#why do you think we need saving? why do you think we are “trapped” under an archaic belief system?

[rumplestiltrin]

must it take white people to report to you that what we say about our own queer experiences is correct? or will you get your head out of your ass and listen to what poc have to say about their own god damn experiences.

[s-4pphics]

candy crush. (e.w.)

SYNOPSIS: you’re too sweet, and ellie hates it. 

WORD COUNT: 4.3K

WARNINGS: recordshopmanager!ellie, crumblcookiebaker!oc, hurt/comfort, ellie’s a cunt, ocs too sweet, FLUFF?? FROM ME??? HUHHH, crushing, slight suggestive thoughts

A/N: idk where this came from lol

Ellie’s reorganizing the vinyl selection when a delicate hand lands on her shoulder. “I know your miserable ass doesn’t enjoy company,” Dina hisses in her ear, purposefully hushed, “But you got company.” 

Ellie’s eyebrow quirks with confusion, leaving the earplug that blasts Head like a Hole to dangle over her shoulder. Her eyes glaze over the semi-filled shop, narrowing in on every face until she locks eyes with you from behind the guitar displays. The eye contact only lasts about 1.5 seconds before Dina smacks her leg. 

“Don’t look. You’re gonna make it weird.” Dina quietly snaps from beside her, occupying her hands with some misplaced records. 

“You know her?” 

“I see her around sometimes. I think she works nearby,” Ellie catches her smirking from the corner of her eye, “… I think she likes you.” 

“Fuck off.” 

“I’m dead serious. She’s been staring for the past 10.” 

“At who.” 

“At you, dipshit.” 

Ellie can’t help herself. She takes one experimental glance in your direction; discovers you typing away at your device with a black mask pulled down under your chin, bottom lip trapped between your teeth with worry. Your apron and tiny name tag indicates you probably work somewhere close by, but she can’t pinpoint where. You’re too far and her vision is failing.

“Get her numbe—“

Ellie’s head whips to face Dina, “If you don’t shut up, you’re fired.” 

“Abuse of power,” She snarks in return, “C’mon! She seems so—“

“D-Do you guys have any acoustics for sale?” 

You’re a ninja, for sure. Both girls' heads snap around to face you — who stands a bit too close for Ellie’s liking — phone desperately clutched to your chest and eyes wide as a doe. Mainly locked with Ellie’s before they drop to your name tag.

Crumbl. 2 shops down. 

Fuck. 

“Why, yes!” Dina says excitedly when Ellie doesn’t reply, “Most of ours have been used, but they’re still in great condition. Are you interested in renting or purchasing?” 

“Purchasing… I think.” 

“No problem. I can show you some that we have on display, and if you don’t like those, we have some stocked in the back!” 

Ellie’s forehead creases. Dina has never been this active in making a sale, let alone interacting with any customers. Ellie is always the one who’s forced to pick up her and Riley’s slack in the shop. She catches the light traces of disappointment that overtakes your expression at Dina’s interjection, but eventually, you’re led over to the guitar displays.

Ellie sighs in relief. 

That brief exchange gave Ellie everything she needed to know. She doesn’t find gratification in denying proposals at work, but after months of being hit on by a multitude of customers — the men particularly piss her off— she’ll be as stern as she needs to be to get the point of denial across. Sure, it makes her look like a cunt to the general public, but she’ll take that over being chased after on the clock. No questions asked. 

Ellie assumes that you’ve found what you needed because on your way out, persistent stares are thrown in her direction up until your departure. She dodges them with mastery. 

She would hate to have to embarrass a strip neighbor. 

Three days later, you stumble upon the record shop once more. Dina isn’t here to save Ellie this time, and Riley’s passing time in the break room. Your uniform is lightly dusted with white, presumably flour, and your mask is down, phone clutched to your chest like it holds all your secrets.

Your mouth drops open around a small smile when you approach the service counter, but Ellie interrupts before you can greet her. 

“What can I help you with?” 

She assumed her annoyance would be guarded by professionalism, but your smile drops at its corners at her tone. A light flinch that Ellie prays is enough to deter you from spending your breaks here. 

It doesn’t. Your eyes still shine like the star that you aren’t. 

“I, um… I actually wanted to talk to you. If that’s okay—“

“Is it regarding the purchase you made a few days ago?” 

Dina slid Ellie a notice on the down payment you made for your used dreadnought since you weren’t able to pay in full. The scolding she received about “taking care of you” whenever you returned made her teeth grind together. 

“N-No. I just—“

“I’d appreciate it if we kept the conversation about that,” Ellie uses the scribbles on her notepad as a distraction, “Did you have any questions regarding the instrument? Or if you’re interested in taking part in the lessons we offer, I could redirect you to Riley. She’s in charge of—“

“I just wanted to see if you were… interested in sampling out some cookie flavors I came up with? I’m a baking and pastry student and—“

“Look,” The tip of Ellie’s tongue sharpens into her cheek, irritation evident when you two are eye-to-eye. “I’m not sure where this proposal is coming from, but frankly, I’m not interested.”

The drop in your expression doesn’t stop Ellie’s relentlessness. 

“I don’t know you, and I don’t know why you thought I’d be a good candidate for… taste-testing, but I’ll politely decline. No thanks.” 

Her declination doesn’t sound polite in the slightest; quite snippy and condescending from your perspective, and it forces your windpipe shut. Only for a second before a strangled gasp leaves your lips. You’re not sure if it’s out of shock or lack of breath, but it aches in your lungs all the same. 

Ellie’s glare sends holes through your back as you rush towards the exit, the small bell singing through the store and alarming your leave. 

All Ellie can hope is that you got the message. 

It’s a new week, and therefore, a new Crumbl cookie line-up. Dina won’t stop raving about the carrot-cake cookie which doesn’t resemble a cookie at all. It's tiered and way too soft and stacked with icing that’s sweet enough to rot teeth from the gum. 

It reminds Ellie of you, for some reason; Somehow still managing to be a nuisance without trying. 

Even more so now since Dina’s been using her 45 to walk down and see you. To talk to you. Dina has yet to cough up what about — not that Ellie cares. It’s just weird that you two suddenly have so much in common after knowing each other for all of two days maximum. Whenever Dina clocks back in, she tortures Ellie with dramatic retellings of your stories. 

It’s Thursday; a quiet day for the shop that Ellie uses to her advantage when the sun is at its peak. Searching through cheap magazines and playing Candy Crush on her phone. 

What a time for you to come barreling in. The formerly enjoyable shriek of guitar suddenly sounds like nails on a chalkboard at your appearance. No longer are you in all black. You’re in a sundress. An orange one. You look like a popsicle. 

And you bear gifts. Ellie’s mood turns even more sour when she sees two bright yellow gift bags with smiley faces on them and a tray filled with coffee stuffed in your hands. 

“Good morning!” 

You’re smiling, gleaming, and Ellie’s nose turns up. She plucks one of her earplugs out and closes her graphic novel. 

“How can I help you?” 

You set your bag down on the display case of her prized arch top, and she sighs in exasperation. Annoyance sparks when she notices one of the bags has her name on it, flowers and hearts and sparkles surrounding the tag. 

“Can you not put your belongings on the displays, please? I’d have to clean up after you since none of my employees will.” 

You’ve already moved your bags and exclaimed apologies before Ellie could finish her sentence. She’s seconds away from shoving her earplug back in to tune you out, but you’re fast. Persistent. She hates it.

“I’m really sorry about that,” You say gently, and Ellie shrugs you off, “I, um. I-I came to, uh…”

Ellie blinks rapidly, “If you’re here to apologize for last week, don’t bother. It’s not needed.” 

“Not at all! Well, I’m just… I wanted to drop by and—“

“You’ve gotten quite comfortable with just… dropping by. Have you realized that?” 

Ellie’s squint is harsh and scrutinizing, and sorrow overshadows the light in your pupils. 

“Since it’s obvious that you’re not understanding me, I’ll put it like this,” She leans a bit over the counter, front fully pressed against the glass and palms resting on the stainless steel, “I’m not interested in anything you have going on. Stop using your breaks as an excuse to come see me. I don’t wanna go out with you. And I don’t want to do a taste test. Drop it already.” 

Ellie watches your lip quiver with a harshness exclusive only for people like you, tears welting in your eyes and your fingers pinching at the hem of your sundress. Insecurity is practically seeping from your pores, and your gaze drops shamefully to the floor. 

Ellie’s just about to tell you to kick rocks when the STAFF ONLY door swings open and exposes Riley. Her break ended 20 minutes ago. 

“Hey! You’re early!” 

Ellie scoffs, “No, you’re late—“

“Not you. Be quiet,” She waves her off and smiles at you, who’s smiling back at her with guised genuity. A complete 180 from the you seconds ago. Since when were you and Riley on speaking terms? Friends?

She jogs from behind the stand, “Dina told me you weren’t coming til 3!” Riley throws her arms around your shoulders, and your hands tremble where they rest on her forearms. “Are those the goods?” 

“Yeah!” Your voice sounds heavy. Like you’re guarding a breakdown, “I-I had some time so I stopped by a little early.” 

“I got some to spare til Dee gets here. Hang out with m—“

“Actually!” You intervene shakily, “I have some other drop-offs to make. I really appreciate you guys doing this for me.” 

“Are you sure you can’t stay? Watch me get my Food Network judge on?” Riley suddenly points in Ellie’s direction, “Who knows. Sourpuss might even pop a grin once she tries one.” Ellie’s cheeks run red-hot.

“Sorry, Riley. Maybe next time,” You’re already wobbling towards the exit, “But, please call and tell me what you think! Dina, too! Any feedback is appreciated!” 

“I’m sure they’re delicious, Monster!” Riley compliments playfully, “Text me when you’re home!” 

When the door shuts, Ellie sees Riley’s back stiffen at the sight of you frantically wiping your face through the glass. 

“What the fuck did you do.” 

“I didn’t do shit. She’s loitering.” 

“Lo— Oh my fucking god, you’re an embarrassmen—“

“No, she is. Taking up space for no fucking reason to come and see me. She’s loitering—“

“You’re blowing a fuse over fucking cookie samples?” Riley stares at her like she’s nuts, “And not to burst your self-centered bubble, but I told her to come. She’s been asking all the stores on the block if they’d like to taste ‘em.”

Ellie pauses, expression softening only slightly when Riley continues, 

“I told her you don’t like chocolate, so she made a peanut butter version for you.” Riley shakes Ellie's special, slightly smaller bag as a means to taunt her, and the freckled girl’s face burns red. Glows even harsher when her friend throws in, “You cunt. She’s a sweetheart. Not everyone is fucking obsessed with you.” 

Riley leaves Ellie to simmer in her discomfort, slamming the break door shut. The day seems to drag on longer than usual. 

-

-

-

Ellie’s organizing the break room when she comes across her small baggie that Riley left behind. She would’ve expected her friend to take them home after Ellie’s dramatic blow up, but there it sat on the counter, untouched and jeering. 

Tempting enough for her to rest the broom against the counter and inspect its contents. Wafts of cinnamon and peanut butter hit her through the small opening of the bag, and her heart gives a squeeze. The cookie is iced to perfection — an entire scenery on the light brown canvas. So many flowers and trees and the blue hues of the sky; almost too much detail. It looks printed on. 

You’re artistically talented and the cookie smells divine. 

One nibble wouldn’t hurt. She’s sure the damage she caused is already irreversible. 

But when she cradles the carefully swaddled cookie, a small note falls from beneath the bunched cling wrap. She knows she shouldn’t. She should really, really leave the neatly folded piece of paper where it lays. Down the cookie. Trash the bag. 

She takes the cookie and the note back to her seat at the table. The cookie isn’t what she unravels first. 

“thought I’d make you a separate batch. Riley gave me the heads up about your chocolate disdain. I’m too paranoid to ask for your number in person, so I thought I’d use bait instead. I hope it’s convincing enough. Please let me know if it’s decent. Thank you for tasting.”

Signed with your name and a smiling heart with wings. Ellie’s heart shatters, remaining shards dangling from the rim of her ribcage. She can already see her friends glaring through her chest when they visit the apartment to berate her tomorrow morning. She already knows what they’re going to demand from her, but she’s three steps ahead. 

She ate the entire cookie in two bites right where she sat. It was delicious. Almondy, not too sweet, gently spiced. Probably the best she’s ever had.

Ellie has never been to Crumbl before. 

The viral spot is always bustling — too crowded and filled with loud teenagers with a sugar rush for her taste. Plus, she’s already on the clock when they first open. But the record shop is closed on Fridays. 

She put an extra bit of care into her appearance. She doesn’t recall the last time she did her hair. Half of it is pinned up and her button-up is neatly pressed. Jitters rustle in the pit of her stomach and her forehead is a bit damp, mainly because she can see you through the goddamn window. 

In uniform, you stand at the register with the same beaming smile from last week, talking and giggling with your coworkers, and Ellie instantly feels guilty. Your day seems off to a great start, and here she is… About to ruin it. She almost turned around at the thought. 

But the small bell above the door blares loud, and your bright smile drops once you recognize her, and with that, her stomach. Ellie mentally notes the bags forming under your eyes and the tension in your shoulders. It looks like you haven’t rested for days. Her heart squeezes. 

Your movements turn robotic; stiffly perched on the sides of the iPad stand as your thumb works on the screen. You haven’t looked Ellie’s way since. She approaches the counter with her tail between her legs, fidgeting with her middle finger. 

“Um… hey.” Ellie’s quiet. Out of place. Afraid. 

“What can I get for you?” 

Even with the stiffness, you somehow still manage to sound as soft as a cotton ball, but Ellie’s body locks. The scenario hits her like a brick wall; she’s doing exactly what she accused you of doing to her last week. Bothering her at fucking work. She should’ve never come to your place of business to coddle her ego. She feels like a hypocrite. You certainly see her as one. 

“Um… A cookie?”

“… What flavor.” 

“Uh… peanut butter?” 

You swallow thickly, voice hollow, “That’s not on the menu for this week,” You point towards the display of cookies that were big enough to feed a family, “These are the six we’re serving until Sunday. You can also look at the menu on the screen.” 

Ellie follows your pointing finger. How the fuck does this place work? Weekly flavors? What the fuck does that mean? She quickly examines the names of cookies that flash across the screen: raspberry cheesecake, pink velvet… Mom’s recipe? Odd name for a dessert but she lets it slide. 

“W-What’s your favorite?” 

You’re a baker, for fucks sake. You’d have better taste than anyone, better than her, she’d painfully admit. 

She watches your fingers clench around the screen, tapping mindlessly. 

“Um… raspberry cheesecake.” 

“I’ll get a dozen.” 

“O-Of the same flavor?” 

She shrugs like it’s obvious, “… Yup.” 

You give her one skeptic look before tapping at the screen. “It might be a little wait. About 15 minutes. Do you mind?” 

“No.” 

“Cash or card?” 

“Card, please.” 

More tapping, “That’ll be $41.65. Swipe or tap whenever you're ready.” 

A financial dent over a box of cookies was not on her bucket list. You hand her the receipt, and before you can rush to the kitchen, Ellie exclaims, “When’s your break?” 

“Excuse me?” 

“W— um, when’s your break?” 

Your coworkers are suddenly very interested in Ellie, all four of them eyeing her like venomous hawks. Her cheeks burst into flames. 

“Um… I don’t think that’s any of your concern.” 

And you’re right. Anything involving you is short on Ellie; it was never her business, but a burning in the pit of her stomach desires to learn. Needs to catch you at the right time to give you a proper apology even though she doesn’t deserve the time of day. She doesn’t know what to say. 

You use her floundering as a scapegoat and hustle behind the slamming doors. Just as Ellie rushes to leave empty-handed, one of your employees — Abigail reads across her name-tag, keeps professional, but Ellie’s skin burns with the fire in her eyes. 

“We’ll have those right out for you,” monotone, but gruff. It makes Ellie wonder if you told any of them about her — she doesn’t doubt it. 

“You can wait outside.” 

One stiff nod, and Ellie’s booking it until her feet plant on the packed sidewalk, nearly bumping into a couple with interlocked hands. It takes 25 minutes for the box of cookies to be rigidly placed on the lounge table by another employee. Ellie scurries into her truck with a boiling face and pulls out into the road. 

When she makes it to her apartment, she eats three mini cheesecakes in one sitting.

She sees why they’re your favorite. 

The following week was filled with glares and curses from Dina and Riley — your newfound friends, evidently. They have a way of making Ellie feel like a worthless dunce. They both have rubbed in the tales of you being a thrill to be around; the life of the party whenever they hang out. 

It makes her nauseous. And sad. 

But her sadness swiftly shifts to bewilderment when she catches you smoking near a lamppost after closing. Still in your uniform with a bag over your shoulder, pants dusted in white, proof of your labor. It’s dark out, the only illumination coming from the light stood tall above you and the orange gleam of your cigarette. The sight shocks her. You didn’t seem like the type. 

Maybe that’s where Ellie went wrong with you: constantly assuming… who you are. Your desires, your intentions with her, her friends. She’ll admit her wrongs, of course. 

But it has to be to you. 

Ellie scares you when she approaches, inhaling the nicotine a bit too roughly because you start heaving. Shoulders hunched and jumping with every cough. 

“Uh — fuck, I’m sorry! I-I thought you could see me coming! I didn’t mean — fuck —“

You’re still choking, but you hiss in between, “What the fuck do you want!” 

“I’m just — I’m sorry about —“

“You’re not — cough — you’re not sorry! You made your point clear. I don’t why you keep — cough cough — following me. I left you alone like you wanted!” 

“I DON’T WANT THAT!” Ellie shrieks in panic. 

It’s a heavy-handed admission. A weighted confession that was said too aggressively given your flinching away from her. She takes an instinctive step forward. 

“Your cookies… tasted fucking incredible. I’m also an asshole.” 

The drag you take from your cig while she rambles is almost comedic. Brows cinched at the middle of your forehead, gauging her. You’re not convinced, but you’re not fleeing like the first time. She takes a leap, and a large step towards you. 

“I feel really… really bad,” Ellie’s much quieter, eyes unwavering and the softest she’s ever shown you, “I shouldn’t have… said all that. To you. I’m just so used to being harassed at work. I’m sorry.” 

Maybe nicotine calms you. Your body language isn’t as taut compared to when Ellie first initiated conversation, and your eyes soften at her reasoning. 

The rasp from your timbre melts her skin like butter. “I didn’t know you went through that. That sucks.”

Ellie shrugs, “I didn’t know you were… nice.” 

She made the mistake of attempting playfulness, “Maybe ‘cuz you wouldn’t let me talk.” You snark while ashing. 

“I’m sorry.” Ellie implores. 

You take one last drag before stomping out the flame. “Me too. For bothering you.” 

Ellie cringes at your choice of words, but nods in acceptance. “Are we, uh… okay, now?”

A small smile grows on your face. It’s cute. Makes your cheeks puff out like a hungry squirrel. 

“We’re good.” You extend a fist out to her, and she connects her own at the knuckles. 

When they drop, Ellie nervously stares at her shoes, “Do you want a ride home?” 

“I’m alright, thanks.” 

“C’mon, I don’t want you waiting out here by yourself.”

You pause before asking, “What’s the catch?” Your brow arches mischievously.

Ellie doesn’t hesitate, “More of those cookies.” 

A giggle escapes you. Soft and airy like a feather. Ellie feels a tight clench in her chest. A thumping from her ribcage. Has your smile always been this vibrant? She mentally kicks herself for not noticing before. 

