#yeah she got overshadowed at one point...

[boydepartment]

weird cat guy- nishimura riki x reader

a/n: THIS WAS REQUESTED BY @angrybananapolice I HOPE ITS OKAY <3

request: can i req a comfort kinda fluff with Riki? reader is that kind of friend who's like a side character in her own life. Like, she isn't known by her name, she's known as her best friend's friend. You get me? so basically, reader isn't recognised a lot but then Riki somehow waltzes into her life blah blah thats all on you and then they kiss at the end because :)

warnings: cursing, insecurity, angst, comfort, fluff, kinda romcom

wc- 600-800 words

MASTERLIST

in school you were pretty invisible, you didn’t talk much and when you did your friend would accidentally overshadow you. you don’t think she meant to, it just happened.

it was really frustrating you inside but you never were going to say anything. at the end of the day school wasn’t forever and you could move on with your life in a couple years max. there was no reason to make a scene or beg for attention.

that’s how your life was, blending into the background. who were you to change it?

when you walked to school with your friend you listened to her go on and on about some annoying guy in her dms. you thought she didn’t realize how lucky she was for people to actually have a romantic interest in her. you had a feeling something like this would never happen to you. a guy making a fool of himself to gain your attention? funny.

“he was so annoying all he did was yap!” you felt her hand on your shoulder. you couldn’t help but laugh along, no matter how you were feeling- she had a point.

“he really did sound like a yapper.” you started to joke with her as she continued.

“and his instagram was a little odd too! wait look!”

you watched as she pulled up his instagram, you both spent time poking fun and giggling. it was almost like middle school again.

until you got to the school building, then you faded in the background. you loved your best friend just not at school. she talked to way more people and left you by yourself socially. she would drag you around and then not truly include you.

and that’s how you’d spend your days, doodling on your math notes, messing with your shoes under the desk, and trying not to fall asleep. rinse and repeat…

however one thing did happen, on your walk home you were alone because your friend got invited to a study hall.

“i’m sorry y/n… will you be okay on your way home?”

you nodded and smiled at her, forced, “yeah of course! don’t worry about it!”

you started your journey home by yourself, at this point you should’ve gotten used to it. being alone. it was almost tranquil and you felt like nothing could ruin this moment for you. no school, no stress anymore, no-

“PLEASE STOP THAT CAT!”

when you looked up you saw a cat and a lanky figure sprinting towards you, the cat jumped on you and scared you so bad you fell over. the guy toppling down with you.

“what the hell!?” you yelled grabbing your head.

the boy looked at you, “i was trying to get that cat! i wanted him!”

you tried to stop the dizziness, “go to a shelter then, you psycho!”

the guy stood up and grabbed your hands to help you up, “that’s too easy!”

you finally looked at him and he was astonishingly attractive, “you’re crazy!” you looked away from him, now embarrassed. you barely talked to people, let alone attractive people. this was so embarrassing! and it was the hot guy’s fault!

“i’m sorry for knocking you over!” he exclaimed, “listen how can i make it up to you!” he stood there tapping his foot.

you grabbed your bag off the floor, “by leaving me alone.”

“come on! i totally knocked you over! well technically the cat did then i tripped over you but that’s not the point!”

you looked at him again, “you can leave me alone and stop being weird towards stray cats.”

at that, you walked away quickly passed him. god knows what that weirdo does on his free time. chasing cats? what a dork.

the next day was like clockwork, you enjoyed your bestfriends company until school, then you lost her. school and your studies were boring- it was a review week.

you sat down at your desk for lunch, your best friend sitting by you but not with you.

“oh y/n what do-“ everytime she tried to talk to you, someone else took her attention. if you tried to talk, someone talked over you.

you learned your lesson quickly.

“i heard that cute guy has been peeking into the classrooms today!” one of her friends exclaimed. one thing you learned was that listening and noting things was key to at least trying to enjoy the social aspect of school. you didn’t have to be involved.

“which one?” your best friend asked. everyone looked at your friend.

“that cat boy! he always chases cats and birds!”

you found yourself giggling slightly, that was ironic. what are the odds?

your best friend gasped, “oh him! he is so cute!”

they started talking amongst themselves until you heard giggling and gasping. probably some arm smacking too. which was typical in the gossip circle.

“oh my gosh it’s him! (b/f/n) he’s probably going to go over to you! what if he asks you out!”

yeah probably. you knew how this was going to play out. she’d go out with him, probably get the ick, then he’d have a bad rep because he fumbled with the school’s flower.

it was then more silent than usual and you had a box of chocolates thrown on your desk.

you looked up and it was cat boy, the psycho that ran into you.

“what’s- what’s this?!” your eyes widened, the boy started to snicker.

“for running into you. my mom told me to get it.” he pulled up his chair in front of you, all eyes were on you both.

“i didn’t even know you went to my school!” you whisper yelled, panicking that the attention was on you. the boy started to unpack his lunch in front of you and you hid your face from everyone.

“likewise!” he spoke and started unpacking his lunch, “do you like cucumbers? my mom always packs them but i don’t really enjoy them.”

he started speaking like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“ummmm…. what are you doing?”

the boy looked up at you, “actually talking to you.” he whispered, “and having lunch. duh.”

your eyes scanned the room, your best friend’s friends still looking at you, including her. you felt nauseous.

“this isn’t a funny joke if you’re pranking me.” you said firmly, the boy looked a little shocked.

“why would i be pranking you? i don’t have friends either.” he said simply and took a sip of his milk, he put the cucumbers on your plate.

you eyed the cucumbers, “is that why you chase cats and birds?”

he looked up at you, giggled, then nodded, “i’m riki by the way..”

“y/n.”

you honestly expected him to hang out with you once and then drop it. but that didn’t happen… he actually continued to hang out with you. be around you, and actually talk to you. riki would remember the little things too.

he started to walk you home and you got so used to his company that it scared you. in your mind you were boring, he was probably just using you to get to your friend. you’d take whatever riki said with a grain of salt, no matter how sweet. why would you risk having feelings for someone who could just be using you?

the weather was starting to warm up and your allergies were not helping you. your head was in pain and school just wasn’t it for you today. the idea of looking at the green chalkboard sounded nauseating.

you stayed home and took pain meds, around 10 am you were trying to make tea when there was a knocking at your door.

that was terrifying, it was only you home. if someone decided to break it you would probably die.

you rushed over and peeked through the window. and there was riki.

you opened the door, “what are you doing here.”

“you weren’t at school, can i come in?”

“can you stop pretending you actually care?” you wrapped your arms around yourself and looked down at his feet. you were getting tired of riki being overly nice to you, especially because to you it was fake. it was a facade.

you heard a surprise noise and then a scoff.

“i’m not pretending! what do you take me for!?”

you finally got the courage to look up at him, “someone who’s way out of my league and probably only using me to get to my friend, it’s happened since middle school, and she likes you too! so go to her! stop wasting my time.” you went to shut the door but riki stopped it.

“what the fuck are you talking about? have i ever mentioned your stupid- no offense- your stupid friend?” riki readjusted the bag on his shoulder, “i got your schoolwork too dumbass, since she said she forgot it. that’s the one and only time i’ve ever spoken to her.”

you looked at him, still in disbelief. riki looked at you, somewhat annoyed.

“y/n i’ve hung out with you everyday for a month, i have no other friends because people either make fun of me for being cat boy or they’re just trying to date me. it’s a weird 50/50.” he said simply, his stare softened.

“riki-“

“what’s that burning smell?”

“FUCK!” you rushed back to see the water boiling over the stove and went to fix it. you were already upset because you couldn’t find the kettle, now you were upset you fucked up.

“god! i can’t do anything right!”

unbeknownst to you riki let himself in, “go lay down. i’ll make tea.”

you flipped around and looked at him, at this point you didn’t feel well, you were overwhelmed, and you just wanted to lay down, “fine… whatever…”

you laid down on the couch and tried to check your notifications, your best friend hadn’t even checked if you were okay. hell, she didn’t even read your text asking to get your work.

sighing you zoned out until you felt a weight next to you, “sit up and drink up.” you listened, mumbling a thank you.

“i like you.”

you choked on your tea, “you what? riki that’s not funny, that’s mean. you’re being mean.” you spoke quickly and waved your hand brushing him off.

“i’m not lying to you, i’ve been hitting on you this entire time!” riki exclaimed and sat back astonished.

you set the tea down, “it’s hard for me to believe you.”

“i know.” he took a deep breath and leaned his head back, “i know. clearly it is.”

you felt bad now, if he was telling the truth you were the one being mean now…

“i’m sorry, im not used to all of this.” you felt your eyes water and riki sprung into action. he softly grabbed your hands, they were freezing.

“i know you aren’t, listen… i lied when i said i didn’t know we went to the same school-“ he blurted out. you looked up at him.

“what.”

“i’ve had a crush on you since the beginning of school but i didn’t know how to tell you and you were always around that stupid group that never talked to you and i felt really bad but i couldn’t say anything because im known as weird cat boy and i just i was trying to catch that cat to try and impress you but i failed-“

around the middle of his speech it was like time stopped, it was now or never.

if it was a joke and your school social life was over then you could transfer online or something.

you sat up on your knees and made the boy face you, before you leaned in and kissed him.

he tensed up before easing into the kiss, when he pulled away softly he chuckled, “i’m sorry for lying about that, it’s the one thing i lied about and i felt embarrassed for liking you for so long.”

you pecked his lips again, “is it embarrassing to like me?”

“NO!” riki said quickly, “absolutely not! i just felt like a loser, NOT BECAUSE-“

you started to laugh, “i’m just teasing you!” when you calmed down you looked at him, riki’s ears were pink and he was just staring at you.

“thank you for being a real friend to me…” you smiled at him, tearing up again.

“can i be your real boyfriend? or am i about to get friendzoned…?”

you laughed again and hugged him, well tackling him, “you can be my real boyfriend!”

[lovesickinbed]

best friend!ellie who is actually in love with you and hates every person you bring home

you do not have the best track record with relationships

in fact literally every person you date turns out to be a major scumbag

and ellie knows this

because more often than not she's the one picking up the pieces and consoling you

when really all she wants is to tell you to leave those idiots and be with her

“look,” she says to you one day, as you're about to embark on another date

"just don’t… don’t go with him, okay?”

"i'm gonna be fine. he’s not like the others, he’s - he’s really nice, els. and sweet. i think you’d really like him.”

ellie scoffs at this, jaw clenching

“and I really appreciate how much you care. i do. you’re - you’re an amazing friend-”

that's what did it

ellie's gaze flickers back to you, all ice

any evidence of her previously gentle demeanour has completely vanished

"i’m not gonna like him,” she snaps. "as a matter of fact, i’m not even gonna try. you know why?”

she takes a step forward and presses her finger against your chest, hard

"because they're all nice," she continues. "jake was nice. alex was nice. hell, even brady was nice to you at first, but that got pretty overshadowed by the other girlfriend he had the entire time, huh?”

she jabs her finger at you to enunciate every point

“Face it,” Ellie huffs. “None of these guys are good enough for you. They’re all just gonna hurt you, lie to you, cheat on you, whatever. And if you keep going along this road, someday you’re gonna end up married to some deadbeat that treats you like shit and screws his secretary, all because he was nice.”

at this point ellie has you backed up against the wall, the distance between you so little than you can feel her laboured breaths against your lips

at her words, something inside you twists, and a shot of laughter bubbles up your throat

“Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think that this is embarrassing enough for me as it is?”

“Don’t you think,” you spit, “that I feel like an absolute idiot every time I find out you’re right about the guy I’m seeing? That he doesn’t actually love me, that he’s just like the rest?”

“Because I do, okay? And the first thing I think of when one of these douchebags cheats on me or yells at me or lies to me isn’t even about how I’m feeling. It’s you!”

Ellie is taken aback by this, like a lot

"Me?"

“Yes, Ellie, you. I think of how your face gets all scrunched up, like - like this! Oh my god, you’re doing it right now.”

you grab her face with both hands as if to solidify your point

“I think about how you look at me like this, feeling all sorry for me and concerned and pitiful and I just…” your breath catches , a sob building in your throat

“I hate what comes after that, too. How angry you get, frustrated because you have to deal with this again and again and again.”

at this point ellie has to grab your wrist to stop you from jabbing the heel of your hand against your forehead repeatedly

she takes your wrists in her hands, concern etched into her features

"hey, hey. i'm not mad at you. i'm never mad at you."

you whine like a little kid when you respond

"yeah, you are"

"'m never mad at you," ellie assures you, pulling you into a hug. "just hate seeing you get hurt. it fucks me up, seeing what those guys do to you. and yeah, it makes me fucking pissed."

you're still really upset, choking back sobs as ellie rubs your back

"i know you think i'm pathetic," you say softly

and ellie's like what?????

because she doesn't think that, ofc she doesn't

"said it yourself. 'm never gonna meet a guy that's good to me. why bother, right?"

"no, that's not what i--" ellie cuts off, struggling to find the right words. "i didn't mean it like that."

"what'd you mean then?"

ellie's in physical pain trying to find a way to say this

because tbh she's been avoiding it for a while now

"just meant that... like, these guys, they're... they're idiots, because you're absolutely gorgeous and they don't see that"

"you don't think that guys find me pretty?"

"what? no! of course they see it. they just don’t notice the little things, you know? like the look you get when you aced a test and you’re about to tell me about it, or how you refuse to wear anything but a skirt even when it’s freezing out-”

what ellie's really trying to say slowly dawns on you

"ellie-” you cut in

“I mean, not that I’m complaining or anything-”

“ellie.”

“I just mean that there’s a million little things that make you who you are that these guys just don’t get. And I could spell it out for them, hell, I could even put it on like, a huge billboard and they still wouldn’t get it. Because that’s just who they are. And it makes sense that you’re shocked by it every time, because it makes no sense-”

“Ellie.”

“Fuck it,” Ellie curses below her breath, before grabbing your face in her hands and meeting your lips with hers

and it was one thing for her to kiss you, but God, it was another thing completely for you to kiss her back

it's completely electric, and ellie can't even believe it's happening

you pull away first, breathless

"you gonna let me talk now?" you ask, your words coming out muffled because ellie's hands are still planted firmly on your cheeks

"no," ellie says, and then dives into you again

when she finally, reluctantly, pulls up for air, you try a second time

"ellie," you whine, and she laughs and kisses you again quickly

"okay," she breathes, "talk."

you're just trying to make sense of the situation right now because everything is happening so suddenly

"you like me," you say, looking for confirmation

"i love you," ellie corrects, "i love you, and i swear that if that airhead comes into this room in the next five minutes to pick you up for that date, i'm going to punch his lights out"

"hey," you pout, "michael is nice"

ellie rolls her eyes and says "there you go again with the nice"

"fine," you laugh, "no more nice guys. i don't like 'em anyway"

"well that's a surprise"

you hum against the crook of her neck, "don't like nice guys. love you, though"

"good," ellie murmurs against your hair, "'m sick of 'em. don't wanna see 'em around my girl again"

"no more nice guys," you solemnly agree, "just mean, scary ellie"

"that's right," ellie agrees, before leaning down to kiss you again and again and again :))

[cybercl0ne]

Masked men x f!reader//18+ (Scenario 2)

TW: 18+, Cnc, somnophila,toy play (vibrators), double penetration, creampie, degradation, name calling (slut,whore), mentions of breeding, minor praise (if you read into it), edging, multiple orgasms.

AN at the bottom!!

FYI:) these are not the same men from the elevator 😉

You were sleeping peacefully, your mind clear, for the most part. You laid on your bed, turning restlessly as you midnight stalked you. As you slowly yet surely drifted to sleep, a visitor decided to make an entry, peeking through your window.

“Yeah, she’s asleep. Out cold.” A man with a ski mask says, dressed in a skin tight black shirt and baggy jeans.

“What are we waiting for, let’s get in and out man.” Another one adds, opening your loose window. Without your knowledge these two men snuck into your room, one of them staring daggers at your sleeping form as it innocently tosses around to an unsourced sound.

“Don’t wake the little princess up, she’s a beauty when she’s sleeping.” The man watching you says, taking off his cheap Halloween mask he bought from Party City. He makes a small dent in your bed, overshadowing your figure, looking at your dolled resting face as his friend sacked through your room for valuables.

“Hah! Look at this. Our little sluts got a few toys.” The man slyly says, turning around to see his friend on top of you, kissing down your half exposed body. All the while you sleep soundly, not aware of anything. “Wanna put these to good use?” The man ask, taking a vibrator out from your “secret” box from under the bed. The man shrugs, pushing up your shirt to expose your naturally perked nipples, immediately taking to sucking them dry.

“Taste so fucking sweet. Her tits taste like pound cake.” The man adds, groaning on your breast, making your face scrunch at the sensation. Meanwhile, the man at the bottom of your bed works to take your panties off. “Someone’s enjoying this- our little slut’s getting wet for us.” He slides his fingers up and down your puffy slit, stopping to massage your sweet clit. He takes his fingers and sucks them clean, feeling a rush from your taste, forgetting all about looting your house. He doesn’t wait, turning on the naughty vibrator, tapping it on your pussy to see if you react.

You wince in your sleep, folding your position to your back as your legs curl then uncurl, trying to be rid the buzzing as it tickles your nerves. “She likes it. I can’t tell if she’s asleep or just faking it~” the man at your breast adds, kissing your face, closing into your ear where he licks it, whispering dirty words as his friend teases your pussy with your vibrator.

As the vibrator hits your clit, feeding a pattern of sexual tension, you stir awake, the first thing you saw was 2 men experimenting with your pussy. “Wha-“ before you could finish your sentence the man closest to you grabs your mouth, the vibrator falling to the ground as the other man comes around to manhandle you to the wall, forcing you off the bed. “Now listen, you scream you’re gonna regret it alright you little bitch?!” The masked man spits out, grabbing another vibrator from your box. Your stomach drops as you realize what they’ve been doing to your body for who knows how long. The man kisses your cheek, moving across your face as his buddy plays with your pussy. “Just a slut aren’t you?! Getting all wet in your sleep, waking up surprised. You were waiting for us!” The man aggressively spit, finding his hand roughly slapping your pussy, the other man still holding your mouth grinding his clear hard clothed cock on your ass. “No point in screaming if you’re not screaming my name baby…making me into a rut with yout slutty ass huh? Putting on a show for me baby? Like showing off?” The man teases, pulling your nipples as you groan, giving muffled pleas as your pussy sobs with slick. A tight slap comes to your ass and pussy as the men degrade you. You look at the man holding your mouth, your eyes lidded with fear, and bubbling desire. “Like what you see? What, my little slut getting horny from getting her little tight pussy destroyed?~” “you gonna cum? Fucking cum then, do it you little whore!” He roars uncovering your mouth only to replace it with his mouth as the masked man attending to your pussy stuffs his fingers inside, keeping the vibrator on your clit.

