#you will find him sitting in front of his elevator like an abandoned child waiting for black

[fanfictionroxs]

Going to start telling people that this is the plot of Not Me 😈

[autmism]

prom dress

pairing(s) ; moonsys x teen!reader, marc spector x teen!reader, steven grant x teen!reader, jake lockley × teen!reader

warning(s) ; little hurt/comfort but more comfort

synopsis; (request) Hi! I hope I'm not bothering you or anything but I've been reading your Moonknight fics and their really good! I was wondering if you could do a platonic Moonknight fanfic where the teen! reader gets stood up at her school prom and she comes crying to boys how she didn't get a chance to dance in her princess dress and so the guys comfort her and each of them dance with her in their own style. This just me suffering from my daddy issues…. just think it would be sweet and wholesome.

-> masterlist

a/n: HI tysm for the requests!! im glad you like my fics i hope you enjoy !!! ty for all the reqs i have i will get to them soon i promise

y/n stepped out of the elevator doors, ready to drag herself into bed and forget about her problems. what she hadn’t expected was for marc to be stood outside his flat door waiting for her to get back from the dance.

“hey! how’d it go kid?”

“not in the mood, goodnight.” y/n sighed, walking past marc.

“hey, hey, hey? slow down, what’s going on?” marc put a hand on y/n’s shoulder, a concerned look on his face.

“it’s fine, i don’t want to talk about it.” y/n rolled her eyes.

“c’mon kid, you can talk to me, steven’ll make you some hot chocolate?” marc smiled nervously.

“you promise?” y/n frowned, averting her eyes from him. the last thing she wanted to do was breakdown in front of the man she considered a father figure.

“i’d force him if it made you feel better,” marc got the keys to his flat out his pocket, smiling as he noticed y/n trying not to laugh, “c’mon talk to us, what happened?”

y/n sat down on the first seat she could find, the couch, and frowned, “it’s embarrassing… i feel like such a loser.”

“oh you poor thing, what happened out there? you could use a hot chocolate i suppose… even though it’s not such a smart idea to have chocolate before bedtime.. sorry, rambling again.. classic me!” steven laughed, grabbing the ingredients he needed from the fridge, “you can talk to us about anything, love! i promise you that none of us will think you’re a loser, since you aren’t one!”

“thanks steven..” y/n sighed, “you remember max?”

“max? the kid who asked you to prom? what’d he do?” marc fronted, immediately abandoning steven’s task of making hot chocolate at the mention of a boy’s name. you’d think he had a child of his own with the way he stood in the kitchen doorway with his hands on his hips.

“he stood me up.” y/n’s voice cracked, as she put her head in her hands.

“i’m so sorry, kiddo,” marc’s tone softened and he left the kitchen to sit next to y/n on the couch, “what an asshole, he’s missing out on the best kid!”

“he didn’t seem to miss much when his tongue was down another girl’s throat.” y/n started crying and marc tensed up, he was truly not the man for the job. comfort was more steven’s thing.

marc put a hand around her shoulder and let her lean on him while she cried, “it’s gonna be okay..”

“it’s not okay!” y/n leaned into him, hugging him tightly as she cried. to be truthful, y/n was thankful that marc, steven and jake were all part of her life. she didn’t have an outstanding father and to have three separate father figures she could look up to instead of her biological father was a miracle.

“you’re still young, you’re gonna have plenty of boyfriends and girlfriends in your life,” he frowned, rubbing circles into her back.

“but i don’t want anyone else, i wanted him!”

“i know, i know… but sometimes things just don’t work out and that’s not your fault, kid,” he rested his head on hers, “you may want this guy now, but trust me you’ll find better.”

“he was so sweet… i don’t get what i did wrong?” she whimpered, marc could practically hear the pain she was in just by her voice.

“hey.” marc pulled y/n away from him and put his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes, “this is not your fault, you are a great kid, got it?”

“what went wrong then?”

“he went wrong. you did everything right, okay?” he raised his eyebrows and tilted his head, expecting her to agree.

“i guess so…” y/n mumbled, her sobbing turning into silent tears.

“you look great too, told you the dress was a good choice,” he smiled proudly, silently celebrating that she chose the dress that he recommended.

“you’re just saying that, you have to,” y/n laughed, wiping her face with her arm.

“woah? you calling me a liar? not cool, y/n.” marc crossed his arms over his chest.

“oh c’mon you know what i mean, ya big baby.” y/n rolled her eyes, shoving marc playfully.

“the dress looks great and you look beautiful tonight, kid.” he smiled, hoping that he was articulating how sincere he was being.

“i do like the dress.. i guess i’m just being stupid, but i’m just upset i didn’t get to dance with it on..?” y/n trailed off, sounding unsure of herself.

“dance? someone say dance?” y/n looked up to see jake smirking and getting up from the couch, “the night is still young, you’ve got time to dance!”

“hi jake,” y/n sighed, as he started to pull on her arms, trying to annoy her into getting up.

“not happy to see me?” jake pouted dramatically.

“you and marc are such babies, you know what i meant, asshole!” y/n laughed, reluctantly getting up after she accepted that jake wouldn’t have stopped until one of them was either dead or knocked out. he was always quite persistent; annoyingly persistent.

“c’mon the night is still young, dance with me!” he pulled y/n to an open space in the flat.

“you certainly aren’t.” y/n muttered.

“hey? friendly fire, i’m just trying to help not let that dress go to waste!” he scoffed.

“sorry, bad night… as you probably could tell.” y/n sighed, “thank you..”

jake decided to play a song that marc had been listening to lately, called ‘bahlam maak’. it was a recommendation from layla and jake thought y/n might enjoy it as well. it was slow and calming - way better than whatever they would’ve played at a prom. y/n followed jake’s lead, a small smile growing on her face.

“thank you, jake… this is really nice,” she looked down, “i’ve always wondered what it would feel like to go to a daughter-father dance… i think it would feel something like this.”

jake’s smile grew on his face, pride swelling in his chest. there was always an unspoken father-daughter bond between the two, but to hear her say it made him ecstatic.

“i’ve always wanted to beat up my daughter’s shitty boyfriends, guess we both win, eh?” he smirked, seeing y/n try to stifle her laughs, “seriously, i’ll do it, say the word and he vanishes mysteriously.”

“jake, you can’t kill him,” y/n scoffed, “if anyone’s doing that it’s me.”

“attagirl.”

“jake..?”

“hm?”

“thank you for this, i know… i can be a bit of a pain-“

“a bit?” he raised an eyebrow.

“okay, i’ll keep the rest to myself instead, good job.” y/n rolled her eyes.

“hey, i’m kidding!”

“you better be,” she scoffed, “thank you for being here for me, even when i can be a pain in the ass, i know i’m not easy to be around, but you, marc and steven somehow manage to put up with me, so thank you.”

jake’s grin fell from his face, knowing that some of the words she was saying were not words that she had thought of, these were things that had been put into her head by her father.

“c’mon, you’re not a pain in the ass, you’re the best kid i’ve ever met.”

“got a lot of friends that are kids, huh?”

“okay smart ass, not the time,” he looked at her, clearly unamused, “you’re not difficult to be around at all, you’re an intelligent, beautiful and quick witted young girl and you’ve got a bright future ahead, chiquitita.”

“now i’m crying again,” y/n pouted.

“and i’m still offering to beat this asshole’s ass.”

“you’re just looking for excuses to beat someone up!” y/n protested.

“ah, ya got me,” he chuckled, “i’m gonna let steven make you that hot chocolate now, we did promise.”

“thank you jake,” y/n smiled, as he turned the music off and paused for a second before steven fronted.

“oh look at you! aren’t you just a princess tonight,” steven smiled.

“a snotty princess, sure.” y/n laughed, before taking a seat back on the couch.

“well, i think you look amazing! and any guy that stands you up is a bloody plonker, yeah?”

“absolute fucking plonker,” y/n huffed.

“alright, you’re upset so i will let that one slide, but watch your language, love.” steven scolded her, pointing a finger at her with a stern look on his face.

“if jake can threaten to kill someone, i can say a few bad words.”

“well. uhm. hot chocolate! that’s what i’m doing!” steven scurried off. he was always less than thrilled to hear about the things jake says, knowing all the things jake say are vulgar and downright criminal.

“you going home then? or not tonight?” steven asked from the kitchen, as he got back to making the hot chocolate.

“is it okay if i stay here?” y/n rubbed her face with her arm, “there’s some things my dad said that weren’t so nice, but turned out happening anyways… i don’t really want to hear about.. yeah, i’ll stay, if it’s okay?”

“‘course it’s okay, you’re always welcome here!”

“thanks steven,” y/n smiled, “and marc and jake.”

“no specific order right?” steven rolled his eyes, heading jake and marc bickering about which one of them she prefers.

“no specific order! quit your fighting marc and jake!” y/n laughed, knowing the things the two were saying from witnessing the same argument countless of times.

“told you,” steven mumbled, shooting a stern look at the reflective surface of the kettle, where marc stared at him with a frown on his face.

“hey steven?” y/n called out.

“just a sec, love! i’m on my way!”

y/n eagerly accepted the hot chocolate in a mug labelled ‘world’s best grandpa’, which had been a gift from her to jake. she insisted that originally she wanted to get the dad mug, but they were out of stock. they all knew it was a lie and y/n wanted to poke fun of their age, but also that y/n was too embarrassed at the time to admit she saw them as a father and thought a lighthearted grandpa mug would ease her into being able to say it one day.

“have you ever been stood up before?” y/n asked after a sip of hot chocolate, “i ask you, because jake probably stands people up and marc is marc.”

that’s misinformation.

what the hell is that supposed to mean?

“oh, countless of times,” steven ignored jake and marc again, “it’s not great, innit?”

“not great at all…” y/n sighed, “i know marc said it wasn’t me, but i can’t help but think if it was me, i mean the girl he was kissing… and then there’s me?”

“hmm,” steven paused, “well, sometimes these things are out of our control and when they are that means we never had control to change what could happen, but this bloke had all the control in the situation and made a bloody awful choice.”

“so if i did everything the right way and can’t see how i could’ve done anything differently, but can see that with the other person, then it’s not my fault.”

“exactly!”

“thanks steven… i didn’t really consider it from that point of view…”

“you feelin’ a bit better?“ steven asked, smiling as she sipped on the hot chocolate.

“a lot thank you,” y/n smiled back, “i can’t thank you enough for everything, coming over to your place is the best time of my life, just.. it’s nice and it makes the hard days worth it.

“oh, you’re gonna make me bloody cry now!” steven wrapped his arms around y/n, but being mindful of the hot drink in her hands.

“sorry.”

“it’s alright, love.”

[ladyreapermc]

Fic: Stress Relief (Donaka x fem!reader)

Summary: Donaka is stressed and it’s your job to help him relax.

Pairing: Donaka x Fem!Reader

Author’s notes: is this me posting filth again? Why, yes, it is! Enjoy because I have no idea how long this will last. LOL

Wordcount: 2688

Warnings: smut (oral m!receiving; fingering). Powerplay; degradation kink; edging, overstimulation; choking. 

Most of your days you spent doing whatever you wanted because you had no worries, not financially or of any type. You were free to hang out with friends, travel, party, and do whatever you wanted.

There were only two rules: you needed to be available to him whenever he called, be it in person or through the camera. And you were exclusively his. No one was allowed to touch you unless he said so. Those two rules were easy enough to follow when it meant having everything you ever dreamt of and more.

That day, you had been in your apartment reading when the message came in, making the smartwatch around your wrist vibrate:

Zen space. Lilac. NOW.

You had no idea what had happened and you preferred to remain blissfully ignorant of Donaka’s business, but you recognize that tone, even through text. He was stressed and furious and it was your job to help him relax.

Wasting no time, you set your book aside and headed to your bedroom, considering for a second if you should take a quick shower first, make sure your skin was silky soft and scented just like he preferred, but decided against it. Making Donaka wait was never an option so you just changed into the requested lingerie.

It was a pale lavender babydoll, with a lace front that revealed almost every inch of your body and tiny panties that barely covered your sex. You also put on the diamond choker he had gifted you even though he hadn’t explicitly asked for it, before taking the private lift that took you straight to his loft on the floor above.

The elevator opened in his home office and you noticed the room was dimly lit, the wall of screens was on standby offering a soft blue glow. The black leather couch was empty as you expected so you turned your attention to the left corner of the room, his Zen space, where he went to meditate or cool off.

Donaka was sitting on the glass bench, back turned to the rest of the room and facing the wall of concentric circles, his bare feet resting on the platform that separated the smooth and polished dark floor from the finely grated white sand. His hands rested on his spread knees and there was a slight hunch on his shoulders, the weight of his stress.

By his feet, in front of him, laid a thin pillow to protect your skin from the unforgiving sand and you were glad for it. You would, of course, kneel on it and endure the grains digging into your skin if that was what Donaka wanted but he didn’t get off on pain. Not yours at least.

You moved towards him in silence, resisting the urge to brush your fingers over his broad shoulders and back, before kneeling in front of him, sitting on your heels and looking up at the man that gave you everything and owned your heart.

His eyes pinned you in place and made your breath hitch. Cold fury clouded the brown orbs and his lips were pressed together tightly, jaw clenched tight. The sight made your body shudder with want and you pressed your thighs together.

There was something so arousing about seeing Donaka this enraged. Seeing the violence in his eyes and knowing that it would take him barely any effort to snap you in half or choke the life out of you. The knowledge that he was the kind of man that killed without even blinking but for some reason, he chose never to harm you. Most of the time, Donaka chose tender caresses and measured touches designed to bring you the kind of ecstasy that you had never experienced before.

Today his fingers trailed against your cheek in a featherlike touch, his thumb brushing over your lips, and at the faintest pressure, you parted them, letting the thick digit enter your mouth. You swirled your tongue around it before sucking greedily just as you wanted to do to another part of his body.

You watched his eyes darkening as you hollowed your cheeks and pulled more of his thumb into your mouth and moaned under your breath at the knot building between your legs, making your core pulse and dampening your panties.

Donaka’s other hand reached for the button and zipper of his trousers, releasing his half-hard cock from its confinements. He pulled his thumb free from your mouth, palm cradling your nape before he nudged your forward.

You licked your lips and inched closer, mouth salivating at the treat in front of you. You want his long, thick cock in your mouth. You wanted to feel it fully hardening between your lips, under your talented tongue. You needed to taste his bitter precum, a flavor you were slowly becoming addicted to… but all that could only happen after Donaka’s permission.

Sometimes it would come almost immediately. He would push you down his hard shaft, making you gag on it, fucking your mouth with abandon and using you like you were worth little more than your holes. In those days, he would come all over your face, zip himself up, and leave you to take care of yourself.

However, on days like today, when he was tense and furious with whatever had bothered him at work, he preferred to drag it out. To make you work for it, sometimes even beg to have his cock in your mouth. When he finally allowed it, Donaka would fuck your mouth oh so slowly, pushing deeper and deeper, until tears started to spring in your eyes, spit ran down your chin and your juices soaked your panties in such a way that all you and he could smell was the scent of your desperate arousal.

“What do you want?” He asked and his low and throaty voice sent shivers down your spine.

“Your cock, sir.” You whispered, peering at him from under your lashes. “Will you fuck my mouth, please? Make me choke on it?”

There was a barely-there twist in the corners of his mouth and your heart leaped in your chest. How you loved to make him feel good. It was like a drug.

“Such a good girl,” Donaka said, his thumb caressing your jaw. “My little cockslut.”

“Yes, sir,” you all but whimpered, pressing your thighs together once again because your cunt throbbed and you had never in your life thought you would get this turned on by being used like this, but by God, his words made you shudder with desire, body hot and ready for anything that Donaka was willing to give you.

With his hand still on your nape, controlling your pace, he nudged you forward once more, holding his cock with his free hand and letting the tip rub against your wanting lips. Donaka wasn’t one for much noise, but there was a slight hitch on his breath that told you he was enjoying the soft, almost ghost-like touch on the sensitive and swollen head of his member.

Your lips parted a little, letting your tongue brush against the velvety head and Donaka sucked in a deep breath, especially when the tip of your tongue probed against his slit, bringing forth a pearly white drop of his precum and making him harden fully.

God, your cunt ached in need to be filled but you knew you couldn’t touch yourself. Not until he allowed and that wouldn’t happen anytime soon. Not until he had his release and part of you wanted to just suck him fully into your mouth, end this torturous teasing. Even if it meant a serious punishment later (or maybe especially because it would lead to a punishment).

However, the bittersweet pleasure of the edging and denial was like a drug too, making your orgasm be nearly blinding so you hanged on, gathering every little bit of patience you could find so you could continue to just lick the tip like a lollipop that you wanted to last forever.

After a few more moments of that painfully slow game, Donaka’s grip on your nape tightened, his blunt nails digging lightly against your skin, and you knew he was ready for more. You met his dark gaze, eyes hooded with pleasure lips parted in a soft pant as he watched you and he didn’t even need to tell you what to do.

“Sir, may I suck you now, please?” you pouted and kissed the head of cock for good measure, batting your lashes like a needy child and Donaka smirked.

“Yes, angel, you may.”

You didn’t need to be told twice and engulfed the thick and hard shaft into your mouth, whimpering at the burst of flavor on your tongue as he let out a small grunt of pleasure, his shoulders finally relaxing as he tilted his head back and just enjoyed your work.

You pushed him deeper into your mouth until your nose was almost pressing against the thick dark curls surrounding his member. The open fly of his dress pants scratching your chin as you hollowed your cheeks and hummed. Donaka cursed low and grunted, his hips raising lightly, driving even deeper, and you gagged, tears burning your eyes. Your clit was almost painfully swollen and each rub of the lace of your panties was torture. You needed just a little bit of…

“Take your hand off that cunt, angel.”

You had no idea how he knew. His head was still tilted back, eyes nearly closed but you didn’t dare to disobey a direct command. With a pitiful whimper and one last flick on your needy clit, you pulled your hand away, crossing them behind your back and Donaka’s smirked.

“That’s better.” He looked back at you, tugging you away until his cock slipped from your lips with a pop, and you gulped a breath. “No one ever taught you that you shouldn’t touch what doesn’t belong to you without permission?”

You said nothing because you didn’t have an answer to that.

“And to whom that little pussy belongs, angel?”

“You, sir.” Your voice was small and raspy from the abuse on your throat.

“Exactly.”

He petted your cheek once, before pushing you back toward his cock, and dutifully, you took him into your mouth again, letting your jaw slack so his shaft could slip in and out as he guided you to bob your head at a faster pace. His cock pulsed against your lips, and you could tell he was close. Soon enough, Donaka’s hot cum would be coating your tongue and you couldn’t wait. You were desperate for it.

Before him, you had never allowed a guy to cum in your mouth. Then again, before Donaka, the was plenty you didn’t let men do to you. He changed your life, and you knew you would never be able to go back.

His grip on you tightened again as he pulled you closer until your nose was buried against his pubes and you forced yourself to relax as best as you could as he let out a final grunt and pumped his cum down your throat.

The hot and sticky ribbons making you gag again and tears run down your cheeks as you blubbered and squeezed your wrists to hold them still. Only when he was completely spent, Donaka let you pull back, his cock slipping from your mouth, glistening with your spit and his cum as you coughed and gasped for much-needed air.

He only allowed you a moment, before he was forcing to sit on his thigh, your trembling legs spread as he pushed your panties aside and glided his long fingers over your soaked hairs and sensitive lips.

“My dirty little cockslut is this wet from sucking me,” he mocked with a biting tone, and you whimpered. “Do you want to cum, angel?”

“Yes, please, sir.”

His fingers rubbed over your clit, making you gasp and whine, the pleasure overwhelming to the point of hurting but you still thrust your hips up, seeking more.

“Please…” you were almost crying now, desperate for it. Exactly like Donaka like it. “Please, please, please. Oh God, please…”

Thick and fat tears ran down your cheeks and the same hand that had been around your nape, came to your throat, surrounding the choker and forcing you to tilt your face enough so he could lick away your tears and his two fingers finally entered you.

