#who's out at night trying to solve crimes

[opultea]

Abnormal Love Languages

Genshin men with weird ways of expressing their love for you - Gender Neutral Reader (No Pronouns) - SFW - Romantic - Fluff/Crack

ft. Alhaitham, Wanderer, Heizou, Tighnari, Dottore

Alhaitham

The Scribe of the Akademiya, a renowned scholar, and a totally awkward boyfriend

So what does this intelligent, well-known, socially unaware man do when he wants to show you he loves you?

Infodumping

Knows a lot and makes sure you know it too

If he fell in love with you that means he respects your intelligence and curiosity enough to find interest in your company

So whenever he's on the couch with a new book on Theoretical Quantum Mechanics, he will be reciting the facts to you as if he's doing an oral presentation

Alhatiham keeps one of those big rolly whiteboards in his house (usually used to lecture Kaveh) and you know that when he pulls it out then it is officially date night

He pours you both a glass of wine for a nice candlelit dinner, but then you ask him about his new book and suddenly it's a romantic candlelit lecture

Lucky you find his intelligence attractive ;)))

If you ever need gift ideas for him just get a pack of multicoloured whiteboard markers, he always needs new ones

Even though you might end up regretting enabling his little habit

Wanderer

Traumatised Tsundere (TM)

Has never wanted anything more than to be loved the way he observed in humans, but has always believed he could never be loved in any way. It has only been proven to him that it isn't possible

So he protects himself from rejection by teasing and swatting you away, almost trying to make you hate him so he can at least expect what reactions to get from you

He views it as safe, he knows how humans are when they are angry and hateful, he's experienced it firsthand, so he knows what will come of it

Even though he's secretly saddened by feeling like he has to hurt you

So when you respond to him bonking your head with laughter and a smile brighter than he's seen on anyone in his direct presence before, it startles him

When he pushes your face away with his hand and you retaliate by latching onto his arm he freezes (Wanderer.exe has stopped working)

Calls you stupid and insults your survival instincts

"Honestly, if a complete stranger were to push you away like this, would you still clutch their arm like a lost puppy? How absurd, you obviously couldn't survive without me protecting you, since you evidently can't tell good intentions from bad ones,"

Then you pout and tell him that of course you don't do this with other people, you do it because it's him!

He stops working again

Shoves you to the ground to avoid you seeing how red his face is

Heizou

Riddles and puzzles/tries to quiz you by making you help him solve a case

Brings you to crime scenes even though you are not a detective and definitely aren't allowed to be there just so he can test your skills

"So, what can you gather from this crime scene? This case isn't particularly difficult, so I have no doubt you'll be chasing down the perp in no time,"

Honestly your whole relationship is like an escape room

You want to get into your house but forgot your key? Well knock in morse code and maybe Heizou will let you in

You want to have a nice lunch date with your boyfriend? Well you best be prepared for an intense game of shogi while you eat

You want Heizou to pass you a pen? Well first you must answer these questions three!

But seriously, he makes it fun for you and makes sure to let you know that it’s his way of telling you how much he respects you and he values your input and intelligence

Tighnari

As an Amurta scholar and a forest watcher who has seen way too many cases of mushroom-based food poisoning, Tighnari has learnt to be prepared to dish out medical treatment

So if you cough even once, or sneeze in his presence, Tighnari will begin an impromptu check-up to ensure you're still feeling your best

You try telling him you're fine, people sneeze all the time without being sick, but he just scolds you even more for thinking you could get away without him making sure you're alright

"Don't be so proud, you idiot. What am I going to do with you if you go and get sick?"

Tighnari would hate if you fell ill under his careful watch, but if you do get sick or injure yourself, prepare for a two hour lecture and a bowl of fresh creamy mushroom stew to help you get back into tiptop shape

He's usually incredibly busy with his forest watcher duties, but will somehow almost never leave your side if he's tending to you

When you aren't sick, he makes sure you're eating well, going so far as to prepare your meals or make a nutrition table based on the vitamins he thinks you need more of

Always reminds you to drink water and take any medication you need, your health is his top priority

Dottore

Psychopath (Endearing)

Takes x-rays of you just to admire your lovely bone structure and hangs them up around your shared bedroom as if they're regular date pictures

He loves to have you sit in his lap as he caresses your body and coos at your flesh, whispering sweet nothings in his suavest voice about your organs, and telling you what a strong heart you must have because he can feel it through your shirt

Unwinding with Dottore almost always goes this way, with you getting a shower of what you're pretty sure are compliments about your internal systems and physical attributes

He once shocked you with a mini electric buzzer just to see your central nervous system go off. You were naturally quite annoyed about it but he just shrugged it off, claiming that he just loved to see your body at work, although he never did it again

His doctor brain never turns off, so be prepared to have his fingers in your mouth as he goes on about what wonderful teeth you have

It certainly makes you feel... special

You should feel special, he definitely doesn't do this with anyone else

Dottore is so enchanted by your being that he grows human organs in his lab that are exactly the size and shape of yours, saying it's so you can see for yourself just how beautiful you are

[confused-wanderer]

The entire superman family has at one point just picked up one of the batfam and flown them in the sky to force them to rest.

Bats were such active creatures. And each of the batfam never rested, never took breaks. It was like Gotham was constantly humming to them, constantly talking to them on where to go and who to help.

The city was always colourful, always too many sounds from different directions, explosions of light and crimes that kept each of them moving no matter how long it had been, no matter how injured they were.

It started when Kon was frustrated.

He’d noticed Tim hadn’t gotten any sleep for the past week or so, the other man contently focused on tracking down seventy three gang members all by himself. He was also working on a plan to frame three mafia families to land them behind bars, and solve twelve unsolved mysteries somehow related with the whole mess.

And he’s tried so hard to reason with Tim. To try and trick him into taking a nap. But he swore Tim could hear something in the city he couldn’t. Gotham and the bats communicated with sonar, he speculated because somehow Tim always had somewhere to go, somewhere to be.

So when he’s had enough, he just swooped up the other man, flying high enough that the sound of the city disappeared. It was bright and clamouring one second, silent and dark the next.

Tim’s tense, he’s probably yelling at Kon to put him down and smacking him with the pole but Kon couldn’t hear him over trying to figure out what to do next that wouldn’t earn him a kryptonite shaped hole in his chest.

But after a few minutes he shivers, curling closer to Kon as the winds whip past them. And in the silence of the night, as time slowly ticks by, he notices Tim’s grip on his shoulder slowly lessening, before it finally falls slack.

He waits for a bit, listening to Tim’s heartbeat until it finally steadies and slows, gently cradling the other man as he silently slips into the manor, and sets him down in bed. He does let the other bats know Tim’s asleep (they’re an overprotective bunch although very few would actually admit it)

And when he’s back with Superman, Clark grumbling about how he’s so close to just knocking Bruce out himself, Kon just gives him the same advice. Gotham’s sonar is silenced, everything else falling silent.

And it works.

Somehow, if you disconnect the bats from their city for more than five minutes each, every single one of them will succumb to sleep. It’s like all the noise and constant rush that’s been in their minds is flipped off and they’re left above their worries, nothing pressing to keep them moving so they drop fast asleep.

Supergirl jokes that they’re like actual bats in that way. You hang them up high when it’s time for them to rest. None of the batfam is amused.

[actually-safer-to-kiss]

Well, Actually

Summary: Spencer gets frustrated as Reader proves him wrong about an unsub's profile.

Couple: Spencer Reid/Fem!Reader

Category: Fluff-ish

Content warnings: discussions of gender, sexy implications, Ernest Hemingway

Word count: 1.5k

It’s when I flip the OPEN sign to CLOSED that I can finally breathe. Saturday Sale Days at the bookstore are usually easygoing, but most people took refuge at the windows thanks to the crime scene across the street. Another sex worker was murdered, according to the agents who were here earlier. Well, one of them looked like an agent; coated from head to toe in black and seriousness. The other, however, might as well have been a pretentious preppy middle schooler who thinks a doctorate — three doctorates (he made sure to correct me) — gives him the excuse to lack social graces.

I’m not used to running into FBI agents regularly. However, I’m fairly confident that questioning civilians is more about further insight and not running to the end with confirmation bias. Dr. Reid, on the other hand, had his confirmation set that he and his team were looking for a woman riddled with internalized misogyny who was killing sex workers and leaving quotes from Ernest Hemingway pieces.

So, is it wrong that I may or may not have said they might actually be looking for a male with possible gender nonconformity issues? According to the quotes written in lipstick and discussions revolving around Hemingway’s relationship with gender, it was the first thing to pop into my head.

And it was Dr. Reid’s first instinct to take it personally, like any other gifted child who’s never learned what it’s like to be wrong (possibly). His reaction mainly consisted of raising his voice and saying my assumption “was not relevant to our case” and taking a collection of Hemingway’s short stories without paying for it. I haven’t found a suitable way to explain that to my boss yet.

Regardless of his reaction, I had no reason to expect to see him again. I got a card from Agent Prentiss after she questioned me behind the counter and haven’t heard a word since. It didn’t matter then because we were closed, and I had the day off tomorrow —

Knock, knock, knock. A simple three-raps on the glass. The night makes it difficult to see who it is, but I’m more than familiar with the panic button under the register. So before I turn the lights out, I get closer to the door to find out who on the other side can’t read.

And without thinking, I open the door, but don't let him in. “Agent Reid.” I can’t help but push him just a bit.

“Dr. Reid.”

“Right.” I faked a laugh (years of practice). “Well as you can see we’re closed for the night so —”

His hand is out, holding the book. The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. The paper cover is already pulled up at the corners and the spine is cracked. Nothing display worthy, that’s for sure. “I took this.”

“And you had it for six hours. How did you decimate it so quickly?”

“I was using it as a source while we were trying to solve the case.” His hand was shaking, from nervousness or lack of strength to hold a paperback in one hand for longer than a minute, either could be possible. “I figured a way to make amends was to come back and purchase it.”

I looked down at the book and looked back up at him. Sincerity and boyish charm force me to hold the door open for him and let him in. When he comes in, his under eyes are darker, perhaps because he's a night owl, or because of his job. His hair is still fluffy like this morning but droopy.

He was prepared to call it a night before coming here. But thievery is apparently too heavy for this agent’s shoulders.

I walk to the register, booting up the fancy tablet. “So did you? Solve the case, I mean?”

“We did.”

I scan the barcode, luckily he didn’t ruin that. “And? Did she explain the Hemingway quotes at least?”

Silence, only for a moment. I see his hands digging into his pockets. He pulls out a debit card and hands it over. “He, actually.”

“What?”

“He didn’t explain the Hemingway quotes but said he targeted sex workers because they were ‘freer than he ever would be.’”

Silence swallowed the room immediately upon saying that but of a different kind. The kind that was ripe for me to brag and possibly even do a little dance. But I’m patient, and I don’t like interrupting people. I tap the screen slowly so the good doctor can gather the words. I even took another glance and his eyes were already locked on me. It would’ve made me jump if he didn’t follow it with “You were right.”

There it is. “Hmm,” I say as I keep the arrogance down to a minimum as I contemplate my next words. I take his receipt and scribble before bagging the book. “So do I get a one-way ticket into the bureau, or do I take your place or —”

“Thank you for your help." He says slowly as if he were being ordered to apologize. Like he wrote these words in a document before coming here. “Your observation sent us in the right direction.” His hand is out, waiting.

I also have a talent for dragging things out. When I shut the techy stuff down again, I go back around and hand them to him, so I can get closer. Read his face. When he reaches out and just touches the paper, I jerk the bag back. “That’s not what you want to say.” I let the bag dangle off two of my fingers, shamelessly drinking in the moment. “Come on, it’s gotta be killing you.”

He rolls his eyes. Briefly, but enough for me to notice. “What could be killing me?”

“That you, an FBI agent, with two PhDs —”

“Three PhDs.”

This is so fun. “Three PhDs was outsmarted by a girl who works in a bookstore. Merely a bachelor's on my resume.”

“That is not the case.” He says.

“It seems relevant to the case now.” That intended to burn, and it did. Scorched actually. I could feel it from here, so I walked to the back to find the lights, expecting him to follow me.

He did. The creaking of the old wood floors echoed as we walked, there was no rhythm or synced steps, just two different walking patterns, one at ease and the other eager. “Just tell me how you figured it out.” He says. “Hemingway has been praised for his writing style and the way he wrote certain female characters but his macho personality indicated he enjoyed nothing feminine.”

A chuckle might have been appropriate, but I replied with a stark laugh. A bold “Ha!” As I opened the lightroom door. “Because macho men are known for being the happiest people on Earth, according to history.” With a click, the lights flickered steadily before turning off. I had my phone flashlight ready, though. “Honestly, Dr. Reid, it might be worthwhile to take a break from reading and watch a documentary on the man. It adds up quickly, even someone like you would get it.” I let the flashlight guide me back to the front, avoiding collateral damage from bookshelf corners.

