rules to establish, but whenever he felt you might need a helping hand, he was more than willing to step up. Sometimes, it was good to remind himself that Omega was still a child, even if she was older than him and his brothers.

Shooting Echo a thankful smile, you returned your focus to the quiet girl before you. She looked to be contemplating Echo’s words. It was time for the big guns. “Besides, you’ll need plenty of energy if we’re going to track down a Ysalamiri tomorrow.”

Omega’s face lit up brighter than the suns of Tatooine. “We’re going to go and find one?” She gasped. When you’d landed, Tech had pulled out his datapad to research the planet. He’d found a list of native plants and animals, pointing out which ones to avoid. Omega had caught sight of the Ysalamiri and loved the non-threatening, furry creatures.

“Yep, so you’ll need your sleep. They’re fast and live in the trees, so we might need to do some climbing.” You explained, silently praying Hunter wasn’t actively listening to the conversation. He would have a fit if he knew you’d scramble amongst the branches, but it was part of a normal childhood.

“Will you come too, Echo?” Omega swung her wide gaze to her brother, pleading for him to join them.

Eyes widening as he was put on the spot, Echo stalled for a moment. He’d told Tech that he would help him perform maintenance on the ship in the morning, but was he about to give up the chance to explore with you? “Sure.” He decided, knowing he’d have to break the news to Tech. His brother could maintain the ship alone, but Echo didn’t want him to bear the weight alone. “I’d be more than happy to escort my favourite girls.” It slipped out before he could stop it, and he studiously kept his eyes on Omega, ignoring the weight of your soft gaze on his profile.

“I’ll go to bed then.” Omega declared, conceding with a grin that had you narrowing your eyes in her direction. What was going on in that young girl’s mind?

Opening his arms, Echo accepted Omega’s goodnight hug. It had taken a short while for him to grow accustomed to the action – a shoulder thump was the usual level of affection his brothers gave, and he was conscious that his cybernetics made everything uncomfortable and awkward. Sometimes he wondered if he could swap his scomp out for a proper arm and hand, but they didn’t have the credits or time to purchase and make such adjustments.

Omega threw herself into your arms after hugging her brother, giving you a tight squeeze before she bounded into the Marauder, leaving you with Echo.

“If you’d rather have a girl’s day tomorrow, that’s okay. I know you and Omega enjoy your time together.” Echo broke the momentary silence. As much as he wanted, no yearned, to join you tomorrow, he would respect your decision. You and Omega didn’t get much time to explore marketplaces or local fairgrounds together, and he would hate to take that from you.

“I’d love for you to come with us.” You stated, reaching up to tuck an errant strand of hair behind your ear.

Echo wasn’t entirely convinced. “You sure?” He gave you one last out. “Feels like you haven’t wanted to be around me lately. You left the cockpit quickly the other day when we swapped watch.” He added dejectedly, shrugging his shoulders as if he didn’t care.

Your heart ached, and your mind berated you. You’d just wanted a little space to determine whether your adoration for the man at your side was genuine or forged because you lived in each other’s pockets. Some hypothetical questions had been posed to Tech, your confidence in the man’s research capabilities unquestionable, and done a lot of soul searching.

Reaching out for him, your hand found purchase on his scomp, and though he couldn’t feel anything from the rigid metal, you still gave him a gentle squeeze. “Ecks.” The nickname slipped out quickly as you scooted closer, registering the flicker of surprise across his face at the new name. “I’m sorry, I’ve had much on my mind lately. You didn’t do or say anything wrong; it was just me getting stuck in my head.” You explained. “Of course, I want to be around you, and I’d love for you to come with us tomorrow.”

The frown creasing Echo’s brow disappeared at your reassurance, but your words kept playing over in his mind. What have you been thinking about? Could he help ease the weight of it, if only for a little while? “You should probably rest too then, uj’ika, if we’re to keep up with Omega. And don’t tell me you’re not tired. You yawned twice when Hunter was handing out rations.” Echo chided. You might’ve thought you were being subtle, but from the vantage point of his bunk, Echo could see the faint glow of your datapad screen each night as you stayed up late.

The term of endearment made you smile, but you were still none the wiser about the meaning. The first time Echo had used it, Wrecker had given a hearty chuckle, Hunter and Tech shooting you amused smiles before glancing at each other – communicating in that silent way only the Batch boys could. With Hunter’s words from earlier playing through your mind, you took a small leap of faith. “I should, but I was thinking about going for a small walk – want to join me?” You offered, rising to your feet and offering the sweet man before you your hand.

Echo hesitated. He wanted to go with you, Maker, he did, but he was supposed to be on watch with Tech. “Go.” Tech’s voice clipped through his cybernetic headpiece, and Echo gladly placed his hand in your own, rising to his feet as he watched the momentary confusion marring your features smooth into a beautiful smile.

Tinkering with the ship’s engine, Tech had heard the entire exchange between you and his vod. It took only two taps on his vambrace to isolate Echo’s comms and deliver the instruction. While some assistance would’ve been helpful, and another set of eyes for the watch was optimal, ensuring his brother’s happiness was back on track and your anxiety levels lowered would be better for the group.  