Your cries were high-pitched and needy as Donaka fingered you hard and fast, the heel of his large palm slapping your clit as he curled his digits and the hand on your throat tightened in just the right way.

Your climax hit you like a storm, lighting up every single one of your nerve-ends. Your vision darkened, your body tensed, your back arched and a wild moan tore from your throat as your cunt pulsed and throbbed and you squirted all over his hand and knee.

For a while you were nothing more than a conglomerate of nerves busting with pleasure that seemed to last forever as Donaka continued to thrust his fingers, pressing the rugged wall of your cunt and rubbing your clit, dragging out your bliss until another lightning struck and you came again in what it felt like was just seconds later, but you knew it had to be longer. Time seemed to shorten and stretch at once as you rode his hand, gasping, wheezing, and crying?

You couldn’t tell if that pitiful sound was really coming from your mouth, not when your body was electrified like that, your muscles spasming and feeling like jelly and you had to reach behind yourself for Donaka’s shoulders to hold yourself because surely you would slide to the ground if you didn’t.

And just as the blinding light of your pleasure was starting to dimmish and you thought you would be able to see and feel and talk and breath again, his hand restarted his motions and you cried because it was almost painful now. That sweet, incessant ache that made you seek it, and you could faintly hear sobs and pleas of stop and no more. You couldn’t take another.

“Safeword?” Donaka’s voice sounded clear in your ear, and it was on the tip of your tongue. You knew if it crossed your lips, he would stop, but your vocal cords refused to utter it. “Safeword, angel.”

You pressed your lips together tightly, like a kid with a secret, and shook your head. His lips drew into a pleased smile against your cheek.

“That’s my girl.”

His kiss on your jaw was almost soft and loving before his fingers restarted their dance inside you. Even faster than before and your hips were rocking against it, actively seeking out your third orgasm despite the aching of your abused clit.

Once again, as the climax overtook you, your body went rigid and seized, your vision whited-out and for several blissful moments, that intense pleasure made time fall away, leaving only the most perfect peace and comfort, like slipping into a hot bath after a long day, letting the scented water wash away any hint of tension in your body before you laid in your bed, the duvet and pillows soft like a lover’s caress, welcoming you to an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

When you finally opened your eyes again, after what it felt like just a couple of seconds, you were in your bed, cleaned and tucked tight, the only evidence of your previous activities was the sweet ache between your legs whenever you moved and a deep, sad sigh escaped your lips.

It was always like this: Donaka fucked your brains out, then he would take care of you, clean you up and tuck you in and no matter how much your blissed-out self, begged for it – and you knew you always did – he would never stay. But this was the deal you made. You took whatever he gave you. You didn’t complain and you didn’t demand more.

You couldn’t. Too afraid of losing what little you already had.

xxx

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[lupismaris]

Blackberry Crepes- silverflintham black sails modern au ficlet

(i saw a few posts about how love is sharing food and making breakfast for your loved ones and lets just say this is part 1 of a series in which Flint cooks for his loved ones when saying i love you might not be enough)

Sleep was something of a stranger to Silver. He liked to joke that he didn’t need it, that he could just cat nap for half an hour here and there, and be good for a few days, that he was just built different, the perks of life on the run and never having a real routine. But in truth he’d push himself until his body gave out and he slept for 18 hours and woke up feeling like death warmed over. That was the only way he’d be able to get any real sleep. Pushing himself to the point of exhaustion, or, as he had eventually learned with Flint and Thomas, getting well and truly laid until his brain shut off and his body felt like lead.   He preferred the latter, of course, but it still wasn’t something he felt he could readily ask for. Especially when it wasn’t enough to keep his mind quiet. Dreams, nightmares, they’re funny things. You can think you’re too tired to dream and then on your way into an REM cycle you get blind sided by the most vivid night terror you’ve had in the past three months. You could be napping on the couch when the phantom limb starts acting up and your mind conjures memories of when you lost it or just vague ideas of what life would be like if you hadn’t and you wake up unable to tell which is worse. You could be strung out and coming down from an orgasmic high and then feel your stomach drop when you finally fall asleep and your mind tells you it isn’t safe, jolting you violently back to consciousness. Or you could be dozing in the early morning hours, the way Silver had been, after a good night, a genuinely good night, and find yourself halfway between deep sleep and waking, faced with fears you’d buried so far deep you hoped they’d suffocate. They’d gone to dinner, on a date even. Flint and Thomas had made a point to be home and get dressed up and take him out on the town and pay complete attention to him, like he was just a normal lover and not, well, himself. It was still an adjustment for him, this idea that he could just have this, a normal relationship with men who actually wanted him, where using each other wasn’t part of it, where the end game wasn’t someone’s bank account or an act of violence, where there wasn’t even an end game to consider. By the end of July the charms of summer had started to wear thin, even for Silver, and he was tired of the heat and the mirror like cage of the city, he was tired of the long days and the long conversations and the longer shadows on the blistering asphalt. He was tired of the haze that made his mind question what was and wasn’t real, despite knowing what was. It left him on edge and he knew Flint could tell, no matter how hard he worked to hide it. If Thomas knew, he was at least polite enough not to give it away. Dinner had been lovely. A little Spanish place by the promenade, followed by a short walk since the evening was cooler than expected and a breeze of the Hudson meant it was almost blissful. There had been wine and Flint’s homemade limoncello tarts when they got home and endless lazy kisses and one of them always touching him as if trying to keep him tethered. There had been sex, great sex, not that Silver had ever had bad sex with the pair of them (the smug rotten bastards), but the kind where Silver had been able to let go and drown in it for a while, let someone else carry the load, and do the thinking for a while. It still hadn’t been enough.

Silver sighed, a cloud of smoke curling around his face as he watched the rooftops shift and glimmer in the faded teal skies of four am, his second cigarette of the hour dangling somewhat carelessly from his fingers. He had tried, valiantly he felt, to stay in bed with Flint and Thomas, to sleep curled up with them the way Flint always hoped he would after sex. Some nights it worked and he’d wake up when Flint went for his blasphemous morning run. Most nights though he’d wait until Thomas was out cold and snoring like a bear, then kiss Flint goodnight, and slip back to his room next door. He’d fallen asleep tucked into Flint’s chest, with Flint’s arm around him and the deep rumble of his breathing filling his ears. Thomas was spooned up behind Flint, clinging to his husband like a child and snoring loudly, but that too was somehow comforting. He was safe, he was loved, he was home. And suddenly the next thing Silver knew he was choking on nothing and fighting the air, sitting bolt upright in bed with a wordless, noiseless scream of fear. The only saving grace was that it didn’t wake the others, Thomas still sound asleep and curled up under the covers, Flint spooned up behind him, years younger in sleep, a different man. Silver had sat there shaking for some time, half an hour, five minutes, he couldn’t be sure. Once he could breathe without wheezing and his hands had stopped shaking violently, he steadied himself and slipped out of bed, grabbing his crutch from where it rested dutifully against the nightstand. There wasn’t much he was good at in life, but John Silver had always been good at running. This wasn’t any different. Now, he was wrapped in an old blanket, hidden away on the roof where he’d been putting together his own little makeshift garden. Plants that he’d found half dead or dying on the curb, abandoned succulents from friends, houseplants he found on discount at the hardware store that he’d barter down to a dollar. He liked the distance heights gave him, always had, was always climbing things as a kid to try and get a better view, try to hide away from prying eyes. It was harder now that he had the prosthetic, but the elevator could take him up to the loft, and the stairs to the roof weren’t too steep, so he could manage them with his crutch. It wasn’t that he didn’t love the little patch of green paradise that Flint and Thomas had nurtured down below, he loved it and the time they spent there. But this- this little scrap of roof top, with it’s homemade shelves of plywood and resurrected plants, was his. Silver took another drag from his cigarette and watched a flock of pigeons shift their course in flight, heading west towards Manhattan where the morning crowds were no doubt slowly beginning to stir. Even on Saturdays, the city got a bright and early start if it ever truly decided to rest. He could hear tidbits of conversation from his perch, voices carried up to him like secrets as their owners walked past, heading home from work, from a night out, leaving home to go to work, whatever their little lives demanded, existing in spite of themselves, for themselves. Cars hummed past, cabbies and uber drivers trying to catch the last of the club goers as they left the bars in search of a trip home, picking up the true early bird tourists as they tried to beat the others to some absurd event or another. He could even hear music, someone’s window open on their block he thought, and the faint repetitive sound of a piano as they worked through their scales. Maybe he wasn’t the only one having trouble sleeping. The neighborhood would be well and truly awake soon. The running group would be on the corner waiting for the stragglers, hitting the asphalt by five am. The store fronts and bodegas would start opening up around six, the bars by eight if they served brunch, and the world would come to life at Silver’s feet. He had until then to quiet the noise in his head and remember how to put his mask back on. The sound of the door nearly gave him a heart attack. He thought for a moment that maybe, if he kept still, he’d go unnoticed, they the sparse shelves and plants and the blanket might hide him well enough that Flint, because it was always Flint, would go back down stairs and go for his morning run and leave him well enough alone. But he knew better. “Do I want to know how long you’ve been up here?” came the sleep heavy rumble of a voice. “Depends on whether you want to be disappointed this early in the morning,” Silver replied dryly. And there it was, the telltale sigh of disappointment, because Flint was going to be disappointed no matter what answer he got. “Silver-” “I don’t want to do this right now.” “Do what?” Silver sighed and rubbed at his eyes. He heard Flint move across the roof, the soft footsteps of bare feet on the weatherproof matting slow and well chosen, stopping next to him. “This thing you do where you try and bully answers out of me. I don’t fucking feel up to these games, alright? I just- I don’t,” Silver said, risking a look upwards. Flint was shirtless, as he always was when fresh out of bed, but he’d pulled on a pair of old sweatpants before going to look for Silver. He’d left his hair loose, the rich copper strands hanging in a curtain around the left side of his face, the shaved under cut peaking out along the right. Silver could still see the pillow prints on his cheek, and his beard was disgruntled and unbrushed the way it rarely was when he left the house. Silver loved him like this, he loved Flint always, but there was something about Flint like this, soft and at ease, bare chested and vulnerable that managed to settle even the worst of Silver’s deep seated insecurities. Because who else got to have Flint like this? Who else but Silver and Thomas got Flint at his gentlest? They looked at each other for a moment, Flint frowning softly with his hands on his hips and Silver wrapped up in his blanket, saying nothing, saying everything they could. Then Flint sighed and sat down next to him. “I’m not here to bully you,” he said gently, taking the cigarette that Silver was neglecting. “You were gone when I woke up, thought I’d check on you,” He paused, relighting the cigarette with his trusty old lighter, “but as you were not in your room I figured something was bothering you and you’d be either working in the office or up here.” “You didn’t have to check on me.” “It was for my sake, not yours.” Silver smiled faintly, his eyes stinging from what he hoped was just exhaustion but was probably tears. He didn’t look at Flint, just blinked them away and watched the sky lighten little by little as Flint finished the cigarette. “You know that’s not what I’m doing, right?” Flint asked after a few minutes of silence. “Whats not what you’re doing?” “Bullying you.” “I mean it’s kinda what you do.” “Is that how you see it?” Flint wasn’t looking at him. He was reaching for the French enamel cigarette case that was sitting next to Silver, one he’d stolen in Monaco several lives before, and lighting another cigarette. Silver watched him, a little wistful, and incredibly exhausted all at once. “No.” He said. “Yes. Depends on when you try and do it I guess.” That got a low hum from Flint, smoke filling the air for a moment in a pensive cloud. Silver waited, oddly tense, hoping that Flint would listen to him, and not try and play one of their fucked up little games so early in the morning. They were doing really well these days, not playing any games at all, having real, honest conversations like well adjusted adults who hadn’t done all the awful things they’d done, to each other, to others. But sometimes it was so much easier to just be awful to each other, to fall back into the old way of doing things. “I only check on you to know you’re still here,” Flint said finally. “I only ask if you’re alright because if I can fix it, I want to. I don’t care if you lie to me about what had you out of bed this morning. I don’t give a shit if you never tell me the names of your ghosts, I’ve told you that a dozen times, I know you remember that as well as you remember the names of my own ghosts.” Silver did remember, both the ghosts, and the plaintive way Flint had asked him to trust whatever it was they had between them. “I just want to know you’re still here. That you’ve not gone running off again. That you’ll run to me next time this,” he waved at the rooftop and the skyline as if encompassing all of Silver’s faulty coping methods, “fails and you’re out at sea. I just- I ask those questions to reassure myself, alright?” He paused, taking another drag from the cigarette, tipping his head back with a heavy sigh. Silver could see the age starting to show on his face again, in the soft lines around his eyes, the firm set of his mouth, the scars on his nose and throat, the endless sea of freckles, the faded ink of his tattoos, the streaks of gray in his beard. Before his eyes, the man he loved, his Flint, was appearing, returning to flesh and blood from the land of dreams. “You’re not the only one who’s scared, pup,” Flint added, finally turning his head and catching Silver looking at him. The sea green of Flint’s eyes always seemed to hook Silver, regardless of whether he wanted them to. They could be the deep inky black full of secrets or the still gray of quiet waters, it didn’t matter- if Flint looked at him, soft and open and endlessly patient the way no one else was, Silver would eventually break. Flint knew it, but so far, he never seemed to abuse the power he held. Silver smiled faintly. With a soft groan he shifted onto his knees, loving the way Flint’s hands immediately reached to steady him whether he needed it or not, and crawled into Flint’s lap, straddling his hips and wrapping the worn blanket around them both. He took the cigarette from Flint’s lips and stubbed it out in the ashtray, as Flints hands settled like an anchor, warm and sure, at the small of his back. “I’m not goin’ anywhere, old man,” Silver said, brushing Flint’s hair out of his eyes, “I promised you were stuck with me. No amount of nightmares are gonna change that.” He kissed Flint softly, smiling at the low rumbling purr it got him, at the way Flint’s hands pulled him closer, spread wide on his back. It was a soft, innocent thing, no heat, no hunger, and that too was still something novel to Silver, that he could have this innocent kind of intimacy with someone, with a man like Flint. He craved it as much as he craved the wilder side of love and was grateful that Flint seemed happy to satisfy both moods whenever they arose. “Good,” Flint said, once the lazy kiss broke and Silver tucked his face into Flint’s shoulder with a happy sound. “Because while I would absolutely give chase, I’d rather not have Thomas trailing after us as well. You know the kind of trouble he gets up to, just imagine him trying to find you.” Silver snorted with an undignified burst of laughter. “No, god, he’d be impossible.” “Exactly. I’d have my hands full just trying to keep him in one piece. I’ve got enough gray hair as it is, pup, don’t go giving me anymore before my time, alright?” Flint lifted his chin as Silver’s fingers petted the gray streaks in his beard, letting out another soft rumbling sound. “Alright. Though I do think it’s sexy.” “Yeah yeah, you’ve made that perfectly clear,” Flint kissed the top of Silver’s head, nuzzling his messy curls. “C’mon, why don’t we head inside, I think it’s a reasonable time for coffee.” “What about your run? Your awful five am morning ritual I can almost never talk you out of even for a blow job.” “I feel like skipping this morning.” Silver lifted his head, leveling Flint with a skeptical look and a raised eyebrow. Flint returned it with a fond smile. “Its Saturday, I feel like making breakfast,” Flint said with a shrug. I love you, Silver heard. “Can we have blackberry crepes? And scrambled eggs?” Silver asked after a moment. “And that fancy bacon you got from the farmer’s market?” Flint smiled, still fond and impossibly warm. Silver’s heart skipped, flipped, and settled in his chest. Flint had heard the unspoken, skittish, and undeniable “I love you too” tucked into Silver’s reply. Flint coaxed him into another soft kiss, still wearing that same smile.

  “Blackberry crepes it is.”

[acreativeme]

Family Comes First

Family Comes First OA x Reader

Y/N rushed around the kitchen, trying to pack her kids lunch as they ate breakfast. She looked over at the stove clock, noticing that it was almost time for her husband to leave for work. She prayed that he would be down in time to see their kids off to school. “Momma, can I get some pretzels for lunch?” Aria, their daughter, asked, shoving a spoonful of cereal in her mouth. Y/N grinned at her daughter. “There is already a pack in both your lunchbox and backpack.” She pressed a kiss to her daughter’s crazy curls. “Will dad be here to see us off?” Their son,Odion, asked, shoving a strawberry from his fruit salad in his mouth. Y/N went to reply but was cut off by the sound of their front opening and closing. She frowned, watching OA get into his SUV and pull out of the driveway. “I don’t think so, Oddi.” After they finished getting ready for the day in silence, Y/N had opted to take them to school instead of having them take the bus. She noticed the sadness on the kids face, which sparked anger in her heart. Aria and Odion pressed a kiss to her cheek as they hopped out of the car. “Love you, Momma!” they called as they headed towards their friends. “Have a good day!” she replied as the door shut.

She stepped out of the elevator onto her husband’s floor. She had to take a deep breath as she stepped into the bullpen, where it seemed they were working on a case. Jubial was the first to notice her, but reframed from saying anything so as to not interrupt whatever Tech was talking. Maggie was the next to notice her and didn’t hold back her surprise. “Y/N? What are you doing here? Are the kids alright?” Maggie asked, alerting OA to his wife’s presence. He turned and frowned. “What are you doing here?” “Can I talk with you alone, Omar?” Y/N asked, not breaking eye contact with him. Maggie raised her eyebrows at Y/N’s use of OA’s full first name. “Everything okay?” She asked him. He shrugged, whispering to her. “I don’t know.” He led Y/N off towards an empty conference room. “What do you need, Y/N? I am in the middle of a case.” Y/N sighed, trying to remain calm. “You didn’t say goodbye this morning.” He rolled his eyes. “You know that there is a possibility that I would get called out to a case at any moment and can’t always say goodbye.” “Yes, I know that! But do you want to know who doesn’t know that?!” Her tone was tense, her calm resolve cracking at his lame excuse. “Who?” He asked, irritation evident in his voice. “Our kids! Remember them? Their names are Aria and Odion, if you have forgotten.” She hissed, face turning red as she spoke. He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “I know our children’s names, Y/N. I am their father.” Y/N threw her hands up, “well, you aren’t acting like it! When was the last time that you had a conversation with our children? Was it before or after Aria took up painting or Odion joined the soccer team? Because they sure can’t remember when you saw them off to school last.” “Painting? Soccer? When did this happen?” He asked, slumping against the wall. “4 months ago.” She whispered, looking down at her ring. “Omar, I think that we should take a break.” He looked up at her, shock on his face. “What are you talking about, a break, we are married?” She slipped the ring off her finger. “You need to find somewhere else to stay for a while. You can come over today while we are out for your things.” He started to hyperventilate, panic filled his chest. “You can’t be serious, Y/N. That is our home, you can’t just kick me out.” She dropped the ring on the table, turning to leave. “It hasn’t been our home for a long time, Omar.”

After she left, Y/N sat in her car for twenty minutes and cried. It broke her heart to say those things to him, but the look on her children’s faces broke it even more. She was tired of seeing them get let down time and time again by him and his broken promises. When she was finished crying, she cleaned herself up and went to the store to buy snacks for after soccer practice. Afterwards, she headed into work for a few hours-- wanting to get her mind off what happened that morning. During this time, she ignored the numerous calls and text messages from both OA and Maggie. She didn’t have time or energy to worry about them as she needed to focus on caring for her children and getting work done. Around 2:30PM, Y/N left work to make her way towards her children’s school-- making sure that she had an afternoon snack for all of them. They had immediately started ranting about what had happened at school that day, which made her smile as it seemed like the events of this morning were long forgotten. They had arrived at the soccer field about an hour before the start of Odion’s practice, so she had them get a head start on their homework as she started editing a new manuscript. She would pause her work to help, whenever one of them had a question or needed help. When they got home from practice, Y/N had sent them up to clean up and finish their homework while she worked on dinner. Neither child asked about their father, noticing that his absence was hurting their mother. Despite her pain, she kept up a brave face as she went through their usual nightly routine. She tucked them into bed and gave them both goodnight kisses, before running herself a hot bath.

