#with their own local ways of speaking started pouring in.

[tovaicas]

squenix tell me abt the linguistic evolution in ishgard following the calamity once everyone who lived out in the coerthan countryside before the climate went fuck you actually and were like, minor satellite noble houses and levy soldiers and farmers who couldn't afford to live inside a warded holy city with houses made of stone, a non-flammable material, suddenly had to drop everything and run for their lives and squeeze into a vertically built city with extremely limited available space for housing considering coerthas is Large and ishgardian is definitely one of those language groups that changes accent and dialect every village

[pedriscroquettes]

The thought I can NEVER get out of my head for academic rivals is when both of them end up putting their brilliant minds together to solve one thing can we get that w academic rivals gavi plsplspls 😭

here you go anon bae <3

warnings. business class mentions & suggestive content 18+

a/n. literally went through the depths of pinterest to find pictures of gavi in this specific suit. spain needs to bring these suits back idk.

lightly tapping your pen against your lips you kept analyzing the last question on your presentation. while gavi flipped through his many notes trying to find any piece of information that could back up his claim. the two of you had never been paired up for a project before so the newfound territory was not helping either of you. in retrospect the question was quite simple all the two of you had to do was pick the best business offer of the three given to you.

“it’s the third option-” gavi starts

“what? no it’s not.” you scoff. “if our business chose that offer we’d lose more than twenty percent of our ownership.”

“okay, yeah but they’re giving us over a half a million euros plus additional funding for marketing purposes. it’s a really good deal if you think about it.” he stands up from your desk making his way towards your bed.

“not when our company has already made over five million in sales in just one year. we’re fine in the marketing department. yes, we need the money but we also shouldn’t be giving up such a high stake of our company. it’s too risky.” you try to reason as he stares up at you. the red tie from your school uniform making his brown eyes pop out.

“okay fine. which option do you find more appealing then?” he grabs his pen pointing it at you. “and it better not be the first option.”

“well obviously not. it’s clearly the second option. we’re only giving up ten percent of the company and they’re giving us over three-hundred thousand euros which is more than what we need to expand our warehouses. not to mention they’ve also helped thousands of other local companies become big names around the country. it’s the smart choice.” you type down your reasoning as you explain it.

“you know…” he leans over you carefully removing your laptop from your lap. “you get ten times more attractive when you do that.”

“do what?” you look up at him and notice his smirk.

“when you take your work all seriously like that. our company isn’t even real.” he teases you. “it’s so hot.”

you barely have time to react before his lips on yours your hands making their way towards his hair like second nature. his hands trails from your cheeks to your neck before making their way to your ass. you gasp into the kiss as he gropes your ass, the brunette using it as the perfect opportunity to leave a trail of kisses from your mouth to your neck.

“well one of us has to- fuck...” you can barely speak as he places kisses on your neck. “to be the smarter one out of the two.”

“oh, so now you’re the smarter one? i recall you calling me asking me for help-” he tries to tease you.

“you know now that i remember you left your stinky uniform here the other day. maybe you should go take care of that.” you push him off you. “i don’t want my room smelling like sweaty athlete.”

you walk him towards the laundry room dropping off some of your clothes as well. he watched intently as you place his clothes in the washer and carefully pour in some detergent. the act feeling too domestic. he wondered how you could possibly take care of him while you still had your own problems going on. you were too good for him.

“have you ever done it on top of the dryer?” he sneaks up on you.

“you’re disgusting pablo.” you shove him away.

“oh, come on.” he grins.

[derangedangel]

Forgive and Forget - Elijah Mikaelson

Summary: Elijah compels you to forget him then you run into him in New Orleans 

Elijah Mikaelson x Reader

Word Count: 5,331

Author’s Note: This has been in my drafts since 2020 lol. I only thought about it because I’m going to a TVD Con this month and I’m seeing Daniel Gillies again so I started re-reading Elijah fics and remembered this bad boy. Also this is my first Elijah fic! Reblogs and comments are appreciated. Dividers are from @firefly-graphics​

Elijah knew what he had to do and he hated himself for it. He always wanted to give you a choice. For you to make your own decisions. But for this, he had to take things into his own hands. 

“What’s wrong, Elijah,” you asked staring into his brown eyes instantly knowing something wasn’t right. You reached up, running your hands through his hair.

“I- I’m sorry,” he replied, his eyes glossing over with unshed tears.

You shook your head confused. “Sorry about what?”

Elijah’s eyes dilated before he spoke. “You are going to forget me.”

“No,” you said in disbelief as you shook your head. “No, Elijah, don’t do this.”

Elijah ignored your pleas and held your head firmly in his hands so you couldn’t look away. “You will have no memory of us, or the times we have shared. You won’t remember that vampires exist, or who Elijah Mikaleson is.” He paused as he stared into your eyes slowly forgetting your whole relationship with him. “You will make new friends, and find love.” 

Elijah constantly thought of you. Even now in New Orleans while Klaus was plotting against the witches, he wondered how you were doing. After he compelled you to forget him, he would occasionally check on you. One day he went back to the town you lived in and you were gone. No trace of where you went. He thought it was for the best. It felt like torture every time he went back and wasn’t able to speak to you. Plus with Klaus regularly making a new enemy, he didn’t need anyone finding out about you and using you against him. 

New Orleans was packed for Mardi Gras. Tourist and locals made there way through the streets and Elijah was over it. All he wanted to do was was go home, but he had to keep an eye out on the witches. He made his way down Bourbon to check on one of the voodoo shops. That’s when he saw you... well he thinks it’s you. Although it had only been a few years and it could have very well been you, he was in denial. New Orleans was a popular vacation destination, especially during Mardi Gras, but for some reason he felt like he saw a ghost.

Elijah quickly changed course and followed the person he thought was you. Of all the bars you could have went into, you choose Rousseau’s. He followed the back of your head and the small group of women you were with. Weaving in and out of people you found a table and he finally caught a glimpse of your profile. Elijah’s breath hitched and he felt as the whole bar went silent. It was you. 

You were just as beautiful as ever. Besides your hair being slightly different, you looked exactly as you did the day he compelled you. 

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” a voice said next to Elijah but he didn’t take his eyes off you.

“Good evening, Camille.”

Camille glanced at you then back at Elijah. She would have told him to just go over and talk to you, but she knew the trouble the Mikaelsons caused, and didn’t want to put a stranger through that. 

“The tourist are starting to get worried about a creepy man in a suit staring at some woman plotting on how he can kidnap her.”

Elijah finally stopped gaping at you and looked at Camille. “I just came in for a drink.”

“Mmhmm... right,” Camille said then went over to the bar to pour Elijah’s usual drink. 

Elijah sat at the bar much longer than he should have. He watched you laugh with your friends. He noticed small quirks that you used to have years ago. How you would twirl your necklace in between your fingers as you told a story. How your lips would quiver when you tried to hold in a laugh before you would burst out giggling as you tossed your head back. 

Everything was find until a man approached your table. His eyes were set on you and Elijah hated it. He wanted so badly not to listen in on your conversation. He had no right. Then he saw you get up and he just had to hear what you were saying.

“Let’s step outside.”

Elijah was on his feet in an instant. He tossed down some cash to pay for his drink and tip Camille, then he followed you outside. The streets were still crowded, but no one seemed to notice you walking the man into the alley. 

You pushed the man against the wall and a flash of excitement with a mix of nervousness grew in the man’s eyes. Elijah watched you whisper something to the man as he stepped closer. Then suddenly you turned around and shoved Elijah against the wall on the other side of the alley.

“Why are you- Elijah,” you said totally confused.

“Y/N,” Elijah said at the same time you spoke, equally as lost as you were.

“What are you...,” you said in a low voice. 

“What’s happening,” the man you were about to feed from asked. His voice shaky and scared.

You rolled your eyes then turned around to compel him.

“You will forget meeting me and this little encounter in the alley. Go back to your friends and find some other woman to flirt with.” 

You watched the man walk away, sighing before turning back towards Elijah.

“Y/N... what happened to you?”

“Isn’t it obvious,” you said shrugging. “Super speed. The ability to compel.”

Elijah huffed. “I know you’re a vampire, Y/N. But the last time I saw you, you were human and living a happy life.” 

You crossed your arms over your chest giving Elijah a slightly annoyed look. “And the last time I saw you, you compelled me to forget about you and our relationship.”

Elijah looked down, guilt filling his eyes as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “It’s not my proudest moment, but I assure you I had my reasons.”

“Please do enlighten me.”

He licked his lips before he spoke, taking time with his words. “An alley doesn’t seem like the best place to have this conversation.”

You sighed annoyed at the original. “Fine. Let me go tell my friends I’m leaving first.”

Elijah followed you back into the bar and waited for you at the door while you told your friends you were heading out early. He watched you say something to the women around the small table, then they all turned towards the door to look at him. Elijah was normally a very composed man, but seeing four sets of eyes land on him after his ex told them she was going with him to talk had him a little nervous. 

“Lead the way,” you said after you walked back to Elijah. 

The walk was awkward and quiet, neither of you wanting to speak first. You weren’t sure where he was taking you, or if he wanted to wait until you got there to talk. After a few minutes, you made it to Jackson Square. Since it was late in the evening, all the street performers were gone and the tourist with them. There were just a few people roaming the streets. Elijah walked over to a bench and you took that as your queue to sit.

“I’m not quite sure where to start,” Elijah said as he unbuttoned his suit jacket to sit down next to you.

“How about why you compelled me to forget about you... about us,” you replied, hurt dripping from your words. Although it happened years ago, and you thought you already dealt with it, seeing Elijah hurt more than you wanted to lead on.

“There’s so much you don’t know, Y/N,” Elijah said fiddling with his collar now.

“Then tell me,” you said making him make eye contact with him. “I’m not some naïve little girl. Don’t beat around the bush, just tell me.”

“Do you remember me ever speaking of my brother Niklaus?”

“Yeah, you didn’t talk much about any of your family. I could tell there was something wrong, but I didn’t want to push. You would tell me when you were ready.”

“Well, Niklaus is my half brother. His biological father was a werewolf. So while the rest of my siblings and I were vampires, he was a hybrid. But our mother hid that from him. She put a curse on him to make his werewolf side dormant. For centuries my brother tried to break the curse, but he needed the doppelganger.” 

“Doppelganger,” you asked completely confused as to what that was and why he was telling you all of this.

“A double of the woman my mother used to suppress his werewolf abilities. They are apart of the same bloodline, so her blood could be used to reverse the curse.”

“Okay... so what does this have to do with us?”

“I received word that a new doppelganger was in Mystic Falls. I needed to get to her before Klaus did because I planned to use her against my brother.”

Elijah paused for a moment giving you time to interrupt. “Use her against him? Why? That’s your brother.”

“My brother has done a lot of harm in his thousand years of living. Most to others who stood in his way, but also to our family. Because of his hybrid nature, he is able to dagger our family. He told me he through our siblings' coffins into the sea. I wanted revenge.”

“Your brother sounds like an ass,” you said. Now you were facing Elijah more on the bench. You head was propped up on your head as you leaned against the bench, with you legs curled underneath you.

Elijah chuckled under his breath. “That he is. But I knew I couldn’t seek the revenge I wanted with you in my life. Niklaus would use you against me and I could not have you be put at risk because me.”

“So you made me forget,” you said slowly gazing up at him.

“I made you forget,” Elijah said looking off into the distance. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt and loosened his tie. Although the two of you were outside, the air felt thick to him.

“Look, Elijah, I’m not trying to rekindle an old flame or anything. I just need closure. Why couldn’t you have just told me all this then? Let me remember you, or our relationship, or vampires at the least. Maybe I wouldn’t be what I am now.”

“Y/N, I know you,” Elijah said looking at you now. “You wouldn’t have accepted that it was just over. I couldn’t have you come looking for me and get pulled into my mayhem.” 

“Maybe,” you muttered. 

“Now that we’ve discussed that, can you inform me on how you-”

“Became a vampire,” you interrupted and he nodded. You sighed pulling your legs from underneath you, leaning forward onto your knees. “There was a guy. We had gone out a few times and I decided he wasn’t that great. He was possessive and spiteful. He didn’t like that I was ending things. So he forced his blood into my mouth then snapped my neck and left.”

“I am so sorry, Y/N,” Elijah said somberly. He felt like he should have been there to stop it.

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”

“Like you said, maybe if I didn’t compel you to forget about-”

“Elijah...,” you sighed closing your eyes for a moment. “You’ll drive yourself crazy wondering about the what if’s.” Neither one of you spoke for a moment, but the silence wasn’t awkward like it was before.

“You’re a thousand years old, so I don’t know if you remember what it’s like when you first turn. Everything is loud and bright. It’s all too much. Thank goodness I had Melissa, or I would have been completely lost. But after I had blood and I completed the transition, my memories started to come back. The compulsion wore off and I was so confused. At first I remembered you compelling me, then everything came back like lightening. I was a wreak. I didn’t understand why you did it. A year of my life was back and I didn’t even realize it was missing.” 

Although you tried not to, your eyes began to glaze over with tears. Elijah wanted nothing more than to comfort you in that moment. But he knew he couldn’t, because although you said it wasn’t his fault, he knew it was. 

You let out a long breath trying to compose yourself. You refused to cry. “You hurt me, Elijah. And having my emotions heightened made things so much worse.”

“Y/N, I am so sorry for the pain that I caused you. My intention was only to protect you. People tend to get hurt around me and I thought I was doing the right thing.”

You reached up, placing your hand on Elijah’s cheek, stroking his face with your thumb. “Thank you,” you said sighing. “And I know you would never intentionally hurt me.”

“I wish I could go back and do things differently,” Elijah said somberly leaning into your hand. 

You pulled you hand away and placed it on your lap. “We can’t though. I’ve learned you can’t change the pass a long time ago.” The two of you were quiet again. Both of you lost in thought of what could have been. “So... whatever happened with your brother?”

Elijah ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. “I stopped seeking my revenge once he told me he still had our siblings' coffins. I had to work with him in order to get them back.”

“And did you get them back?”

“I did. Also, my brother Niklaus is here in New Orleans.”

“So you forgave him,” you asked shocked that his brother was still in his life.

“Our relationship is complicated. I want nothing more than for my brother to return to the man he used to be. To enjoy life. Not paranoid everyone and thing is against him.”

“That’s a lot for one person to take on. You can’t be solely responsible for your brother’s redemption.”

“I am not-”

“You are, Elijah. I don’t even know the full story and I can already tell your burdening yourself with this.”

“My brother is not a burden.”

You turned your head glaring at him. “Your brother told you he through your siblings into the ocean. You planned to get revenge, but he had them all along. Then even after you got your siblings back, you’re still around him. He sounds toxic.”

“I was not there for him when he needed me when we were human. I feel responsible for his pain.”

“You can’t keep living with this guilt,” you said placing your hand on his knee. “I wish you would have felt comfortable enough to tell me this when we were dating.”

“I didn’t want to concern you with my problems.”

“We were in a relationship. We were supposed to be able to confide in each other. I would have understood.” 

There was a brief pause before Elijah spoke up. “Like you said... we can’t change the past. There’s no use in rehashing what happened.”

You nodded agreeing with your ex. “You’re right.”

You and Elijah stared at each other for a moment. The silence wasn’t awkward. There was an understanding between the two of you now.  

Elijah broke the silence first. “I suppose I should get you back to your friends.”

You sighed, breaking eye contact, “Uh, yeah. I told them I would meet them at the hotel.”

“Which hotel are you staying at,” Elijah asked as he adjusted his suit so he was pristine again. “I’ll walk you.”

“I can walk myself back to my hotel, Elijah,” you said looking up at him. “I’m a big scary vampire now. I can take care of myself.”

“You’ve always been able to take care of yourself, Y/N,” he replied. A small smile graced his lips, but it was just enough to make your heart flutter. “I would just prefer to walk you to make sure you make it back safe.”

“Still the gentleman I see,” you said beginning to walk, Elijah stepping in time with you.

“For you? Always.” He held out his arm for you to take. You looked at him hesitantly, not wanting to confuse what was going on here. Then you wrapped your arm around his and he led you to your hotel.

After the run in with your ex, your friends and you decided you would spend the day sightseeing. Hopefully, you wouldn’t run into Elijah doing the cliché touristy attractions. You ended up running into a local vampire. He was cute, so your friends said you should keep him around. You didn’t have any problems with it. He was handsome and he knew the ends and outs of New Orleans. He even told you all about a party with a fresh blood supply you could crash the next night.

Elijah was lurking on the balcony when he saw you. You were dancing with two of your friends and... Marcel. Elijah set his bourbon down while he stared at you intently. It was bad enough you were at the party his brother insisted on throwing to make the local vampires happy, but you were with Marcel, too. 