Letting you lead, Echo savoured the warmth of your hand in his, the way your fingers curled to grasp him tightly, and how you brought your other hand over to clutch at his forearm, suffocating all space between you. Fleetingly, he was grateful that you’d grabbed hold of his arm and not his scomp. “We shouldn’t go too far; we have no idea what could be out here.” He warned as you approached the edge of the clearing.

Shoulders shaking with your small laugh, you turned to stand in front of Echo, letting go of his forearm in the process. “You’re right, but I know I’m safe with you.” There had been some close calls over the last few missions, but Echo had been behind you, blaster in hand. He always had your back.

The softness of your words and the way you smiled at him took everything for Echo not to stride forward and steal his first kiss. Were you even aware of the effect you had on him? How his heart raced, and how he sometimes struggled to find the right words? “Always.” He vowed. His body had been through plenty. What was another blaster shot if it meant keeping you safe? 

The distant look was back in Echo’s eyes; the one you knew meant he was lost in thought. “Come on.” You gently prompted, moving to his right to loop your arm through his, fingers resting on his scomp.

“The other side would be comfier for you.” Echo swallowed, highly aware of how unforgiving his altered arm was. His first few weeks with the Batch had been spent relearning how to fight, sleep comfortably, eat, and wash himself. He’d sometimes wondered if it would be easier not to have the scomp.

Shrugging, you lightly pulled him forward, starting your journey into the tree line. “I like this side too.” You reassured him. “I like all of you.” You took a leap, throwing the comment out into the open, avoiding Echo’s gaze as you moved nimbly through the woods, avoiding the mighty trees that stretched up to the sky. At the same time, the crisp crunch of fallen leaves and the sweet music of local birds provided a beautiful soundtrack.

“You do?” Echo blinked in surprise, lips parting as your words settled in his mind. Your hum of affirmation as you released his scomp to jump across a small creek made him grin. “Well, it’s mutual.” He offered, reaching up to rub at the back of his head.

Giggling, you turned back around to face Echo, but your smile faltered when you caught sight of something above him, eyes widening as you gasped.

Watching your expression change, the galaxy slowed for a moment as Echo reflexively pulled his blaster from its holster, finger on the trigger as he aimed it upwards in the direction you were looking. His body tensed, every nerve on high alert, ready to take down whatever was up there and protect you. But while scanning the branches, leaves, and colourful flowers, he found no danger, no noise of a droid or person, or even an animal beyond the melodic bird song – was there something he couldn’t see?  

“Uj’ika…” Echo searched for an answer.

Returning your gaze to Echo, you hopped back across the creek, reaching out a hand to take his arm and slowly lower it, along with his blaster. “It’s okay, there’s no danger.” You explained quietly. “I’m sorry I spooked you.” You apologised, watching as he slid his blaster back into its holster, questioning brown eyes turning in your direction.

“It’s a Kibo.” You whispered, awe lacing your voice as the softest smile crossed your features. “The purple flowers. They’re so rare, Ecks. I never thought I’d see one in person.”

Flowers. You were in awe of rare flowers. And he’d nearly shot them. “Are they going to eat us?” Echo asked, fingers twitching near his blaster. He tried to ignore how his heart clenched again at the nickname, warmth daring to seep through the few bones he had left.

Laughter bubbled forward, and you raised a hand to cover your mouth. “No, they won’t eat us.” Your laughter tapered out as you watched Echo relax.

Reassured, Echo could now ask his next question. “Why are they rare?”

“The seeds of the Kibo can restore sight. They’re prized for it. Healers and medics have searched for and taken them, so few are left.” You explained, moving closer for a better look at the flowers.

“Can they restore anything else?” Echo questioned, admiring the delicate blooms.

“I’m not sure. All that’s been documented is how they can literally and metaphorically restore a person’s vision, allowing them to see what’s right in front of them.” You shrugged, head tilting towards the flowers, watching the petals shift in the light breeze. You couldn’t believe you’d finally seen them – and out in the wild, too!

Echo couldn’t help but watch you, the awe on your face exquisite. Swallowing thickly, tendrils of fear try to creep down his spine, but he pushes them aside and reaches out with his hand. Sliding it across your cheek, he tilted your head towards him. “I don’t need a flower to let me see how beautiful you are.” He whispered, silently praying the years of watching his twin compliment women would pay off.

Surprised, your lips parted, eyes widening at the compliment and physical contact. Warmth seeped through your body. Was he flirting?

Emboldened by the fact you hadn’t reacted badly, Echo slipped his scomp around your waist and pulled you close. He had the opportunity, and he wasn’t going to waste it.

Your breath caught in your throat, your heart pounding with anticipation. A soft, nervous smile formed on your lips and Echo’s eyes dropped to them – it was all the warning you got before he leaned in and closed the distance.

His lips met yours in a soft, gentle kiss, like the brush of a feather against the skin. It was sweet and tentative, filled with all the unspoken feelings you’d both been withholding since you’d joined the squad. The world seemed to stand still as you savoured the sensation, lips lingering against each other’s.

You pulled back slightly, breaking the kiss, and your eyes opened to find Echo gazing at you with warmth and affection. Your bodies pressed together, heart racing.

You watched as a glint of something crossed his eyes, and with light steps, he guided you backwards, pressing you against the trunk of a nearby tree. His lips found your throat, and he peppered kisses across it, pulling a gasp from you.