You muffle a moan as your tongue intertwines with the unmasked man while his friend looks up at you, the rest of his face covered, his eyes being shone through the lusty moonlight. “Cum on my finger baby girl, make my fuckin’ night and cum! Cum!” You roll your eyes back, squirting out your juices on the poor vibrator and the masked man’s fingers. Above, you two break the kiss, ending with you still orgasming as the men laugh, their hands extending your orgasm by torturing your cunt. “That’s my girl! A fucking fountain!” The unmasked man shouts, stuffing his fingers inside you to extract more, making your legs shake from how sensitive you were.

“P-please, no more…to much!” You beg, squinting your eyes shut as they assault your body. “We’ve just began princess!” He says, throwing on the bed, the masked man lifting you up like it’s nothing, sitting you on top of him. “Strip my pants baby…” he whispers, leaning into your ear and nibbling it. “I said STRIP MY FUCKING PANTS!” He booms, his friend across the room, already squeezing out of his clothes, his entire body exposed. You shakily grasped his pants, unbinding his cock from his boxers, watching as it sprinted up, slapping against your wet, twitching cunt, resting against your stomach. Your eyes widen seeing his length. “H-how do you even keep that in your pants?!” You found yourself saying, you look across the room to see his naked friend with the same, if not bigger length than him, stalking towards you with a devious smirk. “It’ll work baby. Just focus on taking our cocks, for now.” He motions to your mouth, slapping his twitching, leaking cock on your lips. You feel your pussy pooling similar slick onto the masked mans’ jeans. “My cock appreciates the compliment sweetheart~” the masked man grumbles out through his deep voice. You focus on the cock that now sits on your lips, kissing his tip as he groans, clearly sensitive. “Go on baby, suck it.” You do as your told, your eyes meeting his as you shive your throat down his length all the while the masked man under you drives his cock teasingly up and down your slick cunt. “Gonna be able to take both of us baby? Gonna be good and scream our fucking names?” You nod, muffling a content ‘yes’. “Good fucking girl…” the masked man grunts, pushing his cock inside your heat, you moan in squeezing pain and pleasure as he sinks inside you, you being busy focusing on the cock that ramming into your mouth.

“Gonna fuck this pretty cunt…ugh, real good honey…” The masked man immediately goes from settling you on his cock balls deep to fucking you balls deep. You moan and shiver under the pounding you were getting from this man, making the other man’s cock twitch inside your mouth, precum coating your tongue, slipping down your face. “G-gonna cum down that pretty little throat! Take a-all my fucking seed!” The man hisses, your pussy growing more wet as his friends cock demolishes your cunt. You suck the man’s cock harder, feeling your eyes roll back and your mind grow dumb. The man thrust into your mouth, your pussy getting plowed faster as the masked man reaches for your tits, his ski mask lifted just enough so he can access your nipples. You moan and close your eyes from being overstimulated, feeling as the man cums down your throat, you hungrily swallow it up, becoming a cock drunken slut. You open your mouth, still bobbing up and down on the grunting masked mans cock. “So good for me~ not a single drop wasted~ good job baby, I should reward you for being a good girl!” The masked man gruffly laughs, eyeing his friend and ultimately stopping, popping out of you. You look behind you, confused and needy.

“Aww don’t worry babygirl, we think you did so good you deserve more than one cock filling up your little body~” the masked man says, whispering in your ears, you flip your head down to your messy, oozing cunt to see the men lined up at both on your holes. Your eyes go wide, waiting for pure extacy to ensue. You grind on the cocks, groaning as you look into their eyes.

“You gotta beg us baby, beg us to plow your holes like no tomorrow, beg us to fuck you until you can’t remember your own name.” The man adds, rubbing his cock down your slit, popping it in and out, hissing at how your walls tried to clench around him.

You look up at him, your eyes teared and drool dripping down your face. “P-please fuck my tight little cunt~ please mark my pussy with your load until I can speak, please fuck me dumb!” You beg, taking the men’s cocks and stroking them while pleading. Both men hiss and slowly thrust into your palm, shaking out of it and laughing, aiming at your holes. “Since you asked so nicely~” the masked man said, lifting you up and settling you done on his cock, his dick entering your tight little asshole slowly. His size making you arch your back, screaming. The other man follows close behind, stuffing himself balls deep inside your juicy, raw cunt. You attempt to scream, the only thing coming out is broken moans as your holes fill, your stomach presenting a small bulge where you can see their cocks. “S-so damn tight!” The men say, thrusting inside you. The pace was rough and spontaneous. Your body jerked around, moans and the smell of sex filled the air quickly. “F-feels t-to good!” You add, rolling your hips, trying to rut them to go faster. They nod, going faster, their balls slapping against you.

“Baby, your getting tight, you gonna cum?! Dirty whore, cumming already?!” The masked man screams out, taking a hold of your waist and one hand moving to your clit, you feel electric sting through your body as he rubs your clit while pouring you harder. “Yes, right there! Right there! Yes- a-a-ah f-fuck!” You moan out, cumming on the men cock. The men laugh, your lewd juices mixing with their pounding, making noises. “Oh fuck, I’m cumming!” The unmasked man that’s taking your pussy announces, you reach for your clit, rubbing it with vigor, desperate for their cum. “Fuck baby, tell me to fill your hole up! Tell me to knock that sweet womb up!” You turn your head back, still in your orgasm, kissing the man revenging your ass. “Fuck me full of cum, fuck me, fuck me, fuck!-“ before you finish your pleas the men grunt in harmony, exploding inside of you. They thrust their hips, fucking the cum deeper before slowing their hips. A slow silence falls on you all, groans and moans filling the room. The men lift you up, switching positions.

“W-wait n-no!-“ before you could protest the men roughly insert themselves back inside you, the masked man on your pussy and the other taking your ass. You shake as they do one hard pound into you, feeling the leftover cum drip down your thigh. “You didn’t think we were done yet did you? I still need a taste of this sweet ass, plant my seed everywhere on your body.” The unmasked man says, chuckling in your ear, nibbling on it as he takes you, thrashing his cock inside your ass. The masked man kisses your pussy, licking up bits of cum and your juices while stroking his cock. “Your sweet little body tired already princess?” The gruffly masked man says, pushing on your puffy clit. You moan, tears flowing down your eyes as they pounce on you. The masked man finally plowing into your pussy, stuffing the fleating cum back inside your womb. “Gotta make sure your nice and full baby.” He gruffs out, grunting as he pounds you dumb. You squirm under them, your mouth singing beautiful moans, kissing the man destroying your ass as he grips your tits, squishing them in his palms. “So fucking good, damn girl, your so fucking good!” He moans out, letting his voice get the best of him as his sensitive cock dives deeper inside your ass, you arch further at the new length both of them reach, the masked man going to your cirvix.

You feel your stomach having the familiar coil from the past lovemaking minutes. “Gonna cum again? Naughty girl, tsk, tsk, tsk.” The man below you bellows as they slow their thrust, stopping. You whine, grinding trying to create friction. “You know what you need to do sweetheart~” The masked man says, rubbing sensually against you, your walls clinging to him.

“Please fuck me, I love your cocks ramming my holes~ I wanna spray your cocks with my cum~, I need your cocks to fill my stupid cunt and asshole up with your milk~ may I please have all of your delicious cum?~” you say, looking into the masked man’s eyes, your eyes glistening as they plead with neediness and pure rut. They laugh, looking at each other before slamming back into you the masked man lifting his ski mask up to suck your lips, you moan and grind as the bubbling feeling of your climax was close. “Fucking cum like a good girl!” You cum on command, exploding your hot squirt over their cocks, splashing your juices around as they pound you through your climax. The man under you groans, feeding you his hot load after 3 long thrust. “Fuck… not gonna-“ the masked man grunts, ramming his cum deep inside your pussy, his heavy load making your stomach full. Fuck…you’re intoxicating…” the masked man whispers as his head bumps against yours, his eyes penetrating into yours. You smile, kissing his lips some more before the man under forces your face into his, kissing his lips as you roll your hips into their cocks. They unload their cocks out of your holes, leaving them to instantly leak cum. You flop onto the center of your bed, the men falling beside you smirking as they rested their heads on their hands, admiring your fucked out body. “What do you say princess?” They ask, surrounding you as you lay between them.

“Thank you~”

And to think they were here to steal from a pretty slut like you.

———————————————————————

AN:) Hey guys, I wanted to say how happy I am we reached 200+ followers! I meant to make this post sooner but with school I find it hard to maintain a regular schedule. (I really wanted to do kinktober! (*´Д｀*), anyway, thank you sm for the support and I’m glad to be making content that you guys enjoy! If you have any suggestions on what you’d like the 200+ special to be, I’m open! (If not I’ll probably end up doing a 2-part post with 2 different characters.)

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Casual intimacy

a/n Cracks knuckles… let’s go… 🙃 I loved writing this so I hope you will enjoyed reading it. Cause this one cracked something deep within me. 🫧🤭

request: Hiii! I absolutely love your work I think you're so talented. If you have time can I request an angsty Ruhn x Reader, maybe he gets jealous or something because she has such a bubbly personality and guys flock to her?

warning: a bit suggestive here and there, alcohol, drugs, smoking.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Ruhn was tired. Playing pretend always drained him. For the most part, he bit back at his father, but even there were limits. And when his father wasn’t at the center of his headaches, the fact that he was a crowned prince was. Ruhn flicked the cigarette out of the open car window as he waited for the light to turn green. “Be on the bed when I get back," he typed out quickly. A slight smile tugged at his lips.

Ruhn imagined that crimson haze creeping onto your cheeks. You had been an angel when you two first met. More like a caged bird. And while the world saw him as a devil who made a good girl go bad, in reality, he had freed you from the chains that had bound you to the dark cell for eternity. And if everyone was having a fright at the sight of a cigarette or a shot glass in your hand, they could all go fuck themselves.

A ding had Ruhn glancing at the screen in his car. "Unfortunately, I won’t be able to oblige," the message read, and Ruhn frowned. He blinked a couple of times. It was usually “you’re an idiot” or a nice picture that sent him pressing his foot just a bit more on the gas. What was the reason for this? Did you get your period? But that wasn’t very likely. Ruhn could sense when the red flow was coming. And you weren’t talking about cramps. He was about to fire out a quick “because?” when another ding sounded. And a picture appeared on the dash. A growl ripped through him. Here you stood. An innocent smile, still in the dress Ruhn had watched you put on this morning. By your side stood Flynn, who looked like a lost dog, glancing at the half-made sandwich on the counter. No, this wasn’t happening. Not tonight.

Ruhn quickly dialed your phone, gripping the steering wheel tightly. You didn’t even get a chance to breathe on the other side as he huffed, “What the fuck?” The music was almost deafening. So was the sea of voices. That scraped like a nail against his mind. “Hey, hotshot, this wasn’t my idea," you chirped, and as much as Ruhn was frustrated, the sound of your voice alone made his shoulders ease. “Tell them to fuck off," he hissed. He should have moved out long ago. Gotten you two an apartment and called it a day. “I can’t do that; I don’t live here." You chuckled softly, giggling at something Flynn said. Ruhn frowned. “You are my girlfriend; you are entitled to do what you want there," he pointed out. You had refused the title. Refused any benefits dating someone like him brought. The doors it opened. It was one of many reasons Ruhn loved you. Because for the very first time, he felt more than his title. More than just a pawn in someone’s game.

"Ruhn, I am not ordering two grown men around," you said, and while Ruhn didn’t agree, he didn’t get to voice his opinion because his words got overshadowed by someone calling for you. “Oh yeah, you can find that upstairs," you said, Ruhn could hear the smile on your face. "Babe," he called out, not loving the idea that someone had managed to steal your attention from him. “Oh, no, it’s okay. Call if you need anything." From the way your voice sounded, he could also tell that you had the phone away from your ear, so he used other methods. Trusted kind.

Y/n. He spoke within your linked hearts. Feeling the fluster in your heart at his call. But his hope got crushed as soon as it bloomed. Give me a moment, Ruhn. Ruhn not even a hotshot, not a babe. Ruhn gritted his jaw. “No, liquor is on the right shelf," you said, as he listened to you try to get through the crowd of people. “Get your legs off the counter, you freak," you hissed, followed by the sound of a chair being dragged back. "Yeah, sorry, the house is full," you muttered slightly under your breath, and suddenly he was back to hating that party. Because you had woken before the sun had even been up. Studies and work keep you busy. Even if Ruhn had told you many times that you didn’t have to work,

“I am sending them to Urd and then fucking back," he grunted, making you let out a chuckle. The sound of it still made his stomach warm. “Light up, they brought shit to smoke," you sighed, and while he enjoyed a good smoke, especially if you joined him, and even more so if you both rode the aftermath together, he just didn’t want that today. “I don’t...", Ruhn had started when a loud bag came from somewhere in the house, and the place erupted in gassing shouts and angry grunting. “Fuck, got to go," you breathed. "Drive, save, baby," you muttered. “Y/N, don’t go near...”, but the line went dead. "Fuck," the princeling hissed. Oh, he was going to hang both Dec and Flynn by their balls, and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

You were nowhere to be seen when he stepped into the madness of the house. Ruhn felt you, so that had to be good enough for now. You were in the house. The question, however, was where exactly that was. "Man, this is sick." Some guy clasped a hand over Ruhn’s shoulder, making the crowned prince bat the touch away stiffly. “Yeah, dude, you’re dope!" the other shouted, his eyes red as fire. There was too much substance in his body. Ruhn frowned, trying not to show the disgust on his face. “Get your shoes off my fucking carpet," he hissed in dismissal, walking past them. His frustration only grew the more he looked around for you. If not for the music, he would reach out through the bond once again. But his head was pounding, and he knew there was no way for him to concentrate enough.

Then Ruhn’s eyes fell on a small group forming near the kitchen. It wasn’t usual. If people did drugs or mixed drinks, they usually went in groups of two. Not a whole fucking sea of them. An itch inside him flared up, and he didn’t even realize it when he started walking towards it.

“So how did you do it?”, a lazy voice asked as Ruhn approached. “I just painted, silly," and that was all it took for his body to ignite. No one even matched the power your light voice had on his body. “Yeah, but that’s one big canvas," another voice slurred. Ruhn licked his lips as he stepped through the arc, and the sight was far from what he had hoped for. There you stood, a white angel in a sea of hacks. Pouncing on you for a nibble.

“I didn’t sleep, I mean," Ruhn watched as a blush on your cheeks. “Colors just guided me. It sounds insane, I know, and no, I was not high," you said sheepishly, making everyone in the room chuckle. But Ruhn saw it. The way they looked at you. They didn’t care about this. Didn’t care about your passion. Didn’t care about the spark in your eyes as you spoke of the things you loved. You were a spectacle. A pretty thing to look at. But it’s when one of them reached out to tuck the hair that had slipped out of your silk bow that Ruhn stepped forward, yanking one of the guys by the back of the shirt as he shouldered past them.

He only managed to catch a glimpse of you inhaling before his hand wrapped around your neck as he pulled you closer to him. Crashing his lips against your red-painted ones. You melted against him. He cared little for anything else as he bent slightly to grab at your thighs, lifting you and guiding you onto the counter as he spread your legs, stepping in between them. Before his fingers found your hips, he pulled you against him. "Ruhn." Your voice was breathy and weak as you wrapped your legs tighter around his middle. “Want to moan that louder?”, he teased, his lips hovering over your neck as he pinched your bum, making you squeal. “I leave you for a day and come to find you in a sea of men," Ruhn hissed with a shake of his head. You knew that it wasn’t anger. It was more lust and that sparkle of possessiveness.

“Jealous much?”, you purred, smirking as you ran your fingers over his jaw. “Don’t play with me, woman," he muttered, his hand once again wrapping around your throat as he inched closer. "Oh," you coo, “I forgot that you’re just a baby." You sighed, cupping his cheeks, but that was short-lived. One moment you were still on the counter, the other in the air and over your boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Ruhn Danaan, put me down." You wiggled in his hands. Tried to hit his chest but for nothing. If anything, that only earned you a slap on your bum and another gasp as your cheeks flared to life with red. “You...", you hissed out, but Ruhn only settled his hand on your ass, keeping the dress over your exposed bottom. Not too keen on others getting a glimpse at what lay underneath. “Don’t finish that unless you want me to spank you again," he mussed, smug as a cat as he moved through the crowd of people.

Whistling met you right by the stairs. One that Ruhn recognized, considering that he stopped. “You two are in deep shit," the crowned prince hissed, throwing a glance at his two best friends. But all they did was laugh. “Fuck it out of him, Yn, please," Dec mussed, grinding his hips in the air. “Suck one-off for the team," Flynn saluted as you three burst into laughter. It appeared that only Ruhn didn’t find that appealing. And something told you that if you weren’t over his shoulder now, friend or not, they might just taste the back of Ruhn’s hand. But he only cursed under his breath. “I will leave you two dickless," he threatened, reaching for the railing as the two man-children moaned and growled downstairs.

Ruhn was breathing heavily when he finally closed the door of his bedroom. It wasn’t from your weight. It just all started to cave in on him as he lowered you to the ground. You nibbled against his neck, pulling away to reach for the hem of your dress, but Ruhn caught your wrist, guiding you closer to him. "No," he muttered. A slight shake of his head told you that he was dead serious, too. “Did you just say no to...", You had started in a teasing tone, but there was something in his eyes that made you stop. "Ruhn," you called out way softer now, brushing your fingers up and down his arms. “Come here, darling," you said, wrapping your arms around him. He wasn’t fully open and vulnerable often. And when he was. That meant that whatever you two were doing, you were the ones who would have to carry the heavy load. Just for a bit. until he finds his footing again.

“If this is about the males, I didn’t even for a second…," you muttered against his chest, but Ruhn only grunted, “I know you weren’t interested. It’s just…” he took a deep breath, “a long day." You knew how much more those three words implied. How much more complex it was. But you also knew that the last thing he needed was you trying to drag it all out of him. “Why don’t you lay down?”, you asked softly, brushing your fingers over his lower back.

“I’m okay here," he said quietly. The hold on your body didn’t ease. “Come on, we’ll lay naked; I’ll roll you a blunt," you poked at his chest, shooting him a loving smile as you wiggled your eyebrows. Ruhn let out a slight chuckle as he reached for the buttons on his shirt. You helped him drag the material off his body, kneeling to undo his shoes. Ruhn caught your chin, pulling your head up so you would look at him through your lashes. "Fuck, it never gets old," he grunted, brushing his finger over your slightly smudged red lip. You only grinned up at him, leaning in to kiss his thigh as you pushed his pants off him all the way.

Ruhn watched you in a daze before you pushed at his chest, sending him sprawled out on the mattress. He drank every movement you made. You reaching for a bag of mirth-root, licking the edge of the paper as you finish the roll. Lighting it up and taking the first hit before handing it to Ruhn. He watched the cloud of smoke flaring around you as you reached for your dress, pulling it over your head. He could very easily die here right now. And go to Urd as a happy man if the last sight he saw was you in nothing but a black thong.