Until Dr. Reid stepped in front of me, causing my head to collide with his chest. Somehow, I didn’t drop my phone and instinctively reached for my nose. “Someone like me?”

“Ow, first of all. But yes.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

I rub my nose in the dark. “That even a predictable bookish boy like you can eventually come to grips with the fact that he doesn’t know everything.”

“And you do?” He asked.

“I never said that,” I admitted.

He looked at me skeptically. Even in the dark, I could feel my arrogance might have gotten the best of me here. I tried looking away, to another dark space. 

He, however, did not. “What else did you say? Predictable?”

“You mean you don’t remember?”

He sighs, and air from his nose brushes above my lip.

Then so does his hand in my hair.

His lips, though, were quite the opposite. As if all his frustrations couldn’t take it anymore and needed to be let out with a teeth-smashing, saliva-coated spectacle (that no one could see. Not even us.) All I felt was wandering hands and the wall hitting the back of my head before he pulled away. His hands are still on my waist, and he breathes sharply in and out. “Was that predictable?” I heard him swallow.

I contemplated my response for a short while, wondering which one, a yes or a no, would get him to do it again. So instead, I just grabbed where I assumed his head would be and jerked him down to meet my lips again. It worked. His hands wrapped tight as if he glued himself to my skin. “Will you get reprimanded by your team for being somewhere you aren’t?” I ask between breaths and lip separation.

“Maybe. I’m sure you’d enjoy that.”

“I won’t admit anything,” I said. Whether it was to see Dr. Reid’s night turn out worse, or to keep a secret from his boss about a makeout session in a bookstore, I’m not sure. But his body was thin, layered with clothes. Warm.

“What will you admit to?” He whispers, moving our bodies, begging for more kisses. Or just more.

“Dinner?”

“For?”

“Education purposes, Dr. Reid.” My hands can’t help but explore. “Seems like we’ve got a lot to learn.”

[incognit0slut]

Right Kind of Wrong (16)

She never thought she’d be involved in a murder investigation and encounter her one-night-stand again, the awkward guy who isn’t exactly that good in bed—Or is he? Offended by the sentiment, Spencer is determined to prove her wrong… But as he gets tangled with the beautiful stranger, he realizes there is more to her than what meets the eye.

Part Summary: Spencer is faced with a dangerous confrontation. wc: 3.4k

Series Warnings: 18+ explicit content, graphic details of murders, mentions of suicide, mentions of SA

A/n: this part went through so much editing until I was satisfied with it, also, can't believe this is ending soon!!

Other parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

EVERYTHING FINALLY FELL INTO PLACE. Although it took longer than it normally did to solve a case, Spencer finally gathered every piece of information, every obscure clue, and every small detail he unfortunately missed before to make a clear profile.

Eric Adler—or Henry Wyatt as Garcia discovered through her meticulous sleuthing—was a master of disguise. He had concealed his identity under a different persona, changing his name the moment he packed his bags and left the town he grew up in. Oliver confirmed this discovery when Spencer visited the hospital the following day, once he had regained consciousness.

"Eric... he's a stranger to me," Oliver had said, his voice carrying a tinge of disbelief, a foreign look gleaming in his eyes. "Henry, on the other hand, was one of my closest friends."

"I'm assuming something happened for you to drift apart."

Oliver's gaze shifted. "We grew up in a very tight community. Religion was all we were taught," he began, his voice tinged with defiance and nostalgia. "I guess we became close from our rejection of those traditional values and practices."

Spencer acknowledged his words with a nod. "Your files showed there were a lot of crimes you committed in the past."

"I-I was very rebellious."

"I would say forcing yourself on a young, innocent girl was more than rebellious."

Oliver winced. "Listen, I'm not proud of my past," he confessed, his voice carrying a hint of regret. "But yes, my friends and I grew up doing things that were out of morals."

Spencer studied him. "What happened then?"

"A lot of pointing fingers," he admitted. "Our community leaders eventually found out and threatened us with severe punishment. From the outside, it was simply community service, but from the inside, it involved a lot of restraints and, well, whips."

Silence stretched between them. "It was how they punished the bad," Oliver explained further, his eyes searching Spencer's for comprehension. "They always say it whenever they were going to abuse us; 'The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.'"

"Proverbs 11:21," Spencer mumbled under his breath, recognizing the scriptural reference.

A hint of surprise flickered across Oliver's face. "Are you a religious person?"

He shook his head, implying a depth of knowledge that surpassed the boundaries of religious beliefs. "Was that what made you drift apart?"

"Partly, yes," Oliver answered with a sigh. "We didn't admit to it at first, but then under the pressure and the constant threat of punishment, I guess I became weak."

"Did you betray him?"

Oliver acknowledged the truth with a slow nod. "We were both punished, along with the others who were involved, but our leaders always wanted one name whom they could sacrifice, a name who held all responsibility. The initiator of all sins."

"So you put the blame on him," Spencer summarized, understanding the dynamics that had led to the fracture in their friendship.

"It was the only thing I thought of doing to save myself," he confessed. "He became a sacrifice. All the punishment turned onto him until he was cast out of the community. When his family didn't even try to interfere, he eventually left town. Never heard from him ever since."

"And then years later you saw him again."

His shoulders lifted in a nonchalant shrug.

"I didn't even recognize him at first. He had a different name, different hair, different style—he was practically a different person. When I realized who he actually was, I tried to confront him  but he never acknowledged me." He then looked away, the emotion in his gaze concealed. "I just thought he didn't want to be associated with the past anymore."

It explained everything. The revelation about Eric's past and the harsh punishments he had to endure shed light on the motivations behind his actions. It explained why he felt compelled to punish people, as it was the only method deeply ingrained in his brain.

Their shared upbringing, the weight of betrayal, and the scars of their past had shaped his sense of justice, leading him down a dark path of vengeance. And with that new knowledge in mind, Spencer passed on the information he had discovered when he came to work the next day.

Everyone was gathered by the round table, an unusual thing to happen given that they were typically scattered in their assigned tasks, but all of them were present for once. Morgan leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing in contemplation after Spencer finished his thoughts. "So let me get this straight, Eric's vendetta against Oliver is personal. Goes beyond just catching a killer then."

"It's a cycle of betrayal." JJ, standing by the door with crossed arms, agreed aloud. "He attempted to shift the blame onto Oliver, something he also went through in the past."

Spencer nodded as he started to pace around the room. "Psychologically speaking, his actions seem to be rooted in a need for retribution, a manifestation of the punitive measures ingrained in his upbringing."

"So we're dealing with a man who sees himself as a guardian angel dispensing justice, even if it means resorting to extreme measures."

"A guardian angel while simultaneously executing his revenge," Emily mused from the other side, her words laced with a blend of contemplation and concern. "Very personal indeed."

Hotch crossed his arms as he stood by the table, and scrutinized his team with his usual detached and professional expression, devoid of any visible emotions. "We need to understand his patterns," he began. "If we can predict his next move, we might be able to intercept him."

"He clearly has a deep affection towards Y/n." Morgan offered, prompting Spencer to halt his pacing and turn his attention toward him at the mention of her name. "He probably has a list of people who he thinks have hurt her in the past."

Rossi studied everyone in the room, attentively listening to their thoughts. He tapped his finger against the wooden table, directing his focus on Morgan. "We should find out who might be on that list. It could give us insight into his next move."

Hotch agreed with a curt nod. "Morgan, Rossi, work on compiling a list of individuals connected to Y/n. Garcia, cross-reference it with Eric's history. Let's see if we can predict his next move based on the people he might target."

Garcia instinctively rose from her chair and nodded. "Yes, sir," and waltzed out of the room with determined steps, making her way to her office.

The others shifted from their spots, while Morgan, unlike the rest, kept his gaze on Spencer. He observed the frown stretching across his face and pondered whether to voice what he had in mind. He hesitated, acknowledging that Spencer's involvement with their witness wasn't strictly his business. Yet, considering the recent events, he felt compelled to express his thoughts.

"I don't want to be that kind of person to bear bad news, but I think—I think—there's a high chance that pretty boy here could be a target," Morgan declared. Spencer quickly met his gaze.

Everyone else, momentarily suspended in a collective pause, turned their attention toward him. He could feel their penetrating gaze, which started to make him uncomfortable as the seconds ticked by. He didn't want to entertain that possibility, but it made sense. Considering Eric had been with her right after he had hurt her, he could very well be the next target.

JJ, breaking the silence, voiced what lingered in everyone's thoughts as she took a step closer to him. "We should keep you safe then. If you're a potential target, we can't afford to overlook any possibility."

Spencer glanced over at her, noting the concern in her eyes. He sensed a silent plea in the way she looked at him as if she were urging him to agree, to step back and act on what seemed to be the logical thing to do. However, despite that, the gears in his mind were turning. If he was a potential target, it could offer an easy opportunity to get closer to their Unsub.

"No," he said, a conviction in his voice. "You can use me as bait."

The room held its breath as his unexpected proposal hung in the air. The team, still processing the revelation of his potentially being a target, turned their focus to his daring suggestion.

JJ simply stared at him, dumbfounded by the audacity of the idea. "You're crazy."

"No, think about it." He turned towards Hotch, knowing the older man would at least consider his idea. "We can get to him by luring him in."

Hotch held his gaze. The weight of leadership rested on his shoulders as he considered the risky proposition. "Reid, it's too dangerous. We can't—"

"If Eric believes he has a score to settle with me, then let's use that to our advantage. We set up a controlled scenario, anticipate his moves, and ensure we have the upper hand."

Emily looked at him with worry, taking a step forward from the other side of the room. "Reid, it's too risky. We don't know how he'll react, we can't even guarantee your safety."

"Yes, you can. You'll keep an eye on me." His eyes traveled around the room, meeting each one of their concerned gaze. "It's not something we haven't done before; we've used this method to lure an Unsub, and right now, we have no clue where he is. The only way we can draw his attention is by using me."

Hotch's gaze shifted between Spencer and the rest of the team, weighing the potential outcomes of such a high-stakes plan. It was undeniably risky, but Spencer was right. This wouldn't be their first time baiting an Unsub, and given their past success, a part of him believed the outcome would work out according to plan.

After a moment, he slowly nodded. "Alright, but if we proceed with this, we have to ensure everyone's safety." He gave Spencer a pointed look. "Especially yours, Reid."

He quickly nodded as a moment of understanding passed between them. The room suddenly filled with noise, and amidst the bustling movements, he felt a desperate grip on his arm, pulling him away from the group.

"Spence." JJ's grip tightened as she voiced her concern. "You could be putting yourself in danger. What if this goes wrong?"

That was the thing. It was the nature of their job—there would always be different outcomes. There was no certainty about what could transpire. But with nothing else to do, Spencer was growing desperate for more answers, so he held her gaze, determination etched in his eyes.

"If it means stopping him and knowing her whereabouts, I'm willing to take any risk."

It was raining when it happened. It had been pouring for the past few days as they started to plan the operation. The team decided to elevate the stakes by choosing his apartment as the bait location, aiming to create a scenario that would be emotionally charged for Eric, potentially triggering a faster and more decisive response.

They studied Eric's patterns and behaviors, gathering insights into his actions and motivations. Garcia, constantly stationed at her desk, continued to monitor social media, public records, and any other available data to gauge Eric's movements. She had identified potential triggers that might prompt Eric to act, such as media coverage or public discussions related to Y/n.

In addition to electronic surveillance, Morgan and JJ conducted physical surveillance on locations connected to Y/n's past, anticipating that Eric might revisit places with emotional significance. They strategically placed themselves in key positions, ready to observe and intercept any suspicious activity.

And then the clock ticked away, the minutes stretched into an agonizing waiting game, every second pregnant with anticipation. 

Until it finally came to that night.

Everything felt strange. His apartment. The weather. Himself. The rain outside continued its steady rhythm, and Spencer watched the raindrops hit his windowpanes from his couch.

Weeks ago, he sat in the same place where he was now. The only difference was that he was alone. There was no faint smell of chocolate or the sweet melody of laughter. She wasn't here, gracing him with her smile as she nestled on his lap. Her whispers of his name were absent, and the cruel thing was, he didn't even know where she was now. 

He had never felt so much pain before, the ache of not knowing where someone was, all the while having to keep his head up high. It was a facade he learned to put on. Pretending that the hidden cameras strategically placed in his apartment didn't unsettle him, or the discreetly wired microphone, or the inconspicuous headpiece nestled in his ear. He had to act as though the looming potential danger didn't faze him.

But then it finally happened, a sudden shift in the atmosphere permeated the air—like the calm before the storm. And in an instant, Garcia's voice crackled over the communication devices, urgency lacing her words. "I've got movement. Eric's online activity just spiked."

Morgan and Prentiss, stationed discreetly around the apartment complex, receiving the signal, tightened their surveillance. The external cameras around his building captured a figure approaching, shrouded in the shadows of the rainy night. 