His hand gripped your waist, keeping you close. You were still out in the open on an unfamiliar planet, and your safety was his priority. More kisses were left up your throat until he pressed his lips to yours once again. There was a little heat behind this one, making your insides turn to mush as Echo’s fingers grasped at you tightly.

He pulled back after a moment, resting his forehead on yours while you caught your breaths. The soft sound of the wind rustling the trees filtered back into your mind, along with the chirp of forest creatures.

“Maker, I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” Echo whispered, nervousness settling in.

You chuckled, a smile breaking out on your face. “Me too.” You admitted, sliding a hand to the nape of his neck, careful not to snag his cybernetic headpiece. “I think we should do it again.” You whispered.

As Echo’s eyes snapped open, you were no longer unsure what their glint meant. Those soft lips you’d just kissed curved into a wicked smile. “Yes, ma’am.”

[pupkou]

✧ Blood and Darkness ✧

✦ Zagreus (Hades 2018) x Gender Neutral Reader. ✦ Warnings: slight mentions of gore (no details; in the game, Zagreus is killed over and over and is often covered in blood), head injury (reader is hurt, non-fatally, and is knocked out by hitting their head), mentions of Zagreus’ sexual escapades (no descriptions), reader is a servant of the house of Hades and is described as a shade, no smut (😞)... yet (😏). ✦ Word Count: 2.2K. ✦ Read on AO3. ✦ Part 1 / ?

You've heard rumors about Hades' son.

They say he's not in possession of a particularly impressive stature; he's of average height, with dark hair, and he's quite thin, really, for a God. That's what he is, after all, just a God of the Underworld. One of many. And one who looks like he's not indulging himself in ambrosia and nectar as much as he should be at that, it almost seems like he's ungrateful for all the blessings and curses that come along with being the Prince of the Underworld.

They describe him as far smaller and more pathetic than Achilles, their blush showing on their ghostly complexions as they describe how his hair is cropped close to his neck and black and unflowing, not at all like the golden locks that fall around Achilles' nape.

Oh, Achilles, why must you torture us with your divine beauty and arrogant sneer? We know our ghastly, hellish faces are unworthy of your gaze, but a small, simple kindness-- in the form of a smile from your handsome face-- would satisfy us for eternities to come. By Achilles, by Thetis, and by Zeus, please let him stroll by and be pleased by something enough to smile for us, even if his pleasure comes from our misery. Surely, one of us can think of something to poke fun at Hector... much like the spear of Achilles' poked at his neck... surely so, surely so...

They... say a lot of things, but they always call him Zagreus, which means 'great hunter'. But by the rumors you've heard, it... doesn't seem like Zagreus' name fits him very well. In Tartarus' maze, everything becomes prey to those that inhabit the different levels of death and despair that come before you feel the sun's warm embrace, or so you've heard. You've never actually felt the sun, but you have heard Achilles brag about it to Hades, reminding the king of his very eventful life on earth. The sun doesn't reach this far down, though, and is unable to illuminate the depths of Hades' realm or comfort those who call it home. Here, predators lurk around every moss-covered turn, under every magma-concealing rock, behind every skullified hero's dug-up grave, and even amongst the distinguished guests that frequent the house of Hades.

From the whispers you've strained to hear, it seems like Zagreus wants out of this place-- the Underworld, that is. The shades, your main source of information on Zagreus and the other residents of the house, love to gossip, and they say he's still not been successful in escaping the darkness that has consumed him since he was born. Some root for him, hoping that one day his laurels will know what it feels like to soak in the blazing sun like the blessed olive trees they were harvested from, while others laugh at his failure, joining Hypnos' chorus of dramatic mocking, when they see him rise from the blood once again.

He's always covered in it, head to toe, deep red and maroon coating his limbs and soaking from his limbs as if it were his own. Much of it is, considering the amount of times he's died, but that doesn't make it any less pitiful to see the Prince rise from the fluid of life (and death), unrelenting in his attempts to escape his home. He'd hardly call it that, of course, as you've heard him say as he climbs the marble steps leading from the pool of blood, wiping his glowing feet on the carpet that you think was one of Arachne's (hence its purpose being for Zagreus to wipe his bloody feet on.)

The thing about marble-- what the house of Hades is made out of-- is that it doesn't absorb sound in the slightest. It's a curse for embarrassed shades trying to quietly explain how they arrived in Tartarus early because their pet goat rammed them in the stomach, but a blessing for beings like you who get most of their daily excitement from the things that they hear refracted off of the cool stone walls.

Marble also doesn't quickly absorb any liquid poured onto its surface, despite being a porous stone, which means that you, one of the poor shades tasked with cleaning, have a lot of work to do. Guests in the house get rowdy at the kitchen bar sometimes, drinking too much ambrosia and leaving various liquids behind. Sometimes water from the river Styx drips from cracks in the ceiling, pooling and causing problems for anyone whose flesh comes in contact with the liquid. And on the worst days, the most stubborn of fluid comes in contact with the objects you're in charge of keeping tidy.

One of Cerberus' heads is a particularly messy eater, which means that sometimes droplets of blood from a cut of meat (or carcass) he's eating are flung onto precious objects. Another guest, who is said to be armed with a barbed whip, has been said to make her victims cry blood on occasion, staining the good dinner napkins and frustrating you profusely. But by far, the being who makes the worst, bloody messes, is Zagreus himself.