...Three Months Later…

Y/N had been throwing up for a couple of weeks, which has only happened one other time and it was when she was pregnant with the twins. She had to wait until after the kids had gotten on the bus, before she could test her theory. There was a part of her hoped that it wasn’t true, but that hope was dashed when the plus sign popped up. She was quick to schedule an appointment with her doctor to get a more official result, silently hoping for a false positive. Four days later, she was sitting in a cafe-- waiting for the only person she could count on to show. She had been ordered for them both, one black coffee with sugar and one peppermint tea. She was picking at a chocolate chip muffin, wanting to both shove it all in her mouth and throw it up from nerves at the same time. “Hey, Y/N. How are you doing?” Maggie asked, taking the empty seat in front of Y/N. Y/N jumped, surprised by her sudden appearance. “Maggie, you scared me.” Maggie raised her eyebrows, not used to Y/N being jumpy. “What’s going on? Are you and the kids alright?” “Yes, we are fine. I just got some life changing news today and I had to share it with someone that I could trust.” Y/N admitted, breaking eye contact with Maggie. Maggie reached across the table to hold her hand. “What’s going on?” Y/N took a deep breath. “I am pregnant… and it is OA’s. My doctor said that I am around 20 weeks along.” A tear ran down her cheek as she admitted to both herself and Maggie what she had been trying to deny. Maggie squeezed her hand, wanting to comfort her friend. “Are you planning on keeping it?” Y/N gasped at her question, releasing her hand. “Of course! Just because me and OA are separated doesn’t mean that I don’t love who we created.” She caressed her slightly swollen stomach. Maggie nodded, happy to know that she was not going to get rid of the baby. “How are you planning to tell OA?” Y/N closed her eyes, trying to control her anxiety and tears. “I don’t know..”

...Two Days Later… The sound of pounding on the front door at 2:30AM, woke Y/N from a dead sleep. She wrapped herself in OA’s abandoned rob, having kept it after he moved out. She grabbed the gun he had bought her after she got her license to carry, which he had her get after they found out they were pregnant with the twins. She had it resting at her side, with her finger off the trigger of course, as she looked through the peephole. Standing there in the pouring rain, was OA. She could tell that something was wrong as he looked like he had been crying. She stepped aside, wanting to get him out of the rain as soon as possible. “What are you doing here, OA?” Y/N asked, moving to grab a towel from their downstairs bathroom. He thanked her as he took it from her. “Maggie told me.” Y/N froze, halfway turned around to head towards the kitchen. “She told you what?” “She told me that you were pregnant.. With my baby.” He replied, sounding surprised with the last part of his statement. She glared at him. “Did you think that it was someone else’s?” She crossed her arms, waiting for his response. “N-no. I am more surprised that you didn’t tell me.” He stuttered. She sighed. “I didn’t know how to tell you, as it was a surprise to me as much as it was to you.” Y/N sat on the arm of the couch. “I wanted to think about how I was going to tell you, as you haven’t really been a big part of our other children’s lives.” He looked down in shame. “I know, and I have been thinking about that. I want to be a better father, and husband as I seem to have been lacking in both departments recently.” She took a step towards him. “Do you promise?” She looked up at him with big eyes. He cautiously wrapped his arms around her. “I promise. Family comes first, no matter what.” She smiled, meeting in the middle to share a kiss. “Okay.”

[lilyofthesword-writes]

Make or Break (Loki Oneshot)

Summary: Loki and the reader are paired up for a mission to sneak into a newly discovered Hydra facility. If they are successful, S.H.I.E.L.D. may promote the reader to allow them on a larger variety of missions.

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Word Count: 6,831

Warnings/Disclaimers: Some cursing, violence, mentions of blood and injury

A/N: I lied on the word count when I posted the excerpt. I touched the text again trying to review for the millionth time.

Masterlist

Leaning back in your seat, you perused the tablet holding the mission information for the fourteenth time. It was supposed to be quick and simple, but it didn’t mean you should be any less prepared. Sneak into the newly discovered HYDRA base, download the data, extract the target and get back to headquarters in one piece. You’re only worry was who S.H.I.E.L.D. paired you with to complete this mission, the god who neglected to attend the briefing. You had worked with Black Widow and Hawkeye before, but that was it. You were a lower-level field agent whose clearance did not allow for you to go on the bigger missions with the other Avengers. No teaming up with super humans, gods or tech wizards for you. Or so you thought.

Your superiors thought it was a great idea for you to tag along with Loki this time. He had been a tentative Avenger for about five years now and was trusted enough to go on solo missions. Even though he could do this mission perfectly well on his own, you knew exactly why you were there. It was a test. You had worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. for a few years and were due for a promotion soon, but one you had to prove you were ready for. If everything went well, your ranking would be elevated and you’d be going on the higher priority missions. Loki had unwittingly become the key to success. The rumors were he was notoriously hard to work with, and if a person could successfully complete a mission with him, they were ready to be promoted. However, that rarely happened. Most of the agents Loki had been teamed with wound up either leaving for good or asking for a desk job, regardless of how successful they were.

You lowered the tablet as Loki strode with the grace and confidence of a panther onto the Quinjet. Instead of picking a seat, he came to a halt in front of you. Straining your neck, you kept your gaze up and locked with his. You may have been sitting but the man had no right being so tall. He was absolutely trying to intimidate you, to break you in that moment. You wondered if all the talk about him being difficult were true. Despite both of you working at S.H.I.E.L.D., you had only met in passing. You can’t exactly get a good read on someone’s personality when the only time you see them is at the other end of the hall. The most you two had ever done was a quick nod of acknowledgment before going back to work.

“Agent,” he finally spoke, pulling you from your thoughts.

“Loki,” you nodded like usual.

He took the seat across from you without breaking eye contact. You desperately wanted to return to your tablet. He was turning you into a nervous wreck, but you would not let him know that. Letting your stubbornness win, you kept up the staring contest that could have lasted an eternity. It was only when the Quinjet lifted off that he nodded back, a book appearing with a green shimmer in his hand to steal his attention away from you. Quietly letting out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding, you returned to the mission information.

The Quinjet touched down a ways from the HYDRA base in a forest clearing. For the sake of stealth, you had to go on foot for the rest. Reaching the edge of the forest, you and Loki scoped out the area containing what looked like an abandoned building. You knew better though. Your intel suggested there were a handful of basement levels where the HYDRA operatives were working. It also didn’t help that they had tiny, mostly well-concealed cameras around the building. That was the first hurdle.

Crouching in the grass behind the trees, you pulled open one of the pouches on your utility belt for the device you were going to need. Connecting it to the main wiring for the outside cameras would allow you to fake the feed so it would playback only recent footage, preventing their security from seeing you enter. All they could possibly notice is a slight flicker on their screens when the connection was made. With the device in hand and powered up, you looked to Loki. Surely he had seen these before working with the other agents. With a tilt of his head, motioned for you to keep quiet and close. He waved his hands over to two of you, a green mist shrouding you and tingling your face momentarily, and was on the move, stepping out into the clearing.

You tailed Loki as closely as possible without stepping on his heels. He had used some sort of invisibility charm to conceal you both, but you had no idea what kind of distance from him was allowed to keep it working. Reaching the building, you followed Loki around the perimeter until you found the mounted box that acted as the juncture for camera wirings. Running from the bottom of the box into the ground was the main wiring casing. You placed your device on the PVC casing and held it in place as it cut through the tube. When it finished, you pressed the button to lock it in place and waited for it to attach to the right wires, the device flashing green briefly when it finished. Thank the gods for Stark and his technology making things easier.

Locating a side door, Loki opened it a sliver to peer inside before ushering you to slide inside. Once you two were in, he gently pulled the door shut. Unsurprisingly, the area was like an empty warehouse and yet oddly clean. Had the building truly been abandoned, dust and cobwebs would have adorned the tall, industrial shelving and its contents. Slinking through the aisles, you managed to find the elevator with stairs nearby leading to the lower levels. You both silently agreed on the stairs.

Basement floor one was fairly sparse, but still held a few HYDRA agents on patrol. What you needed was probably down a couple of levels for security reasons. It was on the third basement level where things were getting more interesting. There still weren’t many people on this floor, but there was more variety. Men in officer uniforms and lab coats occupied these halls. Loki led the way under the subpar lighting for the next phase. You needed to find a terminal where you could plug in the flash-drive you were assigned and run the program for data extraction.

Spotting one near a large set of imposing doors, you tapped Loki’s arm to point him in the right direction. His reaction was somehow both predictable and surprising. He snapped his head around with an incredulous look on his face like how dare you touch him. Arching an eyebrow, you challenged him and pointed to the terminal console. A touch of tension rippled away from his shoulders as he huffed softly, leading you in the new direction. At the terminal, you inserted the drive and typed in the commands to run the program. As you waited for it to finish, you searched for information on the target’s location. All you had received in briefing and the mission files was the person’s name was Timothy Lawrence. Hopefully, that would be enough to find him in the database.

As you were scanning through anything that could be relevant, you were suddenly snatched away, shoved against the unforgiving metal wall and chest-to-chest with Loki. You were about to protest when you heard footsteps clopping in your direction. Making yourself as small as possible, you flattened yourself against the wall which allowed for Loki to bring himself closer. Although you were still invisible, it was only a visual trick. Sound or touch would shatter the illusion. A scientist and guard rounded the corner, not paying heed to the console, and passed through the doors next to it.

Relaxing slightly when the doors swished shut, you ducked under Loki’s arm to return to the console. You found a list of test subjects, and sifted through the test subject numbers until you stumbled on the one that was close.

Subject: 604

Initials: T.H.L.

Sex: Male

Age: 6

Location: 409

None of the other initials had fully matched the name you were given, so the chances this was the target were slightly more favorable. You closed out your search and the data extraction finished about thirty seconds later. Swiping and tucking the flash drive away safely, you nodded to Loki who immediately headed back to the stairs and brought you down to the fourth basement floor.

While creeping around the lower level to locate the correct room, dread gurgled in your stomach. You had heard of HYDRA’s child experiments, but actually being in its presence was entirely different. The kid was only six. What the hell were they doing to him and why? And did S.H.I.E.L.D. know how old the target was and not divulge that information to you? Wouldn’t that be important? You had to shake your head to bring yourself out of your self-made rabbit hole. Those questions could be answered later. You needed to focus on finding the kid and getting him out.

Loki stopped suddenly, you almost running into him. He gave you a pointed look and rolled his eyes. You had reached your destination. You pressed the button to the side of the door, allowing it to slide open. The room was filled with computers, some life monitoring systems. Those were alongside a table where an unconscious, small boy was strapped down. Loki closed the door and with a snap of his fingers, cancelled the invisibility charm as you made your way to check on the kid. His little eyes shot open upon hearing Loki, pupils dilating with fear and panic.

“Shhh... It’s alright,” you cooed softly, holding your palms out in front of you. “We’re getting you out of here.”

The little boy stilled, confusion transitioning to tentative understanding. That was until he saw Loki. A strangled squeak barely breached his throat. He struggled against his restraints, looking like he wanted to phase through the table to get away. You turned to Loki who held his hands up and backed away, the hurt clearly evident on his face.

“Hey, look at me.” You reached for the boy slowly, but his eyes were still focused on Loki. You cupped his face between your hands. “He’s with me.”

His eyes darted back to you, still scared out of his mind.

“Timothy, right?”

He nodded with tears threatening to soak his face.

“He’s working with the Avengers now. He’s here to help.” You brushed his matted hair away from his sweat slicked forehead. “We are getting you out of here. You’ll be safe, okay?”

He nodded again with a sniffle. You looked back at Loki and waved him over. Making himself as non threatening as he could manage, he stepped to the other side of the table. You two worked on undoing the padded restraints. Once free, you helped Timothy sit up, his arms shaking like a leaf in the wind. How long had he been kept like this? He could barely support the upper half of his body. If if arms were this bad, you didn’t even want to know how badly his legs atrophied.

“Here.” You spun around so your back was facing the table. “I’ll carry you.”

Loki strode over to help Timothy drape his arms over your shoulders and kept him in position as you hooked your arms under his legs to hold him up. Ready to be back on the move, Loki placed his invisibility charm over the three of you. He led you back through the compound only stopping to keep you all from running into HYDRA agents. It wasn’t until you had reached the stairs on the third floor when the alarms went off. You and Loki looked at each other momentarily before booking it. Between the sirens and pounding feet, it’s not like you needed to worry about being quiet anymore.

Dodging various agents sprinting up and down the stairs, you made it to the ground floor which was now filled with armed guards to prevent your escape. Thankfully, they still could not see you, but you needed to get past them to reach any of the doors. Loki pulled you to the side behind some shelving, cloning himself in the process. His now visible clone teleported near the guards who proceeded to fire at it. The distraction allowed you to sneak back out the side door, but the door slamming shut did not go unnoticed. You were almost into the forest when the agents funneled out of the building, showering you with bullets.

With the illusion broken, Loki slowed to place himself in between you and the agents, raising a barrier to stop the bullets. Timothy clung to your suit as tightly as his little hands could, his whimpers barely audible over the gunfire and shouting. The Quinjet was just becoming visible through the trees and brush.

Stumbling once or twice, you glanced back to try to catch his attention. “We’re almost there, Buddy,” you huffed. “Just keep holding on.”

He nodded as he shoved his face in your shoulder. The ramp to the Quinjet lowered as you reached the clearing. Not waiting for it to lock in place, you hopped onto the ledge with Loki hot on your heels. While you settled Timothy into a seat, Loki closed the ramp and informed the pilot to lift off. The cacophony of bullets pinging the jet like clanging pots and pans grew quieter as you took off for home.

You let out a sigh of relief and slumped in your seat, an arm wrapped around Timothy who had curled into your side. The older sibling in you, a roll that had been ripped from you all too early in life, took over as you gingerly carding your fingers through his hair until he fell asleep. Being so focused on the kid, you almost missed Loki giving you an appraising look. He was standing near the cockpit, watching you two curiously. With a sudden furrow of his brow, he strode over and knelt next to you.

“You’re injured,” he stated before you could get a word out about his strange behavior.

“What’re you talking about?” You looked down to find a small trail of blood originating from your left calf. That was when you finally felt it. The adrenaline-fueled chase must have fogged up your brain enough for you to not notice you had been shot.

Loki lifted your leg to get a better look, you hissing in pain as he did. You did your best not to squirm so you wouldn’t wake Timothy from his well-deserved rest. Your free hand gripped the edge of the seat. Had you not been wearing gloves, Loki would have seen your knuckles turn white.

Materializing one of his knives, he carefully cut and removed the offending pants leg that blocked his attempt to tend to your wound. “I will need to remove the bullet,” he said, returning to his feet to grab the first-aid supplies.

Grimacing at the thought, you shook your head. “Let’s just throw some antiseptic on it and wrap it. The bullet can wait until we get back.”

“Tch. Stubborn mortal,” he scoffed. “It will only be worse for you if we do that.”

He returned to your side with the supplies. He paused to look up at you and then Timothy. Placing a glowing green palm on the boy’s forehead, he muttered something in an unrecognizable language.

“There. Now he won’t be disturbed for the next few hours.”

Without giving you a chance to protest further, he cleaned your wound before starting on the bullet. Luckily, for both of you, it was not too deep. You still tore off a glove to bite down on in an attempt to not focus on the pain, but it could have been worse. Loki was surprisingly gentle throughout the whole ordeal. Although, you couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t just use his magic. Had he exhausted his abilities having used them for most of the mission?

A light squeeze to your knee brought you back to reality. Loki had finished wrapping your leg and proceeded to sit himself on the other side of Timothy. You tried to stay awake to keep an eye on the peaceful boy in case he woke up. After several times of you catching Loki watching you and Timothy, you gave up and allowed sleep to overtake you.

Timothy stirred when the Quinjet touched down, your arm still around his tiny frame. Moving to stand and prepare to leave, you felt his fingers dig into your suit, not ready to part from you just yet. Instead, you pulled him into your lap and stood to carry him out, ignoring the leg that caused a slight limp in your gait. As if on cue, his limbs wrapped around you like a spider monkey. Meeting you as you exited the jet was a medical team. A nurse swept in to take Timothy with them to the med bay, but Loki placed himself in front of you. The nurse stepped back fearfully bumping into one of her teammates. The crew looked at a loss of what to do until Agent Hill stepped through the doors.

Sighing, she motioned you inside. “Let’s get him to the medical wing.”

What an odd locomotive you all made moving down the halls. Hill was in lead with you following directly behind her. Loki stayed close to you, a hand ghosting your back between your shoulder blades. The medics were in last as they tried to keep up without getting too close to Loki. Timothy shifted in your arms like he was trying to get more comfortable. Rubbing his back, you pressed forward. What you weren’t able to see was that he kept peering up at Loki with the smallest, shyest possible smile.

Finally reaching the room the medical team was going to perform a checkup on the kid, you set him down on the bed, but he still wasn’t ready to let go. You were able to pull away just enough to see his face. He didn’t seem quite as scared but it was clear he was not fond of the medics. While some wore scrubs, the rest had lab coats that were too similar to the HYDRA scientists.

“They aren’t here to hurt you,” you smiled softly. “They just want to make sure you’re not hurt or sick, okay?”

He released his grip on you and folded his hands in his lap, allowing you to take a step back.

“Would you feel better if we stayed in the room?”

Looking between you and Loki who was currently behind you, he nodded vigorously. You smiled back and moved to lean against the far wall, close enough to see you but not enough to crowd the medics. Loki looked thoughtfully at Timothy who stared back at him with hopeful eyes before joining you.

A couple weeks later, you were at your station, rummaging through emails. You found one about Timmy, as he preferred to be called, being transferred at the end of the month to another facility where other children rescued from HYDRA were residing. At least he would be with kids his own age. Through the tests the medical team had run, it turns out Timmy was enhanced. HYDRA had taken him and his family, but left only him alive when they learned the rest of his family held no mutations. S.H.I.E.L.D. would not divulge to you what his abilities were, but considering how quickly he bonded with you and Loki, you were at least allowed to contact and visit him every so often, something you planned to work into your schedule.

You closed out your emails upon hearing approaching footsteps. Agent Hill was speed walking towards you with a folder in hand.

“Good morning, Agent,” she greeted you with an infectious smirk, holding the folder out to you.

“Good morning, Agent Hill.” You took the folder and checked the paperwork inside. Holding back a squeal, you hugged the folder to your chest. “Really?!”

“Congratulations!”

You bit your lip to contain your excitement. “I wasn’t really expecting this, especially so soon.”

“Well, I shouldn’t be telling you this but...” She sidled up next to you, lowering her voice. “I did read Loki’s report. The partner review section is usually filled with snarky comments and insults. Your’s was different. It was glowing compared to past reports.”

You tilted your head at her in confusion. There was plenty for him to complain about. You were not perfect. Your skills as a field agent were slightly above average, nothing to write home about. There was a lot you could do better.

“There was only one word.”

Arching an eyebrow, you nodded for her to continue.

“Tolerable.”

That was a glowing review?! You had to stop yourself from laughing. You really did not want to know what he wrote about the others.

After the mini-gossip session, Agent Hill left you to continue her other tasks. With a slight bounce in your step, you headed to the break room for some coffee. You were later than usual, but everyone on this floor was usually pretty good about making sure the coffee pot was never left empty. Opening an overhead cupboard, you groaned to yourself. All the mugs were on the higher shelving. Where were the ones that were normally lower? You weren’t sure you could reach even if you stood on your toes, but damned if you weren’t going to try anyways.

“Having trouble, Agent?” a low voice queried from behind startling you.

About to lose your balance, you tried to put yourself back fully on your feet but overcompensated and fell backwards instead. A pair of hands grabbed your shoulders, preventing you from hitting the ground. You righted yourself and spun on your heel to face the trickster.