“The party seems to be going well. The vampires are more than happy and it seems a new young vampire in town has caught your eye.”

“I am just keeping an eye on everyone. The last thing we need besides the witches plotting against us, are the vampires wreaking havoc as well.”

“If you say so...,” Klaus said lingering by the stairs before he went down to the party. “But your eyes haven’t left her since you noticed her. Lying does not become you, Elijah.”

Elijah watched you for a while longer. He watched as your friends left you and Marcel alone. It mad him furious. He waited until Marcel finally left your side before he came down stairs and approached you.

“Elijah, what are you doing here,” you asked surprised. You thought the last time you saw him was going to be it for your trip, but you should have known better.

“This is my home. My brother Klaus is throwing the party.”

“Right...,” you said sighing. This was just your luck.

“Here’s your drink, Y/N,” Marcel said coming from behind you with your glass in his hand.

“Elijah,” Marcel said acknowledging the Original in the room.

“Marcel,” Elijah greeted as he placed his hand in his pocket. 

“Of course you know each other,” you mumbled under your breath but you knew they both could hear you. 

“Marcellus is an old family friend,” Elijah replied. 

“Friend is being nice,” Marcel said more to Elijah than to you. “You know Elijah,” Marcel turned to you and asked.

“He’s my ex,” you huffed out.

“Ex,” Marcel repeated questioningly. 

“It was before I was a vampire, so it feels like a lifetime ago.”

“Marcel,” a new voice who you didn’t recognize said. “I see you’re having a good time. Made a new friend as well. Enjoying the party, love?”

“I was... and who might you be?”

Elijah spoke up before the stranger could answer. “This is my brother, Niklaus.”

“My brother is being too formal,” Niklaus said with an unsettling grin. “Call me Klaus.”

“So you’re the great Klaus Mikaelson I’ve heard so much about.” You looked at him up and down. “I pictured you taller.”

“It appears you have me at a disadvantage. You seem to know about me, yet I know nothing of you,” Klaus said curiously.

You glanced at Elijah before looking back at Klaus. “I guess your brother failed to mention his ex-girlfriend was in town. I’m Y/N,” you said reaching your hand out to Klaus.

Klaus gladly accepted your hand with a surprised look on his face as he shook. “Ex-girlfriend? Must have slipped my dear brother’s mind.”

“Must have,” you smirked.

“Well, now that we’ve all become acquainted, I should get Y/N back over to her friends,” Marcel said trying to end this whole awkward encounter.

“What’s the rush,” Klaus said a little to intrigued by the whole situation.

“Don’t you have some witches to go check on,” Elijah asked trying to get his brother’s attention else where.

“Now why would I do that when the entertainment is right here? Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems, Y/N, right,” Klaus asked pointing to you and you squinted at him. “Y/N, came here with my former protégé with no knowledge that it was actually her old flame’s party they were attending.”

“Niklaus,” Elijah said tight lipped. 

“Now what are the odds of that happening? I for one, would love to hear more about the woman that captured my brother’s heart and the eye of my sire.”

“She is none of your concern, brother.”

Klaus raised his hands in mock surrender. “Fine by me. I know when I’m not wanted,” Klaus said smirking before he walked away.

“Y/N, I think it’s best that you-,” Elijah began to say but you cut him off.

“I don’t really care what you think is best for me, Elijah.” You shook your head completely over this night. “Marcel, can you please take me anywhere else in New Orleans that isn’t here?”

“I’d be delighted too,” Marcel said then held out his arm for you to take which you gladly did. 

The two of you found your friends then quickly left the party. A hurt Elijah left behind you.

It had been three months since your girls trip to New Orleans and you hadn’t stopped thinking of Elijah since. You hated it. You told your friends you wanted nothing to do with the original who erased your memories of him. 

Honestly, you were fine with Elijah before you ran into him. You never thought much of him. But now, he was constantly in the back of your mind like gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe. How was he doing? Was he thinking of you like you were of him? 

The overthinking wouldn’t stop. Which is why you were in New Orleans searching for Elijah. 

You were planning on going straight to the place you saw him last, his home, but your nerves got the best of you so you went to a bar for a drink first. The tequila stung the back of your throat as it went down, but it helped ease your anxiety, so you didn’t mind it.

“Long time no see,” a voice said from behind you. You turned around smiling at the familiar face.

“Marcel.”

“Y/N,” he said smiling that thousand watt smiled that you knew would pull any girl in a hundred mile radius. “I didn’t think I would be seeing you again.”

“I didn’t think I’d be back in New Orleans anytime soon,” you replied. You held up your empty glass to the bartender so she would refill it. Marcel sat down on the stool next to you.

“What brings you back?”

You sighed before taking a sip of your refreshed drink and Marcel immediately knew the answer. 

“Elijah?”

“Elijah,” you answered.

“From the way you were at the party, I didn’t think you wanted anything to do him.”

“I didn’t either.”

“So what happened,” Marcel asked curious.

You shook your head slowly trying to gather your thoughts. “He was in my head,” you said softly. “I missed him.”

“The Mikaelsons have a way of doing that to you,” Marcel replied not making eye contact with you.

You looked at him slightly confused before he spoke again. “Rebekah.”

“Oh yeah... Elijah did mention a sister. What happened with her?”

“Klaus,” Marcel answered, an annoyed tone to his voice.

“Ah, same boat I see. Elijah ended things with me because he thought Klaus would use me against him.”

“No man was good enough for Klaus Mikaelson’s little sister. Not even his own sire that he raised.”

“Damn.” 

“Yeah,” Marcel replied then held up his hand so the bartender would pour him his usual.

You sighed. “Well, maybe it’ll work out one day. We’re vampires. We’ve got the time.”

“Only if Klaus allows it,” Marcel said somberly as he watched the bartender fill his glass. 

“He’s bound to find someone for himself eventually and stop worrying about his siblings so much. We just gotta have hope,” you said patting him on the back. 

“Well, here’s to hope,” Marcel replied, holding his glass up to clink to yours.

After your run in with Marcel and some liquid ammunition, you finally made it to Elijah’s home. You went to the front door, but your least favorite Mikaelson answered. Which said a lot because you had only met two of them.

“Is Elijah here,” you asked looking behind Klaus. 

“He’s not, but I can entertain you until he arrives,” Klaus replied with a mischievous smirk on his face.

You grimaced making eye contact with the hybrid. “I think I’ll pass. Can you tell him I stopped by please?”

Klaus crossed his arms over his chest. “Now why should I do that, love? From what I was told, you left New Orleans months ago on bad terms with him. And before that, he compelled you to forget him. I’m not sure if my brother should be troubled with your return.”

You rolled your eyes as you sighed. “I’m not about to get into it with you, Niklaus,” you said putting too much emphasis on his name. His demeanor quickly changed to annoyance. “I’m positive all you know is that I’m Elijah’s ex and he’s told you nothing else about me. And I’m not about to through him under the bus, but you’re the reason why he compelled me to forget him. He thought once you found out about me, I would be in danger. So all this is your fault.”

“I would watch your tone if I were you,” Klaus said as he took a step closer to you. He was obviously trying to intimidate you.

“Look, I’m not here to start trouble between you and your brother. And I’m not trying to cause any stress in Elijah’s life. I just need him to know how I feel.” Your tone softened before you spoke the last part. “I care about him.”

Klaus huffed, holding eye contact with you. You obviously cared deeply about his brother if you were standing your ground with him. Or you were incredibly stupid. “I’ll let him know you stopped by,” Klaus said reluctantly. 

“Thank you,” you said.

You turned around and left the compound. You were so worried about what you would say to Elijah when you saw him, you didn’t consider what would happen if he wasn’t home. What would he think when Klaus told him you were in New Orleans? 

As you mind was running a mile a minute, you were turning the corner and bumped into a strong chest. 

“Oh my God, I’m so-,” you started to say until you looked up and saw the man you came all the way to New Orleans for. “Elijah, hi.”

“Good afternoon, Y/N,” Elijah said as poised as ever. It was like he wasn’t even surprised to see you.

“How’ve you been,” you asked fidgeting in your spot. 

“I’ve been well. And you?”

“I can’t complain,” you replied. You paused looking around. Why was this so awkward? “Um, do you think we could go somewhere and talk? Get a drink maybe?”

“Are you sure Marcel wouldn’t mind?”

“Marcel,” you repeated the name confused. “Why would Marcel care?”

“I assume you are in New Orleans for him,” Elijah said while he adjusted his suit, not making any eye contact with you. 

“What,” you asked completely baffled. “No, I came to New Orleans for you.”

Elijah’s eyes went wide looking back at you. “For me? Forgive me, but I saw you and Marcel earlier, so I assumed-”

You chuckled interrupting him. “You should know better than to assume anything, Elijah. I ran into Marcel at the bar when I was getting some liquid courage to come talk to you.”

Elijah titled his head to the side. “Why did you need courage to talk to me?”

“Uhh,” you began then started rubbing the back of your neck. “Because I needed to tell you how I felt.”

He took a small step towards you. “And how do you feel?”

You shuffled on your feet nervously looking into Elijah’s brown eyes as they bore into your own. “I missed you. I got the closure that I wanted, but then I realized I didn’t want closure... I wanted you.”

Elijah’s mouth opened slightly in surprise. You blinked waiting for him to say something, anything at all, but it didn’t come quick enough. You looked away, avoiding Elijah’s death stare. Your stomach turning every millisecond.

“Can you say something,” you asked quietly. 

“I’m sorry... I just-”

“God, I’m so stupid,” you interrupted him talking to yourself. “Just ignore me and pretend this didn’t happen,” you said to him and quickly turned on your feet to get as far away from Elijah and New Orleans as possible. 

Elijah grabbed your hand and pulled you back to face him. “Wait, Y/N, you didn’t let me finish.” 

You were only inches from Elijah’s face and on the verge of tears. Maybe you should have taken another shot to make this easier. 

“I was going to say,” Elijah continued as he let go of your hand and slowly placed it on your waist, “that I wasn’t expecting you to feel the same way.”

Your breath caught in your throat as you blinked up at him confused.

“I want you, too,” Elijah said with a small smile on his face. 

Your eyes grew as you felt a weight lift off your chest. You chuckled in disbelief. “You do,” you asked softly.

“More than anything,” Elijah said wrapping his other hand around your waist, pulling you against his chest.

Your chest filled with joy at his words. A big smile forming on your face. You placed your hands on his chest, the two of you moving in closer. Your lips were centimeters apart when you suddenly stepped back, pushing Elijah away. 

“Wait,” you said, Elijah looking down at you worried. “You have to promise me, you won’t do anything like that again. If things get hard or trouble is coming, and you think I can’t handle it, you come to me. Talk to me. You can’t make decisions about us without me being involved.”

Elijah’s brows knitted into a frown. “I will never do that again,” Elijah said seriously. He reached up and cupped your cheek into his hand. “You have my word.”

You nuzzled you face into his hand, looking up at him with doe eyes. “You have to say promise.”

Elijah chuckled, looking down at you lovingly. You missed having him look at you like that. “I promise.”

You stood up straight, taking your hand off his chest and held it out to him with your pinky sticking out. “Pinky promise.”

Elijah’s smile grew so wide, his eyes crinkled. The hand that was holding your face was now extended, his pinky hooking with yours. “Pinky promise.”

“Good,” you said relieved. You unhooked your pinkies and reached up, wrapping your hand around the back of Elijah’s neck, pulling him down for a kiss. 

Elijah was caught off guard for a moment at how quickly you moved, but your lips were on his and he easily returned your kiss. 

His lips were soft against yours but the kiss was rough. His breath was minty while yours had a hint of leftover tequila. Elijah’s hands tightened on your waist, trying to pull you closer even though it was impossible. He had lost you once, and he’d be damned if it happened again. 

[jeonjungkookenthusiast1997]

Bodyguard For Hire (1) - It's Going To Be a Bumpy Ride

Summary: Bang Chan, a famous body guard, has been hired to protect the daughter of a rice banker. She's a spoiled brat who likes to tease her new body guard endlessly and who's to say he can't flirt back?

This is my own work not a reblog! Please do not repost or translate.

Content Warnings- mafia/ gang au, mentions of violence, flirting, pet names, Y/N is a little brat, bang Chan is also a brat

Word Count - 1,698

Navigation

Chapter 2

The streets of Seoul had gotten more dangerous lately, the local gangs making their presence well known. Y/N's father, a rich investment banker, had growing concerns that his daughter would be targeted leading them to hire a well known bodyguard for her known as Bang Chan.

Y/N had been nervous when she got called into her father's study and frowned when she saw the man standing beside her father as he explained the situation "No refusal or your allowance for the month will be stopped" her father barked at her firmly as he tips his head back swallowing a suspicious looking brown liquid.

Anger started to burn into her heart as her face turns red "what?! This is ridiculous daddy! I don't need a fucking bodyguard" her delicate face scrunches up in distaste as she looks at the stranger, he had short and dyed platinum hair and a small cut across his cheek which looked oddly fresh. His clothes looked crisp and clean at least a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a black waist coat sucking in this waist deliciously. Y/N could admit in her head that he was drop dead gorgeous but that didn't stop her anger at the situation.

"Y/N! Language" her father bites out with a serious expression on his face. Bang Chan stays silent next to him as his dark eyes watch his new client, he takes this time to examine her frame. Her e/c eyes glimmer in the dark light of the room, her mid length hair flowing loosely at her back and a sleek looking black dress adorns her curves, he thinks to himself he might be kind of... Cute if she didn't look at him like he'd just shot her. Shaking his head of such futile thoughts he focuses back on the conversation happening in front of him, "I-" she goes to respond but bitterly realises silence in this instance may work out more in her favor so she simply looks away from her father with a scowl across her face.

"You will not question me again." Her father huffs and he pours himself another drink. "Now go upstairs. I have to speak to Mr. Bang Chan privately" she can't help but roll her eyes at this, "Fine" she grits out as she turns and slams the study door making her way up to her bedroom.

As soon as Y/N is upstairs Bang Chan relaxes, rolling his shoulder slightly as he moves to sit across from the older man.

Bang Chan clears his throat slightly before speaking "She seems... Difficult" the man before him chuckles slightly "Yes, she has a mean stubborn streak it's hard to get through to her once she's made her mind up" the patriarch stops his thought there with a frown before he continues "Do you think you'll be able to handle her?". Bang Chan hums to himself as he thinks "Of course. I have a lot of experience in dealing with people. Especially women like your daughter." he smiles "How much is the pay for this job and how long will I be here?" The older man pulls out a brief case full of cash and pushes it Infront of Bang Chan "This to start, more to follow which can be discussed at a later date, as for your duration..." A deep sigh leaves his mouth as he looks at some documents on his desk "Lets say a 30 days for now, I'll pay you the rest at the end of this month and we can review the contract then" the blonde haired man nods as he thinks the arrangement over "For now I'd like you to properly introduce yourself to my daughter, she may not be happy now but I can only imagine the longer it's left... The worse her temper will become" he ushers the bodyguard out of his study and towards the main staircase, Bang Chan takes a deep breath before climbing the stairs.

He rounds the top of the staircase and stops at Y/N's room, he can hear her inside mumbling angry to herself before he knocks "Y/N let me in, your father wants us to meet" he waits for a moment getting ready to knock again when he hears something soft hit her door and an angry "Go away!" Is shouted from behind the door.

A deep sigh leaves his chest at her antics before he announces he's coming in, turning the handle he opens the door walking in to see his client, Y/N, sat at a vanity table with her arms crossed much like a child he laments to himself "You realise this is part of why I'm here, yes? To keep you safe" she looks at him like he's got 2 heads for a moment before responding sarcastically "Why yes because I need protection from my fucking pillows" she stands up and shoves a pillow into his arms before she throws herself onto her bed.

He sets the pillow back back on her bed and sits down on a chair across from her "You're very stubborn aren't you?" A smirk flashes across her face at his words "one of my best traits" she flicks her hair over her shoulder while watching him carefully "Yeah that attitude is also why your parents hired me" he crosses his legs and looks at her, a frown creases her brow and she bows her head "I know and I know how bad Seoul has gotten recently but I don't need a babysitter" she huffs out "if you're aware of all that then why act like a spoiled princess?" he crosses his arms as his sharp eyes watch her reactions to his words "Because I can! Because it keeps freeloading dicks out of my life" she bites out before finally sitting up slightly resting her weight on her elbows "well news flash kid but I'm not a freeloader. I was hired by your father. I get paid good money dealing with princesses like you 24/7." Her eyes roll back into her skull at his cockiness "Good for you Mr... Whatever your name is" she sneers at him, "It's Bang Chan. Try to remember that." he says with an oddly cold expression "No I don't think I will actually, you see that would mean you'll be staying here which isn't happening" she rolls her eyes again before grabbing her phone from a unit near her bed.

