#whatever you prefer I honestly find it distracting to NOT have the concerns aired about coming out

[morepopcornplease]

Sometimes I’ll be reading a 1980s chansaw Heathers fic, and I don’t know if the author intentionally wrote a homophobia-free parallel universe, or if the fic writer just… literally forgot to write in the period-accurate homophobia

[silversatoru]

birthdays don’t have to suck

fushiguro megumi x f!reader (elli)

synopsis: you get really sick on your birthday, but megumi makes sure that you still have a good day :))

t/w: fluff, reader is sick, vomiting, medicine (tylenol lol), some details pertain specifically to elli

wc: 2.2k

a/n: a small birthday present for the love of my life @megumifushi who never sleeps enough and is always sick,, i love u and i hope ur days not too bad <3

you stared into your dimly lit laptop, red eyes squinting at the black text that sped across the screen as your fingers scrambled against the keys. you weren’t even sure that what you were writing was comprehensible at this point, but your essay that was due tomorrow morning wasn’t gonna write itself. at this point it just needed to get done, concerns of quality were thrown out the window hours ago.

aside from the burning and stinging in your eyes, your entire body ached, and you were ridden with chills and goosebumps. seemed like a fever was coming on, but you didn’t have the time or capacity to care about that right now. you’d pop a few tylenol and crawl into bed in a couple hours, and everything would be better tomorrow.

what time was it anyway? it couldn’t possibly be that late yet, right? 

you glanced to the corner of the screen, eyes falling on a bright 3:56am that made your heart sink and your eyes widen. you had a terrible habit of losing track of time and staying up into ungodly hours of the night — a habit that your wonderful boyfriend was trying so terribly hard to break. 

you glanced to your left and took in his sleeping form, his lips parted ever so slightly as he took small breaths of air. he’d be disappointed and upset with you if he knew how horrid your sleep schedule had been lately, and he’d probably blame your chills and headaches on your lack of sleep as well — which in all fairness was probably pretty accurate. 

“i’ll just finish this up real quick and then i promise i’ll sleep, ‘kay gumi?” you spoke softly, running your fingers through his soft, spiky hair. 

he was undisturbable, his mind off somewhere in a dreamland that was quite the distance from your small bedroom. and that was probably for the better, because him nagging at you to go to sleep would be too distracting for you to get your work done. 

your hands moved rapidly against the keyboard for about another hour, words spilling onto the screen until you finally hit the page requirement for your paper. it was probably terrible, most likely had a few words spelled wrong, and honestly you were pretty certain you’d repeated yourself several times, but fuck it — submit. you were typically an excellent student, so one bad paper wouldn’t kill you, and you were too tired and achy to care right now. 

you got up and placed your laptop onto your desk, plugging it in and letting a heavy sigh fall from your lips as you made your way back over to the bed. the soft blankets were therapeutically warm on your chilly skin as you crawled in against megumi’s back, effectively turning him into the little spoon and pressing your nose to the back of his neck. thankfully, sleep found you shortly after, your eyes fluttering shut as you drifted off into a much needed slumber. 

babe 

wake up 

babe

you woke up to small finger pokes to your cheek from megumi, his face laced with concern as your vision finally focused on his features. he bent over and pressed his lips to your forehead, pausing there for a fraction of a second and then standing back up. 

“i think you have a fever. i noticed when i woke up and you felt like a fucking space heater,” he frowned, confirming your initial suspicions from last night, “i’ll go get some medicine”.

you groggily nodded your head, shivers coursing through your body and dotting your extremities with goosebumps. your condition had definitely deteriorated overnight, your eyes stinging and a horrible nausea creeping up your throat. 

by the time he returned with the medicine you had yourself propped up against the pillows, thick blankets pulled up to your chin in an attempt to minimize the icy feeling in your body. he handed two small tylenol tablets to you with a disappointed look on his face — a look that said: i’m gonna kick your ass for not getting enough sleep again. 

“i’ll let everyone know you’re not feeling well enough to go out tonight,” he hummed as he handed you a glass of water, your brain filling with thick fog as you tried to decipher why he would need to let anyone know you were sick. 

the look of pure confusion signaled to him that you had no idea what he was talking about, megumi shaking his head before he spoke up again, “it’s your birthday, dumbass, we were supposed to get food and stuff with yuuji, inumaki, and nobara and maki”. 

birthday 

oh 

forgetting about that was another habit you continued to succumb to every year.

“mm, shit,” you sighed after drinking back the pills, “i forgot”. 

“figured you would,” megumi clicked his tongue, “but i didn’t, because i’m a good boyfriend. can you drag yourself out to the kitchen? you should eat”.

“don’t think so,” you mumbled, attempting to disappear back under the blankets before he could coerce you to follow him outside of the bedroom. 

but megumi is impossibly even more stubborn than you are, wrapping his arms under your body and lifting you to his chest, “guess i’ll just have to carry you then”. 

“fine,” you let out a long groan — was it a bit dramatic? maybe. but in your defense you felt like you’d been hit with a train.

he peppered your face with kisses as he carried you out of the bedroom, lovingly setting you down on one of the high bar stools around your kitchen table. he instructed you to stay in the chair, abruptly returning to the bedroom to bring out a couple blankets to wrap around your shoulders. you were grateful for the extra heat, you body still shaking and shivering as the medications worked to cure your fever. 

megumi was a man of few words, preferring to display his love for you through acts of service than grand confessions, and this was very eminent when he wordlessly grabbed a couple pots and began cooking for you. you let your face fall onto your arms, resting your chin as you watched him silently shuffle between the stove and the pantry. the silence was comfortable, and you weren't going to complain about watching your muscular boyfriend walk around the kitchen in nothing but a pair of loose, plaid pajama pants. 

a few minutes later he was placing a steaming bowl of soup and a couple slices of baked bread in front of you, a savory scent flooding your nostrils. 

“red lentil,” he spoke as he handed you a spoon, “it’s your favorite, so you better eat it”. 

“yes, sir,” you gave him a small smile, dipping the cool metal into the hot liquid and scooping a spoonful into your mouth. 

“all of it”

“yes, megumi, i will try”

to no surprise, the soup went down pretty fucking horribly, your head hanging low over the toilet while megumi held your hair out of the way. your throat was practically raw by the time you were done heaving and vomiting up the meal, your eyes brimming with hot tears. 

megumi tied your hair up in a neat bun so he could step away, filling up a glass with water and carefully helping you to take small sips and rinse out your mouth. he was tedious with the clean up, washing your face and helping you brush your teeth — ensuring that you felt the best you could given the situation. he then scooped you back into his arms, carrying you back to bed and profusely apologizing for making you eat the soup — but he was just trying to make you feel better, he really was doing his best.

you were ready to add today to your long list of terrible birthdays, chalking it up as another failed attempt, but megumi was not about to let that happen. he knew you had a rough history with birthdays, but now that he was here? you’d have a bad birthday over his dead body. 

he scoured the back of your fridge for ginger ale, gatorade, jello, and whatever else he could find to make you the perfect sick-person platter. and he made sure he was logged into every streaming service that the two of you collectively owned, preparing netflix, hulu, and crunchy roll so that he could easily access every single one of your favorite shows and movies. and so you spent the majority of your day tucked safely against megumi’s chest, forcing down small sips of ginger ale and watching an assortment of tv. 

your phone rang at some point — a facetime call from all of your friends who had gotten together so they could all wish you a collective happy birthday. megumi stuck a singular candle into a cup of blue-raspberry jello and ignited it with a small flame; and then they all sang the most terrible rendition of “happy birthday” that you’d ever heard, yuuji’s voice a little louder and little more out-of-tune than everyone else's.

you mustered enough energy to blow out the flame, everyone cheering while megumi shoveled a scoop of the blue jelly into your mouth. you swallowed it with a smile, praying it stayed down while everyone sent you off with an assortment of “feel better!”, “we love you!”, and “wish you were here!”

your night got pretty quiet after that, you and megumi climbing back under the covers to watch a few more episodes of your new favorite anime. it wasn’t until well into the night that he finally asked you if he could give you the presents he’d gotten for you. reluctantly, you said yes. you hated receiving gifts (it was just one of the many reasons you hated your birthday) but you knew that megumi wasn’t going to take no for answer. 

he was obviously nervous, palms sweaty as he handed you a couple neatly wrapped packages in plain, solid colored paper. they were very megumi, perfect folds with not a single crease, the paper simple yet elegant and adorned with a singular bow on top. 

you hesitantly peeled the paper off the smaller of the two, revealing a tiny box that contained a classic looking silver locket. you felt your heart pinch in your chest as you clicked the locket open and revealed two small pictures of each of the two of you. you weren’t particularly sentimental, but on top of your lack of sleep and not feeling very well, the simple gift caused few tears to well up in your eyes. but he was quick to wipe them away, insisting that you had to open the second gift first, and that birthdays weren’t meant for crying. 

you followed his instructions, ripping open the second package and revealing a larger box that contained a series of envelopes. each one was decorated with tiny doodles of you and megumi, his demon dogs, hearts, etc. they were sickeningly cute, and you immediately reached for the first one before megumi reached out and stopped you. 

“they’re not for now; they’re for when i’m gone, you know, on missions and stuff,” he could barely even maintain eye contact, his eyes dipping low as yours filled back up with tears. 

despite your lack of energy and the fever that was starting to return, you showered him in hugs and kisses after that, thanking him over and over for the most perfect gifts, and for making your day as wonderful as it could have been. 

all things aside, you were coming around to the idea that birthday’s don’t have to suck. 

bonus: the first letter: 

to y/n:

i know im not great at telling you what i have to say through words, actually, i’m kind of really bad at it. but i thought writing these might be a nice way to try and get better? i’m not sure. anyway, i guess i’ll start by saying that you mean a lot to me, and i probably miss you a lot right now (even though ill be too afraid to reach out and say it). not sure how long i’ll be gone for at the time but it’s probably a few days at least. gonna work hard so i can hurry back to see you. 

i hope you’re sleeping enough, but i know you’re not. you never do, especially when i’m not there to yell at you. i hope you’re eating enough too. but you’re probably also not doing that. you’re like taking care of a stubborn child, you know that? but this is supposed to be a love letter so i’ll try to refrain from scolding you too much. but do try to take care of yourself. ill see you soon. 

megumi

[justnerdthings]

New Beginnings Ch. 15

F!Reader x Liu Kang/Kung Lao

Bit of a timeskip here. Also this chapter contains nsfw!

I know at least one reader is going to want to shank me after reading this. It's okay. I promise I'll make it up to you.

@ancientowlgirl @poor-unfortunate-soul-85 @shang-hung

Weeks had passed. You were in full training mode. You had learned the layout of the temple. You were much more familiar with the customs of the monks. You were comfortable.

Well, almost.

Your muscles were sore from training. Lao and Liu had put you on a fast track. The tournament was still five years away, but you had so much to catch up on. As for the boys…

You had put a wall up. They’d both been pinning for you. Of course you knew they would be. Ever since that kiss with Liu… Ever since Lao admitted his feelings for you… It had been one wild ride after the other. But you had made it clear to both of them: You were not ready for any relationships.

God, you hated telling them that. What were you thinking? They were both incredible choices. You’d never have options like them back home. Were you crazy for telling them both to back off? Probably. But did it help you adjust to temple life? Absolutely. You had enough to worry about around here. A relationship with one of them would have been nice, but the rivalry between them would have destroyed them. You couldn’t risk that.

Raiden had commended your approach to this issue. He’d been pleasantly surprised by your restraint. He’d even offered to help. You still had no idea how Raiden could help, but the offer was nice. You’d opted for ol’ faithful: staying so busy that you didn’t have time to think about relationships.

Of course at night that didn’t work. You’d spent nights staring at the ceiling, or tossing and turning, being drowned in loads of inappropriate thoughts. And of course, you’d taken it upon yourself to relieve some of that tension. Other nights, you thought about what life would be like with one or the other. You’d gotten to know them both so well over the past few weeks that you had pretty clear visions of what relationships would be like with them.

You weren’t sure you could choose between those two visions. But, it didn’t matter. You had no time for that. Five years. You had five years to turn into a lean, mean, killing machine!

A nudge to your shoulder brought you out of your thoughts. Looking up, Lao was watching you with concern. He stopped you in the hallway.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“Yeah. Sorry. Just lost in thought.” You yawned then and stretched your arms out over your head.

“What are you thinking about?” Lao asked curiously and followed along with you as you began walking again.

“You. Liu.” You shrugged. You didn’t see the point in hiding these thoughts anymore. They both knew how you felt. They both knew how each other felt.

Lao lifted a brow. “Yeah? What about us?”

“Just… kicking myself for telling you both to back off,” you sighed.

He seemed to perk up then. “Yeah?”

“I feel like an idiot. But I know it’s the right choice.”

“How do you know?”

“What do you mean, how do I know? I got five years to turn into you and Liu. I can’t be distracted. I need to buckle down. I have to stay focused.”

He sighed. “If we die in the tournament, then we won’t get the chance later,” he reasoned. And you’d thought of that. He was right. If you died in the tournament, and let’s be honest, which was highly likely, you wouldn’t get the chance to choose later. But if you did choose now, then you would mostly likely be too distracted to keep up your training. The tournament would come. You wouldn’t be ready. You’d be killed… But at least you’d have loved. Right?

You sucked in a breath. This sucked. All of it sucked.

Lao noticed that familiar look of conflict on your face. He frowned at you. “You’re allowed to enjoy yourself, Y/N.”

“I can do that after the tournament.” God that was an awful excuse. You weren’t even going to survive the tournament. How could you enjoy yourself afterward?

He sighed. Did he think you telling him and Liu to back off was stupid? No. He’d admit you had very valid points. But he wasn’t a fan of how you were handling yourself. Before, you could relax and enjoy yourself, even if you did throw yourself into panic attacks. But now… This ‘buckle down’ attitude you had adopted… Both Lao and Liu had watched you busy yourself to exhaustion every night. He hated that.

“I need you two to keep pushing me,” you told him. You’d told them both this plenty of times over the past few weeks. Keep you busy. Keep you distracted. Make you stronger. Whatever it took.

Ordinarily Lao would be happy to keep pushing a student… But you weren’t just a student anymore. You were the woman he had eyes for. The woman Liu had eyes for. And even though they’d both been told to keep a level of distance, they both hated it.

He hated it.

And over the past few weeks, Lao had noticed a change in you. Liu chalked it up to you finally being free of your medication and withdrawal. That this was the real you. That this overly focused, morbid, husk of yourself was the real you. And not only did that medication keep you from panicking everyday, but that it made you happy.

Liu had done some research on the medication you were on. Sertraline, he’d said it was. Not only was it for anxiety. But it was for depression as well.

Was that what they were witnessing? Depression? This didn’t seem like any depression Lao had seen before. Depression was supposed to be sadness, wasn’t it? Moping around? Hating yourself? Maybe even suicidal? You didn’t seem sad… But you weren’t very happy either. You weren’t suicidal that he could tell. Maybe you brooded, but he wouldn’t say you moped. And hating yourself?... Yeah, he’d seen that when you grew frustrated. You’d talk down to yourself. You’d cuss yourself out… Was this what depression really looked like?

He hated it.

Stopping at your door, Lao offered you a smile, which you returned, but Lao could see that it was forced. He hated that too: That forced smile you always gave him and Liu now. But it was a battle he didn’t want to fight. He’d continue to let it go.

You stepped into your room and left the door open. He’d hesitated before following you in. Your room was a mess. Clothes everywhere. Cups and plates left all over. You didn’t seem to mind it, but it annoyed him. It’d grown worse and worse over the weeks. He watched as you kicked aside some clothes carelessly, then you suddenly froze.

His brows knotted as you stood so rigid. He followed your fixed gaze. His own body stiffened.

Now, Lao wasn’t an easy man to frighten. Some had even claimed he was fearless. He could slice and dice his way through hordes of enemies. He could reach through someone’s chest and tear out their still beating heart. He laughed in the face of danger. But one fear he had never managed to conquer… was what he was looking at right then.

Without a word, he slowly backed out of your room. You didn’t notice until you backed up and reached behind yourself for him, only to grasp air. Turning, he was gone. Your brows knotted. He was just there. He was just there. Where did he—

You noticed him peek around your doorway cautiously. Confusion was practically dripping from your features. “Is it dead yet?” He asked. For the first time that you could recall. Lao’s voice had shaken.

Oh. Great. He was afraid of it, too. Him. A killer like him. Great.

You looked back to the source of both of your fears. Your heart skipped several beats. It was gone. Where did it go?! You looked around frantically. Where did it go?! Where did it go?! You weren’t going to sleep in your room until you found it! You weren’t going to sleep here at all unless you saw it leave, or it dead! Preferably dead! It and its whole family! Dead!

Movement caught the corner of your eye and you screeched and swatted at your shoulder. You ran out of your room, flailing, beating yourself, hyperventilating. “Get it off! Get it off!” You shouted. But Lao was backing away with fearful eyes.

“You get it off!” he shouted back.

He wasn’t going to help you?! You were freaking out! You shook your gi out and swatted yourself all over as Lao watched on at a distance.

You stopped as Liu came over, face full of concern. He must have heard your shouting.

“What is going on?” He asked, looking you over, looking for whatever you were trying to rid yourself of. He didn’t see anything. You realised, by his complete confusion, that you were fine. It wasn’t on you. You breathed a sigh of relief, then joined Lao in peeking back into your room.

Liu’s brows were about as knotted as they could get as he stepped in the doorway and looked in.

“It’s still in there,” Lao said.

“What is?” Liu asked.

“That eight legged bastard,” You answered.

Liu let that sink in for a second before he turned his head to you and Lao. A spider? All this over a spider? He knew Lao didn’t like them. He knew you didn’t like them. But both of you scared of them? He almost laughed at the two of you. “It’s just a spider,” he reasoned. Honestly, what was the worse it could do?

“Don’t say it’s name!” You hissed at him. “You’ll anger it!”

Liu couldn’t help that chuckle. He shook his head and stepped into the room, ignoring the mess for the moment.

“No, don’t!” You called after him.

“It’s just a spider,” Liu said again, grinning as he looked around your room. “Where is it?”

“I don’t know,” you answered. “It was on the ceiling. Then I thought it was on my shoulder.”

Liu looked up at the ceiling, but he couldn’t see any spider. His eyes looked over the walls, the corners, the floor. He even pulled your sheets back to see if it had crawled into your bed. Nothing. He couldn’t find that spider. “I don’t see it,” he finally said with a sigh.

“I do,” Lao said. His voice was distant. You turned to look at him. He was down the hall several paces. He lifted his hand and pointed at you. You felt the icy chill of anxiety wash over you. “It’s on your back,” Lao said.

Your body tensed up. You were shaking. A whine left you.

“Hold still,” Liu said behind you. You had fought against every fiber of instinct to beat yourself again. You stood rigid as Liu’s hands came to your back. You held your breath. When you felt his hands leave you, you sucked in a shaking breath. “Is it gone?”

Liu came around you. He showed you the spider in his hands.

Oh, fuck that. You backed away frantically and tried to hide behind Lao, but Lao was trying to hide behind you as well.

Liu watched you two with such amusement. He chuckled and shook his head again. “I’ll go release it elsewhere,” he told you both before walking away.

Once Liu and that eight legged bastard were far enough away, you shuddered the rest of your nerves off. Lao was watching you. He grinned sheepishly.

You shoved at him as anger came over your face. “YOU ASSHOLE!”

“What?” Lao said, lifting his hands defensively.

“Some friend you are!”

“I don’t like spiders!” He shouted back.

“Neither do I!” You screamed.

“I would have helped you!” He shouted with hesitation. Lying.

“‘You get it off!’” You repeated his words, mocking him.

“I thought you could!”

“Fucking asshole!”

“Hey!” His brows knit in anger. “If you had kept your room clean, then the spider wouldn’t have been there in the first place!” He accused you. “Ever since you told Liu and I to back off, you’ve been miserable!” He shouted.

“I’m trying to focus on the tournament!” You defended yourself.

“Stop pretending this is all about the tournament!”

“It is all about the tournament!”

“No, it’s not! It’s about us! Me and Liu!”

Your face was turning red in anger. You hated him. You hated him so much. You hated him because he was right. You were so flustered. So frustrated. It was about them. You couldn’t bring yourself to choose, so you threw up a wall to keep them out. You hated it! But it was working!

“I’m right, aren’t I?!” Lao shouted.

You were glaring daggers at him. “Fuck you,” you hissed at him.

“I am, huh?!”

“Fuck. You!”

“Fuck me yourself, coward!” Lao shouted, his own frustration was getting the best of him. And you could see he was just as surprised by his own words as you were.

You two stared at each other. You were daring each other to make the first move. Like hell would you make the first move.

And you didn’t. In a few short moments, Lao came to you. He grabbed hold of your face with firm, yet gentle hands, and pulled you right into a hot and rough kiss.

You went rigid again as your lips connected. Every bit of you was screaming to push him away. But your body wouldn’t move. You couldn’t even breathe. Your head was flooding with hormones that had been denied the past weeks. The angels on your shoulders were arguing. And just as quick as it had happened, Lao had pulled away.

You stared at each other in silence again. Your eyes were locked on each other’s. Your chest was heaving now with shallow breaths. Your heart was pounding so hard that you could hear it.

But that kiss… You could groan. You’d wondered what kissing him would be like. You knew what kissing Liu was like. You wanted to know what kissing Lao was like. It wasn’t at all the same, but the situation was vastly different. With Liu you had been scared and curious… Then later on it was like fireworks as you both grew comfortable. But with Lao… It was out of nowhere and you were both frustrated and angry. The kiss was short and rough… And you wanted more.

You shifted your weight. Reaching up, you grabbed his stupid hat off his head and dropped it to the floor very unceremoniously. You then pulled him back into a kiss. It was sloppy and hard. It was full of spiteful passion. And as Lao backed you against the wall, it grew hungry.

Lao pressed himself against you, pinning you against the stone wall as his hands gripped your waist. You could feel his own heart pounding against your chest. Your fingers curled into his hair. You tugged. His top knot came loose, but neither of you cared. He growled into your lips and the sound almost made you submit your entire self to him. You pushed your hips into his, earning another gruff sound from him. You tried to push him back, but he simply shoved you back against the wall. You grunted and broke the kiss to look up towards the ceiling.

Lao’s lips moved down your jaw and to your neck. You couldn’t help the little moan that escaped you. He’d shifted. His hands moved down your backside. They lingered on your ass for a few seconds before they moved lower, then gripped the back of your thighs. In one smooth motion, he’d lifted you off the floor and wrapped your legs around his waist. Oh, shit, was that hot. You tugged at his hair, pulling his head up so you could kiss him again. This was a mistake. This was a horrendous, lovely mistake.

Lao pulled you from the wall and carried you into your room. He’d managed to kick the door shut behind him without breaking your kiss. You blindly reached behind him for the door, searching for the lock. Once you felt it, you yanked it to latch. Lao heard the harsh clash of the iron lock and carried you further in, to your bed, and dropped you onto the mattress.

You stared up at him with wide eyes. You were catching your breath as you watched him begin to remove his clothes. Your heart was skipping all kinds of beats as you finally realised the situation at hand. You had to stop. You had to stop right now. This wasn’t right. You couldn’t do this. You had to stop right now. But as Lao removed his top and revealed those well chiseled abs, your mind went blank. Ah, shit.

He climbed over you with a famished look in his eyes. Lao was starved. He’d been fighting his feelings for weeks, just like you. And also like you, he was tired of it. It was distracting. You’d been lying to yourself. You’d been telling yourself you didn’t need this. Didn’t need him. Didn’t need Liu. Not like this. You’d been telling yourself they were just teammates… What a load of bullshit. You wrapped your arms around his neck as he lowered himself for another kiss.

You couldn’t choose between them. And you were sure that if it had been Liu who had grabbed you and pulled you into a kiss just minutes ago, that he’d be the one laying over you right then instead of Lao. But Liu wouldn’t have pulled you into that kiss. When you’d told him and Lao that you didn’t want a relationship weeks ago, he didn’t protest. He backed off. He gave you space. Liu always respected your boundaries. But Lao always pushed them.

Lao let a hand roam down your side. His fingers slipped under your belt. He simply pulled it free. He pulled open your gi. He was starting to undress you like an impatient child unwrapping their present on Christmas morning. You rolled your body against his. His hand dragged along your bare stomach. Goosebumps plagued your body at his touch. You could feel his excitement as he grinded it against you.