“Thanks, Loki...”

“You’re quite welcome, Agent.” The way he emphasized “agent” made you nervous. You weren’t sure if it was in a good or bad way.

He reached past you into the cupboard. Grabbing a couple of mugs, he offered you one with a sly smile. “Is this what you needed?”

Of course he could reach with no problems. You cleared your throat as you took one from him. “Y-yes. Thank you.”

Turning back around to face the counter, you started to pour coffee into your mug. Loki slid in next to you and turned on the electric kettle. You caught him watching you from your peripheral vision as you moved to the fridge for creamer. Having added just the right amount, you leaned your back on the counter. You take a sip, the mug a barrier to hide part of your face.

“So... What brings you here?”

He motioned to the tea bag he had pulled from the container on the counter.

You rolled your eyes. “Is that all?” This floor wasn’t even the normal floor he visited. What was he up to?

“Yes, Little Agent,” he smirked. “This break room is much quieter than the one normally inhabited by the beloved Avengers.”

Snickering, you took another sip. “Right, right.”

Knowing he had been caught, he shifted his focus on the water just starting to boil.

You pushed yourself away from the counter. “Well, I need to get back to work. See you around?”

“Indeed, Agent.”

Timmy flew into your arms as you knelt near the ramp of the Quinjet. “You’re going to come visit, right?”

“Promise,” you reassured him with a grin. How this kid managed to bounce back so quickly was beyond you, but seeing him this happy brought a spark of warmth to your chest. This was one of the reasons you joined S.H.I.E.L.D.

He let go and peered around you sheepishly. “Mr. Loki?”

Looking over your shoulder, the mischievous god was leaning back near the door preferring to watch from a distance. He ducked his head to hide the light smile on his face. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Turning away so Loki couldn’t see, you smiled at their interaction. Who knew Loki could be a softie.

An agent appeared at the top of the ramp, ready to bring Timmy onboard.

“Be good for them, okay?” You ruffled his hair and stood up.

He nodded and hugged you one more time before running off to the agent. He turned back before the ramp closed, giving you and Loki a wave goodbye. With the Quinjet taking off, you spun on your heel and made your way to the door.

“You are much too kind.”

You hand paused on the door handle. “I’m sorry?”

Loki faced you, a scrutinizing look in his eyes. “You are too kind for this line of work.”

“I can handle it, Loki. I have my reasons for being here,” you scoffed, arms folded across your chest.

“I never said it was a bad thing.” He smirked at you and opened the door for you to enter first. “It’s rather refreshing.”

This god really knew how to flip an emotional switch. You just shook your head and proceeded inside, deciding it was better to not stand around argue with him. There was a new mission briefing for the two of you to attend, and you were not about to let him make you late.

Fury kept pairing you and Loki for missions. Sometimes another field agent or Avenger would tag along for support, but for the most part it was just you two. Most of the missions involved as much stealth as possible, but combat was inevitable in some cases. Loki might as well have glued himself to you during those moments. He never left you when a fight broke out, going so far as to stand between you and the shots fired in your direction. Guess he found a little more than “tolerable”.

Even outside of the missions you wound up spending time together. With the promotion, your work station had been moved to the same floor as the Avengers which meant you also shared the break room and training facilities. While Loki never showed up at your workstation, he did “happen” to come across you everywhere else, usually sticking to the background when others were around.

“You know, Loki, stalking someone generally involves the stalker not being in plain sight,” you teased, using a towel to wipe the sweat from your face. Training with Nat, as she nearly demanded you to call her, was intense but absolutely worth it. You attributed the recent mission successes to her as you may not have survived with out her guidance.

“Tch. I would not consider it ‘stalking,’ merely watching your back,” he scowled, clearly not amused.

“Calm down, Mischief. I’m only joking,” you grinned, nudging past him out the door. “But seriously, you don’t need to constantly ‘watch my back’. We’re at S.H.I.E.L.D., not on a mission.”

Following you, he taunted, “Then, I suppose you would prefer to be left alone. I see how it is.” He feigned being hurt by your words.

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” you deadpanned.

His pace quickened until he spun in front of you, forcing you to a halt. “Then, my little agent, what do you mean?”

You quirked an eyebrow at him in a moment of silence. For whatever reason, he had taken to calling you that a few months ago. You were oddly okay with it, possibly even liked it though you were not ready to admit that just yet.

“What I mean is...” You took a step closer, now mere inches away, heart thundering in your chest. “You are allowed to talk to me when there are other people nearby.”

He leaned in, pushing how far this little standoff was going to go. “So I have your permission now? Thank you so much.”

“You never needed it.” Gods, you were so close now. You could have just gotten it over with and kissed him, but the thought of his reaction stopped you. Loki could be so hard to read. You couldn’t take anything at face value. It would not surprise you if he were messing with you now. But you could always try to catch him off guard...

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” you smirked and stepped around him. “I would like to get cleaned up for my date tonight.”

With that, you darted into the locker room, leaving the trickster frozen in the hall, mouth agape.

“He does like you,” Timmy said sporadically yet nonchalantly as he kicked the ball to you.

“‘He’ who?” You kicked the ball in the air towards him.

“Mr. Loki.”

You rolled your eyes at his “no duh” tone. “Maybe as a coworker.”

“Nooo!” He bounced the ball off his head, letting it then hit the ground to be forgotten. “I mean ‘like like’.”

You were about to scoff but thought back to earlier in the day. Loki’s reaction to your comment could lead someone to believe that, but that certainly was not enough proof. And, no. You were not on an actual date, but a date is a kind of planned event, and you had planned to visit Timmy. Loki would probably see through your partial lie eventually, but you at least had him in that moment.

“Now what makes you say that?”

“He always talks about you when he’s here.”

So Mischief does visit him... Imagining Loki running around this playground with Timmy was kind of cute.

“I’ll bet it’s nothing good,” you joked.

Timmy shook his head, not understanding your jest. “It’s how nice you are. He said that you’re one of the only people here who isn’t mean to him.”

Well, that was kind of true. Just because he had been with the Avengers for so long did not mean everyone was going to be friendly with him. New York was a factor but his current demeanor towards “Midgardians” was enough to turn most people away.

“That doesn’t mean he... ‘like like’s me,” you grimaced. Speaking like this made you feel like you were in high school again.

“But he told me-” He clapped his hands over his mouth.

“Told you what?”

He shook his head, his hair slinging wildly.

“Timmy...” you warned.

“But I promised him I wouldn’t tell,” he admitted through his hands.

Knowing how important promises can be for children, you sighed, “Okay, okay. I won’t push it anymore.”

Relief flooded his tiny face as he relaxed. Looking up at the pinks and oranges seeping into the sky like paint with too much water, you pouted. “Alright, Buddy. Looks like we need to head inside.”

Timmy mirrored your pout, but ran to you and clutched your hand as you led him into the building.

Well, this was going to be a boring mission. You were going solo this time. Loki was with his brother off-world, so that meant you had no one but the pilot to chat with. Admittedly, Loki was quite the conversationalist when he wanted to be. It kept the trips to and from locations from growing stagnant, something you very much appreciated. Plus, you just liked hearing his alluring voice, even when he teased you just to see how flustered you would get. You were a little surprised with how much you missed him being around.

At least this was supposed to be quick. The newly-found HYDRA facility was about three hours away. Get in. Snag data. Go home. Intel showed it was small without many people there. Should be easy enough. But... Nothing is ever goes as smoothly as it should.

Glancing out the window as the Quinjet was landing, you noticed how close you were to the facility. In fact, you were a lot closer than you should have been.

“Sir?” You left your seat to confront the pilot. “What’s this about? This is a stealth mission. You’re going to give away-”

You had to jump back to avoid a punch. The pilot had left the controls to take care of you, gun in hand. Is this guy serious right now?! There was no way you were going to give this guy a chance to shoot you. You ducked low, charging him and rammed yourself at his stomach, elbow aimed for his solar plexus. With the wind knocked out of him, he stumbled backwards, grasping at anything that would keep him upright. Taking the opening, you used a seat near you as leverage to jump high enough to wrap your legs around his neck, using the momentum and gravity to swing yourself around to slam him into the ground (a nice little trick Nat so graciously taught you). The force to the metal flooring was enough to leave him unconscious.

Scrambling up, you formulated a quick plan in your head: Take off, secure this asshole and comm headquarters. You made the executive decision to end the mission early. If this guy was a double agent, then whoever was in the facility knew you were coming. You were making your way to the cockpit when you felt something sharp pierce your neck. Immediately, you yanked out what you found to be a dart, spinning around to see where it came from. At some point in your fight, the Quinjet had touched down and the ramp lowered. With your vision growing alarmingly blurry, you could barely make out the armed guards before everything faded black.

Your head was throbbing when you opened your eyes again. The room was dark with a cold, uninviting floor and thick metal bars in front. You tried to sit up, hoping the small change would alleviate your headache but failed. Your captors had secured your hands behind your back, rather tightly to be honest. The restraints were harshly cutting into your wrists while making it as awkward as possible to do anything from your position. Trying again, the muscles in your side seized up and your ribs screamed in agony, a groan falling from your throat.

“Oh look, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent is awake.”

You flinched not having heard the footsteps leading to your cell. You kept your head on the concrete floor as you looked up at the dark figure leaning on the opposite side of the bars.

“Now,” he started as he unlocked the door and let himself in. “I am going to ask you some questions, and you are going to answer them.” He nudged you with his foot. “Understand?”

Clenching your jaw, you pointedly looked away from him. Like hell. He just chuckled. The gritty sound reverberated off the walls.

“How cute. Your stubbornness won’t last long here.” The man began circling you slowly. “I know you are one of the agents who stole Subject 604.”

“You mean one of the agents who rescued a boy named Timmy,” you spat, earning you a hard blow to your back.

Hissing through your teeth, you rolled onto your stomach to relieve the pain of your bruising backside, but a foot pulled you back onto your side.

“Quite rude of you to interrupt,” he growled, moving to stand in front of you. “Now, all I want to know is where you have taken my test subject.”

“Hah,” you barked. “Like I’ll help some monster running experiments on children.”

A kick to your ribs and you curled in on yourself, coughing up the blood trying to take refuge in your lungs. He ripped you from the floor by your hair when a deafening alarm suddenly blared in the facility.

“You want a monster? Then, a monster you will have,” his hissed in your face before throwing you back down and leaving you in your cell to rot. You knew he’d be back later to finish what he started.

Biting back a pained moan, you pushed your head into the concrete floor, but the cold did little to soothe your pain. The alarm made sure of that, the tone causing your ears to faintly ring. You scooted yourself backwards against the wall and used it to help sit yourself upright. With that little bit of success, you rewarded yourself by closing your eyes and leaning against the wall. Now maybe you could think a little better so you could figure out a plan to get the hell out of there.

A low, familiar voice called your name, startling you to open your eyes. Had you blacked out again?

“By the Norns, you’re are alive,” a second booming voiced sounded off.

Maybe you were hallucinating. They weren’t supposed to be here. “Wha- Loki? Thor?”

Loki picked the lock open with his seiðr and rushed to you to release your bonds. “Let us leave this place, my little agent.” He spoke just loud enough for you to hear him over the alarms that were still roaring.

Gingerly scooping you into his arms, he strode back to Thor who was holding back the HYDRA agents who found you all there. He looked back at you and Loki over his shoulder. “Let’s go!” He threw his hammer down the hall, hitting the agents and forming a path.

Between Thor’s hammer and Loki’s seiðr, it didn’t take long for you all to convene with Captain America and Nat and make it to their Quinjet. The one you had taken for your mission was probably long gone. With everyone onboard, the pilot took off and navigated for headquarters.

Loki sat you down in a seat, giving you a once over to see where you were hurt with Nat giving her input. You probably had a concussion, cracked ribs and definitely a plethora of bruises. The best they could do at the moment was keep you comfortable without agitating the damage.

In one swift move, Loki picked you back up and placed you in his lap as he sat, holding you to his chest. Leaning into the embrace, you nuzzled up to him, too tired to notice the knowing looks earned from the rest of the team.

“I thought you were off-world,” you struggled to say, your voice barely breaking a whisper. Exhaustion was creeping up your limbs.

He rested a cheek on top of your head. “We were. We came back as soon as we learned you were missing. I thought I had lost you.”

Your mind grew foggy, slurring your words. “Nope... Not gettin’ rid of me so eas’ly...”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. Now sleep, my little agent.”

Traipsing through the jungle gym, you followed Timmy who was making his way to the monkey bars. He boldly hopped off the platform and latched onto one of the bars. As he swung himself forward, catching the next bar, you reached out for the closest one.

“Should you really be doing that, Dove?”

Loki was suddenly on the ground next to you.

“What? It’s just monkey bars.”

“You’ve only been out of the Med Bay for a week,” he deadpanned.

Huffing, you sat down on the platform, knowing you would not win this argument. “Fine. But you’re helping me down.”

He was already in front of you, ready to pull you into his arms. “With pleasure,” he smirked with a playful glint in his eyes.

You slid into his embrace and wrapped your arms around his neck. He just held you like that, staring into your eyes. You smiled and pressed your forehead to his. Although he thought it was cute, Loki had a better idea. He tilted his head and captured your lips instead which you all too willingly encouraged.

“Come on, you guys! It’s gonna get dark soon,” Timmy yelled to you, wanting you to follow him to the next jungle gym section.

With the moment shattered, Loki set you down and placed a chaste kiss to your forehead. You intertwined your fingers with his, pulling him along in Timmy’s direction. Both of you walked alongside the jungle gym and watched the ecstatic boy as he navigated the various obstacles.

“You know,” you began teasingly, leaning on Loki who hummed in response. “I don’t think I ever properly thanked you for rescuing me.”

“No... No, I don’t think you did,” he smirked mischievously.

You squeezed the hand you were holding. “What can I do to show my appreciation for your valiant efforts?”

“Hmm...” He looked at you with mock contemplation. “How about... You, my little agent, join me for dinner tonight?”

You nodded in agreement. “I’d love that.”

[bnerdler]

WIP Wednesday! 7/14/2021

Here is an excerpt from chapter 2 of the Yullen soulmate AU that I'm working on. Enjoy!

“I can’t believe you can drink something so boring.” Allen says as he watches Kanda sip the warm green tea that he brought for him. Kanda sits in his chair at his desk and Allen had pulled over an extra chair to sit with him.

“Not my fault that you can’t appreciate something unless its syrup.” Kanda throws back eyeing the drink in Allen’s hand. He’s wearing gloves again. He’s curious, but not enough to ask about it. When Allen takes a drink, he fully turns away from Kanda to raise his mask just enough to drink from it. It’s making Kanda feel like a spring being wound tighter and tighter.

“I can appreciate things!” Allen says. “It’s you who’s too stupid and pretentious, stupid Kanda.”

“Me?” Kanda scoffs.

Just then there’s a loud crash from the Chief’s office. Lieutenant Reever comes running out of Komui’s office chased by a drone.

“Chief, stop! I didn’t mean it!” Reever yells, covering his head with his arms from the drones whizzing blades. Komui comes out of his office with a proud grin and the controller held firmly in his hands.

“You can’t take my drones away!” Komui laughs after his cowering Trigger. His beret is slightly skewed on his head. “They’re too strong, Reever!”

“Komui, that’s dangerous inside the office!”

“What the hell is going on?” Allen looks on the scene with wide eyes. Kanda sighs and puts his cup down on his desk. Then he grabs a pen. Turning to the drone as it menacingly nose dives down at Lieutenant Reever, Kanda lines up the shot. He throws the pen like a spear right into the spinning blades of the drone. The thing shakes in the air for a second, before falling to the ground right next to Reever. The man scoops up the drone and runs off.

“Reever wait! Bring back my baby!” Komui wails. Then the Chief turns to Kanda. “How dare you injure my child, Kanda”

“Don’t terrorize your soulmate, Chief.” Lavi pipes up from his desk. He doesn’t look up from their files he’s already working on. Hopefully they can finish editing the hundreds of pages long file by the end of the day. Komui pouts till his eyes land on Allen watching the whole thing unfold.

“Allen Walker? Is that you?” Komui says, coming over to Kanda’s desk.

“Yes, I’m just visiting, sir.” Allen says so politely that it makes Kanda’s head snap to the Beansprout.

“Really? What’s with the mask? Are you sick?” Komui asks in rapid fire succession.

“Oh, it’s because…” Allen starts, looking over to Kanda shyly. This sudden change in Allen is so jarring to Kanda he almost drops the cup of tea he’d just picked back up. Allen clasps his own drink in front of him with two hands and looks up at Komui with respect.

“He’s Yuu’s Trigger.” Lavi leans over his desk, files abandoned now in order to join in the conversation, obviously finding far more entertainment in this than their work. This reveal doesn’t stun Komui, no doubt because Lenalee told him already. Instead, he turns to Kanda then with a look on his face like he’s trying to solve an intricate puzzle or win a difficult game of chess.

“He is, huh?” Komui says. “That certainly is interesting.”

“Lenalee already told you. Stop giving me that look.” Kanda says sharply. Komui calmly holds Kanda’s glare for a second before checking his watch.

“Oh, look at the time! Allen, don’t you have a class to teach soon? Do you need a ride to campus?” Komui asks. Allen whips out his phone from the pocket of his pants to check the time.

“Oh my god, you’re right!” Allen starts to gather his bag from it’s spot on the floor next to Kanda’s. “No, thank you for the ride, sir, I’ll just catch the bus from here!”

Kanda sits up stiffly. Bus? The Beansprout doesn’t drive?

“Will you make it in time?”

“Yeah, yes, sir. I will.” Allen says, getting up from the chair. He waves to Lavi before turning to Kanda once more. His eyes lock with Allen’s under his mop of white hair, and colors start to bloom in a halo around his head. The blue of the police insignia on the wall behind him, the bright yellow of his shirt, the pink of Allen’s ears, the red of his scar. Allen breathlessly says, “Bye.”

Once again, Kanda is left to watch him go, fingers itching with touch, want, keep. The colors that had so briefly been in view, fade out of sight as Allen gets on the elevator. When he’s left in just the black and the gray, he barely feels the warmth of the cup of tea in his hand.

“So,” Komui turns to him inquisitively. “You have another soulmate.”

“Komui.” Kanda warns, the alarms in his head warning him that Komui might say something that’s too far, too much.

“Does he know?” Komui continues despite Kanda’s warning. “Have you told him about Alma?”

The name coming out of his superior’s mouth sets his blood on fire.

“Allen doesn’t know, and he doesn’t need to know. He’s not my fucking soulmate.” Kanda seethes. He slams his cup down onto his desk. Some of the tea splashes past the lid and onto his hand. He ignores how it burns on his skin.

“Oh, Kanda…” Komui stares at him with sadness brewing in his eyes.

“If you don’t mind, Chief,” He emphasizes Komui’s title. “Go back to your office so I can get to work.”

Komui makes the smart decision to leave back to his office. Kanda goes back to the pile of papers on his desk, stewing in his anger.

“You’re really not gonna tell Allen?” Lavi says. Kanda cuts a glare up at his partner. “He deserves to know, you know.”

No. No he doesn’t. He doesn’t need to know anything.

[twinklelilstarkey]

Family Time - Walter Marshall

Pairing: Walter Marshall x Female!Reader

Words: 3k

Summary: Faye doesn’t really like Y/N, because she feels like she’s trying to steal her mother’s place in the family, and Walter has had enough.

Warnings: Some cursing. Kinda daughter hating dad’s girlfriend... (does that need to be a warning? not sure)

(A/N: This is not my gif)

Whenever Walter is working on a new case, you’re in charge of the house, since, well, somebody has to look over it when he’s occupied. He trusts you.

In other words: he believes you can keep the apartment from exploding.

You two have been dating for almost three years and your relationship with his daughter is still rough. 

You never really expected Faye to welcome you with wide open arms, since... In her eyes you’re taking her mom’s place. But you did believe that she would eventually warm up to you.

And that did not happen.