Within the confines of his home, his senses heightened. The rain outside intensified. A streak of lighting flashed through the window. A loud sound of thunder echoed in the background. Spencer waited with bated breath, his gaze fixated on the front door. Then, with a creak, it slowly swung open, revealing a silhouette of a figure in the doorway.

Water dripped from his clothes, leaving a trail of wetness as he crossed the threshold. Their eyes briefly locked, and a smile played on Eric's lips as he observed the way Spencer scrutinized him, closing the door behind him.

"Dr. Reid," his sinister tone sliced through the silence, his words dripping with a twisted sense of satisfaction. "I see you've been waiting for me."

Spencer watched him, maintaining a composed exterior despite the tension in the air, and met his gaze with a steely resolve. "And I see you've been busy."

Eric cocked an eyebrow.

"Carving your path of justice one victim at a time."

His expression remained unyielding. Stepping further into the room, Eric left a trail of dirty shoe marks on the floor as his eyes observed the dimly lit apartment. "I'm just doing what needs to be done."

Spencer slowly rose from his seat. "And what is that?"

"Punishing those who have wronged her."

"You're not her savior. You're a vigilante with a distorted sense of righteousness."

"And that's where you're wrong. You don't know the pain she's been through. I'm the only one who can protect her."

Spencer silently watched as he continued to survey his apartment. Eric's eyes swept through all the framed certificates on his wall, his finger delicately tracing the edge of each frame. When he was met with silence, Eric turned back to him, narrowing the distance between them.

"You were always the one she trusted, weren't you?" He shook his head with disdain. "Yet you're the one who hurt her the most."

Aware that each word could either defuse or escalate the situation, Spencer continued to engage him. "I haven't hurt her," he responded carefully. "I've been trying to protect her from someone like you, someone who's lost sight of justice."

Eric let out a scoff. "You think I've lost sight? No, Dr. Reid, I've found clarity. I've seen the darkness that lurks in the hearts of those who pretend to be righteous."

"Your version of justice is a perversion. You've become the monster you claim to fight against."

The room crackled with tension as they held each other's gaze. "Do you even listen to yourself?" Eric retorted, his eyes narrowing with accusation. "You claim to protect her, yet she's left alone in the darkness you couldn't save her from."

The air in the room seemed to thicken as the weight of his words hung between them. His heart quickened its pace while he tried to maintain a calm facade. "Where is she?"

Eric's laughter cut through the air. "You think I'll tell you voluntarily?"

Spencer's gaze remained steady on him. "What do you want?"

The sinister grin on Eric's face revealed a gambit. "You." He took another step closer. "Come with me and I'll take you to her..."

There was definitely a but. It was never that easy, and the way he trailed off his words prompted Spencer to ask, "On what condition?"

He smiled, eyes narrowing as he conveyed a sense of menace while he delivered his proposition.

"Cut off all communication with your team."

Tension lingered around the room like an invisible web, each word contributing to the growing stakes. Eric's laughter, a haunting sound, followed the slightly alarmed look on Spencer's face. 

"You think I didn't know?" he taunted. "Two of your agents are outside this building, and come on, you could've hidden that earpiece better than that." He pointed towards the device. "Your hair might be long, but it's not that long."

Eric then picked up a framed picture sitting on his shelf. It was a photo of him and his team casually smiling to the camera. He remembered that day, it was one of the many times they visited Rossi's house for dinner, and Garcia decided it was the perfect time to capture the moment. To preserve the happy times, she had said, and true to her words, he was happy that day.

His mind suddenly raced, considering the options and potential consequences of complying with his demand. He finally responded. "What if I refuse?"

"Then you'll never find her," Eric retorted, looking back at him. "It's a simple choice. Sacrifice your precious communication or lose her forever."

He wanted him to step into his trap willingly. It was a cruel choice, and it seemed he wasn't the only one who agreed. As Eric's demand hung in the air, the team's voices crackled urgently through his earpiece. Panic and concern infused their words as they frantically implored him to reconsider.

"Spence, step back!"

"Reid, don't do it."

"Stand down, Reid. We're coming through."

The chorus of concerned voices reverberated in his earpiece, each team member contributing to their worry. Despite the chaos of emotions echoing through the line, Spencer remained outwardly composed, his mind working swiftly to navigate the dangerous situation.

"Don't—" he urged, his gaze piercing on Eric while his voice pointed towards his team. "Stay where you are."

Eric watched him with a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Seems like your team is in quite a frenzy there. Are you really willing to risk her safety for their voices in your ear?" He continued with a sinister grin, reveling the chaos he had stirred. "Strip away your lifeline, Spencer. The battle is between you and me."

Spencer stood there, calculating his next move. He weighed the possible outcomes of his choices and realized that nothing good would come from either of them. Eric, observing his contemplation, smirked with a twisted satisfaction.

"Come on, Dr. Reid, time is ticking." He tapped the watch around his wrist. "Make up your mind."

Spencer inhaled a sharp breath. Eric was right, there was no time to waste. The more he contemplated his answer, the more danger she was in. He needed her safe. He needed to see her. He needed to know where she was. And there was only one way to find out.

At the other end of the line, Garcia, stationed at her desk, watched Spencer through the screen with a growing sense of urgency. His gaze slowly swept over the room, and she could sense the critical decision looming. Her heart raced as his eyes fell on one of the hidden cameras.

"He's onto us," she muttered to herself, her fingers flying over the keyboard. She tried to maintain the connection as he walked over to the device and unplugged it.

Garcia cursed under her breath. "No—" She pressed on her intercom, her voice tinged with frustration. "I'm losing him."

One by one, the video feeds from the hidden cameras in his apartment turned black. The loss of visual contact with each camera felt like a punch to the gut. Her frustration mounted as the screens blinked out, leaving her staring at a grid of darkness.

"No, no, no," she muttered, fingers dancing over the keyboard in a desperate attempt to reestablish connection. But there was nothing else she could do.

The earpieces crackled with an ominous quiet before a sudden crash echoed through, the sharp sound of impact reverberating. A groan. A thud. A grunt. The team exchanged alarmed glances in their respective locations as the audio crackled with static, and their heart raced at the uncertainty hanging in the air.

Then, abruptly, there was nothing else but silence.

>> NEXT PART

.

taglist #1

@tereresrock @casthings @vader-is-hot @maevethelesbian @whereintheworldisspencerreid @reidverseq @niyahwhoreworld @l4venderia @theintrovertedthespian @lovelyxtom @tayzerr-72 @mulbsstuff @dorothleah @stevenknightmarc @prettyboyspenceee @gracesmusings @kalulakunundrum @fearlessmoony @r5court @simp4f1 @thecrazytealady @nyeddleblog @ghostheartbeat @comfortzonequeen @iiheartbowie @louderfortheback @busy-buzzing @alexis-exe2008 @imtherealslimmoony @baeofevery @elamultistan @lyxennz @avid-fic-reader-05

@cowstealer427 @thollandsdarling @ghxst-heart @cashtons-wife @kyuupidwrites @you-sunshine @comboboo @sebastiansstanswhore @panic-monster @marimorena06 @alice-ace299 @uncle-eggy @bollzinurmouth @julezs-bl0g @ruhrohragu @eternally-passionate @kazuumii @spencerr3idd @withered-rxse @broken-pieces @siredtomsgilbert @kaiya3333 @furiousbanditnickelknight @pinkangelavenue @slay-and-gay @woahnotmecryingoverafanfiction @zeysartzone @frxcless @sadroses98

PLEASE READ: If you already asked me to be added but you're not on the list OR you want to be added in the future, please comment on this post so I can see it. But make sure your blog can be searched or I can't tag you. Or if you want to be removed you can also tell me. Thank you :)

Don’t forget to interact with the story!

[akutasoda]

do you think you'd kill for me?

synopsis - it was every basic troupe in a story for an officer to fall in love with the criminal but now gallagher knew why

includes - gallagher

warnings - gn!reader, reader is a criminal/stowaway, reader is cocky + flirtatious, slight mentions of hurting others + alcohol, written before gallagher comes out so maybe ooc, wc - 1.6k

a/n: had to write this for the best bloodhound, he's just being consuming my thoughts lately and i can't wait to pull for him

taglist - @teddirika, @frankiesteinn

a long drawn out sigh sounded throughout the empty office, overshadowed by the visitors steps as they turned heel and left. a faint squeak and drag of a chair soon accompanied as the remaining man stood up from his chair, he tousled and pulled at the magenta tie before his scarred hands hovered over the new report. the file lifted as he opened it unceremoniously and his eyes glossed over the details - another stowaway would be nothing new but this was the third report about the same stowaway in penacony.

gallagher really couldn't believe the nerve of some people, first they slip into the dream world unnoticed and now they dared mess with the dream world - if he wasn't so dedicated to his job he'd probably quit and become a full time bartender. low footsteps as he crossed the room after he reasoned with himself that it'd be better for everyone if he solved the issue sooner rather than later. the only outstanding issue was that nobody had ever seen the stowaway so he didn't exactly know who he was looking for but maybe that was the reason he was assigned the case.

~~~

the streets were bustling as always, it was always golden hour afterall. the skyline was rather beautiful and the chimes of the clock on the grand hotel held absolute power over the noise of the streets. pepeshi's, couples, workers, singers, and all other kinds of people walked past you completely unaware of who you were - you were even cocky enough to smile at the young bloodhounds that looked you're way.

to you breaking into penacony's oh so famous dreamscape was a challenge you set yourself. they said all you dreams could come true here and maybe you twisted that a little to see truly how much you could get away with, surely you weren't the only person wanting to act on some intrusive thoughts and test the limits of what dreams could come true. it was petty crimes to begin with really, you meant no harm. originally you just wanted to steal from a few places but unfortunately bystanders sometimes got in the way - they weren't hurt too badly, you didn't want that.

eventually you started realising how dark this dream could be, especially when you first accidentally slipped into a deeper level of the dream after trying to run from the bloodhounds. quickly, you realised that this could happen to any unsuspecting guest of penacony. a part of you thought that naybe you could put your skills to use and redeem the harm you did to someone by saving unsuspecting penacony visitors, but for the most part you kept to yourself and your slightly warped ideas.

throughout you're entire time as a stowaway you'd become quite acquainted with various bloodhounds, even though they had no clue who you were. cockiness had also developed inside you when you realised that they genuinely held no leads towards yourself and your biggest risk was when you joined some bloodhounds in a small bar and talked to them like you'd known them for years. although at that bar you're attention was dragged towards the older bloodhound behind the counter, you could tell by the little broach on his grey suit - you turned to your new 'friends' and asked them who he was, they had no idea apparently.

gallagher could catch your keen gaze staring at him for most of the night, especially because you were sat right at the bar with two bloodhounds. he'd never seen you before and maybe it was the alcohol, from his own personal flask, talking but he felt more inclined to amuse your curiosity. he served the newer customers before walking back over to you and started witha gruff 'you fetching for a new drink? or you got a question for me?' you simply smiled at his question before the corners of your lips quirked up slightly as you responded along the lines of 'can a paying patron not appreciate the bartender in his glory?'

if the bloodhound was being honest, your curiousty and outright flirtatious remarks only spurred him to entertain you more. 'how about i mix you up a new drink there, running a bit low aren't we?' he looked you straught in the eyes when you glanced back up from your drink and watched as you slid the empty, ornate glass toward him with a simple 'surprise me'. you watched attentively while he turned to grab a few bottles before grabbing the silver cocktail shaker and pouring in a mix, perfectly measured without needing to even measure numerically. gallagher had mixed drinks for patrons plenty of times but with your inquisitive gaze fixed upon his every moment made him gulp a couple more times as he became very conscious about each move he made.

eventually he finished his show by spinning the shaker in his hand before graciously pouring it out into your glass. placing a small decorative cocktail stick inside and sliding it back with a weary smirk 'a special drink for a special patron then'. you took the glass in your hands and raised it in a toasting motion before taking a swig.

gallagher would tend to the rest of the bar's patrons for the rest of the night but could always feel your gaze on him and perhaps he put on more of a show because of this, but who knows? his eyes trailed you when you finally left and he looked back over to where you had been sat to notice a small pile. a very generous tip layed neatly on rhe bar but what caught his attention the most was the note left on top:

'a tip befitting the handsome bartender who served me tonight'

beneath was signed your initials. he quickly pocketed the note before picking up the tip but not before doubling a look at the money itself.