Despite him wiping his feet on the carpet and despite your polite suggestion to him-- a sheet for him to dry off with laid over the marble railing, Zagreus continuously trails blood all over the house. And it doesn't help that the Prince behaves like a dog, prodding at his ears when they're clogged with blood and scratching at his head to dislodge it from his scalp. He's even shook like a filthy mutt before, letting drops of blood fly from his dark hair and unknowingly creating hours of cleanup for you. You've always been forgiving, though, considering that for one, you don't have much of a choice, and two, that you've never actually spoken to Zagreus in all of your years working for the house. You've heard his name boomed in anger from Hades' decision chamber, whispered by a loose-lipped shade with an audience to entertain, and uttered during more private affairs when you shouldn't have been pressing an ear to the dark wood of his bedchamber.

But things happen. And you've never met him, so you don't feel too bad or worry too much about ever being in his presence. He's always gone anyway, wooing an undead maiden when he's not fighting to flee the house, you presume. So when you enter his bedroom dust off his belongings and collect his blood and gut soiled robes, you pay little attention to your surroundings.

You've been in his sleeping chambers many times since you've been trusted with entry, something the other cleaning shades consider a privilege. You scoff at the idea that cleaning up the Prince's dirty laundry, various collected knickknacks, and... bodily fluids is at all a privilege, but you do as you're told anyway because admittedly, it is interesting to be provided with such an intimate view of someone you've never met. There's so much to be told by someone's bedroom, or in Zagreus' case, the state of someone's sheets (his always are in various stages of disarray from his frequent activities held within the bedchamber), and you don't at all mind the exclusive perspective on the Prince.

You do, however, mind that he tracks blood everywhere. Usually, you're more aware of it, considering how much of your life you spend cleaning it up, but this time, you're not so lucky as to notice its presence. Abnormally, the carpet that cushions the foot of Zagreus' bed is kicked up in one spot so that when you move to straighten the books on his bookshelf, not only do you trip on the carpet, but you slip in a pool of blood, streaking it across the tile as you fall hard onto the floor. The force with which your head hits the hard, stone floor would surely have killed you had you not died ages ago, but in this extended lifetime, all it does is send the lower half of your body into the bookshelf's feet, knocking books, scrolls, and what are surely precious artifacts from Zagreus' journeys flying to the floor in a great crash that shakes and echoes through the room.

Although you're thoroughly disoriented and on the verge of passing out, you still hear a gravelly, skeletal voice in the distance say, "Maybe you'd better investigate that, boyo. Unless you don't got the guts! I sure don't! Ha ha ha!" before your eyes close and your mind descends to darkness.

✧✧✧

Rest, even when injury is involved, is rare for a servant of Hades like you, and it feels like only a moment has passed before your eyes are opening again, drowsy and weak as the lids flutter open. While you can't quite understand why yet, you notice that you're lying on a bed softer than a cloud and warmer than the sun (as you imagine it), and that soft voices are speaking in hushed tones nearby. One is older than the other, and commands the other to be more quiet as he worries, as though he's fretting about you.

Your sight comes back to you gradually, and you see that a red blanket with golden lining is draped over your legs and midsection comfortably, keeping you warm and still as the shocks of the pain from your head pulse through your body. Your neck hurts too, but it retains just enough of its strength that you're able to lift your hurting head and see the two forms hovering at the bedside, far enough to indicate that they were worried you might spring up like an undead warrior looking for revenge, but concerned enough that they needed to stay close.

The one on the left, who's farther from you, is a reanimated human's skeleton. A Bloodless, as they're called, was once a mortal warrior that did not receive a proper burial, and is now forced to roam the Underworld aimlessly, looking for a fight that might bring them eternal peace. It's a foolish game to play, of course, as all wise men know that no war will ever bring peace. This Bloodless doesn't seem mindless like the others though, and is able to make eye contact with his bright red irises, although he seems uncomfortable doing so. He looks at his partner when you meet his gaze.

His partner stands closer to you, his face full of concern as it points at you, studying you. He's not very tall, but he's muscular as if he uses his body more than the average God trapped in Tartarus for all of eternity, and the half of his torso that's revealed lacks scarring-- in the dimness of the room, it's almost like his skin is glowing faintly. His face is kind and handsome, unlike anyone you've ever seen before. On top of his short, dark hair rests a loop of multi-colored laurels whose crimson color fades into red, which fades into copper, which fades into gold.

It sits on his head like a crown, much like the dark-haired child in the portrait of Cerberus that hangs in the great hall wore, you think. Identical to it, even. You've never actually stopped to read the plaque that hangs beneath the masterpiece, so you're not sure who the child or his companions are or what their names could be-- you just know that he is of the utmost importance to Hades considering he is the center of a few artistic representations, which Hades isn't often fond of. But before you can begin your quest to discover the identity of the child in the portrait, he speaks.

"Hello, dear friend," he says softly. "Can you hear me?"

You swallow, hoping your voice still works, and say, "Yes."

"Woah! This one's got no respect for royalty! They just employ any- body these days! Ha!" the Bloodless jokes, elbowing his partner in the ribs humorously. Unfortunately for him, his partner doesn't laugh, he just keeps his attention steady on you, his heterochromatic eyes caring as they watch you. In any other case, he would push the Bloodless over and reduce him (temporarily) to a scattered pile of bones, but there are things more important to worry about than someone’s mistimed joke. 