You groaned into the kiss. He grinned against your lips. You tangled your hand into his hair again and pulled his head away so you could catch your breath. He gladly went to kissing and sucking on your neck as he moved his hand up… up… and he grabbed a handful of your breast still confined in your bra. You moaned and rolled your hips against him.

There was a knock at your door.

Both you and Lao froze, staring at each other, barely breathing. Maybe if you were both quiet, whoever it was would think you weren’t there.

Another knock, and Liu’s voice called from behind the door. “Y/N?”

You sighed. Dammit, Liu. This was not the right time. Lao was giving you a look and shaking his head. He wanted you to ignore Liu, and to encourage you, he began to trail some soft kisses along your throat. You tilted your head back and sighed contently, letting your eyes close. But as Lao nipped your skin, a cry escaped you.

“Y/N?” Liu’s tone was full of concern. “Are you alright?” He must have heard you. Dammit.

Lao hid his face in the crook of your neck. His frustration was only growing now. You stroked the back of his head gently, silently reassuring him before you squirmed out from under him. You grabbed your belt from the floor and quickly tied your gi closed. You ran your fingers through your hair. Then you unlocked your door and opened it only a few small inches--just enough to peek out, but not enough for Liu to see past you.

You caught his warm brown eyes and that gentle smile came to his face. “Y/N,” he greeted, despite seeing you only a little while ago.

You returned his smile, again it was forced, but now for a different reason than simply wanting to distance yourself from him. “Liu.”

“I released the spider on the north end. I figured that would be far enough away,” he told you. You felt your nerves fire up. You’d forgotten all about that spider. You could have gone the rest of your life not remembering that spider. But you were thankful Liu had told you where he left it. Now you knew where to look out for the little bastard. Luckily, you didn’t spend much time in the north end of the temple.

“Thank you,” you breathed, then nodded.

“Are you alright?” His voice was full of concern again. “I thought I heard you crying?”

“No. I mean, yes. I’m fine.” You shook your head. “Just still a little shaken, I guess.”

His eyes scanned over your face, taking in every detail not blocked by the door. And you noticed how his eyes lingered on your lips. He’d done that so much since you’d both had your first kiss with each other. And you wouldn’t lie, you’d found yourself doing it as well. You noticed his breath hitch slightly as you bit your bottom lip gently. You were thinking about kissing him again. About feeling his hot lips engulfing yours.

Rustling from behind you reminded you that you’d already had a pair of lips to kiss--ones that were just all over you a second ago. Dammit. This is why you put up that damn wall. You let your forehead fall into the door frame and sighed at your own dumbassery.

“Are you alright?” Liu asked again, stepping closer.

You nodded and looked at him out the corner of your eye. Dammit, he was so cute looking at you like that. “Can we talk later?” you asked him. “I’m just exhausted right now.”

He smiled again. He bowed his head. “Of course.”

“Thank you.” You smiled back to him and stepped away from the door to close it. After a few seconds, when you thought Liu was out of earshot, you hissed curses under your breath. You turned and leaned back against your door, covering your face. This was a complete disaster.

“Hey…” Lao called over cautiously. You could hear him climb off your bed and step towards you. You let yourself slide down your door. When you pulled your hands away from your face, Lao frowned at the sight of you. He knelt down in front of you and reached out to hold either side of your face. His thumbs wiped at your tears.

“I can’t do this anymore,” you’d finally admitted as you began breaking down. Lao’s eyes were desperately searching yours, but it was a futile effort. There wasn’t anything else to see. You weren’t hiding anymore.

“It’s okay,” he told you gently.

You shook your head as the tears flowed freely down your face. “No it’s not,” you sobbed. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“Yes, you can.”

“No, I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

“I don’t want to.”

His jaw hardened. Lao didn’t know what to say. That was the one thing he didn’t want to hear. That was the one thing Liu was worried you’d say in the beginning. And you were saying it now because of them. Dammit.

He shifted to his knees and closer to you. His grip on your face tightened only slightly as he looked at you with such guilt you’d never seen. “Don’t go,” he said--he begged. “I’ll back off. I promise. I’ll even tell Liu to keep his distance.”

You were shaking your head again. “It’s not going to work. This is just going to happen again.”

“You can’t leave…”

“Is there anyone else who can train me?”

“Y/N…”

“Any women? Warrior nuns?”

Lao’s frown deepened. “Please…”

You pulled your head from his hands. “I want to be alone,” you told him as you wiped your face with your hands.

Lao looked so defeated in that moment. He didn’t know what to do. His brows knotted as grief washed over him. Why did he have to kiss you? If he’d just walked away, you wouldn’t be wanting to leave. Why did he have to screw this up? Why did Liu have to come back?! He was clenching his teeth as he stood and grabbed his top from the floor. He slipped into it as you got to your feet and retreated into your little bathroom. Lao opened your door and stepped out. He closed the door behind him. He turned to walk away.

He stopped dead in his tracks.

Liu was leaning against the opposite wall, staring at him with a knowing look. Lao stiffened.

“How?...” Lao began, but didn’t get to finish before Liu pointed to the floor. Lao followed the gesture and there it was: his hat, still laying carelessly on the floor where you had dropped it. Dammit. He sighed and reached out, summoning it back into his hand.

But how much did Liu know? Did he just assume what had happened in your room, or had he heard your crying just on the other side of the door?

“I think we need to talk,” Liu told him, and the tone Liu had used told Lao that Liu had heard the crying. That wasn’t the ‘I’m disappointed in you, Kung Lao’ tone. Nor was it the tone Liu used when he was angry with Lao. It was the bad news tone. It was the ‘we fucked up’ tone. It was the tone he had when they needed to admit something to Raiden.

Lao had sucked in a deep breath. He nodded to his brother.

[ushidoux]

Be My Last - Iwaizumi x Reader

Summary: You have trouble getting over a past relationship and it’s preventing you from moving forward. (~3.5k words)

Warnings: stubborn ass reader, very slight nsfw at the end

A/N: It took me a long time to write this because I have trouble with fluff and also trouble with characterizing Iwa lmfao, I might need a second watch. I hope you enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!

Part 1|| Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5

---

“Are you serious?! Are you really saying no to this face?”

Your best friend was now leaning so far across the fast food dining table that she had practically climbed on top of it, holding up her phone just inches from your face to force you to take a better look at the picture of the blind date she had arranged for you. 

Your eyes crossed uncomfortably by reflex and you pulled back sharply to grab the phone from her and take a better look. On second glance, you had to admit that the guy standing next to Oikawa was quite good-looking, a couple inches shorter but with a sturdier build, sharper features and just enough scowl in his facial expression to intrigue you. 

In fact, he was exactly your type.

“Just one date,” your friend insisted. “You’ve been pining over your ex for almost a year now! You don’t have to fall in love but maybe a small distraction? Plus, double dates would be so fun, come onnnnn~”

Your friend was only rarely this animated so you knew she really wanted this but the idea of even considering romance again after being dumped so harshly before was so undesirable that you stubbornly shook your head instead and took another bite of your burger.

“___, please?”

You frowned, and your friend’s pout grew deeper once she realized there was a pretty good chance you wouldn’t budge about this. After all, you’d rejected every single person that so much as looked in your direction so effectively these past few months that it had essentially become an afterthought.

She leaned back in her seat, occupying herself now with picking out a particularly long fry off of the platter you were sharing, trying to minimize her disappointment. Despite how much she hoped you would say yes, she could understand why you felt the way you did.

“I’m sorry,” you offered, sipping on your drink. She let out a defeated sigh.

“Well, I’ll try to figure out a compassionate way to let Iwa now that you’re not interested. Honestly, Oikawa will probably be more offended by it than me.”

At this last comment, her eyes twinkled softly with a mild amusement and she started to text her boyfriend. However, knowing that it would possibly be a bigger deal to reject Oikawa’s best friend right off the bat than to just endure a date once, you reconsidered.

“Fine! Stop, I don’t need Tooru yelling in my ears. I’ll go.”

She smiled. You’d fallen right into her trap.

---

Exactly 72 hours later almost to the minute, you found yourself standing before the duo of childhood friends at the entrance of a town fair, your friend by your side.

Oikawa’s partner-in-crime was, to both your surprise and chagrin, even better looking in person. Kinder too, if you discounted the glare he shot at Oikawa when he introduced him mock affectionately as ‘Iwa-chan, his very best friend in the whole wide world’. You stifled a laugh as Iwa released Oikawa from a headlock, and introduced yourself politely to him noticing the very faint pinking of the ears that accompanied the softening of his expression as he shifted his attention to you.

A small fluster you couldn’t help but find cute was evident in his voice as he shared his full name - Iwaizumi Hajime. Strike one. 

Strike two was the careful distance he left between you two as you walked through the street fair, just steps behind Oikawa and your friend who trekked confidently and comfortably linked hand in hand. His questions were respectful but pointed, like he truly wanted to get to know you as much as possible, and as he listened he leaned in just so, making sure to hear you clearly over the bustle of the busy crowds.

He helped you with your safety belts as you strapped in together on small thrill rides and you could catch his furtive glances in the corner of your eyes as you laughed and screamed.

A part of you wondered if it was too quick, if it was a bad omen that he already appeared smitten with you despite having just met. However, you had missed the feeling of someone liking you genuinely and explicitly so, dating back from even before you had started having problems in your last relationship, so you appreciated it wholeheartedly.

Strike three was him immediately setting a time and a date to meet again, without the hovering presence of your best friends, which he emphasized loudly to listening ears behind you (Oikawa made his disappointment at being excluded quite apparent by groaning loudly within earshot).

“I really enjoyed spending time with you today, ___.”

It wasn’t too much, wasn’t too little and wasn’t too soon.

“So did I.” You replied with a smile more genuine than you’d had for months.

---

Date two went as smoothly as date one.

Dinner and a movie, a classic. Iwa had chosen a psychological thriller that you had been looking forward to for a couple weeks and prior to meeting you’d started to text back and forth regularly about theories, so thereafter sprang forth endless spirited debates. As the evening progressed, you noticed him yielding earlier and earlier, and you noticed that he got quieter as the night went on, preferring to sit back and watch you talk. You couldn’t tell if it was the few cocktails with dinner but soon you were distracted by eyes that rested on you easily with an accompanied smile. It was enough to make your face grow warm.

“Am I talking too much?” You asked, sheepishly. “I’m sorry, I get like this when I’m excited.”

“I love hearing you talk,” he replied with a small laugh. “No one can talk as much as Oikawa so don’t worry.”

Your smile spread from ear to ear and you could feel your bruised heart grow ever so slightly.

---

Date three, four and five had you swept off your feet and you found yourself falling between hikes, picnics and aquarium trips. 

Which was why when your friend called you to gloat about how she was right about you two all along, you realized just how deep you had fallen and almost instantly, that familiar fear that you had been nursing for the past year settled back into your consciousness.

You couldn’t bear another heartbreak. The thought of Iwa’s warm smiles becoming addictive and constantly craving the feel of his hands on your skin only to then be discarded like a participation ribbon hung heavy on you.

“I.. I don’t think I can keep seeing him,” you said, in sudden realization, despite the fact that you had been gushing about your dates just minutes earlier.

You could hear a pause on the other end of the line, and then your friend asked softly, “Is it because you still miss him?” 

The other him. Of course you did, you still lived in the apartment the two of you had shared right after college, having given yourself multiple excuses not to move out. You hadn’t even bothered to change the decorations you’d bought together and thus every part of this place reminded you of him. 

You even watered the plants he had left behind every morning. You couldn’t tell if it was because you had grown attached to them or worse - because you thought maybe, just maybe, if he ever came back, he’d want to know that you were always nursing your love.

“I’m… not sure,” you replied.

Your friend sighed audibly into the phone.

“You’re missing out on someone great, but I’ll support you regardless.”

---

Your graduate classes ended late the next evening, and you stumbled into your apartment with mild exhaustion, kicking off your shoes and slipping off your jeans before plopping on your bed.

Iwa had said he wanted to come see you, and even though just a few days ago you had been excited at the prospect of spending time with him in your own home, your stomach fluttered with a different type of alarm when you considered the fact that if you were to tell him you were no longer interested in letting whatever was between you bloom, it would have to be now.

Would it be better to tell him over text message or on the phone or in person? You didn’t want to see the look on his face when you hurt him; you knew it would change your resolve. 

If you called him on the phone, would you be able to withstand hearing the disappointment in his voice? Would he demand a reason, and would he tell you your weak one wasn’t enough?

If you sent him a simple text and then blocked his number, would you be the awful person too chickenshit to say the words to his face?

Your phone buzzed just as you were paralyzed with your choices.

I’m 20 minutes away. How was your class?

You froze.

20 minutes to make a decision. Would you have him come all this way just to drop him without a very good reason in the comfort of your own home?

You stared at your phone for five minutes longer, perseverating, only to be startled out of your trance when you saw his name flash over the front. You forgot you had read receipts on; it had never been a problem before.

“Hey, are you okay?” His voice dripped of concern. “You read but didn’t answer.”

“Y-yeah, of course! Class was good… I’ll see you in a bit.”

---

You soon wished you hadn’t let Iwa into your apartment. Now that he was here snuggled with you on the couch, close enough that you could take in his scent, all you could think of was the thought of his lips on yours.

5 dates and you hadn’t yet kissed. Maybe that was for the best, you were planning to break up with him anyway, weren’t you?

You weren’t exactly sure when you had crept so close to each other, but your head now rested gently on his shoulder and his hand had at some point snaked around your waist to pull you against him. You could feel your heart pound in your chest as you stayed close in the dark, and maybe you could feel his own heart beat, steady as his breathing despite the tension building in the air.

You had lost track of the plot of the movie on your flat screen long ago, too preoccupied with the flurry of potential ensuing scenes between you in your head.

What would stop you from going full speed ahead? The fear that you wouldn’t matter enough to him once months came to pass and he learned just how far short you fell from his perfect perception of you? Or that you would once again find yourself in darkness, wondering how many times you’d open your heart only to wish you had kept it guarded?

Or maybe it was the reality that you weren’t sure that you really wanted to move on?

Iwa was a good person, he didn’t deserve your hesitation.

He shifted ever so slightly beside you and in the backlight of the flashing scenes on the television screen, you could see his eyes settle on your lips.

“Is it okay if we-,” he started, only to be interrupted by the fact that you had already pulled him in by the shirt collar and were lost in the taste of him on your tongue. You could tell he was surprised, but Iwa leaned into your kiss, pulling you now fully onto his lap and holding you steady by the waist as the two of you made out. 

Your hands crept up to his face, fingers gently trailing then cupping the curve of his jaw, and the longer you kissed, the more of him you wanted. When his hands started to tug just slightly at the edge of your shirt to warn you he was going underneath, you tensed but nodded to allow him to palm a breast and roll a nipple between two fingers.

A soft moan left you, renewed when Iwa’s lips left your mouth to kiss a spot just before your earlobe, and his other hand pressed firmly into the small of your back to secure you even closer to him, close enough that you could feel his bulge pressing through his jeans and against your body. Knowing that you could feel him, he whispered breathily into your ear:

“I won’t continue if you don’t want me to.”

Did you want him to continue?

You pulled back from him to study his face, glowing with an earnest desire for you and suddenly you felt so guilty. 

“I… I think we should stop here,” you choked out, ignoring the warmth in your cheeks and the flicker of disappointment in his face, and you slowly climbed off him, embarrassed as you stood on your feet.

He didn’t ask why and replied with acceptance.

“Okay.”

---

What he didn’t accept was you finally telling him you no longer wanted to see him in a text message hastily conjured in the middle of the night after a particularly hard day.

He called immediately and you let the phone ring, biting your lip the entire six rings it took for him to give up. He didn’t leave a voice message, but sent you a short text.

I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Can we please talk?

You fought back the urge to cry as you turned over to go to sleep.

He called again in the morning, and when you ignored his call for a second time, the unreasonable part of you waited for a follow-up voicemail or text message which never came. Good for you. You couldn’t understand your own feelings right now and you didn’t deserve to have him sort them out for you.

At least if you acted like a bitch, he would drop you before you could change your mind.

---

“A text message? Really?”

Your friend had dropped by the following Saturday morning for brunch and while you had dreaded this conversation, you had expected it to happen and steeled yourself for the admonishment. You shrugged, avoiding looking at her in the eyes and focusing on watering the plants at your windowsill. Your friend watched you carefully, irritation bubbling within her in response to your stubborn silence.

“I wouldn’t be so insistent if I knew you didn’t like him, but you do! Everyone can see it!”

You didn’t reply, opening your blinds instead. Plants needed lots of sun in addition to water.

“___, I didn’t want to be harsh but he’s not coming back. Even if it’s not with Iwa, please… please get over him.”

You finally turned and gave her a meaningful look, tears now coming to your eyes. Your friend’s mouth fell slightly ajar and realizing just how harsh her truth had been, she got up from your kitchen table and walked over to you to envelop you in a hug as you came undone.

---

A total of three weeks passed, and you finally admitted to yourself that you missed Iwa but it was clearly too late to fix anything. Calling him up would just get you ignored (and rightfully so) and you couldn’t bear to send another text message after ghosting him. Instead you watered your ex’s plants and focused on your classes.

Your best friend had forgiven you for your cruelty even though she let you know she was still suffering from Oikawa’s wrath on your behalf, so instead you decided to distract yourself by going out with other friends and picking up new hobbies.

A girl you were getting to know from class was very excited about a new high-end gym that had opened with nice amenities including a pool and a sauna and free physical training sessions with membership so you indulged her by going as a guest on a weekend.

You had to admit that the place was beautiful, and you made a beeline for the elliptical, a tried and true contraption. She had been making a fuss about one of the instructors being attractive which you had in all honesty paid very little attention to, until she dragged you by the arm to hiss into your ear.

“There he is, don’t look too obviously.”

You turned to find yourself staring straight at Iwaizumi Hajime, physical trainer.

“Oh shit, he’s looking at you,” she whispered, but you were already making your way to the exit. “Wait, where are you going?”

Your pace had gone from a walk to almost a run.

“____!” you heard him call behind you as you scurried as fast as you could off of the premises. Embarrassing. So, so embarrassing.

His voice was starting to sound aggravated, and your run stuttered to a standstill. What were you doing? Running from someone because you told them you didn’t want to date them?

He caught up to you in the parking lot and he no longer smiled; there was a tinge of mild irritation that graced his facial expression as he looked at you.

“Please stop running from me. You don’t need to make it awkward… I... I’m not thinking about it.” He glanced away at the last statement, but you knew he was being sincere while you were being ridiculous.

“I’m sorry,” you muttered, and you thought maybe you would say more but he cut you off.

“You don’t have to be sorry. Have a good workout. If you need any help, I’m available, as are the other instructors.”

Professional and curt, he bowed before turning, and before you realized what you were doing, you found yourself tugging onto the sleeve of his shirt to hold him back. When he looked back to you again, while he didn’t give you the fierce scowl he reserved for Oikawa, his expression was still harsh as he looked down at you, waiting to see what you had to say.

What did you want to say? You already said you were sorry, there wasn’t much else to add.

Words failed you and you recoiled ever so slightly. He sighed audibly, and turned fully to face you.

“___, please don’t play with my feelings.”

You deflated as he waited just a few more moments for you to come up with the courage to say you still wanted him, and when you were unable to come up with the words, he bowed again, and returned to the building. 

Moments later, you texted your friend to tell her you were sorry, but you were going home immediately.

---

It was a few minutes past 9pm and you had all but forgotten the sting of Iwa’s words as you focused on homework, listening to lo-fi music to help you concentrate. Your phone buzzed once, and you expected maybe your classmate to yell at you again for ditching her, but instead you found a message from Iwa. 

I’m sorry for speaking to you that way.

Your heart thumped hard once in your chest, and you flipped your phone over to get back to work, but it was too late. Your concentration was shot for the night.

I’m ready to listen to whatever you have to say, a second message read.

What would happen if you wore your heart on your sleeve just one more time? 

Iwa called you before you could call him, and this time you picked up, breathing a hesitant “Hello?” into the phone.

“___, I like you. A lot,” he paused, as those words sank into your heart. “I’m sorry, I wanted to get that out of the way.”

“I do, too,” you replied just as quickly. 

Another pause. You swallowed hard and continued,

“I just don’t want to hurt you.”

His reply was fast. “You couldn’t if you tried.”

You frowned. “You don’t understand… I still think I have some unresolved feelings for someone else, and I just… I don’t want to wrong you in the long run.”

Another pause. You pressed your eyes shut, anticipating the worst, whatever it was. It felt as though you were on the line for ages, until suddenly Iwa finally spoke.

“Try me.”

“What?” Your shock was audible, and he repeated himself. 

“Use me if you need to.”

You couldn’t believe what he was saying. 

“But-”

“I know we’ve only been seeing each other for a short time, but I can’t explain it… I know I’m willing to risk it.” The confidence in his voice was almost shocking, and it made your heart swell. 

“Hajime…” 

“May I come over?”

---

The conversation ended with Iwa promising you that he’d make you forget your ex, your faces now just inches from each other, him hovering above you as you laid on your back in the comfort of your bed, eyes feasting on his exemplary physique. Starting up where you left off just three weeks prior, you held onto him for dear life as his hips rolled against you, his body pistoning into you carefully and precisely, his hands gentle and steady, and both of your hearts full.

If you were worried about using him, then don’t. Use him as much as you need to. He was giving you permission, is what he said.

Would you take advantage of him? 

Now that you were in his embrace, you found it unlikely: for the very first time in a year, you knew that while you weren’t in love yet, you could feel yourself falling very, very soon.

[unknownwriting]

Summary- going on a date

Character(s)- Kaminari Denki, Kirishima Eijiro, Mina Ashido, Aizawa Shōta

Warnings- just so one comes for me, everyones aged up!!, besides that none :)

Notes- ahh look at me trying to expanding my fandoms

Kaminari Denki

Definitely an arcade date. A simple yet fun idea.

Of course when he invites you, it mostly as a joke. He’s not expecting you to actually answer. But when you did this man is like so excited. If he could he would’ve planned the date that day but of course he waits till the weekend.

It’s a casual date, nothing to fancy just the 2 of you enjoy the little things. It’s one of those dates that feel like a date yet at the same time doesn’t.

It’s like those dates y’all see in like those cheesy romance movies. It’s a very cute date 🥺💕

Of course y’all don’t spend the whole date at the arcade, it was just the first out of many spots. Y’all basically play till y’all can’t anymore then go out to eat.

Y’all end up chatting about anything and everything, whatever topic pops up yall talk about it. At one point you make him charge you phone, limited his ability to talk. But you end up talking the most anyways.

After y’all had eat and enjoyed a dessert or 2, the 2 of y’all go a goof off at some random park. Talking on the swings, climbing up the monkey bars, petting to local cats.

Over all the date was just a simple one but it was probably the best one Denki has ever had and will have.

Before the date, he knew you only as a classmate, not knowing the small things about you. After the date he learns and remembers all the little things about you.

Your favorite color, your dream pet, what you what to do as a side job, how you wanna help people. All the little things.

Denki felt so unbelievably happy when the date was over. He hasn’t be on many dates before more like none so going on a date with you, and it being an actual date made him so happy. Y’all are definitely gonna be going in more dates from now on

Kirishima Eijiro

Unlike Denki, dates with Kirishima take a bit more time to plan. Kirishima loves to go hiking, so why not go on a hiking date with him.

You honestly had never been on one so you have no idea what y’all would even do but you decided to go along with it. It something new for you to try and plus Kirishima seemed really happy when he was talking about it.

You clearly underestimate him and the date. By a lot. To start of with, y’all met up together just as the sun had reached over the horizon. It was to early.

2nd, he just had to pick the most ‘manliest’ trail. It was an gorgeous trail, don’t think it wasn’t. There were so many animals, birds, and beautiful flowers. But also bugs, and awkward wooden stairs and rocks, and a lot of walking. At that point you weren’t sure if this was a date or extra training.

However, you went along with it. Although it wasn’t your thing, it was nice change of pace and something else fun to try. The date wasn’t bad either, the two of y’all cracked jokes, chatted about the latest gossip at the school and about y’all’s works study, and just talking about random topics.

At one point y’all ended up holding hands and walking shoulder to shoulder, until however the 2 of y’all didn’t even know how or when y’all did it. The only time y’all noticed it was when Kirishima tried to head off into a bush to pee but next he knew you just continued to follow him. His flustered face was so unmanly.

After hours and hours of talking, sunset came and you noticed that y’all weren’t near the entrance of the trail. You brought your concern with him, but he simply smiled, grabbed you hand once again and asked, “Trust me. You’ll love it.”