Ellie escorts you to the passenger's side of her passed down pick-up: opens the door for you and makes sure you’re buckled in before starting it up. She learns you’re a metalhead when she cranks the radio to the highest volume. 

… How quickly can crushes develop? 

Two months. Ellie’s spent two months finding every excuse to spend time with you. She welcomes your visits to the record shop and silently thanks the heavens above when you call after her shift to talk about your day. Listening to your rambles about customers and their weekly cookies has become the highlight of hers. 

She’s also found comfort in watching you fail at playing guitar. You’re adorable whenever you strike an incorrect chord or break a string. She’s more than willing to guide you through your trials: late-night invites to her apartment to practice. One of your goals was to learn how to play the entire Vanara soundtrack. 

Ellie assumed she simply enjoyed being in your space. She does, but something shifted between you during one specific session. It was past midnight, and Ellie could tell you were getting tired. She innocently suggested for you to spend the night so you wouldn’t have to Uber at such a late hour, and you graciously accepted her offer. When you started to get comfortable on the couch, she tuts in disapproval and invited you to share her bed because it was more comfortable. 

What a mistake. 

After showering and changing into comfortable clothes, you both crawled into bed and swiftly drifted off. When Ellie’s eyes opened the following morning, her heart immediately traveled up to sit in her throat. If anyone told her she’d wake up with you completely sprawled out on top of her with your warm breath hitting her neck and her arms wrapped around you, she wouldn’t have believed them. She was completely frozen beneath you, but not for the reason she’d assumed. 

Ellie was scared to wake you up. Ellie was scared you would move away from her. 

She was pulled between waking you up and pulling you even closer. You were soft and warm and you smelled like her cinnamon body wash. A literal human cookie. She caressed your back as delicately as she could, and you nuzzled into her shoulder with every swipe. She hoped the harsh thrashes from her heart wouldn’t disturb you. 

They didn’t. 

You took a piece of Ellie when you left her apartment that morning. She’s not sure which part you stole, but she hasn’t felt the same since then. A pull towards you that’s electric, sparks her to life, keeps her up at night. Whenever you’re away, at work, not next to her, she’s desperate to pull you close. To breathe in the natural scent of you. 

Evidently, crushes develop rather quickly. 

“I thought baking was supposed to be fun.” Ellie huffs from where she lays on her bed. 

“It is fun! My favorite past-time, actually,” She watches you pace around her bedroom, guitar still strapped securely around your shoulder, “It’s just stressful when you have chefs constantly breathing down your neck. It’s so hard to be creative because they nitpick everything.” 

Creating a menu is much harder than Ellie assumed. She’s become the person you’ve come to whenever you’re fired up from classes, ranting and raving about the apparent dickheads that judge your creations. After testing your recipes for as long as she has, how could anyone turn down a dessert from you? 

You’re such a hard-worker. Focused, determined… pretty when you’re brainstorming. Pretty when you’re talking… Pretty when you’re smiling. Standing. Staring off into the distance. 

“Hm.” 

It’s all Ellie can say. She’s been trying to mask her rampant stares at your bare thighs for the past… however the fuck long. They look so soft. So pliable. So easy to stretch and pry and yank at— 

Her guilty pleasure went from collecting Pokémon cards to gawking at your legs whenever you wear shorts. 

Ellie’s definitely crushing. 

Crushing very, very hard. 

[luveline]

Gah, your Peter Parker leaves me sighing in the best way every time! If you feel like it, could you write a little blurb of him melting from fondness when reader gets bashful following him doing/saying something soft? It’s so sweet, seeing two people mutually melt around and because of each other. Even when it’s the smallest thing, it means so much more when it’s from one of YOUR important people.

ty for your request! <3 fem

Fuck, Peter Parker thinks, jogging up the steps to your apartment building, this is the life. It’s a hot day in New York City but there are cold drinks to be had and that electric fan in your bedroom is calling his name. There’s genuinely no better place to be than laying on your sheets in pyjamas you wash with that apple blossom laundry softener he loves, knowing you keep using it ‘cos you love it, and knowing you wash his pyjamas because you love him. 

Spidering is going well, he saved a kid today who nearly got crushed by a ten tonner, so he’s feeling pretty good about himself, or at least feeling good about his decisions. He made Aunt May lunch and took it down to the hospital, he flirted gently with the older nurses, and now he’s gunning up the stairs to your apartment, every step a crinkle. 

Your door is wide open (awful) but you have good reason —the floors and the countertops shine. The windows are open, and the room is fragrant with your oil diffuser. You’re on your knees by the TV wiping down the table with a damp rag in loose-fitting clothes, sleeves pushed up, brows puckered. 

“Hey, baby,” he says. 

“Peter, I’m not talking to you today.” 

“Why’s that?” 

“You know how many pairs of your socks I found when I was cleaning today?” 

He grimaces. “Two?” 

“Nine pairs of socks, Peter.” 

He puts the flowers he’s brought you down on the coffee table and his back on the floor. He’d been hoping to do a grand unveiling of the bouquet to surprise you, but he feels terrible. “I don’t even know how that happens,” he mumbles dejectedly, kneeling down behind you, his arms threading in front of your tummy to give you a backwards squeeze. “They just disappear.” 

“They don’t, evidently.” 

“I’m really sorry.” He kisses your cheek. “I’m genuinely really sorry. That’s sloppy. I’m not a kid.” 

“No, you’re not… I’m not that mad though, you don’t have to sound so serious.” 

He holds the place just under your breastbone in his hands. “Oh, you’re not?” He tugs you to his front to stop you from moving prematurely and reaches blindly behind him for the flowers. You laugh as he tips back, taking you with him, the sound vibrating through you and into him. “That’s good. Don’t need these then, do we?” 

He twirls the bouquet, pressing it carefully to your chest. 

You immediately relax in his arms. He treasures that feeling, your weight leaning against him, your cheek listing down into his arm. You raise a hand, his arm trapped in the crook of your elbow as you examine the lilac petal of a sweetpea. “I love these ones.” 

“I know.” 

You take more time than anyone else would sifting through the flowers of the bouquet, breath the only evidence of your delight. You breathe out slowly whenever one of the flowers is particularly beautiful, and then you hug the bunch to your nose for a mild sniff. 

“Thank you.” 

Peter kisses your cheek. He savours the feeling of it, your skin under his lips, being that close to you, his hair on your forehead and your eyebrow tickling him as he hugs you just that little bit closer. “You’re welcome,” he murmurs, affection in every word, and a little drop of shyness too, “I was thinking of you, and they looked healthy for once, considering they’re off of the corner by Mandy’s.” 

“They’re so pretty,” you mumble, turning into him as much as you can. He lets up his tight hold. 

“Like you.” 

You brush your forehead against his chin. Peter actually gets goosebumps, letting the flowers fall to the floor by your leg so he can hold you. “I feel bad for caring about the socks now,” you mumble. 

He laughs with lips still closed and offers you a soft kiss. 

[dunmeshi-darlings]

omg yippee.

can I ask for you trying to wake Laios up after he falls asleep ontop of you? after like a long day of fighting shit. or something in that vein. he has big dog energy so I feel like its something he would do

(anon i had to use this gif for it, it was to good to pass up lol)

Nobody has ever claimed that adventuring in the dungeon would be easy work, in fact its notorious for being extremely difficult the further and further down you go

So you can imagine after a particularly grueling fight against a monster, that after everyone has eaten they would all be beyond exhausted. So its safe to say that its immediately bed time after senshi finishes up cleaning and everything.

However to your surprise, Laios doesn't head to his sleeping bag and instead heads to you with yours. When you ask him why he responds "after the last fight it looks like my bag got damaged...plus yours is way comfier." he would say with a slight blush. And looking over at his bag you see it fully rolled out and several noticeable large gouges and burn marks on it, seems he wasnt kidding.

You sigh and say that its ok, motioning for him to lay down. You thank yourself for deciding to get the EXTRA large sleeping bag since you often roll around in your sleep. He smiles excitedly and thanks you and takes the leftover pillows and blanket he has and lays down beside you, of course even then you two are still laying next to each other and basically laying side by side.

You cant help but notice just how warm he is, You can feel the heat radiating off of his body and sure you are phsyically touching but even then you note just how warm his body is next to and laying beside you. Of course with how tired you as well as everyone else is, you dont think about this too long before immediately falling asleep.

You have some nightmares about being crushed by a trap in your sleep, however the cause of said nightmares is quickly apparent when you finally wake up and realize that laios is no longer laying next to you....no now he is currently laying on top of you, his large frame draped across your chest and stomach as he he snores happily, an obvious drool stain at the corner of his mouth.

You cant help but chuckle softly, its no wonder laios was sleeping so peacefully. He saved everyones hides during the fight and took some nasty hits, so he definitely has earned his rest...However as you try to slowly move him you realize something very quickly....Laios is VERY heavy.

You hadnt really thought about it at first, But laios Armor is made of incredibly durable (and heavy) plate and with how easily he is able to move around in it as well as carry his sword, Laios has built up quiet a bit of muscle on himself. Add this together with his already impressive height and you have a man who is heavy with more muscle than most people realize.

You regret not listening to namari's advice in regards to building up some muscle mass for yourself as you try to move laios off yourself gently, as adorable as he is sleeping you really need him to move and you dont want to shout to wake him up cause you would feel bad. You struggle, quietly grunting as you try to wiggle out from under him, stopping whenever his snoring stops, only to return to your fruitless wiggling.

While laios doesnt wake up, your wiggling and quiet grunting drew Chilchucks attention once he finally woke. He tiredly looked over at you as you simply whispered "help me" to which he sighs and stands up, taking sleepy steps towards you and laios as he starts repeatedly smacking laios in the face. "hey laios! wake up your crushing Y/N"

After a few smacks laios's eyes groggily open as he rolls off you, yawning loudly and stretching before looking down and realizing he was laying on top of you. He blushes and rubs the back of his head, saying he was sorry. "sorry, so used to sleeping with my dogs where we would all just lay on top of each other and fall asleep, my bad."

Now that you are free from your meaty blond haired prison, you cant help but laugh at the situation, this was definitely something everyone will be able to make jokes about from here on out.

[xoxochb]

HAPPY 800!! IM SO PROUD OF YOU SICKLESMOOCBITYKINS!! Im here to request.. Percy Jackson X reader with the 🧁 emoji! like a cute little baking fic maybe a little make out moment🤫 well that’s really it! as always thank you if you do make this! And once again CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU DESERVE THIS MILESTONE 🧸💞

⋆·˚ ༘ * blue cupcakes

warnings: make out but that’s it pairing: percy jackson x fem! reader a/n: thank you SO much angel I’m literally in love with you

event list

“put it down”

your angry glare makes percy place down the tiny bottle of blue food dye with a pout

“thank you”

you smile in victory and continue scooping the batter from the mixing bowl, and pouring it in the cupcake wrappers. percy doesn’t want to settle for boring vanilla cupcakes— they need to be blue. when he thinks you aren’t looking he picks the bottle back up and squeezes two drops of blue food dye into the batter. you notice and gasp

“perseus!”

he places the bottle back down. “please! just a few blue cupcakes?”

“I don’t have a choice anymore” you dramatically throw your hands up and then grab a spoon the mix the coloring into the batter. percy squeezes two more drops into the bowl. “what do you think you’re doing?”

“you need more or they’ll come out green”

you roll your eyes and groan, nonetheless continuing to mix. when you finish you pour the rest of the batter into the remaining cupcake wrappers

“okay now we need to put these in the oven. open it up for me”

“yes ma’am” percy walks to the oven and opens the door, allowing you to slide the pan in smoothly then you take off your cooking mittens and throw them on the counter

“how long do these go in here for?”

“seventeen minutes”

percy puts the oven timer to 00:17 and turns it on, letting the cupcakes bake before trapping you between his arms against the counter. you cross your arms and look up at him

“what do we do now?”

you purse your lips. “wait. we still have to clean up too”

percy doesn’t listen to a word you say. you know this because his gaze is stuck on your lips. and unsurprisingly he connects his own lips with yours and moves his arms around your waist to pull you closer. and on what planet would you not want this? in what universe? none of them. absolutely none. he put you in a complete lovestruck bliss, wrapping your arms around his neck you felt insanely happy. as much as you seemed annoyed with his silly antics and relentless teasing— you weren’t. your knees felt as if they might give out underneath you at any moment. no matter how many times he kissed you it was always the same as the first, like this was the last time he would be able to; needy, affectionate

when percy’s hands find their way under your shirt you gasp at the cold sensation and he pulls away with a laugh and settles for planting kisses to your neck

“percy” you manage breathe out “we- why-”

you can’t physically or mentally put together a full sentence and decide on waiting until he pulls himself off of you. or you do it first

you place your hands on his chest to refrain him. “how about we save this for later? we have to clean first”

“or” kiss to your neck “we clean later” he mutters in a low voice making you shiver. stupid percy and the stupid effect he has over you. his fingers wrap around your belt loops, pulling your hips into his. gods of olympus he could’ve asked you to kill someone and you would’ve done so. and as he expected you gave in,

“you have seven minutes, make this quick”

[see-arcane]

Jonathan is escaping just as the beginnings of brain fever and far worse things are roiling in him. Making him more ill and haggard as he traverses the Carpathians in search of a train. Running, burning, withering. Dying.

The closer he gets to death, the more he can feel Dracula's poison trying to overtake him. It's a trap waiting to spring. He knows it. Dracula knows it. Just as the Count knows the Brides let him slip away--

Ah, well, their loss. It seems you are to be mine alone after all, my friend.

--and dreams little visions his way when Jonathan dares to sleep.

Flashes of dark water and mist. Men screaming like sheep before the butcher. Slaughtered with less mercy than any farmer ever showed his livestock before being discarded like trash.

What loss are they, my friend? I have tasted the finer things. A sweet English vintage; I shall savor more of the same in time. But these? Bah! I have seen a thousand of their paltry kind come and go. I would no sooner cherish their meal than you would swoon over a cut of shoe leather. What difference is it if I play with this coarse fare? You shall learn the same habits in time.

"No. No, no, I won't, I can't. I have to go home. I have to get to her. My life is there. My life is her."

What home is that, my friend? Who is she?

He does not answer. He cannot answer. His head is all fire, burning holes through mind and memory. No, God, he must know! He must remember! He has come all this way, he must know where he's going and who is there! His nightmares fill with as much saccharine sympathy as cutting laughter. The most sincere comment he receives in the mire of it is a single reassurance:

You will recall it all, my friend. Sickness makes no mark upon us. You will know. You will be well. Some night, in this year or the next, perhaps we can go and meet her together. In the meantime, cease your struggling. I can feel your fatigue, poor boy. Put down your head. Stop running. Let it take you. Let it help you. Rest.

"No."

Rest.

"No!"

Rest.

"No, no, no--,"

He stuffs himself with berries and a hare and handfuls from a river. A ferryman takes pity--he thinks? a river, he remembers a River, the Ferryman telling him where to go, how soon the sun will rise, he doesn't know, his head, his chest, everything burning, dying--and a blur passes between himself and the train station. He was loud there. Did he scream? Sob? Bare his teeth? They shoo him away with a ticket.

(Sharp. Why do his teeth feel so sharp? Why is he so thirsty when the fluttering shapes of the nuns keep forcing water down his throat?)

(Quiet now. He cannot get through the walls here. Ha. Could not even open his journal if he tried! The crucifix is wrapped around it! Ha!)

(Stings to hold. Why? God, God, please, not now, don't don't don't, please do not do this, the nuns, they think him mad! They are of faith, but they do not believe! They do not know! They won't understand what he is when they put him in the cemetery they won't know what they invited in unawares they won't know until he is up and out of the dirt and oh O God the Cross and the Son will not save them not entirely not when he feasted on an entire mountain range of the faithful whose prayer saved no one and soon he will not need their necks only whatever meat his teeth can reach and no no no no no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO--)

Something is different.

A white light twinkling in the red inferno. He knows it. It has brushed him more than once. She found him in the graveyard, weeping over the stones of his parents. How did she know then that he was there? He'd never told her.

Her.

Her who?

(Love. Darling. Soul. I know this. I know...)

Even if he cannot pierce the veil of a holy place, her presence can. It fires through his eyes--he is caught mid-kiss, the girl's head is hanging down, familiar sunny locks, who..?--and into Jonathan Harker's.

Jonathan Harker. Yes. Yes, that sounds right. And she is...

Running to him, to the nodding girl, a wisp under the moonlight coming to throw herself into danger for the sake of another, as ever and ever amen, she is--

"Mina."

"Pardon?" asks the attendant refilling his pitcher. She watches him carefully. "Did you say something young herr?"

"Mina. Mina Murray." His bloodshot eyes roll to the window. It faces the west. It faces her. Within him, something blessedly cool turns over, quelling an irate blaze. "I should like to write to her."

"I can speak with Sister Agatha about this. Who is Mina Murray, if I may ask?"

"My fiancee. And my name is Jonathan Harker. We live in Exeter." He offers a weak smile. One without sharp teeth. "My apologies for taking so long to remember it."

[harunayuuka2060]

Satan: Ah. Come here, MC.

Child MC: *enters his room* What are you doing, Tantan?

Satan: I'm reading a book. How about you join me in reading?

Child MC: But you are already halfway through it...

Satan: We can start from the beginning?

Child MC: Okay. *goes to sit next to him*

Satan: *leans to their side for them to have a better look at the book he's reading*

Child MC: ...

Child MC: Tantan, this is about murder.

Satan: *chuckles* I'm sorry. Let me get you something appropriate for your age.

Satan: *stood up to get them a children's book*

Child MC: *looks around his room*

Satan: You see books everywhere, right?

Child MC: ...

Child MC: Are there no bugs here?

Satan: ...

Satan: *quickly turns his head at them* Are you scared of bugs?

Child MC: A little.

Satan: Ah. Well. *goes to hand them the children's book*

Satan: You can read in your room. I think I'll do some deep cleaning here.

Child MC: So sudden?

Satan: Y-Yes. *smiles* See you later, MC.

Lucifer: What possessed you to suddenly do deep cleaning in your room?

Satan: *got trapped under piles of books earlier until Beel pulled him out* None of your business.

Mammon: *teaching MC about money*

Mammon: Whenever you want to buy stuff, just swipe Goldie like this into the card reader.

Child MC: And they won't ask me to pay after?

Mammon: Yes! This Great Mammon has a lot of money!

Mammon: I got you!

Belphie: Please. You don't even have a grimm left in your account.

Mammon: Shut up, Belphie!

Child MC: ...

Child MC: Mammon? I can give you my savings. *genuinely wants to help him*

Mammon: ...

Belphie: Pft-

Mammon: H-Hey! I'm the big brother here! You shouldn't be spendin' a dime!

Lucifer: He's right, MC. Mammon will be forced to work so he can spoil you.

Satan: That's right. Let him earn his own money.

Mammon: Shut up, both of you!

Simeon: Luke?

Luke: I would be staying in Devildom to observe the brothers.

Simeon: Luke, do you really have to?

Luke: *stern* Simeon.

Simeon: ...

Simeon: Can I come with you?

Luke: ...

Luke: If you promise not to disturb me, then yes.

Simeon: *smiles* Thank you.

Luke and Simeon: *have arrived at the Purgatory Hall*

Simeon: I will arrange your things in your room.

Luke: While you're doing so, I will leave to visit someone.