At the skeleton’s words, your stomach drops as all the blood rushes to your head all at once, and your heart starts beating so hard you can hear it in your ears, a pounding rhythm usually reserved for life-or-death situations. Suddenly, the room becomes familiar again-- the picture frames you've dusted and the knickknacks you've arranged and the blankets you've straightened thousands of times become clear to you.

You're in Zagreus' bedroom.

Prince Zagreus' bedroom.

And you're lying in his bed.

And the man, who was once a baby with a crown of laurels forced (by magic) to sit still for a portrait, is right in front of you.

The one person in the house of Hades who you've never come in contact with is standing at your bedside because you slipped in his blood.

You are so extremely damned. Somehow, even more than the first time you got damned to Tartarus for all eternity.

Blood and darkness.

✧✧✧

tagging people I think might like this <3

@vampireloverz @allright @transchainsawman @moonsong1027 <3

[wormlette]

I do think a LOT about why Chilchuck would join the "save Falin" dungeon dive at all tbh and it makes me feel like eating drywall. Namari is the one who brings up the "I figured you'd be the first one to leave, you never take a job without getting paid" and he's like yeah. I do insist on payment up front. But do you think he was ever going to bring up his motivations on his own? If Namari hadn't? I don't think he would talk about it because I don't think it's really that simple. We find out in the ep that just aired a few things--

1) Chil is paid in advance, and however that works, he's apparently already been contracted for future dungeon dives too ? 2) The adventurer's community is tight-knit and full of gossip, so the things you do will have impact on what kind of work you can do going forward.

There are other things we know about Chil:

1) he's worked for Laios' party for three years. Namari was a member before him (she joined at the same time the husband hunter and some tall man guy joined, iirc) and Shuro was a member after him, but after those two leave, he's the person who's worked with the Toudens for the longest. 2) He's had some really shitty jobs in his past, especially pre-union. He understands very well what kinds of things people will use half-foots for. 3) He is thinking about retiring. He was going to retire before joining Laios' party.

And one thing we learned in the very first episode -- Laios told Marcille and Chilchuck that they should sell their equipment so he could go down on his own to rescue Falin. Chilchuck asks him if he's suicidal and then invites himself along for absolutely everything that goes down after. He's more ride-or-die about eating monsters than anyone other than Senshi. Him breaking his contract is obviously not something Laios would have held against him. Maybe it would have "Changed his clientele" as he says to Marcille about Namari in the latest ep, but also: HE COULD JUST RETIRE.

IDK PERSONALLY I JUST THINK this all adds up to an implication that he is really very fond of the Touden siblings. As Marcille notes when she's making a fanfic of his wife leaving him he's not the type to ever say his feelings out loud so it's not ever really gonna be said in the text of the story and THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. They seem to be a well-renowned party during the events of the story, but when he joined up with them they were just a year out from being bodyguards in a gold-peeling party with a few other no-name adventurers (as far as I know from the extras that have come out so far, the order of main chars joining the party went Laios&Falin->Namari->Chil->Shuro->Marcille.)

Three years AFTER HE WAS ALREADY CONSIDERING RETIRING he is willing to go on a journey that every other character thinks is fucking insane for the chance to rescue Falin, even though he is not an optimistic guy and he probably has a more realistic understanding of how dangerous dungeons are than anybody else in the group. If he started doing dungeon work when he left his home at 14 then he has about 15 years of dungeoneering experience by the time of the story. He would know what he's doing is actually EXTREMELY dangerous in a way resurrection magic doesn't actually eliminate. They are going down into a floor that's so far down the story has expressed "it's really dangerous to go there and most people don't because it will be hard for corpse retrievers and necessary supplies to get to you if you die. if you are eaten you might just be gone beause no one will ever find you."

I think he's harsh on Laios because he really cares about him and Falin. We know he ranks Laios' ability as a party leader as like a 61 or something lmfao but IMHO he is like that stern teacher who is forced by admin to put a 20pt curve on every exam because everybody is fuckin failing. Nobody is doing a good enough job. But he must have faith in the idea that Laios is able to do better if he has the right coaching (kicking and yelling at him). I JUST THINK the Touden party has been the best one he's worked in, or if not the best then his favorite, for him to keep doing it for THIS LONG when he SHOULD absolutely have his pick of contracts, given that "no other half-foots had the expertise necessary to accompany Laios to such a deep floor of the dungeon".

[rocksibblingsau]

Brickory dynamics/first meetings for the different AUs, pretty please? 🥺🥺🥺

Here's three since you gave me three pleading emojis:

Classical Branch:

A Country outlaw made it within the edges of Classical territory. Branch saw Hickory from his window and went to go watch. He was pretty concerned why this Troll was tying up another, but Hickory explained he was a bounty hunter and what he was doing. That was about it and Branch went home with a bit of inspiration for a new song.

They continued to have a few meetings in secret, very 'Romeo and Juliet' feeling, and eventually Branch got caught sneaking off by Trollzart and they were busted. Trollzart had a bit of a 'No son of mine will be sneaking off with some cowboy pants wearing hooligan!' moment and Branch tries to explain that Hickory's a very respectable and honest Troll. Which makes Hickory feel bad because he's quite literally in disguise.