It was this exact casual intimacy that had him running at first. He was frightened to feel secure with someone like that. To have someone trust him like that. Ruhn reached out, his hands gripping your thighs as he pulled you over onto him. A blunt burning between his teeth. You straddled his naked body with ease. The movement was second nature by now. “What do you need?”, you asked softly, brushing some of the hair away from his face. Ruhn found himself opening his mouth but shutting it closed once more. He didn’t know. He was only aware that he needed you but was not sure how. Bent over the counter? Seated on his face? Snuggled up against him? With you holding him instead? “That’s okay, we will figure it out." You leaned in and pressed a kiss on his chest, leaving feather-like brushes over his exposed skin. “You’ll tell me when you’ll know," you breathed, pulling back up to look into his purple eyes. He didn’t answer, wrapping an arm around your back as he pulled you closer to him. Skin to skin. There was nothing between you two. You rested your face on the crook of his neck, feeling him take another drag of the cigarette in silence. His silence. One that you threaded for him. Painted it. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Ruhn realized that there was no other sound around him, just a steady beat of your heart.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Vil, Jack: a Strength that Shines

Ayyy, it’s the childhood friends (?) from the Shaftlands!! It feels like forever since we last got any significant interactions between Vil and Jack. Nice to see them chatting again~

bdjwvsjsGuabs THAT GROOVY THOUGH… Vil looks so judgmental and dismissive 😭 Channeling all his Mean Girl energy to diss Neige Snow White, lol

A Tale as Old as Time.

Four sides drew together to form a glittering box. A lovely maiden rested within the coffin-like casing of the photo frame. Her lips as red as blood, her hair as dark as ebony, and her skin as fair as snow.

She was circled by foliage, her sun-dappled face tilting up, disarmed by some distant call. The girl cupped her dainty hands together, housing a small baby blue bird in her palms. Kindness, goodness, grace—she exuded all of them.

Vil scoffed, tossing golden hair over his shoulder. Her smile was reminiscent of a rival celebrity, one pure as a dove's feathers.

So carefree, so cheery.

How irritating, he sighed.

"One ought to be more cautious in the woods. Who knows what dangers might lurk nearby, wishing to enact harm upon her.

"For a glamour shot though... Hmm, yes. This composition is acceptable. The sunlight is angled upon her face in a pleasing way—it casts a golden glow on her pale visage and highlights the highest points: cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. The impression is one of total innocence.”

A soft grunt sounded from beside him.

"She's... shining," Jack commented plainly. His critique, clipped. “Didn’t you do a photo shoot like this recently? Similar place and everything.”

Vil’s beauty was momentarily marred by a grimace. “Yes, as promotional material for an upcoming film. However, the feel of it was completely different than what you see here.”

Shadows instead of sunlight. Temptation in the place of innocence.

He, poised amid the creeping branches and dark leaves, a tatter cloak clinging to his curves. A single, crimson apple in his grasp, a sultry look directed at the camera.

He tried to picture himself like the girl in the frame countless times over. Kneeling among the woodland creatures, smiling so serenely. Any pro could pull it off—he included.

But the image never turned out right in his mind.

Not the right amount of sweetness, not natural enough.

Not quite the same.

Not at all.

Blood, sweat, tears. Sacrifices made at the altar. Yet still, the world yielded nothing but broken promises and shattered dreams. The splintered parts and shambles of them, he gathered, forming his own makeshift hope and determination.

He couldn’t give in here.

Vil’s perfectly groomed brows scrunched up.

“I shall have to endeavor to work even harder. I’m not satisfied with things as they are now.”

“Heh.” Jack cocked a small, lopsided grin. “Keeping on the grind… That’s just like you. You've got this."

“Obviously. Nothing will get accomplished otherwise.” Vil’s eyes passed over to the beastmen. “Presumably, you are doing the same."

"Yeah. Haven't skipped a day of my training regimen." Jack slapped a hand on his bicep, which fit snuggly in his glittering white sleeve. "We'll take out RSA next track and field meet!"

"I'd certainly hope so. If I am to taste sweet revenge, I'd prefer it be by my own hand... but I trust you to deliver in my place. I expect good news when next we speak. Do not disappoint me."

"Yessir!" Jack's tail wagged enthusiastically. He stood alert, saluting like a loyal knight. “I'll do my best!"

“Then it looks as though we both have our long-term goals set.” The dorm leader planted his hands on his waist—slim, cinched.

"Yours is...?"

"To surpass myself." Vil jerked his chin toward the girl in the painting. "To shine so brightly that my name not only goes down in history, but overshadows that which was written before."

"That's some big dream you have." Jack shook his head. "The scale's beyond what I can imagine. But knowing how stubborn you are, Vil-senpai... You seriously won't quit until you make that dream come true."

"My, my. Stubborn, am I?" He smirked, arms crossed. "I do believe it takes one to know one.

"You stand back and watch. I'll show you just how dazzling I can be."

His eyes held a steeliness to them. It was matched only by the same in Jack’s. Two strong men and their wills, meeting on equal grounds.

Jack simply nodded—an acknowledgment, an acceptance, of his upperclassman’s confidence. Overwhelming, like a powerful wave, a strong storm, a blazing inferno. He almost felt compelled to drop to one knee, to kneel before such a presence.

Vil turned away from the painting, his arms unraveling from one another. His movements were graceful, nearly ballet-like. And his expression—

Jack caught him mid-laugh. The snooty, airy kind, half-sincere, half-sarcastic. Brows upturned, mouth twisted in a faux sympathetic smile. Flaxen waves framing his lovely features.

His lips moved.

“I’ll topple you from your throne,” Vil vowed.

It was then that Jack noticed.

Vil-senpai's shining like the fair maiden.

[marlynnofmany]

Fingernails and Fisticuffs

The box of miscellaneous engine parts slipped out of my grasp, catching a fingernail on the way down. I said, “Ow!” but was overshadowed by the loud clatter of washers and junk. Heads of several species turned from across the cargo bay. I reassured all my alien coworkers that nothing was broken.

“Are you okay?” Paint asked. She was the only one close enough to notice how I was shaking my hand, and worry was clear on her lizardy face.

“Yeah, just broke a nail,” I told her. “I didn’t think it was long enough for that. Ow.”

Paint looked at the box with alarm. “There are nails sticking out?”

“No, a fingernail,” I said, holding out a hand. “One of these. The little not-claws that humans have.”

“Not-claws?” Paint repeated. She stepped closer to get a proper look. Her expression was somewhere between distaste and pity. “I never really studied them before. They’re hollow! Just the top half! Why?”

I shrugged. “I guess we don’t really need proper claws anymore. Our distant ancestors had them.”

Paint looked scandalized. “How could you not need claws?”

Before I could come up with a good answer, Trrili walked by with a heavy pipe held in her pincher arms. I’d say she was looking down her nose at us, but she didn’t really have one of those. Just bug eyes, mandibles, and lots of opinions. She said, “No wonder humans like weapons so much, if you don’t even have sharp digits.”

“We can fight without weapons too!” I protested.

“Really,” Trrili said, stepping past to deposit the pipe beside several others with a loud clank. “How? You can’t bite like her,” she said with a flick of one antenna toward Paint. “Or even grapple like him.” The other antenna pointed out Mimi, tentacle-walking over like an octopus with a plumber’s belt.

“We can grapple pretty well,” I said. “But most of our fighting is punches and kicks.” I shadowboxed briefly, with what I thought were some pretty good moves. I even did a slow-motion roundhouse kick that brought my foot level with Trrili’s head.

She blocked it with a pincher. “Any Armorlite could hit harder, and so could half the Frillians I know.”

“Maybe, but they’re probably not as agile.” I bobbled and weaved.

“On two legs,” Trrili said, sweeping one of her own forward to try and trip me. I jumped over it, but she still wasn’t impressed. “Honestly, it’s a good thing you can climb things and fit into cabinets to hide, because the softest Mesmer child could defeat you in a fight.”

“Oh yeah? Bet you can’t do this.” I opened the box I’d dropped, dug out a metal washer, and laid it flat on the floor. “Pick that up.”

Trrili regarded me silently for a moment, pincher arms flexing and antenna doing a disapproving dance.

I just grinned at her. “What? It’s easy.” I scooped it up with one thumb and the finger with the longest nail. “…If you have fingernails.”

Mimi joined us, chuckling in his gravelly voice and plucking the washer from my hand. Paint giggled a little too, though stopped when Trrili glared at her.

“That’s beside the point,” Trrili declared. “What would you do if faced down with true danger, and no weapons in reach? And that includes rocks to throw; I know how fond you are of that.”

“I’d throw Mimi at it,” I said, pointing.

“Do not,” he said.

That just made Paint laugh again. Trrili was shaking her head.

“Hey, don’t underestimate some good problem-solving,” I said. “Especially if I’ve got time to prepare! There are some great trickster legends about humans who made traps for their enemies out of the most unlikely things.”

Paint asked, “Like what?”

Mimi interrupted, “Let’s get the supplies put away first, then have story time.”

“Of course,” I said, picking up the box. Mimi had already grabbed a couple of things out of it. “Blip and Blop will want to hear this too. And Trrili, I think you’ll appreciate some of those legends. Especially the ones about a human child left home alone when dangerous adults break into the house. Some of those traps were downright vicious.”

“That remains to be seen,” Trrili said.

I winked at Paint. “And some are funny.”

Storytime after dinner was a big hit. Blip and Blop enjoyed it so much that Captain Sunlight had to make everyone promise not to do any of that.