~~~

they probably assigned him this case because they knew he knew something the rest of the bloodhound's didn't. he knew exactly who the stowaway was and where to find them. you seemed to always know when gallagher had a shift at the local bar because he knew you only showed up on those nights. each time went the same, he'd entertain your antics, you'd both pass equally flirtatious remarks, he'd make you a new drink and then you'd leave - always leaving a generous tip.

the first time you left a tip he stared at it for too long not to notice the serial number. it had become all too convenient for his encounters with you to be after a robbery in penacony and it was even more convenient that you'd left a tip each time with that places serial number on the money. admittedly, it took him a while to piece it together but maybe that was because he didn't want to believe it. the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, was when you left a note at your most recent encounter reading -

'i think you and me both know this cat and mouse game will end eventually right?'

to anyone, they might of assumed it was a weird way of asking the other out but he knew what it meant and that's why he went to the location you detailed on the other side. you knew exactly what you were doing from day one, both of you knew that. he stayed stationed at the spot you named akd he waited on guard for any signs of you, while doing so he felt a weird sense of excitement bubble inside of him. the area was rather secluded so if you showed up he'd know right whe-

'my my, the handsome bloodhound has taken up my offer. i feel rather flattered', your smug voice rang through his ears and he immediately turned around. he was greeted by the sight of you sat upon the roof of the building with that all too familiar smug face. 'are we finally cutting to the chase?' your face tilted slightly to the side before you continued 'or do you not have the confidence to be able to catch me bartender?'

oh how he hated that smug grin of yours, but oh how he loved it all the same. a small, deep chuckle left his lips before retorting 'i only gave you a headstart stowaway, don't go wasting it' he watched you stand up as you added 'don't lie to yourself gal, we both know you wouldn't catch me, because i've already made a special place for myself in your heart and you couldn't dream of putting me behind bars'

you were right. it was against the law and so so corny for the law to fall in love with the criminal. but here he was, and you both knew all too well.

[lancermylove]

OOC HCs

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland

Pairing: No pairing.

Warning: None 

A/N: Cause normal HCs can get boring 😂

———————————————

Riddle

Riddle practices his "Off with your head" spell every night to make sure he appears as intimidating as possible. If the dorm is silent enough, you can hear Riddle's faint voice.

He had a collection of stuffed animals hidden under his bed. Whenever Riddle is stressed, he hugs the fluffiest of the toys for comfort.

Once, when he was angry, Riddle tried to change the colors of the roses in the yard. But due to his lack of focus, the spell backfired and turned his hair pink.

Trey

Got tired of having to paint his signature clover on his cheek every morning, so Trey snuck out of campus once and went to a tattoo shop. His tattoo is permanent, but no one knows this yet.

Since he knows that Riddle easily loses his temper, Trey adds chamomile to almost all of Riddle's dishes in hopes that it can help him stay calm.

Trey keeps a journal of all of Heartslabyul's students' strengths, allergies, weaknesses, and progression records. He actually knows more about them than he leads on.

Cater

He crafted a spell to create a magic selfie stick that takes perfect pictures, but it's a trademark secret that no one else knows about.

Cater has a collection of videos and pictures of all the students in Heartslaybul who have broken the Queen's rules. One false move, and he has the power to show them to Riddle. Then, off with your head, and Cater gets the last laugh.

He likes to collect phone cases and has an entire closet full of them. If he wanted to, he could have a matching case for every outfit.

Deuce

Doesn't have the greatest art skills but likes to create comic books about the students on campus. He has never shown anyone this collection. In the comic books, each student has an alter ego.

Deuce likes to collect tiny objects. It's his way of learning how to be more delicate with fragile items.

Likes to go into stores and try out wacky, colorful outfits just to see if he looks good in them.

Ace

One time, he was so frustrated that he couldn't talk to animals that he convinced himself he could do it. He spent hours strategizing with a campus squirrel. Ruggie caught it on video and plans to use it as blackmail.

Sometimes, he dresses up as a masked vigilante and sneaks around at night, pretending to solve mysteries and crimes. Idia saw him once and nearly had a heart attack, thinking Ace was a ghost.

He tried to pull a prank by mixing blue dye in the dorm's detergent supply, but Cater caught him and exposed him on social media. Much to Ace's luck, Riddle still hasn't noticed the post.

Malleus

He knows how to knit and sometimes likes to make gifts for others but never lets them know he made them. Lilia is the only one who knows this secret and likes to tease the prince by calling him a 'grandma.'

He likes to secretly play otome games just so he can see what romance is truly like. The next time you see the dragon looking tired, know that he stayed up all night playing events or reading the main story of his favorite game.

Has a collection of hats, from sombreros to hats with bunny ears, but can't wear any of them because of his horns. But that doesn't stop him from collecting them.

Lilia

He has a collection of socks - you know, the ones with a nice cozy slot for each toe. Yeah, he likes toe socks...but keeps it to himself.

During the nighttime, he sneaks out to set up pranks all over NRC. In his defense, he wants to make sure all the students are wide awake every morning for their classes. :)

When he learned about the existence of V8 juice, he asked you to buy a truckload of them for him. One of the storage rooms in Diasomnia is filled with nothing but V8 tomato juice cans.

Silver

He holds the unofficial record for the longest nap ever taken at NRC. Leona has attempted to break this record several times, but Ruggie never lets him and nags him to go to classes and finish his assignments.

Sometimes, he is known to sleepwalk. He also enters the rooms of the students at night during his sleepwalking sessions. One time, he entered Sebek's room, and when the knight opened his eyes and saw Silver, he let out the loudest squeal possible. To this day, Sebek refuses to accept that he was the one who squealed and says Silver was the one who did it.

Has a collection of clocks, but no matter how many alarms he puts, they are ineffective in waking him up.

Sebek

Likes to practice interpretative dance in secret because he thinks it will enhance his movements during battle and increase the fluidity of his movements.

He likes to listen to songs from girl bands and has to control himself from buying merch from his favorite girl bands. If only he had a younger sister, he could say the merch was for her.

Has a secret tattoo that he got during his rebellious teen years. Not even Lilia knows about this. The tattoo is of a chibi bunny with floppy ears and big eyes.

Leona

The prince is talented at singing lullabies because of Cheka. His nephew refused to sleep unless Leona sang him a lullaby. But the lion will NEVER let anyone know about this.

Sometimes, he sneaks into Jack's room to talk to his cacti collection. Leona doesn't know why, but talking to the cacti calms him down. Jack nearly caught him once, but Leona played it off cool and managed to fool the wolf.

The reason why Leona doesn't like constricting clothes is not due to the fit. Even though the people in Savanna Sunset are scared of him, the younger women find him very attractive. Every time he wears tight clothes, they won't stop staring. This makes him uncomfortable because he feels like a piece of meat they are waiting to pounce on.

Ruggie

Ruggie keeps a journal that tracks all of Crowley's movements. This is his way of ensuring that Crowley allows him to take food from the campus to feed all the hungry people in his hometown.

One time, when a gourmet chef came to NRC, he added dandelions to the chef's food. The chef didn't realize the secret ingredient was a weed and praised the food highly. To this day, Ruggie is very proud of it.

He secretly thinks of himself as the 'mother' of Savanaclaw because he secretly looks after everyone.

Jack

He has a name and personality for all of his cacti. Most of the time, the names are very cute. And he even calls them by their name when talking to them.

Jack secretly practices yoga to maintain his flexibility. He is an expert and can even do the scariest and oddest of poses with ease.

He likes to keep up with the latest fashion trends—not for himself but for his siblings—so that he knows what type of gifts to give them. He wants to be the cool big brother to them.

Vil

Sometimes, when his dorm members can't go to sleep, Vil sings them a lullaby, and it's very effective. It almost seems like Vil's voice puts them in a deep sleep that they don't wake up from for hours.

He has a wig specially designed for him that replicates his hair and hairstyle. When he has a bad hair day, he wears a wig, which is why his hair is always perfect.

Every night, he practices dramatic entrances and exits in his bedroom in front of the mirror to make sure he always maintains his queenly attitude to the point.

Rook

He has a magical pouch that never runs out of food. That is how Rook can keep an eye on the 'prey' of his choice for hours without having to worry about getting hungry.

Secretly enjoys reading trashy romance novels and has a hidden stash under his bed. He wants to write these types of novels under a secret pen name.

He has a journal of all the animals and birds in and around NRC, with detailed sketches and notes of the species.

Epel

He has a secret talent for rapping and occasionally takes part in underground concerts.

On many occasions, he has tried to come up with a spell that can help him become taller and masculine. Don't be surprised if one day you see Epel as a 6'0 man with a physique that can rival Jack's.

Has a secret dream to become an idol but keeps it to himself due to his fear of being on stage. Sometimes, he has nightmares in which he is singing on stage and messes up or falls down while dancing.

Idia

He has created an entire virtual world where he is a superhero who saves everyone from digital threats. Ortho is his sidekick. He also has a romance route but is too nervous to take that route in-game.

Idia talks to all his devices and has names for all of them. They are his friends, so don't judge him; just listen to what he says to them without interruption. Not to mention, he doesn't feel nervous around them.

He has a collection of rare glow-in-the-dark socks, even though he never wears them. Idia likes to just see them glow in the dark. It makes him smile.

Azul

He has a secret fear of cucumbers. They remind him of his sea snakes, so he can't eat them and has to resist the urge to shriek every time he sees them. Floyd figured this out and likes to place cucumbers in random places just to freak Azul out.

Azul's skin is baby-soft because he has an elaborate skincare routine, which he adapted after hearing Vil's advice. Not even Vil knows this.

Has a column in the NRC newspaper where he gives students relationships and heartfelt and emotional advice but under a pen name. No one has managed to figure out that Azul pens that column.

Jade

He runs a secret gourmet food blog where he criticizes/praises the food of the restaurants in the town nearest to NRC. He is a very picky and harsh critic.

Likes to leave random cryptic messages all over NRC just to see reactions of students. The messages mean nothing, but he likes to see the smart students struggling to dechiper the codes.

Jade never forgets anything, even if he pretends he forgot...he remembers. He has such good memory that you could ask him the 71st word on page 239 of the history text book, and he can tell you accurately.

Floyd

He is REALLY good at parkour and has had competitions with Ace and Deuce, but he always wins.

When Floyd is bored, he likes to hide in the NRC swimming pool and scare the students who go to swim there, especially after the sunsets. Some of the students have never returned to the swimming pool because they think it's haunted.

Has a collection of giant stuffed toys. Floyd hugs a large blue teddy bear with a white bow when he goes to sleep. He has a hard time sleeping with his teddy.

Kalim

He wants NRC to have a desert day where the entire campus is filled with sand, and all the students are required to dress in beach-themed clothes.

He likes collecting ventriloquist dolls but is horrible at it because he keeps laughing at his own jokes.

Kalim has a habit of talking and laughing in his sleep. Sometimes, the dorm is dead silent at night, and out of nowhere, the sound of Kalim laughing loudly wakes everyone up.

Jamil

He is secretly a DJ who wears a mask to cover his identity and calls himself DJ Jam. His mask is a piece of toast with a mustache and sunglasses. Yes, Kalim was the one who suggested the mask, and Jamil had no choice but to go along with it...much to his dismay.

When he laughs a lot, he starts snorting. This is one reason he doesn't like to laugh a lot. Only Kalim and Najma know this secret.

Sometimes Kalim's hyper nature gets to him, so Jamil adds relaxing herbs to Kalim's dishes. Yes, Trey was the one who gave him the idea.

———————————————

➣ Twisted Wonderland [1][2][3] ➣ Main Masterlist

➣ Buy me a Ko-fi? ➣ Commission: Open ➣ HC/Scenario Requests: Closed || Quick Ask Requests: Closed || GIF Requests: Closed

[h0nkch0c0late]

Can you do a Jordan li fanfic, where the reader thinks there’s something going on between Jordan and Marie.. bit of jealousy and angst thanksss love

Idk how angsty you wanted it to be so I ended it with fluff (kinda but not really)

Jealousy, Jealousy

Jordan Li x Reader

Summary: you were never one to get jealous. Until Marie Moreau entered the picture.

WARNINGS: some angst, jealous reader, clueless Jordan

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

You were never one to be jealous. You had established that when you had first gotten with Jordan.

Hell, half the time you two watched movies together, you both would spend it talking about which hot actors you'd fuck.

And, Jordan talking to other attractive people in real life never bothered you either. Hell, your whole friend group was full of gorgeous people.

But then, Marie Moreau entered the picture.

At first you didn't have a problem, seeing as Jordan absolutely did not fuck with Marie due to the whole Top Five bullshit.

But then they started to get closer, they began talking more, and it didn't involve as many arguments.

Now, it's not like Jordan had stopped paying attention to you all together, in fact, they still spent every day (and night) with you, and nothing really changed.

You wanted it to stay that way, but your jealousy had gotten the best of you.

The closer the two of them got, the more distance you decided to put between yourself and your partner in crime.

Of course, this utterly confused poor Jordan, but she thought that maybe you were just having a rough week.

So, when you suddenly had left their side during a party (after getting deep into conversation with Marie), she had decided to investigate.

It was Cate who had gotten to you first.

She had caught you in the bathroom with choked cries coming from one of the stalls.

She knocked on the stall door, "Y/n? That you?"