He quickly jumps up and grabs the phone away from her placing it in his pocket "You won't need that." Her mouth opens and closes a few times as she stares at him with wide eyes "You can't do that!" She squeaks out at his actions "Give it back!" She shouts as she lifts her hands trying to grab her device back. He simply shrugs his rugged shoulder at her "If you are going to behave like a child, I'm going to treat you like one" He says in a stern tone "Understand?" His words make her blood boil underneath her skin "I am NOT a child we've been over this, you can't treat me like one I'm fucking 23 you dick" a laugh escapes his chest at her words "23 and still acting like a spoiled brat? Your parents need to teach you some manners... Oh wait..." he snaps his fingers together "that's right. I'm doing that now" he says as he stands up "You can try" she scoffs at him "what was your name again? Bam... Something" she folds her arms underneath her bust "Bang Chan. What was yours again, Princess?" He asks in a sarcastic tone, standing over her "You know fine well what my name is and don't call me princess!" She shouts with her cheeks dusted a faint pink "Alright, Princess" he chuckles. She can see that he's enjoying this, enjoys getting a reaction out of her.

He pushes her gently back onto her bed, but she just lays there in shock not sure how to actually respond to him completely man handling her, he leans over her as she lays down. He's inches away from her face, smirking as he looks her up and down "I'm sure my father didn't hire you to mock me now go away" she pushes him back and stomps to her wardrobe to get her night clothes out "No he did not. But he did hire me to protect you and make sure you're behaving. Even if that means getting up close and personal, you clearly need to learn to respect your elders" He chuckles making her throwing her head back slightly as she laughs "my elders? You can't be more than what... 24? Hardly my elder" he smirks and puts his hand on wardrobe door caging her in "I'm 25. Still your elder" He says while looking into her eyes.

Getting flustered at his close proximity she throws her bed clothes at him effectively pushing him back "You pervert! You just going to stand here while I change for bed now too?!" Bang Chan thinks at this and hums to himself "well... Your father did hire me to look out for you. And to make sure you're not getting into anything... naughty" He smirks as he watches her get all flustered, her face is bright red now "Get Out!" She starts pushing him out of her bedroom "You can come back and stalk me tomorrow, freak!" He lets her push him out of the room but before he leaves he turns to her and says "You're a very interesting person, you know that Princess?" He gives her one last wink and closes the door.

She hears his footsteps thud down the stairs but she remains stood at the door dumbfounded for a few moments before she slams her door shut and dresses for bed. She climbs into her plush bed but she can't sleep, her mind reels of thoughts on her new frustrating and admittedly sexy bodyguard "tomorrow's going to be a nightmare" she groans into her pillow as she rolls over in bed, letting sleep take her after an hour or two.

[teawitch]

Candle substitutes

(This is to answer an ask but because I go on forever, I've made it its own post)

Because I've seen this become contentious in the past, I'm going to start with a little witchy secret - if you've been to a public ritual or event where there were candles burning on the altar and you didn't see them lit - they were probably battery operated and being used to adhere to the fire regulations. Sometimes witches are practical.

For me the answer to candle substitutes comes down to - why would I be using the candle? Because different reasons might have different answers.

Altar or Shrine

On an altar or shrine to represent fire or honor a deity, a battery operated candle or even small attractive lamp might be what you're looking for. Some witches do not want electrical cords or similar intruding into their magical space so lamps would be out. I figure at this point, with wifi and such flowing through air, nothing is really without interference. But if that is the case, you could even just hold up an unlit candle or a wand to signify air. (I've never had a deity object to a really cool lamp in their space.)

Cleansing

Incense and smoke cleansing substitutes. I don't think we give enough credit to the ability for sound to cleanse spaces. It could be a bell or, more popular than people realize - play really loud head-banger rock music to clear the space then something gentler to reset everything at a calmer tone.

If you want a scent-based solution, there are diffusers available but you can also just do a simmer pot of the stove. Or buy one of those mini-crockpots and use it. Or put a bit of scent in a spray bottle and spritz the space.

Fountain Foggers Misters - cheaper than you'd expect on Amazon or your local Halloween store. Put one in attractive bowl or container and add a bit of scent. It will create a wonderful mist that you can watch swirl above the bowl.

The Emergency Tea Solution. This is my hotel room trick when I check in only to find the room feels a bit off. It also works in any place that gets very restrictive about what you can do - no candles, no warmers, no diffuses, etc. Make a cup of hot water and drop a tea bag or your favorite loose herbs into it. Walk the space using your hand to waft the steam around the room. Repeat as needed. (I've used the free Earl Grey tea provided by the hotel for this and it works. Free hotel coffee is probably horrid enough to scare away anything.)

Spells

Rewrite the spell or write a different spell. The purpose of burning things in a spell is to send energy out (or up). If you burn something, you transform the energy in that thing into spell energy. You just need another way to do that.

Breath and speech are vibrations. So chanting or speaking the words of spell will send their energy out.

Write the words on something that will biodegrade and tie it to a tree. Or for something long-lasting, like protection, write it on a windchime and hanging it in the wind.

Write the words themselves in water or alcohol and let them evaporate into the air.

And there's nothing like speaking or chanting the words while pouring a libation (alcohol is good if available) on the ground. Most gods, guides and spirits appreciate a drink now and then.

(Oh, the whole candle colors thing is fairly modern because candles being easily obtainable in a wide variety of colors is fairly modern. So feel free to be creative in your color use.)

[morethanwonderful]

Genuinely Zhou Ying from Tai Sui is one of the most insanity-inducing characters ever written, like

He's a prince. He's chronically ill. He eats almost nothing that isn't bland and medicinal. He hates his dad so much he wants to start a revolution to destroy him. He's born vaguely psychic and eventually becomes the closest thing his world has to omniscient. He starts his revolution by having two local politicians chopped into mincemeat, blended together, and poured out in the street. His favorite person in the world is his annoying little cousin that hides out at his house with him when he gets in trouble with his parents. He's probably a sociopath. He's murderous enough that all his servants and subordinates are scared of him. He has the same clothes made for himself every year. He founds and runs his universe's version of the CIA. He had his bones magically removed as a baby. He's a commentary on the way that psychotic and neurodivergent children are often villainized and mistreated by their caretakers. He has his bones un-removed over 20 years later. He's faking his chronic illness to cover up other, weirder chronic illness related to the bone removal and psychic thing. He loves his grandma. He purposely engineered his mother's miscarriage as a young child. He can turn himself into mist and break off chunks of his body while in mist form. He grew up with his consciousness halfway bound to a hell bubble full of demons. He has a personal assassin/assistant/general-purpose henchman that can turn into paper and ride around in his sleeve. He sometimes calls the henchman a cutesy nickname. He was partially raised by the living embodiment of emotional manipulation. He sometimes calls his annoying little cousin an even cutesier nickname. He tries to destroy the whole world in a fit of grief when he thinks his cousin's dead. He basically kills himself in order to plonk his soul into a magic mirror and see beyond the bounds of reality. He treats his own life and body as expendable assets because he was bred and raised to be a human sacrifice. He didn't speak for years as a child because the way he spoke scared his mother. His experience of the world is so alien and incomprehensible to others that a man with the power to play souls as music cannot understand his tune. He's a case study of the fact that sometimes you simply cannot save someone who doesn't want saving. He's thin and sickly from his illness but canonically beautiful. He has his father's eyes. He spoils his pet cat.

[boliv-jenta]

Firefighter x f!reader

Not a RPF, just a fic inspired by this look.

WC: 1.3k

Warnings: None, really. Some thirty thoughts and just fluff.

Summary: A charity calendar brings you closer to the brown eyed firefighter you have a crush on.

Holding Onto a Hero

The calendar seemed like such a great idea. What better way to raise money for your community's photography club by showing off the photography skills that you had picked up at a similar club?

The community centre was located right next door to a fire station, so it was a logical choice to ask them to be the subject of it. They way the local mom's slowed down on the school run, hoping to catch a peek at the in shape firefighters, you knew you'd shift at least a few copies. Plus, you were going to sell them online. Everyone loves a hot hero just as much as they love a bad boy. That was the theme of the shoot ‘good guys gone bad’. Each guy would have a rough and ready look. Tight jeans, leather jackets. Everyone you spoke to agreed that you were on to a winner.

There was only one problem. Him. The brown eyed firefighter that haunted your dreams. The first time you met him, you literally walked right into him. The stack of boxes you carried obscured your view. You only realised that you'd hit a person, not a wall, when a large warm hand landed on your lower back. The heat of it burned through your thin t-shirt. It disappeared to take the boxes from your gasp. With the boxes out of the way, you were met with the deepest brown eyes you'd ever seen. An apology shone in them. The large hand that you could still feel at the small of your back came up to remove an earbud

“Are you okay? I'm sorry. I was distracted. My book was just getting so good.” He gestured to his earbud. 

“I'm fine. It's my bad. I couldn't see over the boxes.” Somehow, you managed to talk as your throat drier up at how handsome he was. 

The t-shirt he wore clung to every curve of his muscles. The shorts showed off a fine pair of legs. His face looked like it belonged in a movie, not on the sidewalk outside a run-down community centre. 

“Do you need a hand with them?” His voice was deep and smooth.

“No, I'm good, thank you.” Your repressed upbringing spoke for you. 

You never were good at asking for help. Looking at the way his thick hair started to curl at the edges where sweat began to pool, you wished you had said yes.

“Well, sorry again. Welcome to the neighbourhood.” With that, he was off. Leaving you to stare as his broad foam retreating. 

After that, you didn't speak to him again until you arranged the shoot. Yet you saw him most days. The tiny apartment you had over the centre gave you a perfect view. Most mornings, he jogged, followed by some body weight exercises with his teammates. The way he did a push-up kept him in your thoughts most days. When he wasn't working, you often saw him reading or tending to the small garden they had. His hands working deftly to harvest from the raised vegetable patch or to plant new flowers. His touch was so gentle as he cared for the delicate seedlings.

One of your favourites was when children stopped by. He was so good with them, chatting with them animatedly, always so patient with them, you wondered if he had children of his own. It was doubtful since he seemed to spend all his time at the firehouse. He must have been pretty important there. The way they jumped to it when he barked out orders gave you all sorts of thoughts. It was fair to say you'd developed quite a crush on him.

Said crush was now eyeing you nervously.

“I'm sure. It will look great!” You try to pour as much optimism into your voice as possible to put him at ease.

You could still see how nervous he was even though you'd been over the plan. When everyone was picking their poses, the others had no problem with doing something sexy. Some posed shirtless. Others carried heavy things to show off their hard earned muscles. One guy posed with his intimidating looking dogs who fit the theme perfectly. Until you stroked their tummies, and they became the softest dogs in the world.

“Trust me” you continue “You're so good with them. Some women find men who are good with children very sexy.” It comes out of nowhere, and thankfully, the children arriving cuts off any response as you add. “I know I do.”

The children all get ready to play in the water as you lift up your camera to take the first couple of photos of just him opening the hydrant. The children squeal in anticipation when the water begins to flow. A smile tugs at the side of his perfect lips as he watches their joy. It makes for a gorgeous shot. The children play happily and he joins in. Using those strong hands to block and redirect the flow of the water to spray them. They splash him back, wetting his short hair, and his natural curls make an appearance. Water drips down his face, running over that strong nose and pout, highlighting them beautifully. You take another shot of that. Finally, and all too quickly for you, it's time to shut off the water and send the children home. 

“Thank you. I have some really great shots. Obviously, you'll have final approval. You were my last shoot, so I'll be in touch in a couple of days.” There's an awkward energy in the air as you prepare to part ways. 

“Thank you. This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was actually really fun.” His genuine smile makes you want to be the reason he smiles every day.

“Well, I better…damn it.” In your haste to break the spell he has over you, you step off the sidewalk right into the water soaking your canvas shoes right through. Stepping back onto the sidewalk, you can feel the water gathering around your toes.

“May I…?” He asks, and you have no clue what he is asking, but who are you to argue with those brown eyes. 

Giving a nod, you suddenly find yourself swept up into his arms as he carries you bridal style across the street. 

Still in his arms you smile. “You know I just could have walked around.”

The smile he returns is warm and mischievous. “I know.”

Conscious of his strong arms still around you, you ask “Do you plan on putting me down?” 

The corners of his eyes crinkle adorably as he grins. “When we get there.”

“Get where?” You laugh.

“China Gardens. I see you order from there a lot.” Your heart races at the thought of him noticing you.

“You noticed that?” You turn to hide your smile.

“Yep. Along with you helping the old lady across the street with her groceries. We've asked for years, and she won't let us help. You must be special.” He eyes lock with yours to show the sincerity behind his teasing words.

“I feel it now, being carried by our community's most eligible firefighter.” You lay a hand on his leather clad chest flirtatiously.

“Stop.” His humbleness from earlier flares up.

“It's true. You must see the way the mom's look at you.” There's no way in your mind that he doesn't know how handsome he is.

“Well there's only one woman I've been looking at.” His face is closer to yours than it's ever been.

Closing the minute gap between you, your lips meet in a chaste first kiss. The kiss blooms into a smile on both of your faces.

“So are you going to put me down?” You giggle.

“No. I think I'll keep hold of you for as long as I can. If that's okay with you?” His biceps flex against you as he gathers you closer.

Your arms now loop around his kissable neck. “That's okay with me.”

[celestialspecial]

In Cold Blood (pt 1)

Synopsis: A slew of murders have you and the other detectives scratching their heads, but the killer himself seems beyond fascinated with you.

Warnings: This is probably my most warning heavy story- mentions and graphic descriptions of blood/gore, death, murder (serial killer!billy is a giveaway), weapons including gun/knives, home invasion mentions, eventual smut lets just say EVERYTHING IS 18+- read at your own discretion

Tag list: @vermillionwinter , @nerdyreaderpapi

You turned a corner, feet hitting the pavement as fast as they could. Water splashed up from a puddle but it didn’t slow you down. The buzz of traffic didn’t calm your racing heart as you skidded to a stop down a corner alley.

How had this happened? You were so sure of yourself. So careful. At least that’s how it felt. 

It had started innocently enough, well maybe innocent wasn’t the correct choice of words.

It had started with the death of a local businessman. He’d been found in an alleyway, shoved between trash bins. Multiple knife wounds scattered across his torso and neck. You’d been called to investigate the scene with the other officers.

It had left your mouth dry, the other officers you worked with were rarely left speechless but this….this did it. The brutality of it was unmatched from anything you’d investigated before.

Then a few weeks later there was a woman found murdered in a similar fashion, body left in Central Park for anyone to find. Then there was another and another. It made your stomach turn. 

Then you found yourself volunteering to be on the case. To figure out who the bastard was. Why they were doing this. And to put them away for as long as possible. 

The longer you researched and devoted your time and energy to figuring out how to catch the murderer the less it made sense. There was no rhyme or reason or outright motives that stood out to you. Just a building body count.

That’s when you got the first call.

You’d been working from the office late one night, pouring over the latest crumb of evidence you’d been able to scrounge up. A blurry cctv blip of footage capturing a large figure in a black hoodie up over their head leaving the building where the last victim was found.

The noise jolted you from your seat, the blinds drawn in your office and the steady hum of the fluorescent lights overhead wearing away at your eyes. It was late. Very late. No one you knew would be up at this hour. Not unless it was an emergency.

You didn’t recognize the number. So not a friend or relative popping up on caller ID. You let it ring another few times before sighing, with a roll of your eyes and sliding to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Detective Archer.” You felt your body freeze at your name being used. The voice crackled on the other end. Deep. Male. But it was edited somewhat, like he was speaking through some sort of device to conceal his voice. 

“Who is this?”

“Ah ah ah that’s on a need to know basis.”

“And I don’t need to know?” You pushed away from your desk standing to walk over to your closed office door. Peeking through the blinds to see the still empty office.

“I’m not in your office if that’s what you think.” Your blood ran cold as you froze in place, fingers just pulling away from the door.

“Are you…watching me?” Your eyes flitted to the windows on the right side of your office, rushing over and drawing the blinds closed.

“Always.” 

The word hung on the phone line, heavy silence.

“You’re him.”

“There’s a lot of “hims” out there, I’m going to need you to be more specific.” He was taunting you.

“The killer.” Laughter rang out in the other end.

“It took you a little while there, detective. Here I was thinking you were the top of your class.” 

“Why are you calling me?” You moved back to your desk wondering if there was some way you could trace the call from your cell phone. 

“To ask what your favorite scary movie is.”

“Fuck off.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re gonna get.” 