Simeon: Huh? Who?

Luke: The human child.

Lucifer: Ah. I wasn't informed about your visit, Luke.

Luke: *who has a subtle, but hostile expression on him*

Luke: I didn't bother.

Lucifer: What is it that you need?

Luke: The human child.

Luke: I'm here to see them.

Lucifer: That's unfortunate. They're taking an afternoon nap with Belphie in the attic.

Luke: It wouldn't be difficult to wake them up. Yes?

Lucifer: Afternoon naps are important for a child's growth.

Luke: You seem proficient in humans. How ironic.

Lucifer: ...

Lucifer: Luke, I admit that I made a mistake with MC.

Lucifer: I promise that will never happen again.

Luke: If only you did the same thing as you're doing now, I would've believed you.

Lucifer: ...

Lucifer: I can't blame you for feeling that way about me.

Belphie: Lucifer will scold you if you don't sleep yet.

Child MC: But I don't feel sleepy.

Belphie: Do you want me to sing you a lullaby then?

Child MC: *nods*

Belphie:

Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high

There's a land that I heard of

Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow

Skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true

Child MC: ...

Child MC: *feels drowsy*

Belphie: *smiles*

Child MC: I wish my dreams would come true...

Belphie: Why? What is your dream?

Child MC: To see Rapha again...

[entitled-fangirl]

Two idiots in love. (P3)

Joel Miller x anemic!reader

Summary: the trio find themselves at the home of Bill and Frank, not knowing what became of them.

Warnings: death, cursing, Joel being Joel, Ellie being Ellie, Bill and Frank's story😭

Masterlist

Part 1, Part 4

...............................................

The three neared Bill and Frank's home, the electric fence only a few feet in front of them.

"Stay here."

Joel stepped forward, punching the code into the lock and opening the fence for the girls to step through.

Joel could tell something was off, but Y/N seemed to be in her own little world, her medication finally helping her for once.

"You know, El? I think you'll really like Frank. Actually, I take all of that back… Bill is going to be your favorite."

Ellie scoffs, "What makes you say that?"

Y/N hums, "Cause you like Joel. And they're very much alike."

Joel snorts under his breath at that, but says nothing.

When they neared the house, Y/N stopped as if something was forcing her to the ground.

Joel placed a hand on her lower back, "Sweetheart?"

He followed her gaze, which was locked on the dead potted plant by their doorstep.

He pulled at her reluctant body and moved towards the door. His eyebrows furrowed when he discovered the door was left entirely unlocked.

The house was dead silent.

They all stood in the entryway, Joel's hand holding Y/N's wrist gently. He thought of it as a comfort for her, but deep down he knew it was comfort him too.

Ellie's eyes were wide, "What the fuck?"

Joel stared at the staircase, "Bill?"

Nothing.

"Frank?"

Joel turned to Ellie was a serious gaze and a soft voice, "You stay there. You hear anything, you see anything… yell."

"What if they're gone?"

Joel stopped, his grip on Y/N loosens as he turns back to Ellie was a desperate look before turning back and taking Y/N with him.

The two searched the house with their hearts in their stomachs before they moved back towards the entryway.

Ellie sat in the open room next to it at their dining room table. A note was in her hands.

"It… it's from Bill. Came with this."

She pushed a car key across the table towards them.

Joel took off his backpack. He carefully picked the key up. "So, they're dead?"

Ellie nodded with a soft "Uh-huh."

Y/N let out a soft cry, coving her hands over his mouth to muffle it.

Joel turned to her, his jaw clenched, as he pulled her to him silently. She grabbed the collar of his jacket and cried into his chest.

Ellie held out the note, "You wanna…?"

His hands wrapped around Y/N, one around her waist and the other into her hair. "Go ahead. You do it."

Ellie let out a soft sigh began to read.

August 29, 2023, If you find this, please do not come into the bedroom. We left a window open so the house wouldn't smell, but it will probably be a sight.

Y/N turned her head slightly against Joel's shoulder to watch Ellie as she read. He continued to gently play with her hair.

I'm guessing you found this, Joel because anyone else would've been electrocuted or blown up by one of my traps. Hehehehehehehe. Take anything you need. The bunker code is the same as the gate code but in reverse.  Anyway, I never liked you, but still, it's like we're friends, almost. And I respect you. So, I'm gonna tell you something because you're probably the only person who will understand.

Joel felt a slight wet feeling on his chest and looked down. The tears were silently falling from his girl's face. His hand ran up from her waist to her cheek, his thumb lightly grazing over it, wiping the tears as they came.

I used to hate the world and I was happy when everyone died. But I was wrong, because there was one person worth saving.  That's what I did. I saved him. Then I protected him. That's why men like you and me are here. We have a job to do, and God help any motherfuckers who stand in our way.  I leave you all of my weapons and equipment. Use them to keep- 

Ellie stopped, looking back up at them. 

Joel moved forward, his hands leaving Y/N as he grabbed the paper from Ellie's hand. 

He looked at it.

Tess.

…keep Tess and Y/N safe.

When Y/N moved to look over his shoulder at it, he stood tall. "Stay here."

He stormed out of the house. 

Ellie stood up, looking to the woman curiously.

"Leave him, Ellie. He needs time."

…

When he came back in, the two were still at the table, Y/N now sitting in one of the chairs. They both look up at him in question.

But he only looked at Ellie.

"Show me your arm."

She stepped towards him, pulling up her sleeve and showing him her arm.

He sighed, "I just finished makin' a truck battery. It's charging right now."

"..okay?"

"And I have a brother out in Wyoming. He's in some kinda trouble, and I'm heading out there to find him. He used to be a firefly…"

With this, Y/N stood up slowly, joining the two.

"…and my guess is he knows where some of them are out there. Maybe they can get you to wherever this lab is."

Ellie sighed, "Alright. Listen. About Tess…"

Joel held up his hand, not wanting to hear it, and sure as hell not wanting Y/N to hear it.

"If I'm takin' you with me, there's some rule you gotta follow. Rule 1: You don't bring up Tess. Ever."

Y/N noticed the tone in his voice. It was hurt and desperate.

"Matter of fact," he said, "we can just keep our histories to ourselves. Rule 2: you don't tell anyone about your…condition. They see that bite mark, they won't think it through. They'll just shoot you. Rule 3: you do what I say when I say it. We clear?"

There was no way Ellie could say no to the persistent glare he gave her, "Yes."

"Repeat it."

Y/N stepped forward, "Joel.."

He held a hand in front of her, stopping her, "Quiet, sweet girl."

She stopped.

Ellie thought for a moment, the silence deafening, "What you say goes."

Joel sighed, "…okay."

…

They spent the next few days in the house, gathering supplies. 

Y/N took it upon herself to gather their clothes and toiletries.

Joel was more focused on weapons and fixing the truck.

They were a good team.

She was sat in the living room, after her shower. Her hair was damp as she sorted through a few of the clothing boxes for last minutes pieces.

Ellie's voice brought her from her thoughts, "Well, don't you look pretty."

Y/N looked over her shoulder to see Joel all washed up. His hair was combed back, one of Bill's clean flannels on him. (^^ the gif at the top^^)

She smiled.

He looked at Ellie, "Shut up."

He then held his hand out, "C'mon, sweet girl. We have plenty."

Y/N stood, taking his hand.

…

Ellie's hand grabbed the passenger side door handle and Joel immediately grunted. "Nah-uh. Get in the back."

A smile ghosted her face and she got in the back.

Y/N smiled too, "I'll let you have it in a few hours. How about that?"

Joel grunted again, "No. She's a kid."

The girls rolled their eyes and continued like nothing happened.

Joel started the truck, relieved when it started. 

He felt Y/N's gaze on him.

When he looked at her, he found that she really was looking at him.

She reached up, her finger lightly grazing over the large cut on his cheek.

He mumbles, "Doesn't hurt anymore."

She nods, retracting her hand.

He reaches out, grabbing it.

He twists it, staring at the bruise from days ago on her forearm.

She mumbles in the same way, "doesn't hurt anymore."

He nods, the ghost of a smile making its way to his face. "Good."

They pulled away from all that was left of Bill and Frank as Linda Ronstadt played from the mixtape.

...............................................

Part 4

[yourimagines]

Hi, can you perhaps write a one shot about the new fallout series. Perhaps about Maximus?

love your stories ❤️

Sure, I really like the series, as a gamer myself.

I hope you like this one ❤️

Wanderer

* English is not my first language I apologise

* Gif is not mine

* Triggers: Swearing, Blood, and Fluff

Y/N POV

The sun was shining down on me as I walked through the desert waste land. Sweat and blood were dripping down my skin, a bullet hole was on my right side of my shoulder and the headache I was having was getting worse by the minute. “I think I’m going crazy…” A loud explosion was heard in the distance, a shot of pain shoot through my head, causing me to shut my eyes. “Ahh…” my hand went up to my face as I fell down on my knees. “Please don’t let me die…” I slowly opened my eyes, trying to stay awake. My vision was blurry and my knees started to hurt from all the hot sand beneath them. I slowly fell flat down on my chest as a shadow started to cover me, I tilted my head up and saw something standing close to me. My eyes slowly rolled back and my face fell down again as I lost my consciousness.

Everything was pitch black, a weird uncomfortable feeling was flowing through my body. I felt heavy but also light, as something was carrying me. I tried everything, moving my arms, opening my eyes but nothing happened so panic started to creep in. I felt trapped in my own body without knowing what was happening to me.

Maximus POV

I saw a beautiful young woman wandering all alone under the desert sun, she was almost passed out when I spotted her. She’s probably wounded and dehydrated from all the heat. So I thought let’s go help her out, look if she needs some help but when I finally got to her she fell down, losing her consciousness. “I’ve got you.” I carefully picked her up and carried her out of the burning sun. She looked beautiful, she’s not from up here as her blue, yellow clothing and she wasn’t smelling bad, she had access to water. She could be from a vault or something.

I lay her down on the cold floor and checked her for some injuries. She had a view cuts and one bullet hole on the right side of her shoulder. I carefully took a better look at her shoulder and saw that the bullet went all the way through her shoulder, meaning it wasn’t there anymore. “You need a sting pack immediately.” I got out of my suit and grabbed the sting pack from my left arm. I kneeled down next to her and carefully injected the needle into her soft skin. “You’re going to be okay.”

Y/N POV

I woke up all alone in an old building with a sore shoulder. “Urgh…” my head was still pounding from all the heat and dehydration. I slowly sat up and saw a young man sitting in front of me, smiling at me. “Hi.” His voice sounded low and soft as he greeted me. “Hi.” My voice sounded a bit hoarse and not so sweet as usual. “You passed out because you were wounded, I fixed that problem for you.” He pointed at my shoulder. “Thank you….” “Maximus. My name is Maximus.” I nodded and took a look at my shoulder. “Why? Why did you help me, Maximus?” My shoulder was still hurting but the wound itself was looking way better than it was before. “Why not?” I looked back at him, he looked a bit confused. “Because we don’t know each other, I could have killed you.” He shrugged his shoulders and looks down at his hands. “Maybe but you needed help. And I do the right thing by helping people.”

Maximus POV

She was right but that’s not how I want to be, ignoring the people who need my help. I’m a knight now and I should help them. “Okay, well maybe I can help you out then, so tell me where are you heading?” “Las Vegas, I’m on a mission to save the world.” I saw her lips curl up, trying not to laugh. “Yeah, Yeah, I know it sounds stupid…” she shook her head as her cheeks got a rosy colour. “No it’s not, I-I’m also on my way to Las Vegas.” I was surprised, she was going to the same place. “Why?” “To find the person who shot me.” She pointed at her shoulder. “Okay, well we could go together, I mean it’s better than travelling alone.” She nodded and stood up. “Okay, let’s go then.” I smiled and stood up as well. “Have you ever flown before?”

She was clinging onto the suit as I flew us through the air. “Are you okay?” She had her eyes closed, probably afraid of falling down. She only nodded and I knew that I needed to land. I slowly went down and wrapped my arm around her as my feet touched the ground. She carefully opened her eyes and saw we were back on the ground. “We walk the rest.” I slowly placed her down on the ground. She nods and starts to walk.

Y/N POV

Max was a great companion to have in these harsh conditions. The loneliness was getting to my head and everyone I met wanted to kill me, just because I’m from a vault. “We should take a rest.” His robotic voice said to me. “Yeah, my legs hurt.” I sat down against an old wall, just out of the sun. He did the same but still in his suit. “You should take some sleep, you need it for your shoulder.” I wasn’t sure about that one, sleeping with a stranger. Yes he saved me but who says he doesn’t do anything to me, like selling me for caps. “I won’t do anything to you, I trust you and you should trust me. We are companions now.” I nodded and tried to get comfortable but everything felt uncomfortable. “I can’t, my shoulder hurts and the sand irritates my skin.” I felt a mental breakdown coming up as my eyes started to prick. “Come here.” He patted on his lap and I got shy. “Uhh you sure?” He nods and moved his legs a bit, getting comfortable by himself. I moved shyly to him and crawled into his lap. “Better right?” I was blushing very hard and hide my face against his metal chest. “I’ll keep watch, just rest a bit.”

I don’t want to admit it but I slept very good on his metal suit. His suit was cold outside the sun and it made me feel better. “Are you okay?” He asks me as we walked through the dessert again. “Yes, are you?” He nods and looks around. “I think we are almost there.” I stayed close to him as we walked over a hill. “I think we are here.” I said as I pointed to the city down the hill. “Well, thank you for your company Maximus.” I said to him, he nodded slowly and looked back at the town. “You sure you want to do this on your own?” I sighed and nodded. “Yes, we both have a different mission to achieve, but after this I would love to be your companion again.” He walks over to me and his large robotic hand moved up to my head. “Be careful.” I smiled up at him, feeling the butterflies in my stomach. “I will, be careful as well Max.” With that I walked away from him, heading to my own battle I had to fight as he flew over me, to fight his battle on his own.

[the-magpie-collective]

Let's talk about how Ulder Ravengard was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year when he finally runs into Wyll, for the first time in seven years, and his son is now definitely maybe sort of a devil?

Look, D&D cannon is absolutely wild and inconsistent but I need ya'll to know approximately how many horrible things befell Ulder Ravengard in the few months right before the events of Baldur's Gate 3.

Ulder Ravengard goes to Elturel. This is fairly normal. He often had to travel as a Duke for diplomatic reasons to nearby cities. Sure, the Vanthampurs' had their fingers pulling the strings this time to ensure he went, but that is also, unfortunately, normal. And it's not like anyone else can go in his place. Who would he send? Portyr whose only use is as a windsock? Stelmane who is suffering from the long term effects of a "stroke"? Vanthampur?

(Portyr, Stelmane, and Vanthampur being the other four dukes at the time)

So he goes and it's supposed to just be another diplomatic trip to a neighboring city. Except exactly nothing goes to plan. The Vanthampurs have made an alliance with devils and a deal with the leaders of Elturel to orchestrate the fall of the entire city into Avernus. Ulder Ravengard is there with several of the Flaming Fist when the entire city is plunged into hell. And no, Avernus is not some sort of cushy vacation spot. There's a reason why Karlach would rather die than go back. There's a reason why it is called hell.

It's not hard to imagine he watches many of the Flaming Fist get slaughtered. People he's worked with for years, maybe even decades. People he called friends. Not hard to think that he watches innocents suffer as they are preyed upon by devils and demons, children slaughtered in the streets all while he is helpless to stop it from happening. It's not out of the question to think this is possibly one of the worst times in his life. Oh, Ulder Ravengard has been through numerous disasters before. He's watched countless friends die. But when has he ever been so helpless as the time he was caught in an entire city of relative innocents as it is dragged down to the hells?

It gets worse.

You see, Ulder Ravengard is put into a catatonic state by the Demon Lord Baphomet using the the Helm of Torm's sight. The Helm of Torm's sight is a holy item that allows the user to commune with Torm (god of Duty, Loyalty, etc). In a last ditch effort to save the city of Elturel, Ulder Ravengard attempted to get to the Helm in the hopes that it could be used to fight back. Instead he gets to watch as his hope is perverted and used against him. He gets to see himself fall helpless and under control of the demon while his men are slaughtered in the attack.

We don't know how Ulder Ravengard escapes this situation (*cough* play Descent into Avernus *cough*) but somehow he does. After weeks of fighting in the hells (maybe even months?) and narrowly escaping with his life and mind intact Ulder Ravengard is hurrying back to Baldur's Gate as quickly as he can. He knows the city is in danger, whether the Vanthampurs' succeeded at seizing power or not. And on the way home he gets ambushed by fucking goblins and drow working together. He gets to see as some of the few survivors who made it through their time in Avernus with him, get killed. He gets to see his close friend and advisor Counselor Florrick get trapped in a burning building.

Then he's kept imprisoned, and likely harassed, in the dungeons of Moonrise towers. All he hears is 'the Absolute' this and 'the Absolute' that. Then what does he know but apparently the mastermind behind this whole thing is fucking Gortash, the slimy counselor he has spent the past while doing his best to ignore because even if he didn't like him and thought most of his ideas were bad he couldn't actually do anything to get rid of him. And then Orin—a fucking Bhaalspawn—uses him for a chair while Ketheric Thorm goes on a whiny oh-woe-is-me rant and Gortash sticks a tadpole in his eye all while mocking him.

He then gets to spend the next while under control of the Absolute. We don't know how unpleasant this is, but we do know that when the Absolute controls someone directly their brain starts bleeding so severely they collapse and die after less than a minute :) and when he's finally freed from the Absolute he has chronic migraines so yeah not fucking pleasant :)))))

And then his son rescues him. Yay. His son who he strove to teach right from wrong all those years. His son to whom he imparted the four pillars: strategy, courage, justice, insight. His son, who, despite everything he has ever taught him chose to throw all of his promise away to a devil. And he doesn't know why and maybe he hopes that there was a good reason behind it all, but he does know that he lost any chance he had to ever be able to fully trust his son again because he doesn't know the terms of the pact and he can't know the full terms of the pact but he does know that his son is now under the control of a devil.

And please just take a moment to think about how terrifying that would be. This isn't something that an 'I'm sorry' can fix. Wyll says it himself: it would be easier to drink the Chionthar down, drop by drop, than to break a devil's pact. The chances of Wyll ever being freed from his pact are slim to none and the damage he could do in the mean time is immeasurable. Ulder Ravengard has the weight of an entire city's well being on his shoulders. I am not saying he made the right choice, but there is a reason why Wyll says it was the only choice he could make. He told Wyll to go. Maybe out of shame, maybe out of fear, maybe out of the hope that his son would do less damage far away than if he were to stay. We don't know why. Maybe he regretted it, maybe he never looked back.

But he's been having one of the worst fucking years of his life and most of it is due either directly to devils or to people conspiring with devils. His mind has been scraped raw by the Absolute. He's injured and if you broke Wyll's pact he was just attacked by another devil and exploding spiders. If you didn't break Wyll's pact, he just saw evidence that Wyll is still in leagues with a devil, after all Mizora states very clearly that she always fulfills her promises as she saves him.

Oh and if you didn't kill Karlach, Wyll is a devil now (*techinically he is still human, just with some devilish features and will be regonized as infernal in origin by the spell Detect Good and Evil, but Ulder Ravengard doesn't have the insight to game mechanics that we have and may or may not be aware that Wyll turning into a devil is a lot less probable than him just being made to look like one.)