You sniffed, trying to wipe away your tears quickly, "y-yeah, what's, uh, what's up?" You ask with a stuttered breath.

Cate's brows furrowed in concern, "I just wanted to know if you're okay. Jordan's looking for you."

You leaned your head against the stall door, "are they doing it alone? Or are they with Marie?" Her name dripped off your tongue like poison.

Cate immediately knew what was going on with you by the way you spoke about Marie, and she sighed, "alone. Jordan's really worried about you, yknow."

You scoffed, "Sure, she is."

Cate rolled her eyes, "I thought you never get jealous. You seem pretty jealous to me."

You pause for a moment, "...I'm not jealous." You state defensively, crossing your arms.

"Oh, you SO are. If you weren't, you wouldn't be so distant from her as of lately." Cate stated.

"Nuh uh."

"Y/n you were literally crying like two seconds ago. Don't make me come in there and force you to admit it." She threatened, leaning onto the door.

You frowned, "I just... the way Marie keeps looking at Jordan is the same way I look at them. And Jordan..." You're voice trailed off, scared that if you were to finish the sentence, you would start crying again.

Cate sighs for the second time, "open the door."

"Cate-"

"Y/n, open this stall door right now."

You groan, standing up and unlocking the door, pushing it open slightly so as not to hit Cate.

Cate opens the door wider, putting her hands on her hips, "I assure you that there is nothing going on between Jordan and Marie. It's your jealousy talking."

"But, Cate-" you began, but she cuts you off.

"Y/n, I know what jealousy looks like. I also know what it's like to be jealous. You see things that aren't actually happening. Talk to them."

You shake your head, "I can't."

Cate puts her gloved hands on your shoulders, "you can, and you will. The solution to your problem is to talk to them. Avoidance causes more problems than it solves."

You groan once more, "fine. But I'm not gonna be happy about it. I know what I saw." You tell her before walking out of the bathroom.

"Uh huh, sure you do." She replies as she watches you leave.

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

"Y/n, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Jordan exclaims as she finds you in the crowd.

The frown didn't leave your lips as you replied, "I was just going to the bathroom."

Jordan noticed your unimpressed look, and your eyes looked a little red. "What happened?" They asked, concerned.

You refused to look them in the eye, "nothing. I'm fine." You knew you should be following Cate's advice and talking to him about it, but you've always been the type to avoid your problems as best as you could.

But Jordan knew there was a problem. You always looked her in the eyes. "Dont lie to me, please? Just tell me what's up."

You swallowed the lump that began to form in your throat. You really didn't want to fucking deal with this.

Their hands moved to your shoulders, "please look at me." She begged.

You forced your eyes to meet their's, your heart beating just a little bit faster than you would like due to the anxiety of confrontation.

Jordan nodded at you, eyes pleading for you to speak.

You took a deep breath before pushing your fear down, "is there something going on between you and Marie?" You asked bluntly.

Jordan froze at the question, their expression turning to one of hurt at the thought of you not trusting them enough to believe that theyd betray you like that. "What? No! Of course not. What made you think that I would do that to you?" Their hands had let go of your shoulders, her eyes holding a look of betrayl.

And suddenly you felt your heart sink to your stomach. You knew Jordan would never lie to you, and to have that confirmation that it was YOU being the hurtful idiot...

"Jealousy, I guess." You stated, tears beginning to prick your eyes.

Jordan shook their head, as much as they were hurt that you thought she would betray you like that, she also understood the powers that jealousy had.

"It's okay." They replied.

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It wasn't okay. Your jealousy had made you think the worst. It made you not trust them. It wasn't okay at all. You felt like you should be punished, broken up with, and yet...

"No, no its not okay, Jordan. I-I got jealous." You stuttered.

Jordan reached over to cup your face gently in their hands, "everyone gets jealous sometimes, Y/n."

"But I...I don't get jealous. I'm supposed to be immune to jealousy." You replied brokenly.

A soft, small smile appeared across Jordan's lips, wiping away a stray tear that had fallen with her thumb. "You're not immune to emotions, babe. I forgive you."

You didn't want to be forgiven. You wanted Jordan to yell, scream, kick, and punch at you. You wanted them to be angry. They deserved it.

Jordan leaned their forehead against your own, beginning to repeat, "I love you, and I forgive you." Over and over again. She knew you. She knew that you wouldn't forgive yourself. They knew that you wanted to punish yourself, but that's not what they wanted.

And he wanted you to know it.

Because jealousy is normal. It's human. It's an emotion that sometimes can't be avoided.

No one is immune.

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

Suddenly, I got motivation to write. It's pretty long. I wanted to make it more angsty, but my heart couldn't take it, LMAO.

Hope yall enjoyed <3333

-your favourite Jordan Li writer (im kidding)

[spidernuggets]

Hi hope you’re having a good/night can you do a Jason Todd x detective fem reader. She meets Jason , but she meets him when he’s red hood at a crime scene.

Jason Todd x FemDetective!Reader

"So you're the guy that's making my paperwork pile up higher than the Empire State Building."

"Christ, another one?" One of your coworkers said as the limp, dead body was zipped up into a body, and evidence collected and put away.

You shrug a shoulder, writing down in your notepad a list of suspects and witnesses involved in this new murder, which was also linked to other recent killings.

"Adam Matthews." You state the victim's name.

"Drug dealer?" Your coworker asks, looking at the substance that Matthews had on his person being bagged for evidence.

"Mm. He was a cook for a drug dealer who tested on homeless kids or orphans. But Matthews was also known for being an accessory for other murders, kidnappings, and was guilty for sexual assaults," you state, sighing, putting your notebook away.

Your coworker fell shocked. "How the fuck is he not locked up?!" He yells.

"Links with richies," you scoff. "Well, he's dead now. His long, overdue debt it now paid." You always believed these kinds of people never deserved a second chance. All the previous murder victims were similar to Adam Matthews. So, others may call you crazy, but you were thankful for this anonymous killer going out of their way, killing scumbags like Matthews.

"I'm going to scout around the area, Parks," you told your coworker as he nodded and went to discuss with the other officers around the area.

You shone your flashlight around the narrow alleys, searching for any clues or evidence you could use to help solve the crime and catch the murderer. Or in your eyes an anti-hero.

Just as you were about to turn around and return to the scene, you heard grunts and strings of profanity coming from behind one of the dumpsters.

Your hand hovered over your gun in your hip holster, walking towards the sounds.

You swiftly turned to see the source, hand on the handle of the gun, and saw a certain, outlawed vigilante leaning on the dumpster, holding his arm, his body stained with blood.

His helmet lay in between his legs, his domino mask remaining on his face.

"What the fu- Red Hood??" You exclaim.

"You mind?" He groans, holding his hand out, trying to avoid the flash shining in his eyes.

"Shit, sorry," you reoly, turning it off and placing it on your utility belt. Your head tilted to the side, seeing that Red Hood was struggling to wrap his arm up. "It's loose," you say, referring to the bandage- or rag that he was tying around his bicep.

"Wow, really? Didn't- fuck- didn't notice," he says, cursing once more when the bandage fell down.

You roll your eyes, crouching beside his and taking the bandage from his, unwrapping his arm and rewrapping it tighter as it should be.

"So you're the guy that's making my paperwork pile up higher than the Empire State Building." You mutter, tying the bandage to stay in place.

"Sorry, little cop lady. Just doing my job." He hisses.

"It's little detrctice lady to you. And I'd appreciate it if you made your little killing sprees a little more discreet. Eventually, the actual cops are gonna catch your ass," you snicker, getting up.

"As if I let them." He bites back.

"L/n. Where are you?" Parks says through your walkie. "Did you find anything?"

Red Hood gets up, putting his helmet back on, looking down at you, waiting for your response.

You click on the button to reply. "No. Nothing here. Coming back now."

The white glowing eyes pierce through yours as Red Hood chuckles. "Hiding a criminal? Haven't taken a look through the law book in a while, but isn't that illegal?" You couldn't see it, but Red Hood grinned, amised at this new encounter.

You shrugged. "I'm only doing this because I know I can't stop you, even if I wanted to. Besides. If these ass rat criminals kept scurrying around, the papaerwork would be much more than you're making." You smirk.

He laughs. "So you're saying you don't want to stop me?" He crosses his arms.

"Have a good night, Mr. Hood." You bid him goodbye, walking back to the crime scene.

"And to you too, little detective lady," he says, quietly hoping to run into again after he puts lead into the head of his next target.

"Jeez, I thought you died or something. You were gone for a while, are you sure you didn't find anything?" Parks quickly asks you.

You quickly wipe away the blood on your palms from Red Hood's wound onto your black jeans. "Save the interrogation for the suspects, Parks. Nothing there but dead rats and graffiti."

You walk off, almost missing the shine of a red helmet running off on the roof of a building in the distance as you smirk to yourself, also secretly hoping Red Hood would cause another casualty to meet him again.

Parks was about to walk off, too, almost missing the tiniest splotch of red on your white shirt as he raised an eyebrow.

I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE IT SO SHORT!!!

I didn't want to leave this ask in my inbox for too long and forget about it 😭😭

BUTTTT if you or anyone else wants!!! I can make a part 2 where Reader and Red Hood begin a constant meetup after every death Red Hood causes (only to those criminals who deserve it, obvi). And Parks becomes suspicious of Reader and threatens her or that Reader's job is put on the line!!!!

I was going to add this idea in, but I'm really bad at making long fics cuz I always wanna get it over and done with and I'm so impatient 😭

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT ANYWAYS 🙏🙏

[rwrbficrecs]

We’ll Invite Something In by @smc-27 (book-verse)

@dot524: This is a fandom favorite and for good reason. In this canon divergence AU, Alex is President, Henry is out, and they never got together in their 20s. Instead, they encounter each other in their late 30s and a very different type of relationship ensues. They still hide it at first, but there’s a lot of living that they both have done and need to work through. I really enjoyed the character dynamics here and how the premise changed both Alex and Henry, making them bolder and more mature. Definitely read this one!

Eyes Blue, Like the Atlantic by bleedingballroomfloor (book-verse)

@dot524: A Titanic AU! Adapted by an excellent writer, this one has suspense, action, romance, and intrigue. There is a MCD (Main Character Death) in here and some other tags to be aware of, but also vibrant scenes with dancing, chasing, art, and formal wear. I really enjoyed it!

Clean Slate by @smc-27 (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: This was just so excellent. I devoured it in no time, couldn't put it down. I love the way Alex just slips into Henry's life like a silk glove even though Henry has his hesitations. There's abslutely no angst at all other than "you're too young for me" "no, next question" I love it. I love Henry finally feeling young for the first time. I think that is something that Henry generally feels after meeting Alex, like he's never been able to, no matter at what point in life he is. ANYWAY I'm talking about Henry way too much again for a rec. Read this.

Most People Exist by @sprigsofviolets (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Henry, 30, is a nurse on a cancer ward. From the very first moment he feels an intense connection and attraction to his newest patient, the one who has a brain tumor and is named Alexander Claremont-Diaz. - The tags say it all: "Falling in love, Slow Burn, Angst with a happy ending, Hurt/Comfort". After reading this story I am a whole new person. I laughed and cried, had butterflies in my stomach, I felt it all. Hands down one of the best fics I've ever read!

after hours by @dumbpeachjuice (book-verse)

@na-dineee: How much can happen in a few hours? stutteringpeach: Hold my beer. 😅🤝 Reading this was truly a roller coaster ride, my stomach was doing somersaults non-stop: On his last evening in New York, poet Henry meets bartender Alex and the two spend the night together - in true "Before Sunrise" style. To sum it all up: enchanting, sweet, phenomenal, iconic!

No. 1 (Royal Red and Blue) Oil on Canvas by @captainjunglegym (book-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: This fic is so twisted and surprising in the best way! The summary did not prepare me for all the action that comes after the initial relationship drama and I'd really like to fawn over it some more but I don't want to spoil the fun of figuring out what really is going on and what are characters' motivations. Just give it a try.

Meet the Parents (series) by @14carrotghoul (book-verse)

@dot524: I really enjoyed these thoughtful character studies of Ellen and Oscar. The two short stories are a series of canon vignettes from Oscar and Ellen’s POV. These glimpses of the Claremont-Diaz parents add heart and depth to the RWRB canon, giving insight about how Ellen and Oscar think about parenthood, power, family, and each other.

Leave The World Better Than You Found It: A BONES AU by @treluna4 (book/movie-verse)

@myheartalivewrites: I really enjoyed this FirstPrince meets procedural TV show fic! With Alex as Booth and Henry as Brennan, they learn to work together, solve crimes--and fall in love, of course. Plus take down a very satisfying book villain.