“Come on Detective, play a little game with me.”

“Is that what you think this is?” You hissed into the phone. “A fuckin game?” Your heart pounded in your chest. Rage bubbling up and leeching into your voice.

“It is to me.” 

Then with that the line went dead. You swore, tossing your phone onto your desk falling back into your seat. 

Hands scratching your head, fingers twining furiously through your hair.  Eyes squeezed shut as you’re cursed once more before calling your boss and the rest of your team to alert them to this new development.

Another victim was found a few weeks later, a single stab wound to the chest right over the heart.  A Large Bowie knife was left in the body, with a swath of paper folded and held in place by the weapon.

You talked with witnesses and scribbled into your notes after consulting with another officer before turning on your heel to head back to the office. 

Knowing tonight you’d drink a pot of coffee and review how out of character this kill was from the previous victims. Was this even done by the same person? Did you have another murderer out there to watch out for? It made your head spin.

“Detective, I think you need to see this.” A cop named Thomas motioned you over to him holding out the piece of paper just removed from the victim.

You took the now unfolded paper from him eyes roving the page. A large red heart was drawn on it with blood. Whether it was the victims or someone else’s you couldn’t be sure, but that wasn’t the thing that worried you most.

Inside the heart was writing, scratchy red ballpoint pen spelling out in large letters, “Archer.”  A gift, a love letter, a taunt, you weren’t sure which one it was but it made your blood run cold. 

Hot water poured over your skin in the shower, hoping the scalding heat would strip away the knot in your stomach. Whenever you closed your eyes all you could see was the heart, teasing you.

The paper had been placed in an evidence bag and was now being tested but you couldn’t shake the visual from your head. Turning the water off and reveling in the steam before you wrapped a towel around yourself stepping into the bedroom.

All your scattered notes and random photographs littered your home desk and you were starting to feel pathetic at your lack of purchase on this slippery case. How many people needed to end up dead because you couldn’t do your fucking job?

Then the phone rang. A million thoughts ran through your head before you said fuck it and answered. 

“Hello?”

“Did you get my gift?” 

“You’re sick you know that?” You flipped on the tracer you’d installed on your phone after your last call. 

“Detective, I’m wounded. I gave you a lovely gesture of our relationship.”

“The only relationship we have is going to be when I arrest your ass and put you away for the rest of your life.” 

“I love when you flirt back with me.” 

You rubbed your brow absentmindedly, hating how limited you felt. How you felt like back in training being ridiculed by higher ups. 

“Why are you doing this?”

“I enjoy talking to you, Detective.”

“No. Killing people. Innocent people.”

“Who said they were innocent?”

“Who says you get to be judge, jury and executioner?”

If you stalled long enough it’d give your tracer a better chance of locking onto where the call was coming from. Giving you a shred of further evidence.

“You look very nice tonight.”

Your fist subconsciously gripped your towel tighter to your chest. The curtains in your apartment were drawn, and you had checked the lock over four times out of habit.

“How do you know how I look?” You wedged your phone into the crook of you neck, holding it in place as you reached into the end table pulling out your gun and checking the chamber was full.

“Are you close to catching me, Detective? Have I been occupying as much space in your mind as you do mine?”

You padded slowly down the hall, weapon held firm, pointing into each room as you passed. The heat from the bathroom emanated into the kitchen and you swiveled around the corner poised for an attack.

It never came. 

He was toying with you. He wasn’t here. 

“Why would I be in your head?”

You heard a thump back in your bedroom and the hair on the back of your neck stood up at the sound. The line was silent as you waited for a response, slowly inching back towards your room, gun held aloft.

The only sound you could hear was your own heart thundering in your chest as you eased into the doorway, ears straining to hear any other movement. In a rush if adrenaline you tossed the phone onto the bed throwing open the closet door.

It was empty. 

Keeping with your agitated pace, falling to the floor and checking under the bed only to see it bare as well. Angrily snatching the phone back and biting into the mouthpiece.

“Where the fuck are you?!” 

At that you heard footsteps back from the bathroom, thumping through your apartment and your front door being thrown open, the alarm blaring. 

Scrambling to catch up you stumbled into your living room and were greeted by the open door leading into the hallway of your apartment complex broken open, the chain lock busted and scraping back and forth as it hung limply.

The line went dead and you immediately dialed 911, waiting for a familiar operator to answer as you relayed your predicament. When you heard confirmation they were on the way you rushed back into the bathroom to grab your robe.

There on the mirror was drawn a heart, like that from the note found on the victim. The condensation beaded up as it bled in various water droplets from the remaining steam from the shower. 

The months continued on, all leads turning up nil. The tracer you had used only led you to a discarded burner phone in a trash bin by soho. The murders had briefly slowed down.

The phone calls however had not.

Their length and timing varied but it was always the same voice. Slightly skewed but a man’s voice all the same. It had helped you rule out a female suspect. 

The continued goading wasn’t the main thing grating on your nerves. No it would be much simpler if that was it. The true horror was how you began to wait for the calls. 

You refused to use the term, enjoy. But they no longer caused your blood to run cold in the same way. One day to your absolute dismay after a long stressful meeting you actually felt your shoulders unclench when your phone rang.

“Long day Archer?” 

“How can you ask me that when you’re the source of my stress?”

“Am I?”

Besides the phone calls there was the disturbing hints of affection. A bouquet had appeared at your desk at work one day. No note, but you didn’t need one to know who it was from.

Then a bottle of expensive wine was left on the steps of the precinct with another card bearing only a simplistically drawn heart inside.

The bottle was immediately taken in as evidence and dusted for prints. There obviously were none. No matter what you did he was always ten steps ahead. 5D chess in the most infuriating way. 

“How was the wine?”

“If you’re so aware of my every move you’d know I didn’t drink it.”

“Shame, 1913 was supposedly a good year for that merlot.”

“I’m growing tired of our Hannibal Lecter and Clarice dynamic.”

“Who says that’s what we are?”

“WE are nothing.”

A tsk’ing crackled over the line.

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

“Then what are we?”

You put the phone on speaker as you pulled out a container of chinese food leftovers from your fridge. Popping the lid off and shoveling it into a bowl before sliding it into the microwave.

A chuckle came from the other end. You hated how it didn’t feel gross and malicious like it should. 

You continued on, mind listing a slew of options as you watched your food rotate in the microwave.

“Phantom and Christine. Michael Myers and Laurie strode. Billy Loomis and Sidney Prescott.”

“You never did tell me your favorite scary movie.”

you sighed dramatically as the oven dinged and you removed your food, returning it to the counter, pulling your hair into a messy bun.

“You do look stunning Detective. I’m shocked someone of your caliber went into law enforcement.”

“I think it’s unfair you know what I look like and yet Ive never seen you before.”

“Nice try Archer.” You couldn’t suppress the small laugh that shook your shoulders a tad. 

“It was worth a try.”

Walking into work the next morning you were immediately greeted by another detective, John Lawson. His cheeks were ruddy and he seemed to be out of breath.

“What’s going on?”

“We have a photo of our killer.” 

You felt your stomach flip, either from excitement or nerves.

“What?” 

He took out a printed sheet of paper, it showed a dim alleyway and a victim from the other night slumped in the background. 

Sure enough there in the foreground was a man, in a black hoodie, black pants and military boots. The hood pulled up over his head and underneath the hood a stark white mask, covered in a multitude of scratches and cracks that seemed to be painted on.

He was staring straight at the camera, knife glinting in one hand, the other raised in a mock wave.

“Smug bastard.”

[bakugo-dee]

Coffee (Part 1)

bakugo x kirishima x reader (female)

- You’re sitting in a cozy coffee shop downtown working on your laptop, headphones on listening to one of your favorite playlist that includes a wide variety of genres (heavy metal, pop, rap, r&b, country, Latin mixes and even classical). Music has always helped you concentrate. 

- You’re a doctor at the local hospital, currently conducting research on your own quirk. You have been trying to figure out how to better serve the hero community by “bottling” your quirk sorta say. 

- Your quirk is a very advanced form of healing. Just being in your presents, an injured or sick individual will instantly be healed or cured. This of course takes a toll on you. That's why you maintain your distance from others and only go to the hospital to make your rounds or during emergencies.

-You are so engrossed in your work that you don’t notice the #2 and #8 pro heroes who are waiting for their orders, but they obviously have noticed you. They are instantly enchanted by your beauty. So much so that they both make it a point to come into the coffee shop everyday just to catch a glimpse of you.

- You have never had much of a social life much less a love life due to your quirk. Also, you have always thrown yourself head first into your work. Now more than ever. You are so close to a breakthrough.

- Your days usually started with combat training with the #3 hero and childhood friend Shoto Todoroki (because you'll be damned if you are going to be one of those weak girls who gets herself captured by a villian for your quirk...again). 

- You then head to the hospital to do your rounds and some work in the lab. Around 4pm you sit in the coffee shop for hours pouring over your research. This leaves you very little time for anything else.

-Due to your work, you have lost all touch with your friends and there's never been a boyfriend to speak of. Which is fine by you. You have a goal in mind. To help the heroes. If it wasn't for them, you probably wouldn't be here today.  

- Kirishima tells Bakugo, that they can't just keep coming in here day after day to stare at you. It's called stalking. They need to make a move. Bakugo agrees but he, just like Kirishima, is too intimidated by you. They found out that you were some famous doctor at the local hospital. So naturally Bakugo did some digging and read all the research papers you had written on healing quirks and the numerous awards and acknowledgments you had received.  He was even more intrigued by you than before. Beauty brains and a body to match. You seemed to be the total package.  

- After a few weeks of being admired from afar by the two handsome heroes, they came into the coffee shop determined that today would be the day they would talk to you. At least say hi. After all, you seemed to be pretty down to earth. 

- They both really wanted to ask you out. Everyone knew that Dynamight and Red Riot were in a committed relationship but what they didn't know was that they were seeking a third partner and they hoped you would be interested in a polyamorous relationship.

-But you weren't at the coffee shop today. You had received a call from the hospital that there was an emergency and if you could please come in. So naturally you did. What you didn't know was that it was a trap. 

- Toga and Twice were waiting for you around the corner. All for One had heard about your research and was very interested in your quirk.  

- As you passed the dark alley on your way to the hospital, Twice reached out and grabbed you. One hand on your mouth the other on around your waist. Your instinct quickly kicked in and you used your combat training to escape and knock Toga unconscious when she leaped in to attack.

- Twice was in shock, they thought you were just a simple civilian with no fighting skills and that this was going to be a piece of cake kidnapping. He tried to reach for Toga so he could make their escape but you were blocking her from him. You fought him until he finally was able to get to her and carry her off.

- As Kirishima and Bakugo exited the coffee shop disappointed that you weren't there they heard the commotion coming from the alley and quickly ran to see what was going on. Someone was in trouble and needed their help. As they got closer they saw you battling with Twice but didn't get there in time before he escaped.

- You hunched over trying to catch your breath and Bakugo reached out to put his hand on your shoulder. That was such a rookie move. You were still on high alert and quickly grabbed his arm and used your body to flip him over. Then you did a roundhouse kick that knocked Kirishima on his ass.

- "Oi! what...the hell!" Dynamight managed to get the words out even though he had just had the wind knocked out of him. Kirishima was laying flat on his back seeing stars. You thought you heard him say "I think I am in love."

- "OMG! What have....I am sorry...I thought you were more villains. Here, let me hel...." You reached for Bakugo and he took your hand. "DAMN! That was impressive." Even though you had just literally slammed him into the ground, he had the biggest grin on his face. "Are you ok? I didn't hurt you? Did I?" "Yeah, I am fine. Where did you learn those moves?" "Combat training...6 days a week." Bakugo's heart was fluttering. You truly were the total package.  

- Bakugo got to his feet and went to check on Kirishima who had the goofiest grin on his face. He was completely awestruck by you. Bakugo held out his hand and Kirishima slapped his into it, helping Bakugo lift him up. "Man...WOW!" was all he could say and Bakugo smiled in agreement.

- "So...are you ok?" You straightened your skirt and dusted some dirt off your blouse. Other than being shaken up and a few minor scraps, nothing was bleeding, you seemed to be fine. "Yeah...I am fine. Sorry again for throwing you Dynamight and for Kicking you Red Riot." "Oh...so you know who we are?" "Of course...who doesn't. Anyways, I appreciate you coming to help me. I need to check in with work and ugh I guess I need to file a police rep.." Bakugo cut you off before you could finish "Yeah, we'll cover the reporting. We just need to get a few details from you and then you can go."

- After they took down all the information, they insisted on escorting you to the hospital. Even though you said you were fine. 

- Standing outside the hospital doors, you thanked the heroes again and turned to walk in but not before they both asked “Would you be interested in getting a coffee with us?”

The DATE (Part 2)

[leocancertaurus]

Sisters

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x fem!Reader

wc:1.8k

warnings: none :) 

a/n: just easing back into this thing w a little fluffy sideshot to see what the vibes are.....

BWD AU

_______________________________________________________________________

Natasha sat in a small reading nook in the living room. She was intently reading a new novel that she picked up on a recent family trip to the local bookstore. A throw blanket covered her lap and she leaned into a mountain of pillows as the sun from the window cast a warm, gentle glow across her face. She was entirely enthralled by the story and lost herself in the world, effectively avoiding being distracted by the chaotic sounds that poured from the kitchen. The girls were helping you make dinner, which has become routine. Whenever the girls get curious about cooking, or want to do their version of helping, you make sure to make ample time to take things slow, and help them . It was a great opportunity to get more time to bond with them, and to have a front row seat to them making new discoveries and developing confidence. 

Most days they did their tasks without problem. At times messy, but you got free entertainment out of their sometimes silly bumps in the road. But, today was challenging. Zara and Kali were constantly bickering; Your oldest being particularly annoyed by her sister’s mere presence. You didn’t want to interrupt the time that Natasha is taking to unwind, so you tried to calm the girls on your own but, a small part of you hoped she could come work her magic. 

Kali had been sneaking little bites of the ingredients that you all had been prepping and this time, it was really bothering Zara. 

“Kali, we’re not gonna have any dinner to eat if you keep eating all of the food,” Zara reprimands. 

Kali grabs another piece of the food from the counter and offers it to Zara, “We share!”

“No, put it back!” The oldest pointing to the cutting board as she raises her voice.

Kali, attempting to process the aggression, looks to you for help. “Z, it’s okay honey.”

“But she’s being annoying,” she whines. 

Frankly, Kali has done worse. It was hard to wrap your mind around why this was bothering your oldest so much, “She’s curious babe. She’s never tried tomatoes like this before. Would you like to do a different job?”

“No, I just want her to do it the right way,” your oldest huffs.

“Okay. Remember if you want to teach your sister something you can calmly explain, or show her how but I need you to try your best not to yell, okay?”

“Okay,” she groans. 

“Thank you. Do you want to help me cut the cucumber or do you want to help me start mixing everything for the salad?” You ask, hoping that giving her options helps make her feel a little better.

“I’ll cut,” you weren’t surprised by her choice to do something individually. 

“Okay you can do that and Kals you can help Mommy pour this in the bowl,” Zara begins to saw at the fruit with her child safe knife, creating different sized chunks. 

“Good job baby,” you praise. You hand the small mason jar filled with the homemade dressing that you’d previously made. You point to the jar, “Can you pour this,” then the bowl, “in there?”

You pull the bowl just a bit closer as a precaution. You’d been working on pouring with Kali recently. She’s gotten better the more you’ve practiced over the months, but there’s still progress to be made. She cautiously lifts the jar and begins to tilt it toward the big bowl. At first, she’s successful, mainly pouring directly into the bowl. 

“Good job,” you encourage. You didn’t realize that you speaking to her would cause such a distraction. But, at the sound of your voice she looks up with a big bright smile on her face, shifting her hands causing the last of the dressing to pour out onto the counter. This mistake was obviously the last straw for Zara. She huffs and swiftly exits the kitchen with her arms crossed. She sits on the couch adjacent to where Natasha was reading and dramatically exhales as she plops down. 

Natasha had noticed her demeanor as soon as she entered the room but decided not to respond quite yet, allowing Zara to try to process on her own first. But, mostly because she was so close to a really juicy reveal. But, the small girl huffs again, earning Natasha’s attention as she glances up from her book. 

“Can I help you?” Natasha quirks a signature brow. 

“I’m upset,” Zara stands up and moves in front of Natasha, her arms remaining crossed.

“What’s making you upset?”

“Kali,” the child grimaces.

Natasha hums in acknowledgement, “How did Kali make you upset?” She reaches for the child who eagerly climbs into her lap. 

“We’re trying to help Mommy cook but she’s not being helpful and she keeps eating everything and making messes. I want her to do a better job,” she pouts.