There was no way you couldn’t trust that smile. So you continued to follow him until the sun began to dip under the horizon. And an hour before the light had disappeared completely, Kirishima brought you to a lovely field and a small picnic area

You were speechless, you were definitely not expecting that. It was so strange yet cute. So while you stood there, speechless, Kirishima began to unpack a bunch of snacks, of course ones that didn’t need to be referated. Once he set them all out, he looked back at you and smiled sheepishly, “Hehe, I hope you don’t mind a pinic date.” 

and of course you loved it. The date lasted on for about 2 more hours before yall decided to head back. Although the walk back was scary and surprising a lot shorter bc he apparently knew a short cut, it was still fun. The date was very new and nice, it was very different from any date you went on before. So this just might become a regular thing for you.

Mina Ashido 

a night out on the town all the way. Kinda like Kaminari but not at the same time...

Even though the date is technically at night. The 2 of y’all spend the day together anyways. Not going out and partying, but lazing around the house doing nothing. Mina liked to call it your girl time where y’all gossip, watch rom-coms, fantasize about the future, sending each other memes, simply stuff like that.

It wasn’t until around 5 when the date was finally starting. Y’all would get all dressed up, do each other’s make up, complement the hell out of each other, flirt, and try on like 5 different outfits before finally heading out.

The night started off relatively calm. The 2 of y’all would start the date off by going out to dinner at a somewhat fancy restaurant. Where y’all would continued to gossip and talk about random things.

After the dinner date the 2 of y’all would sneak off to an ice cream parlor and enjoy an ice or 2 together. Completely ruining y’all’s outfits. Besides the dinner date and the ice cream, everything after that wasn’t planned at all. It was all up to Mina where y’all would go.

To the club! Is the first place Mina’s gonna drag you too. It was popular club too where citizens, heroes and even villains would attend. The only rule that’s enforced at the clubs is: no sharing your real identity with a stranger. Besides that it’s a free for all.

Dancing, drinking, partying. They do it all, and y’all definitely do it all. Of course still having a sense of responsibility, y’all don’t drink too much but y’all definitely make that up on the dance floor.

While dancing you even ran into a few friends and decided to join their little party. Y’all did everything: drinking games, dance, encourage fights, ate till y’all couldn’t stand, threw it all up in the bathroom then did it again. You were pretty sure you saw some people from the league of villains but who cares. You were on a date not a night patrol.

Of course y’all aren’t super human well technically you are butttt so eventually even y’all had to call it quiets. It was around 3 am tho. It was a good thing that y’all didn’t have work in the morning. So the 2 of y’all said you goodbyes and slowly stumbled y’all’s way back to your apartment. Both of y’all took turned carrying each

As soon as y’all go home y’all had enough energy go pull off your outfits before crashing on the bed make up and all. The next morning, or next afternoon Mina was the first to wake up so she was quick to get dress and clean up before she began to make breakfast for you and a hot drink. When you woke up Mina was quick to check up on you and make sure you were feeling ok.

Once again y’all spent the day doing nothing and relaxing with each. And after a night like that, y’all couldn’t ask for more.

Aizawa Shōta

This man is like so romantic...when he wants to be lol. It really all just depends on his mood. Normally a date with him would be a very simple and easy going one.

Because he is a teacher, there’s a lot of time where’s he stuck grading papers and when that happens, He loves to cuddle up with you under a blanket and while you watch a movie or read or play on your phone he’ll grade the papers. Taking many breaks of course.

Most of the time his breaks will consist of him complaining about how one of his students didn’t get a question right or didn’t even answer it or just put something crazy. Most of the time he’s not to talkative but when it comes to school, especially his students, he won’t shut up. So you let him rant, you enjoy hearing this stories too anyways. His students are amazing.

Occasionally if it’s a simple worksheet with an answer sheet he made before hand, He’ll make you grade the papers while he sleeps or does something else. You love when this happens cause then your can give them a few extra points just bc.

Of course the date is not grading papers with him. The date comes after. Once all the papers are graded, the 2 of y’all would put in some relatively decent clothes and head out to the nearest coffee shop. A chance to get y’all out of the house and a nice breath of fresh air. Normally it’s your idea to go on the date but Aizawa always loves it.

Once y’all reach the cafe that’s when Aizawa would normally take over the date. He’ll either find something else he wants to do like see a movie or take a walk in the part the. Something he’ll just want to go back to the appointment and just sleep and relax.

It really doesn’t matter what y’all do. Aizawa’s the type of person to just savor the time spent with you. As long as he’s with you he doesn’t mind what y’all do. With thag in mind, he would prefer to just lay around the house and cuddle but he’s also open to your date ideas.

Like I said before Aizawa can be one hell of a charmer when it comes down to it. So when y’all go on actually dates. He knows exactly how to dress, act, and what do it. It’s almost like a completely different person but his lazy reaction remind you he’s still the same man you fell in love with.

Even the romantic dates are simple, going out to eat at a fancy restaurant and going out for a walk hand in hand. If y’all do something too exciting, he thinks it will take away from your beauty and distract him so that he’a not focused on you. So he keeps the dates simple so that he won’t have any distractions from you.

To others y’all’s dates might be too simple and boring, but y’all love them. The dates aren’t about seeing how much y’all could do together, it about spending time with each. So if all y’all do it go off to some cafe that’s around the block and talk, y’all are completely happy and satisfied.

[2257-blr]

Behind your back pt 1 | Phillip Gallagher

imagine; youve been keeping a secret from everyone around you, rather than tell Lip, your boyfriend, you fabricate a lie to make him hate you.

WARNING: none

The soul-crushing truth. It ate away at me with every thought that consisted of him, and you can imagine how bad it was whenever he clouded my mind. It wanted out, it clawed at the barriers I made surrounding it wanting to be set free, it didn't care who it hurt in the process. It wanted to be known. But it couldn't come out. They'd look at me differently. He'd look at me differently. Lip.

He knew something was up, whether it was my tedious steps or paranoia that had seemed to be more noticeable than I had thought, he had brought it up with me a couple of times. But I always held up a front — confused —  unsure of what he was talking about but I knew, he was the one that was uninformed because I knew it all, I knew what was behind those barriers, what was so desperately trying to be set free. But he couldn't know.

I was sitting at the dinner table at the Gallaghers', trying to stop my heart from beating so fast and my leg nervously bounced on the ball of my foot under the table. My eyes were frantic scared someone would see through the cracks of my facade. Lip hadn't noticed. His eyes were trained on the bacon he was making me. Although it was around 9 pm and they had dinner hours ago. He knew something was wrong and he thought food might help. It wouldn't, but it helped the ache in my heart knowing that he cared for me.

But I can't be near him without feeling guilty, sick to my stomach kind of guilt, the one that isn't always so suffocating but is always there, in the back of my mind when our eyes meet or when his lips touch mine, guilt. Scared he'd find out what I'd done and hate me for it. I was scared for him to let me go, but maybe I'd have to let go of him first. Maybe he needed me gone, to stop the worry to stop him from hurting more than he already did.

"Hey, Lip. Oh, Jesus, Y/n you look like shit" Fiona said, rushing down the stairs causing my leg to freeze but my heartbeat increased as I frantically looked at her and back to my feet. I'm sure I was being subtle, but the pain in my chest increased. I felt so small, so weak. So, so weak.

"I-I'm fine," I say, glancing at Lip who had finally taken his eyes off the food and now had a growing look of concern on his face. I lean myself towards him, my mind scrambling, although he's so far from me, leaning makes me feel as though I'm standing beside him, trying to find the safety of his arms but I'm so goddamn far. "I'm alright, Lip. I promise." I reassured him, and myself.

He wasn't convinced, neither was I honestly. Fiona wasn't dumb either, she knew I wasn't okay. I didn't hide it as well as I thought, I knew they could see clear as day but I couldn't fix this, them bringing it up to me won't change anything. They don't want to know what's hiding within me, hell, I'd pay someone to make me forget it. But I lived it, It was me. I made the decision, no one else, me.

"We have movie night tonight, don't forget" Fiona reminds us, but I don't even hear her. My thoughts grew louder and the scratches began to feel real. I needed out of here. I couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm not actually that hungry. I'll come by later, I just need to get some fresh air right now" I scramble from my seat, rushing past Lip and Fiona. I notice Lip reach for me but his hand stops halfway and drops by his side, instead he painfully watches me as I nearly trip over my own feet, grabbing whatever coat was on the hanger since I knew it would be at least brisk outside.

Stepping outside I was glad I grabbed the coat, I shut the door behind me before trying to get off Gallagher's plot of land as fast as I could, and I felt somewhat at ease once I had exited their gate and began walking down the street, although the thought was still in the back of my mind. It felt better, not so suffocating.

Whenever I was around Lip it felt like I had a million voices screaming at me, wanting me to let the monster out of the cage. So tired of the constant scratching, the constant sinking feeling. I knew these were my own twisted thoughts speaking but I couldn't help but listen, Lip deserved better than me. A girl who lies to him just to hide the truth. Maybe this was better, for us both.

I continued walking, one foot in front of the other until I felt a hand latch onto my forearm, I instantly jolted away unsure of who they were until I saw his concerned blue eyes, I knew he wouldn't leave me out alone long, probably thought I needed a second alone but he probably just made the worst mistake running after me. Now I had to hurt the guy that I love with my entire heart. My entire body.

"Look, Y/n. You're going through shit alright, but I'm here. Don't push me away. Because when I was going through shit, you were there for me alright" Lip spoke, he sounded so fierce with his words yet they were so soft as well, warming me from the inside out. Pushing away from the guilt that gnawed at me. He was the one thing that distracted me but how could he also be the one thing that brought it so heavily into my head. "Just... Just talk to me."

I tried to look away, knowing that what I had to say was something neither of us wanted to hear, but it needed to be said. I'd rather tell him this lie than tell him the truth. He'd hate me but I'd prefer it this way. That way he never knows or has to. I feel his hand press lightly against my turned cheek, lightly pulling me back to face him. Revealing the tears that had spilled down from my eyes and the tears building up in his. He knew.

"I can't do this anymore, Lip. I'm so tired and I just need a break from this" I say, his hand falters from my face slightly before he places his hand on my opposite cheek, now with both of his hands holding my face, I'm unsure of his next words but I don't stop "Us. I can't do us anymore Lip, It was never going to work"

He shakes his head, the tears fall "Shut the fuck up. Alright, shut up. You don't mean that — you can't mean that." He kisses me "We love each other." Another kiss "Whatever you're going through, doesn't have to make us end like this" He shakes my head — not hard — trying to rid the thoughts that had compelled me to do this, but I grab his wrists and pull away but he only fights back harder, grabbing my own wrists in his hands leaving us stuck. "You don't get to do this, not now. Please" He begs.

"Fuck, Lip." I think, think of a way to make him hate me... I got it. I let go of his wrists, so now he's only holding mine. "There's someone else. I've been seeing someone else. And I-" The lie feels like acid on my tongue, and my nostrils burn but I continue "I love him, I'm sorry Lip"

He hasn't said a word, he hadn't even looked at me. How do you even react to a bomb like this, we were happy and now this. What had happened, oh, that's right. I fucked it all up. But this was going to happen one way or another whether it was from this lie or the truth. He lets go of my wrists, I had already let go prior. His head was bowed, I felt shameful. I let him down.

He finally looked up at me, with those beautiful blue eyes I fell for, the ones that held love, concern, happiness but now... now they looked enraged, betrayed, disgusted. I'd had rather die than known this look from Lip. He never looked down at me as much as he did right now. Hell, he'd probably never seen me like that ever.

"Don't ever fucking come near me again" He turns away from me and continues the walk back to his house but he stops, he fucking stops and he turns before saying "I should've seen it coming, dating a skank like you" With those last venomous words, he leaves. I hear the door slam shut behind him.

I stand frozen, appalled by my lie. I fell to the ground, leaning against the gate to the house I was unsure of. I hated myself so much for hurting him, for losing his trust that I would never gain back. But I reminded myself it was better this way. It was, for the both of us.

Now he'd never have to know about our miscarriage...

***

He slammed the front door behind him, his mind was swirling and he couldn't think straight. He wanted to punch something or — preferably the guy that had been fucking his girl — someone. He ignored the looks of concern on his family's face who were all sitting in the living room getting ready to watch a movie.

Lip hadn't seen it when he first entered but there was a spot on the end of the couch, enough space for two people. You and him. You were always there for movie night, Debbie would have your head if you didn't come. He wouldn't be surprised if Debbie is more hurt by the break up than him.

It felt surreal when he finally made it to his room, glad that no one was inside. He wanted to breathe, he didn't want to break anything but he wanted to break things like you had broken his heart. But hell, not even he was that merciless. He wanted to scream his throat raw and cry his sockets dry. But he felt so numb, so lost, so conflicted on his emotions that it frustrated him more.

"Fuck!" He yelled, slamming his hand into the wall. Ouch. Bad choice. But after the pain seared away, he wanted to do it again. You left his mind for a split second there. He knew that his pain wasn't in his chest but his hand. So he did it again. And again. Again. Aga- He heard the door open and he stopped. After a second, the pain faded and it reformed in his chest, your smile fading back into his mind. Dammit.

He could tell by the perfume that lingered around him that it wasn't one of his brothers, but his big sister. He wanted to cry, he felt so weak under her stare. So broken. Like he was some rusty ass toy that she had just found at the back of her closet. So overused and fragile. That's what you caused. He hated you so much right now.

"Lip... Your hand." Fiona points out, he notices the blood but he's silent, he moves away from her and sits on Ian's bed with his head in his hands. He wasn't even sure she was still in the room until he felt the bed sink beside him. "What happened? Where's Y/n?"

Y/n... Just your name, that's all it took for him to relive the moment all over again. The tears falling down your face, as you told him the truth. The distance that you had created between the two of you was so noticeable it hurt him, had you been so careless on purpose, did you want him to hurt, what had he done to deserve such pain from you. The love of his life.

"She loves someone else..." He mutters, it's hard to hear the words come from his own mouth. He wants someone to pinch him so he wakes up to find you sleeping soundly beside him, head on his chest and your legs tangled together but this wasn't a dream, if it was anything it was his worst nightmare. "She fucking loves someone else."

Lip hadn't noticed but Ian was now standing at the door, he heard the words that were said and that seemed to hang in the air. None of them knew what to do with it so it stayed floating waiting for someone to say something but what do you say to someone that had just lose their other half.

"Are you sure? I mean it's Y/n we're talking ab-" Fiona tries to make sure she's hearing things right, she knew you, you loved Lip more than life itself. There was no fucking way you had found someone else, someone new to love.

"Seeing as she just fucking ending things with me because there was someone else might be a clear fucking sign of that" He snaps at her, he doesn't mean to but he can't find a way to diminish this anger. Lip was now standing before Fiona, anger clear on his face as he felt a hand land on his shoulder. He turned to see Ian. His brother had been there for him his entire life. And he was here now. Of course, he was. Lip couldn't help but give him a small smile before it fell and Lip looked at his brother hoping he had the answer "What did I do wrong?"

Ian shook his head as Lip fell into his arms, sobs racking his body as he couldn't hold himself up anymore. They had seen Lip cry but never like this, never to the point of barely being able to hold himself up.

He loved you with every bit of himself, and when he lost you, well, he lost as much as he loved with.

[flowerfan2]

The Whipped Cream Incident

McDanno, 3k, A03, M

Summary:  Pretty much what it says on the tin... the story of the whipped cream incident, as referred to in Risky Business (although you don’t have to have read that story to enjoy this one).

Steve’s had just enough whiskey to feel comfortably warm, when for some inexplicable reason, he blurts it out.

 Danny’s eyes go wide, and Steve kind of forgets what he just said.  Danny’s eyes are crazy blue right now, picking up the color of his shirt.  He takes Steve’s breath away.  

 Danny moves closer to Steve, poking him with a finger until he focuses.  “Steven. What are you talking about? Slowly, this time.  Like a human.”

 Steve aims a serious look at Danny. He loves it when Danny pretends Steve is a Neanderthal.  It’s charming.  “I just said I hadn’t done it before you, that’s all.”

 Danny narrows his baby blues at Steve. “Done what?”

 “Sex with a guy.”  Steve doesn’t understand why Danny looks so surprised. He’d thought it had been pretty obvious, what with being completely closeted for so many years, and most of those in the military.

 Danny abruptly stands up.  “You maybe should have mentioned this,” he says, waving an arm around.  “We’ve been together for weeks.  Months-”

 “One month, three weeks, two days,” Steve corrects him.  “If you count from that first kiss in the hospital.  If you count from when we got to Kono’s-”

 Danny glares at him.  “You should have said something.”  

 “Why?  Does it matter?”  Steve pushes down a pang of hurt.  

 A look that Steve absolutely cannot interpret flashes across Danny’s face, and then Danny shakes his head and sighs.

 “No, of course not.  Of course not.  But we will be talking about this later.  When we are less…”  Danny waves his hand around, apparently indicating their general state of inebriation.

 Steve grins, nodding.  Fine with him.  Danny grabs Steve’s hand and pulls him upright.  Steve presses himself up against Danny’s muscled chest and is rewarded with a long, whiskey sloppy kiss.

 “Mmm,” Danny says, briefly going boneless against him.  “Let’s go upstairs and lie down before we fall down, sound good?”  

 Steve drapes an arm around Danny’s waist as they make haste towards the stairs.  “Aye aye, sir.”

 *****

In the morning, Steve wakes early and goes for a swim, as he usually does.  Unfortunately instead of clearing his mind, it gives him too much time to think.

 He doesn’t really believe Danny could be mad at him for not being experienced with guys.  But it could be something related, something about identity, and that’s always a hard subject, especially for Steve, who has avoiding thinking about it for most of his life.

 Although Danny has always played it close to the chest too.  As far as Steve knows, none of their friends or teammates knew that Danny was bi until he and Steve got together.  

 Danny has told Steve about how he dated a guy in college, and he and Danny spent one memorable evening on the beach talking about their male celebrity crushes, but Steve has never volunteered many details about his own sexual history.  There’s not much to tell, at least not where guys are concerned.

 When Steve gets back to shore Danny is there, smiling softly as he hands him the towel Steve left on the sand.

 “Morning, handsome,” Danny says, stretching up to kiss Steve’s damp face.  

 Steve feels a rush of warmth, and bumps his shoulder against Danny’s as they walk back to the house.  Danny’s not mad, of course not.  Although the fact that Danny’s already got breakfast laid out on the table on the lanai may be a signal that they’re about to have a <i>talk.</i>  Steve figures he might as well head it off, so they can get back to enjoying their weekend.

 “I’m sorry if you got the wrong idea, but it’s true.  I’ve never had sex with a guy before.”

 “Okay,” Danny says mildly, sitting down at the table and stirring some sugar into his coffee.

 “Why did you think I did?”

 Danny stretches out his feet in front of him.  “I’ve been trying to figure that out.  I think it was when we were at Kono’s, one of those first nights, sitting outside in her backyard.  Remember?”

 Steve thinks back fondly to the misty garden behind Kono’s little Seattle home.  “Yeah, I remember.”

 “We were kissing,” Danny says, “and you said you forgot the feel of it.”  Danny leans over and rubs Steve’s cheek with the back of his hand. “Stubble, you said something like you forgot what it felt like to kiss someone with stubble, but you liked it.” Danny cups his hand around Steve’s jaw and smiles.  “So we kissed some more.”

 Steve feels himself blush.  “I did like it.”  He takes a sip from coffee that Danny has left black, just as he prefers. “And I have kissed guys before. Two, actually.”

 “But you never went any further, is that it?”

 Steve nods.  “Yeah.  One was in high school – just a make-out session under the bleachers, very cliché. He wouldn’t give me the time of day the next morning in class, and then I moved to the mainland not long afterwards.”

 “And the second?”

 Steve shrugs.  “Another teams guy.  Years and years ago.  We actually probably would have gone further, we were drunk and stupid with it, but we got interrupted.”

 Danny looks concerned.  “Did you get into trouble?”

 “Nah, no one saw anything.  But it put the fear of god into me, you know? I couldn’t let DADT ruin my career.”

 “So you stuck to women.”

 “Or, you know, just doing my job.”

 Danny looks sad for a moment, and Steve braces himself for another round of <i>poor Steve, he doesn’t let anybody in, too focused on his work to find someone to love,</i> but Danny doesn’t go there.

 “But you, um, you like what we’ve been doing?”

 Steve hears it then, the slight echo of insecurity in Danny’s voice.  Danny hadn’t realized he was leading this charge, that it had been on him, to the extent such a thing was even necessary, to make sure they did things right, and now he’s worried.  Classic Danny.

 He gets up and pulls Danny out of his chair, winding his arms around Danny’s fantastic shoulders.  “I love <i>everything</i> we do together,” he says, letting his voice rumble low into Danny’s ear.  “I wouldn’t have picked anyone else to take my boy-virginity.”

 As intended, this makes Danny laugh out loud, and Steve ducks in to kiss him while his mouth is still open. Danny responds enthusiastically and starts to tug Steve inside.

 “What about the pancakes?”  Steve asks, trying to keep kissing Danny while stumbling into the house.

 “We can reheat them,” Danny says.

 “Hypocrite,” Steve gasps out, as Danny shoves Steve’s swim trunks off his hips and tosses them onto the couch. “You never want to microwave pancakes.”

 “Is that really the conversation you want to be having right now?”  Danny asks, looking up at Steve from where he’s crouched down on the floor, sliding his hands enticingly along Steve’s bare thighs.

 “Just saying,” Steve insists, even as his breath flies out of him in response to the heat of Danny’s mouth on his cock.

 Danny rolls his eyes with his mouth still busy, which is quite a sight, and Steve lets the banter go in favor of letting out a nice, long moan.  He loves when Danny sucks him off, and loves sucking Danny off.  And Danny seems to love it too, giving and receiving.  It’s a sucking off love fest.

 Afterwards, lying on the floor in the living room while the air slowly heats up with the morning sun, the rug underneath them slightly scratchy against Steve’s skin, Danny rolls towards Steve and props himself up on an elbow.

 “I have a confession to make,” Danny says.

 Steve mirrors Danny.  “Oh?”

 “I assumed, you, um, had more experience with guys than I did.”

 “Well, I don’t,” Steve says, wondering why they’re going over this again.

 “No, I mean…”  Danny flops over on his back and throws an arm over his eyes. “I honestly don’t know if I can even say this.”

 “Because words are usually so hard for you.”

 Danny kicks a foot in Steve’s direction, and Steve pins it with his leg.  He rolls over and flops on Danny’s chest, sticking his tongue out to taste the sweat trickling in between Danny’s well defined pecs.

 “Are you trying to distract me?” Danny asks.

 “Maybe you’re distracting me.”

 Danny huffs out a laugh and slides a hand up and down Steve’s back.  “Okay, whatever, just…”  Danny takes a breath and then his words come out in a rush.  “I think I was sort of waiting for you to take the lead with some stuff, even though that’s dumb, but maybe you were waiting for me to do it, and I want you to be, you know, good with stuff, with us together, and, yeah, I don’t even know.”

 Steve peels Danny’s arm off his face and looks him in the eyes.  “Danny, I am absolutely good with stuff, with us.  If you’re worried that you’ve somehow pushed me into anything-”

 “No, that’s not it.”

 “Well, you haven’t.”  Steve squints at Danny.  “Is it the opposite?  Are you bored?”  Steve has been pretty satisfied with what they do in bed – or out of it – handjobs and blowjobs and various forms of rutting up against each other.  It’s always fun, and sexy, and he has no complaints whatsoever.

 Danny barks out a cackle, and then sits up, grabbing Steve’s discarded swim trunks and throwing them at his head. “No, you crazy person, I’m not bored.”

 “But you think I’m too vanilla?” Steve asks, loving the way Danny’s face flushes pink at this.

 “No, you’re not, what does that even mean, we’re grown-ass men,” Danny protests, his blush intensifying.

 “Grown-ass men can have fun, too,” Steve says, waggling his eyebrows.

 “I love how you think that face belongs in this conversation,” Danny says, but he’s smiling happily back at Steve. “And I didn’t mean you were too vanilla, whatever hipster meaning that has, but if you want to do other stuff, you know, we could, that’s all.”  Danny’s clearly more than a little uncomfortable about this conversation, but he’s powering through.