So maybe, it's just a little understandable that instead of greeting Wyll with joy or gratitude at being saved the first thing he thinks, the only thing he can think of is: what fresh hell is he in for now?

(And maybe ya'll can be a little more understanding of Wyll choosing to forgive his father too. I don't think it's out of character for Wyll. I don't think he's ignoring everything wrong with what his father did. I don't think Wyll is a bad person for choosing to forgive his father or that anger would have been the right choice for him. It's far, far more complicated than that.)

[screamingatanemptyroom]

The Healer pt 2

Decided to continue this, let me know if you want me to keep going!

Part 1 linked here

Enjoy!

________________________

“What have you done?”

My voice was strained in a horrified whisper.

Jack the Hero was calm despite my obvious distress. He leaned back in his chair, his face smiling but his eyes freezing cold. “That’s the wrong question, Healer. The right question is: what have YOU done?”

“Everyone… they’re dead… you promised you needed it to clear the gate… you told me…”

“I told you a lie.” His smile didn’t change. “You were the fool who believed me. Their deaths are on your hands as much as mine.”

I stood up, checking my inventory and beginning to drop any group items. “I’m quitting your team. I’d rather die alone out there then stay on under you. After what you've done."

“I’d rethink that, Healer.” He held up a hand, and a bright red gleam shined between his fingers.

“You bastard.” I froze at the sight, unable to move, as realization slowly dawned on me of the extent of his betrayal. “You…”

He stood up, not bothering to listen to the rest of my cursing. “Save your energy.” He paused at the doorway, his gaze settling on my tear-stained face without much interest. “You’ll need it. We ride early tomorrow, Healer. Be ready.”

______________________

“JACK!” I sat up in bed, breathing heavily. I was filled with terror and rage, and it took a moment to realize my familiar surroundings. Light blue walls, intricate draperies, stacks of large books on topics ranging from anatomy to pharmacology. My room. I sighed with relief.

Thinking of my dream, and the bad memory contained within, I stiffened again, slowly slipping my hand into my collar and gripping the cold hard surface of the amulet within. I sat silently, clutching it so tightly that the hard edges began to dig into the skin of my palm. Eventually my speeding heart rate slowed, and my breathing normalized. I was in my house, out of Jack’s reach.

As I calmed down, a notice popped up in my vision.

**You have rested through the night. HP and MP are restored in full. Adverse conditions such as fatigue are eliminated.  You are encouraged to continue your mission in securing the advancement of the human race! Good luck!**

I waved away the notice with a frown. Since the Downfall, since we had woken up in this strange world crafted after a VR game, there had been only vague references to the “purpose” behind it. The original message had mentioned an “opportunity for improvement” but given little other information. Who was it that trapped us all here? Why did they do it? And are they still watching us?

I shook my head. All we knew was that there were one hundred gates to pass to “complete” this mission. Perhaps then we would understand the purpose behind all of this, the meaning of all this pain, death and suffering.

But we were only on the forty-second gate.

I went downstairs, and paused when I spotted Alton the Great Evil Wizard, looking nothing like his terrifying reputation as he was sitting cross-legged on the floor, calmly sewing a black robe. Hearing my footsteps, he looked up and grinned, waving with the hand holding the threaded needle.

“Good morning, Miss Healer!”

The address caught me by surprise. Jack and the party had always just called me “healer” or “the healer.” The word was always said dripping with disdain. They had hated my profession, hated the embarrassment of having me on their team, made even worse by the fact that they actually needed me around. But when Alton said it… it just seemed normal.

I think my sense of normal has been greatly skewed.

I regained my composure and nodded at him. “Good morning. What are you working on?”

“Repairing my torn robes.” He gestured a pile next to him on the floor. “They have low durability so they break down easily.”

“Shouldn’t you just buy new ones?”

He nodded. “I could… but prefer to save my money for the things I really want. Better to keep it close, since you never know what important things you might need it for… especially in this world.”

“Says the guy who put a 100,000 gold bounty on the head of the Hero?”

“Exactly!” He grinned viciously. “I save my money for important things like annoying idiots like him.”

I laughed at that. After another pause, I sat down on the floor next to him and grabbed a piece of dark cloth from the pile. Pulling a needle and dark thread out of my inventory, I began to stitch.

“You sew?” Alton asked, seeming surprised.

I pointed at his chest, where the stitched wound was still visible. “If I can patch you up, pretty sure I can sew up a sleeve.”

“…Good point… although I guess I didn’t realize the skills were transferable. Did you take on a Tailor side quest?”

“It’s not a skill, not a Fantasy Realm type skill at least.” I kept my eyes on my hands that were picking up speed as muscle memory took over. “I always liked to sew, even before the Downfall… it was a good way to relax. It seemed logical to decompress doing the type of sewing that didn’t have the possibility to kill someone if your stitch came loose.”

“Wait…” He held up his hand, shocked. “Were you a doctor before the Downfall?”

“Yeah, but I was still in surgery residency. So wasn’t like I was operating on my own… “

Alton blinked, seemingly trying to absorb this information. “That’s… impressive.”

I kept my head down, my hands moving smoothly without hesitation. “Not in my family.”

“Ah… familial disappointment. Something with which I am quite familiar.” There was a sad tone in his voice, a look in his eyes that seemed almost close to despair. “Unlike you, I did not go into the family business… making me somewhat of the black sheep of the family.”

“Your family business?” I probed, curious.

“Well, it wasn’t wizardry, that’s for sure.” I sensed he was avoiding the question, and dropped the topic. I didn’t know Alton that well, certainly not enough to push him to open up. I tried to find something else to talk about instead.

“So… what do you think about what I said yesterday?”

He seemed quietly relieved that I moved on. “Which sentence?”

“About finding a couple other people for our party.”

He continued to sew, thinking it over. “I guess it depends…”

“Depends on what?”

Alton looked up, his eyes serious. “On if you trust them.”

I paused at that, before finally answering in a cold tone. “I don’t trust anyone.”

The amulet around my neck felt icy cold against my skin, as always, as if reminding me of its presence, reminding me of the consequence of trusting someone.

“Not anymore.”

Alton nodded seriously at that, and I remembered the title that I saw in his Stat screen. “The Betrayed.” Given the particulars of the system of this world, I didn’t want to know how severe of a betrayal it would have to be to actually bestow a title like that.

Looks like we are both haunted by the consequences of trusting the wrong person. I feel like I already know the kind of person he is... even if it's not been a long time.

As if he heard my thoughts, he spoke up. “We have a lot in common. I’ve been watching you for quite some time. I have a good understanding of the type of person you are… and aren’t. I considered all the options before inviting you into my party. If you have someone you know that well… I would at least be willing to meet them.”

“You were watching me?” I raised an eyebrow at that. “Why?”

“First, I was interested because you were a healer. I didn’t think any had survived. Then I noticed you cleaning up after the Hero’s party’s antics. And then… it was partly because I was scared of you.” He smiled to soften the blow, but I still froze for a moment, before forcing my hands to continue.

“Scared of me?”

“Yeah… since I’m fairly certain that you are the only human in this world who is strong enough to kill me.”

I processed that. “So it’s a ‘keep your enemies close’ type deal?”

“Nah, nothing like that.” He laughed quietly. “It’s just the more I got to know you, the more I couldn’t escape a thought: That I thought you would be a good friend.”

“… You shouldn’t trust me.”  My tone was flat.

Alton seemed unfazed. “Why not? Are you planning to betray me?”

I shook my head.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“You don’t know everything yet… even if you’ve been watching… there’s things… terrible, awful things you need to know about me before making any decisions.”

“None of us are saints in this world.” He briefly closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, before meeting my gaze once more. I could see the guilt within. “We were trapped here, forced to survive. We’ve all done things we regret. Don’t forget: I’m not far behind you in human kill numbers.”

There was a long pause.

“What are you thinking?” He finally asked, breaking the silence.

I knotted off the thread as I finished closing the tear, cutting it off with a neat motion. “I think you’re strangely naïve for someone called the ‘great evil wizard.’”

“If you say so.” Alton chuckled.

“I do.”

“So are you going to introduce this naïve evil wizard to your friends?” He finished sewing his robe, tying it off somewhat clumsily.

I froze at the word “friends."

______________________

“I need your help.” Jack’s eyes were intense as he cornered me, my back against a cold brick wall. The solidity of it grounded me, the realness of it reminding me that this strange world I lived in was my new normal.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. If the power gets into the wrong hands…” As I tried to turn away, he grabbed my face, forcing me to look at him. My skin crawled at  his touch, but the hard grip prevented me from pulling away.

“We don’t have a choice. The next gate is impossible without your help. If you refuse… everyone will die.”

He finally released me, and I tried to back away, but only succeeded in hitting my head against the brick. After a few long moments, I sighed.

“Just for the gate, right? You promise?”

“Of course…” He smiled. “We’re friends after all.”

______________________

I took a deep breath, ignoring Alton’s concerned look. “No. Not friends. But strong people who might be interested in partnering with us.”

I had no friends. I didn't dare. Not since I stopped calling Jack and his group that.

“Ah of course. `And you think these strong people will be okay partnering with me?” He pointed at himself with a quizzical expression.

I smiled confidently. “I have no doubt.”

______________________

SLAM!

The door slammed in our faces for the third time. Inside the building we could hear a muffled “GO AWAY!”

Alton looked over at me with a smile. “No doubt, huh?”

I frowned. “ I underestimated your bad reputation… or maybe mine.”

“I resent that. My bad reputation is more than enough to scare good prospects away on its own.” He glanced back at the door with a raised eyebrow. “Besides if they are too scared to even join us, I imagine they wouldn’t be that much help in a fight.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry. I’ve run out of suckers… I’m mean strong heroes to ask.”

He grinned at that, as we walked away from the last house and towards the 38th level City. The main road was deserted, this was one of the higher levels, and very few people advanced this far. Many chose to stay in the lower levels, avoiding danger. I kept a close eye on the surrounding forest, tense. The roads were generally safe, but the wariness remained all the same.

“So, just the three prospects, huh?”

“People on the World Leader Board who aren’t already in a party and not total psychopaths?” I shook my head, distracted from my obsessive watching of our surroundings. “You’re lucky I could think of three.”

“Well maybe it will just have to be you and me. I mean we ARE the top two players on the World Leader Board. It could be enough.”

We walked forward as I continued to ponder his words. I had not really seen Alton in action. However, his ranking and reputation as the world’s strongest player couldn’t be denied. “It might be enough, for a while. But I don’t know if that will carry us to the end. The gates are getting harder and harder… “

“Well, it’s not like teammates are going to just fall from the sky…”

“LOOK OUUUUUT!”

Alton and I rolled out of the way of the person falling from a nearby tree, both readying for battle. Alton whispered quietly, activating a dark magical flame that danced around his fingers. I on the other hand, simply stood in place, hands resting at my sides. If there was one thing I was good at, it was killing. I just needed to know if it was necessary. In the corner of my vision I confirmed my filled HP and MP, with some reassurance.

The falling person hit the ground with a loud CLANG and her metal armor slightly deformed from the impact. She the rolled several times, coming to a loud stop on her back at my feet. Her young, bright eyes stared up at me with delight.

“Healer!”

I looked down at her, and sighed. “Hello, Stephanie.”

Alton glanced at her, and then looked at me. “You know her?”

“WE’RE BEST FRIENDS!”

“No.”

Stephanie and I answered at the same time. Alton laughed, and held out a hand to the teenage girl. “Nice to meet you, Miss Healer’s best friend. I’m Alton.”

Her eyes widened. “The evil wizard?” I braced myself for her to scream or run away similar to the prior “strong” people I had tried to recruit. Instead, she smiled with great relief. “THANK GOODNESS!”

“Huh.” Alton seemed just as confused as me. “Never had that reaction before.”

Stephanie in response pointed a group of monsters emerging from the nearby forest, heading towards us. “Can you guys lend a hand?”

I studied the new threat carefully. There were eight wolf like creatures, 5 feet tall with long horns, large jaws and rows upon rows of blood-stained teeth. They moved as a pack, snarling and howling as they closed in on their prey.

Alton shrugged nonchalantly at the sight, and pointed at me. “I’ll help if she says it’s okay.”

“Great!” Stephanie sat up with difficultly, her armor hindering the movement, and placed her hands together in a praying gesture. “Please?”

I pushed up my sleeves. “Sure. I had some energy I wanted to get out anyways. Alton, you take the four on the left?”

He nodded in response and began chanting.

I faced the four beasts on the right with a thoughtful expression. One out of the group was larger than the rest, likely the leader of the pack.

**The Healer has activated wordless incantation. -300MP per use.**

The wolf monsters were racing closer. I sensed the end of Alton’s chant coming and raised a hand, pointing.

**The Healer has cast Immobilization -10MP/sec while active.**

The three smaller wolves froze, tumbling to the ground. The larger stumbled, but shrugged off the spell, obviously having some magical resistance. I moved forward, going at my highest speed. If a spell won’t work…  I pulled a syringe out of my inventory. As I reached the leader. I saw Alton finish his chant out of the corner of my eye. A black flame surrounded the monsters he faced, burning them to ash.

**Alton the Great Evil Wizard is credited with 4 monster kills, awarded 160XP and +4 fame. You receive 20XP as a party member.**

The lead monster snapped at me as I leapt over its head, its teeth missing my arm my a hair. I jumped and straddled its back, grabbing its rough, stained fur in one hand, and plunging the syringe into the large muscle near its shoulder joint with the other.

**The Healer has used custom potion – Anesthetic. Patient is paralyzed and sedated for 3 minutes.**

The monster under me let out a groan and collapsed to the ground. Letting out a sigh of relief, I looked over at the smaller wolf monsters and reached out a hand.

**The Healer has cast Debridement x 3. – 60MP.**

Black blood spilled out from large wounds in their necks, pooling under the three bodies, soaking the grass beneath them.

**The Healer is credited with 3 monster kills, awarded 120XP and +3 fame.**

 Now that the small fry are out of the way… I waved away the notification and pulled a scalpel out of my inventory, the small blade in my hand reflecting the bright sunlight.

If spells won’t work, then I’ll just do it the old-fashioned way. I couldn’t use weapons, only medical/healing potions and tools. A scalpel although tiny, was the closest thing I had to a bladed weapon. I reached out towards the wolf’s neck.

“WAIT!” Stephanie cried out, causing me to pause before I cut the monster’s throat. “Don’t cut it!”

I raised an eyebrow. “You want me to spare the monster that was hunting you?” I noticed that Alton had kept a small amount of magic around his hand, ready to strike at any moment. It was strangely reassuring to see that he wasn’t always so trusting of others.

Stephanie looked at me, confused. “What? No! I just meant please don’t CUT it! I need an undamaged pelt for a quest. Can you kill it without hurting its pelt?”

I thought it over, still holding the scalpel to its throat in case the potion wore off. “Depends. What about the quest rewards?”

She deflated slightly at the question. “50-50 split? I did spend days tracking them down.”

“Deal.” I put my scalpel away, and pull up a buckled strap. With a quick practiced movement, I placed it around the wolf’s head, and tightened it over the neck.

**Healer has utilized tourniquet. Blood flow to the affected area is cut off. Please utilize caution, patient received 10 damage for each second that the tourniquet is in place.**

I waited patiently.

**WARNING! Patient airway is compressed and is becoming dangerously hypoxic. Please secure airway to continue healing. Patient will receive 50 damage for each second that airway compression remains in place.**

I continued to wait.

**The Healer is credited with 1 level 20 monster boss kill, awarded 200 XP and +5 fame.**

I removed the tourniquet, wiping down the strap before replacing it into my inventory. I glanced over at Alton and Stephanie who stared at me in surprise. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“…Umm… did you just kill a boss monster… with a syringe and a belt?”

“It’s a tourniquet, but yes.”

“Cool.” Alton gave me a thumbs up.

Stephanie shrugged off her apparent shock and ran to the boss monster, using a skill to remove the pelt without any tools. She then paused, and stood in front of both of us, shuffling back and forth slightly.

“So…”

I cleaned my hands with a handkerchief and some water, not looking at her. “What do you want this time?”

“This time?” I waved away Alton’s question and looked at Stephanie, who didn’t make eye contact.

“Well, I guess I wasn’t here JUST for the wolf pelt… I may have also come here looking for you… and remembered to finish the quest when I saw them in the forest on my way over.”

I didn’t change my expression. “What do you want?”

Striking a pose, slightly hindered by her dented metal armor, she answered dramatically: “…I heard you were recruiting… Can I join your party?”

"..."

"..."

Alton and I stared at her.

 “Wait. How did you know we were recruiting?”

“After you asked three people you are seriously asking this?" She shook her head in disgust. "You both are famous! It’s been all over the world chat since you were first sighted together!”

Groaning, I pulled up the display that I rarely opened anymore. After the Downfall, the people pulled into this game like world had quickly discovered a worldwide chat option. There were many different topics, guides and other discussion available to read through and comment on.

In the first few weeks after waking up in this world, I used to read through the gossip and other new topics daily, hoping desperately that someone would discover what had happened, why we were here, or perhaps some tips on succeeding as a healer. Instead I quickly discovered it was a toxic cesspool of humanity, filled with petty arguments, lies and gossip.

I quickly became a common topic of discussion on the chat board. As the only high level healer, part of the Hero’s party, and the player with the highest number of human kills, I was infamous, with entire forums dedicated to analyzing how I was accomplishing it.  The conclusions they often came to were often not very flattering towards me.

There were also fan clubs and forums dedicated to the Hero and his party, and they were also my strongest critics as well, accusing me of dragging the hero and his party down. I flinched from the memories, but quickly pulled up the world chat, noting that the top topic of discussion was about Alton and me.

______________________

“THE HEALER AND THE EVIL WIZARD HAVE TEAMED UP AND ARE RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS!”

The infamous mooching healer from the Hero’s party has officially split from them and joined the Evil Wizard! No one knows what horrific plans they are concocting, but whatever it is must require strong people, as they have been sighted trying to recruit two free agents on the leader board, and were last seen on level 38, likely to recruit Dallas the Barbarian! We’ll keep you posted!

______________________

I frowned at the post, quickly scanning the comments below.

______________________

“ Good riddance! It was always a drag to see her running behind the hero’s party, getting carried by them. “

“That’s terrifying! The Evil Wizard has friends? If you see them, you better run!”

“Who would want to joined such a cursed party?”

“… So who else is shipping them?”

“Weirdos will ship anything with anything. Get out of here with that nonsense.”

“Pieces of trash will always gravitate together.”

______________________

I looked at the last comment, which was posted by Rita the Holy Archer. She was a member of the Hero’s party as well, and not someone I had ever gotten along with.

Alton was staring blankly, obviously scrolling through the chat as well. He made a weird expression and waved his hand back and forth, dismissing it and muttering to himself. I stepped forward, patting his shoulder comfortingly.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a bunch of idiots chattering.”

“Worried?” He looked at me, confused. “I’m not worried about the comments. There’s a whole thread dedicated to taking bets on what sort of horrible death I’ll have. This is child’s play.”

“Then why the weird face?”

He looked away awkwardly, mumbling something I couldn’t hear.

“What did you…?”

“I saw FAN ART, okay? They made fan art of the two of us…” He covered his face with his hand.

“Why would they…?” I paused. “Can I see it?”

“No. No. I would rather die.”

What on earth did he see? Before I could ask further, Stephanie pushed again.

“Guys? I’m still here! Can I join?”