I like to think if they did a duet they'd sing 'La Seine'. Hickory singing "From this angle, like an angel" makes me really happy to think about. Listen to annapantsu and Jonathon Young's cover and think about it being Brickory.

Techno Branch

I'm so sorry to do this to Trollex (who I actually ship Hickory with normally).

Branch and him met on Branch's journey to stop Barb. After he and all the bounty hunters teamed up to go against Barb, he kept in touch with them.

Hickory was rightfully impressed/terrified by Branch and invited him to help him on hunts. Branch went with him on one or two, but he's not normally such a scary guy so it wasn't for him.

Hickory saw Branch next to the ocean one night and it was like seeing a siren. The waves, the moonlight, and so forth. Hickory probably would've jumped in the water if Branch had asked him to.

Hickory loves both Branch's scary side and his goofy side.

Trollex was going to be the overprotective brother for all of ten seconds and then he met Hickory and...

Branch: Would you like to stay for dinner? Trollex: Would you like to stay forever?

Kpop Branch:

They ran into Hickory when on the same hunt, and both groups were fighting to claim this one. Branch and Hickory ended up teasing mostly each other and it ended with Kpop walking away with the bounty and Hickory and Dickory tied to a tree with a bow.

On the walk back the girls were gossiping and chatting and...

Branch: Okay but is it just me or was he kinda... Wani: !!!! Kinda WHAT? Branch: You know just kinda... *Girls giggling* Baby Bun: Branch has a crush!

They support Branch and hype him up and they make it a point to take hunts they know Hickory will take or has taken.

Hickory tries to tease Branch but it doesn't work.

Hickory: Now popstar, you gotta stop following me around. We both know you have a crush on me- Branch: So how about a date? Hickory, who was bluffing: Say what now

[yearningaces]

The concept of Nyx’s Partner being a hunter is so interesting to me. Like Nyx is in danger? Boom! Whatever animal is attacking is immediately dealt with. Nyx wants some clothes to keep him warm? He now has an entire collection of furs and coats at his disposal. I just wanna give him and his family all that I can offer~💖

- 🪩 Anon

And they will forever adore you- their own special human!

For some fun, little ideas I keep rotating in my brain:

Rabbit-hybrids are small, like... 3/4ths the size of the average human at best.

They tend to live in burrows together or at least burrow side by side(hobbit-esk design if you need a visual)

This means, the bunny-folks home is tiny compared to a human. And once Nyx's family gets to know you, how gentle you are with their Nyx and with them as extention? Well, that practically makes you family already! Not like Nyx will ever leave your side, everyone in his family can see how enamored he is.

So what do they do? They make you your own chair at the supper table, larger and stronger to support you. They make silverware and dishes that are more your size, grandpa bun even crochets you a blanket twice the size of his normal ones so you can be cozy when staying there too

Grandpa bun, ever the burrow bun(as opposed to house husband) will also try to learn how to cook different sorts of meats for you. It's clumsy at first, but Nyx(who's been studying this like he's in fucking Harvard) helps and Grandpa bun has a good steak and skewers and chicken cooked like a pro

The younger rabbit-hybrids want to play chase and who better to play than the big scary human that they know is super nice? They will swarm you. They might just grab onto a leg or an arm and hang on, just keep walking it's fine it's entertainment.

The elders will want to ask you about your instincts, ones that don't seem useful to you but to them is life changing. What do you mean you have standoffs with other creatures and the first to move breaks the standoff? What do you mean you just throw your weight around to get what needs done done. You can see in the dark? To an impressive degree to them. So if you were hunting and the prey did this what would you do? For no reason other than their own knowledge of course.

The buns your age can be the most weary, they're old enough to know danger, but too young to recognize peace without a plethora of proof. Give them time and you'll be part of the gossip group, it's worth the wait I promise

Nyx will have to fight his own kin away so he can have you all to himself... For a few minutes at least. Just hold his hand, let him sit in your lap and he'll be happy.

Also, humans are carnivorous leaning omnivores. Predators in nature we could say. Any big predator needs naps. The buns are energetic to the nines but the first time you've visiting Nyx's family and you fall asleep on that soft couch? Lounging across it, blissfully sleeping?

It doesn't take long for Nyx to find you, crawl up to lay on your toreso, curling up and falling asleep... Then the young buns gather around, some trying to lay on or next to you, some sprawled on the back of the couch. The young adult buns are next, laying a blanket on the pile, maybe one or two joining but most lounge around the couch. Eventually the elders join as well. Seated in their respective spots and relaxing too.

Human designated nap time is the unspoken burrow law now, so don't be too surprised when you wake to that whole situation.

Welcome to the family!

Oh, and Nyx is total burrow bun material. Learned to cook the foods you enjoy as a human, concerts your home into a nice mix of bunny and human styles for the most comfort, and is pretty much bouncing by the door waiting for you to come home so he can literally jump into your arms, and that's if he didn't leave the house with you.

[leapingbadger]

Sunset

Summary: Hunter meets up with a liberator of ancient wonders. Hunter POV.

Word Count: 2151

Hunter sat at a weather worn table on the edge of Pabu’s hilltop market, listening to the idle chatter of passers by. The sun had started to set, a crimson slash across the horizon. Dusk was settling in. The lights of the island had illuminated a few minutes ago, giving the tropical paradise a warm, comforting glow.