Unless, of course, the ship was ever attacked in a very specific way. She may have been taking notes for later.

~~~

The ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book. More to come! And I am currently drafting a sequel!

[eclipsedzs]

James Potter x reader...

James is dating the Hogwarts HOTTIE. And he listens to how they talk about his girlfriend... They even made a list pointing out that James's girlfriend has the best body in school. How does Jamie react?

𝗙𝘂𝗰𝗸 ‘𝗲𝗺

𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗦𝗘𝗗 ▰▰▰▱▱▱ Volume: James Potter

𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧

Genre: ✓

Paring(s): James Potter x Fem!Reader

Summary: When boys talk about you like an object because of your beauty, James tends to get violent

Disclaimer(s): Cursing, Minor fighting

JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER, a typically calm and nonviolent individual- other than the few ‘Harmless pranks’, found himself seething with anger, his normally relaxed demeanor now overshadowed by a raging storm. His jaw tightened as he attentively listened to the conversation unfolding across the common room.

The voices belonged to three younger boys, likely a year below them, who had foolishly chosen to discuss James's girlfriend without realizing the hornet's nest they had stirred.

The grating tone of the blonde's voice pierced through James's ears, assaulting his senses like nails on a chalkboard. Each word uttered felt like an unpleasant jolt, fueling his mounting irritation.

"The things I would do to her, man. Have you seen her body? Absolutely fit, man. She has the most amazing tits." The crude remarks and objectifying comments about his girlfriend caused James to abruptly rise from his seat, but before he could make a move, Sirius firmly pulled him back down.

"Yeah, she's got like the hottest body in Hogwarts, have you seen her arse? Her waist is like perfect—man, what I would do to be James. Merlin, the things I would do to her," another one of the boys chimed in, his black hair matching the darkness of his thoughts as he made crude gestures with his hands.

James could feel his blood boiling, his anger reaching its peak as he clenched his fists.

The disappointment and disgust on Sirius's face mirrored James's own feelings, both of them appalled by the disrespectful way these boys were talking about their friend and James's girlfriend.

"Not yet, James," Sirius spoke, a mischievous smirk forming on his face. "Wait until Moony and Wormtail join us, and then we can do something," he said, mentioning their two other friends who were engrossed in their studies.

Sirius rolled his eyes at the mere idea of studying, letting out an exaggerated gag. "I mean, seriously, who actually studies? Bunch of nerds," he added, playfully teasing their freinds.

James nodded, his jaw clenched tightly, but his eyes softened as he caught sight of his girlfriend walking through the common room tunnel. It was one of her off days, so she was dressed in a simple sweater—his sweater, to be precise—and a pair of small shorts hidden beneath it.

A scoff escaped James as the same boys who had been talking about her earlier whistled at her, their lecherous eyes shamelessly roaming over her body. His protective instincts surged, and he fought the urge to march over and give them a taste of his fist.

She walked over to him, a small smile gracing her lips, though the anger simmered beneath the surface as she heard the offensive remarks from the other boys in the room.

Silently, she joined James, sitting beside him and resting her head on his shoulder. She felt his strong grip around her waist.

Sirius offered her a warm smile, understanding the discomfort she felt. He moved closer, taking a seat beside her as she scooted nearer to James, seeking solace in his presence.

Sirius positioned himself protectively, creating a barrier between her and the prying eyes of the other boys.

Remus and Peter entered the room, their faces lighting up with smiles as they joined the others.

Oblivious to the tension in the air, they took their seats near the rest of the group, their presence bringing a sense of normalcy and camaraderie.

James leaned over the girl, his hand tracing gentle patterns on her covered stomach. With a determined expression, he whispered something into Remus's ear, conveying his frustration through his tightened grip.

Remus nodded in understanding, promptly grabbing his wand and casting a spell that filled the room with a subtle, hard-to-see smog.

As the smog enveloped the space, obscuring the view of prying eyes, James released his grip on her, and the warmth of Sirius, Peter, and Remus slowly receded. She found herself sitting there, coughing softly, as she tried to clear the air and regain her composure.

Groans and muffled cries filled the previously obscured room, accompanied by a high-pitched scream that resembled that of a frightened child. Yet, despite the chaos, she remained seated, her confusion mingling with her coughs.

Moments later, the smog dissipated, revealing the boys who had spoken ill of her sprawled on the floor, clad only in their underwear. Their heads sported hair dyed in various vibrant hues, and their faces were marked with bruises and bloodstains.

Her gaze shifted to James, Remus, Peter, and Sirius, who stood together. James wore a mixture of anger and accomplishment on his face, nursing his bruised hand with slight traces of red dripping from his knuckles.

Sirius wore a self-satisfied smirk, pretending to be a detached observer of the scene unfolding before them.

Remus held his wand with a mischievous smile, his lip bruised and his sandy hair disheveled.

Peter, standing alongside them, held his wand as well, surveying the aftermath of the prank with a mixture of awe and satisfaction.

James smirked, the intensity in his eyes gradually giving way to tenderness as he locked gazes with her.

Closing the distance between them, he approached, his non-bloodied hand gently caressing her cheek as he leaned in, his warm breath cascading over her face.

"If anyone ever treats you like that again, let me know, alright? I'm always here for you," he whispered, his lips hovering inches away from hers. In the next moment, their lips collided, the passion and affection evident as he held her cheek with one hand, the other securing her waist, drawing her closer in an embrace that conveyed both protection and desire.

[judebelle]

reader playing for the females Barca and during a game where halfway through a game she hurt her knee or got injured and is torn because she was the youngest of the team! And Pedri getting worried and the guys have to calm him down after seeing you get out on the stretcher! Ty <3

your pain is my pain - p.g. x reader

a/n : keep these creative reqs comingg!!!

cw : swearing, angst, injury, fluff

wc : 1.6k

pairing : pedri gonzalez x fem!reader

---

the spotlight shone down on you. as the game unfolded, your exceptional speed and agility became the focal point of the match, captivating the audience with your electrifying bursts of speed across the field.

with every stride, you showcased an impressive combination of skill and determination that left spectators in awe. in the blink of an eye, you skillfully maneuvered past defenders, leaving your opponents astonished in your tracks.

as you approached the goal, the anticipation in the stadium reached an all time high. in a swift and calculated move, you ripped a powerful shot that soared past the goalkeeper, finding its place in the back of the net.

the crowd erupted in cheers, celebrating not only the goal but also the extraordinary talent of you, y/n l/n.

running towards the corner flag, your fingers drew together in the shape of goggles before your brought them up to frame your eyes. you stood in front of the crowd, dedicating your goal to your boyfriend, pedro.

the crowd chanted your name as your teammates jumped up on your shoulders, arms, back, shoving you left and right in congratulations. you gave one last look to the v.i.p. stands above. pedro blew you a kiss and cheered for you.

---

you were nearing the halftime whistle, and aitana had struck the ball towards you. her perfectly executed pass met your quick feet as you travelled up the pitch.

the crowd roared as you sprinted faster and faster, struggling to keep up with your own legs.

however, the cheers in the stadium quickly turned to shouts of concern as you were tackled by an opposing defender. with a loud yelp, sure to have been caught by the microphones on the sidelines. you suddenly grimaced in pain and crumbled to the ground.

the whistle blew, and the passionate energy from the fans was overshadowed by a hushed silence.

medical personnel rushed to your side as you clutched your knee in agony. you rolled side to side with gritted teeth and eyes shut tight. the atmosphere in the stadium became somber. you felt a cooling spray touch the burning skin of your knee while your teammates surrounded you. some medics moved you and lifted you off the cold hard turf. you were laid on a stretcher.

as you were carefully transferred off the field, you rested your palm over your eyes to block the inescapable sun. you continued to hiss softly in pain on your journey off the pitch.

tears collected in your eyes before the sunlight slowly disappeared and you were rushed through the tunnel.

---

pedro's eyes were fixed intently on the field as he witnessed the intense battle between your team and the opponents. you had been weaving through the defenders with exceptional agility, showing off your determination on the pitch.

the crowd roared with excitement as you made a breakthrough, but the thrill turned to dread in an instant. an opposing defender executed a fierce tackle, sending you sprawling to the ground with an audible yelp.

pedro's heart clenched as the distressing sound rang in his ears. "shit." he whispered before he leapt to his feet, unable to contain the surge of worry that washed over him. his barcelona teammates and close friends, sensing his escalating anxiety, rushed to his side.

"hey, pedro bro, she's tough, she'll be okay," reassured pablo, placing a calming hand on pedro's shoulder.

"yeah, remember that time she sprained her ankle and came back even stronger?" added fermin, attempting to offer words of encouragement.

but pedro's eyes remained glued to the field, the drama unfolding before him. each passing moment felt like an eternity, growing concern and worry etched on his face. not even the reassurances and comforting gestures of his friends managed to anchor him down.

if he was able to run onto the pitch to see you, he would've been by your side already.

he watched as you were stretchered off. your hand was covering your eyes, but he could make out the pained expression on your face. pedro felt the air knock out of his lungs at the sight of it.

"y/n!" he called out hopelessly, knowing no matter what he did, you were still hurt. he rushed out of the stands, muttering 'sorry' and 'excuse me' whenever he could.

cameras were pointed at him now, but he couldn't care less. all he needed was to be by your side. his feet quickly moved as he descended the stairs of the stadium.

with that, he ran into the tunnel to follow you, urgency written on his features.

he followed the men wheeling you towards a room before a nurse shut it and turned to him in surprise.

"sir, you can't be here right now-"

"i need to see her, please. is she okay? what happened?" his chest heaved from both running to try to see you and the worry settling in his heart.

the woman looked down in guilt before mumbling. "i'm very sorry sir, it looks quite serious. you'll have to wait out here until she's checked up and possibly operated on. it might take a while, are you sure you want to-"

"yes! yes, its fine. i'll sit here." he felt bad for cutting her off again, but it was like tunnel vision. the only thing on his mind was you.

---

it felt like years had passed before the door had creaked open and a nurse came out.

pedro was slouched in the same chair he sat in. she had a soft smile on her face which soothed his raging thoughts.

his back straightened and his head perked up, hoping that he would be allowed to see you.

"she's been asking for you, sir. you can go in now" she spoke, her smile reached her eyes as his eyes lit up.

"thank you."

pedro quickly raised himself up off the chair and hurried towards the door after shooting the nurse a thankful look.

he pushed the door open to see you laying on a hospital bed. you were changed out of your kit and into a gown, and your leg was slung up off the bed with a cast on your knee.

pedro took notice to the two crutches waiting for you against the wall beside you.

"jesus.." he uttered, eyes scanning over your frame on the bed, circles under your eyes. a heartbeat monitor was beeping steadily beside you and it was driving him mad.

he quickly ushered over beside you and engulfed your cold hand in his. he noticed your eyes didn't light up the way they usually did as his thumb rubbed over yours.

he didn't know what to say. he couldn't ask you 'what's wrong?', because that was idiotic. obviously you were upset, but there was something heavier lingering in the air.

without warning, you blurted out,

"i tore my acl. i'm out for the rest of the season."

as soon as the blunt words left your mouth, tears entered your eyes. you bit your lip as if saying that sentence physically hurt you. of course it did. football was your life. it hurts to have something you are so passionate about be stolen from you so fast.

pedro knew how it felt. he had just come back to barcelona after two months because of an injury. of course, he knew he would return after a short while. his injury wasn't as career threatening as yours. players don't usually come back in the same form after any acl injury, let alone tearing it fully.

"ai, mi pobre chica..." (ai, my poor girl...)

he kissed his teeth and his free hand went to gently stroke your face, moving your baby hairs out of the way.

his eyes were a soft reflection of yours, as if he was the one laying in this bed.

you finally let the tears escape, choked sobs escaping from your chapped lips. his hand left your face and joined the other to completely grasp your shaking ones.

"dont cry, mi amor. it will be okay. it will all work out in the end."

pedro's attempts to console you were banished in the sorrow of the small room and the soft beeping of your heart monitor.

but they were forgotten when he saw the tears stream down your cheeks and the pained expression etched onto the face he loved so dearly.

his attempts to console you disappeared when he felt his own warm tears dripping down his jaw and onto the hands that held onto yours tightly.

he didn't usually cry, but something about seeing you do so so hopelessly when he knew he couldn't soothe your pain hurt him.

maybe it was the fact that he played the sport as well, and knew how much it hurt. he could empathize with you and could resonate with the pain that you felt.

maybe it was because you were the first person he truly cared for, and witnessing you lose something so precious to you was like mourning the loss himself.

or maybe it was because his love for you ran so deep it seeped into his bones and into the fibre of his being.

every ache you felt, he carried within himself, your shared sorrows silently uniting your hearts in an unyielding bond.

he felt his breath hitch when your hands stopped squeezing his, falling unresponsive in a dejected trance.

he pried open his lips, the ones that so eagerly wanted to connect with yours. his voice shook,

"your pain is my pain."

[riacte]

So like, are we gonna talk about how there is a problem in this fandom about some creators, mostly female ccs, being critized by fans whenever they "overshadow" the more famous hermits? No shade to any of the hermits, they are wonderful and i am sure this is the last thing they wanted to happen, but i am starting to notice a pattern. And it s always with the same excuses! "They did not play by the rules" "Someone else did the work for them" "It was boring and anticlimatic". And although I can think of some cases of this happening to male ccs (well, one case, and it was to a non-hermit), women have to deal with a looot of shit every time they score a victory, and it s terrible that this is just a routine at this point. And like where do the critics come from? Are these ccs supposed to lose in purpose and act as secondary characters to those who have more views or subs? I just don t understand

Oh yeah there's definitely a misogyny / popularity problem. It's always been around, got a bit better, and now post-Covid, it's getting worse.

Women can do everything and anything and they'll be criticised by some assholes. If False was proactive and killed every reaper who came near her? She would be "mean" and "a bully". If False kept her distance? She would be "barely online" and "not deserve a win". If False was on all the time, "the trappers wouldn't have time to lay traps". If False wasn't on because of work purposes (the meeting) or to EAT (because women are human beings who LIVE), "she wouldn't have a chance to die". I found it sad to see False explain herself and justify her jokes and actions. AND that is wholly dismissive of any irl things that may or may not have been going on.

Also... the popularity gap is getting worse. Some hermits have stagnating or even negative growth in terms of viewership and subs. It's unfortunate because everyone is free to watch who they want, work with who they want, everyone has limited time and attention span, so there's no real solution. Which is why I'm all for spreading propaganda. And I feel like my mains False and Ren are in the middle in terms of this— not the most popular, not the least either, so they kind of get left out when it comes to "underrated hermits" discussions. Idk. I know this has been a problem since the birth of Hermitblr and I know from the pov of a fan I do have it much, much better than some other fans who main other people. My main duo interact alllllllll the damn time. And I know I am guilty of sticking very closely to my main povs.

We have to drown out the trolls. Be vocal about what we love. I love seeing all the nice comments on vids. <3

[phantoms-lair]

"Okay, I can see why your astrology loving self likes it here," Tim elbowed Danny.

"It's astronomy and you know it." Danny said, fake offended.

"Yeah, I will admit I'm surprised by how good the internet is here. I wasn't expecting that out of rural Kansas."

"Well, think of who they have to keep in contact with, and how far away." Danny pointed out. "Honestly, pretty sure Bruce is responsible."

"Wouldn't be surprised."

"Hey Danny!" Elle hovered over the two of them. "Let's go flying!"

"We've got a guest you know." Danny gestured at Tim with his thumb. "Be kind of a jerk move to fly off without him."

"Can't he fly?" Elle asked. "His hero name is Robin, right?"

Elle looked like she was ten, but Tim had to remind himself she was less than half a year old and often surrounded by metahumans. "No flight. All my powers are up here." he said, tapping the side of his head.

"You're psychic?" she asked.

Danny laughed and Tim rolled his eyes. "No powers, just smart." he clarified. Then he looked back at the stars. "It would be interesting to see what it would be like to have powers, but like most of the family, I'm a normal human."

"No one who can lie to Batman with a straight face is normal." Danny pointed out.

"If he wants to know what it's like to have powers, why don't you show him?" Elle asked.

"It's rude." Danny said, sticking his tongue.

"Not with consent."

"Not with permission." Danny pleaded. "You are too young for me to want to hear you use the phrase 'consent'."

"Missing something." Tim pointed out.

"Overshadowing. If I take control of you I can channel my powers through your body. But like I said, it's kind of rude."

Tim wasn't sure 'rude' was the word for stealing someone's bodily autonomy. But Elle did have a point of her own. There was a world of difference between doing something with or without consent. "Okay, how would that work?"

"How would what work?" Danny asked.

"The overshadowing thing."

"Oh, it's er," Danny was fiddling with his fingers, suddenly nervous. "It's kinda creepy."

Tim gave him a flat look. They'd covered Danny referring to himself as 'creepy' enough in Gotham that he wasn't amused.

"It's basically possession. I would seize control of your body and channel my powers through it. Normally the person getting possessed is sort of put to sleep and only has vague impressions of the time they were controlled. But a person with strong enough willpower can resist and be aware." Unsaid was that pretty much everyone in Tim's family would be able to hold onto their awareness.

"Could you cede control once you had it though? Possess someone but not control them?"

"I honestly don't know. I've never tried it." Danny admitted.

"Then lets try it," Tim suggested.

Danny looked at him like he was crazy. "Why?"

"Two reason. The first is it will see how well I do if a ghost tries controlling me. The second," he shrugged, "I'm not a metahuman and will probably never be one. And I'm okay with that, but it's been interesting to see what it feels like to be one, you know?"

Danny pursed his lips and Tim wondered if he was crossing a line. Being a metahuman hadn't exactly been a fun experience for Danny, after all.

"Okay." Danny said reluctantly. "But you don't get to blame me if you don't like it."

Or he could just still have issues with the thought of people rejecting him for his powers. "Fair. We've got Elle as our witness that this was my idea. I could talk to the Kents beforehand too-"

"Not necessary!" Danny shuddered.

Tim felt his heart droop. Deep down Danny still didn't trust they'd keep caring for him. He hated what the Fentons had done to Danny's self esteem. "You don't have to if you don't want to." Tim softly reminded him. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable either. But I trust you, you know?"

Danny swallowed heavily. "Okay. If you're sure."

It felt cold, at first, like a chill up his spine. Then Tim felt his mouth move and vocal chords activate independently of of him. "Okay, so this is overshadowing." His own voice said. "So I guess, try to do something and I'll try not to stop it?"

"Do you have to talk out loud?" Tim asked. "It's going to look like I'm talking to myself."

"I guess that works. And yes, no psychic connection for this. Sorry."

"Weird," Elle observed. "I've seen some recordings of overshadowing and usually the person has the eyes glowing the ghosts color when control, but the glow fades when they resist control. But the eye glow didn't go away when Tim spoke."

"He's not resisting me, I'm letting him have control, it's different." Danny insisted.

"Maybe I should start resisting you. Just to see if I can." Tim suggested.

Elle giggled. It really did look funny with him talking to himself.

"Okay," Danny raised Tim's arm and clenched his fist. "You try to open your hand and I'll try to keep it shut."

Tim had to admit just feeling his arm move like that was mildly panic inducing. He'd managed not to be carded by Hatter but imagined this was what it felt like. He struggled to move his hand only to have it firmly stay in place. He struggled more, eventually sending his arm into erratic fits, punching himself in the face. "Owww" he moaned as

Elle doubled over in laughter.

"Healing factor should take care of it in a few minutes. Unless you want to stop now." Danny rubbed their injured nose.

"No, I mean, I think I want muscle control back, we can work on resisting stuff more later. But I want to see what having powers feels like!"

"Which one do you want to-"

"Flying!" Elle interrupted gleefully.

"I think you might have an ulterior motive." Danny said dryly. "You up for flying, Tim?"

"Yes please," Tim answered, trying to hide how excited he was to try.

He's seen others fly, several times, but it wasn't something he's ever thought he could do except on a hang glider or something.

"We're going for invisibility first." Danny warned. "Since we don't want to be seen."

If getting possessed had been a shiver up his spine, becoming invisible was like being dunked in cool water. Not frigid, but a definite chill ran across his skin as it vanished from sight. Then Tim felt gravity lose it's hold on him. Without any form of propulsion he lifted up about a foot in the air.

"We're going to start low and slow." Danny assured him. "So if anything goes wrong you aren't going to fall too far." Gently he leaned forward and glided effortlessly through the air.

"Do you think I could do this myself?" Tim asked.

"No clue, let's try!" Danny seemed to be warming up to the idea of testing with Tim's lack of a bad reaction to being overshadowed.

The floated in place and Tim tried to move their shared body. But while he could mover his limbs with ease, Danny's power couldn't be interacted with. "Doesn't look like it, sorry."

Elle looped back around. "This is low and slow is kiddy stuff." She groaned.

Danny gave her a mild glare. "You are three months old. You have no right to complain of kiddy stuff."

"If anything I can more." Elle countered. "Come on, can we at least do tag or something?" Tim shrugged. "Sure, tag sounds good."

~

"Does she normally smoke you this bad at tag?"

"No." Danny grumped.

Tim sighed. "Sorry. Having to plan out our strategies is letting her hear us. If you took full control-" "Then you wouldn't be in the game, I'd just be using you as a meat suit for no reason." Danny pointed out.

Tim thought for a moment. "Danny, can you put your shield in a bubble around us, so Elle can't hear us planning?"

"Sure, but it's going to be obvious."

"That's fine, we're just planning the planning." Tim assured. Danny raised the shield "We're planning to plan? Seems redundant."

"We're planning the things that will let us plan in plain sigh without your sister knowing." Tim corrected. "So our main issue here is we've got two minds that need to collaborate. Even if we split the division of labor of you powers me body, we each need to use both. You can take control of my body if an opportunity needs it, but I can't take control of your powers, so that what we need more communication for."

"Elle hasn't developed much beyond the standard, so we can keep to those. So, intangibility," Tim tapped the ring finger of his left hand twice. "If I make that motion, it means I'm asking you to use intangibility, if you do it it's warning me you're using it and I don't have to flinch away. Blinking twice will work the same for invisibility and..." Tim thought a moment more. "Tongue for flying." "Okay, I get eyes for invisibility and hands for intangibility, why tongue for flying?" Danny asked.

"Because it can't be seen. So tongue on the roof of my mouth acts as the taps or blinking, but can also be used to indicate direction in three dimensions." Tim demonstrated by holding his tongue to the roof of his mouth, then pressing it to the left side of his cheek."

Any more discussion was interrupted by Elle knocking on the shield. Danny dropped it to reveal his younger sister looking annoyed. "Are we playing or what?" Dany smirk and cracked their shared knuckles. "Round two begins now."

~

Alfred stood on the porch with the Kents while Martha rang the bell to call the children in. It had been a lovely visit catching up with them while Tim spent some time with Danny and Elle. It warmed his heart that despite moving to Smallville and possibly adding Kent to his name instead of Wayne, Danny and Tim were still very much brothers.

(One of the contingencies, if the Kents hadn't felt able to take in the boy, was for him to be officially adopted by Tim as a Drake, allowing him to still be a part of the family without feeling an unwanted connection to Master Bruce. But that plan was scrapped when Danny became publicly known during the Seige of Gotham. It was for the best, Danny truly needed more adults he trusted.)

It wasn't unexpected to see the children approach from the air. What was unexpected was there was only two of them and Master Tim seemed to be flying of his own volition. A raised eyebrow was all it took to remind the children that this wasn't an ordinary situation either.

Tim felt his shoulders hunch and his cheek flush as Danny's self-consciousness expressed itself in his body. Danny separated from him and opened his mouth, probably to apologize, but Tim wasn't going to let him. "I wanted to know what it was like to fly." he said, cutting off any apologies for his existence his brother might make.

"Indeed." Alfred said simply. "And how did that work out?"

"Quite well. I can better coordinate flying members of the team now, as well as Danny and I worked out a simple non-verbal code in order to plan around Elle while she could hear everything we said to each other. It was a productive endeavor."

"More importantly, Master Tim." Alfred's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Did you have fun?"

Tim felt himself becoming bashful now, ducking his head. "Yeah." He answered. "I did."

Good. Just as Danny needed the occasional reminder they were cared for, Tim needed the reminder that he was more than his use.

"That's something." Pa rubbed his chin. "Don't suppose you'd be willing too take me up there too. "I'd love to be able to go flying with Clark."

Danny's face turned red, and he half hid behind Tim's shoulder.

"It's okay if you're not comfortable with us for that yet." Ma said kindly. "We know you haven't know us as long as Tim."

"S'Okay." Danny muttered.

"You can take Pa and I'll take Ma. We can all go flying!" Elle cheered.

"When your brother's ready," Ma gently admonished.

"With that we must be off." Alfred apologized. "While I treasure these times, it's not fair to Miss Gordon to have to run herd on our family all evening without backup."

"Give Bruce our best." Ma patted Tim on the head while Pa and Alfred shook hands.

"I will. See you soon Danny."

"Yeah." Danny smiled at his brother. "See you soon."

It would be sooner than either of the two thought

[hischierdevils]

Kill My Time | J.H.

note: based on the song Kill My Time by 5sos

summary: jack always has to share you and he's getting tired of it

warning: slight angst, fluff

wc: 2.1K

Meet me downtown at the dive bar

You're the only one that makes me feel alive

I can't keep drowning in the shadows

You're the only one that matters

Saying that Jack was excited for you to move to New York full time was an understatement. Your families were close growing up and you were always hanging around Jack and his brothers. Every good non-hockey memory he had included you and he was excited to have you to himself for a while without Quinn and Luke interfering. 

During the first game of his that you attend alone, you sit by the ice wearing his jersey. He scores twice, pointing to you as he cellys. You’re excited for him and it reminds you of watching him play hockey when you were growing up. 