Alton stared coldly at her. “I don’t know you, or trust you. It depends on what Miss Healer has to say.”

Stephanie turned towards me, but only received an eye roll in response to her puppy eyes. “I can vouch for the fact that she’s strong. She’s a barbarian warrior, and obsessed on leveling up her strength stats.”

He looked at the girl in her late teens and her tiny frame. “…If you say so”

I sighed. “Show him your sword.”

“Sure!” Grinning, Stephanie raised her hand, an enormous cleaver type sword longer than her body appearing in it. It looked incredibly heavy, but she waved it around as if it were weightless. Alton applauded politely at her show of strength. Finally, she put it away. “I’m forty-third on the Leader Board, partially due to the fame I gained for my strength stats, which are the highest in the world here.”

“The real question is…” Alton turned towards me. “Why wasn’t she on your list of people to recruit?”

“I told you my list was strong people who weren’t in a party who weren’t total psychopaths.” I looked at Stephanie pointedly. “She is absolutely crazy AND she’s in party already.”

She grinned. “Not anymore, Healer! I quit my party the minute I saw you were recruiting on the forum! I owe you my life, how could I not take advantage of that opportunity?”

“And your fan club of a party allowed that?”

“I had to chop off a hand or two, but eventually they got the point and agreed to let me be happy and follow my dream.” Seemingly unconcerned by the intense violent acts she spoke about, she held out her hand to me with a smile. “So do we have a deal?”

I looked up at the sky. “We do need a tanker…” Crazy or not, she is really strong... I took a deep breath, and shook her hand. “Fine.”

“YAY!”

**Stephanie the lovely Barbarian has accepted your invitation to join your party! She will have access to shared inventory, and her stats will become visible upon medical scan.**

“Should we head on, or are anymore of your friends going to suddenly jump out of trees to join us?” Alton finally asked, breaking the silence.

“Who knows?” I turned to Stephanie. “Where do you need to turn in your quest?”

“Where else?” She grinned. “Winter’s General Store.”

"..." Rubbing my forehead, and trying not to cry, I asked quietly, “Are you out of your mind? You realize he would kill you if you didn’t bring back the pelt?” Alton looked at me questioningly, but I gestured at him to let it go and he remained silent.

“No he wouldn’t!” Stephanie burst out. “He promised that since I was your friend he wouldn't kill me! ... He would only maim me if I failed.”

“You’re not my friend.”

“That’s right, we’re not friends… we’re BEST friends!”

“Heaven help us.” I groaned and pulled up a traveling artifact. “Let’s go see Winter before he decides to come see us.”

______________________

As we arrived in level 1 City, we quietly moved towards the back alleys near the water front. It was a mostly deserted area known for its paid killers, black markets and the most desperate part of humanity. The few people we ran into were cloaked and minding their own business, but I kept my guard up, refusing to dismiss wordless chanting despite the mana drain. I wanted to be able to fight at a moments notice.

“Who is Winter?” Alton asked finally as he followed us through the winding and increasingly dark streets.

“An NPC!” Stephanie answered cheerfully. “A really powerful one. He really likes the Healer too”

Alton was shocked, as I knew he would be. There were scattered being that looked like humans, but weren't that could give quests, termed Non Player Characters given their similarity in role to NPCs in the game. However, since their discovery in this world since the Downfall, their interactions with humans were limited. There were a few that would hand out quests, a few that ran shops, but all of them had one thing in common:

They despised humans.

They treated human players as lesser beings, only worthy of cheap and dirty missions or tasks that they didn’t want to take care of. Many attempts at befriending or learning about them were made in the beginning, but universally they responded with only vitriol and disdain.

No one knew why they were here. If they were part of whatever scheme this was that had trapped us in this world. But we knew one thing: Any attempt to harm them went poorly. They could be harmed. Could even be killed. But any player who did so would find themselves hunted relentlessly by the City 1 guard, who wouldn’t rest until the offending player was dead. After a handful of deaths, this became the new normal and people learned to leave NPCs alone for the most part.

I gave most NPCs a wide berth. I didn’t understand them, or trust them.

But Winter was the exception.

We arrived at the store, pushing it open to the sound of a tinkling bell overhead.

“Winter! Guess who I brought?!!” Stephanie crowed as she pranced in, before coming to a sudden stop. I halted behind her, and Alton beside me as we stared silently at the group already in the store, arguing with an annoyed appearing Winter.

“What bad luck.” Alton whispered, and I had to agree.

It was the Hero’s party.

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY DORIAN PAVUS  *  assorted dialogue from dragon age inquisition, updated version

i don't care what they think about me. i care what they think about us.

i like you. more than i should. more than might be wise.

discretion isn't your thing, is it?

all this dancing, politics, and murder makes me a bit homesick.

i suppose it really depends. how bad do you want to be?

living a lie... it festers inside of you, like poison.

i'm a man of many talents. what can i say?

the moment i saw you, i thought "there's a man who knows quality."

if you don't come through this, i swear i'll kill you.

i'm curious where this goes, you and i. we've had fun. perfectly reasonable to leave it here.

here is my proposal: we dispense with the chitchat and move on to something more primal.

i tease you too much, i know.

i'll have to find something we can do that doesn't involve teasing.

time to drink myself into a stupor. it's been that sort of day.

i see you enjoy playing with fire.

i like playing hard to get.

i'm not suggesting we venture into mutual domesticity.

if it's a trap, we escape and kill everyone. you're good at that.

talk to me. let me hear how mystified you are by my anger.

oh, i'm not arguing. just pointing out the ridiculously obvious.

if you choose to leave your door unlocked like a savage, i may or may not come.

now... what was i talking about? ah, yes. me.

i am apparently an incredible ass at accepting gifts.

i prefer the company of men.

would you prefer me bound and leashed?

sometimes the ones you love are also the ones who disappoint you the most.

you are the man i love, [name]. nothing will truly keep us apart.

the things you ask are just... very personal.

sometimes... love isn't enough.

there will always be an "us." we'll just be... farther apart, for a time.

i had no idea something like you was possible.

i'm imagining what you would look like in a dress.

i've never seen you smile so much!

i have no idea what you're talking about.

you stand there, flexing your muscles, huffing like some beast of burden with no thought save conquest.

you're shaping the world for good or ill. how could i aspire to do any less?

my footsies are freezing, thank you.

don't you ever bathe?

you're not suggesting we're similar.

watch where you're pointing that thing!

i'm not wearing a skirt.

it's significantly more impressive than hitting them with a sharp piece of metal.

i only meant to say i'm very sorry for your loss.

we can continue this dance forever, if you wish.

i'm saying we should be careful what we assume when it comes to such matters.

demons don't appreciate a man with good hair.

what i wouldn't give for some proper wine.

your outfit's entertaining. i'll give you that.

he had to leave early on account of assassination.

it's nice to know you have friends.

i'm here to do what is right.

come on, just answer the question.

they were asking me about you. personal things.

you said we'd be ass-deep in trouble. this is more like knee-high.

so what's your estimation? think we can win?

you can't call me pampered. nobody's peeled a grape for me in weeks.

you startled me. you're always so... nondescript.

you're a special and unique snowflake. live the dream.

i wanted to see you make flowers bloom with your song. just once.

you've done a lot less dancing naked in the moonlight than expected.

i've never seen anyone in this part of the world do it.

i realize there's more to you than that.

have i offended you?

for hating the outdoors, you sure seem to like bad weather.

i can't figure you out, [name].

you don't play their stupid game, they send an assassin or three your way.

i can't believe you're scared of magic.

i'm going to take that as a compliment.

still don't like me, [name]? after all this time?

[name], i owe you an apology.

i suspect people will use any excuse to hate us.

why be ashamed? power should be respected, not swept under the carpet.

maybe you're not a complete moron.

i just need to know you're capable of higher thought. for my own comfort.

it would take work. and soap. lots and lots of soap.

[woodchoc-magnum]

how do you have so much faith in buddie after that episode? i just feel like the show just told us buddie won't happen but buck will be with a guy(maybe not tommy) but some other random ass guy.

Because:

"You can have my back any day." "Or you could have mine."

Buck taking Eddie to collect Christopher after the earthquake

Buck recognising that Eddie needs support, and finding Carla for him

"You two have an adorable son."

Buck and Christopher in the tsunami

Buck telling Eddie that he lost Christopher

Eddie literally coming to the loft and reassuring him that he trusts Buck more than anyone in the world

The lawsuit breakup and reconciliation

"Wanna go for the title?"

Ana says Christopher shouldn't skateboard, so Buck finds a way to build him a skateboard.

Eddie gets trapped at the bottom of a collapsed well, and Buck CLAWS AT THE DIRT SCREAMING FOR HIM (aka the television moment that changed my life forever)

Abby comes back, and Eddie is RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of it.

Buck going out of his way to buy Eddie the coffee machine he secretly wants

Buck Begins, where Eddie spends the entirety reassuring Buck.

Eddie starts dating Ana, so Buck starts dating again (because one can't date without the other panic dating as well)

Eddie gets shot in the street and Buck is literally splattered with his blood

Buck crawling under the firetruck to save Eddie's life

Buck having to tell Christopher that Eddie was hurt

Buck RACING TO THE HOSPITAL WHEN EDDIE WAKES UP - oh Ana is there? No she doesn't matter, Buck is the one that matters

Eddie telling Buck that he isn't expendable and confessing that he changed his Will so Buck would be Christopher's guardian

Ana being mistaken as Christopher's mother and Eddie subsequently having a panic attack about it

Buck recognising that Eddie wasn't in love with Ana and essentially guiding him into breaking up with her

Leading to the most queer-coded breakup in the history of television. "The idea of us??" Eddie

The hostage situation; the gun going off and Buck thinking that Eddie is hurt

Depression era Eddie, and Buck literally breaking down the door to rescue him

Buck then being there for him every step of the way. Girlfriend? what girlfriend

Culminating in them working together again when dispatch burns down, and Eddie returning to the 118

Buck FINALLY ending our misery and breaking up with Taylor

The family scenes at the start of season 6

Buck getting struck by lighting and Eddie climbing the ladder to try to pull him back UP because he was so panicked

Eddie trying to get to him; Eddie giving him CPR

Eddie telling them to DO MORE

Eddie sneaking Christopher into his hospital room and crying at his bedside

Buck knowing in his coma dream that Eddie and Christopher were missing

Eddie being Buck's safe place; the only place he can fall asleep

Eddie taking him on a poker date and apparently not railing him afterwards??

the look on Eddie's face when Buck tells him that Natalia "sees him"

And Eddie immediately trying to date because Buck's taken

The fact that we start season 7 with Buck already single and Eddie having essentially filled a permanent babysitter role in his life with Marisol

Eddie and Tommy becoming friends, being the cause of Buck's jealousy - this is not about Tommy, by the way, because Buck hasn't quite figured the Eddie of it out YET

All leading to the BIG BI KISS

And wherever the fuck the next episode is taking us

So yeah, one kiss doesn't invalidate five six seasons of build-up, and that's why I'm not worried.

[ggidolsmuts]

The Escort - Seolhyun

Seolhyun has always been one of those "it" girls—she was everywhere, on commercials, billboards, posters, cutouts. Women wanted the clothes she wore, wanted the makeup she used, wished they had her figure, an idol in every sense of the word. Men wanted her, to be around her—in front of, behind, under, above, you name a position, someone would want her in that position. To any outsider looking in Seolhyun had it all—the looks, the figure, the commercials, the success, and a lucky lover, surely.

 Surely.

 But no, Seolhyun lacked that very last thing—someone who could satisfy her most surely. She didn't need a lucky lover, she needed a professional one. Which is why you are knocking on her door at night.

 "Come in. Are you the umm— umm..." Cutely she stammers, and you save her the awkwardness.

 "That is correct, I'm your male escort from the agency, very nice to meet you." You had seen her photos of course, and her commercials—it was hard not to, she is everywhere.

 "Right. So how does this work?"

 "This is your first time with us, I believe? Please specify what you would like, and I'll do my best to make it happen. At the end you can decide if you want to continue with me going forward."

 "What happens then?"

 "From then on you can message me a time, place, and duration, along with what you would like to do, and I'll quote you a price. If we agree on a price then it'll happen as you wish."

 "And what if I don't want to continue with you after today?"

 "No problem of course, please make a second request with the agency and they will send someone else different and you can see if they are more suitable for you."

 "Right, and no one will know about this?"

 "Yes, being discreet is part of the job description. The agency is just the middleman for the initial transaction, after that everything is between the two of us."

 Seolhyun nods in understanding, slightly relaxing on her sofa. She had wanted this, yet still she is nervous, that you somehow leak it to the media. At least for now, your answer is good enough.

 "Okay, so, I just tell you what I want now, and you'll do it?"

 "Correct."

 "Mmm, okay then, make me cum in 5 minutes."

 "Got it, can you show that you're clean? And when does the timer start, when you get naked?" Little did Seolhyun know, you're laying a trap for her, just a trick of the trade.

 "Sure, one second, and yes let's go with that." She gives it little thought, focusing on your first request. Perfect. She presents her test results, and courteously you present your own clean bill of health.

 "Thank you, do you foresee yourself having other partners should you continue with my services?"

 "Umm, no, I don't think so?"

 "Okay, should you have other partners please do a check up before we meet, and I will do the same should I have other customers. It's best for both of us." Seolhyun nods in agreement.

 "What about condoms, will you have them prepared?"

 "They are not needed, I have taken precautions on my end to prevent any accidents and test my sperm count regularly, I can provide the most recent results should you want them. Of course, if you prefer I use condoms I can accommodate any preference you have, ribbed, flavored, stuff like that."

 "Oh, umm, no, that's okay, but please send me the test results." You agree and make a mental note to do it after tonight. Seolhyun turns red as her mind wanders a little. "So do you... finish inside generally?"

 "No, only if the customer specifically asks for it, either in the request or during the session. It helps with clean up if I finish outside."

 "Oh, makes sense I guess." Seolhyun doesn't say anything more, so you prod her a little.

 "Shall we begin then?"

 "Oh! Yes, your 5 minutes starts—"

 "Ah, but we agreed that it starts when you're naked. There's no rush. Now, if I may." You sit down next to Seolhyun on the couch before swiftly sweeping her into your lap sideways. "I would like to get to know you better first."

 Seolhyun gasps at your forward act, your hand already comfortably around her lower back and hips while the other runs down her long legs. She wonders if you notice the shiver going up her body—how long has it been since she's been with someone that doesn't rush into things?

 "What's there to know?"

 "Everything. I'm sure you've heard this before, but you're a bombshell Miss Seolhyun—"

 "Seolhyun will do."

 "Of course. As I was saying, you're a bombshell Seolhyun, and consider me a bomb expert." Your breath is warm, husky in her ear. Your hands are not idle as you roam her clothed body—the hand on her legs trails up to her honey thighs, stopping just short of where her shorts ended. "I like to know what makes you tick, how you are wired, where the current flows." The other hand moves up her back, dawdling briefly where a bra strap would be before continuing to gently massage her neck, and Seolhyun coos at the firm touch. "Like in the movies, it's all about the wires you know? Which ones to cut—" You slip a finger under the strap of her spaghetti top, carelessly pulling it off her shoulder. "And which ones to pull." She lets out a surprised squeak as you firmly tug on her hair—the slight sting sends a thrill straight down her spine. As she squirms in place she feels your hardened length right beneath her, only a small distance away from her own need—professional as you are, you're still only human, especially when Seolhyun's in your lap, letting you feel every curve of her.

 "What happens after you understand the bomb?" She warms up in your lap, and you see the flush rising in her cheeks.

 "Oh that's just part one. There are also buttons to push—" Daringly you cup a breast, firmly pushing on the stiff nub you feel. You smirk at the soft moan she lets out. "It is important to know the right sequence of buttons to press. And those are just the obvious ones, some are more... Hidden." Your hand dives down her body, past her smooth stomach, and Seolhyun tenses, expecting you to touch her clit—she's all of a sudden keenly aware of how aroused she is, of how wet she's gotten. But no, you pull away at the last moment.

 "Wait—" Seolhyun opens her mouth to speak up, and you take the opportunity to kiss her, plunging your tongue past her lips. Instantly you're hugging her tightly, squeezing her into your body as you twist and dance with her tongue. Your expression of passion stuns and dizzies Seolhyun even further, skyrocketing her raw desire. You have her melting in your arms, and she whines when you pull back.

 "Yes, let's wait on that." You return to kissing Seolhyun, but this time you are more controlled, merely pressing your lips to hers, occasionally sucking her lower lip, very rarely dipping your tongue into her even as she licks yours, trying to entice you back. Her hands are tense on your arms, both to hold herself together and to keep you close, her nails lightly scratching you. As you distract her with the kiss your fingers dance across her body, finding her weak spots, noting where her breath hitches, where her nails scratch you a little deeper, where she starts to tremble, where she starts to squirm, and where she starts to moan. By the time you are satisfied with your initial exploration Seolhyun's eyes are unfocused and staring past you, at the orgasm that's so close at hand.

 "Now I would like to see you explode." She doesn't even register your words, for at the same time you whisper to her you press a single finger on her pussy, made all the easier to pinpoint by the wetness on her shorts. Seolhyun screams into your shoulder at the sudden pressure and detonates. She bucks vigorously against your finger, smearing it with all the slick that's soaking through her clothes. Her lithe figure twitches and jerks against you, her legs trapping your hand between them.

 "Oh my god, oh fuck!" You keep the pressure on her slit, and her violent bucking makes you rub her clit with your drenched finger, extending her wild climax. Her feet slam into couch as she tries to thrust even harder against your finger, begging you to just apply a bit more force, to plunge through her layers of fabric and penetrate her. But you would not give her that satisfaction this early, not tonight. With practiced judgment you lift the pressure immediately, and Seolhyun sinks back into your lap. She whimpers as you reward her with more gentle swipes of your finger, bringing her right up to, but not past, the point of overstimulation. You move slower and slower, and Seolhyun comes back down, opening her eyes, now focused and surprised—you just gave her one of her more intense orgasms without even taking off a single piece of clothing.

 "What did you just do, wow..."

 "Just getting to know you better." Seolhyun blushes as you remove the finger from between her legs—there is a long trail of juice that clings on to your digit, not unlike how she's clinging to you right now, and only with a shake do you break the stubborn link. "I hope you found that acceptable."

 "I umm, yes." Seolhyun finds herself dumped unceremoniously on the sofa as you stand up.

 "Excellent, I look forward to working with you."

 "Wait, what about you?" Her gaze goes to your erection, still very much visible through your pants. You haven't fucked me yet! you can read Seolhyun's thoughts on her face.

 "That is not a problem, it will go down shortly." You say smoothly, wanting to lock in a following appointment.

 "But—" I want you to fuck me! Seolhyun can't bring herself to say it that bluntly, but the redness on her cheeks lays her thoughts bare.

 "I look forward to your message." You let yourself out, leaving your new customer stunned and needy.

 Seolhyun processes what just happened as she remains dumbly on the couch. Now she knows you're a real professional, making her feel so good yet leaving her hanging—you won't give her real satisfaction until you've made some money off her. And you will, Seolhyun's already hooked, already planning when she can have you come over next. She quickly decides on a time and place, but first...