 Steve is intrigued, and more than that, ridiculously charmed by Danny, even in the middle of what should be an awkward talk about sex.  Every day he falls further for this guy.  “Come shower with me, I’ll show you how much fun grown-ass men can have,” Steve says, getting to his feet and reaching down to pull Danny up.  It’s the weekend.  They can mess around all day, if they want.  This is his life now, and he loves it.

 “Yeah?”  Danny asks.  “Okay. But only if we can take more than three minutes.  I’m not interested in one of your ridiculous Navy showers.”

 Steve grins and gives Danny a lecherous wink.  “I’ll do my best.  Age does have its benefits.”  Steve ignores Danny’s groan in favor of pinching his naked butt as they run up the stairs.

 ****

The next morning, Steve is in the kitchen putting away groceries when Danny comes downstairs.  Danny’s just finished his shower, and he’s naked except for a towel slung low around his hips.  It’s a really good look.  

 Steve grins to himself, checking to make sure that the supplies he selected are within easy reach, and turns to Danny.

 “Morning, handsome,” Danny says, walking right into Steve’s arms for a kiss.

 “Look who’s talking,” Steve rumbles into Danny’s mouth.  Danny is warm all over from his shower, and he smells great, clean and fresh but still himself underneath.  Steve spreads his legs and leans back against the sink, pulling Danny in close.  

 “Didja miss me?”  Danny asks, resting his weight against Steve and wrapping his arms around his shoulders.  Steve can feel the moisture from Danny’s damp chest through his t-shirt.

 “Always,” Steve says.  He nips at Danny’s ear, and Danny hums, pressing his towel wrapped hips enticingly up against Steve’s body.  “Wanna take this upstairs?”

 Danny tilts his head back and gazes up at Steve.  “I’m good,” he says, humor pulling at his lips.  

 Okay then, Steve thinks, looking around his sunny kitchen as all the blood in his body rushes south.  Might work better, anyway.  He twists to the side, which brings certain very interested parts of his body into even closer contact with Danny’s.

 “I bought something,” Steve says, or tries to, his breath catching as Danny sucks a kiss into the side of his neck.

 “Yeah?” Danny asks, still concentrating on Steve’s neck, sliding lower to get to the tender skin just under his collarbone before pulling back for a moment to strip Steve’s t-shirt off.

 The pause gives Steve a chance to reach into the bag on the counter, and he pulls out a bottle of whipped cream, presenting it to Danny with a smile.

 “Oh no, you did not,” Danny says, his eyes going bright with interest.  “Is that for…?”

 “Ice cream sundaes,” Steve replies, trying not to smile.

 “Right.”  Danny slides his hands up Steve’s chest, his fingertips giving extra attention to his pecs and nipples.  “Sundaes.”  Danny flicks at a nipple, and Steve gasps as Danny quickly soothes it with his tongue.

 “Danny,” Steve breathes out, one hand sliding down Danny’s body as Danny turns his attention to his other nipple. Soon he’s sucking at one while he flicks rhythmically at the other.  Steve shudders.

 “You like this, don’t you?” Danny whispers, his breath hot on Steve’s skin.  Steve doesn’t answer, but he figures the way he’s practically panting and trying to worm his way into Danny’s skin probably does the trick.

 Steve gives in to it, head tilting back, body on fire.  He’s not sure what Danny is trying to accomplish, but he definitely likes it. He whines a little as Danny straightens back up, his mouth tracing kisses up Steve’s chest.

 “Fuck,” Steve says.  “Danny…”  The towel around Danny’s hips slips to the floor as Steve gets a grip on Danny’s ass, giving him a squeeze.

 Danny grunts his appreciation, then leans back as his hands fall to Steve’s waist.  “Let’s get rid of these.”  He tugs at the denim.  “I think they’re in the way.”

 Steve nods and Danny goes to work on Steve’s jeans, popping the button and easing the zip down until he can get his hand on Steve’s cock.  Damn, that feels good.

 “So,” Danny says, almost conversationally, as he strokes Steve, “what are your plans for the whipped cream, hm?”

 Steve has pretty much forgotten about the whipped cream bottle he’s still gripping in his right hand, and he struggles to get the top off of it as Danny continues to palm his dick and whisper low and rough into his ear.

 “Gonna spray it somewhere?” Steve sucks in a breath as Danny’s hand twists a little as he comes up over the tip.  “Gonna spray it on me, and then lick it up?” Danny growls, licking a stripe up Steve’s neck as if in anticipation.

 Steve hasn’t really thought through what, exactly, was going to happen with the whipped cream, but spraying it on Danny was the general idea.  He can’t get the right angle on the bottle, though, not while Danny is doing <i>that thing</i> to him that makes him shake, but he’s trying, holding it behind Danny’s shoulders so he can get both hands on it.

 “Or maybe I should put it on you,” Danny says, his hand slowing, just holding gently now.  Steve groans and thrusts up into Danny’s hand, not wanting him to stop.  “I could put a little dab just here,” Danny runs a finger along Steve’s length, and then suck you down-”

 Just then, three things happen in quick succession.

 An all too familiar voice shouts in surprise from the doorway.

 Danny’s hips thrust hard against Steve’s.

 And Steve sprays the kitchen, and a very shocked Junior, with whipped cream.

 By the time they regain their wits, Junior is long gone, shouting “I didn’t see anything, oh my god, sirs, I’m sorry, I saw nothing, I’m leaving!”  They hear the front door slam, and stare at each other, before breaking out into uncontrollable laughter.  Danny slides his hands out of Steve’s pants and sinks to the floor, curled up over his stomach as he gasps for air, and Steve falls down next to him.

 “You’re naked,” Steve finally says, sucking in a breath, and Danny looks down at himself, sitting on the floor starkers, and cackles.

 “I know!”

 “Junior saw you-”

 “I know!”

 “With the whipped…”

 “I know!”

 There’s a clinking sound and they see Eddie, who has cornered the bottle of whipped cream up against his water bowl and is licking it clean.  There’s whipped cream on the kitchen island, and on the floor, and a little bit in Danny’s hair.  Steve reaches out a finger and wipes it off, Danny glaring at him and then grabbing Steve’s finger and sticking it in his own mouth.

 Steve grins, and then reality sneaks back in.  His attempt at taking the lead and spicing things up between them didn’t exactly go as planned.

 “I’m sorry, Danny,” he says ruefully.

 “For what?”  Danny has found a splatter of whipped cream on Steve’s shoulder and is smearing it with his finger.

 “I’m sure you didn’t exactly want Junior to see you, all, you know…”

 “Butt naked and jerking off my boyfriend?”  Danny asks, grinning at Steve.  “It’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

 “You’re not upset?”

 “Do I seem upset?  Why should I be, ‘cause Junior saw my ass?  I have an awesome ass, and an awesome boyfriend. Junior’s gonna be jealous, but I can handle it.”

 Steve catches Danny’s gaze, and sees nothing but fond amusement and steady love.  “You’re really okay with this?”  Steve waves his hand, indicating the general state of disaster that is the morning’s attempt at sexytimes.

 “Are you kidding?  This is the most fun I’ve ever had.  And-” Danny stretches over and retrieves the can of whipped cream, “if you don’t mind a little dog spit, I’m pretty sure the can isn’t empty.”

 Steve laughs again, batting the can out of Danny’s hand, and planting a fierce kiss on his boyfriend’s lips, which taste deliciously of whipped cream.  It’s the most fun Steve’s ever had, too.  And he doesn’t think it’s anywhere near over.

[darkhymns-fic]

You Can Watch Over Me

Velvet catches Eizen in the middle of a nightmare. It's familiar to her - and maybe that's the reason why she wants to stay?

Fandom: Tales of Berseria Characters/Pairing: Velvet Crowe/Eizen Rating: G Mirror Link: AO3 Notes: Written for thescarfinator from the @talesofsecretsanta2020​ event! I jumped on the chance to write about Velvet seeing Eizen having a nightmare and was excited to try writing them for the first time. Happy Holidays!

-

It was harder to sleep when on the ship. Not that sleep comes to Velvet all so easily.

It wasn’t surprising at all; the Lord of Calamity should not have pleasant dreams. So she dreamed of Seres, eyes shadowed by butterfly wings, with only the memory of her remaining.  Always upon waking, Velvet’s arm would twitch.

This time she woke up in the middle of the night, leaning against the bundles of ropes that littered the deck of the Van Eltia. It was rare for her to lay down and stay exposed. She always sat up, her arm poised just against her knee. Always on guard and ready to get to her feet. But no one was nearby. 

She felt trapped on this ship sometimes. 

Getting hungry again. She clenched her fist to satiate the feeling. She could probably nibble on a few rations to help, but the lack of taste sometimes only made it worse. 

Velvet stood up easily, having long gotten used to the swaying of the ship by now. The air was quiet, though she could hear the murmur of the few crew members still up and going about their night tasks. She had no idea on the maintenance of ships, and was disinterested in watching. The salt spray from the ocean was strong this evening, but it was better than being cooped up in-between walls. Might as well stay on deck.

Raising her head, the stars were bright and numerous. The moon overhead was full, the sight of it familiar, and she turned away quickly to pace across the wooden floorboards. Maybe she kept an eye out for any hint of a sneaky Magilou, or an ear out for some out-of-the-blue laughter from Rokurou, but none of them here. Just one or two crew members, who swiftly moved out of her way, mumbling something about finishing up tasks below deck.

With less distractions, that’s when she saw Eizen, standing at the very port of the ship.

From behind, Eizen appeared to be overlooking the horizon, arms crossed, the wind lifting up his coat like outstretched wings. She rolled her eyes. She was half-convinced he was standing like this for dramatic effect. Her blade rattling in its holster, she walked up to him. “Is it common for malakhim to pull an all-nighter?” she asked him.

Eizen didn’t answer her. He was motionless, arms still crossed, much more interested in that horizon then in acknowledging Velvet that she existed. 

That just pissed her off.

“Hey! I was talking to-” She marched up to him, just about to grab his shoulder when she finally went in front of him, catching the look on his face.

His eyes were closed. He breathed evenly, slowly.

He was asleep. And he was...standing up, while he was asleep. Velvet raised an eyebrow. So some people slept even more with their guard up than she did, it seemed. 

She would have just called it a night at this point, not admitting that she was disappointed in not getting to talk to him. He'd have just blabbed about those underground tunnels again, she reasoned with herself. Or maybe he’d once again invoke the Reaper’s Curse and have the floorboards beneath their feet rot, letting them both fall into the sea.

She would have done nothing, except she saw how his face was also in pain.

It was subtle, but she heard his fast-paced breathing, and saw the way his fingers gripped his arms. Whatever he was dreaming about, it wasn’t pleasant. A phenomenon that she was much too familiar with.

Best to steer clear, or maybe he’d do something stupid and strike at her while stuck in a nightmare. But Velvet found herself by his side, her arm reaching out to him. “Eizen,” she called out. Slowly, carefully.

Eizen’s head lowered. He grimaced. He was stuck. 

Velvet poised her hand just over his shoulder. It wasn’t coincidence that it was her daemon arm that was closer to him - just in case. “Eizen,” she called out again.

He only continued to struggle. “...Nn…” Eizen shook his head, then lowered it so much that his chin made contact with his chest. “…na…”

She felt the pressure of his malak artes, just enough. It alarmed her a bit. Would he cast a spell in his sleep? She could only imagine one outcome, and a sinking ship was not in her plans.

Velvet dared, finally gripping his shoulder, bandaged fingers holding onto him. “Eizen, wake up!”

Eizen snapped his eyes open, bright blue, the color emphasizing the sudden pallor of his skin. Like a fish out of water, Eizen looked around in confusion, mouth half-parted. It took him a few seconds to finally latch his gaze onto Velvet.

“What… Edna, she’s…” he started, still half-stuck in his dream. But him speaking that name seemed to make him finally find his focus. He uncrossed his arms, one hand reaching to press against his forehead. “Agh…Velvet, why are you here?”

“Well, you don’t sound particularly grateful,” she noted. Her hand lingered on his shoulder, finally letting it slip off. She had just been hungry, that was all.

Eizen looked confused at what she meant. Then the sea breeze picked up, making the white sails above them flutter, hitting the mast. He looked around, his hair shifting along with that breeze. “I just… didn’t expect you. Why are you still up? It’s late.”

“What I do in my spare time at night isn’t of any concern to you,” she retorted.

Eizen stared. “It does if you were just watching over me as I sleep.”

Velvet mentally stumbled at that, taking up a moment to devise her answer. “I was not watching you!” Of all the stupid things this man said! “You were just standing here, how would I have known that you sleep the same way a horse does?"

“Oh, I was…” Eizen looked around him again, realizing, and that was when he seemed to be the one embarrassed now. “It’s… a malak thing. Easy to regain energy this way.”

Velvet highly doubted. “I’ve never seen Laphicet do that.”

“Well, it’s an earth malak thing, to be specific.” Eizen coughed into his fist, still avoiding her eyes. “It’s good to feel steady, so standing is just a preferred option!"

“Really.” Velvet wasn’t going to keep questioning this, and honestly, on any regular occurrence, she would have just left him to do whatever he wanted. But the paleness of his skin hadn’t left, and his hands still shook, even if the motion was so minute. Probably no one else would have even noticed.

But Velvet’s eyes were sharp.

Eizen finally turned to her, seeing her gaze, then lowered his hand. “Thanks for shaking me awake.”

“That only took you ten minutes to finally say so, but you’re welcome.” There was a wooden bench just next to them, placed against the side of the ship, and Velvet took it, moving aside her long hair to lay against the surface. “So, what did you dream?”

She knew Eizen wouldn’t tell her right away, of course. “Nothing,” he said instead, his voice low. It didn’t hold any of the strength of the earth, the unyielding magnitude of it. It came out weak and exhausted. “It was nothing.”

Velvet stared at his back, at the metal plates affixed to his coat, catching the moonlight. She stared at the rips, running symmetrically just beneath his shoulders. “Are you just going to run from it?”

That had hit a nerve, somewhere deep in this man’s pride. Eizen continued looking up at the sky before he finally went to sit down with her, though it looked more like he tumbled backwards, his legs barely holding him up anymore.

Velvet blinked. Something about the way he acted was…familiar. Too much so. She wasn’t sure how much she liked that.

“I get these most nights,” he admitted, still avoiding her gaze. Eizen sighed, his chest moving inward as he did so. “It gets awkward if I sleep in the bunkers with everyone. So I usually just… stay out here.”

Guess that’s not surprising, she couldn’t help but think. Eizen had a pride she found foolish, one that would only worsen when he was around the likes of Rokurou. But there were other times when he was humbled, when he was suddenly much subdued then he first seemed. In a way, she found that aspect of him far more compelling.

She was thinking on that too much. She brought her knee up, laying her bandaged arm around it. Loose, white strips floated along with the breeze.

“Then what was it about? Did you dream yourself losing out on a winning bid for some old rusty vase?” It was barely an exaggeration. She had seen the malak actually tear up at the thought of missing out on some relic rumored to lie within a deserted island that the ship had passed by. The currents had been rough, making it impossible to land. Eizen had sulked for the rest of the trip. ("It was a priceless Kharlan painting from the Enlightenment era! You just wouldn't understand…")

Even as Velvet acted frustrated then, she still wouldn’t admit to herself that maybe the other’s weird sentiment with such things was a little endearing. Just a little.

She expected Eizen to either be annoyed at her words, or just plain confused. But what she got was exactly nothing. Eizen sat still, hands now gripping the other as he laid his arms on his knees. She wasn’t even sure if he heard her.

“I could handle that kind of dream,” Eizen finally spoke. “This was something else.”

“Part of the Reaper’s Curse?” she asked, only half-serious. The man could stub his toe and he’d blame it on the curse over his own foolishness.

“Maybe,” he simply said. Another pause, his jacket spread out on the wooden bench like an ocean full of pitch. “They only seemed to start ever since I left her.”

Her. The name he only half-said in sleep. “Edna,” Velvet said, but did so carefully.

But Eizen wasn’t like her, furious at hearing others spill out the name of his sibling. In fact, she saw him smile, even as it twisted along with his pale skin. “Edna should be safe and sound back home. That’s why I left her, so that she could be safe. No Reaper’s Curse to put her in danger. I stand by my decision.”

He pulled on his gloves, fidgeted more in those few minutes then she had ever seen him since he first joined their group. “But, most nights… I dream up something horrible happening to her. The sky swallowing her up, or a daemon fighting her.” He pressed his boot into the floor, as if trying to dig a hole right into it. If the wooden boards had been soil, he might as well have. “I dreamt her being shot, but instead of another malak, it was really her-“

Velvet reached out again, with that same bandaged arm. But she gripped his wrist gently. “Enough,” she warned. “You’ll get lost in it, if you keep going.”

Eizen shook, then stilled. He placed one fist into the palm of his hand, squeezing it tight. “Thought you said I was running from it.”

“You were, make no mistake,” Velvet quickly answered. “But if you face it the wrong way, you’ll only get trapped in it. You’ll be devoured.” She kept her hand where it was, feeling the tension pulling at him so tightly. “Funny, usually you’re the one giving out all the tired, cliched advice.”

The laughter that came from Eizen built something inside her chest that she dared not name. She was just sleep-deprived, like he was right now. Just two people in the middle of the night, unable to swallow their fears. “Maybe you’re right. You’re not usually this patient with people, except perhaps Laphicet.”

The night breeze blew her hair away from her neck. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation. She had said the name of his sibling, it’s only fair he could say the name of hers. (But he’s not Laphi). She put down those other intruding thoughts for now.

“You just can’t let it distract you from what is real and important.” She finally let his wrist go, seeing how his eyes followed along her motion. Did he expect her to do anything else? “But, if you’ve had these dreams for that long, you probably already know that.”

Eizen took another breath, but his voice was stronger, firmer. No longer stuck. “Guess that’s true. But, it’s nice hearing someone else say it.”

“Even if that someone is a daemon?” she asked, maybe too genuine in her question.

“There’s a reason why you are what you are, and it’s made you stronger for it.” Eizen finally looked at her, his cheeks now full of color. For a so-called Reaper, he seemed to have more life in him now. “Because you get it too.”

The acknowledgement might have hit too deep. She turned away, eyes rapt onto the stars. “I do, and you’ll keep quiet about that.”

“Heh, fair enough.”

The easy acceptance Eizen took of the situation also surprised her. Her chest tightened. Again, she was just hungry. They’ve been stuck on this ship for weeks, and while ocean deamons sometimes appeared, it wasn’t enough to completely sate her arm.

“Have you ever fallen overboard?” she asked suddenly.

The look of pure confusion on Eizen’s face amused her greatly. “What? Uh… perhaps a few times actually. I don’t remember how though. Usually it’s at night when…” He paused in realization.

“You know, it'd be good if you get someone to watch over you as you sleep, or you’ll keep breaking the Van Eltia more than sailing it.” How he’d been able to deal with it, she had no clue. But the man was as stubborn as the very earth he hailed from.

“Right…” Eizen coughed, his embarrassment once again so plain on his face. “Now Aifread’s complaints back then… make a lot more sense.”

“Men like you and him need more sense ,” she spit out.

“If that’s the case… are you saying you’ll offer to watch over me?”

The smile she saw on his face was stupid and ridiculous on him. Velvet turned away more, hugging her knee close to her chest, not caring whether any of the belts or leather was pricking into her skin. “I did plenty enough. It’s ruining what little sleep I can get tonight.”

“Fine, then I’ll do the same for you.” Eizen sat back with her, just near enough for their shoulders to touch. The man was surprisingly bold. “As my way of repaying you.”

“Huh.” Velvet scoffed, clenching her bandaged fist before looking over at Eizen, his face nearly impassive now. “You’re serious.”

“It only makes sense, doesn’t it?” He shrugged. “Besides, I’m not sure I can go back to sleep tonight.”

“So, the Reaper wants to watch over me at my most vulnerable?” She eyed him. “Will I even make it through the night?”

“I think, being the Lord of Calamity and all, your misfortunes offset my own.” He shrugged. “We can put it to the test.”

It just all sounded like an incredibly far-reaching excuse to her, but Velvet somehow couldn’t find it in her to say no.

“Just no sudden movements,” she told him as she laid back against the rim of the ship. The swaying of the ocean waves felt comforting, more so in evenings. The sky was open, gave her more to look at than in all the years she had been locked away. “This arm bites, you know.”

Eizen smirked, but he nodded. “Got it then.”

Velvet couldn’t believe she was allowing this, but she really did feel so fatigued. With no daemons to nourish her, she could only feel how heavy her body was. Velvet gazed up at the sky, tracing the constellations that she had missed, then shut her eyes. Eizen was still near, enough that she could feel his body heat.

I shouldn’t fall for this, she thought before sleep took hold. But maybe it was nice to let down her guard, at least for a while.

-

The dream is the same. Seres again, in the white void, eyes completely covered. And over her neck, the black marks of someone’s fingers that had strangled her.

Velvet felt her arm burn, clutched it to her chest. “I can’t forget,” she said.

“You won’t ever forget,” Seres said to her, in a voice that was so painful in its familiarity. It pierced her as sharply as when she would plunge her blade into the quivering body of a beast. “And you can’t regret.”

“I don’t… I shouldn’t!” Velvet gritted her teeth. Her arm became malformed, an array of black that ran with so much red, pulsing like magma beneath the earth. “You offered yourself to me! I needed to live! I don’t care who stands in my way-!”

She reached out with her arm, to grab Seres again, to devour her again. But in her grip, it was a young boy instead. She had already squeezed tight before he vanished, lost forever, again, again, again-

Velvet woke up, gasping for air. But a hand kept her steady, strong and firm.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Eizen was speaking, even though it sounded so far off. “A nightmare, that’s it.”

Velvet heard it, denied it with all her heart.

“No… it’s more than that.” She gritted her teeth, shook in his hold. “I watched him die! Again…” The guilt clawed its way into her throat, and all she could do was let it fester. “Always, again. You don’t understand.”

Eizen had no words, and for once, she regretted something just now. She didn’t mean for it to slip past. But she shook, and her arm still hurt. She curled in on herself, and felt those same arms hold her close.

“You’re right, I don’t,” Eizen was saying. His words were barely above a whisper, yet they felt rough against her hair. “And I hope I never will.”

I hope that too, she thought, shutting her eyes tight. Always on guard, but she wanted to let herself go, for one short moment. The steadiness of Eizen was comforting. Maybe, even after everything she’d done, she could be allowed to have this.

[k7l4d4]

Blood for Blood: An Owl House Story Chapter 1 Part 6

Hello all, this part 6, and the last part of chapter 1! Everybody clap your hands!!

As Luz walked down the halls of the Conformatorium, she spotted King and Eda fiercely waving to her up ahead. As she made her way over, she spotted King desperately clawing at the, admittedly impressive, door. 

“Hey, kid. ‘Bout time you got here! Come on, the Warden’s currently distracted tormenting some poor helpless creature.” The reminder of what Tiny was going through, and Eda’s seeming indifference to her suffering, almost made Luz snap at the witch. Almost, that is, if it weren’t for the slight shift in her eyes as she said it. 

Luz calmed down; Eda was every bit as bothered by what the Warden was doing as she was, but they had a mission, and she had to focus. Eda wasn’t being callous, she was focusing on what she could actually effect.

Forcing herself to smirk, she gently pried King away from the doors. “You don’t need to do that little conqueror. You got a human with you this time, remember?”

“Yeah, but the feel of my crown, so close yet so far from my grasp is driving me crazy!” King stomped his foot in outrage. Luz wisely held back the part of her that wanted to say ‘don’t you mean crazy-er?’ 

The sight of Eda fondly shaking her head at the little demon’s antics helped ease some of Luz’s mood. As they opened the doors, Luz barely had time to blink before King hurled himself forward, eager for his treasure... only to be stopped and shocked by the barrier of energy barring his path.

“Uh, King? Human first, remember?” With a bemused stare, Luz moved past the dazed demon and easily crossed the threshold, which all but immediately started collapsing behind her. Huh, guess they half to re-cast whatever spell made that barrier every time it’s breached. Good to know for future reference. 

The sheer bevy of junk, treasures, and confiscated goods that surrounded Luz made her feel like she had stumbled upon a hoarder’s private stash, even more so than Eda’s house did. As she walked towards the center, Luz caught sight of the pedestal in the middle, and the crown resting on top. As Luz got a closer look at it, she noticed how familiar the crown was- 

“You’ve got. To be kidding me.” Deadpanning, she took the crown in hand, and gently plopped it on King’s head.

It was a crown all right. A BURGER QUEEN Crown, the kind they gave out in kids’ meals back home. 