You have been familiar with the tradition of Faye coming over to spend a week  at her dad’s ever since you started dating Walter, so you’ve already got the calendar down. And you absolutely hated whenever it landed on Walter’s rough cases, seeing that it meant: being with Faye all on your own.

Today is the first day of that (kind of) week, and since Walter is too busy to go pick up his daughter, you’re in charge. 

Sophia, Walter’s ex-wife, also trusts you enough to let you pick up Faye, which is what you believe to be the only good thing about that side of the family.

You stay on your phone, leaning back on the car, while waiting for Faye to walk out of the house; and you are not surprised when you notice that she’s already 20 minutes late.

She must be pleading her mom to not have to stay with you for a whole week. 

It wouldn’t be a surprise to you.

The sound of the front door opening is heard from where you’re standing, and you lift your head to look at both Faye and Sophia.

“We’re so sorry for the delay” Sophia says right as she’s close enough to you, “We couldn’t find Faye’s favorite shirt”

Bullshit, you thought to yourself.

“It’s okay” You say with a soft smile.

As Sophia starts her usual small talk with you, Faye walks by you and opens the backseat door, jumping in without directing a word at you.

“How’s Walter?” Sophia asks and you look away from the closed door.

“I haven’t seen him that much lately” You start, making Sophia nod understandably, “But from what he says in the phone calls, he’s both tired and hungry”

Sophia smiles at your words, even giving you a little chuckle, and then looks over at the car and at her daughter, through slightly tinted glass.

“You two should go, now. I need to leave for work in a few minutes” She exclaims.

You smile at her, finishing your conversation and walk around back the car as she goes back inside her house. You open the driver’s seat door after a big deep breath, and take your seat.

“How have you been?” You ask the teenage girl, trying to sound as sweet as possible.

Silence. That’s all you got.

“Okay...” You say to yourself before turning the key on the ignition and starting the car.

During your drive to the apartment, you decided to turn on the radio, in hopes that it would eventually kill the awkward silence between the two of you, but it didn’t really work that well. You actually believe that it made it worse.

But the worst part was the whole elevator trip to the floor of the apartment. Faye looked like the most depressed kid beside you, she didn’t even check her phone once. She just stared at the doors the whole time, emotionless.

Once the door of the apartment was open, she moved right past you and settled herself on the couch, with her back towards you.

You sigh and throw your head back to stare at the ceiling, trying to regain strength to carry on with total patience. This is just the first day.

You grab her backpack from the ground and take it over to her room, walking back to the living room/kitchen once done.

“Do you want anything to eat?” You ask the girl as you stood by the island of the kitchen.

She shakes her head in response.

“Uhm… Do you want to watch a movie?”

She shakes her head, again.

You bite your lip as a way to deal with your frustration and stare at the back of her head.

This is going to be fun.

[…]

You stare at the TV and sigh in boredom. The only thing that can be heard in the whole apartment is the TV. It really feels like you were home alone.

Faye ran to her room a few hours ago and you decided to just sit down and watch something random on the TV, right after she did that.

The truth is: If Faye wasn’t in the same apartment as you, you would be laying in your very comfortable queen-sized bed, taking a nap and sleeping like a total rock. But since you didn’t want to play the nonexistent “babysitter” towards your boyfriend’s daughter, you decided to stay where she could see you if she ever needed you.

The front door of the apartment unlocks, and you almost snap your neck when trying to see if it’s Walter. 

(Even if that was highly stupid of you, since, nobody else has a key except for the two of you. But you just couldn’t believe that he was home).

As your boyfriend walks in the apartment, you get up and walk over to him right away.

“Look if it isn’t the man who has abandoned me for the past week” You tease as he looks over at you. Walter smiles and quickly pulls you into a hug as soon as you open your arms from him. He lifts you off the ground, as always, and hugs you as tightly as possible, “I’m surprised I even remembered your face”

Walter smiles at your joke and you peck his lips once, cupping his face. 

You take a good look at his tired expression while running your thumbs over his cheeks, but that was simply until you remembered about the absence of his child.

“She’s in the bedroom”

He frowns at your words, since he had assumed that she had been sitting next to you on the couch this whole time, and puts you back on the floor.

“What do you want for dinner?” You ask him before he could walk off, since you can start making you right now.

“We’ll order something in”

You walk around the small island of the kitchen as Walter walks away, and you look at him while he knocks on his daughter’s bedroom door. 

A small voice is heard over the sound of the TV and you see your boyfriend open the door slowly and walk in.

Walter steps into the dark bedroom and his eyes land right on the bed, where his daughter laid with her phone in hand (it also being the only light source in the whole room). 

She doesn’t get up to welcome him or any of the sort, so he walks around the bed and sits down beside her.

“What’s wrong?” He asks as he runs his hand down her arm, comfortably.

“Nothing” Faye answers in a whisper.

“Then why are you in a dark room all by yourself and acting all depressed?”

The joking tone flies right over Faye’s head as she looks up from her phone at her dad.

“I just don’t want to stay in the living room”

“Why?”

“Your couch is uncomfortable”

Walter snorts at his daughter’s words and she holds in her smile. His laughter will always be contagious to her.

“This isn’t because of Y/N, is it?” He asks in a lower tone and she looks away, back to her phone, not wanting to talk about you. “Did she do anything this time?”

As Faye continues to stay silent, Walter lays down next to her, making the twin sized bed look and feel rather smaller, to the point where if one moves, the other is going down. Being the ‘other’, Faye.

“Do you want me to talk to her?”

“No”

“What can I do to make you like each other, then?” He asks, the tone of his voice sounding rather frustrated.

“Nothing”

Walter clenches his jaw at the dry tone and looks down at Faye with annoyance all written over his face. It’s been three years for god’s sake, the man has to have a breaking point.

“Will you ever give her a change, Faye?”

“I already gave her one”

“When?”

“When I first met her” She answers, taking her eyes off her phone to look at her dad, who stared at her, “It’s true”

“We both know it’s not”

Faye shrugs her shoulders and looks back at it, ignoring her dad. And that was until her phone is snatched right out of her hands.

“Hey!” She says loudly as her dad sits up with the phone on his hands, “Give it back!”

“No,” He says while getting up, turning on the lights, “You’re not having it back until you walk into that kitchen, with a big smile on your face and with your good manners, and give Y/N a real chance” He orders, emphasizing the world ‘real’.

Faye stares at Walter with annoyance all written in her face, just like his, and quickly gets up.

“Fine,”

Walter nods at her while turning to the door and opening it widely, grabbing your attention all the way back in the kitchen. 

You didn’t hear a thing, except for Faye’s shouting to give something back.

“So, what do you prefer…” Walter starts loudly while walking back to the kitchen with his daughter right behind him, still in the small hallway, “Chinese food, Mexican food or pizza…?”

You two stare at the young girl and she looks at you for a quick second.

“Chinese” She answers her dad quickly, who nods and grabs his phone, probably to make the order on a app.

You two stare at the man in silence, not really knowing what to do without him starting a conversation, and he looks up when feeling the two pair of his on him.

“You guys can go watch something” He says, almost as if he was remembering you two that you were free to go whatever the heck you wanted (well, except for Faye, she’s still a minor).

You walk over to the couch and as you sat down, you notice Faye taking a seat right beside you. You look at her with shock in your eyes for almost a minute, until she speaks.

“Do you want to watch something together?” Faye asks you, making you almost gasp at her words.

“Uhm” You start before looking back at her dad, who looked right in between the two of you, “Yeah, sure. You can choose”

What type of dark magic did Walter do to Faye?

You look over at the young girl as she scrolls through her phone to find a movie on Netflix and Walter decides to take a seat beside you.

“You better chose a good movie, I don’t plan on falling asleep before dinner gets here” Walter says to Faye, teasingly, making you smile at him.

Faye rolls her eyes and passes her phone over to her dad, probably for him to check if the movie is okay and up to his non-sleeping standards.

“Yeah, that one’s fine”

(…)

You grab the last plate from the coffee table and walk over to the kitchen, ready to start washing the dishes, since Walter is mostly passed out on the couch.

“Can I help?” Faye asks from behind you.

You look over your shoulder and nod with a smile.

“Yeah, can you just put the leftovers in the fridge, please?” You ask her, not wanting to be a bigger pain in the ass by making her do something more tiring.

Faye nods and almost runs over to the coffee table in the living room, grabbing the take-out boxes, some of them weren’t even opened, considering, Walter's habit of buying more than he can eat.

As you wash the dishes in silence and Faye is done with putting everything away in the fridge, you start putting everything inside the dishwasher. 

The young girl steps in beside you and grabs the three plates from the sink, taking them over to the dishwasher, helping you a whole lot, since you’re still trying to figure out how you’re going to fit the last glass cups.

“Thank you” You tell her, when noticing what she’s doing, and she simply looks up and smiles.

“You’re welcome”

As you turn the machine on, Faye walks back to the couch and sits down next to her dad, who is still half awake. You sit down as well, on Walter’s other side, and his arm wraps around you to pull you in closer.

You lean your head on his shoulder and in the matter of seconds, Walter is asleep, laying his head on top of yours. 

You continue to stare at the TV in silence, your eyes are also starting to feel heavier and heavier by the second.

���This movie is boring” Faye whispers and you move your head slightly to look at her, and she is already looking at you, with a small smile.

“You can change to something you like” You tell her, and she shakes her head.

“We’re only in the beginning, it might get better at the end”

And with that, the two of you stared back into the TV, trying to see if Walter’s taste in movies is as good as he says, but slowly, the two of you fell asleep next to the man himself.

(…)

You wake up with a crashing sound coming from the kitchen and once you lift your head as a reflex, you notice that you’re laying in bed. 

Walter is asleep right next to you and did not moved a muscle. Judging by his change of clothes from the ones last night, you’re quick to guess that he is the reason why you’re laying in the bed in the first place.

You sit up slowly, taking Walter’s arm from around your waist and walk over to the door. As you walked out and peeked in the kitchen, you see Faye with a frying pan in her hand.

“Hey” You tell her as you close the door and walk in the kitchen, she look up at you, “What are you doing?”

“Breakfast” She answers while turning on the stove, “You and dad were still asleep, and I was hungry, so now... I’m doing pancakes”

You still need to get used to her ‘longer’ answers.

“Do you need any help?”

“Nope”

You nod at her answer and walk over to the kitchen island, taking a seat on the high stool to watch her cook.

You two stay silent as music played from Faye’s phone at low volume and you watch her cook. 

This time, the music wasn’t like the one in the car, it actually made you two feel comfortable with each other rather then awkward.

As Faye pours the first scoop of batter into the pan, you look at her and notice how she slightly frowns when concentrated.

“Where’s my dad?” She asks while putting down the bowl back on the counter.

“Still asleep”

“I didn’t wake him up?” She asks with a shocked expression and you smile at her while shaking your head. “Weird”

The girl grabs a spatula from the drawer and flips the pancake in a quick second, lowering the heat after staring for a bit.

As she puts the spatula down, she walks around the island and takes a seat next to you.

“I wanted to talk to you about something” She starts, and your mind quickly fills with the various possibilities, like: ‘what if she’s only being nice because she broke something of mine’.

“Okay…”

“I wanted to say I’m sorry for…” Oh no, “being such a bitch to you”

Your eyes widen at her words and you open your mouth to speak but she beats you to it.

“I was a bitch because I thought that you and my dad would never work out, no offence. And in the beginning, I just wanted my dad and my mom to be together again” She admits while sometimes looking down at the ground, “It was childish of me. I just… Didn’t want you to take my mom’s place”

You frown a bit at her words and give her a small comforting smile.

“That was never my intention… To make it seem as I wanted to take your mom’s place” You start and she nods, looking back at you, “And if I ever did show that, I’m sorry as well. I love your dad very much, and that comes with loving you too- Even if that means having to ignore each other for a whole week”

Faye smiles a bit at your words, and you lay your hand on her back.

“I’m really sorry” She says with a sad tone.

“Don’t worry about it too much,” You say while running your hand on her back, comfortably, “I forgive you”

Faye, without a second thought, grabs your arm and pulls you closer to her, so she can easily wrap her arms around him and pull you in a hug. Your eyes widen a bit as you were not expecting that, but slowly your arms wrapped around her as well, hugging her back.

“Why the hell does the house smell like burning?” A deep voice sounds from the hallway and Faye gasps in your arms.

You pull away quickly and she jumps out of stool, running over to the stove to flip her pancake. She groans as the side of the pancake is now black instead of the satisfying golden brown, takes it to the trash right away.

Walter walks in the kitchen as Faye closes the trash and he points his finger at her.

“Should’ve guessed that it was your doing” He says, “Who else would’ve wanted to burn my kitchen down?”

Faye rolls her eyes at her dad and he smiles at her as she walks over to him. The girl hugs his torso as to say a quick ‘good morning’ and he kisses the top of her head.

“What were you two talking about?” He asks as his daughter pulls away to restart her breakfast.

You open your mouth to answer him, but Faye is quick to beat you to it, again.

“Nothing” She says before turning around back to you and sending you a wink.

Walter frowns while looking at the two of you and Faye grabs his hand to pull him towards her, saying something about him helping her with the pancakes.

There’s no way in hell that he is knowing about her whole speech this early in the morning.

- - - - - -

Hope you guys enjoyed it.

[jeromesxreader16]

Such a Joker (51)

Part 50 Here!

~o0o~

I scan through paint swatches, holding it up to the walls of the nursery contemplating the vast difference in the outcome. "I like this blue." Jeremiah picks up a swatch and tapes it to the wall. I smile as he narrows his hands focusing on the paint. He nods looking around the room. "We can put both the cribs against the wall here and place the changing station in the middle. Rocking chairs in either corner." He smiles with his accomplished plan.

"What do you think, boys?" He asks kneeling at my stomach. I scoff smiling, "How do you know these boys of yours aren't girls?" Jeremiah leans down pressing his ear on my swollen belly.

"Hmm. Yes. What was that? Of course, I'll let mommy know."

Jeremiah stands cupping my face. "You're children don't like the vitamin shake you drink." I roll my eyes walking away and taping a light pink swatch of paint on the wall.

Jeremiah raises a brow smirking. "Really, (Y/n)?" I shrug beaming. "You never know, Jer."

~

I look out the large window looking at the starved and rotten Gotham. I sigh sipping at my morning tea Ecco brought me.

"You're sighing again." I look over at her smiling. "You say that a lot." "It's because you sit there looking like a princess waiting for someone to come." I shake my head at Ecco laughing. "You're crazy, Ecco."

She hops in front of me smirking. "We could be bad, ya know? Sneak out. Just for a little." I narrow my eyes leaning in. "Keep talking."

~

Jeremiah POV:

Coming up the elevator into the late hours of the night to finally take rest next to my wife. "The tunnel is coming along nicely," Ecco says standing beside me. "Yes, there is much to do."

"Ecco, does my darling ever speak of life before this?" Ecco nods at me. "Mrs. Valeska always loves to spend time thinking of the good days." I hum reconnecting ways to make her happy. "I'll have to send her on a little trip out of our little Dark Zone."

I open the door to our room removing my tie and shirt and putting them away.

I walk over to my wife and rest my hands on her stomach holding my children. "We're not supposed to be here." I sigh resting my head against her. "I'm trying my best to get us out of here, loves."

She rolls to her side causing me to chuckle. I kiss her head cuddling into her in our sheets, dreaming of escaping Gotham with my family.

~

"Remember, love. Tonight is another graduation for the troops. It is still too dangerous. Care to take a trip to the Sirens today? I thought about sending you to have a full week of fun." Jeremiah asks as I cuddle into his side. "Yeah. I could use some girl time. If you're alright with having me away that long." Jeremiah holds my chin gazing into my eyes. "I love you so much, darling."

"I love you, Jeremiah." His smile warms my heart as he descends the elevator. "Behave yourself, loves."

~

I step out of the car smiling at the large buildings all so familiar. "Hello, Sirens." I grab the railing to step inside but am bumped by a force making me stumble.

"I - I'm so sorry, miss!" I look down at a little boy with bruises and scratches all over his body. I kneel gasping at his frame. "Oh, honey." He looks behind his shoulder gulping. "You have to help me, please."

I look up at the building thinking over my plans. Jeremiah told me to go here and only here, but it's not like he knew I was going to run into an abandoned child!

I nod at the small kid getting back in my car. "Come on, kid." He jumps in my car closing the door and gasping. "Thank you! Thank you so much, miss!" I smile sadly at the frightened little boy.

"Where are you going? Where can I take you?"

He looks at me with hopeful eyes. "The Haven."

I've heard whispers of the spot concealed in safety for a couple of weeks now. "I have an idea of where it is. I'll take you there."

He nods smiling, "My name is Will Thomas." He offers his hand.

"(Y/n) Valeska. It's good to meet you, Will." He smiles shaking my hand.

~

"Whoa." Will gasps as the large caged in the apartment corner appears. "Yeah," I say taking a look at all the people smiling. "Are you coming with me? I have to find someone who can help my brother and sister!" I nod turning off the car. "Yeah. I'm not sure who all lives here, but I can help you look around."

Walking in the small compound many of the people were friendly in this trying time.

I walk up holding Will's weak hand. "Excuse me, sir." He turns to me confused. "Yes?" "This boy needs your help." I try to usher him and scatter away but a hand reaches out grasping my wrist as I walk away from them.

I look up meeting my father's eyes through the shades. "(Y/n)?"

I smile removing the glasses. "Jim." he crumbles losing his balance. "Where have you been?" I shake my head tugging at my arm. "I-I can't be here."

I run away slipping out of the Haven untouched and back to my car as my father runs out screaming my name. I drive to the club again and entering as nothing happened.

"(Y/n)!" Babs screams running to me. "Oh, my! You've filled out!" I laugh pushing out my stomach. "Well, when you've got two fighting for space."

~

Jim POV:

That was her. My girl. My beautiful daughter walking right in and then scurried away faster than wildfire. "Jim, was that-" I turn to Harvey with a smile breaking my features. "Yeah. That was (Y/n)." Harvey pats my shoulder. "I know you're thinking you have to find her at this very second and trust me I do too, but we've got another pressing thing. Like this mystery kid." Harvey pulls me away from my thoughts.

"Right. What do we know?"

"His name is Will Thomas. Parents died in a home invasion a few weeks after the bridges came down. Guys that broke in took him to some sort of factory where he was held alongside dozens of other stolen kids, all chained together."

"God. Who are these guys?" "Call themselves The Soothsayers."

"You ever heard of them?" "No. But who can keep track these days?"

"Which district?" "Granton. Near the water, he said. Had them digging some sort of tunnel. Will broke free from his restraints last night and walked nine miles through the Dark Zone and found Mrs. Valeska in the Sirens block. She brought him here."

"What kind of tunnel?"

"Unclear."

"There's an abandoned waterworks by the old dock in Granton."

"Detective Gordon?" The small boy asks. "My friends. You'll save them, won't you?" I nod at him holding a smile. "I'll look into it."

"The Soothsayers won't be happy I escaped. They'll punish

the others for it. Please, Mr. Gordon. I promised them I'd bring help."

~

"Gosh, I can't wait until I can drink again." I laugh at Babara from behind the bar as she throws down a shot. "Oh, me and you both. Push those kids onto that pale freak and go wild!"

Feet away the crowd split and they still their ongoing conversations. None other than James Gordon walks over to Barbara. I duck under the bar hiding in plain sight.

"Barbara." She looks down at me before turning to ace my father. "Jim, what brings you crawling out into the open tonight? Come to join the party? One last hoorah before someone wastes you?" She smirks taking another shot before slamming it down.

"I'm here to ask a favor. Maybe some information if you have it."

"A favor plus info, right. Is this after you stood by and did nothing while my best friend on this Earth was stabbed through the heart?"

"I put him down."

"You restored his limp."

"HE SHOULD BE DEAD!"

Jim sighs, "Barbara." She cuts him off with her screams. "Everybody out! Now! I said move!"

As they file out and the music comes to a halt I shiver on my knees. Why am I doing this? Hiding from my blood.