 "Oh fuck yes..." she groans in relief as she plunges two fingers down her shorts and into her pussy—if only you had pushed your finger in! Somehow it feels even better than usual, Seolhyun covers her mouth as she humps her own hand, huffing and groaning. She's already imagining her session with you, how she wants you—between her legs, eating her out, your tongue dipping in and out of her like you did in her mouth earlier, oh god that would feel so good! And then she's thinking about how she wants you to take her, in what positions—she liked missionary, would you think that is too vanilla? Bent over maybe, or on her side? You felt big earlier, now she's wondering how deep and—

 "Mmmm!" All of the images in her head are wiped out as Seolhyun brings herself to another orgasm. Her legs go taut, her teeth nipping at the back of her hand, but that's it, it doesn't compare. She groans and murmurs as she comes down quickly, the peak way smaller than the one she had with you, barely enough to satiate her for now...

 You smile when you see Seolhyun's message later that night, and you respond to her accordingly.

*Session #: 2*

*Location: Hyatt Seoul*

*Time: Friday at 10 pm*

*Duration: Overnight*

*Request: Vanilla*

*Price: 1,000,000 Won*

 You knock on the door, and you are greeted by Seolhyun, still concealing her identity with sunglasses and a mask.

 "Hello, just arrived?" you ask, noting her long jacket still hanging on her shoulders.

 "Yes, you're on time, I was hoping to have time to prepare."

 "Of course, you pay for my time, so I have to make sure you get the full night with me." She shivers at the thought—a full night with you! 

 "Please take as much time as you need to prepare, can I take your jacket?" Seolhyun shrugs off her coat, and you take it for her as she brings her overnight bag into the bathroom. Seolhyun takes a deep breath as she opens it—a set of clothes for tomorrow, her makeup pouch, and at the very bottom, a set of lace lingerie for tonight. Part of her wants to impress you, to make you want her beyond the paycheck you get from her, but then she thinks about your job—surely you've had other sexier, more experienced customers? Would she compare, could she compare? After a quick shower she looks at her own naked body in the mirror and though she is very much in shape, Seolhyun is suddenly self-conscious—should she have shaved down there, did you have a preference? I should have asked! Chiding herself and feeling inexperienced, she redoes her make up and throws on a robe.

 "Would you like to shower?"

 "Oh, no thank you, I showered right before coming here." Of course you did, you were the professional! Seolhyun chides herself once more. Not sure about how to start the night, she opens her robe and sits on the bed, partially revealing the lingerie to you.

 "That's very nice Seolhyun, you look good in it." She blushes at your compliment, almost embarrassed at her own reaction, why is she being such a pushover?

 "Thanks, umm, how do you want to do it?"

 "That's up to you, you mentioned vanilla, so whatever you consider vanilla."

 "Oh," her mind works overtime, suddenly unable to remember all the other times she's had sex. "I guess you on top, some foreplay, and then we can do it?"

 "That sounds good to me." Seolhyun's eyes rake and rove over you as you undo your tie and unbutton your shirt, and she's unconsciously rubbing her neck and biting her lip as you lose your pants, joining her on the bed in only your boxers. You carelessly brush her robe off, and soon her slender body is pressed against yours, thighs spread with a light tap from your knees—god Seolhyun is ready to be fucked. But she wanted foreplay, so you revisit the spots that had her squirming last time, much to the same effect.

 "W-Wait, I have a request!" Seolhyun gasps as you nip at her neck, very aware of her lace panties being ruined by her own fluids.

 "Of course, what is it?"

 "Make me cum harder than last time, think you can do it?" she tries to sound challenging, but she already knows that's too easy for you. At this rate she will cum harder than last time even without you doing anything special.

 "As you wish," you take it up a notch, your fingers gripping her more tightly. "I was planning to anyways." You overwhelm Seolhyun with a flurry of kisses and firm touches, pushing her bra up and directly squeezing her chest. She tries to reach around to take it off, but you've pinned her fully onto the bed, she might as well have been tied down and— Oh fuck that would be good too! Seolhyun whimpers as the thought runs through her head.

 "Something wrong?" You stop immediately, misinterpreting her vocalizations.

 "T-The bra." Her stiff nipples brush against your chest as you hug her tighter and reach behind and pull the thin piece of fabric off her. You return to assaulting her senses, managing to shimmy your boxers off as she squirms beneath you. You use one hand to keep her distracted, squeezing handfuls of her breasts, while the other reaches for her lace panties and pulls them to the side. Without a word you push into Seolhyun, drawing a surprised squeal from her. You had wrongfooted her once again—she expected some fingerplay, but you had correctly judged her readiness, and so the first stimulation of her pussy is your penetration.

 "Oh fuck, oh yes!" You sit back on your heels and place your hands around her midriff, lifting her hips and keeping them where you wanted. Seolhyun's back makes a nice arc as you fuck her with shallow upward thrusts, the angle allowing you to find her g-spot and push it relentlessly.

 "Right there, don't stop, please don't stop!" You tug Seolhyun over and over on your cock, making sure to prod her sweet spot with your tip every time, and in short order her toes are curling, fingers digging into the sheets as she climaxes strongly. She never stood a chance, overwhelmed from the moment she was on the bed, and her walls spasm around you violently. It requires a lot of your self-control to not just bury yourself fully in Seolhyun, but you save that for later and continue fucking her with partial thrusts.

 "Nnngh yes! Fuck me!" Seolhyun moans huskily as you bring her to another peak, her slick streaming down your shaft at this point. She thrashes on the bed, only held together by your hands around her twitching tummy. Eventually the jerking subsides, and Seolhyun goes slack.

 "Fuck that was great—" You take her by surprise once more and push her hips down to the bed. Swiftly you get on top of her again, and this time you plunge fully into Seolhyun. Her wide eyes roll into her head—after being fucked with shallow thrusts and contracting around only part of your shaft, your deep thrust seems to fuck all the breath out of her.

 No! The thought leaves her lips as only a wispy gasp as she feels impossibly stretched, your cock seemingly thicker and longer than anything she's had. You grind and roll your hips, making sure her walls get properly pushed wide open, even as they try to contract around you—Seolhyun's rolling into another orgasm.

 "Fuckohmygodcummingagain!" she says all that with a half-breath, the rest of it reserved for a scream as you pull back and slam into her roughly. Seolhyun's never had so strong or so many orgasms back to back, and all she can do is scream her pleasure as you proceed to fulfill her request with every climax you bring her to...

 "God yes yes yes!" This is when you started kissing her to silence her screams.

 "Nnngh.... fuck!" This is when she felt you knocking at the entrance to her womb, triggering more orgasms. Seolhyun tries to wrap her legs around you, either to keep you from getting that deep, or to have you cum in her, but she's already too weak to do so properly.

 "Mmm!" This is when you started grinding your hips against hers again, making sure you brushed against her clit on every thrust, and Seolhyun's reduced to a writhing and melting hot body. As you reach your limit you pull out, and with perfect timing you spill your load between her legs and on her toned midriff.

 Request satisfied.

 You take a deep breath to compose yourself; Seolhyun requires multiple, her eyes still closed, makeup lightly smeared.

 "Sorry about that, Seolhyun." Are the first words she hears when she opens her eyes, and she is thoroughly confused. Did she hear you wrong?

 "What do you mean?"

 "Your panties are stained with my release, my apologies." That was what you were apologizing for?

 "It's okay, I already ruined them anyways," Seolhyun mutters as she pulls off the lace cumrag. You're already handing her tissues as she looks to clean up. "W-What now?" she wonders aloud, looking to you.

 "It'll take me about 15 minutes to be ready to go again, I can pleasure you in the meantime while we wait."

 "N-No, it's okay, take your time." Her legs close together to reinforce the fact. "Let's take a breather." Seolhyun goes to the bathroom again, collecting herself as she wipes her thighs—they were shiny with her slick, she'd never seen anything like it, like she had squirted. Did she squirt? She groans as she looks herself in the mirror and tries to fix her messy makeup, should she even bother? Just a brief touch up then.

 "So what else do customers ask you to do on an overnight stay?" Seolhyun asks as she exits the bathroom.

 "Could be anything, they come up with stuff on the fly like you did, or they have a list of positions they want to try, some have even shown me porn to highlight what scenes they want."

 "Do they just tell you to do what you want?"

 "Rarely, that's not what I'm here for, after all." Seolhyun's brow is furrowed as she tries to come up with what to do next—she had assumed it'd just be straight fucking, but hearing your answer now she wanted it to be at least somewhat interesting, not just milquetoast bed play... Maybe that’s it? Don’t do it on the bed?

 "There's no rush to come up with something, here have some water, I feel like you need it." You smirk, and Seolhyun's eyes dart to the wet spot on the bed. Wow, she did squirt. She watches you drink your water, and she slowly pieces together something she thought was interesting, something that would be different.

 "Okay, I think I know what I want you to do next."

 "Excellent, what will it be?"

 "I want you to fuck me on every surface in the room." There, surely that's something you don't do every time?

 "Understood." Seolhyun can't read your expression, or rather, she doesn't get to as you carry her and place her on the desk. "Shall we begin?"

 The night becomes a hedonic blur for Seolhyun as you fuck her on every flat surface there is. And as she drowsily wakes up the next morning, the previous night comes back in fragments.

 She remembers the desk, her hands knocking the lamp to the ground.

 "I got you." Your husky whisper is vivid in her memory as you pushed her against the door, your hands supporting her as the door rattled loudly in her ears. She rode you on the sofa at some point, or was that on the loveseat?

 "No, wait, that's too risky!" You press her against the glass window of the hotel room, curtains drawn open for all to see, but at her request you turn her around, and Seolhyun's ass is laid bare for anyone who cared to look up as you pounded her into the window.

 "The TV!" Seolhyun gasps as her back hits it, nearly tipping it over. You settle for bending her over the console.

 Her last coherent memory is of her clinging on to you, makeup completely ruined as she realizes you intended to fuck her on every surface in the suite. Going by the soreness in her body you did do just that. She pushes herself off the bed, to find you already fully dressed, taking a sip of coffee.

 "Good morning, I made you a cup as well."

 "Thanks, are you leaving now?"

 "Yes."

 "Okay, one second..." Seolhyun fumbles for her phone, and a minute later you receive a payment notification.

 "Thank you, I'll leave you be. Until next time then." You bow slightly and let yourself out, leaving Seolhyun satisfied but already planning the next time to meet you—she's hopelessly addicted.

*Session #: 7*

*Location: A backstreet in Seoul*

*Time: Saturday at 11 pm*

*Duration: 15 minutes*

*Request: Quickie, but dress formally!*

*Price: 200,000 Won*

 "I don't get why it's so expensive," Seolhyun mumbles as you join her in the backalley.

 "Because you gave me no notice, and you had me dress up," you reply as you take in her outfit, a sleek red dress that showed off her figure nicely.

 "Everyone's here for the award show, you'd stand out too much if you didn't dress properly!" She tries to take off her dress, but can't do it without dirtying it and drawing suspicion.

 "Here, please take off your panties and hand them to me." Seolhyun does as you say, and you pocket them for safekeeping. "Allow me." You lift her left leg, hooking her knee with an arm. It gives you just enough to work with, and you pull the dress along the slit to expose her own slit. Your own pants are already at your knees, and holding her steady you plunge into her.

 "N-No marks!" Seolhyun reminds you, her bare shoulders and collarbones exposed to the night.

 "Of course." You bury your face in her neck—from the street side of the alley the two of you looked like lovers making out, but from the dead end of the alley it is clear what is going on, with Seolhyun's leg lifted and propped open for easy access.

 "Oh, oh fuck yes..." Seolhyun gasps into the night sky, the thrill of being fucked in public and the need to get fucked right now hitting her harder than the wall behind. You pull her into your thrusts to not slam her into the rough wall, and it pays off as Seolhyun marks your neck with a nip and a muffled shout. You pull out with a groan and shoot your load on the ground, barely missing her heels.

 "Can you stand?"

 "Hm? Oh, yes I think so." Holding her close you slowly let her leg down, and Seolhyun leans on you to maintain stability. Seolhyun pings you the payment as you put on your pants, and she's already walking towards the street, eager to get back before people notice that she's gone missing.

 "Seolhyun!" you hiss as loud as you can without shouting. "Your underwear!" You point to your pocket for emphasis. You can't make out what she mouths back, but her actions make it clear as she walks away from you.

 Keep it.

*Session #: 10*

*Location: Seolhyun's place*

*Time: Friday at 9 pm*

*Duration: 1 hour*

*Request: Submissive*

*Price: 200,000 Won*

 "I would like to be on top." Seolhyun tells you as you get naked.

 "Of course, and what would you like me to call you?"

 "What do you mean?"

 "As a sub I wouldn't be using your name, perhaps something like ma'am or mommy?"

 "Definitely not mommy, try ma'am?"

 "Of course ma'am." Seolhyun shakes her head.

 "No, not that, sounds too old, what about mistress?"

 "Yes, Mistress Seolhyun." She likes the sound of that, taking off her t-shirt and straddling you.

 "Do you want me?"

 "Yes mistress, I want you so much."

 "How much?" She grabs your clothed shaft, stroking you slowly, her fingertips dragging over your tip.

 "So much!" Seolhyun doesn't let up, making sure you've stained your boxers with precum. She wants to hear you whine and beg. "There's nothing I want to do more than to have you ride me mistress, please ride me!" A tingle goes through her body—she's going to fully indulge herself. Seolhyun throws off her own clothes, moving up your body, to your cock, and then past it.

 "Open up." Her knees sink into the bed by your head, and your lips part just as she spreads her own lips for you. The taste of Seolhyun is on your tongue as she drops her hips on your face. Back and forth she grinds her pussy on your face, and you match her movement, pressing your tongue flat on her slit for maximum friction.

 "You're doing so good, lover boy..." Seolhyun braces herself on the headboard, humping you like she would hump a pillow. You manage a groan in response to her praise, and it just makes her ride you harder. You look up to see Seolhyun thoroughly enjoying herself, eyes closed, breasts dangling deliciously and rocking in rhythm with her humping. "Eat my pussy, make your mistress cum."

 "Mmkay." Seolhyun gasps at your hands suddenly on her ass, squeezing and pulling her down deeper on you. She feels your tongue push in, and you writhe it powerfully inside her, just as Seolhyun begins to writhe as well. She can’t believe you let her do this, sure she’s paying to sit on you, but still! Rarely do her lovers eat her out or even consider it, but here you are, pulling her down on your face, enthusiastic, eager, and skilled.

 Oh so fucking skilled! Your tongue seems to swirl around her clit, and the knot in her core gets even tighter.

 "Ah... oh my god, I'm going to cum on your tongue!" Her movements become more wild, and a hand goes to your hair, tugging on it urgently. You drift a finger between her cheeks, and even after multiple sessions you still manage to surprise her and help Seolhyun discover more about of herself.

 "What, nngh!" She yelps as you rub a circle around her ring, and with a wail she cums on your tongue. You drink her in greedily before she relaxes, small jolts still going through her. Seolhyun slithers down your body and grabs your shaft.

 "Do you want to be in your mistress?"

 "Yes, please mistress, sit on my cock."

 "You don't sound like you really want me on your cock," Seolhyun teases. You lay it on a little thicker, after all she is paying you to do it.

 "No I really do mistress, you have the tightest pussy ever, I want to be in it all day if I could. Please let me be in your pussy? I want to feel you wet and tight around me!" It meets Seolhyun's standards, and with a smile she drops herself on you. Seolhyun has to bite her lip to keep from moaning right away—you felt amazing, but she's the dom tonight, she couldn't give the game up just yet.

 "H-How does it feel?"

 "Better than I thought possible mistress, if you move right away I might just cum, please don't move!" Gently Seolhyun taps your cheek, but you "wince" as if you were slapped.

 "No no no, no cumming until I say you do."

 "Yes of course, I'll do my best."

 "Good boy." Seolhyun captures your lips hungrily, and her hips begin to move up and down. "Good big boy, fuck that's good." You watch her tits bounce some more, and you reach for one, making her moan out loud as you take it in your mouth, teeth lightly grazing her nipple. She slows down her bouncing, and you take advantage of it to play with her chest more, squeezing and tugging what you could before Seolhyun pulls your head back.

 "I'm so close, I want you to cum with me okay? Inside me."

 "Yes mistress."

 Seolhyun returns to kissing you passionately, and she loses herself in the act.

 "Say you love me."

 "I love you mistress!"

 "No! Use my name."

 "I love you Seolhyun!" A spike of arousal goes through her, and it all rushes to her head.

 "More, keep saying it, please!"

 You hug her close, repeating the phrase over and over as Seolhyun rides you more wildly. She begins to murmur her own phrase in return.

 "Cum for me, I love you, please cum for me..." Seolhyun's mind is spinning, but she's waiting for you to send her careening off the edge. Her walls clenches around you in time with your throbbing, and it gets faster and faster until you moan softly into her ear, and your hot load all inside her triggers her own climax. Her vision goes white just as her pussy does, and she doesn't hear her own wail of "I love you!" She clings to you hungrily, eager to milk your every drop. Seolhyun purrs happily into your neck as she comes down from her high, and she doesn't see your furrowed brow.

 "I think we will have to stop this relationship, Miss Kim." Your words hit her like a ton of bricks, and her mood sinks to the bottom of the harbor like you've tied them to her heart. Miss Kim? She has to find a chair to steady herself against.

 "What? Why?"

 "I get the impression that you have grown... attached to me, independent of my services. While I do appreciate it as it shows my good work, I believe it is unhealthy to you for us to continue." You finish getting dressed, and you make for the door.

 "W-What, why does that matter? If, if someone's addicted to your cock you're going to cut them off? I'll keep paying you!"

 "You wanted me to say I love you, you said you loved me when you came, that's not just addiction, that's obsession. You don't know me outside of these sessions." Your grip tightens on the handle.

 "So what? I'm sure you're a nice guy! Wait, is this because you have a girlfriend?" That has to be it, right? Seolhyun thinks to herself, trying to reason her way out of it.

 "No, this job doesn't allow me to have a girlfriend."

 "I-I'll be your girlfriend then! We're compatible in the bedroom, that's a start right?" Seolhyun blushes as she says it—she can't believe she's just throwing herself at you, and yet... she really wanted you!

 "I'm physically compatible with everyone, it's my job to be," you state witheringly, does she not get it?

 "Fine, either way I don't mind your job."

 "Many have said that, it doesn't last beyond the first time I have to cancel or reschedule a date because of a job."

 "I don't care!"

 "You do, you just don't know it yet." You were done with this conversation. "You are not the first one to feel like this Miss Kim, and I believe this is for the best. I'm a professional fucker, you pay me to fuck, not to be your boyfriend. There are other options if you want that instead, on a dating app, for a start." You push on the handle.

 "Wait, how do you know how I feel? I don't actually like you, that's just part of the roleplay!"

 "It didn't sound like it."

 "What if I say you're wrong?"

 "In my experience I don't think so."

 "Oh, so now you're a professional at reading emotions, you can tell what I was feeling? I thought you were just a professional fucker." Seolhyun fires back with as much disdain as she could, and you don't have a good answer to that—your other customers would accept your explanation, and you would leave before they could protest otherwise.

 "I... That's fair."

 "Hah! What if we continue, and if I do anything of that sort again on a session you can stop, and I won't fight it." You ponder for a moment before sighing in defeat.

 "Okay, I'll hold you to that Miss Kim."

 "Deal, and can't you at least call me Seolhyun? Miss Kim sounds so cold." Seolhyun turns up the charm and aegyo now that she's got her way.