“YES! I CAN FEEL MY DARK POWERS RETURNING!! You there! Creature of darkness!” As King exulted over his “reclaimed power,” he dramatically posed at a nearby stuffed rabbit. “You shall be a general in my army, and I shall call you Francois!”

As King played, Luz turned a flat stare onto Eda. “That crown doesn’t give him any kind of power outside of his own head, does it?” The wry smirk she got in return told her all she needed to know.

“Ha! Of course not. It’s just some dumb little thing I found while looking through my scrap that he took a liking too.” Suddenly, Eda hunched over, suddenly looking older, more tired. “Ah, who am I kidding. Look kid, Luz, me and King? All we have in this world is each other. So if that stupid crown is important to him,” She turned a soft, warm smile onto the joyous demon. “Than it’s important to me- Are you crying!?” 

Luz was indeed crying. What could she say, that was beautiful!! Still, she managed to stifle her tears long enough to voice what was on her mind.

“*Sniffle* As touching as this is,” And it really, really was, “I spotted the Warden earlier on my way here, and I think this whole thing might be a trap.” As comprehension, and tired resignation, dawned on her face, Eda summed up the situation perfectly.

“Aw crap.”

“Indeed.” As the ominous voice of the Warden sounded out, Luz couldn’t even let out a shout of warning as the Axe-Hand-Arm-Thing that was his right arm currently effortlessly cleaved through Eda’s neck. 

Luz did not panic easy. And this certainly wasn’t the first severed head she had handled. But she had to admit, she was much closer than usual to her breaking point.

She did not expect Eda’s head to yell in pain. “OW! Darn it, I always hate it when that happens.” Seeing at how nonchalant Eda seemed to be at being a severed head, Luz decided to ask what was bugging her before she lost her nerve.

“I gotta know, is this a ‘Witch Thing’ or a ‘You Thing?’“

“Honestly? I think this might be a me thing, but I do think other Witches might be capable of it under the correct circumstances.”

Before Luz could process that little tidbit, one of the nearby guards rushed her, pinning her arms behind her back (badly, she noted). She watched on as Wrath picked up Eda’s head. 

“I finally captured you, Eda the Owl Lady. I knew that if I took your pet’s toy,” With that said, he reached over to King, who had stopped celebrating at the trouble around him, and crushed the crown, eliciting a cry of despair from the small demon. 

“That you would come running.” Luz was really starting to not like the sound of this, and neither was Eda, going off her face. “And now, I want you... to go out with me.” 

What? The cheers of support from the guards confirmed that, yep, Luz had heard that right. And she hated what she was hearing. As Wrath monologued, talking about how attracted he was to Eda’s ability, and how she wasn’t really in a position to say no, Luz’s disgust peaked.

“I hate everything your saying.” That, apparently, wasn’t the smartest thing to say, as Wrath lashed at her in rage. Apparently, his arms were shape-shifting tentacles. If he weren’t suck a colossal prick, that would probably be pretty cool! 

Now pinned in place on the ground, you would think Luz would be in trouble, but if anything, Wrath’s temper tantrum gave her the opening to slip herself one of her knives. And as Eda starting toying with Wrath, and Luz really tried not to laugh at the raspberry she gave and Wrath’s reaction to it, she knew her opening would be coming right... about... now!

As Eda’s body, which had been secretly inching closer to Wrath with her staff, whacked the angry demon over the head, Luz spun herself, breaking the grip the guard holding her down had, lashing out with her knife for his tendons; she would’ve aimed at the torso, bigger target and all, but she didn’t know how different Witch Anatomy was from a human’s to ensure she didn’t hit something fatal. 

As the other guards rushed her, apparently preferring to take on the human child than face off against the grown witch currently going toe-to-toe with their boss, Luz swept their legs out beneath them, aiming deep cuts in their shoulders to hamper their movements further.

Just as she was about to move, Eda suddenly collided with Luz, as the two of them and King were suddenly hurled through the new hole in the wall. Wow, Wrath and Eda must’ve been causing some serious mayhem. 

“Alright, listen Luz.” Her attention pulled to Eda, Luz barely held in a wince, Eda was pretty banged up. “I need you to take Owlbert here,” she indicated her staff, and pulled out the key she used with the portal, “and get yourself home. You held up your end of the deal, now it’s my turn to hold up mine.”

As Luz was suddenly scooched onto Owlbert, the staff had a name huh, her brain managed to process what was happening. They were sending her back, and taking on that maniac Wrath who, wow, could apparently breath fire. “But what about you guys?”

For some reason that felt strange, King spoke up first. “HA! This is nothing, you should’ve seen her last boyfriend.” The retort he got from Eda, and the clear laughter on his face, helped ease some of Luz’s concern.

“Ugh, you little menace.” Deciding to turn away from King, Eda turned to Luz, hoping to convince her before Wrath spotted them. “Don’t worry about us. We’ve been through some pretty tough scraps before, and we’ve always come out fine in the end. I’m not gonna have a kid’s life on my hands because I got reckless. Besides, us weirdos gotta stick together.” 

Putting on a brave face, hoping Luz didn’t see the worry she felt about how this whole mess was going. Before Luz could protest, Eda slapped the butt of her staff, sending Owlbert, and Luz with him, flying. “Alright King, let’s do this.”

“This is gonna suck, isn’t it?”

Letting out a bitter chuckle, Eda replied in kind. “Oh yeah.”

As Luz soared overhead, her heart ached. Luz was no stranger to ducking out on trouble, but this time, she wanted to help, and not being able to... it hurt. Pulling the portal key up to her eye, she murmured, “Weirdos stick together huh?” 

Getting an idea Luz leaned down to the staff, to Owlbert, and started talking. “Hey, staff? I know you are probably only supposed to listen to Eda, and she said to get me out of here, but do you think we could go back? I... I really think Eda is in trouble, and I can’t just run away from it. She and King, they need all the help they can get, and I wanna be one of the ones who help them.” The eyes of the staff flashed, and suddenly, the staff stalled in the air, and turned around. Luz cheered.

As the staff raced back into the Conformatorium, Luz was mildly surprised to find herself outside the very same cages that housed the first prisoners she met here. In fact, despite the cages being trashed, they were still there. “Why aren’t you guys, you know, leaving?” She was honestly curious.

The fanfic writer from before turned to her, a tired, sad, frown on her face. “What’s the point? The Warden will just catch us again.”

The eyeball-eater spoke up next. “We belong here.”

“Self-doubt is a pwison that none can escape fwom.” Tiny Nose through in her voice.

Luz couldn’t believe this. How couldn’t they see it? How could they not understand? Welp, she supposed she would have to MAKE them understand. “Now that’s a load if I ever heard one.” 

The prisoners snapped their gazes to her. 

“Who care’s if your different.” She pulled herself to her feet, still atop the staff. “Your differences might make you strange, but they also make you INCREDIBLE!! I was raised to believe that nobody should be punished for being true to themselves, and that includes you guys!”

The writer spoke up. “Why? Why are you helping us?”

Luz turned a sad smile her way. “Because I know how much it hurts to be treated like being yourself is a crime, or some type of disease. You are all unique, and you shouldn’t let the words of a bitter old creep,” Tiny Nose perked up at her words from before being repeated, “Convince you that their is anything wrong with that! So society says you have to change? Nuts to that! You be the one’s to make society change instead!” 

Now all the prisoners were looking her way, the hopeless fear gone, and replaced with burning hope. “Now... WHO’S WITH ME!?!?” With a roar, all the prisoners cheered in unison.

Eda dropped to one leg, King collapsed to the ground beside her. This was not going well. She was nearly out of magic, she was beaten silly, the only real upside to this was that the kid had gotten away.

“And now, Owl Lady, since you rejected my heart, your life is mi-” as she braced herself for the blade, she was a little bit confused when Wrath cut off with a choke. Lifting her gaze, she was dumbfounded to see Wrath being pinned in place by what could only be prisoners from inside.

“Uh, Eda, are you seeing what I’m seeing, or are we finally dead?” Morbid question aside, Eda was wondering the same thing as King. As the prisoners wrestled Wrath to the ground, a series of blasts went off, the guards from before running around with holes poking through their uniforms and fire coating them.

“HIT THE DECK!!” At the shout, all the prisoners, Eda and King too, jumped clear, a rocket of sorts rushed through the air, crashing into Wrath with a boom. 

Eda marveled at the damage the thing did to the brute of a demon, small puncture wounds dotting his chest and torso and burn marks all over, he probably would’ve died if he wasn’t so tough. At the sight of the downed Warden, the guards panicked, dropping any attempt to round up the prisoners to prioritize tending to their leader’s wounds, while the escaping prisoners all cheered. 

Turning around, Eda and King both stopped and just stared at the sight before them. Luz, standing on Owlbert, as carefree as can be, idly flicking a knife open and closed, holding a strange bottle stuffed with a burning rag in her off hand, which she promptly tossed at the wall behind her, another hole blasting open in response.

“So. You guys just gonna stand there, or are we gonna get out of here?” Shaking off their disbelief, both Eda and King smirked, rushing over to the staff, and the newly formed trio took off, back for the Owl House.

As Owlbert landed outside the Owl House, Eda marveled at the strange human girl. She was smart, good with a weapon, could apparently make improvised explosives, and was a good fighter. Sure, she was a little scary, but she just had this sweetness about her. 

“Well kid, this has been fun, but I think this is where you head home.” And just when the kid was starting to grow on her too.

“Hold up.” Wait, what? “Who said anything about me leaving.”

“Uh, kid, you do know you are in the Demon Realm, right? This place ain’t exactly safe for your kind.” She wasn’t kidding earlier when she said she didn’t want a kid’s blood on her hands.

“Yeah, but the thing is, I really don’t like people telling me what I can and can’t do. Plus, I kind of need a place to crash for the summer, you know?” Wait a minute...

“You aren’t thinking of staying here, are you!?” She already had enough trouble with the roommates she already had, and she didn’t think she could take another, even one as interesting as Luz was turning out to be.

“Well, yeah. Why not? I can help cook, clean, bring in cash,” Cash? Oh, probably what the humans call their snails. “I could even teach you some of the skills I got under my belt.” Okay, now Eda was tempted. For all that she was young, this kid did seem to know an awful lot of very useful skills that she wouldn’t mind getting her hands on. 

“And in exchange, you can teach me magic!” Okay, better head that one off before it gets out of hand.

“Hate to burst your bubble kid, but humans can’t do magic.”

Luz, though, wasn’t having it. “Has any human ever actually had the chance to try?” That, honestly, stumped Eda, as she genuinely didn’t know. It was just one of the things that was treated as common sense. But... she always did enjoy turning things on their heads.

A tug at her dress got her to glance down at King. “Let her stay. She can make snacks!” Eda blinked. She snorted. Than she just straight up laughed. Looking at Luz’s out-stretched hand, she grasped it in her own and shook it.

Grinning broadly, Eda sealed the deal. “Alright kid, you win. As long as you help pull your weight, you a got a place for the summer (whatever summer actually is), and I’ll do my best to try and teach you magic.” And with that said, she decided to turn up the showmanship. 

“And I might’ve said this once already, but...” As she gestured expansively, lights burst into place once more, illuminating her home in all its splendor. “ Welcome. TO THE OWL HOUSE!”

Luz grinned, excitement burning through her. So maybe her Mami might be a little (extremely) mad if she ever found out. But right now? She was gonna live the dream she has had ever since she read her first fairy tale. She was gonna be a witch. 

After all, nobody told Luz Noceda, Mafia Heiress, what she could and couldn’t be, not in the Human World, and not in this one either.

And we are done! Let me know what you all think. The ending stretch wasn’t as strong as I felt it could’ve been, but I think I did a good job.

[halothenthehorns]

All in the Family

Chapter 23: The Whomping Willow

No sooner had they landed, feeling relatively squashed but honestly they'd had worse, then Frank released a furious yelp of pain as his head jerked, the corner of a book catching the nap of his neck.

"Frank!" Alice yelped in concern, twisting around in her seat to get an eye on him.

He rubbed at the spot in disgust as he looked at his new surroundings, and looking for one in particular, but was immediately  distracted. They were in...Frank wasn't even sure. They were on cushioned seats, there was admittedly plenty of legroom between where he was and where Alice was now craning over the exact same cushioned seats in front of him. She and the Marauders were up there, Potter at once fidgeting with something in front of him, but making a guttural noise of disappointment it wasn't moving. It was a circle, sectioned into three spaces.

Black was right beside him, hooting with unrestrained laughter as Frank picked up the book and considered clubbing him back in revenge, but he was also right next to Alice, and in such a small space he didn't want to risk hitting her.

"You rotten twat, what exactly was the point..." he trailed off though, glancing at the book in his hands and back to him curiously, then to the book in Alice's lap. He craned his neck, but couldn't see Pettigrew, who was ducking down in his seat next to the door and trying to look as small as possible, so he couldn't tell if whatever he'd filched was still on him. Still though, "when did you throw this?"

"Right as we were taking off. I was worried there for a second you got done to fast and you wouldn't get to see just how Muggle I can be," Black pompously responded, puffing up his chest and squirming between Alice and Potter, trying to twist himself around as well and eye Frank. He'd even somehow managed to find a book on Toadstools, Frank had to give him credit for that as he hefted the object experimentally.

"That really is a bit interesting," Evans grudgingly followed along with his train of thought even as she was giving him quite the look usually reserved for Potter. "I would have thought it would have gone back to where it should be once we left."

"Yet it came along with us," Frank agreed, "along with the consequences," he finished, rubbing at the back of his neck again where it had struck.

"What do you think qualifies for this?" Regulus' expression was burning with curiosity, quite a different look from his usual derision when all eyes shifted to him, but clearly a puzzle put precedence. "Nothing's yet come along with us before, not even that owl of Harry's whose cage I was right next to the time before we vanished, so it can't just be a proximity thing."

"It was...in motion with us?" Alice offered, again imagining the scene of Black chucking the book at her boyfriends head, and the path continuing despite their leaving the space.

"I, suppose," Frank agreed, it really was as good an explanation as any.

Black still had quite the pleased look on his face, clearly not at all acknowledging what they had just understood. Not even his friends realized he was really smirking because he thought it was nice somehow, even just a tiny comfort to again understand just one part of what they were going through.

"Speaking of motion," Pettigrew spoke softly, but still expected his voice to carry, his eyes out the window. He'd been paying attention to the conversation around him, but had been far more invested looking at the clouds. He'd been hoping to grab someone's attention with his comment, but seemed to have gone unnoticed. Usually he preferred that, being at the back with Remus while the other two took the spotlight. He always had enjoyed observing those around him but lately it was getting on his last nerve. James was paying less attention to him than ever now that Remus and Sirius had made up, and even in this group of eight he still couldn't get a single acknowledgment anytime he ever noticed something?

Alice decided it would be kinder to change the subject than let things escalate into another fight, now that Frank's shock was wearing off and he was weighing the book with a much more calculating look in his eye, as if considering where best to rap the corner of that hardcover over Black's eye instead, and turned sharply to Potter, "stop messing with that will you, I don't want to think if this thing's going to crash!"

"Crash," most of the others muttered in concern, finally looking even more about themselves, and finding there wasn't much to crash into up in the air. In a car of all things! For once nobody tried the doors, in fact the exact opposite as the other members scooted closer to each other in fear they would suddenly burst open and spill them outside.

"Where the bloody hell are we!" Regulus demanded, looking a little sick, his grip on the cushion beneath him threatening to tear it right up.

"The Weasley's car, I'd think," Remus muttered, standing up casually, the space seeming to magnify with him as he leaned over the seat in between his two friends to get a look up front. "The fact that it's driving itself is quite the magic attached, I'd love to pick Arthur's brains over this thing."

Frank watched him carefully, looking for any signs of discomfort at being in such a tightly enclosed space no matter how much it expanded. He found none though. His face remained open and light in the quickly setting sun, he only shifted his weight for having to stand in one spot so as not to tread on his or Evans toes beside him. His idea of him being claustrophobic then was vanished, and he was back to idly wondering what his problem had been back in Harry's room. It hadn't been much of a full-proof idea anyways, as it didn't explain his frequently sickly appearance at school in their normal time, though admittedly that could be an unrelated thing and the teen just had poor health on top of, something else.

At the same time, Peter was much more subtly watching everyone in the backseat. He didn't like the way Longbottom was eyeing Remus, and wished he could pass off to James and Sirius to cause a distraction for this, but it would be impossible in such a confined space without being noticed, especially with Smith in-between him and them. Remus himself didn't even seem to notice, all three of his friends having a gay old chat over the radio and trying to tune it to a station, unsuccessfully so far. Evans had her arms crossed and was looking more stuffy than the rest of them, and he couldn't particularly blame her, but then Regulus really caught his eye. That expression really was something, and he had every doubt Longbottom could really speculate much of anything over his friend, so he let his mind wander over the younger Black instead.

He didn't look afraid, not really, but there was definitely something there showing he didn't want to be here. Couldn't be a fear of being so high up, he was a Seeker for crying out loud. Surely it wasn't the close quarters, he really hadn't shown much of a problem being in small spaces more than anyone else. As he caste his mind back over previous moments though, looking for that same expression, it clicked. Regulus wasn't afraid of anything in here, but who could spot him in here. Stupid, by all accounts as it was clear long ago they weren't coming across anyone anytime soon, but Peter was convinced he had it. Regulus got this way when he was in any way connected with a Muggle thing. He glanced curiously at Sirius, but he was taking zero notice of his kid brother, he may as well not have been there anymore than him! He started to get agitated at all of his friends now, carrying on like that when he'd been keeping lookout, just like always. How long would this go on before any of them bothered to ask-

"Where's it going though?" Potter interrupted any train of thought, with a rather valid question. "Surely not back to the Burrow?"

Alice finally picked up the book in her lap and flipped to the correct chapter, and Frank at once shifted uneasily at the look that dawned on her face.

"I'm afraid no one's going to like that answer," she muttered, before reading out the chapter title.

Lupin's face finally took on the pallor Frank had been expecting, they all had that same look in place now. "Why?" He was still the first to rasp out in shock.

"Harry shouldn't be anywhere near that thing," Potter agreed, sounding as breathless as if said tree had just whacked him.

Alice jittered in place with unease, her fingers tapping out a nervous rhythm on the spine as past experience told them they were lucky not to already be trapped in the shadows of that tree. She crossed her fingers as she began that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

It was a bitter sweet beginning, the kid finally dreading going back to school because he had somewhere else he wanted to be. Mrs. Weasley doting on him made it obvious she knew this just as much, and she hoped for the kids sake his summer there would be even more extended next time.

Listening to the Weasley family really was fun, every one of them was a joy to listen to, and their journey to the train station was as hectic as could be imagined what with all the starts and stops they got.

It was a bit confusing why they were in the car flying if Arthur didn't take it that way to the train station, in fact she would have enjoyed that more, traveling through the Muggle world. She was wondering all through the next page why it wouldn't be the same, until Harry crashing into the barrier snapped up her attention.

Potter said something that made her ears want to curl, and she couldn't even blame him.

"As if our life weren't going crazy enough, now Harry's is joining in!" Black agreed, looking on at the book in disgust for such a slight.

"I've never known anyone to be barred entrance from the train," Lupin muttered quietly, with the same levels of concern.

Alice could hardly believe herself what she was telling them, but as soon as it was made clear this was no fluke, both Ron and Harry were being kept out, Regulus scoffed heavily at all the mystified faces. "Well it's obviously Dobby. He clearly realized his first attempt to stop Harry getting to school didn't work, he must be a persistent one."

"A house-elf did this to my kid!" Potter raged at once, stamping his foot, and accidentally hitting the accelerator. Thankfully this didn't seem to have any real effect other than the car whining a bit in protest.

"He's trying to protect Harry," Lily softly reminded, her brows furrowed as she again wondered just what was so terrible at school this year a house-elf of all things would be involved in it.

At any rate, Alice was ignoring their exchanges and kept going to their current situation, those kids deciding to take the car to school.

Potter's anger seemed soothed at once, he actually started chuckling as he looked around himself again in appreciation. "Well I couldn't have done better me-self, taking a car on a joyride to school!"

"I really can't figure why they bothered, I'd enjoy the pleasure of missing a few hours until someone managed to apparate me there," Frank rolled his eyes.

"They're both little idiots," Alice agreed. "Harry's got an owl, why are they acting like they're stranded with no other means? Surely Harry's suggestion was good enough, and Ron's parents would happen along their car sooner rather than later."

All four Marauders looked very put out their adventure was being talked out, even the car seemed to begin protesting this as its windshield wipers began swiping across the glass without a clear reason.

The sun began sinking into a deep red color around them as the story progressed no matter their thoughts, the kids finding the train fast enough, though blatantly ignoring a faulty invisibility booster. Lily certainly didn't want to know what else was faulty about this car and just hoped Alice would hurry up and get them out, was it just her or were they losing altitude? She could swear the clouds had been below them skimming the tires, not level as they began dipping through.

The Marauders seemed to be refusing their good mood spoiled, laughing along wildly with Ron's joke of airplanes, even if James currently wouldn't admit to not knowing what that was in front of Evans. The moment the toffees had been mentioned Peter had dived for the glove compartment and shared those as well to his friends. Regulus and Alice surprisingly even took one though the other two refused. It was indeed getting hot in here, and they were all still in their school robes and couldn't even shirk but one layer for it. Peter tried the window hopefully to let in some air into the stuffy car, but it either couldn't, or wouldn't.

The latter shouldn't have been possible, but the longer this went on, they were all growing uncomfortably aware of the fact the car was not enjoying this ride as much as some were. The whining noise was growing louder and more persistent than ever as a deep indigo took the sky, and Ron's explanation of it never having traveled this far was a comfort to no one.

Something had been nagging at Remus this whole chapter, and the explanation for the chapter title whomped his mind as the castle came into view. "Smith, read faster," he suddenly pleaded, as she'd broken off to giggle over her shoulder at Frank, the two clearly enjoying the view.

"What's your problem?" Longbottom demanded for the sharp tone at his girlfriend.

Before he could answer, the car jerked wildly, sending them all crashing into the drivers side and each other.

Alice then said something very reminiscent of what Potter had earlier, as she understood quite clearly then. With earnest now, she belted over the next few pages, quite in a panic for Harry and Ron's predicament as it became all to clear what tree exactly they landed in, they'd be in the very same spot in a very short amount of time!

It became apparent the kids were slightly ahead of their own travel, the car reacting on its own and spitting them out of its contents and then taking off. There was an erratic laugh from beside her, Black seemed to find it quite funny the kids had walked away alive at all. She couldn't yet hold such relief.

If she'd had time to, she would have cursed this bloody chapter couldn't have stopped upon Snape's arrival. Instead she had to linger on his ways of verbally abusing those kids, and it well could be the death of them next! Was him belittling them really necessary right now?

It seemed to take ages, the car now vibrating around them emphasizing her every syllable how fast they needed to get out of here. Sadly when McGonagall and Dumbledore arrived, they couldn't even get a swift exchange from that! A deranged kind of amusement tried to light up in Potter as his kid argued with McGonagall over house points, of all the trifle things, even as he kept a white knuckled grip on the wheel, still trying desperately to spin it any other direction than their oncoming course.

Sans punishment except a detention, the book wouldn't even take mercy on them and skip then! She was quite sure she'd piss herself in moments if they didn't hurry up with those damn sandwiches and get to the end already!

The car continued inching towards the castle, its nose to the ground. Spitting words out in earnest, even as the car took initiative and avoided the stone to swerve around, she only managed to get them to Hermione's approach near the common room. The others were just starting to shout in fright of what was right in front of them, when-crunch!

Even being cushioned between two boys, Alice jerked hard at the impact, the book sailing out of her grasp as she face-planted the dashboard.

"Get us the bloody hell out of here!"

Her ears were ringing, she hadn't a clue who'd shouted, it could have been herself, nor could she distinguish voices from the cars own tantrum. It's engine revving so loud it could be screaming itself as a branch thick as a python began pummeling the roof of the car, now caving in on them.

Scrabbling desperately, her hand snapping the last page to her from sheer dumb luck, she flew through what she could see around red leaking into her eyes and was mercifully able to recognize the feeling of being jerked away rather than any other direction as the glass began to splinter.

[daily-dose-of-imagines]

ʙɪɢ ʙᴀᴅ ᴡᴏʟꜰ  2 / 2 | 𝕁𝕁𝔹𝔸 𝟛 [Drabble]

ᴡᴏʟꜰ ʜʏʙʀɪᴅ!ᴊᴏᴛᴀʀᴏ x ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

[Part 1]

Here’s part 2 of this sort of fantasy AU~! Definitely going to do more one-shots with the other jojo’s later so I hope y’all stick around for that~!