No Laughing Matter by @inexplicablymine (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This fic is absolutely hysterical- a must read if you need something to cheer you up! It's also very relatable for anyone who, like me, has said things they've regretted in all the best ways!

in summer air by @acdsbff (book-verse)

@na-dineee: I need a vacation and vitamin D - maybe that's why this series (both POVs are covered 🥰) captivated me so much?! It is set on a Greek island, where Alex, just cheated on by his boyfriend, meets hotel owner Henry. What follows is a whirlwind speedrun romance against a beautiful backdrop. Really therapeutic for the heart on dreary days!!

here is a map (with your name as a capital) by @alasse9 (book-verse)

@dot524: What an incredible surprise to have this entire 50k story drop at once. In this canon divergent story, Alex and Henry start getting to know each other in Rio, when Alex helps him recover from a panic attack. Their friendship, and later their relationship, is a delightful slow burn with funny moments, heartbreak, and steady support of each other. I thoroughly enjoyed this start to finish — the characterization of both Alex and Henry is on point and I really enjoyed how the writer changed some of the scenes from the book while keeping key callbacks. A delight.

Claremont 2008 by @happiness-of-the-pursuit (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This friends to lovers AU is done so well! Having Henry and Alex meet as kids means we get years of their friendship before they even start dating, and it gives every aspect of their relationship so much depth through this entire fic. It also gives some events only referenced in the novel a completely different perspective, which makes them even better!

keep me in the moment (don't it feel so real?) by @anincompletelist (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: I absolutely love everything that comes out of Sarah's magic little fingers and this was no exception. Alex and Henry are best friends and pinning over eache other unknowingly and an accidental lil discovery turns their relationship upside-down (for the better) absolutely recommended. I honestly loved it so much.

you know i can't be found with you by @dumbpeachjuice (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: This was SO much fun. Alex was RELENTLESS and I absolutely love an older Henry. It was also very fucking funny. 10/10

the great duck fiasco by @alexclaremont-diaz (book-verse)

@suseagull04: A spy AU, dating apps, and Alex's Texas roots combine in the funniest way possible- definitely read this if you want a good laugh!

[tossawary]

The 3-day trial system in "Ace Attorney" is absolutely nuts. I know the game is intentionally making fun of corrupt & dysfunctional legal systems and is also upping the pacing to create a sense of urgency & excitement, but I truly underestimated just how hysterically funny it would be to play this trial system. They have created some WILD logistical worldbuilding.

Like, someone gets murdered on Day 1. Phoenix Wright finds out about this on Day 2 and goes to talk to them. This person has less than 24 hours to find their own legal representation before a public defender is assigned to them, and Phoenix has to do his own investigating before the trial tomorrow morning. Day 3 is the first day of the trial, in which Phoenix is doing everything he can to prove innocence and somehow also solve the actual murder in the middle of court, and hopefully at least get the Judge to agree that they need another day of investigation and interrogation. There's an in-universe rule that a trial can only go for 3 days, so by Day 5, the third day of the trial, this nonsense needs to be wrapped up. The first game doesn't explicitly say that this is a death penalty system, but it's heavily implied at points, so depending on the case, Phoenix has THREE DAYS to potentially SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE.

And this is all hilariously, horribly BONKERS for Phoenix, but it's just as awful when you start getting into all the little bureaucratic details of trying to make this legal system actually work. A public defender might get a case at 5 PM for a murder trial at 10 AM the next morning?! (I know public defenders are often horribly overworked IRL. This is part of what the game is mocking.) Autopsies are being performed within, like, 12 hours of the murder?! They're getting results back from the forensics labs within 24 hours?! How much of the city budget is SPENT on law enforcement?! The overtime hours must be horrifying. No wonder things are constantly falling through the cracks; people are fucked if their defense attorneys are on vacation that day or if the witnesses aren't answering their phones that day.

And, also, like, did the courthouse not have OTHER trials scheduled for that day? Are they reserving a courtroom in this courthouse for emergency murder cases? Even if there's a 3-day limit to speed things up, it's a big city, shit happens, how are they seeing people this quickly? Are there just separate courthouses for all crimes below various degrees of murder? (Obviously, family law and small claims and minor crimes and such must be handled somewhere else, but still.) Or are people in Japanifornia getting last minute calls from the overworked scheduling people at the courthouse like, "Hi, witness for an assault trial, your testimony has been rescheduled because someone was murdered last night. This could take 1-3 days. We'll let you know." Then that poor witness is like, "Shit, I took a day off of work for this??? I have to call my boss again now. Fuck you!!!"

It's tempting to write an AA fic about a series of murders in this world, in which people are obviously being framed for these crimes but it's not clear who the real murderer is, because this is all happening to keep postponing a different trial, because murder cases apparently go to trial immediately in the AA universe as #1 priority. Someone needs this extra time to steal the evidence from the police station and frame someone else for their crime, because if this postponed trial goes to court, then a different, older, unsolved murder is sure to come to light.

This features a public defender OC who is... the most exhausted person... of all time... trying to hold the line of human rights. The burnout rate must be horrifying.

[sourpatchys]

My personal Shigaraki Tomura Headcannons that I will defend with my life

—

He’s actually pretty shy. He keeps to himself, he’s not going to tell you about his interests unless he trusts you with his life, he won’t even so much as share his favorite foods with you if he doesn’t know you well enough. Not because he’s afraid you’ll make fun of him for it— he just genuinely finds opening up to be embarrassing and prefers not too if he can help it.

He never lost his love for video games and he still thinks about strategies with a lot of the terms in mind. Being the leader of the league of villains and losing the original hide out made him pull the break on his hobby’s.

He likes to draw. He figured out at an early age that art doesn’t take all five fingers. It started as something silly he did when he didn’t feel like paying attention to kurogiri, and steadily over the years it’s become something he relies on to help with stress

He wears all black because he’s too lazy to figure out what looks good. He does care about his appearance, but not badly enough to go through multiple outfits.

He’s actually really self conscious of the scars on his face. He thinks they make him look weak, unkept and disgusting. If he could change anything about himself he’d get rid of them in an instant.

Due to his self conscious nature regarding his looks— he’s super on top of everything else. As a kid he was so worried about looking the way he does and smelling, that he actually had to be temporarily banned from using cologne and body spray because of how overwhelming it got for everyone around him.

He has insanely good handwriting. It’s actually really alarming to see for the first time.

His internal dictionary is also pretty well established. Shigaraki is not afraid to use big words, and he tends to use extremely well put together sentences, both verbally and otherwise.

AFO made sure shigaraki had a proper education, even going as far as to hire private tutors, which is why his vocabulary is so top of the line.

(Sometimes while speaking the league will stop him midway through and ask him to use ‘normal people’ words)

He does have manners— some might even say he has an annoying amount of manners. And he will get pissed off if people don’t follow his footsteps, especially if the situation calls for it.

That being said he has never— and will never— sit in a chair properly. His legs are all over the fucking place and that’s how he likes it.

Growing up he wore mittens to bed to stop from absolutely disintegrating his mattress because he’s a stomach sleeper.

He sleeps with his mouth open, he drools AND he snores.

Contrary to what you may think, he’s not going to be an angry spiteful boyfriend.

He takes everything to heart because he hates everything, that’s who he is and that’s what he does! But he doesn’t hate you. So he will learn to take things with a grain of salt when it comes to you.

He’s not going to be a confrontational type of guy with you, he knows it wouldn’t solve anything if he came in with guns blazing. He doesn’t want you to ever see him that angry as long as he can help it.

He’s not going to apologize if things go wrong on his end though— at least not vocally. Honestly he doesn’t even know how to apologize, so you’ll just get a gift or some tighter cuddles that night compared to usual.

He’s afraid of spiders. He thanks the universe every single day that there isn’t some weird ass mutated spider hero that he has to deal with.

His “rebellion phase” was just him trying to overcome his murderous thoughts. (It didn’t work)

This man loves loitering. It’s the stupidest crime there is and he genuinely cannot get enough of it.

It took him an embarrassingly long time to understand that not everyone had endless amounts of money. Growing up he could order or buy whatever he wanted, so he just assumed that’s how the world worked for everyone until his early teens

If he were to start developing feelings for you, he wouldn’t know what the hell was going on. “Love” and “attraction” are not emotions he’s familiar with.

He will absolutely test out his theory by building a life with you in the sims.

Shockingly enough he’s not opposed to having kids. It’s just not something he’d ever think about unless you were to bring it up.

He has a My Chemical Romance hoodie tucked into the very back of his closet.

He collects vinyl records

He doesn’t like animals but if he had to choose between a dog or a cat he’d choose a cat.

Yes— he does own a pair of pink fuzzy bunny slippers, your suspicions are correct. (They’re so comfortable but he’d never been caught dead wearing them)

As a kid he collected bottle caps, he still has one he carry’s around with him as a good luck charm

He constantly forgets to tell you where he’s going and how long he’ll be gone— and he’s never on his phone so don’t expect him to answer your texts or calls if you’re worried.

A Domesticated shigaraki is just like having an old man as a pet. He complains— is a little too good at playing chess— is always wearing some kind of pajamas and smells like aftershave

Has the largest sweet tooth you’ve ever encountered. This guy could eat an entire cake in a single sitting and not get nauseous.

He either won’t eat at all and then gets pissed because he’s hungry or he’ll eat too much and get pissed that he’s full

He keeps a small sketch book on him at all times and 80% of the pages are of you

He’ll eat anything once, including shit he finds on the floor

One of his front teeth is fake, the adult tooth literally just never grew in

He hates hero’s but sometimes in order to get ideas he reads old marvel comics

He’s a green goblin stan

He has a “shoot first ask questions later” mentality that no one can take away from him. He simply does not gaf what your reasons are

He’ll kill anyone regardless, but he goes a lot harder on people with outdated opinions

[lume-nosity]

if they get isekai’d to our world

characters: tighnari, nilou, yun jin, eula, aether, lumine, heizou, kazuha, xiao

genre: fluff

an: this is completely self indulgent and i may make a part 2 of this when i’m feeling up for it. take this post before i vanish again for the week. i’ll see you all again on the weekends <3

notes: not proofread, gender neutral reader, swearing, written in hc form so it’s short/weird, reverse isekai trope, written in one day

reblogs are appreciated!

trusting tighnari with your plants.

he’s experienced in the botanical area, so have him tend to them. it’ll also give him an opportunity to study/observe said plant(s), so just have him watch your plants when you don’t have the time. he’ll be very happy.

but if he finds out that you haven’t been caring for them before the isekai fiasco, he will scold you. and then give you a lecture on why and how you should care for them.

if you have like a book on plants/biology/anything plant related, he’ll be thrilled to read such a book from you. he will spend sleepless nights reading it, and you have to remind him to take it easy.

nilou, yun jin, and eula playing just dance.

nilou’s having a great time, ended up getting high scores while eula is flustered but she still maintains her graceful stature when dancing.

eula didn’t want to play at first because she’s suspicious of the game, but she was dragged into playing so she didn’t have any other choice. she ended up liking it but of course she doesn’t admit it. and yun jin is just glad she gets to be a part of it.

all of you are dancing the night away frfr

having venti listen to your playlists.

as it’s known, he knows every song in existence. but listening to your playlists, he’s surprised he’s never heard of such a tune before. because, you know, he’s not from your world.

but even so, it reels him in wanting more. so he begs you to borrow your phone to listen to your playlists, especially new ones you just made.

when you left your phone somewhere unattended and venti came across it, he looked both sides before snagging your phone off of its place to listen to your playlists in secret. ehe.

aether & lumine being your errand buddies.

if you’re planning to go out to run an errand like buying groceries or something, these two are the first ones to volunteer to help. i know they do everything in teyvat; doing shit for everyone and all that but this is different. when they got isekai’d, they’re reunited! (i’m going to ignore the abyss sibling bullshit okay let me write in peace i want these two to be happy)

so they’re returning the favor by assisting you in anything! even in your house, they still help you with chores and whatnot! which made you worry for them, so you’ve decided to arrange a time where you all could sit and chat. they talked about their journeys to other worlds, and you could listen to them talk for hours.

introducing heizou to true crime documentaries.

ohhhhh boy you know he will binge the SHIT out of them. now that he doesn’t have to deal with missing pets, he has something interesting to indulge himself in.

he ends up figuring out who’s the culprit before the show could even reveal who. which shocks you, if you’re the type to take a long time trying to connect the dots.

if you show him some unsolved cases, you know damn well he’ll look/watch into it. you have a smart detective on your hands, and if he ends up solving them as well, you must be writhing in pride that you and heizou are the only ones who know the truth.

kazuha asking you to go out on a stroll from time to time.

one time when he accompanies you and your errand buddies because he wants to see what your world looks like in addition to lending another hand, he wants to see that again. the wind, the sky, the view, all of that. it’s all unique to him.

so, expect him to ask you if you’d like to go out on a little stroll for a while. it’s an excuse for him to feel what your world would be like, to digest its features and compliment it all in a poetic sense.

most likely points out the colors of the leaves you guys walk by. he’s just blabbering about nature while you’re out here digesting his words and your mind turns into an actual tree from listening.

teaching xiao everything you know about your world.

yes, this seems bland, but listen. xiao is oblivious to how teyvat works in terms of tradition/humans, and now that he’s isekai’d to your world, you have to teach this poor innocent individual.

he needs information in order to adapt to this new world he’s not familiar with, knowing there’s not really a way out.

xiao is listening intently and nodding to everything you say, asking questions at the same time.

this isn’t part of the headcanon, but he’s also cautious when you say you’re going to go out at night especially when aether & lumine are busy with other matters. if that were to happen he will be the one to step in. no danger will befall you when you have a yaksha by your side.