"Planning revenge?" "Well, someone has to do something about that freak."

"He has an army. It would be suicide." "Look around, Jim. We're all slowly dying. Just some of us get to choose how."

"I'm sorry about what happened to Tabitha."

Babs brushes off the matter scoffing, "So, these favors?"

"I need transportation. Trucks, maybe."

"Where are you going?"

"It's a police matter," Jim says making me hold in a laugh. How could police exist nowadays?

"You know, they should really write that on your tombstone. They're downstairs in the basement lot. Knock yourself out. Drive right into this nightmare you created. You won't last a night."

He stays quiet for a moment before asking, "Have you seen (y/n)?" Barbara chuckles, "And if I did, what makes you think she wants to see her father who turned her own happiness away?" I peer over the bar watching my father's eyes drop and sadness fills his emotions. He turns away from the bar walking away. "Thank you for the trucks."

I pop up resting my elbows on the counter. "You didn't have to yell at him." Babs turns to me locking eyes. She breaks shaking her head with a sad smile. "No, I guess I didn't." I come around the bar sitting beside her. "You really think he won't last out there?" She turns to me smirking. "Not if he has some help. How long are you staying here?" I shrug, "Jeremiah doesn't need me around when the church graduates. He said the tension in the air is stressful for the babies." She scoffs laughing. "Right, because he's Mr. smartypants."

~

I sit on the couch watching TV as Babs strides through tossing my gun at me. "Load it and follow me." I stand following her. "Uh, why do I need a gun?" She turns back to me as walks into the garage.

"We're going to help Jimmy. You want to drive?"

I smile at her nodding. "Okay."

~

"Wait, slow down! I hear something." Barbara says causing me to stop the vehicle equipped with machine guns on the empty road. "I won't say it again, freak. Gordon comes with me."

I smile at her, "Jackpot!"

"I'll tell you what! I'll take his head, and you can have the rest of him!"

"NOW!" I scream as we whip around the corner and shoot down the punks. Barabra hops out fo the car walking towards my father.

"Hi, Jim. About our last chat... I may have been a little rash. This what got you all hot and bothered? They need a bath."

"Crazy bi-" I stand from my seat shooting the armed man aiming at Babs. As I hit the target, my father does as well.

He looks at me in shock. "(Y/n)?" I smile sitting back and cranking the car.

"Oh, lookie there. I found her. Not all square yet though. You're gonna help me do what we all know needs doing."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"Kill Penguin."

~

I gaze and smile a all the happy citizens in the Haven. "This is amazing."

"Citizens are heading here in droves. This place will be full

by sundown." Jim nods looking around. "Then we'll find another."

I look up at him. "I figured you left when the evacuation was called." My father puts an arm across my shoulder pulling me to him. "You were still here. I was never going to leave without you. Especially now with these two." He says placing a hand on my stomach.

A woman walks up with her younger ones grinning at Jim. "I just want to thank you, Captain Gordon. My family, we've been drifting from one place to the next ever since the blackout. You've delivered us." She walks away beaming with joy, leaving my father with a raised head and confidence and honor beaming from him.

His moment soon ruined by Barbara scoffing, "Seriously?" She rolls her eyes looking at me. "You know he'll be angry with you if he finds you here. You're staying with me so my ass will be burned."

I look back at Babs and my father. He grabs my wrist looking me in the eyes. "You can't go back, (Y/n). Look at what he's done!" I close my eyes gathering my emotions. "Jim, please let me go so I can go home to my husband. This will end ugly if you refuse." He looks at me with shock and shakes his head. "No, I found you and now I'm going to keep the three of you safe from him." I rip my arm out of his grip. "I came to you! I understand you're upset, I do. But... Daddy's little girl is gone, I married him, he is the father of my children, and that won't change. You can either fight it and our contact will end, or..." I take out his pen from his pocket and grab his hand, writing my phone number. "You can accept me for the person I have become, and call me."

Jim nods sadly. He places his hand on mine. "I love you, (Y/n)." I nod smiling at my father. "I hope so." I back up walking next to Barbara.

"I'll see you around, killer. We have some unfinished business, you and I." She nods to him as we exit the gates.

~

"How was the day, darling? Have my twins kicked you anymore? I talked with them the other night." I giggle over the line laying on the big bed in the guest room of Barbara's home. "They've been fine, Jer. How was the first day of the graduates?" He sighs over the phone. "10 go in and only 4 complete the trial. It's quite disappointing." "I bet you'll have more tomorrow. It is a new day after all." "Indeed, love."

I snuggle in my covers rubbing my belly. "Get some rest, Jeremiah. I'll see you soon." He hums in the line. "I do hope so, darling. I love you." I smile feeling complete. "I love you too, Jeremiah."

As the call ends it suddenly rings again. I pick it up figuring it to be Jeremiah, once more. "Did you forget something?" I giggle over the line. "(Y/n)?" Jim's shaky voice comes through. "Dad."

He sighs and speaks, "Hi honey. H-How are you?"

At this time I talk to my father and open the door that has been shut so long.

"Hey! How about we meet up for lunch when we can?" I laugh at him, "You're going to act like everything's normal and grab a sub?" "Why not? I've got my family back."

A piercing giggle springs from the bathroom. Jerome walks out with sunglasses and posing in the mirror. "I'm going to tell."

I shake my head at him as my father talks. Jerome cackles and runs to the door making me chase after him tripping him. "OW! Workers comp!" He cries.

He stands up giggling. "Ole Jimmy. Always slithering around and shitting on our lives. Brother will be mad, (Y/n), you know that."

"Goodnight, Dad."

I hang up rolling on my side and cuddling into the sheets. "He won't find out, Jerome." He scoffs cuddling close to me. "Lying to your husband? You naughty girl."

I laugh into the pillow. "Goodnight, Jerome." 

[tloujm]

Part III: Birthday Surprise

Author’s Notes: The plot and setting may look familiar to you guys in this. I mixed Abby’s trip with Owen with Joel’s trip with Ellie. While I could have made the museum romantic, I figured the Aquarium was more so. Also, this takes place several months after the 2nd chapter. To help imagery, it is late Autumn/fall. It’s cold and flurries of snow fall but not a full fledged winter yet.

Genre: Fluff

Summary: It’s your birthday and Joel has a surprise for you. Despite being distant with him, you decide to go along and feed into your feelings for him. If you were waiting for cute, romantic Joel, this is it. This is the beginning.

Ship: Joel x Reader

Joel has loved you since he made the choice to leave the hospital with you in his arms. That was when he admitted it to himself at least. He constantly tried doing little things to make you feel better, especially after having a fight. Sometimes, that just meant giving you space. He held on tight to the moments he got to have with you that did not involve you bringing up the incident. In those moments, he caught a glimpse of what life could be like with you and he had a strong desire for that. All he wanted to do was protect you and forget about the Fireflies. 

The day before your birthday, you responded to a knock on your door only to find a wood carved version of your horse with a note attached sitting on the ground. You could tell it was from Joel by his handwriting. It explained that he had a surprise for you and it involved an early start. It was your birthday, so your positive disposition allowed you to accept his surprise.

He wasn’t kidding when he said early start. Joel was at your door knocking before sunrise. You groaned before lazily throwing your legs over the bed. He knocked again with more force before you made it to the door. He wished you a happy birthday before walking into your makeshift living room. Your eyes were tired, but you gave him a smile nonetheless when you thanked him. He sat on the couch, rubbing his hands together in front of your space heater while he waited for you to get dressed. Apparently, the surprise involved a hike to get there so you dressed in layers. 

By the time the two of you made it past the gate with your horses, the sun had begun to rise. It was not often that you got up while it was still dark. Sunsets were more of your thing. Watching the sun rise, however, was a different kind of beautiful. The sky turned brighter shades of blue as the two of you rode through unbeaten paths. At one point, the woods became too thick for the horses and you two had to start hiking. Joel secured both of the animals before guiding you in the direction of the surprise. 

“Alright, c’mon.” Joel said.

“I’m going to start guessing now.” You stated.

“You want to spoil your surprise?” He asked.

“I’ve held out long enough.” You responded. “Is it an alien crash site?”

“Stop trying to guess. I ain’t tellin’ you.” He said with his back to you.

“Okay.” You let silence fall between you before guessing again. “So is it a nice, new car? With heated seats and one of those tvs that hang from the ceiling to watch movies on?”

He sighed playfully. “You’re not gonna guess.” You fell quiet, trying to think of something even more outrageous. The two of you approached a ledge as the path grew narrower. Joel pushed back a bare branch to give you just enough room to scoot by without falling over the edge. “Mind your step.” He warned as he gestured for you to go first. 

The walkway was so narrow that there was no other choice but for your backside to brush up against Joel’s body as you walked past him. You took it slow as to mind your step. He was so close, you could feel his breath on the back of your neck. Back in the day, you would have used this opportunity to flirt with him just to watch his face go red. After safely making it passed, you did the same for him and held the branch down while he walked across. 

“Fuck it, I’m done guessing.” You spoke up, filling the air with sound. 

“Oh, good.” He replied.

“But really though, is it a movie or something?” You got really excited before he could answer. “Don’t tell me you found some old abandoned theater and dusted off the projector and somehow figured out how to power it back up.”

“Um, no.” He said, slight disappointment in his voice. “Would you have liked that?”

“I would like anything you give me, Joel.” You replied genuinely. After a few more minutes of walking, the two of you come upon a clearing riddled with frozen over puddles. In the middle of it all was a huge temple front building. You approached the steps ahead of Joel. “Is this it?” You asked with a smile on your face. You didn’t quite know what it was, but having earned an art history degree, you had a penchant for big, old buildings.

He nodded. “Yes.”

You run up the steps like Rocky during his famous training scene in Philly. The grand doors had a faded logo painted on. It appeared to be of a dolphin and a whale swimming together like the Pisces sign. You waited for Joel to catch up with you before opening the doors. He watched as you made your way inside the large lobby. There was an enormous whale hanging from the ceiling with two grand staircases on either side leading to separate wings. The dead remnants of overgrown plants decorated the dark blue walls. As you walked closer to the information desk in the middle of the room, snow began to fall from the ceiling. You looked up and noticed that part of the roof was missing. It looked dilapidated rather than the result of an attack. It allowed in the only source of light, bouncing off the walls to cast a grayish-blue atmosphere. As you made your way further in, you found a mural on the wall of different aquatic animals.

“I think this is one of those zoos but for fish.” Joel quipped.

“Shut up.” You said playfully. He chuckled.

You walked up the stairs and immediately became attracted to a room with a shark head adorning the doorway. You headed in that direction first, but Joel warned you not to. You asked why, barely giving him the time to answer before you ignored his plea and continued to the door. It looked like a lounge room for adults. The walls were really just floor-to-ceiling windows. It gave an amazing view of the small lake behind the building. There was a bar, a large tv and multiple couches. You made your way around one couch and realized why he didn’t want you to go in the room. A skeleton, mostly decomposed, was lying on it, resting, waiting. 

“I didn’t want to move the body.” Joel spoke up. “He looked too comfortable.” He referred to the pillow behind the skeleton’s back and the blanket draped over the legs. You notice a piece of paper lying on his lap; his boney fingers keeping it in place. “(Y/N), no.” Joel protested as he watched you reach for it. 

“If it wasn’t meant to be read, then it wouldn’t have been written.” You responded. The paper had all kinds of stains on it, most likely from the decomposition of the body. The writing was faded and barely legible. “ ‘I’m taking Max away from here. He can’t spend his life inside this rotting building. All he’ll do is take on your weaknesses. I want Max to see what it looks like when people are willing to stand up for what they want. The world is harsh. It’s up to us to change it. Maybe we’ll come back someday. If we do, I hope you’re not still sitting in your stupid, fucking chair’. Wow. His kids ran off and left him.”

“Jesus.” Joel mustered.

The two of you go back downstairs and eventually find a doorway shrouded by dead vines. You pushed passed them, holding open a space for Joel to follow. Painted in large white letters are the words “Max’s place”. On the other side of the doors was the gift shop. You guessed that Max used this as his room while his family stayed there. Joel let you look around the pamphlets and trinkets. He watched on with a wide grin before he beckoned you over to the open elevator. 

“C’mon over here.” He said.

            You approached the opening and looked down. “If I knew you’d brought me out here to kill me by pushing me down this shaft, I would have stayed home”. 

“I’m not gonna kill you, darlin’, but we are going down.” 

“You’re joking.” You said flatly. 

“Nope.” He popped the “P” sound playfully as he climbed onto the ladder against the elevator shaft. He held out his hand for you to take. “It’ll be ok.”

“It better be.” You whined. He took your hand and guided it onto a rung. He began to climb down and you followed. 

He jumped off the ladder first, causing the elevator wires to shake. It made you nervous but you persevered. You gently hopped off the ladder onto the elevator roof and followed Joel through the opening of the new floor. It was very dark save from the light coming through the glass windows. You were in the basement level because there was nothing but water on the other side of them. You walked up to the plaques in front of them and read about the animals that were no longer there. You wondered if they’d been hunted or simply died when there was no one left to take care of them. Joel stayed until you were done reading. He followed you around the corner and stopped in front of a large fort made of cardboard boxes. It had a child’s touch as it was painted over with cartoonish figures. 

“Solid fort, Max.” You said.

Joel approached the entrance. “Ladies first.” He held the flaps open. You got on your hands and knees to crawl through. 

“Oh my God, Joel!” You exclaimed in a breathy tone. “You gotta see this! Have you seen this?”

He nodded. You turned to him in disappointment. “I had to secure the place before I showed it to you. ‘Sides, it’s your surprise, not mine.”

“How did you find this place?”

“I found it a few months back when it was warmer. I was on patrol with Nick. We came in from back where the lake is.” Joel explained.

“This place is beautiful, Joel.” You said, almost in a whisper. The room that you had entered was semi-circular and it was all glass. Even below your feet was glass. You couldn’t lie, it scared you for a moment. You were taken off guard when a small school of fish swam by underneath you. “Joel! Did you see that?”

“I sure did.” He replied with a smile. Through the algae and seaweed covering the windows, light peeked through and projected a dark blue glow. As the water on the other side moved, so did it's reflection on your skin. Joel gazed at the sight before him. You looked ethereal and it damn near took his breath away. He watched as your eyes filled with wonder. It was the purest thing he’d seen since the world fell apart. He allowed himself to gaze at you a few moments longer before he slid his backpack off his shoulders. “Now, this took a mighty great effort to find.” He said to get your attention. You turned around as he reached into his backpack. He pretended to dig around to prolong the suspense.

You rolled your eyes. “Joel!”

He chuckled. “Okay, okay. Here.” He pulled out a light brown ukulele. “Happy birthday, (Y/N).” He watched as your face broke into a smile. It was a wholesome experience and it made him warm inside. 

She whispered a thank you and took the ukulele. “I can’t believe you remembered. You said that you’d teach me how to play the guitar and I said--”

“You said you didn’t want to play the guitar. You wanted to learn how to play the ukulele and I said I didn’t know if I could help you with that.”

You looked up at him and met his eyes. “But you said you’d try.”

He took a step closer and watched as you fiddled with the strings. You experimented with the sound of each one before making up a little, silly tune. It was not perfect, in fact it was far from it. Still, you enjoyed playing. You even did a little dance as you plucked the strings. You twirled around and caught a glimpse of a shadow. You knew it wasn’t Joel; it moved too fast. The high pitched sound of the ukulele faded out as you stepped up to the glass. There it was again! Was it a large fish? It was too small to be a dolphin. What could survive in this cold water? You watched and waited. Joel came up behind you and did the same. A seal swam out from its hiding place and swam up to you. It's big black eyes gazed at yours. You were probably the first person that it's come across in a very long time. You let out a breathy chuckle as you watched it swim away.

“I do okay?” Joel’s voice filled the room. It was the softest you ever heard him speak. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” You turned to him with a smile. His grin spread wide to match yours. “Thank you, Joel.”

He continued to gaze at you with loving eyes. It made your heart flutter and stomach do back flips. You weren’t sure what was going to happen next but all you knew was that the atmosphere was perfect. You wanted to kiss him, but was too scared. He took another step forward and you let him. Now, the two of you were close enough to touch. He leaned down and closed his eyes as he did. You saw what he was doing and you wanted it so bad but…

“Joel.” You said his name while pulling your head back. 

“I’m...I’m sorry.” He looked down at his feet. 

“No, don’t be sorry. It’s not you. I just...I’m scared.”

He playfully scoffed. “Don’t tell me you’ve never kissed anyone before.”

“No, it's not that.” You paused for a moment. It sounded logical in your head, but you were afraid it’d sound stupid out loud. “But what if I infect you?”

Joel looked taken aback. “What?”

“I’m a carrier of the disease. What if I'm contagious? I can spread it to you from a kiss like it was a cold.” You spoke with genuine worry.

He let out a small laugh. “You know how many times you’ve sneezed in the house without covering your mouth? If spores would have come out. I would have breathed them in and I’d be long gone by now.” 

You look down in shame before laughing yourself. “I’ll remember to cover my mouth next time.” 

Joel caressed your cheek, prompting you to look back up at him. You smiled, inviting him to try again and so he did. Joel leaned down and this time, you reached up and met him in the middle. You took his bottom lip between yours. His beard brushed against your skin but it was a welcome feeling. The two of you stopped for a split second before going in again for another kiss. Joel was the first to pull away. He knew it was the first time that the two of you had kissed and didn’t want to ruin the moment by going too far. He looked down at you and realized he was ready to go as far as you’d take him, however far that was. Kissing you was a heady sensation and it was something he’d been wanting to feel for a while now. 

******

You start to let Joel in more. Your romantic feelings for him overcame your apprehension. It still lingered in the background, but you convinced yourself to focus on the present. What happened at the hospital had already been done, right? You thought to yourself. What if Joel was telling the truth? You rarely allowed yourself to play that angle. Joel and his brother respectively left the Fireflies for a reason. Maybe they did something that rubbed him the wrong way and he didn’t want to stay there and wait for me to wake up. You couldn’t help but trust Joel after he fought to keep you alive during the journey out west. He must have had a good reason, whatever it was. 

Preparing for the Jackson winter was harsh but focusing on the present was easy and your present was with Joel. He walked you up to your door the night you two came back from the aquarium. He stood there awkwardly as if he wasn’t the one who initiated a kiss from you first. The long ride back showed you that you hadn’t infected him after all, which gave you the confidence to pull him into a goodnight kiss. You caught his eyes widening in shock as you pulled away. It was so different from the Joel that you were used to. Moments like these excited you in discovering more about him. 

It’d been a very long time since you were in a relationship and quite honestly you weren’t in many of them especially after the zombie apocalypse. You could only imagine it was the same for Joel given his guarded demeanor and the fact that he never talked about any past relationships. The morning after your birthday, he made you breakfast. He did a damn good job with what little he had in the fridge. It was easy to tell how much effort he put in it between setting the table and plating the food. The rest of the day was a whirlwind of attention. You were never good at hiding your feelings, but with Joel, you didn’t want to. People in the settlement noticed the change in your demeanor. The glow on your face. The pep in your step. Lynn definitely noticed and she wouldn’t let it go. You spilled everything to her. She soaked it up like a sponge but couldn’t believe it. “Joel?” She kept asking. Unlike you, Joel was much better at concealing his feelings. He always came off as a tough nut to crack. After a year and some change in Jackson, the townsfolk found him easier to get along with, but he was still a closed book. It made you wonder if even his own brother would be surprised by how gentle he could be. 

You didn’t see Joel again until later that night after his shift had ended. You left a note on the fridge door letting him know that you’d be down at The Watering Hole, the only bar in Jackson, if he wasn’t too tired to meet you there. You sat around waiting for him, nursing your gin and tonic. You missed cell phones for this very reason. If he was running late out on patrol or was too tired to come out, he could just call or shoot you a text. This blind waiting was almost too much to bear. You figured that you would just meet him at home and come back out later if he was up for it. Just as you got up, however, you spotted him walking through the door. You watched as he said hi to the barman before scanning the crowd. He smiled when his eyes found yours. You beckoned him over with your finger. 