» » Admin Ko

»»————-　★　————-««

The story of Little Red was one that was passed throughout the centuries. Though in actuality, how accurate was the story? Did anyone know of the challenges the cloaked individual went through? The creatures they had met? It’s all a mystery. After all, there can only be so much truth from a story passed along through words...

ⳮⷤ ── ⲇ ── ⳮⷤ

Fighting. That’s what you found yourself waking up to as you blearily pried your weary eyes open to the site before you. The snarls and sharp barks had you alert the moment they registered in your head. Immediately, you went to find a place to hide from the violence, but the pain you felt throughout your immensely sore body told you otherwise as you let out a painful groan. 

Though you felt your blood run cold as the snarling suddenly stopped and two pairs of green blue eyes settled on your form. The uneasy tension you felt coursing through the air as you slowly gulped down your scream. This was it. You shouldn’t have followed Jotaro to his pack. This was all a mistake, and now you were going to be a snack for these two wolves.

Yet, instead of the lunge and snarls of the wolves you bore witness to something else that made the whole experience a lot more...bizarre. The man who had previously found you, Jotaro, had waltzed up to the two wolves before you. He kicked them both to the side as the pair made a whine and aggravated bark of anger.

“Shut the fuck up. You both scared her.” 

Was the simple retort as you could only stupidly look up at the man before you. If anything, your confused and blank gaze had him even more peeved as he closed his sea-green eyes briefly. A chance to calm down the anger that quelled within him before he opened his eyes to meet your gaze again.

“That was Jolyne and Giorno. They were to watch you. But clearly they couldn’t even do that without some sort of spat.”

The two wolves in turn let out haughty barks before suddenly fleeing the area. The whole situation leaving you bewildered and confused before you finally opened your mouth to speak. 

“What...happened?” 

Jotaro took a brief moment to assess the situation before him. His gaze skimming you over once before he let out another sigh and turned to face the entryway of the cave you were in.

“To put things curtly. You ate. Jolyne treated your wounds, and you spent the night here. You just woke up.”

You felt your eye twitch at the obvious answer given before rubbing the sides of your head to keep the oncoming headache at bay.

“Look, I can make that basic assumption hardass. What I meant was what happened while I was asleep.”

It was silent for a moment. Nothing but the sound of the wind outside of the cave. It was honestly somewhat suffocating as the large man before you seemed to refuse to tell you exactly what happened. Fine. If that was the case then you’ll just ask Johnathon. He seemed like a gentlemen, surely he’d give you a proper explanation of everything. 

Though before you could really get up to find the large burly man, Jotaro walked towards you. The action catching you by surprise as you seemed to freeze at his motion. It unnerved you that you kept freezing up at him, but there was something in the way he moved that just set alarms off in your head. 

Seeing your reaction, he couldn’t help but give an annoyed sigh as he pulled his hands out his pockets. Showing that he wasn’t armed or was intending to hurt you; and seeing the action before you had a flush crawl onto your cheeks. He noticed. Fuck. 

“If you’re wondering, you’re most likely reacting that way because you feel like prey.”

The simple statement had you stare at him in a dumbfounded manner before you felt yourself relax. Or rather, forced yourself to as the truth came into light. Perhaps that’s what your head was telling you, or hell the fact that your past memories of the horror stories beyond the forest were being brought back to light at full force.

The thought didn’t bod well for you as you shoved the memories into the back of your mind; and thankfully a distraction came to you as two people walked into the cave. Both bickering-- really one haughtily talking while the other calmly replied with practiced finesse-- with each other before bringing themselves to you. 

“...hi?” 

You offered, a startled and confused look on your features as Jotaro seemed even more annoyed at the sudden appearance. The pair seemed to ignore him as they kept their focus solely on you.

“We apologize for frightening you earlier, Signorina. We just had a...disagreement you could say.”

The shorter, golden blonde hair with three donut shaped accents spoke. He seemed to be the calm type. The one who would analyze a situation and tell you the honest truth. Though, like Jotaro a pair of wolf like ears sat at the top of his head as a golden tail swung slowly behind him.

“Cut the suave talk Giorno. Look, we argued if it was smart for fish boy here to bring you, a human, into the area. We don’t mind you being here, but the surrounding population? Not so much.”

Now that didn’t sit well with you, and Jotaro seemed to take note of that as he gave a sharp glare to the girl who you later found out was Jolyne. Her appearance was much more rough. Green and black hair were weaved intricately in a signature style that could honestly be spotted a mile away, though like her siblings; she too had a set of extra ears seated at the top of her head and a matching tail. 

“Tell them to fuck off. She won’t be in the area much longer anyway.” 

The sharp retort and words that fell from Jotaro’s lips had you flinch slightly as he gave the two a quick glare before picking you up with surprising gentleness. Of course you felt somewhat conflicted. Your body screaming fight or flight (more so flight) and your mind reminding you that he wouldn’t hurt you. 

Luckily, you managed to keep a tight hold on your instincts as Jotaro carried you out of the cave and back into the bright world. In all honesty, the forest during the day calmed you down much more  than the forest you faced yesterday evening. 

“Oh! I see you’re awake~! Good morning miss!” 

The familiar cheery voice caught your immediate attention as your gaze quickly fell towards the brightly smiling man. You gave a small nod and a soft ‘good morning’ yourself before Jotaro continue to walk towards the woods. Your mind suddenly reeling in confusion as you looked up at the wolf carrying you.

“Uh...what?”

He merely grunted as you peered over his shoulder to see Johnathon waving at you two. Not at all concerned or questioning where the hell Jotaro was taking you. There definitely was something going on here.

“I’m taking you home.”

His response had honestly caught you off guard. Home? So suddenly? Well...it made sense with your injuries, but your questions had yet to be answered. 

“I appreciate that and all, but I would much prefer a response than being brought to your pack, and then suddenly being taken home. Something happened while I was asleep and for whatever reason, you’re refusing to tell me.”

The moment he avoided your gaze though told you exactly what you dreaded to think. There was something more to this whole situation that made everything all the more...unsettling. 

“Look. If you tell me the truth I’ll lay off questioning--”

“I’ll tell you, but you have to promise to never step foot into the forest ever again.”

Well shit. That caught you off guard. Though you couldn’t lie to yourself, never having to deal with the forest was already something you had planned to do-- despite your occupation requiring you to be in the forest. Yet if a resident of the forest was telling you this...there had to be something more to it.

It was a gamble, and you knew that but you needed to know. This whole mess had started with the damned map from your town’s chief and you weren’t going to leave without a proper answer at least! With that, you decided to take the risk, it was better knowing than not if you were going to figure out a loophole in this deal.

“...Deal. Now explain.”

ⳮⷤ ── ⲇ ── ⳮⷤ

Seated back at home at your quaint desk, you couldn’t help but feel another wave of nausea hit you. It had been quite some time since you’ve been dropped off at your home, but the words that Jotaro spoke kept playing over and over in your head as you felt absolutely sick to your stomach. 

Whatever this was. Whoever’s sick game this was, was definitely someone you wanted gone. Forgotten about. Hell, you wanted them to forget about you! 

Letting out a painful sigh, you pushed yourself away from your desk as you flopped into your bed. Those damned words replaying in your head like a record as you clutched at the sheets beneath you.

“...You’ve been dragged into a fucked up game with an old family enemy. I don’t know the exact reasons why or why you in particular have been dragged into this feud, but what I do know is that our enemy has their eyes on you and they purposefully got that map into your town’s hands.”

It was wrong. It was fucked up, what sort of history did you even have anyway? You didn’t know anyone from the pack, nor do you know anyone who had ill will towards you or your family. So why?

With an exasperated groan, you let your mind drift as the sweet lull of sleep brought you into a world of darkness.

ⳮⷤ ── ⲇ ── ⳮⷤ

“Jotaro, I understand that you wanted to get her home as quickly as possible...but is that really any way to treat your soulmate? You could’ve at least told her the complete truth.”

“Look, I appreciate your sentiment and shit Johnathon, but I’m not risking this shit. Not again. I’ll tell her the full truth when Dio is taken care of.”

ⳮⷤ ── ⲇ ── ⳮⷤ

The lore of fairy tale’s differs from time to time. The perception and understanding between characters constantly butchered, re-structured, or even removed to better suit the listener’s ears.

Though, what if in the story of Little Red and The Big Bad Wolf....the wolf wasn’t all that bad? 

[anony-mouse-writer]

Statement of Saan Hurst regarding a librarian. Statement taken direct from subject, 9th October, 2019.

I always loved the stillness of libraries when I was a kid. There was always a kind of perfect silence that just settled me even when I was anxious or upset. Like a little bubble of perfect calm in the unrelenting storm of life. 

Nowadays, libraries aren’t really that quiet though- there always seems to be something happening. A study group or someone on the phone or a kid running around unchecked. I’m not exactly a letter of the law kind of person, but it’s frustrating to go someplace for peace and then be constantly interrupted. If I wanted to hear someone yelling about how to fix their granny’s computer, I’d just get my work done at the cafe next to my building. 

So when I got a new job at the downtown agency and had to change my route to work, I was hesitant to choose the library I found tucked off the street as my new place to relax. I mean, I guess I could have kept going to the little bookshop I had been, but it was several stops out of my way now, and even if it was a bit loud, I still had a somewhat nostalgic attachment to libraries and the peace I’d found there so often as a child.

It’s a nice place. Small, just shy of being cramped, actually, but the kind of cramped that comes from shoving bookshelves into every available meter of space. There’s three chairs, one in the front by the window and two in the back between shelves. There’s a lot of strange books there, nothing too odd, but certainly not the endless line of repeating covers of whatever the latest hot novel is like other places. Books I hadn’t read before. It was still loud sometimes, but I loved it.

I’d go there after work for an hour or two and just tuck myself away in one of the chairs in the back. I’d have my headphones on to block out sound, but I prefer listening to whales songs or white noise than any real music. It doesn’t distract from the reading that way. Pretty soon, I was a regular and the two librarians who were on staff alternating days- Misha and Clark- were setting aside books they thought I might like for me to check out when I finished with what I was reading. 

Of course, I wouldn’t come here just to tell you about a nice library I found. 

It started sometime around August. Clark came down with Mono and the library hired on a temp to cover for his days. I guess, in retrospect, it seems kind of odd since the place hadn’t even bothered to fix the flick-y light in the bathroom for the last two months, but Misha was just grateful for the help and it just didn’t seem that important a detail. Maybe they’d gotten lucky or maybe Clark had made a recommendation while he was out or something. 

Nobody looked too hard at it when the new temp started, is what I’m saying. 

Misha said their name was Rei. They were pretty nice, a bit distant, but organized. They didn’t set aside any books like the others did and seemed a bit more interested in reading whatever it was that was in the leather-bound books they brought than helping people who came in. 

Sometimes people would come in and peer around the building for a minute before asking me if I’d seen the librarian and when I’d point them out, the person would always start a bit as if they hadn’t notice there was someone behind the desk that was in plain view of the front door. I think I’d have judged them a bit more, except I could kind of see where folk were having troubles.

It’s hard to describe, but it was like trying to look at one of those optical illusions but in reverse. If you glance out of the corner of your eyes, they move, but the minute you try to look at it head on, its back to being a still image. If you weren’t exactly sure where Rei was and what you were looking for, they just didn’t seem to register, but the minute you knew they were there, you felt like a fool for having missed them. It creeped a lot of the newcomers out, but I thought it was a neat trick. Rei didn’t seem to like talking much though, so I never bothered to ask how they did it. 

Around the second week of Rei’s employment there, I noticed that there seemed to be less traffic in the library than usual. I figured it was maybe the AC kicking on, making it just a bit too cold, but nothing that couldn’t be handled with an extra layer. Honestly, I don’t think I would even have noticed except there was a kid who came in every Tuesday and Thursday to mess around in the horror section before her mum came to collect her and horror was right in front of my favorite chair.

Misha seemed a bit worried, but honestly it was a relief. I came to the library to escape and with less people around, it was that much easier to drown out the world with a bit of sound and a book. 

I probably would have been content with that, except in the week after I noticed the growing absence that seemed to settle into the space, more things began to happen. 

Misha started looking tired for one. I was worried maybe Rei wasn’t pulling their weight, but she told me that it was personal, not professional. She just felt tired all the time and hadn’t had the energy to enjoy a night off in a few days. I was worried it might be a bug and told her to take a day off, but when she came back, I swear she looked worse. She said she couldn’t- wouldn’t- stay home unless she absolutely had to. Said her flat was too empty. 

Then there was the temperature. At first, I thought it was the AC being funky, but I realized that it was worse when Rei was on shift. I asked them about maybe turning it down a notch, but they said the library didn’t have a functioning AC. 

That was the first time I’d seen their eyes. They were… cloudy. Not like blind or cataracts cloudy, but literally cloudy. Like when there’s a storm front coming in and the whole sky seems to be moving as it blows in. No irises, no pupil, just endless, gray vapor and nothing.

I yelped and backed away. I’ve seen my share of weird contacts, but this wasn’t artificial. I felt it in my bones that if I looked at their eyes for much longer, I wouldn’t be able to look away. 

I swear they smiled at me when I excused myself and left early. 

Things got… worse after that. 

The chill that seemed to have settled in the library began to follow me around. I’ve never been particularly susceptible to the cold, but suddenly, I couldn’t go out without a full coat, gloves, and scarf. 

Not that I had much reason to go out anymore. Work was getting less and less traffic and there was some kind of bug going around so we were at minimal staff. Cindy, Tomas, and Aayan - my coworkers - all got it, so there hasn’t been any reasons to go down to the pub lately either and it feels… worse when I go alone. I’m not looking to be a sad alcoholic in the corner of the bar at closing.

I tried to go to the library on the days when I knew Misha was there, but she seemed more distant every time I saw her and about a week after I’d looked Rei in the eyes, she told me in a dead voice that she’d broken it off with her partner. Said she just didn’t feel the spark anymore. She didn’t even seem that bothered, and she’d loved Sam more than life. 

I should have tried talking to her more. Tried to figure out what was wrong, but when she looked at me, there was just…. nothing. Like Misha was gone. It was even worse than whatever Rei’s deal was. Looking at her, I could see that she was standing right in front of me, but I’d never felt farther away from another human being than I did in that moment.

I wish I could say I was surprised when Misha vanished three days later, but I wasn’t. I know it sounds crazy, but if you had seen her eyes. I think that whatever distant place Misha had gone to, the rest of her had finally caught up. 

So Rei was now full time until the library could find a replacement which meant that not only were the regulars gone, but there wasn’t anyone new walking in. The library felt like it was closed more often than not with how empty it was. 

I was never a really social person. Making friends is difficult for me and I had just rearranged my life, changed jobs, and spent most of my time at the office, the library, or at home. I’ll socialize with the people in my space just fine and once I make friends, we’ll talk, but it’s hard for me to keep up long distance relationships or engage with new strangers because I’m bored. So with all the coworkers I knew out of the office and without Clark or Misha to talk to, it maybe should have been easy to realize I hadn’t talked to anyone outside of work in 2 weeks, but I’m not surprised I didn’t.

The library was always empty when I went and sometimes I’d look at the darkened lights and empty doorway and I’d think they’d closed for good. Even Rei with their disappearing act was barely there. Not that I wanted to see them. 

It should have been concerning, and I think on some level it was, but on another, it was… nice. The perfect escape from the rest of the world. 

It was just about three months since Rei had come to work when it changed again. I was making my way to the library, trying to avoid the press of people along the sidewalk as usual when suddenly the crowd vanished. I almost tripped as I popped out into the suddenly open air.

When I looked up, there was the library entrance, small and unassuming. But today, instead of the familiar chill, the whole building seemed outright cold. There was only one tiny window, but when I looked, it looked like the window had fogged over, completely white with condensation. 

I thought of moving clouds and knowing smiles and I turned right back around and marched through the empty chill until I found myself back in the crowd and went straight home.

I debated coming here for the whole last week. It’s not like anything that happened was even that spooky or weird. Just some creepy eyes, a missing persons case, and some drifting relationships. But… I called the number Clark gave me for emergencies yesterday and it went to disconnect and I haven’t seen any of the regulars who stopped coming in since Rei came. It’s just- I dunno.

I texted some of my uni friends but the messages never even came up as read. My parents are dead, but I tried to call my godfather. We don’t talk much, but I’ll catch up with him anytime I head near his side of the city. He’s always got his phone on him in case of a medical emergency. Nothing. And when I went into work yesterday, two more of my coworkers were out sick. The two who sit closest to me. 

It’s like everyone I ever knew is gone and I know it’s connected to the library. To Rei. I don’t care who they are or how they did it. I don’t even care why they did it. I just want them to stop. I want my life back. And I want to stop seeing that empty street and foggy clouds in my dreams.

[houseofhurricane]

ACOTAR Fic: Bloom & Bone (5/32) | Elain x Tamlin, Lucien x Vassa

Summary: Elain lies about a vision and winds up as the Night Court’s emissary to the Spring Court, trying to prevent the Dread Trove from falling into the wrong hands and wrestling with the gifts the Cauldron imparted when she was Made. Lucien, asked to join her, must contend with secrets about his mating bond. Meanwhile, Tamlin struggles to lead the Spring Court in the aftermath of the war with Hybern. And Vassa, the human queen in their midst, wrestles with the enchantment that turns her into a firebird by day, robbing her of the power of speech and human thought. Looming over all of them is uniquet peace in Prythian and the threat of Koschei, the death-god with unimaginable power. With powers both magical and monstrous, the quartet at the Spring Court will have to wrestle with their own natures and the evil that surrounds them. Will the struggle save their world, or doom it?

A/N: I both love and hate writing Lucien (and Vassa! more of her soon) because he's really smart and perceptive, and honestly it's always easier to write characters who know less than I do. But these are my very favorite characters to read about, so, you know, writing growth? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You can read early previews of the next chapter every Tuesday by following @house.of.hurricane on Instagram. And as always, you can read all chapters at AO3 if you prefer. You can find all chapters here.

Lucien watches the despair in Elain’s eyes transfigure itself into fear. On reflex, he reaches for the place her hands should be, but his fingers slice through the air. He works his way up her arms, his fingers skittering to find whatever is left of her body, and when he feels her elbow, her upper arm, the curve of her shoulder, his breath rushes into his lungs, pure relief.

“You’re all right,” he says, his palms on her shoulders, a lie he needs her to believe. He’s long suspected that the Cauldron gave Elain some formidable magic and that she has never learned to wield it, and now he thinks that gift is swallowing her up. He does not want her to see his fear, to begin to panic. He takes another deep breath, forces his heart to slow.

“What is so wrong with me?”

She reaches out for him again and he notices that her sleeves do not move as if they’re empty. The fabric moves around a wrist that is no longer present in the world, a magic Lucien knows is beyond his capability to resolve. It lacks the familiar resonance of spells or Fae power, as if whatever has hold of Elain is more tightly woven into the fabric of this world.

“There is nothing wrong with you,” he says, instead. His fingers press against her shoulder blades, his thumbs against her clavicles, the bones that are solid and here. He has heard all the meanings in her question and answers the one he knows will infuriate her most, distract her from the disappearance of her hands. “I didn’t think you’d realize. I didn’t think you even wanted me.”

She sighs, too polite to agree or tell an obvious lie.

“I wanted to want you,” she says, the rage and panic slipping from her voice, a cool despair taking hold. He feels for her elbows and cannot find them, and Lucien realizes, trying to contain his smile, that he’s figured out the rules of this game. Sometimes the world feels as simple as a key in a lock.

“You were always looking elsewhere. How could you imagine I wouldn’t get tired of rejection?”

“Aren’t we all going to live for thousands of years?”

“So you thought I could wait for at least one hundred.”

“I thought you would let me…” He watches her eyes carefully focus on his, trying to hide her thinking as she reaches for the right word. The cover might fool anybody else, but Lucien has been looking for tells since he could walk, trying to survive the Autumn Court.

“I think you are only upset because you feel discarded,” he says, quickly, and feels her elbow against his palm.

“You smell of Vassa. The human queen.”

“You were a human not so long ago.” How quick she is to adopt the High Fae prejudices, sneer when she says the word human. He would be more annoyed if he didn’t feel her arms rematerializing.

“My sister told me how you treated her.” The swerve to this insult is clumsy, a baby’s first steps, but he’s still intrigued by this seeming transfiguration to Elain’s personality. Previously, she has dealt out all her slights with silence, at least where he’s concerned.

“And yet you stay in Tamlin’s home.” He keeps his voice low and silky, which he knows is infuriating.

“I thought he was your friend.” Her cheeks are pink and Lucien wonders if maybe he’ll be spared from this deception sooner than he thought.

Below her sleeves, Elain’s wrists are now visible.

“Our lives are too long for you to remain an ornament,” he says, casting around for an insult strong enough to really rouse her, force her to stay. Somehow Lucien has always been asked to rescue the women who will fall in love with other men, which is probably why Vassa is so eminently capable of saving herself.

“You’ve made me into an ornament!”

And when she swings a hand toward him, he doesn’t mind the ineffectual slap because he feels the tips of her fingers on his cheek. Still, when Elain runs toward the house, her whole body intact, he wonders if she even realizes what happened, its magnitude and implications. Even after all his years of attention and scheming, he cannot quite conjure an explanation.

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Elain cannot stop running one hand over the other, tracing the curve of her fingernail, her knuckle, the tendons at the back of her hands and the bones of her wrists. You’re here, you’re whole, you have all your fingers and all your toes, she whispers to herself, sounding like Feyre fussing over Nyx.

She had still felt her fingers, her arm, connected to her body, but they were distant, prickling, as if she’d slept on them and the blood was reentering each limb. Where had she gone?

Elain does not think much on the argument with Lucien. She’d seen the panic in his eyes, surely a mirror of her own. His words were a frantic spell, a summoning.

Her mind catches, instead, on the look when he’d found her screaming and wailing all her grief. The pity in his eyes. She cannot imagine how this male is supposed to be her mate, her one true love.

Gradually she banishes the image of him from her mind. She replaces him with the surety of her fingers, the line of dirt that never disappears from under her fingernails without magic, the little etchings at each knuckle. All present and near and normal.

She falls asleep without eating her dinner, her hands clutched around each other.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“That could have gone better,” Vassa says by way of hello, as soon as Lucien walks into her bedroom. There’s no point in distance, now that Elain already knows what’s between them. Still, Lucien hesitates before he kisses Vassa. The lie is relatively easy to maintain when he’s far from Elain, but now they will be close for weeks or months, maybe longer. Now he will have to practice some form of daily pining, particularly for Tamlin, who knows the way the mating bond can wreak havoc on a male.

“She’s more observant than I remembered,” he says, unbuttoning his tunic. The hardest part of all this lying are the words he says to Vassa, which are often so unlike the phrases he wants to bestow on her.

“Is this the way all mates behave?”

“Sometimes our marriages are political. I’ve heard this is a common practice in the human realms.”

Vassa swats him.

“You forget how long I’ve been around your people, now.”

“Hardly any time at all, for us.” He drapes his tunic over her desk, where she’s left pages covered with her blots and scribbles out for anyone to read. Was Vassa always so trusting, or does she simply believe her thoughts are so uninteresting for his people to contemplate? Her handwriting is bad enough that it’s possible she believes no one will bother to decipher it.

“I never knew you to be cruel,” she says, and when he turns to her he sees the hurt in Vassa’s eyes.

“I would never hurt you.”

She sighs from her chest, the sound as deep as a groan.

“A queen is expected to have better judgement.”

“The situation is more complex than it appears.”

“Men often say this in simple situations when they are in the wrong.”

Vassa’s shoulders are thrown back, her arms across her chest. She has told him that queens must show mercy but also embody justice, and Lucien has no doubts about which quality she thinks is vital in this moment.

“Do you know how easy it would be for a High Fae of certain talents to learn all of the secrets in your mind?” He’s begun to work on the buttons of his shirt, hoping he can distract her from an argument, though he knows from experience that at this point, when her eyes are bright and calculating, that any attempt is futile.

“You’ve shown me how to make a mental shield and you’ve told me secrets.”

“This secret endangers the peace between our courts.” He does not tell her a skilled daemati could storm her mental shields in a second. Vassa is rightfully proud of her own strength and cunning, and he has caused her enough hurt tonight.

“And yet you’ve made it obvious to anybody who cares to pay attention.”