“What do we have here?” a cool view came from behind.

“I figured you’d show up eventually,” Hunter said with gruff voice and a smile. Phee Genoa, liberator of ancient wonders and long-time friend looked down at him with a smirk on her face. She patted his shoulder fondly and she pulled a neighboring chair out with unpleasant scraping noise.

Phee looked ever the pirate, vibroblade strapped to her thigh, blaster at her side. Her hair, longer now, stretched down her back in box braids, colorful charms throughout making her look like one of the treasures she often hunted. A golden, oblong necklace hung around her neck. Hunter recognized the gift Omega had given her for her birthday. Inside was a drawing of Tech or ‘Brown Eyes’ as she so affectionately called him.

Hunter thought it was strange that out of all the people in the galaxy, she had turned out to be one of his most trusted friends. She was one of the few people he could confide in, sometimes more so than his own family.

She rocked back on her chair, so the front two legs were in the air and teetered there while a waitress brought her a drink. She raised it in salute and Hunter clinked her mug with his own before taking a deep swig of the bitter, amber liquid.

“So, what have I missed?” she asked.

Hunter shrugged, “Not much. Things don’t tend to change much these days,” he added.

Phee took notice, lowering her chair and resting her chin on her palm. “Is that a problem?” she asked, concern in her voice.

He shook his head and took another sip. “No, of course not,”

She looked at him, brown furrowed, “come on ‘Dark and Broody’, spill”

A shadow fell over Hunter’s face as she used the nickname Cid had given him. Cid, who betrayed them to the empire and led to Omega being captured.

“Sorry,” she said quickly. Realizing her mistake. “Old habit…I didn’t mean…”

“I know,” Hunter said with a wave of his hand. He didn’t fault Phee, but the name brought up memories he would rather push to the back of his consciousness and forget about. Curiosity, however, got the best of him. “Have you heard from her lately?” she asked, not looking Phee in the eyes.

“I cut contact a long time ago, but I hear things… She disappeared a couple of months before you all escaped Tantis. No one’s heard of her since.” She eyed Hunter and he stared at his mug, swirling the amber liquid around so it formed a whirlpool in the middle.  “I wondered…I mean, no one would blame you…if you… paid her a visit.”

Hunter looked into her deep brown eyes and smirked. “Believe me, we did think about it,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “Once Echo left, Wrecker and I discussed it. Thought maybe she was a good place to start. She’d contacted the Imps, maybe she had a way of getting hold of them again. We could track them somehow…”

Phee raised her eyebrows, wordlessly asking him to go on.

Hunter didn’t like talking about that time. He signed but continued, looking anywhere but directly at Phee. “Look, I wasn’t in a good place. We decided against it. Wrecker, pulled me back from the brink on that one.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her drink sitting forgotten just out of reach of her fingertips. Phee had never been one to turn down juicy gossip.

Hunter wasn’t proud of how he’d handled the time after Tech’s death and Omega’s capture. Sometimes he thought he could have handled one or the other, but both at the same time set him on a path that he didn’t expect to come back from. He was reckless, dangerous and at times wild in his desperation.

“If we had gone back, it wouldn’t have been about getting intel. It wouldn’t have been about tracking anything. It would have been revenge, pure and simple. She would have been dead before Wrecker followed through the doorway. Besides, Ord Mantell was occupied by the empire by then. Tactically it was a no-win scenario. It wasn’t worth the risk.”

“Well then,” Phee said, seemingly relieved, “sounds like someone else took care of the problem for you.  Ketch and Bolo run the parlor now, it’s basically an imperial hangout. So, what’s got you sitting here alone? shouldn’t Wrecker be cooking up his latest masterpiece?”

“He is. I decided to take a walk. I noticed you heading to the Archium. Figured you’d stumble in here eventually.”

“And what is it I can do for you?” she asked, amused.

“Tell me about your adventures. What have you been up to?”

Phee grinned and sat forward in her chair; her arms gesticulated wildly as she regaled him with the tale of an artifact long thought lost to a tribe on Dathomir. She had managed to find it in the most elusive place, of course.

Hunter smiled as she talked and leaned back into his chair. He loved listening to Phee’s stories of the larger galaxy. Pabu was the dream, what he’d always wanted but after almost seven months with limited travel, his feet were starting to get itchy, and he had started to question if settling down was really for him after all.

He caught himself at this thought and buried it. “It’s all you ever wanted. Ever since you left Kamino,” he told himself again. He’d been having this conversation with himself a lot lately.

Phee seemed to notice she didn’t have his full attention and cleared her throat. “Am I boring you?” she asked pointedly with an amused tone.

“No, I’m sorry. I’m just…distracted,” Hunter could tell she wasn’t buying it. And he let out another deep sigh. “I’m feeling a little…restless. Without the Marauder we can’t just fly off at a moment’s notice and without that I’m feeling a little…trapped.”

She looked at him, surprised. “Pabu isn’t living up to your expectations?”

“No, Phee. It’s perfect. Omega’s in school and making friends, Wrecker’s got a job and a purpose, Crosshair is healing and painting. He’s selling some of art at the market on the weekend.” He added, “but I’m just here. I suppose my skills aren’t immediately transferable.”