“Perfect timing,” You began as he sat across from you. “I ordered you a dinner a while ago, so it should be out here any minute.”

“Thank you.” The skin around his eyes wrinkled as he smiled. You noticed that he looked tired.

“We could go home as soon as the food comes if you’re tired.” You suggested. 

He waved his hand at the idea. “No, no. I want to be here with you.” He laid that same hand down on the table, palm up, encouraging you to lay yours on top. You did so and his fingers enclosed your smaller hand, giving it a squeeze. It was his first public display of affection. On the outside, it didn’t look like much, but it meant a lot to the both of you. 

“Joel,” You paused, not knowing how to start the conversation burning in your mind. “I, um....” You were nervous and you didn’t know why. What happened to that confidence you had on your birthday. Just as you decided to begin again, the barman came over with Joel’s food and drink. 

He thanked him before turning back to you. “I know there’s somethin’ here, (Y/N). I’m not alone in thinking this am I?”

You shook your head fervently. “No, Joel. I want this, whatever this is, to be something.”

“Whatever this is, huh?” He repeated. “Well how about this,” With his hand still grasping yours, his voice turned serious. “Go steady with me.”

You raised your eyebrows. “Go steady? I don’t think the kids say that anymore.” You lightly made fun of his wording. Still it was everything you wanted to hear.

His face broke into a half smile. “Well, we ain’t kids are we?” The smile turned sly as he watched for your response. 

You shook your head. “Not at all.” You said coyly. 

[nalgenewhore]

With My Life - Chapter Two

masterlist - ao3 - last chapter - next chapter

warnings:  (all graphic) violence, gun violence, blood, smut, implied PTSD

Elide slept fitfully for a couple hours more after Lorcan left. After ten minutes of hiding from the sun by burying her face in his pillow and switching positions every thirty seconds, Elide decided to accept the fact that she wouldn’t fall back to sleep and there was nothing she could do about it. 

With a sigh, Elide got up and padded over to his closet, swapping his black dress shirt for a pair of sweats that practically drowned her and one of his old hoodies. She walked over to the dresser he kept, opened the top drawer that she had slowly begun to take over and grabbed her tortoise shell hair clamp to twist her short but thick hair and clip it back. 

Then, she walked out of his room, out the short hallway before she got to the top of the stairs, which were located beside the windows that went from the floor to the ceiling of his second floor. Elide stepped down the stairs, her hand resting elegantly on the railing. 

Elide sighed again and rubbed her eyes as she walked into his pristine, state of the art kitchen. 

She looked out the wall of floor to ceiling windows, wondering where in the city Lorcan’s clients would take him today as she filled up the kettle in the sink. 

After putting it on the stove and turning the burner on, Elide picked up the remote control and turned on the big, sleek flatscreen. A voice in the back of her mind reminded her the revisions for her thesis weren’t done yet. Elide scowled as she flipped through the channels and landed on a rerun of a baking show. 

Reasoning with herself, she decided to take the day off. Between the extra class load undergrad psych courses she’d agreed to teach and research for her graduate degree, as well as spending more and more time with Lorcan… she deserved a break. 

Taking the day off would give her time to think about them. And about dinner. 

Elide thought about their relationship as she fixed herself a cup of tea. Being with Lorcan was simple. Not at all serious, just some harmless fun, but still, quite possibly her most valued relationship nonetheless. 

There were times, so many gods-damned times when she wanted more. And thought that he felt that way, too. 

Like when their intimate activities were done for the night, when they both passed out where they dropped onto the sheets, Lorcan would search the king-sized mattress until he could pull her close against him. In all the nights she had spent with him, Elide had not once fallen asleep without his arms around her. Or when he had had a hard day, he would call her in the middle of the night - when he knew she was still up working tirelessly on her degree - just to hear her talk and ramble about whatever she’d learned that day. 

He listened to her like… he loved her, like she loved him. 

He trusted her with his life and he wanted to talk to her. What else could he have to say, right? 

Elide had a distinct feeling that everything as they knew it would change today.

+*+*+*+*+*+* 

Get in. 

Get the list. 

Get out. 

Lorcan repeated it like a mantra as he moved through the seemingly abandoned building like a shadow. He breathed calmly, keeping his nerves in check. It’s just another work day, keeping it together, he told himself, schooling himself into detached neutrality as he continued through the house. 

Methodically, he checked every room he passed, toeing the door open and stepping in, smoothly pointing his gun and checking every inch of space before moving on. 

He listened intently, his ears nearly twitching with every sound besides his own breathing and steady steps. 

The radio in his ear crackled to life, “Upstairs, second door on the right.” Connall and the team at headquarters had been tracking the computer - the one that held Erawan’s list of suppliers and dealers - for months and it would finally come to an end today. 

The house around him remained eerily quiet, but Lorcan shook it off as his own tension as he moved up the stairs, studying them briefly and avoiding places he knew would creak too loudly. 

Like the good spy, like the good little soldier he was years ago, Lorcan checked the first rooms first, then the one opposite the room the computer was in. Nobody was there. 

And just when he was thinking the gods hadn’t forsaken him again, Lorcan walked into the second room on the right and bit back his low curse. It was stupid, juvenile and foolish to think that the gods had ever cared, for the man sitting behind the very laptop countless people had died for had a bullet wound in the middle of his forehead and the wall behind him was splattered with blood and the laptop had been torn apart. 

“C?” 

“L?” 

“They got it. Laptop’s ripped open and,” he walked in further, swallowing his gag at the reek of blood, “they shot their guy. Been here… half an hour, at most.” Which meant someone was following him. 

There was a pause and Lorcan heard Connall take a breath to speak but then, “Wait. Shh.” 

Connall didn’t fight it, didn’t speak another word as Lorcan listened, narrowing his eyes and slowly putting his gun back in his shoulder holster. He could’ve sworn he’d heard something coming from… the hallway. 

Lorcan gave the room one last glance and stepped out into the hallway, just in time to see a black clad figure sprint down the hall and jump, crashing through the window and onto the streets below them. 

“What was that?” Connall asked, evidently having heard the glass smashing. 

“The list,” Lorcan bit out, already moving when Connall told him Nehemia was tracking the hard drive. “I’m in pursuit.” 

Lorcan ran to the end of the hall, stopping himself from crashing through the pane and searching the rooftops. Two buildings away, there was that same shrouded figure hopping along the buildings of Morath, glancing back at Lorcan every so often. 

“Tell Elide I’ll be late.” 

+*+*+*+*+*+*

Her plan for a day off hadn’t worked. Elide had tried to relax, as Lorcan told her to constantly. She snorted to herself as she highlighted a passage and switched to a blue pen, scrawling a note on the margin. It was rich coming from Lorcan. The man could barely sit still for a half hour show without fiddling with something, dropping into push-ups or another exercise. 

There were a couple trays of cranberry-orange muffins sitting idly by, ones Elide had made after getting a craving from the baking shows. She plucked one up, mindlessly picking at it and thinking to herself. 

Her thesis advisor and mentor, a man named Weylan Darrow, sent her an email about her next review panel and she clicked on it, reading through his notes. He was a crotchety old man, that is, to everyone except Elide. He had developed a bit of a soft spot for her over the past couple years. 

He had been a huge help - a godsend, really, during the years. Being a former foster child herself, writing on how the system affected cognitive development was a personal and delicate subject for her, but Darrow, as he preferred to be called, had always respected boundaries and pushed her to take time off when she needed it. 

Elide zoned out and absentmindedly munched on her muffin, only realizing she’d been sitting at the kitchen island, staring off into space for a couple minutes when the buzzer sounded. 

She got up and padded over to it, furrowing her brow as she tried to recall which button it was to talk. The largest was lit up and flashing green, so she took a chance and held it down as she said, “Hello?” 

“Miss Lochan?” 

“Yes?” 

“Mr. Salvaterre had a package delivered for you. Would you like me to bring it up?” 

Elide shook her head, forgetting for a second that they couldn’t see her. “Oh, no, Malakai, I’ll be down soon.” 

“Alright, Miss Lochan. See you soon.” 

Elide walked back to the counter and put ten or so muffins into a container for Malakai and his husband before she slipped on her shoes and went downstairs, wondering what on earth Lorcan had sent her. 

One of his neighbours was in the elevator with her and they chatted idly. The older woman was a sweetheart and Elide gave her a muffin from the container, graciously thanking her for the invitation to have tea later that day. 

Elide bid the woman good-bye and smiled at Malakai, handing him the container, “Fresh from the oven.” 

He smiled and put the container under the front desk, coming back up with a sleek, black and silver edged dress box, tied together with a matching silver ribbon. “For you and,” he pulled up a matching black and silver bag with silver ribbon handles, “for you. There’s a note in there, too.” 

She smiled, trying to control her blush as she fit the bag’s handles in her elbow and picked up the box, ignoring Malakai’s cheeky wink. “Oh, stop it.” 

“I didn’t say anything.” 

Elide just rolled her eyes and went back upstairs, making herself wait until she returned to the penthouse to open it. 

+*+*+*+*+*+*

“Marama, do you have eyes on Salvaterre?”  

“Yes, ma’am.” 

Lorcan hardly heard the words flying over the radio in his ear as he dodged a cheap punch, ramming his elbow up into the masked figure’s face, hearing the telltale crunch of the man’s nose and using the advantage of the man’s head snapping back to lock him in a chokehold and put pressure on his windpipe. “Where is it?” 

The man spoke an ancient, dirty language - one of the man legends say tried to rip the world in two. Lorcan snarled in his ear, gripping the top of his mask, “Tell me where it is or I swear to Hellas, I’ll throw you off this gods-damned bridge. Tell me where it is.” 

The man fought for breath and Lorcan let him struggle before loosening his hold, letting the man believe he had the advantage. “You will never find it.” 

“I need two more minutes,” Nehemia said, her voice tinged in desperation. 

During the chase across the city to the decrepit bridge they stood on now, the man had dropped the hard drive, the small black square escaping Lorcan’s attention. Nehemia had managed to track it somehow, probably from the original tracker they had planted in the computer, and was deciphering its security features. 

Lorcan ripped the mask from the man, turning him and leaning him over the railing, “Tell me where it is.” 

Erawan’s man’s pupils were dilated, leaving only a thin circle of watery blue around the depthless black. Most of the fanatic’s forces took a drug hybrid Erawan and his team had crafted themselves and flooded the streets of every major international city with, a drug called Wyrd. It made one feel invincible, making them believe they could withstand any physical act like torture and harm. 

Really, it just severed the pain receptor connection and the majority of users ended up near dead in the hospitals. 

“You cannot stop the prophecy. He will reign supreme,” the man promised, choking slightly as the blood from his broken nose slid down his throat. 

Lorcan fought the urge to roll his eyes and gripped the man’s collar, twisting the material until he could barely get a breath in, “I will break your neck, tell me where it is.” 

The man clamped his jaw shut, biting down so hard and fast that Lorcan saw a cracked tooth when the man attempted to spit on him and instead, drooled down his weak chin. “You… you…will never… know.”

“Are you in position,” that hissing viper voice snapped, not one part of the sentence in question. 

“Yes, ma’am. Three buildings southwest, clear view of Salvaterre and target.” 

Lorcan was distracted for a split second by listening to Fenrys’ location, and the man grabbed at the chance, ramming his knee up between Lorcan’s legs and pushing him off. 

That quickly, Lorcan was incapacitated by the pain in his body, hardly fighting the target as he stomped on his knee, forcing it to bend in a way no knee should. He swallowed his scream of pain, his head whipping to the side when he was punched in the face, already tasting blood in his mouth and spitting it onto the ground before fighting back. 

The man was relentless, with zero regard for his own protection as he rained blows down on Lorcan, lashing out with his feet and knees. 

Lorcan snarled and easily sidestepped the next punch, returning one of his own to the throat and one to his solar plexus. The man stumbled back, blood and saliva leaking down his face and fighting for breath. 

Panting, the man attempted to strike, a hard jab to the stomach that had Lorcan bending reflexively and giving the man just enough time to slip away and sprint towards the city.  

Lorcan groaned in pain, rasping to the earpiece, “He’s running.” 

“I got him,” Fenrys said and Lorcan started running, pushing his agony down down down. “I got him.” 

The man’s multitude of injuries started to heed his escape as Lorcan used every lesson drilled into him to keep his mind off the white hot pain in his left knee and tackled him to the ground, quickly pressing his knees into the man’s elbows and using his weight to keep him down. “Where the fuck did you put it?” 

The man pressed his lips together, pure rage and unadulterated fury in his eyes. Somehow, he slipped his arm free and slashed, slicing the knife Lorcan didn’t know he had down Lorcan’s right cheekbone. Then, the target flipped them as Lorcan felt warm blood leak down his face and pressed the tip of his knife into Lorcan’s throat. “I will never tell you. The prophecy must come true, our king will be crowned at last.” 

“What’s the hold up,” Maeve snarled, wondering why he hadn’t shot yet. 

Lorcan remained as still as possible, the cool metal edge of the blade cutting into his skin. He felt warm blood drip and pool in the hollow of his throat as Fenrys said he couldn’t get a clear shot. 

“Take the fucking shot,” Maeve ordered and the target was distracted by something. 

That quick, Lorcan shoved him off, flipping them just as he heard the distinct sound of a bullet being shot through the radio and nearly instantaneously, searing pain ripped through his left side, forcing him to take a step back. 

He bumped into something cold and metal, pausing as he slowly looked down and lifted his fingers to the hole in his black tactical shirt. They came away red and as if life was in slow motion, he looked up at the target, whose own eyes were widening. Swallowing thickly, Lorcan whispered, “Agent down.” 

Then, he stumbled back another step and hit the railing, tipping over it and falling to the river. 

The wind whipped at his body and he was so tired, he was in so much pain. 

Eventually, he hit the water below with a resounding boom, the spray nearly touching the bridge he’d fallen from. As he grasped to the tendrils of life as the current swept him under, he felt someone cup his face and opened his eyes. 

Elide floated above him, a gentle, peaceful sort of smile playing at her round lips. She didn’t say a thing and Lorcan tried, tried to tell her the words that had been locked away inside his ancient, wicked heart for an eternity, but there was too much water, down his throat, down his nose, in his eyes. 

Elide Lochan, I love you.

+*+*+*+*+*+*

It was a quarter to eight and Elide looked at herself in the mirror, appraising the vision. She could almost imagine how Lorcan would react. 

First, his eyes would catch on her face and he’d smile - he always did and he never noticed. 

Then, in afterthought, he would flick his gaze over her body and pause, his lips parting in a soft gasp as he drank in the sight of her curves. He would sear her skin with his stare as he looked at the way the black silk of the dress he’d bought her slid over her body, delicate diamond decorated straps that attached the cowl neckline to the low-cut back and left her creamy skin on almost full display.

Lorcan would walk up slowly, looking up and down her figure and then ruin the moment by doing something juvenile like grabbing her ass or saying something crass that had her laughing even though she would deny it until she was blue in the face. 

Elide reached over for her earrings, single drop diamonds that had once belonged to her mother. She cast a harsh glance over her makeup, her cheeks heating at the deep maroon lip. Lorcan had a little bit of a thing for coloured lipsticks and liked to have her leave marks over his body, smeared against his across his skin.

She heard a knock on the door and her stomach clenched in anticipation. Elide breathed out slowly as she walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs, one hand holding her swishy skirt and biting back her smile as she waltzed across the front hall and put her hand on the cool silver handle. 

With one last calming sigh, she opened the door, not at all prepared to see Rowan and Connall standing on the doorstep, wearing somber faces. “Oh, hi. Lorcan’s not here right now, he’s still at work, I think. We’re going out.” 

They looked at each other with unease and Connall stepped forward, the moon to his brother’s sun wearing a broken expression. “Ellie…” 

She curled her shaking hands into fists, determined to not let them see her breakdown over nothing. Lorcan probably had to work late, she understood. They could reschedule. 

“Ellie, Lorcan’s not… he’s not…” Connall’s voice died off and he looked in desperation at Rowan, who looked seconds from tears. 

Her voice was dry and cracked when she dared whisper a question for which she dreaded the answer,

“Where is he?”

+*+*+*+*+*+*

oh he fucking dead doe - that’s where he is 😳 anyways, i just wanted to let everyone know that i will not be posting as often as i did with previous wips - frankly, i can’t keep it up, i’ve been writing pretty much nonstop since april and im a lil tired. there are other contributing factors (ie, i have thirty chapters planned out + an extra scene and im writing it serially which i don’t usually do) but yeah, that’s what’s up! i am hoping to post twice a week on sundays and wednesdays (8pm pacific time babey) and that may drop to once but whatcha gonna do 

@mythicaitt @tinywolfofeyllwe @schmlip-scribble @the-regal-warrior @empire-of-wildfire @rhysands-highlady @ttakeitbacknoww @shyvioletcat @alifletcher2012 @tswaney17 @ourbooksuniverse @flora-and-fae @thesirenwashere @queenofxhearts @maastrash @mynewdreamwasyou @cursebreaker29 @empress-ofbloodshed @b00kworm @amren-courtofdreams @minaidss​ @superspiritfestival @lovemollywho @queen-of-glass @jlinez @sleeping-and-books @ireallyshouldsleeprn @verypaleninja

[mamashenisfav]

For Minho part two

Masterlist

part 1

You felt so useless. You couldn't help them or save them. You couldn't be what they needed, you weren't even able to be what you needed. You felt so alone and helpless, like nothing you could ever do would be enough. No against the Flare and WICKED. You didn't know how everyone else did it, you felt like you were literally going out of your freaking mind. Suddenly you were startled by the door opening. To your dismay, you had been found by Thomas.

"Oh Y/n" he sighed sitting down next to you and pulling you into his arms. "It's okay, everything's going to be okay" he coaxed. Before long, you had relaxed into his arms, the tears ceasing. After a while of sitting like that he asked

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," you replied staring at the door.

"Well, come then," he said helping you up.

"Where are we going?" you asked.

"We are going to get you cleaned up and then we will meet with the others on the best way to get Teresa here," he answered.

That's exactly what you did, and the plan was set. Thomas would go and lure Teressa away to a secure location where Newt, Gally, and a couple of men from the right hand would be waiting to bag her. You were waiting for them to arrive. You felt like you sat in that room for a lifetime before they came back.

When they settled in, you stood behind Teresa not wanting to look at her. Gally removed the mask covering her face. "Okay, so here's how this is going to go." Gally started, "I ask the questions, you give the answers" he finished. Teresa nodded sheepishly. "Okay we'll start easy, how do we get to Minho?" Gally asked.

"You guys don't seriously think that I-" she started staring at Thomas for help. Gally interrupted "Why are you looking at him? Look at me. He's not going to help you. Now answer the question."

Teresa paused for a moment before answering, "He's with the others in holding, on level three."

Newt stepped forward speaking up, "How many others?" he asked.

"28," answered Teresa.

"I can make that work" Brenda replied.

"You guys don't understand, that is maximum security, you can't even get in without a thumbprint ID" Teresa explained.

"And that is why we are taking you with us" Thomas answered.

"I don't know, we don't really need all of her, just her thumb" Gally spoke.

"It won't make a difference, you won't even make it through the front door-" Teresa started.

"Because of the scanners, we know, you are going to help us with that too" Thomas finished untying her and gesturing to the scalpel. She removed them one at a time until it was your turn.

"Y/n, I'm glad you here, I thought you were...." Teresa said.

"I don't want to hear it," you remarked hissing slightly as she pulled the tracker out of your neck.

"Y/n, I-" Teresa started, but you had already walked away

After you had gone through the plan several times and geared up, it was finally time. You were going with Thomas and Newt to rescue Minho and the rest of the immune children. Gally was in charge of finding the serum and Brenda was securing a getaway vehicle. Everyone was as ready as they were going to get, so you entered the compound.