“Tell me what you think you know.”

“Elain Archeron is not your mate.”

He keeps his face too still and triumph flashes on her face, transfigured quickly into a more sober expression as her mind whirls into action, her eyes now a brighter blue, her lower lip caught between her teeth, an expression he wants to memorize and study until he can never forget it.

“That would only be a political disaster if you knew her real mate,” she says, moments later. Her voice is hushed but still the words echo. “And why has he or she not challenged you?”

“I’m not sure,” he says, glad that he can tell her this truth, for the wide description that shows that Vassa hasn’t guessed they’re in the grand home of Elain Archeron’s actual mate. “I would have thought--”

“Tell me.” Vassa steps toward him, extends her hand.

“You are safest if I tell you nothing.” He reaches for her hands, twines her fingers in his own. Her skin is so soft, so new. He would not be surprised to learn that the spell remakes her body completely each evening.

She raises her eyebrow, refusing to be drawn in completely. “I am under a curse and bound to a death-lord, Lucien. You think I’m afraid of a little court intrigue?”

“All of our monsters have been awfully good to you.” He presses a kiss to her jaw, her earlobe. He’ll make a map of her, catalogue the way Vassa feels against his lips. He doesn’t want to think of Elain or Tamlin any longer. The only benefit to this evening’s scene should be that he can share a room with Vassa to only moderate approbation.

“Tell me, Lucien.”

“What if I share another revelation?”

“Dazzle me, Lucien Vanserra,” she says, her voice so dry he lets out a bark of laughter in spite of himself. Cauldron boil this woman’s enemies, the ambassadors who will visit Scythia from foreign courts.

“Elain was weeping when I found her.”

“Naturally. Her mate was dallying with another woman.”

“I can’t tell if you’re making sport of me,” he says.

“I feel sorry for the girl.”

“You’re barely older than she is.”

“Some women -- or females, I suppose -- remain girls longer than others. Anyway, she was weeping.”

“The word might not be strong enough. She was screaming loud enough to rouse the village. But when she heard me approach, her hands had disappeared.”

“Surely you’ve seen more impressive magic in your storied centuries.”

He explains the buried quality of the magic, the way the reappearance of Elain’s hands had been so clearly connected to her emotions, her seeming lack of comprehension at all that had happened.

“That seems a useful talent, if she could control it. An invisible woman would make a perfect spy. Do you think that’s why she was sent here?”

“I don’t think Elain is in control of any of her powers.”

“She has others?”

“Rhysand has never said exactly what, but I gather that he and his court have noticed that she has other abilities. But I’d be surprised if this wasn’t the first time this disappearance manifested itself.”

“Perhaps you’re underestimating her. She could be gathering intelligence for the Night Court.”

“If so, Rhysand would never have summoned us.”

“He doesn’t trust our host.”

“I wouldn’t put it past Rhys to contrive a situation where Elain and I were trapped in the same house.”

“The firebird would be included for what, romantic lighting?”

He pulls her close against him, so that the embroidery of her gown lays down its marks on his skin.

“Included for your knowledge of Koschei,” he says, because on the whole it is a relief to tell her the truth, “and also for my great good luck.”

Vassa lifts her cheek from his shoulder to smile at him and despite the evening’s events, he smiles back at her, celebrates the tiny solitary miracle that is the two of them together in her room. No matter the secrets, the lies he has to tell to contain them, Lucien finds himself believing in that moment that everything will be all right.

He’s always found delusion to be a particularly heady emotion.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the morning, before dawn, Lucien is in a rush, fumbling with his clothes and pulling Vassa from her bed before she transforms and singes the mattress. Tamlin’s servants meet them at the door with a wrapped breakfast that he doubts Vassa will have a chance to eat, and sure enough, before they’re halfway across the gardens, Vassa is a firebird, flapping her wings across the lavender sky, the new dawn.

She does not speak in this form but she follows him easily as he makes his way through the trees, looping and diving to get a better idea of the terrain. In this form she is formidable but still very exposed, and since the war, she’s learned to be vigilant.

After an hour of walking, they reach the lake nearest to Tamlin’s estate, and Vassa launches herself at the sparkling water. Around her, the water bubbles, the steam rising from the place where she dove. Lucien settles himself on a boulder and scans the forest, palms his dagger in one hand and his breakfast in the other. When he’s sure that the only sounds are Vassa’s splashing and the other birds awakening, he puts the knife down and eats the bread and eggs and cheese, watching her flames mirrored on the surface of the water.

Tending to Vassa was the work of servants for months before Lucien took it over, well before they’d wound up in their latest arrangement. He enjoys watching the world wake up, loves watching her transformation, imagining the way that she beholds the world in this form. She has trouble describing the experience, only its limitations, but he can see Vassa’s character inside the bird, her watchfulness and unbroken spirit. If he does not keep her sufficiently entertained, she’ll splash him or draw close enough to leave a burn on his sleeve. As a result, Lucien has told her nearly all of his stories, decades of court intrigue and gossip, rivalries and petty jealousies and tendres. At first, he wrapped these stories in fine telling, with voices and dramatic pauses as if she were a paying audience. But gradually, as they grew more familiar, he began to tell her the stories and secrets that stuck inside him, his voice low and sometimes hesitant. He’s told her about Jessaminda, about Tamlin’s kindness and his rage, the way that despite most evidence to the contrary, he still doesn’t fully trust the Night Court. During these stories, Vassa always watches him with her great blue eyes, still as a swan while she circles the lake.

At night, Vassa will tell him her own secrets, the intrigues of her court, and though Lucien had long scorned the human realms, he finds herself drawn in by the tales, asking her questions, trying to better envision her world.

Behind him, a fallen branch cracks under a foot and the birds scatter. Lucien is on his feet in an instant, Vassa a warm fire close behind.

When he sees the golden beast, Lucien takes a breath before returning his dagger to his belt. Tamlin has appeared more in control lately, but he’s witnessed enough of his old friend’s behavior over the past few years that Lucien can’t be sure there won’t be an explosion.

“You’ve found a pretty spot to while away the morning,” Tamlin says. The words would be charming if the fangs of the beast weren’t quite so large and sharp.

“I promised to show Vassa your lands.”

“I gather that you’ve made many promises to Vassa.”

Lucien holds himself still. He wants to reach for his dagger, give Tamlin an idea of the danger he’s courting, but knows the gesture would reveal too much. Just this once, he’s grateful that Vassa is unable to speak in this form.

“Rhys recruited you to play matchmaker?” he says instead, trying for the kind of courtly sneer that comes so easily to Eris.

Tamlin shakes his head, sending leaves spiralling out of his golden fur, and then in a flash of light, he’s High Fae again, tall and golden against the trees. Lucien is sure that all the motion was simply a distraction from his shuddering at the idea of being implicated in one of Rhysand’s schemes, however harmless, but once again he wonders if Tamlin senses the mating bond.

“I came to seek your counsel,” Tamlin says.

“Vassa--”

“We’ll stay nearby. You will have the chance to defend your queen.”

Lucien looks toward Vassa, who bobs her head on its long neck as if to say go on.

From behind, Tamlin looks the way he always has, his warrior’s body always ready to strike as he strikes a relentless pace through the trees, and Lucien can imagine that he and Tamlin are the friends they were before Amarantha, before Feyre and the war with Hybern, before the Archeron sisters wound up in the Cauldron. It startles him to think that this before is now long ago, past the human lifespan.

When Tamlin stops, his face is grim, his mouth bracketed by deep lines that Lucien has never seen before.

“Why did Rhysand send you here?” he asks, the words almost lost in his growl. There are talons, now, where his fingers were seconds ago.

“I haven’t spoken to him in weeks,” Lucien says. He’d been avoiding the entire Night Court, thinking of what they’d report back to Elain, the implications. “You were the one who asked me to come here, remember?”

“I forget nothing.” Tamlin’s eyes make Lucien think of trees after an unexpected ice storm, the leaves a deeper, brighter green within their crystallized prison. He’s thinking of Feyre’s escapes, the way Lucien aided her and fled himself. The memories of the High Fae are too long for comfortable recollection.

“His people were investigating Koschei,” Lucien says when it’s clear that Tamlin will not elaborate on his suspicions. This is common enough knowledge by now. He should have found a way to the Night Court over the past week, but he was too focused on those last nights with Vassa which have turned out, now, not to be so finally over after all. “I’m sure that’s why they asked for Vassa. And if Elain was sent to your court, I think that matchmaking is once again the most likely answer.”

Tamlin snorts. “There will be hell to pay when Rhysand finds out you’ve rejected Elain.”

There’s a rustle in the trees and Lucien whirls toward it, his knives in his hands. Nobody appears. Since Amarantha arrived in Prythian, he’s stopped trusting these woods.

“Who is patrolling your borders?” Lucien asks. He hadn’t spotted anyone when he and Vassa approached yesterday, but Tamlin’s sentries know these forests, would surely have been warned about the firebird.

“I keep my lands safe.” His voice is gruff, tight, the pride and shame braided together.

“The army you raised--”

“The people of these lands feared Hybern more than they hated me. Once peace was assured, they went back to their homes.”

“Perhaps a visit from their High Lord would convince them.”

“A High Lord who could offer them what, exactly?”

All at once, Lucien is exhausted with this self-loathing.

“Your people will not love you overmuch when the Autumn Court storms your lands, or if a force from the continent invades. Without a wall, your lands are exposed for the taking.”

“There are tales of the beast who roams these lands.”

“Everyone knows that beast is you, Tamlin.”

A surge of power in the air around them, sharp-toothed. Far away, Lucien hears the beat of wings on water, knows that Vassa felt it.

As he always has, Lucien holds still until Tamlin’s temper ebbs. He imagines what it must be, to feel you’ve had everything you wanted and then have it pulled away. To have been held, Under the Mountain, the principal subject of Amarantha’s poisoned regard.

But this time, Lucien does not feel his own anger melt away. What happens if Vassa is captured, or Elain? Each would command a hefty ransom. Elain could drive the lands to war; he’s still puzzled by her powers but can only conclude that they are mighty and dangerous, if it’s anything like the magic her sisters command. But it’s the image of Vassa, back in Koschei’s clutches, which tears at Lucien’s heart, drives him forward.

“I would help you raise the troops,” he says, the force in his voice a surprise even to himself. “Elain and Vassa could be trusted to rouse support. Your people will remember their roles in the war with Hybern. With a little kindness and a little pleading and ample compensation, all of which are seemingly too much for you, they could even be persuaded to remember the way you double-crossed the king of Hybern and joined the battle at a crucial moment. They can still be rallied, should the High Lord care enough. But you have given up on these people and these lands. You think that once your enemies have slaughtered you, then it will only be oblivion and peace, and that might be true in your own experience, but you forget the fact that when your lands are overrun, it will be your people who suffer day by day. They know this already even if you refuse to acknowledge reality. And so they will not mourn you when your lands are seized and you yourself are killed prowling your imagined borders. You will not be worth a single tear.”

Tamlin’s eyes are wide, and before the anger can burn in them, Lucien stalks off in the direction of the lake.

Behind him, the forest is silent.

[idkthisisjustforfanfic]

AN: this is part of @always-jackedup‘s wonderful 25 days of summer! So excited to have written a fun piece alongside so many talented people! This story was so fun to write and I hope ya like it pals!!!

read my masterlist here

2.1k of surviving the Styles’ Family Reunion

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Harry didn’t know if there was anything he loved more than good food and the great outdoors--especially the garden behind his dad’s house where this year’s Styles Family Reunion was being held. 

He’d long come to appreciate the time he spent in the countryside, surrounded by family members that he saw less and less as his life got busier and busier--but this year was different. While Harry was still filled with excitement to see his cousins and hilarious aunts and uncles, he was also filled to the brim with nerves. 

With tours and albums and his time in the band, Harry had missed the last few cycles of the family reunion. He’d missed a trip in 2017 to Huddersfield to see his Gran and all of his cousins, and he was especially bitter to have missed last summer’s reunion, only because his sister had made it clear that she was now known as the Styles Family Limbo Champion.

“Will you just relax?” Gemma nudged him with her elbow, handing over a dish of sausage rolls as he stared out into the garden. “It’ll be fine, go put these on the table outside.”

He let out a huff of air, stepping into the sun as he walked to set the platter down beside the sticky-notes his dad’s girlfriend, Karen, had stuck to the table the night before in preparation. She’d been planning for weeks--grinning and excited both Gemma and Harry would be home in conjunction with the summer’s greatest event. 

And Harry wasn’t nervous about the pressure to beat Gemma and the rest of his family--he was confident that his flexibility and competitive nature would serve him well. What he was really dreading, to be quite honest, was the fact that he was finally subjecting Y/N to the borderline verbal assault that she’d endure when all of his aunts got their hands on her. 

Harry and Y/N had been dating for a few years--she’d met the usual players: Gemma, Anne, Robin, before he passed, his dad and Karen, even a few cousins along the way. He knew that she could handle herself--he knew that she had the poise and expertise it would take to dodge the questions of engagement and babies and the like. 

He’d been seated on the bed upstairs, tapping his foot anxiously while Y/N finished getting dressed. Will just quit it, yeah? She’d said. Go find a way to get rid of the anxious energy before you stress me out. 

So he’d wandered downstairs, offering to help Karen set up as his dad took some wipes to the garden furniture. 

“Hey,” Michal, Gemma’s boyfriend, called for Harry’s attention now. “Help me move this, yeah?”

Harry walked to meet him at the hammock that was set up in the middle of the garden. Lifting from the knees as they walked it over and out the way. 

“Gem said we’ll set up the limbo there when everyone’s had a few drinks.”

Harry let out a sarcastic laugh and rolled his eyes. “Great--getting her drunk will only make her more obnoxious if she wins.”

“You’re just jealous that you haven’t had a few years to practice,” Y/N said with a smile, appearing on the patio. She held a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun, using her other hand to hold the glass door open for Gemma--who used both hands to balance another platter of food as she stepped into the garden. 

“M’not jealous--and m’in great shape. Running around on stage is quite the workout,” Harry defended as they set the hammock down, he tugged at it a bit to make sure it was sturdy enough, wiping his hands on his pants as he turned to face them.

“Does falling on stage all the time count as a workout?” Gemma inquired, her face serious as  Y/N stifled a giggle. 

Harry made his way back to the patio--wrapping his arms around Y/N as he shot Gemma a dirty look. “Is this your scare tactic? Be enough of a brat to get in my head in hopes of taking the title?”

“No one really cares that much about limbo--just to be clear,” Michal said, eyeing Y/N as if to ask what they’d gotten themselves into.

**

Harry was two drinks and three sausage rolls deep when he nearly choked on his food out of shock. Everything had been nice--quiet and lovely as his aunts and uncles caught up, cousins took funny pictures, his dad seemed to be more than pleased to have everyone in one place.

Despite the good nature of his family, Harry couldn’t believe how little time it took for his aunts to start in on their questions---Y/N stood in front of them like a deer in headlights. 

“Settling down soon, love?” Harry’s Aunt Joanne asked her as she took a sip of her hard cider. Could his aunts not control themselves for once? Harry would have preferred--honestly--if  they’d just asked him. That way he didn’t have to watch Y/N be subjected to such questioning. 

Luckily, after making quick eye contact with Harry--she let out a laugh. “No major plans right now. I think your nephew’s a bit focused on the upcoming album and tour.”

“‘Course he is--such a hard worker,” his uncle chimed in, watching as Y/N let out a laugh. While Harry’s aunt and uncle might not have known that he was listening to every work of their conversation, Y/N was certainly aware that Harry was hanging on every word.

“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if he pops the question soon--s’been how long, again, love?”

Harry smacked his own forehead in disbelief--his gran seemed to tilt her head in confusion. “Everything alright?” She asked, leaning forward to place a hand on Harry’s arm in concern. 

“Yeah,” Harry looked up suddenly, slightly embarrassed that he’d been caught. “Was a bug, that’s all,” he looked around the air between them, as if he was still on the hunt for the winged-pest. 

“Three years,” Y/N answered the question, trying to focus on the conversation in front of her rather than the emotional distress her boyfriend was clearly in. Y/N couldn’t help but think it was funny how stressed he got in situations like these. Sure--she understood that he liked his privacy, but his aunts were just curious and maybe, just maybe, Y/N was also wondering the same thing. They’d talked about engagement--they’d talked about moving in together and taking those next steps. But things seemed to get in the way, which only led to a guilty Harry hanging his head every the topic came up in the presence of others. 

First it was the movie. Then Y/N got a promotion. Then it was the album, then tour. Now--they’d fallen into a happy pattern of Y/N spending most nights at Harry’s house unless he was out of town. Then she’s head back to her flat with her two roommates. 

Y/N knew it was out of his control, at least to some degree. She wasn’t mad--Harry knew that. But he often wondered if she ever felt forgotten or pushed aside. Harry’s other aunt, Mary, had  seemed to make her way over to join in the fun. 

“Any talk of babies?” She asked, her accent thick as Y/N’s brows shot North.

“Pass the pork pie, please?” Harry nearly shouted--loud enough to get everyone’s attention on in the garden as he was met with concerned and confused gazes. Y/N, who turned to face him with a questioning look, only seemed to laugh when Harry stammered a bit. “Sorry--just, really, really hungry.”

Though she was thankful for the distraction and the cover from her anxious boyfriend, Y/N could only shake her head in amusement as his Gran reached across the table to hand him the pie. “Growing boy--that’s all, have two slices, Harry, dear.”

**

Limbo wasn’t a team sport--but that didn’t stop Harry from getting incredibly loud and supportive when anyone but Gemma was having their turn. 

“Yeah, Michal, come on--low to the ground, bend your knees,” Harry seemed to coach him through it (though flexibility certain wasn’t forte). Gemma--whose arms were crossed--seemed to look incredibly displeased with Harry’s sudden support for her boyfriend. 

“M’not really a fan of this collusion,” she called from her spot in line. She stood behind Harry--watching as Michal seemed to just scrape by the pole. At the last second, his nose caught a piece of it and he was left to flop to the ground--letting out a groan on his way down.”

“Yeah--just relax, will you?” Y/N too sides, causing Harry to turn with a dramatic raise of his brows. 

“I see where your allegiance lies,” he nearly spat out at her, gaining a laugh from Michal who rounded the garden to find his place on the sideline. They were separated by cousins now--all of whom were just as competitive as the two Styles siblings. 

“No one is relaxing, Y/N,” Harry said sternly, holding a hand in the air as if to call attention to his speech. “This is serious.”

Michal seemed to roll his eyes as Y/N let out a laugh. Harry stepped forward, apparently satisfied with himself as he bent backwards to slip beneath the height of the pole. His arms seemed to flail by his side, he kept his chin tucked down to his chest to have a visual of his progress, and once he felt his chest knock into the limbo set up, he simply crumpled to the ground. 

“Not so good at limbo, yeah?” Gemma teased from the behind Y/N, watching as Harry struggled to stand from the grass beneath him. 

He rolled his eyes at his sister and walked to join Michal. “Isn’t there something about women being more flexible than men?”

Y/N--who seemed to blush as soon as a smirk crossed Michal’s face--was grateful for the swift response from Gemma. 

“No one wants to hear from you, Harry. You’re out. Sit there and mind your own business as we show you how it’s done.”

And while Gemma made it another 13 rounds--rightfully earning the title of Limbo Champion, much to his dismay--Harry didn’t mind just sitting on the grass with Y/N and catching up with his cousins, hoping that she’d tag along to family reunions for as long as he lived. 

**

“So--you survived your first reunion,” Gemma handed a plate to Y/N, who held a dish towel in her hands to dry whatever dishes came her way. The sun had set the Styles’ extended family had  long shipped out. 

Harry--who was busy placing leftover food into tupperware containers--brought his eyes up to smile at Y/N, though she didn’t see it. 

“Just barely,” she laughed a little, raising her eyebrows at Gemma in gest. “You missed the grilling I endured from your lovely aunts.”

“Did Joanne get all up in your business?” Harry’s dad chirped from the door out to the garden, a shake of his head conveyed his displeasure. “God love her, but she can be so nosy.”

“Nosy is an understatement,” Gemma laughed, adjusting the faucet as she set another stack of plates in the sink. 

“She asked about babies,” Y/N continued. “Asked about moving in, getting engaged.”

“Fair questions,” Gemma offered a smirk to Harry over her shoulder--who was now suddenly busy searching for the right lid, his lips pushed out as he eyed the array of them on the counter.  

“Hmm--don’t ever know what you mean,” he mumbled, as if he wasn’t even listening to their conversation. 

“He saved the day, actually,” Y/N joked, making a face at Harry--who looked up upon being praised. 

“I did?” 

“He did?” Gemma echoed his question, her lifted brows told Y/N that she couldn’t believe it. 

“Asked for another serving of pork pie right as the question left her mouth. Not very sly, but it’s the effort that counts. Saved me from an awkward conversation, s’why I keep him around.”

Gemma rolled her eyes at her brother, handing Y/N another dish to dry. “Well don’t worry--you’ve got forever to answer their questions.”

Harry smiled--and when Y/N looked over at him, he dropped the Tupperware in his hands and walked to wrap his arms around her shoulders. “I’m glad you survived, love,” he kissed the top of her hair.

And that felt true. Y/N let a breath of air escape her lips as she set the dish down and then let her hands reach up to rest on Harry’s arms. Whether or not his aunts were nosy, she’d call today a success--based on survival alone.

She leaned her head back, letting their lips come together quickly before Harry went back to the Tupperware, his eyes serious as his eyebrows drew together. “But we’ve only got 364 days to start stretching. We’ve got to take the Limbo title next year.”

[depressed-sock]

A heartbeat away part 1

M!detective/ Mason

The Wayhaven Chronicles

Finally got the motivation to write a bit. This might end up being a small series, it depends on if I can keep my motivation to write lol

Tw: blood, violence, nightmare

...

It starts as a dream. A soft nothing that won’t be important or fantastic enough to remember when he finally wakes. Not until the dream begins to change at least. A feeling of something other crawling its way in and through. Rotting away any sense of safety until he's left staring at the woods that surround him.

The area dimly lit by a full moon that casts more shadows against the trees than there should be in reality. All of them sitting in waiting. Even as a heavy fog drifts low, clinging to whatever it can touch. His body shivers against it, ice clinging to his eyelashes. His attempts to blink it away, but fails miserably as they instead try to glue his eyelids shut.

He’s very much aware of the fact that he's still asleep. But it does not stop the sudden rise of panic in his chest as glowing eyes begin to dot the woods around him. His breathing grows ragged, coming out as hot puffs of steaming air. The area falls into a quiet pause before a crack of thunder forces the shadows move as one. He runs. Following the invisible path laid out before him.

The shadows chase him, unseen claws slashing into his bare back. Leaving him too distracted to step carefully, bare feet catching on a root he hadn’t seen in his rush. He falls to the ground, hands digging painfully into the broken brush beneath him and he can feel a wave of foreign anger bubbling in his gut.

Until the moment finally comes. Something spearing through his chest, pinning him in a kneeled position against the forest floor. The metallic glint catches his eye and leaves him with only the ability to watch as his blood drips down the metal that protrudes from his chest. His blood steaming against the cold air until it too eventually freezes over. He can still feel the pain searing through him as his eye’s finally snap open.

It takes a moment to ground himself, breaths coming out in short gasps as he tries to focus on the room around him. The plain white wall to his right catching his eye as dark shadows suddenly scatter from it and into darker corners of the room. Leaving him alone to stare at where they had gathered.

Eyes, shadows, claws, pain, cold. His mind runs through the main details but doesn’t bother to hold in the rest of the dream. Mostly because he already knows this one by heart. It’s a familiar nightmare, one of many he’s had and one of many he will have. Just an echo of a life long gone before his own ever started.

Just an echo... Unlike the thing he can still sense taking up residence in his room.

His first thought is to ignore it. To try and go back to what little bit of sleep awaits him. It's all just another part of his usual nighttime routine. But something at the back of his mind is screaming at him that the presence feels off. That it’s not one of his usual guests.

So he forces himself to wake further, eyelids still heavy and wanting for sleep. His hazy gaze staring at the wall for some kind of answer that he knows is there. Before finally realizing exactly what’s wrong. It doesn't match the memory of the one in his home.

Right… Of course, it doesn’t. He didn’t want to drive back so late at night so he stayed at the warehouse with the rest of the team. Sleeping in a room made for him but not 'made' for him.

Hell. He knew he should have done a check but the last time he stayed nothing seemed off, so he’d just assumed there were no extra guests. Or that if there truly were any, the agency would have dealt with it.