“You’re right, that can be really frustrating,” Natasha soothes

“I tried doing a good job but I can’t because she’s being crazy.”

“That’s not very nice, love,” Natasha gently corrects.

“But it’s true, mama!” 

“You shouldn’t call your sister hurtful names.”

“My sister shouldn’t do things to make me upset,” the child crosses her arms over her chest again.

Natasha pauses, amazed at the young girl's quick wit and how it is nearly a carbon copy of your own. “But she’s little. She needs us all to be patient with her and help her learn. She doesn’t mean to make you upset, honey.”

Zara was quite stubborn. It always took a while for her to calm down. Now was no different, a deep frown remained etched onto her face. In an attempt to soothe her, Natasha ran her hand through the child's chocolate curls and pulled her into a sweet hug. 

“I’m proud of you for communicating your feelings to mama. But, I want you to try to do the same with your sister, okay?”

“But why,” she whines.

“Because she’s your sister and she needs you to explain things to help her understand right from wrong.”

“But that’s what Mommies are for!”

Natasha emits a raspy chuckle “I mean… yes. But, big sisters are just as important. Because little sisters want to be just like their big sisters. So you have to set a good example and be nice.”

“Does Kali have to be nice?”

“Yes, Kali has to be nice.”

“What happens when she’s not nice?” She challenges. 

“What happens when you’re not nice?”

“You and mommy tell me to be nice. Or say sorry,” she sighs.

“Mhm that, and we help you figure out what you could do differently next time, right?”

She nods as the furrow in her brow begins to fade away, “Do you have a sister?”

“Auntie Lena is my little sister.”

Her eyes bug out of her head, “Really?!”

“Yes! That’s how she’s your aunt silly.”

“Are you a nice big sister mama?” She bats her eyelids and regards Natasha with the biggest, brownest, most curious eyes. This moment becomes another stark reminder that she’s responsible for molding two innocent little humans. Her girls hang on to every word, every action, as if she hung the moon and the stars. Her response to this question means everything. 

“I’ve said and done things to her before that weren’t very nice and I think I’ve definitely hurt her feelings. But, that’s because at that time I was only thinking about my own feelings. I didn’t care that my actions hurt her feelings. But, I’m very nice to her now. I try to be the best big sister I can be. We’re best friends now. 

“I thought I was your best friend,” Zara nearly gasps.

“You are. So are Mommy and Kals.” Natasha shrugs.

“But, you can only have one best friend,” the little girl objects.

“Says who!”

“The rules!”

“Mmm I’ve never heard that rule before so I can have as many best friends as I want,” Natasha boops Zara’s nose.

“That’s not how rules work mama!” She giggles.

“It is if I say so,” she tickles her and the child ends up squealing and eventually allows her head to rest on her mother’s chest. Natasha kisses the crown of her head and nuzzles her nose into Zara’s curls and deeply inhales the fruity scent of her shampoo. They enjoy this moment together. Zara revels in the opportunity to be close to her favorite person.

“Can I go play in my room with my toys?” The child breaks the comfortable silence.

“Of course. Can you give your sister a hug and a kiss first?” Natasha realizes she may be pushing it but is curious.

Zara hums as she contemplates what she wants to do, “Sure.”

She untangles herself from the coziness of her mama to make her way back into the kitchen. You were practically done with dinner but you didn’t want to interrupt Nat calming Zara down and Kali became a bit cranky at the idea of stopping. So, you were supervising her trying to cut cucumber with her child safe knife. As Zara entered the kitchen you simply smiled at her before noticing Natasha slowly trailing behind her. Zara stands behind the step stool, gaining the smaller child’s attention. Before Kali can fully turn her head, Zara embraces her and gives her a peck on the cheek. 

“That’s so sweet, Z. Do you want to help Mommy set the table?”

“No thank you. Can I go play in my room until it’s dinner time?”

“Yes but, we’re eating soon okay?”

She nods before climbing down and heading off to her room, catching the quiet ‘thank you’ that Natasha throws her way as she walks past. Natasha then approaches you. She wraps her arms around your waist from behind and rests her chin on your shoulder, her breath ghosting over the soft skin there. 

“What was that about?” You ask under your breath.

“She just had some not nice things to say about my princess,” Natasha shakes her head. 

“Yeah she was pretty frustrated when she left. I think she’s having a bad day.”

“She called Kali”, she stops herself to see if the girl was paying attention. When she notices that she was she changes what she was going to say, “Coo coo,” she chuckles.

You slightly giggle at Natasha censoring herself. Kali, ever the parrot, proving why you should try to refrain from swearing in front of them sings, “Coooo Coooo.”

She sports a proud smirk at making her moms laugh. Nat picks up the small child, the three of you still slightly giggling. “Are you coo coo?,” she jokingly asks the little one. 

Kali turns to look at you and then back at Natasha, “Yah,” sending the three of you into another fit of laughter.

[heartfullofleeches]

Cowboys have invaded my mind. How we rockin with rodeo clown darling and yan cowboy. Or maybe even yan!bandit and barkeep darling.

(Why not all of the above? Yandere Cowboy/Bandit X Odd jobs Reader. Reader is G.N, but there's a use of missus as a joke)

Sweat pours down your face as the stadium doors close behind you; every atom within crying for rest. The large animal behind the gates rams into them a few times, before its handlers drag it away. You wipe your brows; white makeup smearing across your hand. The crowd still laughs at your performance, but it's the last thing you think about. No matter how many times you did that, it never got easier.

All on your own in a town in the middle of nowhere; you had to work countless jobs to get buy. Shop keep; house help, and many others. It was a place that turned a blind eye to legal certificates, so as long as you did your job well you'd get to stay. Rodeo clown was one of the longest running; started all way back when you were first strapped for cash.

With some basic training from the other clowns, you were ushered out the door and into the face of the crowd. You had your beginner's scrapes and bruises, but became not too bad overtime.

"You a little winded there, stripes?"

A horse trots up beside you. It's owner tips his hat as you with a little grin. The cowboy untied the bandana from his neck and passes it off to you, sweeping the specks of dirt off before he hands it over. You take it and dab at your forehead.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it, sugar."

He joined the show just a little while after you. An out of towner who popped in and out of the rodeo's tent whenever he pleased. You'd seen him about town right before he'd leave again; joking that he couldn't leave without seeing your pretty face or stocking up at the store when you were on your shift. Whenever he was around, he was good so no one complained besides when he was coming back.

Knox was the name he went by. Nobody knew if that was his real name, and nobody asked. All the boss carried about was that he was good with a lasso.

Speaking of that man, you both hear shouting from the other side of the barn.

"Why on God's green earth I know of any suspects? I wouldn't have called you if I knew who this son of a bitch was."

You both head over. Your boss was "chatting" with the local sheriff; his face inches away from the others as he shouted. Knox has to turn away to stop himself from laughing at the annoyance in the poor man's eye. Noticing you, the sheriff looks your way.

"Evening, folks? You seen anything strange around here lately?

"No, sir."Knox chuckles, throwing an arm over your shoulder." Me and the Missus here were just heading to have some alone time in the boss' office."

You playful shove him off. "Cut it out."

Your boss' face turns best red. "This ain't the time to be joking. I ain't letting any of you thieves in my office again."

"Theives?" You repeat.

The sheriff speaks up. "Your boss here says his safe had been broken in to. Fortunately it seems all that was in it was his personal errandings and all the important papers are at home, but it was a lot of bills."

"When I get my hands on that bastard... Where were you two early this morning?"

You quickly vouch for yourself. "I was at the convenience store until noon."

"They were. I hung around outside for a little while. Fallin asleep on the job like the angel they are."

Knox pokes your rubber nose. It was true. You saw him lingering on the porch of the store, pacing around or kicking empty cans. He did that quite often when he didn't come in. Just standing there; looking at you when he thought you wouldn't notice. Come to think of it, you saw him at a lot of your jobs. With the thought of work on your mind, you panic.

"Oh shoot, what time is it? I'll be late for my shift at the bar."

"About six thirty. Gone on ahead." The sheriff says.

"Now hold on a minute."Your boss cuts in. "Nobody is leaving until we get this solved."

He steps toward you both, but Knox blocks him; towering over the older man. His grin never leaves his face, but it quirks ever so slightly.

"Y/n is going to head out. They've got business to take care of, and you aren't getting in their way."

Your boss huffy, but keeps his mouth shut. Knox signals for you to leave.

"Go. I'll see you later."

-

A shower and change later, you head over to the bar; your final job of the day. It was one of the best for tips, if some didn't make you feel dirty when taking them. For the most part it was a decent place to relax amongst the mellow chatter between customers and the noise from whatever act was going on that night.

As you clean a glass and chat up a regular, a familiar face pops through the door. Knox removes his coat as he saunters over the counter, dropping it over the back of the seat the customer was in.

"You're in my spot."

The man shoots daggers, but slides over into the neighborhood seat. He tries to continue talking with you, but Knox taps on the table to get your attention; ordering his preferred drink as he smirks at you.

"I always forget how cute you are without that makeup, stripes."

"We were talking, pal." The man slurs.

"And now your conversation is over. Y/n can I get rid of this clown?"

"You aren't security, plus we'll lose all our customers if you make everyone leave." You say this as the customer gets up and leaves. Knox chuckles.

"Aw come, Y/n. You know you're the only clown anyone needs!" He stares at the glass you place in front of him; voice lowering. "Which is why I've come to ask you that question again."

You stop pouring liquor in the glass, placing the bottle on the table. Every once in a while, Knox would ask you to leave town with him; like a reaper knocking on a stubborn old man's door. You barely knew the man's name the first time he asked; promising you the life of your dreams.

Whenever he was in town, he'd sleep at an inn; telling you all about the nice place he had miles away. He wanted to take you there, were you could live comfortably and away from the stress of it all. He was normally flat out drunk when he said this, but tonight he hadn't taken a single sip.

"Knox.. You know my answer." You had responsibilities; friends. You couldn't just up and abandon all that for a man with with past you didn’t know. Knox sighs; bouncing his leg on the ground to calm his nerves. This place wasn't good enough for you, and he was going to make you see that someday.

"You say that now, Y/n, but one day your gonna be mine. This little town will be the last thing on your mind." He grabs a bill from his pocket, slamming it on the table.

You... recognized this bill. A scribbled on twenty you got as a tip after after show at the rodeo before your boss stole it out of your hands. "Too much for a show monkey." As he joked.

"Knox... Where did you?"

Knox already at the door with his coat over his shoulder and hat tilted in hand. He winks at you.

"See you around, Y/n."

[thefirstknife]

Didn't The Drifter also get close to a child in the Dark Age and saw her as almost his own?

Yes! That's why this whole thing with Eido and the other Eliksni kids is really getting to me. The whole story of Eaton and Yu in particular literally kills me every time.

For those that don't know: back in the Dark Age, when Drifter was going by Germaine and living in the village called Eaton and hiding his Light, he was basically babysitting a little girl called Yu. It was a kid from a family that lived nearby. She was 9 years old.

Yu was nine cycles old and visited often. She and her family lived next to Judson, and sometimes they sent her to Germaine when their boisterous neighbor was too belligerent. As he was today. Germaine didn't mind.

Judson was just some dude that hanged around with Drifter and was known for using phrases and speech that we know Drifter for. Example:

"How you livin'," Judson greeted the Risen, holding his finger high.

Another:

"Didn't see you there, brother," Judson growled low...

At the time, an Iron Lord called Dryden visited Eaton and gave them supplies as an exchange for a place to stay and to be able to use Eaton as bait for a Warlord he was after. Eaton had to accept because they were literally on the brink of starvation pretty much every day. Yu told Drifter that Judson said they shouldn't have let the Iron Lords stay and that it's dangerous and Drifter was trying to comfort her:

He laid another card down. "Appreciate what you get. Your parents were skipping dinner so you could have yours. The Risen solved that for us. For a little while. We have to let them stay."

She stopped pacing to consider it, and looked up at the sheet metal ceiling. "I don't want to die."

"You won't," Germaine said. "Why don't you go see what your parents are up to? I'm a little beat."

This was very upsetting to Drifter:

"OK," she said, shrugging. She left.

Germaine opened a small box of water from the pile of ration packs and poured a tin-full. Yu hadn't noticed because it was difficult to see in the flickering lamplight, but his hands shook.

It's a small detail, but he tended to get shaky hands which is one of the reasons he's fidgeting with a coin later on in life. He usually does it when he's stressed out and to hide that his hands shake.

Judson attempted to flee the village before the Iron Lords show up again, but he's caught by the Warlord and brought back. Warlords rolled into the village and killed Yu's father while waiting for the villagers to tell them where are the Iron Lords. Soon, the Iron Lords showed up and all hell broke loose when they started fighting.

While the fight was going, Drifter's Ghost saw the following:

Through it all, the Ghost saw one of the men emerge out of the discharge of an errant explosive device, cradling the body of a child. He moved to relative safety behind one of the shacks and knelt down, holding an ear to the child's face. She was trying to speak.

That was Drifter trying to protect Yu with his own body. Ghost asked him about it later:

"The child. Yu," Ghost continued.

"Stop talking," he replied.

"What did she tell you? You were speaking to her at the end."

He didn't respond. It would be lifetimes before he told Ghost the answer. But he would remember.

One of the reasons Drifter doesn't like his Ghost is that his Ghost was insisting that Drifter could've helped everyone in Eaton. Which is very unreasonable to think; there were six Warlords and unclear number of Iron Lords. And even the Iron Lords couldn't stop the six Risen without heavy casualties. Drifter couldn't have done much on his own. He was helping the villagers in his own way, using his Ghost to track animals for food to help the local hunters. There wasn't anything else he could've done, especially when you see that the Iron Lords couldn't have done anything either, not without risking everyone in the village and themselves.

One of the reasons Drifter was hiding his Light was because other Risen would challenge him otherwise. While he was hidden, Risen would just treat the village as any other settlement and mostly left it alone. If he'd been open about his Light, they would've treated him as an enemy Warlord and that would've directly endangered the village. But Drifter's Ghost considered him a coward for not fighting and for not being a "proper" Lightbearer. It's one of the reasons why Drifter's relationship with his Ghost is strained.

Drifter found Judson alive in the debris of the village and tried helping him by cauterising his wound. Judson blamed him for the attack, but ultimately died. Drifter's Ghost insisted more about how Drifter could be so much more as a Lightbearer but he didn't budge. His final line is him adopting Judson's speech pattern:

"How you livin'?" he said, and gave a smile to the heavens that ended at his eyes.

Drifter buried everyone in the village. As was stated previously, it took him centuries to tell anyone what Yu said to him before she died. Drifter told us in one of the tapes he left for us:

My neighbor's kid told me something that still bounces 'round my head to this day. Right before the light went out in her tiny eyes, she whispered, "I can't feel anything." Yeah. I couldn't either. That's all I got. Cut the tape.

He never got over this trauma. This child died in his arms while he desperately tried to save her and he had to be there to hear her final words, while he was able to just walk up and live again. It's a huge part of his disdain for the Light and the Traveler.

A lot about who he is was formed in Eaton, including the way he talks which is something he adopted from a friend that died. It's very interesting to see how he ended up becoming the man he is today. This lore book I linked is absolutely a fantastic read. Here's a fanmade drawn cutscene about this.

Drifter also later had a bar beneath Felwinter's Peak. He specifically wanted to get in contact with Felwinter, which wasn't easy without revealing he's a Lightbearer. Took him a while to get there, but eventually he managed to get a meeting with Felwinter. The purpose of this meeting? To report Lord Dryden, the Iron Lord that fought the Warlords in Eaton.

See, what Lord Dryden did was against the Iron Decree. It states that Risen should never involve mortals in their battles and Dryden specifically paid off villagers in Eaton to set them up as bait. But nobody knew about this because everyone in Eaton died. Except Drifter! Who was a secret Lightbearer. So he went to Felwinter and reported it, using the footage of the event from his Ghost as proof. Additionally, Dryden lost all other Iron Lords he led in the attack and also committed final deaths against the other Risen, then proceeded to hide the entire event and was still serving as an Iron Lord without repercussions.

Felwinter agreed to help because that's what he does. He also asked:

"Eaton. Who were those people to you?"

"Nothing. Just ghosts."

"You want revenge for people you care nothing about?"

Drifter avoids answering and never says anything more about it, clearly still heavily traumatised but unable to properly explain how and why. He just avoids the topic. But nobody would spend hundreds of years trying to get revenge for the villagers he buried with his bare hands if they were "nothing" to him.

For what it's worth, Felwinter did not waste a single moment. He told Drifter to leave and:

The Exo parted his coat and drew a long, bronze shotgun from his side.

"What do you think?" his Ghost asked.