After the game, you join him and a few of his teammates at a bar in Hoboken. “Y/n!” Jack’s running up to you as soon as you step foot in the bar. He picks you up and spins you around, causing you to giggle. 

“Hey, Jacky. You played great tonight.” You tell him as he sets you back down on your feet. 

He grins at you. “I had my lucky charm watching me.” 

You roll your eyes and playfully push him away. “You’re so cheesy Hughes.” 

“There she is!” Dawson walks over to you and pulls you into a bone-crushing hug. “It’s so good to see you, y/n.”

“It’s good to see you too, Dawson.” Is Jack seeing things or are you blushing at his friend as he lets go of you?

Jack and Dawson lead you to the bar where they buy your first drink. A few of his other teammates come over and Dawson beats Jack to the introductions. “This is y/n, she grew up with Jack. She’s practically his sister.” 

Jack tries to hide his annoyance as you look at him proudly. He’s protective of you of course, but none of his feelings are brotherly toward you. He’s never gotten a chance to tell you how he feels because he’s used to being overshadowed by his brothers. And now his best friend it seems. 

“So you’ve got all the dirt on Hughes?” John Marino asks you. 

You flash Jack a devilish grin and take a sip of your drink. “I’ve got a couple embarrassing stories for Jacky, yeah.” 

“Y/n, I've got just as many stories about you.” He reminds you with a wink. 

“She’s an angel, what are you talking about?” Dawson pulls you into his side and Jack forces himself to take a sip of his drink before he reaches for you. 

It seems like his teammates are all eager to get to know you as you spend most of the night talking to them, barely giving Jack any attention at all. He almost wishes he didn’t invite you so he wouldn’t have to share.

When Dawson asks Jack for his permission to take you on a date it puts him in a tough spot. He immediately wants to say no but he’s not prepared to answer the questions that will bring. He finds himself nodding and saying yes, hoping you’ll turn Dawson down. It hurts like hell when you agree.  

He's only got half of your heart

'Cause I've got the other part

Why don't you just say goodbye now?

It's only a matter of time now

“Dawson told me he asked for your permission.” You make eye contact with Jack in the mirror as you get ready at his apartment. You’ve been practically living with him on the weekends, staying in his guest bedroom.  

“He did.” Jack confirms as he turns his attention to the phone in his hand. He mindlessly scrolls through instagram, looking for a distraction. 

“I’m surprised you gave it to him.” Your voice is a lot closer now and he’s surprised to see you standing beside him as he looks up. 

The red dress you picked to wear tonight hugs your curves a little too closely and he has to clear his throat before he can speak. “Why wouldn’t I?” 

“I just thought-” You blush and look away from him. “Forget it. Can you help me put my necklace on?” 

Jack takes the delicate chain from you and stands up as you turn your back to him. He brushes the hair off of your neck which causes goosebumps to rise on your skin. “You thought what?” He clips your necklace onto your neck and brings his hands down your arms, resting them on your wrists. 

You relax into him, pressing your back into his chest. You close your eyes, enjoying the moment before you say what’s been on your mind and in your heart. “Jack, we-” 

A knock on the door causes the two of you to jump apart. “I’ll get it.” He grumbles before walking out of his spare bedroom. You check yourself out in the mirror, making sure your hair and makeup still look good before taking a deep breath. 

If anything was going to happen between you and Jack it would’ve happened already, right? You thought your crush on him would fade away as you got older but all time has done is make your feelings for him deeper. 

You haven’t told him how you feel, too afraid to ruin the friendship, and now you’re about to go on a date with his friend. You hear the two of them laugh in the living room and you know you can’t stall anymore. You remind yourself that Dawson’s a nice guy before walking out of the spare bedroom. 

Both boys stop talking and stare at you as you approach. “Wow.” Dawson glances over at Jack before turning his attention back to you. “You look amazing, y/n.” 

“Thank you.” You smile as you look down at your outfit. The red dress was probably too much but you were hoping that it would elicit something from Jack. “I hope I didn’t overdress.” You add once you notice Dawson’s jeans.

“Don’t worry, I'm flexible.” Dawson winks at you which seems to annoy Jack. “I can change the plans.” He puts an arm around you and begins to lead you to the door. 

“Should I stay up?” Jack attempts to make a joke but it falls flat. You turn to look at him, unsure of what to say. 

“I don’t keep a girl out late on the first date, Hughesy.” Dawson brushes him off. “See you later.” 

“Bye, Jack.” You give him a little wave before letting Dawson lead you out the door and down to his car. Once you’re both inside, you sit in awkward silence. 

“I’ve got to be honest…I didn’t think he’d let me get this far.” Dawson’s words cause you to look at him in surprise. 

“What do you mean?”

“I thought that if I asked him if I could take you on a date he’d realize he had feelings for you. When he said yes, I was hoping you’d turn me down and admit your feelings for him.” Dawson laughs. “I guess you two are perfect for each other because you’re both stubborn.”

“So you don’t actually want to date me?” Dawson’s words sink in slowly. “You think he has feelings for me?”

“I know he does, y/n.” He drums his fingers on the steering wheel of the still-parked car. “He doesn’t ever shut up about you. I’ve seen the way you look at him, too. One of you needs to admit your feelings.” 

“I can’t.” You say quickly. “I took the job in New York just to be close to him. I can’t ruin our friendship.”

Dawson sighs and starts the car. “Where do you want to go on our date then?”

Dancing in the dark 'til the sun comes

Tangled in the sheets 'til the day's done

I don't wanna kill my time with somebody else

In a city full of lonely people, I just want you all to myself

Jack wants to run after you the second you walk out the door with Dawson but he restrains himself. He knows you’ve gone on dates before, even met some of your serious boyfriends, but this feels different. It feels like the beginning of the end for him. 

He tries to keep himself busy. He attempts to play video games and then switches over to a hockey game when that doesn't work. He can’t help but wonder what the two of you are doing. 

Did Dawson take you to dinner? You’re a picky eater but Dawson doesn’t know that. He should probably order you food because you’re going to be hungry after only eating a salad. Would he take you to the movies? Or dancing? Did he take you somewhere where he could keep you close to him? Put his hands on your body…

He jumps to his feet, no longer content to sit here and wait for you. It’s been over two hours and he hasn’t heard from either of you. Oh god, what if you’re having a good time? Could he handle the two of you as a couple?

He paces the apartment, considering his options. If he tells you how he feels about you and you reject him, that could be the end of your friendship. If you feel the same way, then what? How would a relationship work when he’s traveling all the time?

Just as Jack has finished plotting Dawson’s murder, the door to his apartment opens. You walk in laughing, wearing Dawson’s jacket around your shoulders. Your cheeks are flushed and you're smiling at Dawson as he finishes whatever joke he’s telling you. Jack’s seeing red as he meets the two of you in the foyer.

“Where have you guys been?” He demands as he crosses his arms over his chest. 

Your smile fades as you look at Jack. “We were out.”

“Out?” Jack scoffs. “Four nearly three hours? What happened to not keeping her out late?” He turns his attention to Dawson. 

“Seriously dude?” Dawson tries and fails to keep a straight face. Jack frowns as you and Dawson share a look and start laughing. “If you didn’t want me to go out with her you should’ve said something!” 

“I didn’t…I don’t…”

Taking pity on Jack, you shrug out of Dawson’s coat and give it back to him. “We got dinner and went to an arcade.” 

“You went to an arcade wearing that?” Jack motions to your tight dress and heels. 

“I controlled the air hockey table for an hour thank you.” You inform him. 

“Because most of the guys were too distracted to watch your hands.” Dawson laughs. Jack clenches his jaw and Dawson takes that as his cue to leave. “I’ll see you guys later. It was fun hanging out with you, y/n.” 

“You too, Daws.” You walk him to the door as Jack stays rooted to his spot, trying hard to keep himself in check. “Thanks again for dinner.”

“No kiss goodbye?” Jack notices. “Are you going to see him again?” 

You walk up to Jack and stop right in front of him. “Do you want me to see him again?” 

Jack opens his mouth, ready to tell you that he doesn’t care but he knows he can’t watch you go on another date. “No. I don’t want you seeing anyone.” He places his hands on your hips before he can stop himself, pulling you into him. “I want you to be with me, y/n.” 

You smile as you wrap your arms around his neck. “You couldn’t have told me that three hours ago? My feet are killing me, Hughes.” 

He laughs and grabs your thighs, lifting you up so you can wrap your legs around him. “Is that a yes?”

“Kiss me and find out.” He doesn’t have to be told twice, leaning in to press his lips against yours. You kiss him back hungrily, tugging his hair so he opens his mouth slightly allowing you to slide your tongue in. 

He groans as he pulls away from you and carries you to his bedroom, setting you down gently on his bed. “Dawson planned this didn’t he?” Jack chuckles as he helps you take off your heels. 

“Yes.” You moan as he takes the painful shoes off your feet and he raises an eyebrow at you. “He did.”

“Baby, please don’t ever make those sounds when I’m talking about Dawson again.” He says seriously. 

You grip the collar of his shirt and pull him up to you. “Then stop talking about him because there’s a lot of sounds I can make.” 

He grins and kisses you again, slowly leaning you back on the bed. “I ordered food because I figured you’d be hungry.” He murmurs as you break apart.

“Oh my god, you’re the best.” You kiss his nose before sitting up. “All I had was a salad.”

[smnthvxe]

Chapter 1: The Past Echoes

Chapter 2 , last chapter

Readers point to view

The sun dipped below the horizon in Sumeru, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink as I closed the shop for the evening. The little coffee shop, once just a dream, had become my sanctuary, a place where laughter and the rich aroma of coffee beans filled the air. Yet, amidst the hustle and bustle, my heart harbored a quiet sorrow, a longing for the one who had once been my everything—Kunikuzushi.

Our life together seemed like a distant memory, a fleeting moment of happiness that had slipped through my fingers like grains of sand. I remembered his smile, the way his eyes lit up when he laughed, and the warmth of his touch. But those memories were overshadowed by the pain of his departure, the day he walked away, leaving me with nothing but silence and a heart full of unanswered questions.

"I wonder where you are now," I murmured to the empty room, allowing myself a moment of vulnerability. The walls of the coffee shop, adorned with pictures and trinkets from our travels, echoed back my solitude.

Nights were the hardest, when the world fell silent, and the weight of his absence felt unbearable. I would lie awake, staring at the ceiling, imagining scenarios where he would return, where he would explain why he left and we could start over. But as the dawn broke, reality would set in, and I'd brace myself for another day without him.

One evening, as the final rays of sunlight vanished, leaving the world in twilight, a figure appeared at the door of the coffee shop. My heart skipped a beat, a foolish part of me hoping against hope. But it wasn't him; it never was. Instead, it was a traveler, seeking refuge in the warmth of the shop and a cup of coffee to ease their journey.

"I heard this place serves the best coffee in Sumeru," A blond traveler remarked, breaking the silence.

" Yeah! Yeah! I bet her coffee can make Paimon jerk off all of the pain from that mean-rude-annoying hat guy!?" The little fairy spoke

I chuckled, pouring them a cup. "I hope it does little one."

As they settled down, the blond traveler—known as Aether shared tales of their adventures, of the people they'd met and the wonders they'd seen. And for a brief moment, I allowed their stories to transport me away from my sorrow, to remind me of the joy and beauty in the world. The world he promised to explore.

But as the night drew to a close and Aether thanked me for the hospitality, I was left alone once again with my thoughts. I wondered if Scaramouche ever thought of me, if he ever regretted leaving. The rational part of me knew it was futile to dwell on what could have been, but the heart is seldom ruled by reason.

I busied myself with cleaning up, trying to shake off the thought. "You need to move on," I whispered to myself, a mantra I repeated every day, yet found so hard to practice.

One day, curiosity got the better of me, and I ventured out, seeking any trace of him. I traveled to Inazuma, to the places we had once explored together, hoping to find closure, to finally let go of the past. But instead of peace, I found only echoes of our time together, reminders of the love we shared and the pain of his departure.

As I stood in front of our old home, now abandoned and falling into disrepair, tears filled my eyes. "Why did you leave, Scaramouche? Why did you break us?" I whispered, the questions lingering in the air, unanswered.

I realized then that I might never get the closure I sought, that some wounds take longer to heal, and some questions remain unanswered. But I also understood that I couldn't live in the shadow of his memory forever.

"Oh? Who you might be?"

A voice spoke from behind, i turned around to see a Kitsune-like woman with a shrine dress.

"I was.." you cutted " Visiting something"

"Visiting you mean that house over there? Sorry to say this dear but that house is already abandoned. "

She pointed to our shared home at the nearby hill.

"Yes, I know. I was just- recollecting some old memories"

By that she smirked and I bid my farewell, walking away.

With a heavy heart, I returned to Sumeru, to my coffee shop, my haven. I poured my soul into my work, creating a space filled with warmth and happiness, a stark contrast to the emptiness I felt inside.

As days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, I slowly began to rebuild my life. I found joy in the simple pleasures, in the smiles of my customers, and also I became good friends with Aether, he would often visit my shop to drink coffee and share his adventures with me. My interest perked up as he said something about fighting a false god along with Buer. You were always a fan of sumeru's Archon that's why you choose to move there.

There are some days where I close the shop, drinking bitter coffee (which reminds you of Scaramouche) alone reflecting every moment I have spent with him.

And though I may never fully understand why he left, I've come to accept that some chapters in our lives must come to an end, to make way for new beginnings. So, I continue to move forward, one day at a time, carrying the lessons of the past and the hope for a brighter future.

In the quiet moments, when the world slows down, and I find myself lost in thought, I whisper a silent wish for Scaramouche, wherever he may be. "I hope you've found your peace," I say, letting my words drift into the ether, a final goodbye to a love that once was. But.. If ever he'll come back ...

A/N : hehe kinda rushed lmao

(You may notice some grammatical errors cus yk im kinda writing this and studying for our exam)

[if-lost-please-return-to-maliksi]

Disclaimer: I do not own Keane or any Planet Puto Character - Full Credit goes to HC - @ask-emilz-de-philz. Please check out their blog for amazing art and the wonderful world of Planet Puto. This might or might not be a self insert, please don't come for me.

When Keane Macallister was first scouted into the showbiz industry by Milo, nobody liked him. He rose into fame a lot quicker than what the other veteran actors preferred. All the blood, sweat, and tears they shed for years and years, overshadowed by Keane in just months. He has the looks, the body, and definitely the skills for it but the others can't contain their bitterness and jealousy.

During his first ever project, he got to work with you. You've been an actress since you were 16 and you were known for being the antagonist/ villain for some blockbuster hits. Most of your roles include being some sort of an evil boss, a mistress of the male lead, a jealous and scheming step sister— all sorts of those hated characters and stuff, but you were also known for being aloof and cold even outside of your roles, being involved in scandals about your attitude was nothing new for you.

You were accused of treating fans poorly, most of the rumors were untrue and the shittiest thing you ever did to others was probably not allowing someone to take a picture with you while you were eating your first meal of the day after working for 17 hours straight until different stories just spawned in those tabloids, and of course those goody two shoes actors you work with didn't want to be involved with someone who had a bad reputation.

Keane heard of the rumors about you countless of times and even read some on the local newspapers but he knew better than to be choosy with his companions while he's just getting started on his career, especially since most of the other actors are very wary of him. You may have a bad reputation, but you are still someone who managed to stay afloat in this industry since you were 16, and he aims to be able to do the same.

It didn't take long before you and Keane were always seen together. It was nothing sort of romantic as you both tried to keep things casual and work related. Keane works hard and he definitely has some valuable foundation in acting, but he's also new and he loved getting feedback and tips from you. At first, you were very much annoyed by his presence, the way he tries to sneakily approach you during tapings, using small talk to somehow gauge you to teach him some techniques— it was something you weren't used to. It has always been you and your manager for so long that being followed around by another actor felt weird at this point but soon enough you grew accustomed to his antics.

"What do you mean? Y/n is one of the sweetest people I know." Keane answered as he smiled at the camera when some of the reporters managed to get ahold of him and bombard him with questions regarding the rumors about you. "She can never do wrong." he added before giving them his signature toothy grin.

You jokingly rolled your eyes before turning the tv off and facing Keane who is currently sitting at the couch. He was hanging out in your place again after asking you for some help to practice his lines. "Really, now? I could never do wrong?" You mockingly tried to imitate his voice as he burst out laughing. Keane has always made an effort to ease up your image in front of the camera whenever he can. It was not something you asked for, but you truly appreciate it whenever he does it.

"Hey! I'm trying to get them to like you!" Keane laughed. He wouldn't admit it, but the moment you helped him with his lines for the very first time, he was ready to back you up for the rest of his life.

"You know I don't want them to like me at this point."

"Yeah? But why?"

"Because it's easier to not have people expect anything from you." You softly whispered as you stared back at Keane's purple eyes. "If people see me as some sweet and darling actress, won't I have to keep that image in and out of work? Look, I know how you wanted them to know that I'm not some mean monster, but it's just easier to not have them expect how I should act during my own time."

You sighed as you ruffled Keane's hair. "Always remember that negative publicity is still publicity. Plus, being mean suits me since all of my projects are just me acting as the bad guy after all."

"Aight, I understand. But please stop treating me like a child! I'm still older than you! By like, 5 years or something!" Keane softly chuckled as he tried fixing his hair.

"That's not counted. You've only been here for around 3 years. I've been doing this since I was a child so I'm technically your senior." You rolled your eyes as you settled at the opposite end of the couch, keeping a good distance between you two.

"Why are you sitting so far away?"

"Because I'm tired of your face. I see you everyday." You teased him.

Keane gave you his best impression of what seems to be some sort of puppy eyes. "You don't like seeing me anymore?" He exaggeratedly sniffled clasping at his chest as he tried acting overly hurt and offended.

"That won't work on me."

Keane softly chuckled. "I find it weird that we've been together for a couple of projects and you still seem unaffected by my charms. Those other actresses we work with waste no time trying to woo me. Am I not your type or do you not swing my way?"

"It's a lot of trouble to develop feelings with someone you work with." You plainly said, not bothering to explain yourself at all. Keane is smart and you know that he understands your words. He might be a total flirt but deep inside, he knows how troublesome it is to throw in some feelings in the mix.

"We don't have anything scheduled for tomorrow, wanna have a drink? I'll have food delivered to us." Keane said as he grabbed his phone and started ordering some food.

"And risk us being involved in a scandal when someone sees you hanging out in my place? The delivery guy will definitely recognize either one of us once we have to receive your order."

"Chill! I know this guy. I used to work with him when I was still a delivery rider, he knows to mind his own business. Besides, we're just gonna eat chicken and drink beer." Keane softly chuckled.

"Fine." You defeatedly sigh as you rummaged through your refrigerator for some beer, tossing a can to Keane and grabbing one for yourself. "Let's get it started then."

You never enjoyed drinking with company. Whenever you get drunk, it's as if you were seeing a version of yourself you don't know. A carefree Y/n, a talkative Y/n, a Y/n who smiles at silly little things. It was scary for you. What if you enjoy this version of you so much that you start wishing that you're like this sober? Maybe people wouldn't be too harsh in criticizing you if you were this sweet, this nice, this...innocent.

You smiled as you took a sip of your beer while you listened to Keane talk about his childhood. You were resting your head on his shoulders ever since you started slurring your words— Keane didn't mind and he's actually amused of the gesture since you're never really a cuddly person. You don't know if it's the liquor but something about his voice is just so soothing that you were sure you could listen to him talk forever. Keane is still pretty much sober even though both of you were already on your 5th can of beer as you sat on the balcony, enjoying the cold breeze.

Keane is a really good person who deserved every good thing in life, you thought to yourself as you study his face while he talks about his family. How he smiles with the mention of his mom and sisters, as well as his stepdad. You hated how being drunk makes you feel things you usually don't when you're sober. Just like how your heart seems to be beating out of your chest right now.

Keane told you everything, without any reservations. In his mind, you are that one person he trusts in this industry. You are someone dear to him. You were too drunk to share stuff about yourself so Keane didn't push it. He knows that you'll tell him about your life once you're ready.

The night went by with you just listening to Keane talk and when he noticed that you were already having trouble keeping still, he asked if you were fine with him holding you for support. You can't help but melt at the thought of him making sure that he doesn't do anything you weren't comfortable with. Once you agreed, Keane gently seated you in his lap and let you rest your head on his chest, one arm wrapped around you to make sure you wouldn't be falling around.

"Say, what if the rumors are true and I'm actually a bad person? Would you still have my back just like now?" You drunkenly asked— something your sober self will never have the courage to do so.

"Of course I'll always have your back." Keane's gaze softened as he gently brushed some strands of your hair away from your face. "You don't even have to worry about that." He whispered as he gently ran his fingers along your hair affectionately. He can't help but feel protective as he sees this new vulnerable side to you. You were always so composed, all your moves were always so calculated, yet with just a few drinks, you were this girl he's never met before.

“You promise?” You softly asked Keane, your tone desperate, as if it meant the whole world for you to hear him swear on it.

“I promise, Y/n.” 

"This is why you'll never be a lead actress ever! You don't listen to me!" Her voice was laced with poison just like how you remember it. You didn't answer as you were too busy applying concealer on your red cheeks from when she decided that maybe you'll listen better if her palms made contact to your skin just like how it always did when you were growing up. You have to attend a press con in an hour yet here you are, locked in the dressing room with your own mother.

"All I want is what's best for you, anak. You're not getting any younger. You haven't even peaked yet, you haven't even been offered a lead role yet...What if you run out of jobs at this point? Paano nalang ako—"

You shook your head upon hearing those words once again. Those words that you learned how to carry ever since you were a kid, no matter how much it broke your back from how much it weighed you down. Those words used to do the job when you were younger, oh how you'll bend over backwards just to comply to her whims and make her happy— because according to her, that's what you caused her. All her happiness, freedom, and dreams gone because you came into this world, so you owe it to her.

"You are an actress, why can't you just act sweet and kind around everyone so they'll like you? You're pretty, why don't you put that face and body to good use and try to convince your bosses to give you a lead role for once?! Why do I have to have a daughter who is so goddamn worthless?!"

You sighed as she started getting angry once again. You looked at your watch, wondering where your manager was, hoping she'll arrive soon to rescue you from this situation. This has happened a lot of times already and it always ends ugly.

"You are so not worth it! I can't believe I ended up raising someone as incompetent as you!"

All her words still cut you as deeply as the first time you heard it. It's been so long and you're just tired of holding it together. "That's enough Ma. Please go home." You were sure that she's gonna start crying at this point just like how she always does to make the situation shift into her favor.

Keane was looking for you everywhere when he ran into your manager. She informed the actor that she's also on her way to pick you up in the dressing room where she left you and that he can tag along. They were still a couple of steps away but they can already hear yelling from the inside.

Keane hurriedly rushed towards the door to check on you only to be there on the worst timing possible.

"I wish I had a different mother..." Those words escaped your lips before you can even see that Keane is already standing there, looking at you with an expression you never saw from him before— was it shock? contempt? He gave you the same expression you know all too well from your mother— anger.

Your manager was quick on her feet as she escorted your mom out of the room, leaving you with Keane.

"Wait- Keane. Let me explain—"

"Explain why you were yelling at the woman who gave birth to you?!" Keane snapped as he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to contain his emotions. Being raised by a single mom, Keane has always had mad respect for every parent out there and was shocked to the core with what he just saw.

"Please let me explain first!"

"Y/n! That's your mom!"

"Keane...you're not listening. Please...Please...let me explain first." You can hear your own voice crack as you felt tears forming in your eyes. You just want to explain your side but he isn't even listening.

"Yeah, explain why you're 25 and acting like a brat!" He sarcastically said as he crossed his arms in his chest.

"Why are you so angry?! I— Keane, you promised! You promised that you'll always have my back. Why aren't you giving me a fair chance to explain! You promised..." You sobbed, feeling betrayed as you struggle to keep it together as Keane looks down on you with disdain.

"You promised.." You whispered and for the first time in years, you're back to being a child, crying and wondering why no one is ever at your side when you need them. You were alone once again.

Keane quickly realized his mistake once he saw how much you were crying. You were right. He promised you. Why was he acting like a complete ass towards you when he's never even heard the complete story yet.

Guilt washed over him as he realized how vulnerable and hurt you looked right now so he slowly closed the distance between you two, taking your hands into his and slowly rubbing his thumbs along your wrist. "Hey...hey...Y/n, look at me. Look at me, please."

Keane slowly brought your hands to his lips, pressing a brief kiss into your palms. You slowly raised your head to look into his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I am not angry at you, darling. I am so sorry." He whispered as he wraps you in his embrace, slowly rocking you back and forth to calm you down. "Shhh... I'm here... You have me, Y/n. I am so so sorry for being an ass." Keane whispers, holding you tighter to his chest. "I'm here."

To be continued..

I'll be honest, this story took a turn A LOT OF TIMES while I was writing and it's already like 2.5k words. ( I am not big on longer fics coz my attention span sucks esp at proofreading.) Now, this fic right here has a part 2. (Or more like I have to do 2 parts now from how long this is getting, + it has been tough to write the last parts coz it's making me a bit emotional that I gotta physically get myself from my laptop at this point coz the extra emotions might make me lose vision of the plot. ;;)