[comicwritesstuff]

Vanessa Shelly/Afton x Fem!Reader

This is an angsty make you feel like shit story, like I was physically and mentally in pain writing this. I'll make a fluff and cute one after this SORRY NOT SORRY 😭

Working nights at Freddy Fazbear's pizzeria isn't really anyone's dream job. I have been working here for a week or two, it could be worse just staring at a screen until 6am then leaving the creepy atmosphere. I look at the monitors, zoning off. I just got here so my shift just started, Yay, so exciting…Luckily the sheriff makes it better. Vanessa Shelly is probably the most gorgeous woman I've ever laid my eyes on, ever since she showed up at night, with her raincoat on I couldn't help getting a tiny crush on her...and that's all it was. Tiny.

Well, at least I had thought that was what it would be…I can’t help it, I didn’t mean to fall for her she just tripped me. Her doe eyes, her smile, her stern voice when I try and do something stupid or dangerous, her laugh and her voice…fuck. I need to focus… I'm working. I stop dozing off, finally paying attention to the monitors in front of me, mostly just staring at the outside camera, wondering if Vanessa would come in today. And look at that. Her cop car pulls up, my heart flutters as I see her walk up and buzz the buzzer, it's raining. Hard. So I speed walk and open the door, grinning. “Hey Nessie!” She smiles even wider at me, my heart flutters again. “Hey y/n, can you let me in now, it's a little rainy.” I laugh and step to the side, letting her in as I close the door, locking it again I can feel her staring at me. Turning around we walk to the showtime area. (forgot what its called don’t come at me, but y'know what i mean)

“We should let the animatronics play some music” She suggests as I nod as I stand up quickly and press the showtime button, they all start singing and playing songs. I sit back down where Vanessa is, making conversation. “So how's your shift been today?” She looks over at me making my stomach twist into knots, I try not to blush but it just makes it worse…thinking about not blushing with her staring at me. “Oh just the normal stuff, beating up bad guys, solving crime and saving a bunch of people. All in a day's work.” She jokes, shrugging and smiling. I laugh at her sarcasm, looking back over at the animatronics, who (perfect timing) just started playing “Just the Two of Us: By Grover Washington, Jr.” I feel Vanessa’s eyes on me, I look down, my heart racing. Fuck I should ask her to dance. “Wanna dance?” She said it first, to be honest I probably turned bright red, but that didn’t matter, I got to dance with my crush, I'm obviously gonna blush. I nod eagerly and stand up with her, she grabs ahold of my hand, her simple touch sending chills down my spine, she glides her hand across my back resting it there as we dance together, smiling and laughing.

The perfect moment, that I never want to end. God looking at her, being so close to her, I have to tell her…I have to shoot my shot but I just can’t bring myself to do it. We dance for a while, for at least a few songs, before something changes. A look in her eye that I ever slightly noticed but I still saw it with how intently I was looking into them. Her once happy and joyful eyes changed, to a melancholic, sad and maybe even confused look. I was just about to ask her if everything was alright until she stopped, the music kept playing but she just stopped, staring at me, not moving. “Ness, is everything okay?” I say worried, did I fuck something up? Did I do something wrong? “Just…stop y/n we can’t.” She says and pulls her hands away, turning her head not looking at me any longer.  My heart tugs at me, it feels like my body is shutting down. “What, what do you mean?” I reach out, grabbing her wrist. “Nessie..?” She whips around, shoving my hand away she seems angry but she's crying, and so that makes me start to cry.

“I wish you were a boy.” No. No. No. No please no, this has to be fake, please let what she just said, not be true… please. I stare at her in disbelief, tears falling down my cheeks faster than ever. It feels like time is paused, it feels like everything is broken inside me, like all my organs, my bones my heart specifically turned to glass, and she just fucking broke it all with a hammer. I want nothing more than to curl up into a ball, to just stop, to just be done, but I love her…I have to try. “Why..? Why does that matter I- I can be just as good as a guy.” She looks at me, her eyes searching my heartbroken face, I can’t even hear the music anymore, I’ve drowned it out with her. “No, I can't…my father wouldn’t accept it and I just…I just can't. Why are you making this so difficult?” “So it's my fault? It's my fault you can’t just accept the fact that you like women?! Who cares if your father doesn’t like it, aren’t I worth it?” I say, loud enough that the animatronics have now noticed, the music stopped, they are watching. “I-...I don't know.” “You don't?! You don't know? That…fuck Vanessa… please… just..give me a chance?” She steps closer to me, cupping my cheek with her hand. I try not to accept the comfort but it's all I need right now, so I unwillingly do. “Y/N, I love you…but I don’t think…that I can, you just…I can't”

“I’m sorry I really am-” “No. Don’t do that, I don’t want your apologies, I don’t want this job anymore either, tell whoever owns this shit that I quit…I can’t see you anymore Ness, it’ll hurt me more.” I look at her once more, before turning my back and walking to the exit. Vanessa stares at me, tears still running down her cheek. “Y/N, can’t we be friends, please I can’t lose you.” I turn around, shaking my head. “No, no don’t try to do that, I can’t just be friends with you, and you know that.” I keep walking, she's following me, I unlock the door walking out into the cold, rainy night. Before I get to my car I feel Vanessa grab my wrist, spinning me around. Her lips connect with mine, a passionate kiss that lasts far too short, even then I wrap my hands around her neck, trying to deepen the kiss, forgetting all that just happened, she runs one hand through my soaked hair, and the other around my back.

I didn’t want anything else in the world, it was the best thing I'd experienced. Until we pulled away, and I saw the same look in her eyes, the same look that said, that I just wasn't worth it. I wasn’t worth the risk, nor the love or the fear. It turned from my favorite memory of my life, to the one that makes my heart shatter at the thought of it. “Y/N..” I turn around walking the last few steps to my car. “Vanessa, however long it takes you to think I'm worth it, I’ll be waiting, I don’t know if you ever will, it could be 20 years till you realize it. I will always be waiting for you, even though right now. I’m just not worth it.”

[thefaefiction]

Distraction. [Connor x Reader] [DBH]

PAIRING: Connor x Reader GENRE: Smut WARNINGS: This is an 18+ piece of writing with mature and sexual themes. Read at your own discretion. Includes: Penetrative sex, praise, work relationship, power dynamics SUMMARY: After meeting the respectable Connor you've known at the station for months after hours, his advances on you shock you enough to want to find out more.

A/N: connor is a deviant who still works for the dpd! ** finally finished this btw it's no longer a wip <33

You and Connor had just gotten back from an unusual case involving an Android robbery at an auction house in downtown Detroit. You had successfully prevented the android from executing the order's of one man's dirty work; and to top it all off, you looked great doing it. You'd been dressed in a loose black dress that glimmered under the dim light of the auctioning room, a pair of sheer tights that hugged your legs beneath the short and strappy heels which pained your feet more than any other shoe you'd ever worn, and a sheer shawl that sat over your shoulders, providing absolutely zero warmth in the cold weather that bit outside.

As you closed the door to the rental car, you let out a sigh of relief and a light laugh. "I didn't expect to have to solve crime in heels today," You jest, quickly removing the heels that had, quite frankly, become more of a problem than the enemy at large.

Connor grins. "You and I made quite the team back there, lieutenant," He pauses and adjusts his tie. "Even if your shoes put a damper on our probability of success."

You laugh. "It's so frustrating that they gave you a suit, something you can be fully mobile in, and I get..." You sigh, your hands gesturing frustratingly to your outfit, "This."

"Well," Connor begins, "I must say it succeeded in distracting the thief. He looked rather... preoccupied when it came to your questioning." He turns, looking at your outfit. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a bit difficult to stay on task myself."

His words came as a shock to you, heat rising to your cheeks and your head feeling slightly dizzy. All night, while your mind should have been running with how to handle your case, you'd been preoccupied with how damn dazzling Connor looked in a black suit. Everything about him made you crazy, and it was frustrating, especially when his assertive questioning voice is causing some unwanted feelings in some inconvenient areas of your body.

"Lieutenant?" His voice interrupts your thoughts, shaking your head and stopping your staring. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," You laugh. "Just thinking. Sorry."

Connor nods, furrowing his eyebrows. "About what?"

You could feel your face begin paling at the thought of telling him, truthfully, what was on your mind. You didn't dare. "Just the case," You said, far too quickly. "Just, like, the numbers. And stuff." That made no sense. You were completely blowing it, and not in the way you'd like. "Ready to get going?"

"Lieutenant, I can't help but notice your body temperature becoming abnormally high." His voice was silky, coated in an emotion that you hadn't yet seen him express. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Your head begins pounding, butterflies clouding your chest and your skin tingling. "No," You spit out. "No, I'm alright. Thank you though." You cough, looking away from him.

"Lieutenant... I'm afraid you've forgotten that I can read you like an open book," He turns his body towards you in his seat, leaning slightly over the center console. You feel him staring. "Are you certain that there's not a way I'm able to assist you?"

You turn and face him, his face much closer than you anticipated it being. His LED lit yellow, trying to decipher your next move, but it had completely taken him aback when your mouth collided with his hungrily. He pulled away and whispered, staring longingly at your lips, “Perhaps we should take this to the back?”

Without a word you crawled to the back seats, Connor sitting with his legs spread and his tie loose around his neck. He gripped your hips, pulling you on top of him, and you started tearing away at your dress. You lifted it over your head and threw it into the passenger seat, Connor smirking as he rapidly removed his blazer from his body.

You pried your tights off of your legs, ripping them in the process but not paying enough attention to care, and Connor unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it along with his tie to the front. He was gorgeous, of course. Why wouldn't he be? He was sculpted by people to be the perfect man in every way, it makes perfect sense that he would be sculpted and defined in a way that made Zeus envy him.

"You're so gorgeous," Connor mumbled, eyeing your bra and scanning your body. "That poor thief. If I saw a woman like you I'd have trouble with my words too." He put his hands on your hips, molding the fat to his hands. "This is the most human desire I've ever felt."

"Fuck, Connor," You groaned. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting this." Your hips had instinctively began grinding down on him, like they had a mind and a plan of their own. It shocked you when Connor let out a gasp, rolling his head back. You grinned.

Connor shifted to his belt, rapidly sliding it out of his pants and unbuttoning them. You could feel him twitch beneath you, desire growing stronger and stronger with every little movement each of you made. With eagerness and ferocity, he brought his hands to your back and unclasped your bra, tearing it off of your body and tossing it to the side. The cool air hit your breasts and you shivered, determined to get more intimate and feel his body heat against you.

And then, without breaking eye contact, he pulled out his cock and prepared with a few long strokes.

He was big. Much bigger than you've ever taken before.

Of course he was.

You pulled yourself forward and pushed your underwear aside. Connor grabbed your hips and slowly eased you down on to him; he groaned loudly, letting his head roll back and hit the seat. "Fuck," He cursed. "Taking me so well," He praised.

Shivers ran down your spine with his words, whimpering as you let him bottom out and take his length fully. The pressure of his cock inside you was unlike anything you'd ever felt before -- and god did it feel amazing. "Connor," You moaned, falling forward into him and resting your forehead against his. "Oh my god Connor," Your breath mixed with his and your body tingled. In your peripheral, you could see the windows of the car begin to fog up.

Connor's hands gripped your hips, hard, and began helping you move back and forth on him. Your hips rolled on his lap, pleasure heavy in the air, harsh breaths being released with every roll.

"Feel so good, Y/n," Connor commented, his hips beginning to buck up every time you moved forward. He moved forward and kissed your neck, sucking and biting and definitely leaving a bruise. He kissed all the way down until he reached your breasts, you felt him smile on your skin.

"Please Connor," You begged. The entire scene was the hottest image you'd ever seen -- something that made porn feel miniscule. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pushing his head forward while you continued to push and pull with your hips -- He began licking and sucking on your nipples, bringing you closer and closer to your orgasm. "Gonna come Con," You mumbled, "Need to come,"

He pulled away and stared into your eyes with intent. "Go ahead, doll," He moaned. "Doing so well for me, gonna come right inside of you,"

That was one of the benefits of fucking an android. No real sperm.

"Shit!" You yelled, lolling your head back and speeding up your pace. "Holy fuck!" And there it was -- Connor bucked his hips up and you came together, much harder than you'd ever come before.