 "Of course, my apologies, I'll see you next time then Seolhyun." She lets you out, resisting the urge to give you a goodbye kiss. Now her mind is spinning for a whole different reason—how could she make you see her way, or could she make you fall in love with her? In the meantime she just needed to keep her feelings hidden, even as you would be fucking her, making her climax. It is a tough ask, but eventually Seolhyun arrives at a simple conclusion—she just had to cum hard enough to not even be able to talk, and you would never find out.

*Session #: 11*

*Location: Love hotel*

*Time: Friday at 10 pm*

*Duration: 3 hours*

*Request: Pet play*

*Price: 400,000 Won*

*Clarification: Who is playing the pet?*

*Response: Seolhyun*

 You arrive at the chosen love hotel—Seolhyun had picked well, a high-end one that you're not unfamiliar with. You go to the room directly and knock.

 "Come in!" This time you're surprised to see Seolhyun all dressed up and ready to go—a frilly purple outfit contrasting the cute little cat ears on top.

 "You're early," you comment, surprised and impressed at her readiness.

 "No, I just made sure you came by later."

 "I appreciate it. Looks like you prepared for this?"

 "Yes, I just... need you to put this on for me." Seolhyun blushes as you disappear behind her, a gentle hand brushing her hair aside. A shiver runs through her as you stroke down her neck, admiring her smooth skin. Seolhyun tenses and holds her breath as you bring the leather collar around her neck, fastening it just tight enough and letting it jingle as you release it.

 "Thank you... Master."

 "Of course, my lovely pet. I'm thirsty, could you get me water?" Seolhyun immediately obeys, pouring a glass for you and handing it to you. She freezes as you stare through her. "Kneel." She drops to her knees, presenting the glass to you subserviently.

 "Here master."

 "Thank you, good kitten." You rub her fake ears first, before petting her head and running your finger along her real ear. Seolhyun gasps and moans at the firm pressure on her lobe—why does even that feel good with you? You finish the glass of water and hand her the empty glass, and Seolhyun learns quickly—she places the glass on the table before returning to your side, kneeling and awaiting your next order. You hold out a hand.

 "Hand." She looks at you questioningly, and you repeat the motion.

 "Paw." Seolhyun gets it this time, placing a hand in yours. You run a thumb over the back of her hand, and you rub her cheek, as if rewarding her. She leans into your touch, nuzzling the hand on her face.

 "Breast." Seolhyun blushes, but obediently she shuffles closer to you, placing a tit on your hand. Softly she moans as you squeeze one breast, and then the other as you order her to place it in your hand. You rub her head, lightly scratching the top of her scalp, and a numbing, fuzzy, feeling goes straight to Seolhyun's core, spiking her arousal—she didn't have to think, she could leave everything to you.

 "Very good kitten, no bra?"

 "No master."

 "Panties?"

 "No panties, master."

 "I will check that. Pussy!" Seolhyun stands up and spreads her legs, lowering herself on to your hand. The warm wetness of her heat dampens your palm, and her thighs shake as you rub your hand back and forth. Seolhyun moans as you feel something you were not expecting, and her eyes falter at your gaze, but you'll pursue that later. "Very good, my pet."

 "Thank you master."

 "Take off my clothes, pet." Seolhyun hurries to comply, two hands urgently unbuttoning your shirt, biting her lip as she strips you. "Use your mouth for my boxers." You hold the band of your underwear for her, and obediently she takes it between her teeth. As she pulls it down your erection pops free—her eyes widen in surprise, and it knocks her in the cheek, but she doesn't let go, and successfully she leaves you naked. Without asking she takes you in her mouth, and Seolhyun yelps as you pull her back firmly.

 "You're a cat, cats don't suck, they lick."

 "Of course, I'm so sorry master."

 "Get to it!" She starts off tentatively, holding your cock in her hands and licking the head, gauging your reaction. You reward her with a scritch on the head, and Seolhyun gets more into it, eventually manipulating your shaft as needed, eager to get her saliva on every inch of your cock. She licks you from base to tip, and you smear her face all over with her own drool. She cups your balls, and with your signal she starts licking them too, grooming them like a good kitten would.

 "Take off your top and use your tits." Seolhyun throws away her top in a flash, and soon your shaft is trapped in her cleavage, her hands squeezing her breasts together and moving up and down.

 "Like this master?"

 "Yes, very good, good kitten, go faster." The drool on your shaft gives her chest a nice sheen, and as she moves faster in the growingly warm hotel room Seolhyun's sweat adds to the erotic view. Without warning you cum, spurting your load over her face and neck. Seolhyun gasps, and some of it enters her mouth too—it just makes her wetter down below.

 "Was that good master?"

 "Mmhmm, but you look like a mess, clean yourself!"

 "I'm sorry master!" Seolhyun searches for tissues, but you grab her offending hand and stop her.

 "How does a kitten clean herself?" she hesitates for a moment before wiping the cum off with her hand. Tentatively she then licks your cum clean from her own hand, and with an approving nod she repeats the action several times as your load is mostly wiped from her face.

 "Good cat." You gather the little bit she has missed on a finger and hold it out—Seolhyun licks it clean greedily. Her head is fuzzy with arousal, and her now free hands drift between her legs, lightly rubbing herself—she whimpers, and a little bit of slick drips from her fingers on to the floor. It doesn't go unnoticed.

 "Does my little kitten need to get off?"

 "Yes, please master!"

 "You've been a good pet, take off your skirt." Seolhyun stands up and slides them down her long legs, and as she kicks them aside shakily you see something that confirms your suspicions. "Turn around pet." Seolhyun blushes and turns around, revealing the little furry tail she had on her.

 "I didn't know my pet had such a nice tail." You tease her with the double entendre, slapping her ass and sending a jolt of pleasure through the butt plug.

 "Ah! Thank you master."

 "Hold still." Seolhyun hands turn into fists as you play with the tail, gently stroking it like you would a cat's tail. This is her first time with a plug, and she squirms at the foreign but pleasurable sensation.

 "Mmm!" She clenches around the toy as you pull harder, as if trying to yank the tail off, but at the last moment you push it back in, and Seolhyun can't help but let out a loud moan. A string of juice falls from her slick slit, pooling on the floor under her. Her thighs jiggle and quiver as you repeat the motion, and Seolhyun feels her legs go weak—she's dangerously close to cumming from anal stimulation alone, something she never knew about herself until now, something she never even considered until you touched her ass last time.

 "P-Please master, I'm going to cum."

 "I didn't give you permission to. In my lap pet." Seolhyun straddles you, kneeling on the bed as her arms wrap around your neck intimately—until she remembers the conditions of your deal, and she settles for placing her hands on your shoulders instead. "Don't cum until I tell you to."

 The next few minutes are delicious torture for Seolhyun. Your hands draw circles on her smooth cheeks, and each squeeze of her ass just makes the plug shift inside her. She braces for the pleasure as you lean in to suck on her breasts once more, but that brace is broken as you slap her butt sharply.

 "Ahh! M-Master!" Her ass ripples against your hand as you plant it on her ass with a hearty spank.

 "Hold it."

 "I-I can't, I can't!" There is a buzzing in Seolhyun's ears, the pleasure making her unable to hear your commands, drowned out in delicious white noise. You're kneading her ass now, making the plug sink into her with the repeated motions. A sharp tug on her hair brings her back around, punishment for getting close to orgasm. I'm so close! She tries to search for your eyes, wanting to plead her case. But her vision is going black, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as you tug at the plug directly, pulling it almost all the way out before pushing it back in quickly, fucking her ass with it. Seolhyun orgasms before she even knows what happened, and she collapses on top of you, wailing out her pleasure directly into your ear.

 "You failed." Your stern voice adds an additional aftershock of pleasure to Seolhyun as she pants in your lap.

 "N-No master, I didn't cum."

 "You lie, your juice on my cock says otherwise." Seolhyun looks down, and your cock is newly erect, covered in a shiny coating of slick. Fuck, you had made her squirt again, and judging by the spray on her own thighs, it wasn't a weak one either.

 "I'm sorry master."

 "Words are cheap, on all fours." Weakly Seolhyun scrambles to obey, getting off you and on to the bed. "Head down, spread yourself." Without thinking she follows your demand, gasping as she spreads her own cheeks—the plug has sunk deeper into her. Randomly she thinks about her being an idol—she's done similar moves in the past as "choreo", but never like this! How many of her "fans" would pay to see her in this position? Yet here she is, freely spreading her own lips for you—a heavy drop of her juice leaves her pussy and soaks onto the bedsheet. Her fingers are pushed slightly further apart as you place your bulbous head at her entrance.

 "Show me how sorry you are, kitten." Seolhyun curves her back and moans as she forces herself on to you, pushing herself backwards on your cock. You stay still, and when Seolhyun hilts you inside her she moves forward slowly, exquisitely feeling your head drag across her walls. She seizes up for a moment when you come into contact with her g-spot, and she immediately chases that pleasure again, making small jerks back and forth, desiring maximum friction. Enraptured, you watch Seolhyun start to fuck herself in front of you, her back flexing, her thighs and ass jiggling, tail bouncing up and down as she rocks herself against you. She begins to lose control, her slick streaming off your shaft.

 "Faster." Small whimpers escape her as she does her best to please you, pushing back faster, escalating her own pleasure too.

 "M-Master!" You sense Seolhyun's struggling obedience, her walls beginning to contract around you.

 "Harder!" you order her, pulling on her hair sharply. Seolhyun shouts, the pain bringing her back a little. It does send a thrill through her still, and you merely raise her threshold for pleasure, making sure she’ll be even more of a mess when she cums. You throw your hips forward once, and Seolhyun moans loudly in surprise before pushing herself back on your cock. Her body is fully engaged, eager to follow your instructions and fuck herself silly. Her back, toned from hours of bouldering, glimmers with sweat, and Seolhyun's groaning and grunting with exertion, balancing between exhaustion and exhilaration. Even with her maximum effort it is not quite enough, and Seolhyun turns back to you, gritting her teeth as she tries to slam herself back on you harder and faster.

 "Please master..." You reward her with your own efforts—the smacks between your bodies get louder and louder as you finally get into it, shoving your hips in rhythm with Seolhyun. The groans turn into moans as she let's herself get pushed into the bed, doing her best to bounce back against you, your bodies working in natural carnal harmony. You push against her tail plug with every thrust, and Seolhyun's moans get longer and louder at the double penetration sensation. I'm so close, please master! Unable to put her plea into words, her eyes search frantically for yours, begging for your permission with heavy desire. You nod and grab her tail, pushing it deep into her as it accompanies your thrust.

 "Gah!" Seolhyun's eyes widen, her pupils unfocused. She pants, her breath quickening immediately. You grind your cock and twist the plug inside her, and the friction sets off a blaze.

 "Fuck meeeee!" She shoves her face into the bed and screams, pushing her ass higher up in the air as she is consumed by ecstasy. She twitches and jerks underneath you, each motion an additional spark of pleasure spreading like wildfire through her nerves. Seolhyun goes weak and collapses on the bed—she can only manage a whimper when her pussy suddenly feels empty, and her low moan accompanies yours as hot cum lands on her body, covering her butt and lower back. She winces and grips the sheets as you slowly pull the tail out—everything is suddenly too much!

 "N-No more!"

 "You did good pet." You take her collar, unclasping it and removing it from her neck. You blow and kiss the area around it. "We're done Seolhyun."

 "P-Please hold me. I need you to hold me." You could have considered that a dealbreaker, and you almost turn down Seolhyun's request there and then, but it seemed like she needed aftercare more than anything. So you cuddle her, letting her nestle in your chest as you settle into the bed. "Tissue please." You reach for them, and you wipe her sweat off as Seolhyun does the same on her lower back, getting rid of your load.

 "Too intense?" you ask as she lay against you. For feedback, you tell yourself.

 "No, that was perfect. How much time do we have left?" Fifteen minutes, as it turns out. "Do you want to umm, shower together? It'll save time that way." She follows up hastily. You agree, and Seolhyun is nothing but polite as she lets the water and soap run over her before standing to the side and letting you do the same. In fact, you are the one who has to hold it together, your gaze lingering on her nude body more than befitting a "professional" like yourself.

 "Thanks again, I'll send the payment shortly." Seolhyun says quietly, bidding you goodbye with a slight bow.

*Session #: 15*

*Location: Seolhyun's place*

*Time: Sunday at 3 pm*

*Duration: 2 hours*

*Request: Do whatever you want*

*Price: 100,000 Won*

 "Why is it so cheap this time?" Seolhyun asks as she lets you in. You scratch your head, a little embarrassed.

 "It's just an informal thing, but I discount the price if I get to do what I want. Obviously I want to satisfy my customer first, so I don't want to “pressure” them with a cheaper option."

 "I mean, if you just ask to do it for free I think you'll get a lot of takers." Seolhyun laughs, and you hold your hands out as if to say "you got me".

 "Yes but I don't make money then."

 "I better be getting my money's worth then," she teases. She immediately regrets her words when she's suddenly face-to-face with you.

 "You will." You wrap your arm around her waist, and Seolhyun has to look away, the blush rising to her cheeks—she can keep her words to herself, but her body will betray her feelings at the first time of asking. She melts into your arms as you lean in to kiss her, and a new thrill goes straight from your lips to her pussy—the thrill of intimacy.

 "Close your eyes." Seolhyun's heart flutters just as much as her eyes do. She lets herself be carried to bed, and her heart is now thumping as you wrap a piece of cloth over her eyes. "I want you to just feel me, okay?" She nods automatically without question, and her world immediately shrinks to zero as you place ear plugs in her ear. Blinded and deafened, Seolhyun reacts to the lack of stimulation quickly, her breaths hastening, chest heaving. The sheets suddenly felt rough underneath her—I need a higher thread count! her mind thinks, before jumping to something else, a slight wind she feels on the hairs of her skin, is that you moving? Or no, the bed's sinking a little by her feet, that’s you. Her hair rustles against the pillow, she can hear it in her head—she showered in the morning, she should have showered right before you came, why didn't she—

 Devoid of stimuli and left to her own devices Seolhyun's mind runs a million miles an hour, bouncing between her sense of touch and her "sensible" thoughts. She's yanked out of all that with a single domineering touch, of your finger on her cheek. One finger becomes two, then three, then a whole palm, and Seolhyun nuzzles your cheek once more, like a cat eager for attention, like a human eager for sensation. On her other cheek Seolhyun moans at your lips on her skin, and hurriedly she turns to face you.

 "Please!" She can barely hear herself, but you hear Seolhyun's plea loud and clear. Her limbs wrap around you needily just like her tongue does, eager for the human connection.

 Oh my god, I need you, I need you so much! The thought dominates her desires, all she can feel is you, all she wants is you! She squirms on the bed, eager to sense more of you. Seolhyun's too caught up in her own head to realize it, but she's humping herself up at you, her body eager for touch in her most sensitive of areas. A bolt launches through her as you rub a thigh between her legs, and Seolhyun groans and starts humping you quicker and harder.

 "I'M CUMMING ALREADY OH MY GOD I'M CUMMING!" Seolhyun thinks she's intimately grinding on you, whispering and whimpering, but no, she doesn't notice her vocal cords straining as she screams into your ear. All she's focused on is the brilliant enhanced pleasure going straight to her sensory-deprived brain. You force yourself on her lips, to save both your ears and her voice, and Seolhyun shudders violently beneath you. She chases more pleasure, continuing to hump your thigh—one, two, five orgasms fly through her as she loses track of herself. Seolhyun would grind on your thigh indefinitely if you don't pull it away, and even when you do, her body resigns itself to orgasm until the sensations die down.

  When it ends Seolhyun flops limply on the bed, the orgasms wiping out her thought process completely. One by one by one her senses slowly reboot. Her touch comes back first—she notices the fabric of her own clothing, why does it feel so heavy? Seolhyun feels you pressed on top of her, and she clings to you once more, her anchor on the world right now. Then her sense of smell returns, and as she sniffs she starts squirming again—her body recognizes the scent of pure arousal and lust, both from herself and you. Finally her sense of tastes comes barging back in—your tongue tastes salty and sweet and sinful and heavenly, and she can't get enough of it!

 Watching Seolhyun lose herself turned you on more than she knew, and your urgent hands quickly remove her sweat and juice soaked clothes. Seolhyun begins to quiver again as you pull away from her, both to remove your own clothes and to admire her body. Her skin is flushed red, a sheen of sweat evidence of her own exertions earlier. Her fingers and toes are still curled— she's forgotten to uncurl them, and her body hasn't gotten to relaxing those muscles yet. Her nipples are stiff, her lower lips are puffy, her clit is engorged—Seolhyun has never been more ready for sex.

 Seolhyun moans loudly as she feels you skin-to-skin, and she grinds out a scream as you immediately push yourself into her. Suddenly all she can feel is your throbbing cock inside her, urging her to open up. Slowly but surely you part Seolhyun's walls, and in her tense and sensitive state she's drooling and gasping and whining. There is no empty space in her body, and to Seolhyun you feel bigger than ever, as if you would rip her in two if you were any larger. But no, you are just big enough, and Seolhyun's breath catches as her clit hits the base of your shaft—you've devoured Seolhyun with your cock. You try to give her time to adjust, hoping that she would relax a little, but the tightness doesn't go away. Just the act of breathing is giving Seolhyun pleasure, the small movements of your bodies enough to keep her on edge.

 You also can't wait any longer.

 You start fucking Seolhyun with slow strokes, not wanting to hurt her, but she's so turned on she only knows how to feel pleasure. Her walls are completely covered in slick, and soon they are covered in precum as well as you glide in and out of her rapidly. No matter how much she tightens up or contracts in orgasm, you're able to bury yourself inside her completely, her body fully receptive to yours. You explode inside her, filling her with your load, but she's so tight around you, you might as well still be erect when you come down from your peak. 

 So you do the only thing your body knows how to do right now—keep going, keep pounding into Seolhyun, half-erect, fully erect, whatever. However you want to fuck Seolhyun, she's ready to be fucked. Soon you and Seolhyun lose track of everything. 

 “So big, ahh!”

“No, don’t stop, why did you— Ohh you’re cumming, oh fuck I’m gonna cum too...”

“I can’t— nngh making me cum!”

 Her world dissolves into one climax after another, with the occasional burst of heat that makes her twist and cry out even louder—she has no idea what it is, it doesn’t even register that you are filling her with cum over and over, but it satisfies her even more all the same.

 “So fucking tight Seolhyun!”

“Ugh I’m hard again...”

“Cumming in you... argh!”

 The duration of two hours is long over, but you're still pounding into Seolhyun, still pushing her over the infinite edges of pleasure and following her over shortly. You don't even know if you're still actually producing semen, but it didn't matter, you still felt pleasure, and so you still fuck Seolhyun. The earplugs and blindfold has fallen off at some point, but neither of you even notice it—it didn't matter anymore. Who cares for senses when you're chasing yet another incredible high?

 At some indeterminate point your body simply stops working, and you collapse on top of Seolhyun. The end to the "festivities" comes to a close, and Seolhyun finally relaxes, releasing her limbs from your body and your cock from her pussy.

 "I, can't, move..." she gasps, the soreness and strain from being tense for so long catching up to her. She doesn't even realize she can hear herself clearly.

 "Me neither..." Seolhyun tenses painfully again as she realizes she can hear you clearly, and carefully she tries to open her eyes—she wasn't blindfolded!

 "I can see!"

 "You can? Oh, the blindfold probably fell off sometime." You try to push yourself up and off Seolhyun, but even that proves too much for your body at the moment. "You're stuck with me for a while, I really can't move."