Art and OC by Haimaaaaa Please follow and support them here: https://www.tumblr.com/ask-emilz-de-philz / @ask-emilz-de-philz.

[fenricken]

DCxDP Week 2023 Day 2

Day 2: Danny Fenton | Full Hazmat AU | Fear Gas

Continuation of Day One

John was bored out of his mind, but he needed to pretend to be paying attention as whichever Green Lantern this was droned on and on about something Constantine didn’t care about. The Bat had been after him more often, asking him questions about Dani ever since they met in the House. John wasn’t exactly down with Batman investigating his kid, so he took to escaping as soon as the opportunity arose. Unfortunately, this just led to Batman trying to find him everytime John was in the vicinity.

The Green Lantern stopped for a questions, and John was ready to breathe a sigh of relief that it was almost over, when alarms started going off.

“Ecto-entity detected approaching Watchtower. Readying offensive measures.”

Batman pulled up the monitors, and John immediately recognized Dani in her ghost form.

“Shut down the counter-measures!” he shouted, Batman immediately backing him up to Flash, who turned them off. John and Batman rushed to one of the rooms with windows, hoping Dani would get the message and meet them where they were visible, ignoring whether or not the rest of the Justice League followed. 

As hoped, Dani phased through the window and rushed towards John.

“Dad! Dad! It’s Danny! He hasn’t been answering his phone, so I went to Metropolis to see Jazz, but she hadn’t heard from him either! So she’s going to Amity to see if she can figure out what’s going on and I thought, well maybe we need an adultier-adult but you’re the adultiest adult I know who can help!” Dani sucked in a huge breath when she had finished getting her words out in a rush.

“Alright, alright, I’ll head over there right away to look for your brother. But, I want you to stay out of there, love do you hear me? I know you’d want to help your brother, but if something’s gone topsy-turvy in a ghost way we need you to keep your distance so you’re safe, yeah?”

“She can stay up here.” Batman grunted. “I’ll go with you, and we can keep her updated.”

Dani looked hesitantly over at the other heroes before looking back at Batman. “You’ll give me updates the whole time?”

“Hmm” Batman grunted, giving her a slight nod.

“Ok…”

Seeing she was prepared to stay at the Watchtower, John turned to Batman. “Let me get some anti-overshadowing spells on you, just in case, then we can head out.”

—

“I got eyes on the last lab technician, looks like he’s just about to leave and then we should just have to worry about the guards.” Red Robin reported to his teammates. Impulse was bouncing around impatiently, while Superboy was using his enhanced vision to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Wonder Girl was sitting closer to their chosen entrance, keeping an eye out for anyone who might spot them when they enter.

They had been casing out the DEO facility ever since Secret told them she suspected they were holding an entity hostage again. She had sat this mission out, but the rest were ready to get the drop on the facility tonight and rescue anyone that might be being held captive, as well as figure out which organization the DEO was apparently collaborating with.

The group began sneaking their way towards Wonder Girly, who was now holding the roof-paneling up. They dropped down into the empty warehouse’s rafters, keeping silent so as not to alert the guards that were patrolling the inside.

“There, far corner, just like RR said,” Impulse pointed to a door that was guarded by two men. Every other guard was occupied with patrolling the warehouse. The team steadily made their way towards the door, keeping quiet, but moving quickly.

Once they reached the door, Red Robin noticed a grate at the same level as the rafters, which seemed to lead directly into the next room. He silently pointed it out to his teammates, who exchanged confused looks with each other. They decided to risk it anyway, if it meant they could avoid having to take out the guards at the door.

The crawled through, and landed in front of a containment unit filled with gas. Red Robin and Impulse immediately headed towards the computers to get any information they could about what was going on, while Superboy and Wonder Girl took a look around the rest of the lab to figure out if they could find whoever Secret told them about.

Red Robin finally spoke, breaking the quiet. “It looks like they were experimenting with the effects of fear gas on…something. I think I can siphon the fear gas on the containment unit.

“Well, do it.” Wonder Girl said, as she and Superboy turned to face the containment unit.

Red Robin clicked a couple buttons, and the four teens gathered around to watch the gas siphon out of the containment unit, revealing a small figure lying prone on the floor. 

“I think it should be safe to go in now.” Red Robin said. Impulse and Superboy were already figuring out how to get the chamber open. As soon as the door opened, Wonder Girl and Superboy approached to pick up the child.

He had white hair, and they could see green lights below his eyelids, though they never opened. His breathing was shallow, and his heartbeat slow.

“He’s so tiny… He can’t be older than 5 or 6.” Superboy said, making sure he was settled properly in Wonder Girl’s arms.

“Let’s get out of here, quickly. I’ll set charges to blow up everything, and Impulse can help me get out.” Red Robin said, indicating the vent again.

“On it.” Superboy and Wonder Girl crawled through the vent again, making their way across the rafters to their initial entry point. Red Robin and Impulse followed soon after, and they left together as a team.

When they were a few rooftops away, Red Robin triggered the charges, and they watched the facility go up in flames.

“Mmmm… Where a’ I..?” They turned to face the kid, who was staring at them sleepily.

“Hey, you’re alright. You’re safe now.” Superboy told him. The boy didn’t seem to register the words, and fell back asleep.

“We should get him back to the Watchtower now.” Wonder Girl said. The team quickly made their way to the zeta tubes, and to the medical section, where the boy was taken for observation.

Secret approached them as they were watching the medical team take stock of the boy. “Thanks,” she said. They all turned in silence, to watch as doctors and nurses rushed around, taking the boy's vitals.

“Of course.”

A/N:

Was more tired than I though, lol, took way longer than expected to finish this.

Still hoping to get at least one more day's prompts in to continue this, but don't know if I'll continue using dpxdc week prompts to finish the story

[sadboi-writer]

Dear Jack (Series)

Pairing: Jack Brewer x Reader

Summary: Y/N has been overshadowed by Jack. Milton tries to make her feel better. In turn, she tries to support him through his attempt to help Nakamura.

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: A few curse words, I think.

Chapter Two: Fat Chance

Jerry, Kim, Eddie, and Y/N were standing around Kim’s locker when Milton came running up. He was buzzing with excitement and was waving around a small trophy. 

“Guys, guess what?” Milton tittered

“What’s up, Mil?” Y/N asked, readjusting her backpack straps

“Guess who just won the district wide spelling bee? I’ll give you a hint! M. E.”

“Meh?” Jerry asked

Y/N smacked the back of Jerry’s head.

“It’s me, ya toad.” Milton snapped

“That’s great, Milton!” Y/N praised

“What is that?” Eddie asked, pointing to Milton’s trophy

“It’s the trophy I won, it’s the bronze bee.”

Eddie, Jerry, and Kim looked unimpressed.

“I have fillings bigger than that thing.” Kim replied

“Come on! Who’s the man?” Milton cheered, “Who’s the man?”

Y/N was about to respond when there was a loud cheer.

“Jack is the man!” The principal shouted

Kim, Jerry, and Eddie hurried over and were cheering for Jack in no time. Leaving Milton and Y/N to wallow in their own pity. 

“So...Jack...” Y/N trailed off

Milton knew what she meant, “Yeah...”

Y/N guided Milton to the crowd, and Milton stepped forward. Proudly showing his trophy.

“You know, I just won the first spelling bee our school has ever-”

“Hey, Jack! Show us what you did to win!” Eddie interjected

Milton sulked and walked back to Y/N. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“It’s okay, Mil.”

Jack did a fancy back something or other that impressed the school. When Jack passed them on the way back to the principal, he shot Y/N a wink. She rolled her eyes in response.

“Well, Jack, I hope this means you’ll stay on the team.” Principal Funderburk hoped

Jack shrugged, “I told you, it was a one-time deal. I win you your trophy and you get a visit from the wedgie wizard.”

Funderburk sighed, “I guess a deal’s a deal.”

Jerry popped his knuckles as he approached.

“Just go with it.” Jerry warned, sprinkling some baby powder in his hands and handing the bottle to Y/N

He clapped his hands, “WoAAAH!”

Jerry took no time in hiking Funderburk’s underwear to the nape of his neck. The principal let out a scream.

“Is that all you got, punk?” Funderburk demanded in the highest falsetto his voice would allow

Then, the principal waddled away from the crowd. The student body started to disperse to go to class. Milton was staring sadly at his trophy.

Jack turned to the two, “Milton? Y/N, are you guys coming?”

Y/N glanced at Milton, “We’ll be there in a second.”

Y/N took her arm off of Milton as he walked toward the ladder. He seemed to be talking more to himself than her.

“You know, you’re just a little bee with broken wings. But you, my friend, are gonna hang with the big dogs!” Milton insisted as he started climbing the ladder

Y/N was quick to go around the other side and steady it as best she could. Once he got to the top Milton started to lose balance. But, Y/N couldn’t let go of the ladder without it toppling over with Milton. The scrawny boy yelped as he fell. 

“Milton!” Y/N cried out

Before he hit the ground, one of the custodians caught him.

“If you’re my guardian angel, you sir, are awesome at your job!” Milton complimented.

After school, they were all walking to the dojo. 

“He caught me! He put me down and walked away!” Milton explained to the others, “The only thing I know about him is that his name tag said Yoshi Nakamura.”

“Huh, I never noticed him before.” Jack commented

Y/N rolled their eyes as Kim stopped in her tracks. 

“Okay, hold on,” Kim stopped, “ You didn’t notice a 600 pound custodian, but you did notice when Donna Tobin changed her ponytail from left to right?”

Jack scoffed, “Okay first, it was right to left. Second, it wasn’t a ponytail, it was a french braid. And third, maybe if that custodian had legs like Donna Tobin I would have noticed him too!”

Y/N chuckled and kept walking, Milton right beside her. Before they could go inside, Rudy stopped them with a wagon of trinkets. 

“Huge news everybody, the magic shop across the mall is going out of business. They have to sell everything at half price,” Rudy announced, “I feel so bad for them. I think I’m gonna cry. It’s a good thing I have this handkerchief.”

He started to pull one of those magic infinity scarves out of his sleeve as he fake cried. He was giddy with excitement.

Jerry grabbed Y/N’s shoulder, “Yo, I don’t know how he’s doing that man... but it’s freaking me out!”

Y/N shook Jerry off and pushed past Rudy into the dojo. Rudy dragged his wagon in after her.

“Anyway, since the store closed a storage space opened up in the basement directly below us.” Rudy continued, “I finally have a place for all my stuff!”

“Oh thank God.” Y/N mumbled as she started to drag out a practice dummy

“It’s about time,” Eddie commented, “This place is getting pretty cluttered.”

“For real,” Y/N replied

“It is not!” Rudy protested

Kim sighed, “Rudy, this place looks like a crazy old cat lady lives here!”

“Okay, that is a bit of an exaggeration.” Rudy replied

Y/N raised her eyebrow at him and then made eye contact with Kim. The two went to the cabinet and each opened one door. They both scrambled back as Rudy’s things came tumbling out. A cat jumped into Y/N’s arms.

“This is not my cat.” Y/N announced

“Well, it isn’t my cat.” Rudy replied

Rudy headed off toward the basement with his wagon, he stopped and glanced at the cat.

“Are you coming Tip-Tip?” He whispered

The cat leapt from Y/N’s arms and into Rudy’s wagon. After he left Milton and Y/N went to Milton’s to bake a cake for Nakamura. Well, Y/N baked. Milton watched.

Y/N was lost in thought while they frosted the cake.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Milton asked

Y/N replied absently, “Did you notice when Donna Tobin switched her french braid?”

“Yeah, but all of us did.”

“I didn’t.”

“Well, you’ve been focused on Jack.”

Y/N’s eyes shot up, “I have not!”

“Ooh, big feelings.” Milton replied

“Just drop it.” Y/N mumbled

The next day, Milton was carrying the cake and Y/N was carrying a bouquet of paper roses they had made. Their friends surrounded them as they walked toward Nakamura’s supply closet. 

“Dude, bringing custodian’s gifts is not cool.” Jerry insisted, “I mean, what’s next? Asking the crossing guard to the prom?”

“Eddie already tried that,” Y/N revealed

Eddie nodded, “She just wants to be friends.”

“I think it’s sweet they made their new friend a cake.” Kim defended

“Thanks, Kim.” Y/N replied

“See, when someone does something great. You know, save a life, or win a spelling bee. They should get some recognition.” Milton lectured

Y/N walked up and knocked. There was no answer. So Milton knocked harder. Jerry pushed past the two and just opened the door. 

Inside, the walls were lined with newspapers outlining Nakamura’s victories in sumo wrestling. On the shelves were several trophies. They all stood in awe.

“Guys, do you know what this means?” Jack asked

Jerry nodded, “Yeah, our custodian is the king of the babies!”

 They stared at all of the articles. Until the bell rang, Milton set the cake down inside the closet and Y/N set the roses on top of it. And they all headed to class. 

They all met up after class to walk to lunch together. Milton and Y/N were debating who would be the better househusband, Loki or Captain America.

“Okay, but here’s what you’re missing with Loki: He has passenger princess energy.” Y/N argued, “As long as you provide, he will do whatever-”

Jerry cut them off as they entered the cafeteria, “Guys, look, there he is.”

Milton grabbed Y/N’s hand, “Come on!”

He dragged them up to Nakamura. 

“Mr.Nakamura?” Milton called out, “I just want to thank you for saving my life yesterday!”

“Yes, thank you,” Y/N added on

“Hey, it’s what I do,” Nakamura answered, “Mop up barf, collect trash, and catch flying boys. I’m living the dream.”

Milton continued, “We stopped by your clost and saw your newspaper clippings, your trophies, and your medals!”

Y/N nodded, “We dropped off a cake and some paper flowers for you.”

Milton cut them off, “You’re amazing!”

“Then we checked you out on the internet!” Eddie continued, “You were a six time sumo champion!”

Jack nodded, “Yeah! That match where you lost your diaper thing and kept fighting? That was awesome! And disturbing... but mostly awesome!”

Nakamura chuckled, “ That was a long time ago. I used to be a hero in Japan. Now I plunge toilets.”

Nakamura looked at Jerry and took a few steps toward him.

“And you, either change your diet or use the bathroom at home, Jerry.”

Jerry looked at Y/N wide eyed, “You know my name?”

Nakamura chuckled, “Yeah, in the Janitor’s room we call you ‘The Bowl Buster’”

“You hear that guys? I’m the Bowl Buster woAHHH!”

Kim rolled her eyes and turned back to Nakamura, “Sir, I love that awesome victory dance you do! The Nakamura Stomp!”

Nakamura chuckled, “It started when I saw a spider in the ring, the crowd loved it so I just ran with it.”

“Come on, man, do it for us!” Eddie cheered

“No, I couldn’t I’m at work!”

Milton and Y/N made eye contact and then looked at Nakamura with their biggest beggar eyes.

“Please?” They whined in unison, “Just once?”

Nakamura relented, “Fine. Just one for you two, lil buds.” 

He stomped once and the cafeteria shook, he stomped again and it shook more. He jumped and it knocked down anyone who was standing, including Y/N who fell on top of Jerry.

“That was awesome!” Y/N squealed

Principal Funderburk stormed in with spaghetti on his head, as Jerry and Y/N helped each other up and everyone else scrambled to their feet.

“Look what you did!” Funderburk fumed

“Sorry, sir, we were just having a bit of fun.” Nakamura apologized

“Fun?” Funderburk demanded, “I didn’t hire you to jump around like some hop scotching hippo.”

Milton pushed past Nakamura, “I got this.”

Y/N called after him, “Milton I wouldn’t.”

He waved them off. 

“Mr.Nakamura would like for you to talk to him with a little more respect.” Milton demanded

“Oh, I don’t talk to you with respect. Do I?”

“Actually,I-” Nakamura tried

“This man used to be a hero, so he doesn’t even need this job!” Milton continued

“Milton-”Y/N tried

“Really?” Funderburk continued

“No, I really need this job-”

“He demands you to apologize to him right now!” 

Funderburk smiled, “Really? Here’s my apology: Nakamura YOU’RE FIRED!”

Y/N sighed and chased after the principal, “Mr.Funderburk, wait!” After school, and after a very unhelpful meeting with Principal Funderburk they all were in the dojo. Nakamura was crying in the corner, Y/N sat with him as he ate his ninth pizza.

Rudy exited his office, “Guys, group meeting!”

They all grouped up, it took a second for Y/N to get away from Nakamura but they finally managed it.

“Why is weepy mchugey still here?” Rudy asked, gesturing to Nakamura

“The guy has been through a lot, Rudy,”Milton started

Y/N cut him off this time, “He saved Milton’s life and in return Milton got him fired from the school.”

This whole situation made Y/N extremely angry. They had spent the last two days getting cut off, talked over and ignored. When maybe if someone had let them speak, Nakamura would still have his job.

Milton glared at Y/N, “We found out why he quit sumo and left Japan in shame.”

“65 wins in a row! Then some rookie struts in and throws him out of the ring like a moldy pear.” Eddie elaborated

Nakamura heard the last bit, “Y’all got any pears over there?”

“There’s no pears, darling.”Kim answered

Jack continued, “As if that wasn’t bad enough, he lost his life savings!”

Rudy softened, “Wow. How’d he do that?”

“He went on a game show called ‘Are You Willing to Lose Your Life Savings’.”

Rudy rolled his eyes, “Fix this. Once the food runs out we’re going to start looking tasty to that guy. Fix this.”

Y/N nodded and went back to sit with Nakamura. He handed them a slice of pizza. Y/N patted his shoulder.

“We’ll figure it out Nakamura, you’ll be okay.” Y/N assured him

Jack approached the two and sat next to Y/N.

“Nakamura, Milton was right! You’re not a custodian, you’re a champion!” He said, “With our help, you’ll get there again.”

“I told you, it was a long time ago.” Nakamura replied, “Why do you guys believe in me?”

“We live by something called the Wasabi Code.” Jack answered

Y/N stepped beside Jack, “That means we never give up on each other.”

“We’ve just got to find a way to get you back on the horse!” Jack finished

Jerry pulled Jack away a bit, “Jack, it would probably be safer if the horse got on his back.”

Nakamura glared at Jerry as Y/N smacked him in the back of the head.

“But, uh, you know... either way!” He corrected

“Wasabi?” Jack asked, placing his hand in the center

Y/N was the first to put her hand in. The others soon followed. Trailed by Nakamura.

“Wasabi!” They all cheered

They were training and needed a weight vest for Nakamura. But, with just Milton on the front made him too front heavy so they placed Y/N on his back.

Milton and Y/N bounced as they came up on the finish line for Nakamura. Groaning the whole way from the pain.

“That was your best time yet!” Jack encouraged, “You ran around the whole mall in under four minutes!”

Y/N panted as they stopped moving, “I think this baby vest thing is fused into my thighs.”

“Bouncing around in this thing has given me a new respect for kangaroos.” Milton groaned

Nakamura unclipped them and Milton fell, while Nakamura let Y/N down as gently as he could.

Rudy came up to Nakamura on his way into the dojo.

“Hey, Nakamura! I saw you running around the mall, carrying a big pasty baby and Y/N!” 

“I’m not pasty!” Milton protested, “I’m translucent!”

The group followed Rudy and Nakamura inside. Jack jogged up next to Rudy and Y/N.

“Nakamura is training for his big comeback!” Jack explained

“A comeback sumo match?” Rudy pondered, “I bet people would buy tickets for that!”

Eddie agreed, “I payed five dollars to watch the Kelly’s dog have puppies!”

Rudy and Y/N made a disgusted face.

“I’ve seen the miracle of life, and it’s disgusting!” 

Rudy shook off Eddie’s reveal, “You know, we could have the match right here in the dojo!”

Jack quirked an eyebrow, “Well, that’s great and all, but we don’t have another sumo wrestler for him to compete against.”

“I do!” Rudy replied, he briefly explained the beached whale fiasco, “We kept in touch. I’ll give him a call.”

And then Rudy was off into his office. Not long after Jerry exited the bathroom wearing a blow up sumo suit thing.  “Time for your real workout, Nakamura!” Jerry announced, before jiggling the stomach, “Let’s belly up!”

Y/N stared at him dumbfounded.

Jack approached, “Jerry, how is this thing gonna help. You look like a bloated turkey in a thong.” 

Y/N let out a short yet loud cackle, before throwing their hand up to muffle their laugh. Jerry scoffed.

“It’s gonna make him quicker!”He insisted, “I’m scrappy and wirey! Now, come on, Big Guy!”

Jerry ran at Nakamura, who immediately sent him sprawling. Jack and Kim moved to help him up. Y/N offered Nakamura a fist bump, he smiled at them. Once Jerry was on his feet, he sprinted back into the bathroom. 

The night that the match was happening Milton and Y/N stood with each other near the match. Y/N glanced at him.

“It’s not your fault that Nakamura got fired.” Y/N said, “I talked to Funderburk, he was getting booted anyway.”

Milton looked at Y/N, “I still feel bad. He might have been able to talk his way out of it if I hadn’t opened my big mouth.”

“You were just trying to help,” Y/N reassured, “There’s nothing wrong with that. Plus, look at what we’re doing for him now.”

As soon as the other wrestler stepped in Nakamura ran off into Rudy’s office. Y/N was quick to follow after him. 

Jack came in after her with Rudy and Milton.

“Nakamura, you can’t hide in here! ...Or anywhere.” He said

“I’m not going out there. That’s Yamasaki, he’s the only one that ever beat me.” Nakamura lamented, “I can’t fight him, man.”

Kim poked her head in, “Guys, we gotta put on a fight. The crowd’s getting ugly, and they were none too pretty to begin with.”

Milton looked at Y/N, who almost immediately got the message. 

“This is all my fault,” Milton whined

He left the office, quickly followed by Y/N. The two walked into the locker room. Milton tied up his shorts and took his shirt off, making himself look as much like a sumo wrestler as he could. Y/N took off her blouse and left herself in her athletic shorts and tank top. They nodded at each other as they went to the ring. 

The two readied themselves in the ring and Yamasaki did the same. Milton was the first to move, running straight at him. Y/N went around the back and jumped on his back. Milton was thrown away, and then Y/N was slung from his back over his shoulder to the ground. Knocking the wind out of her. Milton grabbed her ankle and pulled her toward him. 

Nakamura grabbed Milton, before he could attack again.

“I got this one, lil buds.” Nakamura assured

Milton dragged a very out-of-breath Y/N out of the ring as Nakamura took over for them. Jerry helped Y/N to their feet.

Nakamura threw Yamasaki out of the ring, winning the match. Y/N was the first to his side, hugging him tightly.

“You did it, Nakamura!” They cheered

After a minute or so Jack came over. At which point Jerry started chanting for the Nakamura Stomp. Nakamura stomped once and the building shook, he stomped again, then he jumped. The floor gave way and landed him in Rudy’s man cave. 

The next week after the match Milton was helping Y/N down the stairs. After a brief visit to urgent care they found out that pretty much their entire back was bruised from how hard Yamasaki had thrown them to the ground. 

Jack was telling Jerry and Eddie about Nakamura’s plans. 

“Thanks to Milton and Y/N, Nakamura is heading back to Japan soon to get his title back.” Jack explained

“You know,”Jerry started, “I could be a sumo wrestler. I would just have to gain like 5... 600 pounds.”

Eddie smirked, “Your mom did it pretty easily.”

“That’s it man-” Jerry took off after Eddie

Y/N chuckled at their antics. 

Milton sighed, “Jack have you seen my spelling bee trophy?”

“I thought it was in your locker?” Y/N replied

“I thought so too, but I can’t find it anywhere. I know it’s small but it means a lot to me.” 

“We’ll find it, Mil.” Y/N answered

“Don’t worry, Milton. I’m sure it’s someplace safe.” Jack replied, he glanced up

Y/N followed his gaze and smiled at him when they saw a slight bronze glint right next to the gymnastics trophy.

[thebabblingbrookenook]

Wide Open Spaces

Pairings -  Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader

Summary - Modern AU - Benedict and Reader explore new facets of their longtime childhood friendship. 

Warnings - 18+ Please,  Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content

Word Count - 6.2K

Author’s Note - Huge thank you to @colettebronte for giving this a once over for me before posting. And a major shoutout to @eleanor-bradstreet for writing inspiring fics for me to reference! Soundtrack inspos for this one include: Cinnamon Summer by Jome, and Honeybee by The Head and the Heart

______________________________________________

Disappointment. That was the overwhelming sensation coloring your mood as you looked down at the message on your phone. Your sister had canceled on you again. It had been six months since you last saw her and you were starting to miss her.

This always happened when she got into a new relationship. The constant companion you had known your whole life suddenly transformed into the biggest flake on the planet. You were happy she was happy, but she never saw outside of her little love bubble when there was a new guy.

At times, you could smile and write it off as an endearing quirk, but this time your irritation was a bit harder to quell. The trip you were supposed to be taking together this weekend had been planned for weeks. The excitement of seeing your baby sister and enjoying uninterrupted relaxation was the only thing getting you through the tedious tasks weighing you down at work. You knew this cloud of disappointment was going to linger for a few days.

You thought about telling her how rude she was behaving. You even thought about telling her that you didn’t care if her boyfriend had asked her to meet his parents on the same weekend as your trip. But in the end, what was the point? If she bailed on her boyfriend and came along, her legendary pout would have made the trip unbearable. If she decided to go with him despite your disgruntled plea, you both would have ended up deploying the silent treatment for months and you wouldn’t get to see her until Christmas. 

You were in the middle of texting your sad, but supportive reply when you felt a warm hand rub a reassuring circle on your back.

“Let me guess, Caroline canceled at the last minute again?” Benedict’s voice held a defensive tone. 

You sighed in resignation, “Yeah, how’d you know?”

“The look on your face. It’s the one you put on when you’re trying to be angry so you don’t have to admit how much something hurt you. And it’s usually only reserved for Caroline.” He said her name like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. 

“Benedict…” you scolded.

He shrugged innocently with a hint of defiance. “What? I resent her for stealing my sunshine. I was getting used to seeing you so happy. It was nice.”

“Hey,” you complained, “I’m a happy person. Most of the time…”

“I love you, darling, but no,” he laughed. “You’re delightfully grumpy and I adore you for it. You do things with depth. Depth makes it hard to be blindly happy. I wouldn’t have you any other way. It was just nice seeing you smile freely.”

It took a moment for his words to sink in. He had been your best friend for your entire life. If anyone really knew you, it was Benedict. Why were you just now realizing that he viewed you this way? From your perspective, he was the only person that set you at ease. Laughter came easy when he was around. Parts of your personality came alive with Benedict because he was the only one who had earned those parts of you. Having him associate you with such a sense of bleakness didn’t sit right with you. Had he not noticed you allowing him in past your walls, or did your underlying melancholy overshadow the peace he brought into your life? You didn’t know whether to feel betrayal or guilt. Guilt if you hadn’t made it clear how much joy he brought, or betrayal for not being seen by the only person you thought capable.

You stared at the rapidly cooling cup of tea that you clutched in your hand. Anything to keep you from meeting his gaze. You didn’t know if you were ready to face what you might find reflected back in his stormy eyes. It might unravel you, and the courtyard of the college campus where you worked was not a place you were comfortable with that transpiring. You needed to go home. 

 Standing abruptly, you started to gather your things. If it weren’t for the almost comical look of panic transforming his face, you would have made a quick but silent exit. You were never able to stomach the way negative emotions haunted his features. They didn’t belong there, not coinciding with his light. 

“I’ll see you later, Ben. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. It’s happened before and it will happen again. That’s Caroline. I’m just going to go home and have a quiet weekend alone. I have a lot of manuscripts I need to catch up on for Professor Maxwell anyway. He said he would consider one of my choices to present to the publishers as the featured up-and-coming author this month. I want to make sure I’m ready.”

He didn’t seem entirely convinced by your casual tone, but he didn’t push the issue. “Alright then… but call me if you get lonely. I don’t want you cooped up all weekend having fake arguments with Caroline in your head. You get scary when you sit with your anger too long.”

“See you later, Bridgerton,” you replied with an amused grin.

Sometimes it was annoying how well he knew you, but somehow his teasing prediction already made you feel less alone. 