This is what he gets for letting his guard down.

With a sigh, he finally gives in to the feeling creeping up his spine. Turning to lie on his back, glaring up at the ceiling. At the shadow who watches back.

He'd like to say he was going to just ignore it and pretend he doesn’t see it. Try and get some kind of sleep before he truly has to get up for the day. It’d be stupid for him to just leave it though. Eventually, it’d realize he could sense it and then he’d have to try and dodge it whenever the team was around. Which would lead to more questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

"So I'm guessing this is where you either talk my ear off or try to make my life hell." He flinches as his voice cracks through the air like a whip rather than the whisper it was intended to be.

It tilts its head to the side in response, eyes temporarily blinking in and out of existence. A hand stretches forward from it, hovering inches above his face until he can just barely make out gnarled skin that clings tight to bony fingers.

"I can't help you." His voice holds steady even as it reaches further down, hand brushing against the faint scars on his neck. Skin freezing beneath its touch. He’s sure it can feel his heart pounding in his chest. Maybe this is something he should have been prepared for or at least something he should be used to by now.

But his life has never gotten easier knowing what the touch of death feels like.

The knock comes suddenly. A soft rap against the door that has the shadow snapping its hand back, retreating in a panic as he scrambles out of his covers. His hand blindly fumbling on his bedside table for his glasses. Whipping them immediately to his eyes once he finds them. Trying his best to catch a clearer glimpse of the spirit only to find it gone by the time his glasses sit crooked on his nose.

"Nolan, are you okay?" Nat's concerned voice comes through the door.

He takes a deep breath, rubbing the palms of his hands against his eyes before fixing his glasses firmly into place. "I'm fine." He mumbles before throwing his blankets fully off and getting up to cross the room. He opens the door, leaning heavily against it, and gives her a tired shrug, "Just a bad dream."

She looks at him with a frown, her eyebrows pinched in concern as she takes in the deep bags under his eyes. "Are you sure you're ok? It looks like you haven't been sleeping at all."

"I'm fine Nat,” his voice softens, “Just have had a bunch of late shifts at the police station recently.”

“Of course.” she nods her head in understanding, hands fidgeting restlessly like she wants to say more. She seems to weigh her words before finally deciding to softly ask, “Was it about Murphy?”

“No. Not this time at least,” he shrugs again looking away from her and down the hall. Like he’s afraid someone else might be listening. A sense of paranoia he’s never fully gotten rid of from his relationship with Bobby.

He shakes his head before focusing back on her, “But honestly nightmares are just a…” He pauses as he tries to find the words, “Well they’re just a usual occurrence for me. Even before the whole Murphy fiasco. It’s nothing to worry about.”

She hesitates a moment. Studying him before giving in with a sigh, "Well if you need help with anything you know we'll do our best to help, right?"

"Yes, I’m aware." He smiles softly, "But what I really need right now is coffee."

"You're not going to try and go back to sleep?"

"Couldn't even if I wanted to." He sighs, as he closes the door behind him and begins to walk towards the kitchen. Nat keeping pace with him even though he feels like he’s moving in slow motion.

He’s not going to be able to sleep here again without doing a thorough check-in with the unaccounted for guest that’s roaming around. Should have done a check of the room. Hell, he should have checked the whole warehouse. He knows better. But he’s gotten too complacent by expecting everything to be like his apartment. The safety of it rotting away his built up defenses.

At least, this was a wake-up call with a safety net. If he needs too, really needs to, he can tell the team what the issue is. Of course, that’s a last resort only. Especially considering how past experiences have gone when he’s tried to tell someone he cares about. In his head he knows it’d be different with them, they’re vampires after all. Can’t get much more into the supernatural than being a supernatural.

The main issue would end up being them informing Rebecca about it.

The cold air of the hallway sends a chill down his spine and he finds himself stuffing his hands into his sweatpants pockets, hunching forward slightly as he tries to ignore the growing anxiety building beneath his skin. Rebecca finding out is absolutely the last thing he needs in his life.

Nat watches him, her pace steady as she walks beside him. Looking more and more like she wants to say something else but instead, she forces herself to focus on the hallway ahead of them. He knows she can probably tell that there's something more off with him than he's letting on.

Mercifully she doesn't bring it up.

And it’s not long before they’re sitting across the table from one another, a warm cup of coffee in his hand while she sips on her tea. The whole place feeling unnaturally quiet with the others all asleep.

“Seems like everyone decided to try and get some sleep tonight. So what are you doing up?” he asks to fill the silence.

“I was going to do some reading in the library,” she hums, “I have a couple of series I’m catching up on.”

“You have something you’re not caught up on? With all the time you’ve had?” He smirks as she rolls her eyes.

“I don’t know if you noticed but we’ve been a little busy recently,” she laughs, her fingers tapping gently against her cup.

“Maybe I’ll head that way with you then. I still need to take an actual crack at the library considering all we did last time was research.”

She gives him an unimpressed look, “Right, research.”

“Hey!” he barks out a laugh, “I definitely did research before I got…” he tilts his head to the side with a smirk, “distracted.” Not as distracted as he would have preferred but something he and Mason definitely made up for later.

She groans in complaint, setting her cup down to allow her to massage her temples, “I swear you’re just as bad as him.”

“Thank you.” His smirk turns into a wide grin.

“That was definitely not a compliment.”

“Oh I know.” He wiggles his eyebrows as he takes another sip of coffee.

Nat responding back with a roll of her eyes and immediately hiding her own smile behind her cup. Their soft chatter soon feeling the space and drawing the other in one by one.

Having someone to hang around after a nightmare... It’s nicer than he remembers and something he didn’t realize exactly how much he’s missed.

[nemesis-mess]

Challenge 1: First one down

A / N: No excuses I know is late but... translating a whole fic is a nightmare, thanks to @lady-indiana​ for the rp and the amazing opportunity to know her character, also thanks to @arin-schreave​ for the interesting interview.

enjoy it!

word count: 4523

The only thing that surrounded me was darkness, the pain in my chest was unbearable, I struggled, screamed and fought desperately trying to get rid of the grip of those hands that pressed on my neck leaving me breathless and ending with any trace of life that was left , I knew that none of my efforts or attempts to get rid of those hands would work, it was clear I just had to ...

wake.

I woke up suddenly, disoriented, airless and scared, in the middle of that huge bed witness of my night torments, I carefully ran my hands down my neck making sure that all that had

Three taps on my door startled me a little even when I already knew what it meant, my door opened and the three beautiful women who worked for the palace entered my room.

"Lady Nemesis are you alright?" Asked the girl with black hair and eyes named Selene, one of my maids.

I looked down at my hands and took a deep breath before I nodded affirmatively at her as a response.

"Lady Nemesis we have to prepare you for today, it's a special occasion" a dreamy sigh came from the lips of Samantha who looked at me with illusion, her eyes radiated joy, I could clearly notice that she was too excited about it, Giselle otherwise just nodded at Samantha's comment.

"It has nothing about special" I said honestly as I got out of bed and walked in the direction of the bathroom to take a shower.

I came out wrapped in a towel and the three girls started working on my makeup, hair and clothes, a whole process that I didn't think was as long or as elaborate, but in the end it was much more complex than I thought, the three of them walked around me applying products on my face, brushing my hair and choosing my wardrobe, but at leats that complicated process gave its results because when I saw myself in the mirror I was undoubtedly surprised.

One of the few things that worried me was that they would try to gradually turn me into a princess, but my maids were right with their decisions, the girl in the reflection was me.

&

I opened the doors of the room wide, I arrived a few minutes after the others selected but it was something that didn't matter, I took me  few seconds to see the room in detail and scan the whole place with my eyes, without a doubt I was beautifully decorated tall windows to let in the bright sunlight, carefully crafted pictures, huge chandeliers, and a whole host of other things that made the dining room look like something out of a movie but the truth is that how the palace looked was my least concern, there were several tables arranged in the room, so I walked with a sure step to the seat that had surely been assigned to me. It didn't cost me much to find it. It was in the middle of the filmmaker girl and the nature girl, little did I knew about the selecteds and little did I wanted to know since I didn't need them to do my job.

The murmur of the voices of the selecteds was silenced at the moment the princess safiya entered the room denoting a certain air of elegance and security, she offered a smile in a polite way while standing in the middle of the room with a clipboard in front with both hands "Good morning. I'm sure you're all ... eager to start seeing as you're meeting my brother shortly, so I'll try to keep this brief." An ironic smile formed on my face when I listened to Safiya, she could not be wrong if she was talking about the other girls, but I was sure that meeting the prince didnt make me eager in any way, assuming how we felt was a big mistake . Safiya continued, lifted the clipboard to scan what was on there "Normally, someone else would be leading these lessons, but I was asked to be a replacement. Let's begin."

I sighed lightly exasperated, aware of what was coming.

Let's start with this little nightmare called etiquette lessons.

Safiya began to read the script she was holding "I hope you all had a restful first night in the palace because now our work begins. Today I will ..."

Bla bla bla I stop paying attention to Safiya's words a few seconds after she had started, everything was so boring and irrelevant, royalty was definitely ridiculous in a undescriptible sense and nobody could deny it, so I would rather concentrate on reading the body language of the selected that surrounded me, although that it was not a very funny action I can assure that it was better than listening to the stupidities of how to behave around people who in the end turned out to be the same as anyone, but the presence of someone new in the room distracted my attention of analyzing work.

Felicity was there with all of us in the room, in front of me was the protagonist of  Arin's "drama", the face that is and was the cover of numerous magazines, that of which whispers were still heard in the hallway, in front of us and looking at us with her brown eyes was the prince's ex-fiancée.

Safiya was probably just as surprised as everyone but began to exchange whispers with Felicity, not giving much importance to the presence of 35 girls around her.

"My sister sent someone to replace her. Lucky for us" she said muttered before looking at her clipboard to continue with the boring lesson.

The only thing that crossed my mind in the middle of the whole lesson was how irrelevant this really was, how it was possible that sitting or eating at the table was much more important than teaching the selecteds something they really needed, the etiquette lessons were the perfect definition of wasting time.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't pay attention to absolutely anything again, the last thing I heard and that for me was the sign that the lessons were already over was the hypocritical "and don't forget I'm here to help you" of felicity, unfortunately it didn't sound very sincere to me or to anyone who had the slightest use of reason.

&

It didn't take long for me to be guided to a nearby room, a beautiful room but in which I could only look at the enormous number of cameras willing to judge and analyze all kinds of interaction between Arin and me, at the end of the day the country had to get a little distracted and what better way to do it than by showing them closely the selection process that was basically a reality show.

After seeing the cameras I out my eyes in the prince, the one I had seen countless times.  When I got close the first thing Arin did was direct his eyes to the name tag that I was wearing and he started to greet me "Good morning, Lady Nemesis, please have a seat" with his right hand he gestured towards the sofa.  

Without hesitation, I sat down and directed my gaze at the guy in front of me "Good morning ... Arin? Prince arin? Your highness?" I answered his greeting politely, but the other words came out of my mouth with a large dose of sarcasm "How do you want me to call you?" I gave him a fake little smile with this last question.

He sat next to me and shifted his body to face me "Whatever makes you most comfortable is fine with me." In that case Arin would be. He pulled at his cuffs which to me was a desperate way of showing that he was relaxed when he was clearly tense "How has your morning been?"

I frowned at his question "My morning ?, Do you really want to know or this is just a protocol you have to follow with all the girls?" I spoke without holding what I thought, his question sounded forced and prepared as if it were predetermined, many people could take it as something common and an act of good education but I noticed instantly that it was not just that. I stopped for a moment and looked him in the eyes filled with an insatiable curiosity "but most interesting how is your morning going?" I rested my head on my right hand waiting for his answer, I was sure that interviewing 35 girls among whom your future wife was probably, was something that should make your morning different and interesting.

Arin looked at me and blinked slightly surprised but a smile formed on her lips, a smile that seemed genuine "My morning is going well, thank you. Did you sleep well?"

A little chill ran through my entire body as I remembered the nightmare I had "No, despite the big room and the amazing beed this place is not as comfortable as it seems" I was partially honest it wasn't just about being uncomfortable in the palace, It was about those nightmares that had been making my nights difficult for a long time. I ran my hands over my dress and looked at it.

"I'm sorry to hear that" no you don't. Arin frowned and looked at the cameras (which I had forgotten about for a moment) before looking at me again "Which province are you from?"

I thought about it for a few seconds, it was almost as if I had been left blank by that easy question "Columbia ..." I replied skeptically.

He simply nodded and continued, "How are you liking Angeles in comparison?".

What kind of questions were those, boring, monotonous and above all, empty, I had noticed at first but now it almost seemed really like Arin had prepared a script. I sighed and a small smile formed at the corner of my lips "Arin ... do you really want to know all this crap?" I looked him in the eyes clearly surprised "are you supposed to meet your wife this way?" I pointed to the cameras that were recording each of our movements, making reference to the fact that it was the emptiest way of meeting what was supposed to be his future wife, I lowered my hand and settled it on my lap, but now it was my eyes that talked and said that I was outraged "believe I'm enjoying this as much as you do"

He shifted uncomfortably "I'm sorry, Lady Nemesis. What do you prefer to talk about?"

I probably just bothered Arin  but I wasn't going to keep quiet about something I didn't feel was right or made me feel even a little uncomfortable, yet he didn't have to bear the blame for it completely "Don't be sorry about anything " I looked at the ceiling as if somehow magically this would help me find the words I was looking for" I want to know about you, I like believe there's something else in there ... a human being "and although the last thing I said sounded a bit rude , I really meant it. I relaxed on the sofa couch, I spread my legs a little and decided to forget about everything they told me in the etiquette lessons they gave us about an hour ago "what makes you you?"

He was really puzzled by my question and frowned more in confusion "You already know the most important things about me. I know hardly anything about you."

He had not understood.

"No, I don't" I wrinkled my nose, now I was the one who was surprised. I was little interested in what the magazines or television said, I knew that everything was exaggerated or lacking of truthfulness but he was not willing to show me much beyond that ... not now. "the same things you know about me are the same things I know about, but I get it I went too deep to be the first time i know you" What was on that sheet of paper in which I applied to the selection said exactly the same real information that I knew about Arin, even less, so in the end he could knew more about me than I did about him. I Looked at my nails as an instinct for evasion and muttered "it's a bad habit" used all my life to find information about people, to read them, to know them was something I had gotten used to.

Arin paused, clearly thinking of what to say "Well, the best way to get to know me is with question ..." yes and no ... he paused again and blurted out the next question "What do you do in your province? "

I put my index fingers in the middle of my hesitating lips, that was the kind of generic question that for many people would be easy to answer, but for me it was the kind of question I preferred to avoid, so I chose to be partially honest again. "mmm just some dirty work" run my hand through my hair carefully so as not to ruin my maids work "what do you do here in angeles?"

He sat up a bit more straight, you could still see from far that he was tense and that the scene of the interview made him feel everything except comfortable "I mostly attend meeting. I don't have time for much else."

"I think this selection came in the perfect moment to spicy your life a bit" flicked my tongue and look around "I'm sure it's time to break that comfort zone a bit" ... and it was true, things happen in a perfect way and at a perfect time and this selection was what Arin without being very aware of it needed in his life, Arin needed a change of this measure in his life.

He nodded at my words "Maybe it did come at a good time." He looked at his watch and then he looked at me, which for me was the clearest sign that the little time we had at our disposal had ended "It's been a pleasure, Lady Nemesis" He stood "I hope you enjoy your stay in the palace. "

I got up from the sofa and went to the door of the room but before I left I turned around and saw Arin standing there with an expression difficult to read "Good luck with ..." I looked around and a big smile formed on my lips "whatever this is".

I turned around and felt his gaze on me, until the door closed behind me and welcomed me back to the wonderful dining room where those finely decorated tables were positioned, with flowers, silverware and full of selecteds that exchanged words between them and filled the room with a soft murmur from which I couldn't escape.

As breakfast was a buffet, I prepared to take the food I wanted, a little bread, fruit, coffee and anything that looked delicious was on my plate, took the seat assigned to me and prepared myself to eat until that something slightly distracted my attention, on my right side filmmaker girl sat where it belonged and when I tried to continue with my breakfast a word came from her lips.

"hi!" She greeted with great enthusiasm a broad smile directed at me.

I turned my head and looked at her curiously because I didn't consider such a sudden approach normal "hi ...?" I took deep breath as a way to relax a little bit as I felt slightly tense "mmmm you are the filmmaker girl, right?"

My words seemed to annoyed or overwhelmed her as her smile narrowed a bit and she looked taken back "Yeah, that's me. You're ... Nemesis ... right?".

"Yeah that's me" I held out my hand to her politely introducing myself "filmmaker girl is not such a nice way to call you, your name is ...?" I looked her straight in the eyes waiting for her answer.

She took my hand without hesitating, not even a second. "I'm Indiana, but you can call me Indie. It's nice to meet you too." Her gaze fell on the other four tables in the room "This is pretty wild, right?".

If i was being able to have the freedom to call her by her  nick name, she also deserved the possibility of calling me by mine "If that's the case you can call me Mess" my gaze followed hers and I took the trouble to see all the girls in the room again "it doesn't impress me, just a bunch of girls desperate to fit in the royalty"  I looked at my nails for a few seconds and then I looked at indie "I guess that doesn't sounds nice, tell me indie what do you want in here? " the curiosity of knowing why  she was there in the palace and in the middle of a selection was something that gave me some curiosity and I wasn't going to deny myself the opportunity to find it out.

A small spark of amusment could be saw in her eyes combining with intrigue for what I said earlier "Well, I guess I came to look for ... love."She shooked her head and her words began to slair faster "I don't know, that probably sounds cheesy. But, really, I want to make a change in this world, for the better. And the way to do that is by being here. I don't ... I've never really had a family or anyone really close to me. So, if love happens along the way ... " I listened carefully to every word that came out of her mouth . Indie shrugged with a laugh that seemed almost like she was trying to soften her words "That would be nice." she squinted her nose and her smile took a playfully touch "And how about you? You aren't impressed by the girls here, so what sets you apart?"

She definitely sounded cheesy, but with her words were honest and I really aprecciate that.

"I have to admit that sounds cheesy" At that time I was the one with the playful smile "but it's a good reason" The following was said in a lower and calm voice "oh ... indie don't take me wrong, is not that I'm not impressed by the girls even though is true, is just that this situation as unusual as it is, it doesn't really impressed me " I fixed my hair and put it on my shoulders with great care" I ' m not different to any of these girls, at the end nothing sets apart of them "I giggled because it was ironically true" look at me, I'm here with a dress trying to fit into the royalty "And finally I cringed resigned shoulders.

"I suppose we are all trying to fit in, huh? It is pretty ... intimidating."

"Mmmm I would not say intimidating, I think is more ... fascinating, is watching the human being adapt itself, we were made for this" I started to play with the fork almost unconsciously and let the little emetal utensil slide through my hand "but if it doesn't bother you let's stop talking about this whole situation tell me more about you" keep talking about the selection the only thing that would cause would be something inside me to shake. I put my head aside and gave way to my next question "what filmmaking provides you that makes you love it that much?"

She widenned her eyes again by the directness of my statement, but still smiling, also she looked slightly impressed by my forwardness "Um, it's not a problem. "Filmmaking ... filmmaking is everything to me. I mean without it, I certainly wouldn't be sitting here right now."

"Let me tell you that that is a really strong statement, I guess it provides you more than what you can express"

Indie nodded when she listened to my statemente and I realized I hit the right spot.

That feeling, that passion that indie felt for filmaking was something that I fully understood but on my scale. For a few seconds I was aware of my actions and stopped my tinkering with the fork, if safiya saw me I would definitely be report and ... some nonsense that would make me uncomfortable and angry in the end would happen "is just the start of this ... thing and I 'm already making mistakes " the stress was noticeable in my voice "please tell me I'm not the only one hating this manners things "

"Trust me, you aren't the only one. The only reason I have any idea about what I'm doing right now is because when I got sponsored to a three, my sponsors forced me to take etiquette lessons. Not nearly as intense as these, but still ... " Indie rolled her eyes, a funny expression but that graphically couldn't describe better how I felt about the manners "they are a pain to learn. And to do. "

when I got sponsored ... were words that stuck in my memory.

"I'm not sorry for what I'm going to say but etiquette lessons are useless, they're just made to please others" I sighed annoyed remembering this morning's lesson, but the fact that I could speak it and say it out loud to someone was as if a weight was taken from me, it was something I needed to say before explote at a bad time "the crown should have more important thing to focuse on it, so I agree they are absolutely a pain to learn and to do "

I flicked my tongue and blurted out another question, I wasn't to be left with the doubt "you were a four?

"Well ... actually I was a six. And then I got sponsored to a three. Now I'm a two."

oh ... wait ... a six?.

"Well ... that's a pretty big change" It didn't bother me showing that I was impressed and I was sure that adjusting to such a change shouldn't be easy for absolutely anyone, including her "I guess it has been a good one, surely you have a good perspective of life ".

She nodded a little "It sure has been an interesting life." The curiosity was more than clear in her voice and in her face "Anyways, how about you? What do you do?".

The question.

Again.

I gave indie a smile full of confidence and it was that my next words were not a lie, what I was going to say was a honest and right "what do I do?" I sighed "I'm sure that's something you don't want to know ... or anyone and if you need some piece of advice is better if you stops asking" my smile took a friendly air at the end.

What I do was not only difficult to explain, it's also private and saying it could get me in trouble at the palace.

She squinted playfully, It wasn't the reaction I expected, I expected ... something different, but I liked her reaction "Oh, now I'm definitely intrigued. After all, a character that doesn't reveal their backstory at first, always has the best one. "

That was definetly a very good way to see it.

"You may be right but at the end we would never know" I raised an eyebrow and what came out was not exactly a question  "first impression about him"

"Well, he seems a little ... hesitant. But, very kind. He was for me, anyway. What about you?"

"Mmmm I don't know, it was interesting ... you know?" I looked at indie because in my head there were a million thoughts and ideas fluttering ithat I needed to organize before continuing to speak "it's like he's trying to hide himself" I took a sip of juice and shrugged "or maybe I I'm overthinking it and is just how he is "

"I kind of got the same vibe. He seemed nervous, I guess. Polite and everything, but it'll be nice to get to know him better. It's hard to know someone after one short conversation."

"He presented himself as how he is for the public, for the cameras, and everyone knows that's just a mask, you're right when you say is hard to know someone after one short conversation but is enough to get a good taste of who is going to be around you" Arin had shown himself to me as he was on TV or in a magazine and deep down I knew there was much more than that. I bit a strawberry and gave myself a chance to enjoy its flavor. "I guess I'm talking too much"

"No! Don't say that! It has been fun talking to you. And anyways, this conversation has been somewhat short, and I already think we should be friends." She smiled but... did she say we should be friends?

"Wow" I looked at her and showed her that her proposal had been impressive for me. I wasn't used to being offered a friendship in such a short time and much less in the middle of what was a competition "friends?". I cleared my throat and looked at her making sure she was serious "Don't get me wrong but you are conscious of what you are saying?"

Her gaze dropped to her hands and she was slightly confused but dispite the confusion and negative impact my words could create she smiled "I mean ... we don't have to be ... if you don't want to. You seem nice though, and you are very intriguing to me." She squitend playfully "Why? Is there a reason we shouldn't? After all, you wouldn't even tell me what you do for a living."

Plus that, having a friendship was having to eventually open with her, let her know a little more about me and if things went well in the end she would end up finding out about my work, something that I supposed a person like her would not like it much.

"I'm not saying that we shouldn't be friends" I said giving her a questioning look "I'm just impressed, nice is not a word with people usually describe me" I raised one of my eyebrows and smirked "there's a lot of reasons but that's up to you "In my consciousness it was clear that I had made the necessary warnings.

"Well then, we should be friends." She nodded reassuringly.

It was clear that she didn't take a minute to think about her answer, but it was better that way, it was better if she let herself go.

"Feeling risky today?" I reached out my hand again but this time representing that we were closing some kind of  deal "I like that".

Indie shaked my hand with a chuckle. She had accepted "I'll admit that you are slightly terrifying, but I don't think you give yourself enough credit. It's refreshing, and you are nice."

"Slightly terrifying, refreshing and nice" I muttered to myself, I laughed and nodded a little, I liked the terms she used, the perception that indie had of me was different and I liked that "you girl are filling me of curiosity, I'm dying to see how this thing goes. " I looked at indie squinting "and I'm referring to everything".