"Call Lord Dryden. Prepare my Iron Banner arsenal."

Eaton was avenged and Drifter's long stubborn quest to get that revenge worked. But that didn't help him get over the trauma of Yu and what he had to witness.

On one hand, I am kind of disappointed we didn't get Drifter in Season of the Haunted because his Nightmare would've obviously been Yu. On the other hand, I am glad we didn't because I don't think I would've been able to handle that. And Drifter knows this, which is probably why he avoids the Moon like the plague.

I feel like this whole part of his backstory is super important to understand why he is so eager to be close to Eido and why he's protective of her. Including why he's so good with other Eliksni kids. It makes the whole thing very bittersweet. He definitely has a soft spot for kids. I'm glad that he gets to spend time with them now.

[yourforeverokay]

The Meaning Behind the Song (Elvis Presley x Reader) pt. 2

word count: 2,3k

summary: What happens when it's Y/N's first day in town and she goes to the local diner, only to meet the person that had filled her thoughts all day and night?

a/n: Hey my loves <3 Thank you so much for appreciating the first part of this series. I hope you enjoy this one just as much. I hope to post more often but my life is keeping me busy with work and graduation but I'll promise to start posting more regularly! Also I use the pronouns she/her in this series for the main character, but that doesn't limit the reader to anything, you can imagine the person to be whoever you want them to be! Thank you <3

You drove another hour or two before you found yourself in front of your new apartment. You parked your car in front of the poor and almost broken-down apartment building but the state of it didn't bother you at all. You had lived your whole life in poverty-stricken conditions and you wanted to change that. Your parents had always dreamed of you finding yourself a wealthy man, so that your family could finally pay off all the debts that had burdened everyone, especially your father, who worked everyday for almost 10 hours. He just wanted his only child to live a happy and fulfilled life, but he wasn't capable of miracles, despite his full schedules of work and chronical stress. You wanted the best for your family too, but marrying a wealthy man wasn't for you. You were always optimistic about life, so you figured that you could make your own money, and doing it by fulfilling your dreams. Everybody called you crazy but you knew what you were capable of and that is why you were currently stepping out of your car with your bags, ready to meet your new home.

The area that you were living in was filled with government housing, just like your house was one too. Instead of feeling embarrassed, you felt blessed to be given this opportunity to have your own apartment at such a young age. You went inside the building and walked up to the 4th floor, which was the highest one, and found your door. You took your keys, opened the door and took everything in. The apartment was fully furnished, and you loved it. You could see that the people didn't want to make the house boring and dull, because the apartment was filled with different colors. Red, green and black were the ones that really popped up in your eyes, and they were also used the most. You set your bags on the floor and started exploring the house and it's secrets. Soon after, you found your favorite spot in the apartment. It was the thick window sill, in your bedroom, that had two pillows that you could sit on while looking out of the window. The view wasn't to die for, but it was your view, and you romanticized it because that was the only way you could live your life. By seeing beauty in everything, even when there was none.

You continued settling in and hours flew by. By 10 p.m. you had already unpacked everything and set them in their places, learned how to use the radio that was located in the living room and learned how to use the oven and the stove in the kitchen. Everything was falling in place but as you sat on the window sill and drank the chamomile tea you had just poured for yourself, you couldn't help but think about the boy you met earlier. He was filling your mind with excitement but also with fear. 'What if he will not call?' You thought to yourself as you looked at the night sky. You drank your tea as you kept thinking about his beautiful deep eyes that made you blush. His voice with that southern accent, dark slicked back hair, his way of speaking...everything about him. You decided it was time to go to bed because the day had been long, exhausting but everything you wanted it to be and more.

-

You started your day early, at 8:00 a.m. to be exact. You still had some paintings to hang on your walls so you placed them in their places and after that, you heard your stomach growl. You were in desperate need of food so you got dressed, now in more basic clothes, and left the apartment. You had to walk to the city center to get to the grocery store. It was small but it had everything you needed in there. As you were walking between the isles, you got an idea of visiting the local diner tonight as a celebration of your new life. That is why you only brought home eggs, bread, milk, honey and some tomatoes from the store.

You cooked breakfast and took out your notebook. It was time to come up with something you could hopefully present to Mr. Phillips tomorrow morning when you would visit the recording studio for the first time. You always started with the lyrics and the theme and you were feeling to write a bit bluer song that you would normally write.

The other woman

You looked at the paper and suddenly remembered your last relationship which ended in a bad, bad way. The boy, who was your first love, cheated on you. He tried to lie and explain to save himself or the relationship between you and him, as he said. You were then a sad, sad girl writing songs about things you knew about but never before had you written about this heartbreak. You had been the other woman in the relationship, and you knew it. You were ashamed and lonely..waiting for love to find you again.

Has time to manicure her nails

The girl was beautiful, yes, but she didn't need to put so much effort every day to please the boy, like you did. Everyday he would see a flaw in you that needed to be fixed. That's why you always kept yourself pretty, even your nails were perfectly shaped and colored. Still it was never going to be enough. He wanted to marry the girl, his parents knew about her and they were going to have a family together. You knew you didn't have a chance but still you waited until you came to your senses and left the broken relationship you both shared.

You continued with the lyrics, trying to match a guitar to the melody you had in mind for it. It took you the whole day to write the song but you were satisfied with it. Now if only Mr. Phillips would approve it, everything would be perfect. Your notebook full of lyrics and tiny doodles of flowers, your fingers aching a bit from all the playing, you looked at the time. It was 6:30 p.m. which meant it was time for dinner. You went to your wardrobe and took out a pretty blue dress with white dots on it and put heels on that you stole from your mother. You took your purse and left the building once again.

-

You arrived to the new-ish looking diner which was booked and busy with people chatting loudly in their own groups. You walked in and heard the bell above ring upon your arrival. You walked over to the counter and waited for the waitress to appear. "Hey sweetie, what can I get ya?" The waitress had to almost yell because the lively music was playing too loud next to you and the people were laughing, having fun loudly. "Hi, could I possibly get the vanilla milkshake and the hamburger with the fries?" You decided on the safest choice since you didn't know what the house special was. "Coming right up!" The waitress yelled and disappeared to the kitchen. The diner was amazing. The people, the energy, the music, everything. Everything felt perfect in that moment. You were happy to see so many people enjoying themselves with friends and family. You wished you had somebody too but it wasn't time for melancholy feelings. You swung your legs and looked at the menu in front of you when you felt a tap on your shoulder. You looked behind you and noticed the boy from before. "Elvis!" You turned around completely to face him. You two hugged each other tight and you felt a weird feeling in your body, it felt safe? It was so comfortable already between you two which made the butterflies go crazy in your stomach. "Hi honey, what on earth are you doing here? Shouldn't princesses be eating in their castles?" Elvis smirked at you while throwing the sly comment as you both shared a small laugh. "No but seriously, what are you doing here honey?" He asked once again, excitement shining in his eyes. "Well...It's a long story but in short, I live here now. I just moved in from California." You smiled at him while gazing in his eyes. "WHAT? That's amazing, I live here close by too!" He smiled brightly. His attention was switched to his friends when they yelled his name and tried to wave at him, signaling him to return to their booth. He just nodded and yelled "I'll be there in a minute!"

Your meal arrived and you took a fry in your mouth as Elvis started to talk about his friends and why he was there. He asked you to join but to be honest, you were too shy. You were usually a bit more quieter with new people but with Elvis, you didn't need to be. The first gaze you shared felt like you had known each other forever. "I don't want to bother you." You said while pushing a piece of your hair behind your ear. "Honey, you? You could never bother me. Even now I'm blessed I can even talk to you." You giggled but a thought took over your mind. "Why didn't you call me then?" You asked him curiously, but obviously not wanting to pressure him. "I- I- um" He stuttered which you took as a sign. "It's okay, I get it." You gave the boy a small smile and took a bite of your burger. "No, no, no you don't!" He took you by your shoulders which shocked you a bit as your eyes widened. "I wanted to, I really did but I just didn't want you to find out this soon." "Find out what?" Silence took over the conversation.

"I'm not the person you might think I am. I'm a poor guy and if I would've called you would've found out that I live in the government housing by the phone number. I know girls like yourself, don't usually go for guys like me which is why I was waiting till I could've called you from my friend's house. It would have been in a lot nicer area and the number would ha-" He continued to explain before you stopped him. "Elvis, I don't care that you have no money." He looked shocked at your comment, his eyes had confusion in them though. "Elvis, I'm poor too, and I also live in a government housing, it's okay. Never would I have declined you just because of your financial situation. Never. You're a nice guy and besides all, you saved me yesterday." You said to him as you took his hand in yours. You put a fry in your mouth and popped one into his too. His friends yelled at him once again trying to get his attention but his eyes were stuck in yours. "I wanna get to know you Y/N, I wanna know your story and I definitely wanna hear what you're gonna do in here in Memphis." He said with a smile, you returned it. "Well that's going to be a long story Mr. Presley." You laughed and finished the fries that you had left. "Oh baby, I have all the time in the world. Let me walk you to your home and you can tell me all about it." He took your hand as you hopped off the stool. "What about your friends?" You asked. "They'll understand, after all I'm with a girl like you." He winked his eye at you while waving a goodbye to his friends.

-

You left the diner after paying your meal (which he insisted on paying) and walked slowly in the dark night. The night was chilly and you were walking close to each other, hands slightly touching one another. You told him about your childhood which was filled with memories with your parents and your dog that you owned. You told him all the big ups and downs, all the tears and smiles that you had ever experienced. You also talked about the money problems in your family and how hard you father worked. Elvis related to it all and it felt like you too shared a childhood even though you were far away from each other then. Elvis told you about his mother and his childhood which in a big part was music. Another thing you two had in common was the love for music. You two talked about everything and everyone but one thing that was left unsaid was the fact that you two shared a record label. He didn't tell you about his popular single That's allright mama. The reason was because you two had so much to talk about and the walk to your home wasn't very long. You only told him that you were here in Memphis to chase your dreams which he responded to with "I know you can do anything you believe in Y/N."

The two of you were standing in front of the door of your apartment building, in complete silence. You and Elvis just kept an intense eye contact, neither of you wanting to be the one who breaks it. Your hands were behind your back and Elvis was slightly leaning against the wall next to the door. He pushed a strand of your hair behind your ear, the palm of his hand slightly caressing your cheek. You were inches away from his face as you broke the silence with a simple: "I'll see you around Elvis."

"I'll see you too Y/N." Both of you resisting to share your first kiss right there and then. You backed away in your house, shyly, as you realized how close you actually were to him. "Bye, Elvis." You gave his cheek a tiny peck and closed the door quickly before realizing what you had done. You leaned your back against the door, heart racing and your face red. What you didn't know was that Elvis was leaning on the same door too, his back pressed against it. He was blushing, shaking his head with a dumb smile on his face. He sighed.

"I need to make her mine."

[strangerthingslover69]

Tonight’s the night

Dmitri Antonov + Female reader

18+ minors do not read!

Warnings ~ swearing, drinking, and smut ~

Two months ago you, Joyce and Murray helped Hopper escape from Russia. It also happens to be where you met the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen Dmitri Antonov. Love at first site. Once you’d all settled back to America the two starting dating, it was going amazingly! However with settling back into normality and dealing with everything that happened you and Dmitri had not had chance to be alone properly. You confide in Joyce about your problem and she comes up with a plan to get you and Dmitri properly acquainted

❤️*This is a request from the lovely @themightyloki thank you so much I loved writing this, sorry it took so long! And of course had to use your GIF!* ❤️

Two months ago your life changed for the better. Two months prior two that was the darkest time of your life. But here. Right now. Everything was good. Perfect even. You, Dmitri and Mikhail had settled into your new house together. You loved living with them. They were your new life. Your family. You treated Mikhail as if he was your own even though he was a little more than half your age, but it didn’t bother you because you were finally happy. It was like any other Friday, Dmitri working at the station with Hopper, Mikhail at school with the others and you, well you hadn’t quite found a job yet despite looking everyday. Dmitri told you not to worry something will come up. As you browse the local paper looking through the job section there’s a knock at the door. You get up and answer it. ‘Joyce, this is a nice surprise. Please come in!’ You say letting her in. ‘I thought since it was my day off you’d like some company.’ She says making her way to the kitchen. You close the door and follow her through. ‘I’d love some. Thanks, want a drink or anything?’ You say turning on the kettle. ‘That’d be great thanks. But was thinking maybe something a little stronger?’ She says placing a bottle of wine on the table. You didn’t even realise she’s carried it through. You chuckle and grab two wine glasses from the cupboard. ‘Let’s get more comfortable’ you say making your way to the sofa. Joyce follows through as you place the wine glasses down. She opens the bottle and pours a generous amount in. She passes you the glass and sits down next to you. ‘Cheers’ she says barging her glass to yours. ‘Cheers’ you clink glasses and take a sip. ‘Mmm that’s good!’ You say licking your lips. ‘Hopper sure can pick a good wine even if he can’t pronounce most’ she says with a small giggle. ‘Speaking of Hopper, how are you guys?’ You ask with a smile. Joyce sighs happily, ‘we are really good. I’m just so happy he’s back. I’m even more happier when the kids go to the Wheelers tomorrow night, if you know what I mean’ she says winking at you. You laugh and take a sip of wine. Letting out a sigh. ‘I wish I would know’ ‘You mean you two haven’t?’ Joyce asks avoiding the word. ‘Fucked?’ You say bluntly. ‘Nope nothing’ you say throwing your head on the side of the sofa cushion. ‘Oh sweetie, why!’ She asks surprised. ‘It’s not that we don’t want to. Believe me we do. It’s just, we never get chance to. With Dmitri working a lot, me looking for jobs, Mikhail and his homework. I know they sound like shit excuses but that the truth’ you say taking a big gulp of wine. ‘Y/N you should of said! Joyce says leaning forward. You chuckle. ‘What told you about my non existent sex life?’ You ask amused. ‘Yes!’ She replies. You frown at her feeling confused. ‘No what I mean is if I would of known sooner I could of helped you. I still can’ she says smiling. ‘Joyce I love you but you’ve lost me completely.’ You say refilling your glass. ‘Sorry, what I mean is why don’t we have Mikhail tonight? We’ve got the boys over for a sleepover, why doesn’t he join too?’ She suggests. You stop filling your glass and put it on the table. You turn slowly to her and smile widely. ‘Yes! Yes please Joyce. I would be so damn grateful. Thank you! I could kiss you right now!’ You say bringing her in for a hug. She laughs and hugs you back. ‘You can save all that kissing for Dmitri’ she says with a wink. ‘You need to help me find something to wear!’ You say leaping from the sofa and dragging her down to yours and Dmitri’s bedroom.

Dmitri is sat at his desk typing up some notes from the last arrest. ‘Do you ever stop working?’ Hopper says with a laugh making his way over to Dmitri. He sits on his very tidy desk. Dmitri looks up and replies, ‘sometimes’ he shrugs his shoulders. ‘Been meaning to ask, how things with you and Y/N?’ Hopper says taking a bite out of a doughnut. Dmitri sighs, ‘good. Really good in fact.’ ‘Then why doesn’t your face match with what you’ve just said?’ Hopper asks. ‘It’s, it’s just’ Dmitri looks around the office to make sure no one’s listening. ‘It is going great Hopper truly. But we, we haven’t, you know?’ Dmitri trails off. Hopper makes a O shape with his lips. ‘Fuck. I just presumed you two had’ Hopper replies. ‘We want to. But there’s never anytime to’ he says sipping his now cold coffee. Hopper thinks for a minute finishing his doughnut. ‘Why not take her out on a date? An actually date? You know candles, wine, food?’ Hopper suggests. Dmitri smiles, ‘I’d love to but Mikhail. We can not leave him home alone.’ ‘So don’t, bring him over to Joyce’s and mine. We got the rest of them and I’m sure Mikhail would love to join’ he offers with a kind smile. Dmitri sits up straight a smile beaming from ear to ear. ‘Are you sure?’ He asks. Hopper nods. ‘Course! Man if me and Joyce hadn’t fucked yet. I’d be losing my mind. I’ll call Joyce and let her know. By the way I recommend Enzo’s. Amazing breadsticks’ Hopper says with a wink. It’s funny thinking that was his code name. ‘Thank you Hopper. I owe you’ Dmitri says still beaming with a smile. ‘Don’t worry about it’ he says walking off to his office.