~~~~~~~~~~

You woke the next morning to the sound of your doorbell repeatedly beckoning you from sleep. Immediately regretting last night’s over indulgence of red wine, you rolled over to check the ring camera on your phone. It didn’t surprise you in the slightest to find Benedict standing on your porch looking far too chipper at this ungodly hour.

Clicking the microphone, you spoke through the camera so he could hear you. “Go away. Trespassers will be prosecuted.”

His grin was blinding. “Oh come on, you lazy git. Get your bum out of bed and let me in.”

“Ugghhh,” you groaned. He was impossible.

Reluctantly, you dragged yourself from the warmth of your bed and shuffled to the front door. You hadn’t given a second thought to your appearance until Benedict’s eyes took in your state.

“Ooof,” he mocked. “Good morning, Sunshine.”

You must have looked a picture as you stood there scowling at him in your pjs. “Pardon me, I wasn’t expecting uninvited company. You really are a nuisance, Ben.”

“Yeah, but I’m a lovable nuisance. You wouldn’t have let me in if I wasn’t.”

Rolling your eyes, you turned around walking back into the house, leaving him to follow you. You were going to need coffee if you wanted to get on his level anytime soon. You heard the door latch behind him as he trailed you to the kitchen. 

“So…” he asked hesitantly. “What are your plans for the day?”

You looked up at him skeptically from below the ring of your coffee mug. “I already told you my plans. There are words to be read and wine to be drunk.”

“Can you read your words and drink your wine someplace else?” He could feel you retreating into your silence so he pushed on. “Listen, I know I’m not Caroline. I don’t have anything particularly exciting to offer in comparison to a sisters’ weekend, but I would very much like to spend the day with you. I need to practice a new brush technique for a class I’m teaching. You can read, I can paint… We’ll be alone, but together. Who was it that said it would be inexcusably selfish to be lonely alone?”

You knew he was baiting you with your love of words, but damn him if it wasn’t working. “Tennessee Williams. But if you recall, the first half of that quote depicts lonely people joining forces. I don’t think he was speaking of a pity invitation from a Casanova to his pathetic, sad friend.”

“That’s not what this is,” he chastised. “I’m allowed to be lonely too.”

“Oh, please, Ben.” You dismissed him prematurely. “You’re never alone. There is always someone throwing themselves at your feet.”

“I didn’t say I was alone. I said I was lonely…” The haunted look had returned to contort his beautiful face.

The undeniable need to vanquish anything that creased his brow pulled you toward him. Reaching out for him, you stopped yourself from wrapping your arms around his torso, instead choosing something safer. You squeezed reassuringly around his forearm that rested on the counter. 

“I’ll go get dressed,” you said softly. “Wait for me?”

His eyes left your fingers splayed across his arm and searched your face. The amount of relief flooding the rings of blue made your stomach ache.