 "I don't mind... That was a lot, but wow." Seolhyun's comment hangs in the air, and she blushes at your silence. "Wow in an amazing way, not in a 'I can't believe that's your kink' way."

 "Sorry, I just wanted you to cum as hard and as much as possible, and that is one way to do it."

 "What? Why? I wanted you to do what you want."

 "That is what I want, it gets me off when you completely lose it, no need to think about roleplay or fulfilling requests, just pure desire and hunger." Seolhyun blushes deeper as pieces come back to memory—she doesn't remember much of what happened, just that she wanted to cum, that she couldn't stop cumming, and that she didn't want to stop, and that's exactly what she let herself do.

 "Did I do anything embarrassing, it was all a blur." Seolhyun's just praying she didn't say anything that would break the deal.

 "No, you were fucking hot, I lost control of myself as well. Normally we wouldn't end up like this, I'm sorry, it won't happen again." Seolhyun raises her hands to your face, helping you turn to face her. She doesn't look unhappy or annoyed, if anything she seemed to be glowing.

 "No, I'm glad it happened, you got to do what you really wanted."

 "Right, thanks, I guess." You do your best to remain professional.

 "Good, now hold me for a little bit more." You're too weak to say no. When you finally manage the strength to roll off her the two of you survey the "damage"—you're both drenched in sweat, your cock is sore, and Seolhyun is absolutely overflowing with cum.

 "Fuck I'm so sore too." She winces as she puts a finger in herself, and your load covers her finger quickly. "How much did you put in me..." You hand her tissues as an apology, and she cleans up the mess between her legs somewhat. Even when she stands up you see rivulets of your load leaking out of her.

 "It's safe, I take precautions on my end," you remind her lamely, as a reassurance more than anything.

 "I know, it's a safe day for me too, just a lot to deal with."

 "Right." You watch her hurry to the bathroom, and decide it is time to leave her be. The clock confirms it—you've been with Seolhyun for well over two hours.

 "I should go, it's very late."

 "You should at least shower, we smell like... well, sex." You open your mouth to refuse, but Seolhyun's look insists that you do. You let her shower first, trying to come up with other reasons on why you should leave now, but as soon as she exits the bathroom she's shoving a towel into your hands and pushing you in. You come out much more refreshed, and you bow to her after getting dressed, slightly abashed.

 "We definitely went over time and I apologize for that, I lost track of time. I don't need payment for tonight."

 "So tonight doesn't count as a session?" Seolhyun asks, spotting a loophole for herself.

 "Yes, if you've already sent me payment I'll consider it credit for next time."

 "Got it, well then." You freeze as Seolhyun hugs you tightly from behind. "I really do like you, you know?"

 "We've been over this, we'll have to stop—"

 "No we don't, this wasn't a session, you said it yourself."

 "I mean— Fine, you got me, but I will reiterate, you don't know me, and I don't know you."

 "Yes I do, and you know me too, so what if we met as part of your job! What do I have to do to convince you? To at least try to see me as a potential girlfriend now?"

 You frown and rub your head, now Seolhyun is giving you a headache. This is not how you wanted things to go, and she's even more attached to you now.

 "I don't know, prove to me that you see me as more than a good fuck. I don't know how you would, because frankly, I haven't seen anything from anyone in my job that could make me think like that, but that's what I need to see you as more than another customer."

 Your words cut deep into Seolhyun, and she sniffles behind you.  "That's all I am to you, after all these sessions, all the time we spent?"  Maybe a clean cut is the only way to go.

 "That is correct, you pay me to fuck you at these sessions, and I do it, that's all."

 "You didn't feel anything with me just now? You said you lost it yourself!"

 "You said it didn't count as a session, so no." Seolhyun feels her heart crack, her own words turned against her—why did she think this was a good idea in the first place?

 "You're a fucking cold bastard, you know that right?" Now it is her turn to retaliate, and you resist the urge to push her away angrily. You settle for firmly prying her fingers off you, distancing yourself from her.

 "That’s right, I am. I... have to be, I'm sorry Miss Kim, good bye." You walk out the door and close it with finality—you did not expect to see her again.

 Angry and heartbroken Seolhyun stares at her phone, trying to drill a hole through it with her gaze. Her head tries to come up with a way to prove herself to you; her heart makes her finger twitch, urging her to just delete your number once and for all; her pussy tries to find a way to undo everything, so that you’d at least keep her on as a customer and give her physical satisfaction. One body part wins out in the end.

 Weeks later, you receive a message from an unexpected number, one you had yet to delete.

  *Session #: 1*

*Location: Cafe of your choice*

*Time: Saturday at 2 pm*

*Duration: However long you want*

*Request: Just want to get to know you, no sex*

 You ponder Seolhyun’s request and sigh.

  *I have an appointment with another customer then, so I'm afraid that time won't work*

 It was a white lie, but you had to test her, had to know she can at least handle the thought before you open up to her.

  *That's fine, what about Sunday at the same time*

 You release the breath you were holding, smile and text back.

  *Price: 0, my treat*

 A/N: Somehow in a story full of gratuitous smut I still manage to have a happy ending, argh XD Anyways, I didn’t really want to write AOA generally because their whole scandal was a complete mess, but everyone seems to have moved on from it by now, so... eh I dunno *shrugs* 

 I was tempted several times to just remove the “l” and make it about Seohyun, but I think ultimately Seolhyun fit the idea I had the best, so hope it works. Thanks for reading!

[bobbinalong]

So, they age down Jon Kent. And then ... what?

Jon Kent's age-up is such a controversial decision, it needs no introduction. A lot of people still desperately want it to be reversed and usually, I'm quick to judge that idea, because even when I was still all for an age-down myself, I wasn't thinking even a minute past that.

Eleven-year-old Jon Kent was adorable and bright-eyed and I missed that adorable kid but let's be very honest, there wasn't too much depth to him. He was just ... a kid. And that was his appeal to me but that's not something you can draw a million stories from, it's quite a finite well of ideas.

But ... that's my opinion. My view point is limited to myself. So, with this post, I'm genuinely asking: And then what? What could they possibly do with an aged-down Jon they couldn't do with a 17/18-year-old Jon.

Under the cut I'll be looking at some of the ideas I've seen thrown around for this age-down but you can easily ignore that, it's just me ... rambling.

Just tell me why you think Jon should be aged-down (and I promise not to be a dick in response for once), because that's what this post is for, that's what I want to know. I'm curious.

Now:

"They stole Jon's childhood. I wanted to see him grow up."

This one, I sorta understand, because this is where I was coming from. These days, I'm more ... "eh" on it. Jon still grew up. He didn't skip a couple years, he lived all that. He says it himself:

(Superman (2018) #8)

So the solution to this seems easy. Give us Superboy: The Lost Years or something along those lines. Let us see him grow up. Retcon it a little so he didn't spend the whole time in the volcano, maybe, make him have to survive on Earth-3 after escaping.

That's not the childhood the people making this point mean and I get that but it's the childhood he's got. We don't know what would've happened if Bendis hadn't come along, you might've hated that just as much.

We absolutely missed out on childhood adventures. There's nothing in the way of us still getting those; they're just gonna be a little heavier and more traumatic than Super Sons. Which brings me to my next point, actually.

"They ruined the Super Sons! Jon and Damian's age-gap is way too big now."

Jon and Damian's age-gap has always been roughly three years. It's still roughly three three years; it's just reversed now. They would've always hit an awkward point. This argument has always been very confusing to me.

"They ruined the Super Sons!" (Without mentioning the age gap.)

I don't see how, honestly. We've pretty consistently gotten Super Sons content during and after the age-up, both with ten-year-old Jon and 17-year-old Jon. They got two Maxis after Jon's age-up, they got a movie, they appear in Specials, and they're still great friends when they get to hang out at their current ages.

And then there's the current Wonder Woman backups, which frankly nail the tone of the original Super Sons run, meaning they're not for me, but like. They do exist.

So if you miss the Super Sons ... well, I think you're not looking hard enough. Because yes, they don't have an on-going anymore, but that was gonna happen, anyway, DC isn't letting anything get past 20 issues these days for some reason. Save for Poison Ivy and Batman, I guess. If DC wanted them to, they could very much still have an on-going.

"I don't want them to de-age Jon because the Jon we've been following isn't the real Jon, anyway. I want them to bring back the real Jon."

Well, this is a conspiracy theory. And I'll be honest, I don't get this one. I don't even know where to start talking about it.

Let's assume the "real Jon" is still trapped in that volcano and he's still a child. Time has still ... passed in the DC Universe. Not as much as in ours, but he's been trapped there for, what, at least a year? So you're not even undoing anything.

This is on me for never looking for never following through on reading anyone's post who wants whatever this is to happen.

This one just seems incredibly stupid to me, I'm sorry. It's nonsense. I promised not to be a dick but it just. It just is.

You want two Jons? One of whom is ... fake? I don't get it.

So back to the beginning. They age-down Jon and then ... what? They can do all of this with current Jon just as well and probably in a more interesting way.

[dhampling]

the shepherd, the black sheep gn!reader, 2k

“Oh, come on now. It’s ok. They’ll come back, or they won’t.’ He sidles over and sits next to you. A toothy grin.  ‘It could be worse. We could be here without each other.” - a plummet into a chasm leaves you and your light-fingered friend stuck. together, you wonder if you'll ever emerge again.

word count: 2,054

as always, a big thank you to the nonnie who sent me the prompt: 'Tav/Reader & Astarion get trapped together somewhere during a mission and have to deal with the isolation and anxiety of waiting to be rescued by their other companions' - i hope i did it justice <3

-

He rolls his thumb and forefinger as he casts an absent glare into your makeshift fire. Sniffs. Whets his lips.

“Do you think they’ll come back?” He asks into the open space. 

You’re on the other side of the cavern, triple checking for access points you may have missed on your prior patrols.

It’s been a fraught few days but with the rescue of Halsin came much-needed information. A path to the heart of the Absolute. Finally your journey had a destination, and you’d started to gather momentum in knowing you had a set route to travel.

If Astarion’s revelation had only come a little later there’s no doubt your friends would be clamouring to save you both now.

He knows the camp is wary of him, even more so than before. You made clear in no uncertain terms that anyone unhappy with his vampiric presence was welcome to leave the party as soon as they pleased. He heard the rumbles, the whispers. The staunch distaste for your decision and the following questions on your capacity to make them.

The threat of a power vacuum seems only amplified by your current situation.

Lost in a deep cavern following a fall from a hefty chunk of loose rock, just the two of you. The shepherd, the black sheep. Your companions promising to return but with little by way of a plan to do so. 

It was only your decision to cast Feather Fall prior to crossing that you both survived the plummet.

He is simultaneously overwhelmed with gratitude, and furious beyond measure. 

Overwhelmed to the point of nausea. Deep, horrid nausea that seeps into his bones every time he’s conscious of it. A pounding headache, a splitting skull, a million times ‘why’; the way you reach for his hand in the darkest nights and it feels like a balm. Your neck on a platter. You listen to him and it feels as if the gods finally heard his call.

Incensed - pitifully - because he wishes with hindsight that he’d found a means to stop you casting the spell. He’d finally be dead, somewhere Cazador would never find him; and whatever tale the sordid scars on his back told would rot with him. He’d be left in peace in this cool, damp darkness and nothing would be able to mutilate any part of him again, minus the rats that’d very likely feast on his corpse.

How very funny. It almost seemed a shame to deprive himself of experiencing that one while still having a brain. The irony.

There’s peace here, in the drip-drops and the echoes. An ambience of sorts. A spacious tomb for his undead soul to frolic and haunt for all eternity. Maybe he’d set up his tent so he’d have somewhere for his ethereal spirit to lounge, put the bottles and bedrolls out. He did fall with his pack, after all. 

But you’d be dead, too.

He’d suffer the fall twice. Break his own neck, garrotte himself in unholy witness of whichever reaper came for you. Slam onto the floor of the cavern, repeatedly; until whatever remained of his mangled brain could be assured of your own safety and he could finally fucking die.

Having something to die for.

Now that’s a novel concept.

You amble your way back over to him, rubbing your forearm as you search the darkness mindlessly.

“Don’t know. They’re under no obligation to, I suppose.”

“Easy way to do away with us.” Astarion ponders.

“You might just be right.”

You sink to the floor, wrapping your arms around now-crossed legs and exhaling softly.

“Oh, come on now. It’s ok. They’ll come back, or they won’t.’

He sidles over and sits next to you. A toothy grin. 

‘It could be worse. We could be here without each other.”

When he says this, he expects you to flail your arms and chide him for his ill-timed attempt at humour. Tell him that you’d rather be here with anyone else in camp, that you hate the fact you’re so uncertain as to whether they’re coming back for you. Freak out in the way mortals often do. Reveal all those horrid little doubts over your staunch protection of him that he fears are stewing under the skin.

Instead, you meet his eyes and freely give a small smile. 

“Right again. Making a habit of this.”

“I’ll be careful darling. I wouldn’t want to set expectations now, would I?”

He can tell you’re uneasy, but he doesn’t seem to be the cause. Not remotely. If your body is anything to go by then he’s a solace here for you. 

For some reason, that suspicion makes him feel warmer. 

You look over the packs. You’re unsure how long you’ll be down here, or whether you should be preparing for the worst case scenario where food is concerned; but hunger pangs are worming their way through you already and you’re cursing the single coffee you had back at camp.

You’d like to think your new friends wouldn’t leave you here. Obviously far too optimistic a perspective for someone with a mind flayer parasite currently lodged in their head, but without hope you wager you’d very quickly become completely despondent.

In your mind, either possibility is a very real one. 

Astarion tilts his head to the side to make room for your own atop his shoulder.

The gesture surprises you in its intimacy. Not that you’ve noticed in any way aside from the purely observational, but his desire for physical contact seems relegated to that which is utterly necessary and nothing more.

The nights he has touched you have felt so.

This doesn’t feel necessary.

But it’s welcome, nonetheless.

“What can I do, my sweet? How can we make - this - easier.” He poses with a hint of a playful tone.

“I hope you’re not suggesting what I think you are, Astarion.”

He shakes his head and smiles with mirth.

“No, no. Not unless that was a proposition on your part?”

He turns and looks down at you softly.

“Maybe later. I’m just cold.” You speak with little conviction.

No emotion, just absence. He wonders if you’re actually considering letting him warm you through. A service he finds himself surprisingly willing to offer, wanting to even; his brain struggling to consider it a service when he’d derive such genuine pleasure from burying his icy fingers deep into the valleys of your warm flesh, head reverently planting kisses on your heated belly; holding your blazing torso against his. Tarse twitches. 

Astarion hums.

“I could try to make you something, if you like?”

You scoff, a slight smile returning to your cheeks.

“Thank you, but I’ll decline. Tell me when the last time you cooked was again?”

He errs a little, wobbling his head and gesticulating softly.

“Details, darling, details.”

You both sit in silence for a few moments, undoubtedly thinking the same things. Mulling over the choices that led you here. There’s a fondness, though. A lack of regret. What will be, will be. 

“Was there wine in your pack?” You break the silence. 

His head perks up.

“Fancy a lock-in?” He grins cattishly. 

For the first time since your fall, you smile completely uninhibited.

“Gods, I think so. Not much else to be done, is there?”

-

It’s cosy. 

Inside Astarion’s tent are both bedrolls, plus whatever cushions and blankets you could find within your bags of holding; and copious bottles of wine plucked unceremoniously from the stockpile before heading out.

“I didn’t know if they’d take it as an opportunity to mutiny. Cast me aside, leave me to die. I had to take some of the good stuff with me just in case.” He grins.

“I can’t believe I’m so glad to find out you’ve been stealing from the group’s resources.” You lean back, enjoying the warmth of the fire on your icy flesh.

He scoffs.

“What?! It’s hardly an ongoing pursuit.’

He sips. Lowers his voice.

‘I don’t particularly want to give them more of a reason to stake me.” 

Hearing his resigned tone makes your heart ache a little.

“They’d have to stake me too. I’d move too fast for that, obviously.” You mimic quick gestures with your hands, monk-style. He splutters on his wine. 

“What on earth was that?”

“A demonstration of my battle prowess?”

You chop again with your hands, moving quicker as he folds with laughter.

“The focus in your eyes, darling. It’s remarkable.” He breathes heavily.

“Obviously? I’m ensuring they can’t stake either of us?” 

You commit to the bit, chopping in the space all around you until your companion has tears in his eyes and is gasping for unnecessary breath.

“Thank gods I have a hero like you to protect me, hm? My knight in shining armour.” He practically purrs, wiping the tears and resting on his elbow.

“Just be thankful you’re not the one who has to fight against these hands.” You shake your head and dust them off with exaggerated finesse. 

“I’d feel sorry for the poor bastard who does.”

He likes how absolutely ridiculous you are at this moment. It’s sobering. Two hundred years and he hasn’t seen someone with quite the ability to create a levity like you just brought to the situation.

Your devotion - though used in jest - doesn’t pass him by unnoticed, either.

A beat of silence.

You pour another big goblet of wine and stare into the abyss.

“What if we are just stuck down here?”

He ruminates, running his tongue over his teeth.

“Then we have three options.’

He looks at you.

‘One. We find a way to climb that crag right to the very top.’

You both look up to where he points. Above you, minus some jutting rock, is a chasm as wide as the sky.

‘Two. We repopulate down here somehow and create our very own race of awfully mutilated creatures to fool the gang into thinking it’s someone else they lost down here. We can’t replicate Gale exactly, obviously, but I think they’ll begin to look similar after a couple generations of natural inbreeding.’

You pull a face and shiver. He shrugs.

“Three. We get cosy, and go out happy. There’s nothing we can do from here.”

Astarion lifts his chalice in a moribund toast, gesturing for yours to meet him in the air.

“I’m grateful you’re here.” Your cup clinks against his.

A moment’s silence. 

“I’m grateful it’s you.”

He looks at you once more. 

He could’ve been down here with anyone. Most of them would have staked him immediately. Said the Feather Fall had worn off, that nothing could be done. He’d have been left here, dead, with nobody to remember the only weeks of freedom belonging to him in the last two hundred years of his miserable existence.

But there’s you. There’s always you.

He wonders how you would react. Whether you’d shrug and remain stoic, returning back to the wants of the masses, just another fallen body. Throw some nightshade into the abyss in memory and move on.

Of course you wouldn’t.

“I don’t regret it, you know.” You speak as you sip, still looking up into the cavern’s sky.

“I- Thank you.’

You sit in silence for a few minutes, the drip-drops of the cavern a calm backdrop.

‘Between friends - you’re a little in love with me, aren’t you?”

You swallow a gulp of wine and wobble your head. Gesture lazily into the air around you.

“Not yet, no.”

He moves to object, but is caught mid-breath. 

“We’re doomed anyway. What if I said it? Those three little words?”

You laugh and sip again.

“What the hells. I’d say it back. Hope we live long enough to see it play out.”

Astarion looks at you fondly. There’s a genuine reverence in his eyes, soft and considered; and for the first time you see no barriers. If there’s a future in which the two of you don’t starve to death then he sees you there aside him.

“I love you.”

You bring his palm to your cheek and hold it there for a moment, closing your eyes and nuzzling against it.

“I love you, too.”

He swills the last of his current chalice in his mouth and swallows, bringing your hand to his lips and kissing it reverently.

“Now we drink, and we wait.”

-