Hopper calls Joyce but no look. He remembers that she said she might pop over to see Y/N so he tries there. A few rings later and you answer. ‘Hello?’ ‘Hey Y/N, is Joyce there?’ Hopper asks. ‘Yeah she is, one second! Joyce it’s Hop!’ You call for her. She makes her way to you and you hand her the phone walking back to the bedroom. ‘Hey Hop, what’s up?’ Joyce asks. ‘Hey honey, no nothing. Just wanted to let you know we’ve got an extra one tonight. Mikhail is staying over’ Hopper says with a smile. ‘How did you know?’ Joyce asks surprised. ‘What do you mean? I just arranged it with Dmitri. He’s gonna take out Y/N to Enzo’s then take her home so they can… you know’ Hopper says down the phone. Joyce laughs. ‘What’s so funny?’ Hopper asks scrunching his nose. ‘I offered to have Mikhail stay over too. She told me they haven’t.. had sex yet! So I decided to help’ she said the last part in a whisper. Hopper laughs now too. ‘Well aren’t we some great friends?’ He says. ‘The best’ Joyce replies

As you go through your wardrobe you notice a box you forgot about tucked away. You pull it out and open it. You can’t help but feel excited. You pull out the lingerie and smile. Joyce walks back in the room, ‘wow, he’s gonna love that!’ Joyce says looking at what you’re holding. Two piece set. Black lace, makes your boobs and ass look amazing. It cost you a fortune but knew it would be worth it to see the look on Dmitri’s face. ‘I hope so, Joyce I honestly can’t thank you enough!’ You can’t help but squeal with excitement. You hear the front door open, you look at the time, you realise schools over and it’s Mikhail. You quickly put your lingerie back into the box and welcome him. He sees you walk out your room and smiles instantly. You walk over and bring him in for a hug. You and Mikhail have a wonderful relationship. You treat him like your own. You love him. ‘привет, хорошего дня?’ (Hi, have a nice day?) you ask. Your Russian was still minimal and rusty but you tried. He smiles at your attempt of the words still. ‘да спасибо вторая мама’ (yes thank you, second mum) he says still smiling. You can definitely see Dmitri in him. The same beautiful blue eyes and dashing smile. He’s even inherited his height. He may be sixteen but he was taller than you, though that wasn’t difficult. ‘So Mikhail, Joyce has kindly invited you to her house for a sleepover with the others! How does that sound?’ You say with excitement. Mikhail smile spreads even more if that’s possible. ‘Yes please mama! Thank you’ he says seeing Joyce stood by your bedroom door. Your heart always warmed more anytime he called you mama. ‘Your more than welcome honey, want to pack a bag and we can go?’ Joyce offers. ‘Okay, thank you!’ He says near enough sprinting to his room. You turn to Joyce and bring her in for a hug. ‘Thank you so much. He’s so happy!’ You feel your eyes well up slightly. ‘Aw sweetie anytime honestly’ she says hugging you back. Mikhail comes out only five minutes later with his backpack full. You give him some money as you know full well they will most likely go to the arcade. He thanks you gives you a hug and kiss goodbye and is out the door waiting by Joyce’s car. You say your goodbye to Joyce, ‘have fun tonight, I look forward to hearing about it’ she says with a wink. You burst out laughing and wave them both goodbye. You hear the phone ring in the kitchen, you make your way over. ‘Hello?’ You answer. ‘Hey sweetie, I’m almost done here. Sorry haven’t called been a busy day.’ You hear Dmitri’s voice at the end of the line. ‘Hey you, don’t worry about it, you’ll never guess what!’ You say smiling down the phone. ‘What?’ He asks. ‘Mikhail is staying at Joyce and Hoppers. You know what that means?’ You say seductively. Dmitri can already feel himself getting a semi on. ‘I know baby, Hopper said. I can not wait. But before we get down to business I need you to get changed. Maybe into that dress you’ve been saving for a special occasion?’ He says, you can hear the smile in his voice. ‘I can’t wait to what we’re doing,’ you say playing with the phone cord. ‘It’ll be worth the wait, I’ll be home soon, bye’ Dmitri says. ‘Bye baby’ you say hanging up the phone. You go straight to the bathroom to shower. You shave everywhere making sure to look just perfect, shampooing and conditioning your hair, you knew Dmitri loved the smell of it. He said it was one the first things he noticed about you. The smell of apple in your hair. Once your body is washed you get out the shower lathering yourself in your new body cream, smelling like a flower. You walk back to your bedroom with a towel around your waist and one around your hair. You go to the wardrobe and bring to look for that ‘special dress’. You hear the front door open and Dmitri’s voice. ‘Hey Y/N, just gonna take a quick shower then I’ll be with you’ he shouts down the hall. ‘Okay baby!’ You shout back smile plastered across your face.

Once your hear the bathroom door close and the shower on take the towel out of your hair and You find the hairdryer and being drying your hair. Once pretty much dry you put on that special set of lingerie. You look at yourself in the mirror. You look good you had to admit. Going back to the wardrobe you finally find the dress you’d be searching for. It’s sexy as hell. You got is a couple of years ago and never had the confidence to wear it, as you said, you were saving it for something special. That is today. As you put it on butterflies fill your tummy as tonight is finally the night. The night you finally feel Dmitri inside of you, a tingling sensation runs although your body. Lost in your thoughts you don’t hear Dmitri enter your bedroom. ‘Wow’ he says breathlessly. You turn around and see him with just the towel around his waist. You bite your lip, it’s going to even be hard waiting to have him when he displays himself so invitingly for you. ‘You look beautiful’ he says walking towards you, lust filled in his eyes. You blush at his compliment, ‘if you look at me that way we are never gonna make it to wherever we’re going’ you say as he stops in front of you. He brings his hand to the side of your cheek and stokes it delicately. ‘Я не могу помочь. ты такая красивая’ (I can not help it, you are so beautiful) he says in a sexy tone. You have no idea what he’s saying but he knows the effect his native tongue has on you. He could be saying anything and you’d melt into him. ‘не могу дождаться, чтобы наконец почувствовать тебя’ (I can’t wait to finally feel you) he says moving his thumb to pull down onto your bottom lip. He’s so damn teasing. You stare into one another’s eyes not saying anything, just the feeling of wanting one another more and more. You take his thumb into your mouth. Swirling your tongue around it and starting to suck it. ‘ебать’ (fuck) he mutter under his breath. You smirk as you pop your lips off his thumb. ‘Best get ready or else we’ll be late’ you say with a wink walking past him to go sort your hair in the bathroom. Dmitri watches as you exit the bedroom, ‘how the fuck am I suppose to wait’ he mumbles to himself as he finally gets dressed. Dmitri walks out all fresh in his smart trousers, freshly ironed shirt with a black tie and black blazer. He meets you in the kitchen, ‘ready?’ You hear him say. You turn to see him, my god he looks good. ‘Ready handsome’ you say giving him a quick peck on the cheek before leaving.

Dmitri parks up and you talk a small walk to your date, you see Enzo’s in your eye line. ‘I’ve been wanting to try here for ages!’ You say excitedly squeezing his arm. ‘Now you can baby’ he says with a warm smile. Once seated it’s truly beautiful in here, small but cosy and the lights twinkle all around. The waiter takes your order, Dmitri ordered a bottle of red for you both knowing it’s your favourite. You order breadsticks to share, Dmitri ordered a steak and you go for the lasagne after hearing Hopper bang on about it so much. ‘So, this is the place I was named after?’ Dmitri says with a laugh. You smile back, remembering the code name he was given. ‘Well I think it’s very fitting, don’t you?’ You say with a smile. ‘Oh, how so?’ He says reaching for your hand across the table, you interlock fingers and it just feels so right. ‘Well, it’s got class, it’s warm, a beautiful place’ you lean in closer. ‘Plus, I hear it taste pretty good too’ you say seductively. Dmitri smiles, ‘You are very naughty’ he says in a near enough whisper. You roll your eye playfully. Considering how busy it is your food arrives pretty quickly. Now you know why Hopper would talk about this place so much, everything tasted incredible. With full tummies and the bottle empty Dmitri asks if you want any dessert? You shake your head. ‘I’ll have my dessert at home’ you say lifting your leg under the table to slowly travel up his. Dmitri raises his eyebrows at you speechless. He calls the waiter over and gets the cheque paying for it leaving a decent tip. You leave Enzo’s hand in hand walking back to the car. Excitement running although out your body. Dmitri drives fast but safely home. Once finally in the fun begins

As soon as your front door closes your lips instally find one another. A very needy kiss. Lips crashing on one another as you’ve waited so long for the moment. You can taste each other dinner and the wine as your tongues intwine with one another. ‘Bedroom’ you manage to say through a breath before attaching your lips back to his. You feel his hands reach under your bum as he picks you up so effortlessly making you squeal. Your lip reconnect as he carries you to your bedroom. You’re impressed he doesn’t knock anything over on the way. Once in the bedroom he closes the door with his foot and turns you around slamming you into the back of the door making you gasp in surprise. ‘So dominant’ you say biting your lip. ‘Don’t want you forgetting who’s in charge, do we?’ He says with a wink. Before you reply his lips attach to your neck, kissing it up and down, you feel his teeth sink in as he begins to suck on your flesh. Your hands move roughly thorugh his hair giving it a tug. He moans into you. He lets go of your neck licking where he’s just left a mark. You whine at him. ‘What’s wrong?’ He asks concerned. ‘Dmitri. I need you. Now’ you say in a demanding voice. He does not need to be told twice. He moves you both back from the door turning around to the bed, he throws you down and drops to his knees like he’s worshipping you. You look down at him and he looks like a starved man. Hair sticking up, lips red and puffy, eyes full of lust. He looks at you as he slowly takes your shoes off throwing them behind him. You lay back as you feel his lips slowly kissing your ankle making his way higher. He lifts your legs up throwing them behind his shoulders, pulling you closer to him. It’s hard to keep still as his mouth gets closer to your aching core. His hand push your dress up showing your lingerie. ‘ебать’ (fuck) he mutters. ‘Y/N, as sexy as these are I’m going to have to take them off’ he says as his hands reach around the waistband pulling them down. You see them fly behind him landing somewhere in the room. Dmitri is how face to face with your bare glistening pussy. ‘Beautiful’ he says leaning down giving it a kiss. Only a small kiss and your already crumbling under him. As he kisses the inside of your thighs you can’t help but giggle as his moustache tickles you. ‘Something funny Y/N?’ Dmitri asks as he continues to kiss. ‘Your moustache tickles a little’ you say a little embarrassed. ‘Does this tickle?’ Dmitri asks as you feel his tongue lick a stripe on your pussy. You moan loudly. He removes his tongue and does it again. ‘I said, does that tickle?’ He asks as you feel his tongue swirling slowly on your clit. ‘N-no’ you managed to say. ‘Good’ he says with a devilishly grin before going back down. His mouth is amazing. You feel his tongue all over your pussy, licking up and down. ‘You taste incredible’ he moans into your pussy causing you to moan even louder. Your fingers reach for his hair pulling it tight and closer to your aching core. You feel his fingers moving up to your hole, he teasingly inserts one making your hips buck. He inserts his finger and begins to pump in and out of you. ‘Fuck Dmitri!’ You moan as his speed picks up, his lips suck around you clit. You can feel your close. Dmitri can tell as you clench around him, he adds another finger stretching you out for his dick. ‘Dmitri, gonna, gonna!’ You can’t finish your sentence as the coil breaks and you feel yourself cumming around his fingers. He sucks and licks all your juices up as you catch your breath.

You pull him up for a kiss, not caring that you can taste yourself on him. Your hands begin to unbutton his shirt. You manage to undo all the buttons and push his shirt off his shoulders. Your arms tracing his muscles as you do so. You feel goosebumps running down him. His trousers dig into your naked pussy, you feel the outline of his dick, the friction causes you to gasp. ‘Dmitri. Fuck me’ you command to him looking him with lust filled eyes. He does not need telling twice. Dmitri gets up quickly and takes off his trousers and boxers in one quick swoop whilst you pull off your dress and unclasp your bra. You lay there naked as he stand there naked. You’re both fully admiring each others bodies. Dmitri bites his lip as he sees your beautiful body fully naked. After months of waiting he can finally make love to you. You sit up and crawl to the end of the bed and bend down so you’re facing his dick. It’s glorious. So fucking big and hard. Your mouth drools at the sight of it. You give him little kisses along the tip and make your way down his shaft. You can hear him muttering something but unsure what he says. You kiss your way back up his shaft and where you meet his throbbing tip. You give in and give it a little kitten lick, licking up his pre cum. He moans at your small movements. You look up with a smile. He thinks you look truly beautiful. He adored your smile. You mouth wraps around the top of his dick as you begin to slowly suck it. ‘Fuck’ he moans as your feel his hand running through your hair. His moans make you suck deeper, you hallow your cheeks out to help you fit him in fully. You slightly gag as your feel him hit the back as your throat. Your eyes water but you don’t care. He tastes and feels amazing. As you suck harder Dmitri is trembling with your touch. He’s in trouble not even five minutes and he feels like he’s going to cum. He pulls you off his dick by your hair, you mouth makes a pop as you detach. ‘Y/N, your too fucking good’ he pulls you up to meet his mouth. Mouths on one another kissing harshly and hungrily, teeth clashing but neither one of you care. ‘Lay down’ he says in between kisses. You obey and lay on your back opening your legs up for him to see your glistening pussy. ‘So perfect’ he says as he lines his dick up to your pussy, leaning his body on top of yours. You look into one another’s eyes, both full of so much love. ‘Ready?’ Dmitri asks. You smile, ‘ready’ you reply in a near enough whisper. Dmitri pushes his dick slowly into you, you both let out a loud moan together as he goes in. Fuck. He’s finally inside of you. After months of waiting it’s finally here. ‘You okay?’ He asks with concern. You can’t help but smile even more, ‘I’m perfect. Now fuck me Dmitri’ you say clenching yourself around him.

Dmitri moans feeling you go tighter. He begins to thrust in and out of you. Sex has never felt this good before. Ever. With anyone else. He fills you up and is a perfect fit, just like he was made for you. Dmitri’s speed starts to pick up as he moves in and out. Your arms around his shoulders, nails digging in as he hits that special spot. He leans down and kisses your neck, you can hear his hot moans in your ear and it turns you on even more if that’s possible. One hand rests on the bed frame as the other traces your waist until he meets your breast. Taking you nipple between his fingers and twisting it. ‘Fuck!’ You moan. ‘You like?’ He asks smugly. ‘Y-yes!’ You moan again. His lips move off your neck, he kisses down your collarbone till he meet your breast. He sucks the delicate skin of your breast, he wants to leave marks on you. He never wants to forget this. He’s sure he most definitely will not but the thought of your breasts being marked up and hidden from the world gives him excitement. He moves his tongue as he begins to suck your nipple. ‘Dmitri, you- your gonna make m-me cum!’ You moan. ‘Cum baby, cum on my dick’ he moans into your nipple. His thrusts become quicker and you clench around him, ‘fuckfuckfuck!’ You moan as you cum all over his dick. You barely have time to catch your breath before Dmitri lifts your legs higher to your shoulder as fucks you hard. He’s hitting you so deep that you didn’t know it was physically this possible to feel this good. Dmitri’s trusts become sloppier as he feels himself almost ready to cum. ‘Fuck Y/N. So-so close’ he moans biting his lip. ‘Cum in me Dmitri, please!’ You beg, you don’t care how desperate you sound you needed to be filled. Your legs begin to burn and you feel him digging into your legs hard but you can feel him twitching inside of you, ‘fuck- I love you Y/N!’ Dmitri moans loudly as he finally gives in and cums in you. Dmitri catches his breath as he takes his fingers off your legs already seeing bruises there. He slowly pulls out and can already see him cum dripping out. Dmitri looks to you and sees your eyes are watery. ‘Y/N, what’s wrong?’ He asks moving next to you with concern and worry. You look at Dmitri as a tear rolls down your cheek. You bring your hand to stroke his face and smile. ‘Nothing. Everything is perfect’ you say leaning in and giving him a kiss. You rest your forehead on his. ‘Dmitri?’ You say nervously. He looks up at you, ‘I love you too’ you say biting your lip. Dmitri smiles back at you. He wasn’t sure if you’d heard him. ‘It’s not exactly how I wanted to tell you’ he says scratching the back of his neck. ‘Tell me again then’ you say shrugging your shoulders. ‘I love you Y/N’ You bring him in for another kiss as you fall back on to the bed. You loved Dmitri. And he loved you

[hernerdwonderland]

Nordic Galore

Norway

Norway is the type of guy to pour milk into the bowl before adding the cereal. It started as something he would merely do in order to annoy Denmark but for some reason it stuck.

He is also a sucker for routines and lets close to nothing stop him from following them. He leaves the house at a set time for his evening walk every day, no matter the weather. The world could be ending for all he cared, he will still go out for his walk.