“I’ll wait as long as you need…” he promised.

~~~~~~~~~~

Like with most things, he was right about his company bringing you back into balance. It was easy to be around him. He was comfortable in your silence, and you in his. There was no need for incessant chit chat. It was enough to simply just be. No pressure. No performance. No need to be guarded. The sounds of his brush strokes against the canvas soothed you as you flipped from page to page in your book.

It had turned out to be the perfect day for outdoor endeavors. There wasn’t a rain cloud in sight, and the sun was almost as warm as Benedict’s presence. He had taken you to a remote clearing he stumbled across during one of his many reflective walks. The open field was surrounded by dense woods, sequestering you in your own private world. The nearby stream provided the perfect soundtrack to drown out all the unwanted noise of life. 

He had packed a blanket for you to sprawl out on while he labored over his easel. Per usual, he had thought of everything. There was even a basket filled with your favorite snacks. You would both be content for hours. Responsible for nothing. Accountable to no one. He had gifted you peace.

The sun poured out its affection lavishly over your skin, and you soaked in its embrace. The dress you wore hung loosely from the straps that tied at your shoulders, and the lightweight cotton fabric kissed your skin delicately, providing an unabashed sense of freedom. It had been a long time since you had felt this content and you were already craving a return visit. 

It had been hours since you had seen another person. Every so often there would be a wayward hiker, but for the better part of the day it was just the two of you. Working side by side, in tandem but apart. You were fully consumed by the current manuscript you were reading. It was the third one of the day, but the first to hold your interest. This was undoubtedly the piece you would submit to your boss for publication. 

The author skillfully and eloquently stripped down the world as we know it, and submerged the reader into the unknown. With the trivial things torn away, everything came back to basics. What did a person truly need to survive? What did we look to in order to feel secure? Sure, the tried and true standards still applied - Food. Water. Shelter. But what were those things without hope? Was there even a point?

It was a love story at its core. A devastating one, but a love story nonetheless. It seemed a cruel irony to make it all the way through life only to find love at the end of the world. Love was already a precarious thing, but the stakes were even higher in their world. The person you joined your life with was the person that kept you alive. 

There was a perfect balance between danger and sweetness. You had invested fully in the characters. Their joy was your joy, their pain your pain. So when the unthinkable happened, your heart thudded to a stop. A shocked sob escaped your lips, breaking the silence that had settled.

Benedict looked at you in alarm. “What’s happened?”

You shook your head, waving off his worry. You’d almost forgotten he was there. “This author is fantastic. It feels so real.”

His lazy smile spread across his face. “You’ll have to tell me about it once you’re finished.”

Normally you loved telling him about the books you read. He always hung on your words and asked enthusiastic questions. But you weren’t sure you could do that with this one. Her leading man bore a striking resemblance to yours. Even the glances you were stealing of him now were almost unbearable. If there was one person in this world whose loss would bury you, it was Benedict. 

Family wasn’t something that you had a surplus of. Your parents had both been gone for years. Caroline was your only sibling and you had drifted apart as you got older. But Benedict had always been there, and you made a family of your own. Each day he started to mean more to you than you were comfortable with. You tried to ignore it, but your heart was persistent and loud. 

Your eyes welled with tears as you read the final chapter. Images of Benedict’s face flooded your mind while the author described the fate of her hero in heart wrenching detail. The pit in your stomach was about to swallow you whole. Evidence of your despair leaked from the corners of your eyes and made their way to the corners of your mouth, leaving your lips salty and wet. 

You knew it would only deepen the hurt, but you couldn’t resist the pull to look at Benedict. It was only a story but you needed the reminder that he was still here. Like he always was. 

You weren’t sure how, but he looked more striking than he had just a moment ago. Maybe your imaginary grief had heightened your awareness of him. Or maybe it snapped your perspective into focus. You were in love with your best friend but you had no clue what to do with that revelation. 

You were so lost in your reverie that he startled you when he spoke. “What’s that look about, Sunshine?”

“I’m just remembering you,” you said meekly, averting your eyes.

“Hmph,” he sighed.

Setting down his paintbrush, he came to sit behind you on the blanket. His arm reached around your side and pulled the book from your hands. “Who is this Bradstreet person, and why have they made you cry? It was a happy day. I thought we’d finally chased the grey away.”

A shiver ran deep when you felt the heat from his lips press softly into the naked skin at your shoulder. Steadying yourself, you turned your face into him so you could meet him eye to eye. You weren’t sure what his small, but intimate gesture meant. He had always behaved in this familiar way with you. Touch wasn’t something that he shied away from. It’s how he showed affection. This was just the first time you had ever opened yourself up to the possibility of more.

Your fingers reached up to brush the waves of his dark hair away from his face. The tension left his body at your touch and he melted into you. His eyes closed and he smiled sweetly as he hummed his appreciation. You rarely initiated touch with him like this and you were now realizing what a crime that was.

His lips touched your skin again in a silent thank you. The importance of this moment was finally sinking into your bones. Now was the time to make sure he understood what he meant to your life. You didn’t think you would ever forgive yourself if the world came tumbling down and you left out that he was the only one…

Your eyes lingered on his in a silent exchange before you leaned in to capture his lips with your own. His body stilled for a split second but quickly reanimated, matching your energy with intention. Years of unidentified longing flowed out through your touch and held him close to you. 

He broke your kiss to catch a breath.

“Thank God,” he whispered. “I was beginning to worry that you’d never feel it.”

An exhausted amusement washed over you. “You know me… Always taking the long way around.”

His answering laugh was your favorite sound. It was warm and deep. A familiar comfort.

“Well worth the wait,” he declared, tucking your hair behind your ear.

In that moment a switch inside you flipped. Desire for this man had made itself known, sending a pulsing urgency to overtake you like a riptide. The smell of him, so close and invasive, was a provocative elixir calling out to awaken wanton need. 

The heat from his toned, lean body radiated from behind you seeping into your spine. Its invitation was impossible to resist, so you let go, giving yourself over completely. His arms welcomed you in and every inch of him conformed to fit you perfectly. Broad shoulders provided a safe place to lay your head as his face dipped to rest in the crook of your neck. His deep breaths coaxed a thrilling shiver from you as he savored the scent of your skin. 

You craved him with such intensity that it was painful. Your body, seeking a remedy, pressed deeper into his with a slow, sensual tempo. The blood felt like it was burning through your veins, and every muscle clenched with the anticipation of release. 

His body understood your plea and began to guide your movements. The low, humming ache between your thighs had grown into a throbbing demand. This lust was an insatiable beast, only mollified by his touch.

“Benedict…” you begged breathlessly. The feel of his lips sucking your neck into his mouth was driving you to distraction. Your mind fantasized his warm, wet tongue exploring other parts of you.

His kiss never left your skin for more than a moment and his hands had found a new boldness. You could smell dried paint, a scent synonymous with him, as his fingers danced over your shoulder to the tied straps of your dress. When his movements stopped, you looked back at him to find his eyes silently asking your permission to continue. You gave your consent without question.

Nimble fingers made easy work of the bows holding the top of your dress to your body. The soft cotton fell around your waist, exposing your bare, heaving chest to the elements. The warmth of the sun soaked into the sensitive skin of your breasts, and the wind whispered over your nipples, puckering them with pleasure.

Benedict’s stuttered, appreciative breath quickened your heart. His heavy gaze was ravenous as he took in the sight of you. His teeth raked across his bottom lip, attempting restraint.

“Y/n, can I touch you?” he asked. Always the gentleman.

A sudden bout of nerves crept up your throat. This was all so surreal. It was Benedict. Your best friend. Your favorite person on Earth. What if this changed all that? You didn’t want to be without him. You couldn’t. 

For a moment, the two of you sat together in limbo. Your mind was trying to logic you out of this, but your heart understood a new truth. It was already too late to go back, to settle for a fraction of what he was offering you now. Your need for him had grown to encompass more than friendship. It would never feel like enough again. 

You took his hand in yours and led him to your soft, supple bust. Holding your breath, you waited. For what exactly, you weren’t sure. Maybe you were afraid of his dissatisfaction. The last man you let see you this way was fond of critiquing your body. Exposure was the scariest place to encounter judgment. There was nowhere to hide. The words heard there never leave you.

Disdain started to flicker in your mind. Remembering old words from a person who no longer held significance was pointless. And yet, how could you not remember? He had thought your breasts were too large. “Anything more than a handful was too much.”

You realized now, as Benedict’s warm palms grazed over you, that the problem never resided with you. That other man’s hands were simply inferior. Benedict held you with ease, cupping you securely in his grasp. His strong fingers kneaded gently, feeling your contours and curves. He silenced your insecurities and fueled you with courage. There was no need for pretenses. He already knew it all. Both the embarrassing and the unflattering. He knew, and he stayed. More than that, he knew and wanted you in spite of it all.

Inhibitions dissolved as you leaned into his touch. You were completely lost. Unaware of anything outside of desire.That’s probably why his sudden exclamation startled you.

“Don’t move!” His arm wrapped tightly around your body to cover you.

Panic set in as your mind ran wild over all the possibilities for his warning. The tall grass surrounding you provided a plethora of nightmares.

“Oh God, what?! Is there a snake?” Your skin crawled at the thought of the slithering serpent. 

His voice lowered to a whisper in your ear. “There’s someone there,” he replied. “They’re watching us.”

Standing just inside the nearest treeline you spotted a young woman frozen with indecision. She was close enough to make clear eye contact with and her expression was shouting a mortified apology. A professional looking camera dangled freely from the strap around her neck. Her photography excursion wandered into something more than landscapes. Although, you supposed this was still nature at its core.

The two of you remained locked in a silent exchange. You weren’t sure what you saw there that granted you permission, but you felt yourself relax in Benedict’s hold. 

“It’s okay,” you calmed him.

You reached up and slowly started to drag his hand down your stomach to the top of the bunched fabric at your waist. All the while never breaking your stare with the onlooking stranger.

Benedict’s breath hitched in your ear and his fingernails scraped across your tummy, releasing a fresh wave of need inside you. “Don’t stop, Ben. I need you.”

His entire hand splayed out over your lower abdomen, pressing you firmly into the insistent bulge throbbing between you. “Mmmm,” he groaned. “You’re an impatient little thing, aren’t you? All needy and squirmy, clutching your thighs together. Fuck, I bet you are soaking for me…”

“You could easily find out,” you challenged.

Reflexively, his fingers twitched with excitement. His voice went dark, forcing you to understand the serious nature of his words.

“Look at me,” he commanded. “Are you certain about this? Tell me clearly.”

You peered up into his face, focusing on only him. If he was nervous, he wasn’t letting on, but it was clear that he needed something more from you than just consent. 

“I need to feel you,” you instructed, guiding him firmly where you ached for him. You made sure to stay locked in to his gaze, leaving no room for miscommunication. “She can watch, or she can leave. I don’t fucking care, but I can’t wait. I’m aching, Ben. Make it better.”

The two of you gasped in unison when his long, capable fingers slid between your folds. 

“Darling, where are your knickers?” he asked, reveling in the feel of you. His teeth nipped at your jawline. “You’ve been open and exposed all afternoon, barely hidden by this fetching little frock, and I’ve just been a clueless sod playing with my paints.”

His slow, stroking motions stirred the beast inside of you. Your body purred for him, vibrating at a frequency only he could hear. It called for him, telling him exactly where you needed him next. He spread you further, and his middle finger took a scandalously languid dive to tease your pulsing entrance.

Your cunt sought out for him with a fluttering welcome, desperately willing him to push past the threshold. The thought of him sinking into you there had you writhing restlessly in his lap.

His tongue traced the contour of your ear. “Oohhh, yes. You liked that. I can feel it. Do you want more?”

“Mmmhmm,” you could only manage a half lucid whimper in response.

“Open your eyes,” he encouraged. “See how your body has inspired our voyeuristic friend.”

The beautiful stranger had taken a brave step out from under the cover of trees. Her face held a comforting familiarity that somehow made you feel safe. Even as she brought the zoomed lens of the camera to her eye to capture your image, you still felt no shame.

“Would you like to show her what a work of art your body truly is?” Finally, his devilish digit invaded your warmth, causing you to moan out in satisfaction. “That’s my good girl. Arch for her. Show her how gorgeous your skin is while it’s blushed with heat. Such a pretty color.”

You had never truly known what arousal was until that very moment. His velvety baritone in your ear combined with the depths of his reach within you, and the witness of the anonymous onlooker had brought you to a precipice that you were terrified to give way to.

Reading your body like braille, he partnered his ring and middle fingers, stretching you as they curled. His speed quickened as his pressure increased, manipulating your body to obey his commands. 

Your hips began to dance with his rough palm, providing a friction on your clit that stole all of the air from your lungs. Oblivion was almost there. Just a couple more inches and you could reach out and touch it. 

He could feel the beginnings of your climax start to pull his fingers in deeper to you. “That’s it, love. We’re almost there. Will you give it to me?”

You would have given him anything he asked for as long as he didn’t stop moving. The hand that you didn’t have held in a vice grip between your legs came to your aid, pinching one of your nipples, just on the right side of pain. 

His ministrations had delivered you over to the abyss. There were no outside sounds. Nothing to see but white hot pleasure. Nothing to keep you from blissfully floating away into forever. Your only tether was the feel of his heartbeat guiding you home. You listened to its call, slowly bringing your own in time to match his steady rhythm. You were one heart. One mind. One soul.

Color started to seep back into your world. His gentle voice coaxed you back to consciousness. “Breathe. I’m right here. Just breathe.”

The immensity of what you just experienced had dissolved you of all control. A sobbing laughter bubbled up your throat, and you recognized the searing heat of unshed tears behind your eyes. All you knew was gratitude.

You turned slightly in his arms so that you could reach for his face. Your lips burned into his, moving with hunger. Gladly, you opened your mouth to his tongue, allowing him to breathe life back into you. The taste of him washed over your senses, driving a primal instinct somewhere inside of you.

Lifting yourself slightly, you rose to your knees in front of him, gathering the hem of your dress so that it hung forward, leaving you completely exposed to the man behind you.

You reached for the collar of his shirt, yanking him to his knees so that the back of your body melded into the front of him. The feel of his body running along the length of you sent shivers coursing through you from head to toe.

His lips devoured the skin of your neck and his bite sank into the muscle at your shoulder. One strong hand wrapped around your throat, pulling you harshly against his muscular torso. 

His growl in your ear had you dripping for him all over again. “I’m going to fuck you. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” you said breathlessly. “Please, Benedict…”

You reached behind you, and the two of you worked together to pull his jeans away from his body. You didn’t have a chance to see him with your eyes, but you could feel the impressive size of him nuzzled between your cheeks as he ground into you.

You felt bereft when his arms released you, but his lips assured you that he was still there while he kissed his way from the nape of your neck and down your spine to the center of your back. One hand went to your hip to steady you and the other aligned the thick head of his cock with your pussy. 

“Ready?” he stilled.

“Now, Benedict. Right now.” You had never sounded so needy in your life.

Inch by satisfying inch, he pushed himself inside you. The stretch was unbelievable. Your body was made to accommodate him. He filled you to the edge of your limits, fitting around him so tightly that you could feel the steady thrum of his pulse thumping against your walls. 

“Fuuuuccck… You’re so warm. I love the way you hold onto me like that.” he praised you.

He only gave you a few more seconds to adjust before he started to move. With both hands on your hips, he repeatedly seated you in his lap, withdrawing slowly each time so that his tip caught around the ring at your entrance. When he entered you again, it was hard and deep. The pace was agonizing. Glimpses of the tingles he would bring you started to make themselves known as he introduced his body to every inch of yours.

Your eyes glanced up to find the photographer documenting your pleasure. She had lowered herself to the ground to explore new angles of your debauchery. You wondered if she was affected by the atmosphere. Would she go home and seek a release of her own. Would your heaving chest and Benedict’s feral noises bring her pleasure?

Benedict’s hand came back to wrap around your throat, effectively securing you to him again. The fingers of his other hand ventured below the fabric at your hips and found you swollen and throbbing.

“You like it that she’s watching, don’t you?” he smirked. “I like watching her watch you. If I can’t see your face, I can at least read hers to see how I’m doing.”

“Are my moans not enough? If you need me louder, I need you harder.” you laughed challengingly.

“Holyyyyy… Fuck, that felt food. I can feel you laughing from inside you.” his grip on your throat tightened a bit. “I want to make you laugh like that for the rest of your life.”

All traces of humor were lost now. His hold sealed around you, solidifying his promise of forever. Something inside of him flipped, and he thrust into you like it was the only thing keeping him alive. 

Deep, husky breaths panted into your ear between dizzying kisses. You started to tremble as every cell in your body responded to his urgent, pleading seduction. Searching for a way to ground yourself, you reached behind you to entwine your fingers in the hair at the base of his skull, tugging forcefully while hanging on for dear life.

“Oooohhhhhhh,” you gasped. “Oh, God! Benedict, yessss. You feel so good. Please. Please!”

“Hang on just a little while longer,” he beseeched. “Wait for me. I need us to come together.”

“Hurry Ben,” you warned. “I can’t… You feel…”

Stringing a sentence together was starting to become impossible. It took every ounce of focus you had to keep yourself from exploding around him. The desperate, punishing tempo of his hips was relentless. The lewd sounds your bodies made as they smacked together grew louder and louder with each powerful thrust.

Daring to glance across the field, you met the gaze of the daring beauty with whom you had shared this incredibly intimate experience. Even from a distance you could see her labored breathing as she lived vicariously through you. Her eyes were spurring you on, chasing the release as much as you were. There was something so erotic about the moment, and you couldn’t look away from her. 

The muscles of your core started to contract around Benedict’s cock. If he wanted to come with you, it had to be now.

“Benedict…” you whimpered.

“I know, baby. I know,” he soothed. “It’s okay. If you come, you’ll take me with you.”

The power that he had just put into your hands was weighty. Knowing that you wielded such control over him made you weak for him. It was a paradox you didn’t need to understand, you just knew it to be true.

His hand left your throat to tilt your face into his, foreheads pressed together in intimacy. “Eyes on me,” he ordered. “Don’t look at her. This part of you is mine.”

His dilated pupils were hypnotic. You couldn’t have looked away if you tried. “Come, y/n. Come for me.”

You had never been good at following orders but his voice lulled you into submission. His tone simultaneously made you eager to please, but also undoubtedly sure that he knew what was best in that moment. 

His kiss extinguished your scream of ecstasy as he burrowed deeper into your body. His movements had stopped, and you realized that it was you who continued to torturously milk his seed from his body and claim it as your own. The warmth lined your walls as he spasmed inside your cunt.

He lowered the two of you to the blanket, never leaving the safety of his newfound home inside your walls.

“I don’t want to leave you yet,” he whispered, kissing the top of your head. “Catch your breath. I’ll keep you full. We can drift away.”

Your eyes fluttered open, squinting as the sun beamed down onto your face. It was a warm, cinnamon summer. Rich colors saturated the atmosphere, spreading romantic hues along the horizon. Time seemed to slow, bringing you into stillness. You willed yourself to stay awake, determined to commit every moment of this to memory. But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t fight it. His spell was pulling you under, washing over you in a peaceful calm. Wrapped safely in the heat of his embrace, you found rest.

“I love you,”he confessed, voice laced with sleep.

You brought his hand to your lips and kissed his palm. “You’re my favorite thing. The only one, Benedict. The only one…”

Neither of you knew if the woman still stood somewhere on the edge of your reality. It didn’t really matter anymore. It was just the two of you. The way it always had been. The way it was always meant to be.

~~~~~~~~~~

6 Weeks Later

Butterflies danced in your stomach as you waited patiently for Benedict to arrive at your house. He informed you earlier in the day that he had a surprise planned to celebrate your author recommendation being selected for publication. You were hoping it involved one of his signature home cooked meals and the removal of all his clothing.

You heard the keys clinking in the lock as he let himself in, bellowing out your name to alert you to his arrival.

“I’m in the kitchen,” you shouted down the hall.

He was wearing the most devilishly handsome grin as he sauntered into the kitchen carrying an ornately wrapped gift box.

“What’s this,” you asked with thinly veiled excitement.

“Just a little something to mark the occasion,” he replied. “Go ahead, open it.”

His impatience was endearing. He was clearly proud of whatever it was inside this box. You lifted the lid to find four framed black and white photos, all of which contained the memories of the most significant day of your life. 

You didn’t know how, but these were the photos taken by the woman in the clearing that day. She was an exceptional talent. The compositions themselves showed a great amount of skill, but the truly impressive part was the emotion she captured. 

From the looks of things, she had been in that clearing a lot longer than you had been aware. The first photo was of you and Benedict working side by side in silence. Your nose was buried in your reading, brow furrowed in angst, and Benedict was smiling sweetly, watching you read. 

The second photo was stunningly intimate. The two of you sat huddled on the blanket. Your eyes closed with an almost prayerful expression etched on your face, and Benedict with his head bowed, pressing his lips into the bare skin of your shoulder.

The last two were carnal. You felt the heat rush to your cheeks as you took them in.

Benedict’s voice startled you. “I told you your body was a work of art. Look how fucking gorgeous you are in these. Unguarded. Free…”

A lump formed in your throat as you fought the urge to cry. “How did you…?”

“Dumb luck,” he answered. “ I ran into our mystery woman a couple of weeks ago at that new gallery opening you refused to attend with me.”

You rolled your eyes. “I didn’t refuse to attend. I had the flu.”

“Same difference,” he smirked. “So, do you like them? She gave me all the negatives too. No one else will ever see these outside the three of us.”

“I love them,” you sniffled. “It’s our first time. Immortalized. They’re perfect. Thank you, Benedict.”

He shook his head and kissed you chastely. “No, thank you.”

“For what,” you queried.

“For loving me back.”

_______________________________________________

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