You stayed on him, rolling your hips out of your orgasm, and Connor looked at your face, the sweat beads falling from your forehead and your trembling legs. He brought his hand to your face, wiping it clean and pushing the fallen hair from your face. "You did so well Y/n," He praised. You smiled.

"Jesus Connor," You said, breathless, laughing at the scene. "You're about to be the death of me."

Connor hummed. "I won't let that happen, Lieutenant." He brought your lips together, kissing you with passion, "And I don't fail my missions."

ⓒ THEFAEFICTION, 2023. DO NOT TRANSLATE, REPUBLISH, OR CROSS-POST WITHOUT EXPLICIT CONSENT.

[irisintheafterglow]

HAND THREE - TWO PAIR

summary: in a season where you're determined to fly under the radar, newly-returned crown prince!touya todoroki has other ideas. in this hand, a date is had.

wc: 2.5k

cw/tags: royalty!au/regency!au, fem!reader, some swearing, banter and dialogue driven, fake dating, pining and tension, todoroki enji jumpscare LOL

note: the two wolves living inside me is one wanting to rush the hell out of slow burn and the other telling me to make it painfully slow. however, i broke a little and made the pining a little obvious in this chapter oops. one day i will achieve the emotional release of s2 bridgerton bee sting scene. hope you enjoy !!!!

likes, reblogs, and replies are appreciated <3

“Show.” 

“You first.”

“I’m royalty.”

“And I have the higher stack. Now, show,” you repeat and he scoffs, the corner of his mouth tugging upward and creasing the deep purple scars on his cheek. He turns his two cards face-up and, sure enough, you’d snatched another victory from the self-proclaimed Prince of Calculation. “I win again,” you smile and he begrudgingly pushes the pot to your side of the table, an amalgamation of garden pebbles, stray buttons, and a few gold coins you managed to produce. You were using whatever you had to gamble and the prince didn’t seem to mind. Touya, you remind yourself. You were supposed to call him by his first name throughout this whole charade, but it seemed as foreign on your tongue as a protruding third set of teeth. 

“You’re a much more dangerous woman than you give yourself credit for,” he muses with a clever glint in his eyes. Over the course of the last month or so, you’d accumulated an immunity to his unwavering stares and scalding eyes; lately, it actually seemed you found a certain affinity for his intense nature, even when you were its only target. His sweetly poisonous words were the latest test to your composure. “If we dressed you as a man for the night, we could relieve an entire club of their purses before the clock strikes ten.” His pretty fingers dealt another two cards and you peeked at them from the bottom of your vision. Queen of hearts and two of clubs. Not the best hand. 

“Hmm. How much of the pot would you use to bail me out for invading said club?” You lay out the first three cards, the flop, and flip the first over before betting a conservative amount. Four of diamonds. 

“Who ever said anything about bail? I’d just sneak you out. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time,” he answers, calling your bet, and you can’t tell if he’s kidding. It was another piece you were still trying to solve of the puzzle that was the prince of the Todoroki family, how he joked so casually about breaking laws and dodging authority. The nonchalance of his recklessness made your stomach turn, sometimes, but you couldn’t tell if it was from fear or intrigue. You flip the second card of the flop. Two of hearts. A pair, if all else failed. You just had to hope he didn’t have anything either. 

“For a royal, you seem to know a concerning amount about rule breaking. Do you have any intent to corrupt me?” 

“By the end of our courtship, possibly.” Jack of diamonds. Not what you were hoping for as the third card, by any means. A flash of excitement lights up behind your opponent’s eyes, too purposeful to be genuine. You mentally added his poker tells to the never-ending list of things to figure out about him, right under the number of crimes he’s committed against the government. Tossing in a few medium-value flower petals, you’re unsurprised when he matches your bet again. 

“Our courtship which, I’ll remind you, is causing quite the stir in the ton,” you point out while revealing the turn. Seven of hearts. You try not to let your disappointment in your current hand show on your face. The prince, you notice, looks like he’s trying a little too hard to contain his excitement. “You know, I suspect they might be rooting for us.”

“That’d be a new experience for me. Never received too much support in my endeavors before.” He places a high bet and you have no choice but to match it. If you were right about him lying, you would learn something new about his poker strategy; but, if you were wrong, you wouldn’t hear the end of it for the rest of the day. You flip the river and your heart stutters. Two of diamonds. You’re careful with your next bet, knowing that three of a kind wasn’t the best or worst hand you could create. The prince, however, pushes his entire hoard into the pot with a challenge in his eyes. He was trying to force you to fold. 

You match the bet and reveal your hand. 

Two pair versus three of a kind. The prince was bluffing, and you won again.

“At least this time, you’re not alone.” The admission is obvious but still catches both of you off-guard when you say it. You’re about to apologize for being too sentimental when that unreadable look passes over his face again, sudden as a lightning strike and gone just as quickly. 

“I guess you’re right,” he murmurs, relinquishing the remaining pot of knick-knacks to you. “Though I will say, having my ass handed to me in a card game was not a part of my plan.”

“A woman with intellect is never part of a man’s plan, yet she prevails all the same,” you conclude and he hums in agreement, collecting the remaining cards and slotting them back into their box. A concerning thought occurs to you and you glance around the secluded palace courtyard with new-found suspicion. His eyes follow your own, watching you keenly in a way that was both comforting and unsettling. 

“What is it?” 

“Will the servants not whisper about a woman playing a man’s game?” 

“They will whisper that you won, and that is what matters,” he states like a well-known fact. “Why? Is something bothering you about them?” 

“No, I’m just mulling over this whole arrangement again.” You wave him off dismissively and take another sip of lemonade from your teacup. A drink which, when you’d finally agreed to meet the prince at the palace for a day, he ordered presumably because you both shared a distaste for tea. “How odd it is and how people gossip so.”

“A lady beating the prince at poker is hardly a scandal compared to what transpired last week,” he recalls with terribly-hidden amusement, breaking off a piece of scone and smearing a glob of berry preserves onto it. “Wouldn’t you agree?” Your cheeks heat when you think of the memory and you snap your fan open to cool yourself and hide your burning face. It certainly wasn’t your proudest moment, to say the least. 

“Would you like me to retrieve a stick to keep your competition at bay?” You had jokingly asked, following his distracted gaze. It was your third ball of the season and your third public appearance with the prince; both you and your co-conspirator were forced to acknowledge the increasing number of interested suitors trying to pry you away. Dances, you found, were one of the few moments where other men weren’t climbing over each other for your attention. The only problem was being forced to share breathing space with him for an extended period of time. “Your Highness, why are you glaring like that?”

“I said to stop calling me that, and I’m not glaring,” he mumbled, very obviously glaring and avoiding your eyes. His hand stiffens around your waist, making your already-awkward distance from him more uncomfortable. It didn’t take long to notice that he was a fine dancer when he was with any other partner but you, and you figured it was because being in such close proximity was not part of your agreement. You raise a skeptical eyebrow, finally making him look at you when the silence indicates your displeasure. “Pay me no mind. I am only–”

“Moping like a kicked dog, that’s what you’re doing,” you interject and, in a blink, you’re back in another standoff with his intense stare.

“I don’t recall when you gained the right to comment on my behaviors so crassly.” Your eyebrows pinch, taken aback by his sudden hostility. His eyes were always burning, like embers in a fireplace, and it felt like the longer you looked at them, the less likely you’d be able to pull away. After a few moments of staring him down, you back off with a frustrated huff. You think you feel some of the tension leave him, too. 

“If we are to keep up this ruse in a believable manner, I suggest you confide in me from time to time, especially if it causes you to act in unfavorable ways,” you state simply, your irritation obvious. 

“You know nothing of my unfavorable ways.” The venom in his voice makes your heart sink, against your own judgment. His expression doesn’t soften, but his voice does. “Trust me. It’s not your burden to bear,” he says in a low tone and goosebumps spread across your arms, despite the fabric of your gloves and the sleeves of your dress. He meets your eyes and you could have sworn his gaze flickers to the neckline of your gown, but the action, like so many of his movements, is too quick to comment on. “So, let’s keep to our sides of the street, shall we?” 

“You’re insufferable,” you hiss, letting your politely smiling face slip as the strings conclude the dance. “Enjoy the rest of the evening. I feel a bit faint.” The muscles in his jaw clenches and you turn on your heel to beeline for an exit when a strong hand grabs you by the wrist and pulls you backward. Before you can register where you’re moving, your hand is placed firmly on his forearm and you’re a split-second from slapping him when–

“Touya.” Shit. With a blank mind, you remember to curtsy from pure muscle memory, dipping deeply toward the ground while the prince bends at the waist.

“Good evening, Father.” Touya’s voice becomes empty, devoid of all sarcasm, teasing, and charm. A glance at his face tells the same tale, blank and emotionless. The only indication of his true thoughts came the slight shake in his arm and how he unconsciously tugged you closer and closer to his side. You let yourself be pulled in and your free hand moved on its own, coming to rest on top of his and running your thumb over his knuckles. He exhales shakily. “Father, this is–”

“I know who you are,” he says before you could be properly introduced, making your nostrils flare. The man besides you bristles and you wonder how such a hard-faced, stoic man could make such a reckless and carefree son. You’d never seen King Todoroki except in victory parades and newsprints of his alliance with King All Might, but you could recognize the family’s flaming eyes from miles away. You decided that, no matter how irritating the prince was, his father was lower on your ranking of the Todoroki royals. “Should you marry, are you aware of the responsibility of being the wife of a king?” 

“I believe she is called a queen, Your Majesty,” you hear yourself say before you can stop yourself. From beside you, the prince makes a noise somewhere between a choke and a snort, and you direct your attention to the floorboards in hopes of surviving the king’s scathing reply. Despite the chatter of the party around you, it feels like your words were echoing off the gilded ceilings. The reprimand, however, never comes. The king turns back to his son with a look of suppressed wrath before turning and stalking away, a crowd of nobles crowing for his attention. 

“I can’t believe you just did that,” he whispers in disbelief as he hurriedly guides you out of the hall and into one of the manor’s gardens, still within sight of nosy mothers but out of their earshot. Your hand hasn’t left his arm, nor has he tried to pry it off. If anything, you click into his side like a missing puzzle piece, and you’re confusingly reluctant to let go. “That was the worst possible way you could have answered that question,” the prince continues and your stomach turns. 

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you,” you reply with poorly masked shame, lowering your head and letting him walk ahead. Your hand detaches from his arm and you’re struck by the sudden lack of warmth. He turns sharply to look at you, looks back at his empty arm, and then back at you before closing the few feet between you. His eyes were burning into you again but he said nothing, watching you watch the blades of grass surrounding your shoes. Your voice is as quiet as the swaying summer wind. “If I have jeopardized our plan, I understand if you–”

“Stop,” he commands, and it takes a moment to register his gloved fingers under your chin, gently but firmly tilting your head to look at him. Your eyes trace the jagged lines of where his skin meets his scars and the world around you quiets. “I am…the opposite of angry with your actions.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not an easy task, talking back to my father. Yet, you performed it as easily as breathing,” he explains with a soft awe in his expression that made your breath catch in your chest. 

“I guess I’ve had good practice, countering your arguments for the better half of the summer,” you agree hesitantly. What the hell was this feeling? For whatever reason, the world around you temporarily faded to static noise and blurred paintings, with the only decipherable images being the man in front of you. “So, you’re not unhappy with my behavior around your father?”

“I have never been prouder to be seen with you,” he reassures you and you finally crack a smile, his hand leaving your face and his feet stepping back to a respectful distance. “On another note, can you recall what we were arguing about before we were interrupted?”

“I can’t, unfortunately. I believe I was about to leave you alone on the dance floor to mingle with other suitors,” you joke and, though his expression remains relaxed, his eyes darken subtly. 

“I wouldn’t let them so much as breathe in your direction,” he declares, your breath becoming stuck in your lungs again. “Plus, you were saying that you required a stick to fight them off.”

“I did not say I required a stick,” you counter, lightheartedly bumping your shoulder against his while you make your way back into the manor. He merely smiles, a rare, genuine smile. “Though, I would like to apologize for my brash observations.” 

“You are forgiven.”

“Thank you,” you exhale, following him to the refreshments table.

“And…”

“Nevermind,” you backtrack, but he continues nonetheless.

“As reparation for insinuating that I act like an abused animal–”

“Which you do,” you retort quietly and he chuckles, shaking his head. 

“Next week, you will accompany me in receiving a visiting ally prince,” he says. “As it would be dreadfully boring to do alone and you, thankfully, bruised my ego, I will be dragging you with me on his guided tour of the kingdom’s market district.” 

“Must I really attend?”

“Who’s acting like the kicked dog now?” He smirks and you have no choice but to go along with his plan. Now, after several rounds of beating his royal ass in poker, it was time for you to leave and prepare for the social night between the Takami and Todoroki kingdoms. 

if you enjoy my writing and would like to support me, you can buy me a coffee on my ko-fi! you can also check out my full masterlist here :)