His routine also means the workers at the bakery and the farmer’s market he frequents know his order by heart now. Should he for some reason run late on certain days, he is sure to receive what he wants anyway as, chances are, the employees already reserved his order.

Sweden

Sweden is a rather homey guy and knows his way around the house very well. May it be cooking, baking, fixing leaks, chopping wood or the usual chores, he is the whole package. It will all get done in record time with no semblance of complaints leaving his lips.

Speaking of, he also knows how to crochet and knit. The winters in Scandinavia can be unforgiving and he doesn’t want to spend money on something that he makes himself, chances are even better than the ones sold at stores. Not to mention, that handcrafted goods also make for good presents. They succeed in conveying the sentiments of care and affection that he is unable to articulate verbally.

Iceland

Iceland is a huge, huge fan of hiking. This fondness of his is only amplified by the breathtaking landscape of his country. It’s hard to not get lost in nature and its beauty once you leave the cities and villages behind. Nature along with the peace and quiet it grants his soul, turned it into his safe haven to escape to whenever he feels overwhelmed.

He also has a huge soft spot for animals and sometimes even volunteers in local animal shelters. Animals are drawn to his quiet nature, making it possible for him to deal with even the more “difficult” pets. For him it’s a double win. He can unwind and feel like he is doing something good while the animals get some of the affection they want and deserve.

Denmark

Denmark takes very good care of himself. He tries to his best to always eat healthy and to avoid ordering fast food whenever possible. It does taste good, yes, but at the end of the day he prefers to eat something that actually benefits his body. In order to hold himself to that standard, he also has started growing some vegetables of his own. That way, he would have no excuse to not whip up something healthy. Every once in a while, he does accompany Norway on trips to the farmer’s market.

Finland

Finland isn’t a morning person. At all. He has a serious coffee addiction and needs it to get himself together each morning. How he drinks it? Black without milk or sugar, of course. For this guy, it’s all or nothing.

He also has an Instagram account for his dog, which gets updated almost every single day, if not multiple times a day, even. Speaking of his dog, he has hundreds of photos of her on his phone. What can he say, he is a proud dog owner!

Ice swimming is also among his favorite pastimes. It boosts your health, and you can meet likeminded people, what’s there not to like?

[hannahssimblr]

Chapter Sixteen (Part 3)

We’re the last customers in the local Centra before it shuts, and even though we aren’t that hungry, we buy Pringles and a sharing packet of Minstrels, both agreeing that the idea of becoming suddenly ravenous back at the beach house with nothing but those those stale rice cakes to feed us is a harrowing concept. We get toothpaste and toothbrushes, and at the last second I grab a bottle of white wine. Jude teases me about it when we step out onto the footpath. 

“What’s all that you said at the restaurant about not wanting to drink anymore?”

“Well, I didn’t say that, I said I’d like to drink more like the Italians. I thought maybe we could try it out.”

“Civilised drinking?”

“Yeah.”

Back at the house we put the snacks in little bowls as though we’re expecting guests, and I grab a pair of wine glasses from a cupboard above the fridge. I turn on one of the little lamps in the living room and pour out a glass for us both. 

“Are you feeling civilised yet?” Jude asks me after my first sip. 

“I’m always feeling civilised.” I’m lying, I have no concept of what that feels like, but after half of the glass I at least feel relaxed. The wine sits in my belly and heats my cheeks, and the fact that I cannot have more than this, just this one glass that I’ve limited myself to, means that for once I actually think about what it tastes like. I always drank wine because it was cheap and strong, but never asked myself if I really enjoyed the flavour, and all of a sudden I’m not sure that I do. I must pull a sour face after one of my mindful sips, because Jude laughs at me. 

“It’s not you, Evie. It’s the wine. It’s shit.” He says, and I give him my glass so he can take it into the kitchen and pour it down the sink. 

When he comes back to the couch we sit and talk for ages. He’s very good at articulating himself, at telling stories and painting a picture with words, to the point that I always feel like I can imagine things perfectly. He tells me about America, the dry brush of the Chihuahuan Desert and the way the rocky mountains might look under sunset skies on the train to Denver, and in exchange I tell him about things that happened to me back when I lived my flat, midlands life, which I always thought was unbearably boring, but he settles the full weight of his attention on me when I’m speaking to him, and I feel, as I always do with him, like I am the most fascinating girl with the most fascinating stories he’s ever heard.

He touches me all the time, to emphasise a point he’s making, to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear, or fix the strap of my bra as it slips down my shoulder, and every time he does I feel the imprint of his warm fingers on me for ages. When we kiss again his touch is gentle and soft. Even as he does more daring things, like cup my breasts or suck on the skin beneath my ear, nothing about it feels wrong. I didn’t know it was really possible for such things to feel natural and right, when before I’ve always felt a little bit put off by them, objectified or slightly violated.

We must kiss for at least an hour, and even when we aren’t kissing we’re lying there and lazily stroking each other’s skin and talking about everything we can think of, and it slowly occurs to me that he’s not asking any more from me. He’s not just getting the girly stuff out of the way so that he can earn his way into my knickers, and it’s far easier to relax when I stop waiting for the moment he starts peeling away my clothes and asking me to put my hand into his trousers. What’s funny though, is that with the pressure to do those things stripped away I find myself wanting them all on my own. 

I don’t know when the kissing gets desperate and more urgent, but it must have been sometime before I put my hands inside his T-shirt and he slung my thigh over his hip so that we’re lying with our bodies pressed together. The bare skin of his stomach lies flush against mine, as my vest rides up a few inches above my trousers, and I mustn’t be thinking straight at all, because I don’t do anything to halt our slow grinding against each other, which feels so good even through two layers of denim that stars fly across my vision. I whimper in his ear, which draws a low groan from him, a hot rush of air against my neck, and his fingers grip my hips for better friction. I tangle my fingers in his hair and throw my neck back against the cushions and everything is suddenly a hundred times hotter than it was a few seconds ago. 

“No.” He’s saying now, pushing my hands away and sitting up. “It’s time to go to bed.” For some reason I think that I might die because of this. “Can’t we kiss for another while?”

He closes his eyes for a moment and when I accidentally brush his thigh with my foot his nostrils flare. “Sorry, I need a timeout.”

I look at him and wonder, “Have I tempted you? Are you that turned on just from kissing?” I don’t know why I’m teasing him, as though I’m not twice as turned on.

“Evie,” He sounds agonised. “I’m very clearly horny for you, are you surprised?” He gets up very slowly. “I’m not going to pressure you into things you don’t want when you said you aren’t ready, but I can’t keep on doing… this with you for any prolonged amount of time. We had to stop. I’m going to show you where you can sleep.” He goes into his bedroom, which suddenly feels like a very sexy, forbidden place to be, and gets me a t-shirt. It swamps my body and comes halfway down my thighs, and has something on the front about Kasabian. Like the last t-shirt he gave me, it is ancient and worn and soft, the kind of thing once loved, now relegated to the summer house wardrobe. I hope that he’ll never ask for it back. 

After we brush our teeth, I take my makeup off with the hand soap by the sink. When we go towards our separate rooms, he blocks the door with his body. “Goodnight, Evie.” He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “I’m genuinely sorry that I wouldn’t kiss you all night.”

“How dare you.”

He drifts in towards me and stares at my lips, and even though he doesn’t kiss them again, the way that he is reacting to me makes me feel like some kind of seductress, a siren that he can hardly resist, and I shiver with pleasure. Me. In the last second, the corner of his mouth twitches up with humour. “I’m just too afraid that I’ll drive you wild and you’ll corrupt and befoul my innocent body.” 

“I get it. You’re just a man.” I shrug. 

“I am. A human man.” He pecks my forehead and knocks my hands away from him so he can shut the door on me. I slink off to bed on my own.

I lie awake forever in the bottom bunk in Ivy’s bedroom. I am cold, as the heating went off hours ago, and my mind is alive and buzzing. Each time I close my eyes, or even drift away for a few minutes my dreams, memories from the day, are so vivid and real that they wake me in an instant. The house is too quiet. The blinds are too thin to block out the moonlight. I’ve been up to pee already, and to have water. I get up a third time and go to his room. 

“Hello.” I whisper as I open the door. I hear the covers shift. 

“Evie.” His voice is alert, and I know that he wasn’t asleep either. 

“Can I come in for a minute?”

“Yeah.” 

I feel around in the dark until I touch the side of his mattress, and then I crawl boldly under the duvet with him. He isn’t wearing a t-shirt anymore, and his skin feels hot. 

“I can’t sleep.” I whisper. 

“I haven’t been sleeping well either.” He tells me. “Usually I stay awake for most of the night.”

“You’ve seemed tired these last few months.”

“Well, that’s why.”

It’s a bit odd not being able to see him. The blinds in his room are so much better than Ivy’s, but it’s interesting to feel for him in the dark. I trace my hands over his shoulders and his neck until I find his face, and I don’t know why I want to touch him, like I think I’m going to be able to feel the expressions that I can’t see, but he doesn’t mind it. He must have recovered from his earlier affliction because he’s permitting skin on skin contact again. He finds my arm and my wrist and gently links his fingers with mine. 

“I’m cold.” I say. 

“I can feel that.”

“It’s okay, you’re so warm, you’ll heat me up nicely.”

“Yeah I get that way.” I like the way that his foot snakes its way up between my calves and hooks our legs together. My hand leaves his face and settles above his heart. 

“It’s beating quite fast.”

“Only because you’re here.”

“Oh.”

“I hoped you might come back.”

“I didn’t like being on my own without you, not when I knew you were here, in another room, it felt wrong to be apart for some reason.”

“Me too, but only because I’m scared to lose you again.”

“Again?”

“All I’ve done is lose you and push you away. I don’t want to do that anymore.”

“I’m afraid you’ll run away from me.”

“I won’t.”

I tuck my head beneath his chin and wrap my arms around him. “Okay.”

“Maybe we should try and sleep.”

I shut my eyes and let his body envelop me in cosy warmth,  but I am still not tired. His hand smoothes a slow path from my hip to my ribs and back, and his heartbeat never slows. I’m a bit edgy. I keep anticipating that he’ll do something bold and daring, but he doesn’t, he keeps things very chaste and innocent, and eventually I begin to feel mildly infuriated, even though I’m the one who said I wanted it this way. Now I want him to touch me, so I take matters into my own hands, grab his wrist and press his hand firmly against my breast, hoping it’ll make it obvious enough.

His voice is tight, surprised. “This is what you want?” His thumb brushes over my nipple through the thin t-shirt material. I can hardly see him in the dark, only his outline and the glow of the moon on the curve of his shoulder, but I feel his breath quicken on my skin as he shifts closer to kiss the side of my neck. Then he moves to my mouth, and before I know it he’s leaning over me and kissing me so slowly, so deeply that I feel a bit dizzy. 

“Yes please.” I gasp into his mouth.

Apparently this is what he really wanted too. He pushes his T-shirt up my legs and puts his hands underneath it to stroke my bare skin while I arch into him. I don’t really care how I seem, or what I might feel about this tomorrow, all of these ideas I have of what I would or wouldn’t do according to my own personal rule book of what sort of behaviour is acceptable for me, none of it really seems to matter as much as these urgent feelings in my body that plead with me to do something. 

“I really think that you’re lovely.” He says, a surprisingly sweet thing to say considering he’s groping my bare chest and hard inside his boxer shorts, and it makes me feel a little bit shy. 

“Well I think the same about you.” I say. 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I curl my hand around the back of his neck and kiss him with everything that I have, and when he yanks me closer to him and slides his thigh between my legs. I grind against it instantly as my body goes on ahead without my brain. I would never ordinarily do things like this, and yet, the way that he’s kissing me, the way his hands urge me on and the sound that escapes him, like some small yelp or moan serves to melt all apprehension out of my head. “Like this.” He says, and puts me on top of him so that I can feel him desiring me, right against the place that I want him. I feel my heartbeat in every inch of my body. “Is it okay? Or do you want to stop now?” 

I no longer care about the things I said this afternoon. Since then he’s dated me, danced with me, kissed me and shared with me the bad wine that’s still warming my belly, and his body is hot and real underneath me and now all of those things I thought I knew before seem so wrong. “Do you want to stop?” I whisper. 

“No, not at all.” I bury my face in his neck while he hauls me against him and rolls my hips against the solid ridge inside his boxers. Without the restriction of the denim it’s a hundred times better, and my whole body erupts with sensation, like there are sparks shooting through every nerve ending and bursting out of my fingertips. Jude’s hands are everywhere, under my t-shirt, inside the back of my underwear holding me, encouraging me in a way that draws pleasured sighs from us both, and I wish that we had the light on, just to see what he looks like when he sounds like that. I bet that he’s twice as pretty. 

His heart is thumping beneath me. “Do you want me to get you off now?”

I lift my head from his pillow, drag my hair out of my face and look down at his outline. He smoothes the sides of my thighs from my hips to knees and back again while I consider it. I really shouldn’t want that. It might not be a good idea, I’m too self conscious, but when he strokes me through my underwear to give me a teaser of what he could do to me, all reasonable thought dribbles straight out of my ears.

“Yes.” 

“Get on your back.”

I roll onto the sheets, and he shoves my t-shirt up to my chin. I gasp with surprise and delight while he trails kisses from my belly to the hollow of my neck. “Tell me what you like.” He says. 

“Whatever you want.”

He chuckles. “I’m just trying to make you come. Can you tell me how?”

How direct. “Oh. I don’t… I don’t really know. Is it weird that I don’t know how to say it?”

“Do you want to show me yourself?”

If the lights were on he’d see my face burning bright red. “You want me to… do that in front of you?”

He holds my wrist and slips our hands beneath the waistband of my underwear, his atop mine. “Together.” He says. “Just show me what you do to yourself.”

For a wild moment I wonder if this is some kind of joke, if he’s going to take his hand away and say ‘just kidding, I can’t believe you thought I’d want you to do that!’ But laughing at me appears to be about the last thing he wants to do, so I chase away my hesitancy and show him what to do. 

It must be about the most intimate thing I’ve ever done. He touches me, touching myself while he kisses my mouth between my deepening sighs, and then I move my hand away and let him take over on his own, and say things like “Do you like that?” in this rough, sexy voice that makes me feel like I truly might combust. 

He says other things too, whispers the kinds of words into my skin that will make me blush when I think about them tomorrow, but for now I let them wind around me and push me until I let out staggered, breathless gasps and all I can do is feel the loveliness of these sensations. I begin to reach the brink, but immediately worry about it as soon as I start thinking about what he’s witnessing.

He seems to understand. “You can just let go,” He tells me. “It’s just me.” and I do. He takes me straight over the edge with a curl of his fingers as he hurls me into a kaleidoscope of euphoria, and I’m tumbling, freefalling into sweet oblivion until I land back in his arms. 

I lay there just breathing for a while, and he brushes strands of hair from my forehead, kisses my neck and rests his hand on my belly, which reminds me that my t-shirt is still bunched up around my collarbone. I quickly readjust it to cover myself, because even though Jude can’t see me in the dark and he had his fingers inside me two minutes ago, some things don’t just change in an instant, and I’m still embarrassed to have my boobs out.

He’s touching my face like he’s trying to memorise my features, smoothing his thumbs over my cheeks and tracing the shapes on my nose and my lips and then pressing his own lips against all of the same places and the attention is so soft and warm that I could turn to liquid and melt right onto the sheets. “That was hot.” He says. “Did anyone ever tell you that you make the sexiest little sounds?” 

I would burst out laughing if I hadn’t already melted. “No. Nobody has ever told me things like that.” 

“Well those other guys are losers, then.” He lies back onto his pillows and I automatically follow, nose to nose in the dark. “Do you want me to, um, touch you back?” It’s not like I have a lot of real, valuable experience with sexual things, but I have learned enough to know that nothing is given freely without reciprocation.  

He just hooks his elbow around my neck and rests my head on his chest. “Yeah, I’d like that. Next time. Not now though.”

“Then what would you like?”

“To try and sleep.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I just want to be here with you.” His heart beat finally slows beneath my ear and I shut my eyes while he traces slow, dreamy shapes with the tips of his fingers against my hip. 

“You liked that?” I whisper. “Just touching me?” It was enough?

“I liked it so much.” His voice is thick with sleep. “I like you so much. So much that I don’t know what to do. You’re perfect.”

“I’m not perfect.” I start to protest. “I’m about the furthest thing from it, actually, I’m a bit of a mess, and-” He’s shushing me now and turning me over to wrap himself around me and deliver more of those sweet soft kisses to the back of my head. “I know you’re not, you just seem that way to me right now. Go to sleep.”

“You want me to stop talking?”

“Mm. If you want.” 

 “Alright, that’s fair enough.”

“Night, pretty girl.” he murmurs, and drifts away in an instant.

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