“Hunter, you’re a smart guy. I’m sure you could do a lot of things,” She was always so ridiculously positive, it’s one of the things Hunter liked most about her. She was always able to put a spin on things.

“Rex contacted me the other day. Wanted help with a mission. I’d be away for a while.”

“Ahh...” Phee said, finally understanding. “What did the team say?”

Hunter looked sheepish, “I didn’t tell them.” He said, hurrying to follow up when he knew she was about to interject. “it’s not a mission for all of us. He just wants me.”

“Sounds like the perfect solution to your problem. Do the mission, get rid of the itchy feet. Everyone will be here when you get back” she said, relaxing in her chair again and downing the last of her ale.

The sun had fully set by now. The bright, pearlescent lights of Pabu cast shadows on the tiled floor. The smell of cooking meat drifted over from the other side of the market. Hunter didn’t like the idea of leaving anyone behind, even if that’s not what he was doing. Omega had been taken too many times. Crosshair was still recovering. And what if they weren’t here when he got back? That fear plagued him. He had been so close to losing all of them, losing everything. He didn’t think he could do that again.

Phee was watching him intently in a way that made him self-conscious. “What would Tech tell you to do?” she asked at last. She didn’t mention him often, at least not by name. She alluded to him, and sometimes when the light was dim, he caught her looking at Crosshair as though she had seen a ghost.

“Tech never backed down from a fight. He’d tell me to go. I’m sure he’d say that they would be fine without me,”

“Clever guy, that Brown Eyes,” she said softly. Her eyes looked suddenly sad, and she turned away from Hutner to brush her cheek.

“Yeah. He was.” Hunter said, he touched her shoulder briefly and gave it a squeeze. She nodded somberly and was back to her vivacious self.

“So, what are you going to do?”

****************************************************

Hunter stood at the base of the weeping maya tree, as the ship descended. His armor felt alarmingly heavy and cumbersome, and he felt himself pulling and the neck of his blacks. His vibroknife was strapped to his forearm, blaster in its holster and bandana tied tightly to his forehead. It felt familiar and strange at the same time.

He stood back and turned his head as the landing shuttle whipped dust and sand over him. Within a few seconds of landing, Echo appeared at the ramp, waving his scomp and he made his way to his former teammate.

They grasped forearms in greeting and smiled. “This all you’re taking?” he asked, indicating the small bag Hunter had at his feet.

“it’s a stealth mission, right? Figured traveling light would make the most sense.”

Echo nodded and looked over his shoulder, “where is everyone?”

Hunter smiled. He knew Echo wanted to see Omega and his brothers. “We said goodbye this morning. Wrecker is working, Omega has school, and Crosshair is in one of his moods.”

Echo raised an eyebrow, and a smile crossed his lips, “Oh?”

“Let’s just say he didn’t appreciate not getting an invitation to the party,”

Echo smiled again, “got it. Well in that case we can get moving. I found you a helmet. It’s not modified like your old one but it’s phase 2 armor, so at least it’s familiar. Needs a paint job though.”

Hunter gave Echo his thanks as they turned towards the ship. His helmet, and Wrecker and Crosshair’s had been lost on Tantis. They had more pressing matters when escaping than to go looking for them. Still, a huge part of his identity was caught up in that helmet and working a new mission without it made him feel a little unsure.”

Just as he boarded the ramp, he heard the unmistakable, hurried footfalls of Omega.

“Hunter,” she called as Batcher bounded behind her. She ran up the ramp to meet him and threw her arms around his neck. “don’t be too long,” she said into his shoulder, and she hugged him tighter. “Be sure to check in,”

Hunter held her for a few more seconds before setting her on the ramp with a thunk. She grinned and gave Echo a hug as well, a smile on her lips but tears in her eyes.

“It’s a stealth mission, Omega. I won’t always be able to check in.” he said, kneeling down to her height and resting his hand on her shoulder, “But Echo will send you updates. I’m going to miss you, Kid,”

Wrecker, Phee and Crosshair all made their way over to the ship from wherever they had been congregating. Hunter had assumed this morning’s goodbye wasn’t the last of it.

“Take care of yourself, Hunta,” Wrecker said, enveloping him in a bone crushing hug. He clapped him on the back with his shovel like hand and stepped back so his brother could come forward.

Crosshair was grim faced and scowling. Toothpick in his mouth, he held his augmented right hand in his left and rolled them over each other.

“I still think it’s a mistake to not take backup,” he hissed, eyes down. “But If you must go, be careful,”

“I will crosshair. Rex’ll be with me. I won’t be without backup,”

Crosshair nodded but he knew what he meant. He wanted to be his backup. Crosshair didn’t trust anyone else, even Rex, to do it.

Hunter tapped him on his shoulder and nodded. “I’ll be fine,” He smiled at Phee who had her arm around Omega’s shoulder.

“I think Brown Eyes would agree with your decision,” she said.

Omega looked up at Phee confused but Hunter nodded and smiled. “Keep an eye on them for me, Phee.”

“Hunta, if you need us. Call,” Wrecker said.

Hunter smiled. They had grown so accustomed to being together. He understood they would all have an adjustment to make. He gave Omega one last hug, Scratched Batcher under the chin and turned to follow Echo aboard. He looked up at the peaceful, blue, Pabu sky. They’d be fine for a little while. And when he came back, maybe he’d be fine too.