While Thomas and Gally were handling security, you were with Newt who was coughing again. There is no denying that he was getting worse. You went to him to make sure he was okay. After a moment he stood a bit straighter and the coughing ceased. It was going time.

Teresa opened the doors to the pod where they were holding the immune kids. Thomas and you shot the guards with the stun gun. Newt located keys off one of the guards and began opening up the rooms. He assured the kids that everyone would be okay. You searched the room for Minho, but he wasn't there. This is when you came unglued.

You marched to Teresa, slamming her into the wall. "Where is he?" you demanded. When she hesitated you slammed her back against the wall, "Teresa, you really don't want to mess with me right now, because as I see it you are the only thing between me and Minho, we've come this far, so I'll ask you again, Where Is He?" you demanded. Thomas and Newt stared at you both in disbelief and in awe.

"I-I have to track him through the computer," Teresa muttered. You let go of her and allowed her to walk to the computer. After a few minutes of searching, she replied "They've moved him to the medical wing, Thomas that's on the other side of the compound."

"You'll take us there" Thomas replied helping her up. You and Newt followed slightly behind them. Your masks were back on and you were headed into the elevator. In the last possible second Janson appeared. The word tension did not even begin to explain the atmosphere. He informed Teresa that Thomas was back. He had no idea how right he was.

As you exited the elevator Teresa started again "Thomas, the serum won't cure Newt. It would barely buy him any time," You rolled your eye, 'What is her deal' you wondered.

"Don't listen to her Tommy, this is just another part of her game" Newt replied. Then Teresa urged again

"Thomas listen there is something that I don't understand about your blood. If you just left me to run some more tests, I could save him. I could cure Newt for real. Think about it Thomas, Brenda was infected. It was your blood that saved her. You can save him too," he ignored her, and gestured to the door instead,

"Open it" he commanded.

She complied, "Please Thomas, I'll protect you" she insisted.

This is when you had enough. "Oh, you'll protect him? Like you protected Minho? How many people does it take? How many people are you willing to round up? Torture? Kill? When the hell does it stop?" you all but scream.

"It stops with a cure" she answers. "There is no god damn cure" Thomas chimes in.

Before you could continue on your way you were stopped by the voice of Janson. "Don't waste your breath, Teresa, they've already made their minds up," he remarked as he and the guards loaded their guns.

You instinctively stepped in front of Newt. Thomas put his gun to Teresa's head. "Back up" he yelled. He then spoke directly to Janson, lowering his voice "Tell them to back off."

Janson chuckled, "Thomas I've known you since you were a little child, you would never shoot"

Thomas stared him in the eye. "You don't think so?" Thomas challenged. "Okay then, do it," Janson said lowering his gun.

"Shoot her" he urged.

Suddenly Teresa broke free from Thomas' grip and shoved him, you, and Newt backward. She then sealed you into the capsule. As soon as the glass door closed, Janson and the guards shot at it. You stared at Janson for a moment before Thomas pulled you away from the door. The three of you didn't get far before you were discovered.

You were hiding, trying to come up with a plan. The three of you rounded a corner when Thomas saw Ava. He pointed his gun at her. He still blamed her for all of this. He was about to shoot when you were being shot at. Before he could react you pushed him and Newt out of the way.

You started running and calling for Minho when you felt a pain in your side. You reached down instinctively and noticed blood on your hand. It couldn't have been that bad, and you definitely had bigger things to worry about. Newt, Thomas, and you were edging your way back shooting at the guards coming from all angles. "Shit. I'm almost out" Thomas said switching to his handgun. You and Newt were covering the side halls. "Thomas, get down" you yelled before throwing an electric grenade taking out the majority of guards. The three of you continued to run. You hid in a corner, thinking that you were in the clear. And then all of a sudden a guard came out of nowhere.

"Drop your weapons, get on the ground" he demanded. "I said get on the ground" he repeated. 'This is it" you thought 'after everything, this is what it comes down to.' You were about to comply when he was tackled out of the air and knocked out. You were shocked for a moment, but then that was replaced with relief. The three of you ran and embraced him. You were so happy that you barely noticed the pain.

"Is this real?" he asked.

"Yes, this is real" you answered. Your reunion was cut short and you heard gunshots coming towards you. The four of you ran and entered an abandoned room. Minho and Newt focused on barricading the door. You didn't feel well and were leaning against the wall. The guards were sawing through the bolt on the door. It wouldn't be long until they broke through.

"Anyone got any ideas?" Minho asked. With that Thomas grabbed a tank and threw it out the window. The four of you gathered to watch it drop. After all, you were kind of out of options.

"Okay," Thomas mumbled. "This is doable, we just need to get a little bit of a running head start" he finished.

The guards were almost through the door. "Are you sure about this?" Minho asked.

"Not really," Thomas answered honestly.

"Great pep talk" you chimed in.

"Yeah," Newt agreed, "We're all bloody inspired". Just then the guard made it through the lock.

"It's now or never," Minho said as he grabbed your hand. Then the four of you jumped.

You were surrounded by water. You searched for the surface, and then felt arms around you. You gasped for air as you were pulled out of the water by Minho. Before you could plan your next move you were once again being forced to your knees by guards. "You've got to be kidding me," Thomas said rolling his eyes. Just then you were surprised when one of the guards took down the other three.

It was soon revealed that this imposter was Gally. Minho was confused, but you promised to fill him in later. You were about to start running again when you stumbled. You groaned in pain causing the others to look at you. You glanced down to your side and noticed it was now soaked in blood.

"Shit," Minho cursed as he went to you and helped to support your weight.

The five of you started to head to your secret entrance, hiding from WICKED. It wasn't long until things got worse. Violent coughing was overtaking Newt, it was now more apparent than ever that you needed that serum. Thomas hoisted up his friend and rushed towards the tunnel. It was only twelve blocks. You could make it. You had to make it.

Suddenly, there was an explosion, the right hand had taken down the wall. It was an all-out war now. You had to move, you were running out of time. But it seemed that you were also running out of options. Gally decided to try the Walkie Talkie to see if Brenda or Frypan were in any position to offer you guys any assistance. As Brenda picked it up, Thomas took it from him. "Brenda...listen to me, we aren't going to make it, you have to leave, get everyone out," he said.

"No" Brenda replied, "I'm not leaving you okay, so forget it." she continued.

"Even though you should?" Thomas asked. A moment later she answered

"Thomas, I'm coming to you."

"What do you mean?" Thomas questioned. "The Berge is here, get to the top of a building near the tunnels," she replied.

"Okay guys we gotta move, we are three blocks away, we can do this," Thomas said as he boosted Newt up. Minho had looked down at you, about to help you up. You were pale and sweating, he had never seen you look so small and innocent.

"Up we go Y/n" Minho said hoisting you up. "Sorry" he whispered as you groaned in pain.

"Min," you huffed. You knew that you were getting worse. With every step, you were depending more and more on Minho to support you.

You had made it about a block before the group had to stop again. This time it was Newt, he was coughing up black blood. Just then the Berge flew overhead.

"Okay let's go," Thomas said, but then he saw Newt. Then he made the tough decision.

"You three go ahead, get the serum, and get back as soon possible," he said.

"No" you spoke up.

"What do mean no?" Thomas asked.

"I mean that I can't go with them" you answered.

"There's no way I'm leaving you here, I just got you back" Minho argued.

"We don't have time, Newt doesn't have time. I'll just slow you down. Minho, you don't have a choice. Please." you pleaded.

"I don't want to lose you again," he said.

"You won't, but you have to go now, Newt's life is on the line," you replied. He began to walk away when Newt grabbed his arm.

"Minho, thank you. Thank you for everything," Newt whispered.

"Hey, you just hang on, you hear me" Minho got back up and started to run away with Gally. He didn't want to leave you, but he knew you were right. He also knew that Newt's time was running out. You watch him and Gally runs away, knowing it could very well be the last time you would see him.

"We can't stay out in the open," you say trying to push yourself up, "Come on, we need to try to make it to the top of this building. It's our only chance."

Thomas knew you were right, Newt was running out of time. "Okay if we're doing this, we're doing it now. Come on Newt, we're getting up." Thomas said as he went to Newt's side.

"No. Tommy. Wait." Newt struggled.

"Newt, we really don't have the time right now" Thomas added. But Newt refused to move until Thomas agreed to take his necklace.

"Please, please Tommy, please" he begged.

"Okay, okay, I'll take it. Now we've gotta go, I need you to give me everything you've got." Thomas pleaded. Newt agreed.

Thomas helped him up, supporting the majority of his weight. He turned to you, "I need you to give me everything you've got as well. For Minho," Thomas said to you. You trudged forwards. Your entire body ache with each step, you were becoming light-headed, the blood loss finally getting to you. But you couldn't give up. Not now, not after everything you have been through.

Newt stumbled and wasn't getting back up. You heard Thomas pleading for him to just hold on. And that was when the announcement was made by Teresa. Telling him he could save Newt. That all he had to do was come back and it would all be over. You were currently sitting against the wall, trying to catch your breath. Then suddenly, Newt stood up and turned towards Thomas. Thomas was cautious, "Newt-" he started.

"Thomas watch out" you yelled. You tried to get up, go to Thomas and help. But it all became too much.

Thomas ducked under an attack from Newt. "Newt, listen, it's me, it's Thomas," he said trying to make him remember. Newt got up and attacked Thomas again. "I don't want to hurt you Newt" Thomas breathed. Newt was trying to choke Thomas, but then he stopped.

"I'm sorry, Tommy I'm so sorry." he cried. Newt grabbed the gun out of Thomas's side holster and held it to his head.

"Noooo" Thomas screamed knocking it out of his hand. Then Newt reached for the knife he had tucked away earlier. Thomas went to reach for it and Newt slashed his arm. Before Thomas could react Newt had the blade held to Thomas' chest.

Thomas kicked Newt off of him, he tried to tackle him, to get the knife away. at that moment you knew that Newt's or Thomas's life was on you, so you stand up with everything you had and run to their way. as your body slams against theirs's you felt so much pain from the knife that just handed at your shoulder. you feel on the ground, knowing that you just saved your friend.

Before Thomas could even truly process what happened, he knew what he had to do. Brenda ran up just as he was getting ready to leave.

"Thomas?" she called after him clearly devastated by the scene in front of her.

she runs up to Newt and infected him with the cure. Newt and you were both on the ground. one alive and one taking their last breath.

Thomas glanced over his shoulder one last time, but his mind was already made up. He was going to WICKED, he was going to end this once and for all. Brenda was going to go after him, to stop him, but was stopped when she heard you groan in pain. She instead went to your side and tore her shirt to wrap up your wound.

Nothing could've prepared Minho, Gally, and Frypan to see your lifeless body laying on the ground. Though they had lost people before, nothing had ever felt so devastating. Minho didn't know how to react, but his sense of survival took over as he went over your side.

"Y/n? Hey now, stay with me, I'm going to get you out of here," Minho said mostly to himself trying to have hope that you were going to live but really there weren't any of them since your eyes were already closed. the last thing you were thinking about was how you saved your friends' life and how much you loved Minho.

y/n could hear how Minho was yelling at her to open her eyes but no use. her pulse slowly slowed down, and at that moment Newt woke up looked around and his heart slowly broke at the sight of his dead friend, and his heartbroken best friend.

[suupernovalight]

Addictive Drug

Ushijima W. x Reader

Masterlist || Previous || Next

8) The Original Plan

In Another City

“Tadashi...” said a low voice. “How are my sales going?”

A guy with a scar across his eye came out of the shadows. “Hayashi Sir, your drugs are quite the seller”

“As expected” Hayashi smirked while getting up from sitting down. “Anything new however?”

Tadashi thought about it for a minute, he then nodded his head no. Hayashi sighed and sat back down. Just when everything was quiet, the doors to the dark room slammed open.

“Who goes there!” Tadashi yelled while pointing his gun at the man running through.

“Hayashi I want a refund!” The guy said walking up to Hayashi.

Tadashi looked at the guy in disgust while Hayashi just scoffed.

“And why is that?” Hayashi’s voice boomed.

The guy who ran through the doors slammed his hands on Hayashi’s desk. “I got robbed.”

“By who exactly?” Tadashi cut in pointing the gun away from the guy.

The guy sighed and backed away from the desk. “A lady. She had [hair color] hair and [eye color] eyes. She looked fierce.”

Both Tadashi and Hayashi’s eyes slightly widened. It reminded them of someone from the past.

The guy continued. He got out a piece of crumpled paper. When he opened it up to showed a piece of paper with a face. A face that Hayashi and Tadashi recognized.

“She dropped this when she left” the guy said handing Hayashi the paper.

Hayashi took a closer look. His eyes widened with delight. Tadashi seemed to notice this so he looked at the photo as well.

“Tadashi... looks like we’ve found her” Hayashi smirked.

Tadashi went from a serious face to a blushy one. “Ahh y/nnn we must meet again so you can be mine” he then death glared at Hayashi. “Only mine...”

The guy who had the photo awkwardly backed away and asked for a request. “So where is my refund?”

Hayashi glared at the guy and pointed at the door of the whole room. “Leave. We are closed for talking now.”

When the guy refused, Tadashi aimed his gun and shot. Barely missing his head. The guy sure did get the message because he was gone in a instant.

When the guy left, Hayashi looked at the paper. “Y/n... I was wrong for abandoning you”

The Agency

Currently, you and the boys were checking in at the bosses office. After having a break of work, you guys were ready for action again.

“Alright crew...” the boss started. “Before we do anything, I need to search for that tracker that y/n put on the truck” he said getting out his computer.

You and the boys nodded and waited for what the boss had to say. After a few, the boss found where the tracker went.

“Oh? It seems like the device is in another city...” the boss said showing you and the boys. “A city about 4 hours away”

Your eyes widened. “Not another drive” you sighed in defeat. Ushijima slightly nudged you and gave you a glare.

“To bad ma’am” the boss said printing out the location of the tracker. “You three have until 5:00 to get there. Anything beyond will be a miss because the trucks go around the nearby city’s at night.” The boss then gave you and the boys the location.

You nodded and grabbed your keys, you then walked out of the bosses office with Tendō, and Ushijima following after you.

“I’ll be on my bike” you said flipping the keys in your hand.

Ushijima sighed. “Fine but you stay close to me and Tendō’s car.”

You looked at Ushijima and gave him a wink. “Don’t worry Sir, I’ll stay close” you then turned back around and walked towards the elevator to get to the garage.

On The Road

While driving, you took very close notice on how Ushijima would always have his eyes on you. It was creepy to say the least. He would also always talk to you over the ear piece you wore.

“Do I really have to spend 4 hours of this shit?” You asked him over your ear piece.

“Ye-” But then Ushijima was cut off by Tendo practically yelling into the mic. 

“No! sorry Y/n, he’s just worried about you” He said cutting off the ear piece in general.

You felt your cheeks heat up a bit. They felt warmer than usual. “Worried about me huh?” You mumbled to yourself driving a little faster than usual.

As time passed, you and the boys kept driving straight to the destination with very little stops. Some would be you filling up your gas tank, others would be bathroom breaks. You used the bathroom as an excuse to get yourself some food too.

As you drove, you would constantly look at your phone to track the tracker. This was to check if it moved over the last minutes. So far so good with little movement. Even if the tracker did move, it wouldn’t move far from where it’s original spot was.

After driving for what seemed like forever, you and the boys finally pulled up to the city the tracker was located. Many of the buildings around you looked dirty and unkept. Not only that, the people in the city looked very... depressed.

“Hey guys... lets go get food” You said over your ear piece.

After waiting for a response, Tendo gave you one.

“Are you sure you want to eat at this dump?”

You scoffed. “yes now imma get some food, you guys can follow me if you want” You said turning off your ear piece and going to a nearby fast food stop.

When you got there, you quickly ordered your food inside and went back to your bike. When you walked back to your bike, you saw Ushijima standing right in front of it with his arms crossed.

“what do you think you’re doing?” he asked when you got close enough.

You took a bite out of your food then spoke after swallowing it. (Such great manners reader)

“I should be asking you the same thing” you mumbled. “I’m hungry man”

Ushijima sighed and grabbed some of your food, he then took a bite and walked away. “Lets get back to work asap.”

You looked at where he took a piece of your food, you then glared at him and turned away to continue eating. While eating, you saw a pair of eyes looking at you from behind a bush. You squinted your eyes a bit and saw a head of a child.

Though the child wasn’t looking at you... they were looking at your food. When you walked towards the child, they would just back away very quickly. You saw how the child looked very dirty and beat up. Not to mention they were skinny. Quickly, you ripped a piece of your food and tried handing it to the child.

From afar, Ushijima was watching. When he saw what you were doing, he started to walk towards you with a stern look. If it wasn’t for Tendo, Ushijima would have stopped you from giving food to the child.

“Here...” You whispered while handing the kid your food. “Please take this, don’t die out here” 

The child looked from your eyes to the piece you were offering. They quickly grabbed the food and ran away. Not before waving you goodbye with a lit up smile.

“Why would you do that?” Ushijima said grabbing your wrist.

You jerked your wrist away and crossed your arms. “Because... I've been there” You said walking away.

Ushijima was left there standing. His eyes slightly wide at how your tone changed into a more sad one. You stopped walking and turned around to face Ushijima.

“Come on, we have to get back to business asap right?” You said smiling and walking towards your bike.

Ushijima gulped and walked towards his car to find Tendo smirking a bit.

“I see you two are slowly getting along” Tendo said wiggling his eyebrows.

Ushijima buckled himself up and started the car. “You could say that I guess”

At The Location

Your arrival was here. Wherever the tracker was lead you to a torn down building with many of the same trucks. Weirdly enough, the location wasn’t even near the city buildings. It was more located on a nearby mountain, away from the people’s eyes.

You decided to park in a safe spot, just in case someone would see you. Ushijima did the same, parking right next to you. When you guys got off of your vehicles, the mission started.

“Alright, so how are we going to do this?” You asked both Tendo and Ushijima.

Tendo looked at his phone. “The boss want’s us to take pictures of the whole building for evidence. He also want’s us to arrest the people making the drugs.” Tendo then pointed at the hidden building. “Who knows... maybe the guy behind it all will be here”

You nodded and got out your gun. Ushijima and Tendo did the same. While getting your stuff ready, you heard slight footsteps nearby. You quickly pushed Tendo and Ushijima out of the open and behind a wall. You also fell down with them too. 

“Y/n...” Ushijima grunted. “Get off of me”

You blushed and quickly got up, apologizing to your work partner. You then looked out behind the wall. You saw two people talking to each other. You looked back at Ushijima and told him to wait.

“Y/n don’t go out there, what if its-” Ushijima was stopped by your covering his mouth.

You gave him a reassuring smile then ran out from behind the wall. As you ran, the people talking slowly turned to look your way. Just in time, you knocked one of the workers out. You also did the same to the other. When both were knocked out, you looked around.

“Boys! There’s an entrance” You said pointing at a door not to far away.

“That’s great Y/n but what about our vehicles. What if they get stolen?” Tendo asked.

You thought about it for a second, then your mind clicked. “Tendo, you stay with them and alert us if any new workings come into the buidling.” You said pointing at your ear piece. You then looked at Ushijima. “You are coming with me”

Ushijima nodded and followed after you. Tendo obviously stood back to watch the stuff. When you and Ushijima walked through the doors, inside was empty. It was oddly dead.

“Ushijima... lets go down this hall” You whispered pointing at the hall.

Ushijima nodded and secretly ran down it along with you. As you guys quietly ran down the hall, you passed by many doors. There was one door that you were quite suspicious of.

“Let’s check in here...” You then looked at Ushijima. “It gives me the creeps”

“y/n are you sure that’s a good idea?” Ushijima asked.

“Well we have to find the man behind it all right?” You then slightly opened the door. “Why don’t we check here”

When you guys walked in, you saw many cages with animals. Some were dead, others alive. You also saw some... disturbing stuff. Your eyes widened at the sight. You felt yourself slowly getting sick. If it wasn’t for Ushijima averting your eyes to him.

“There are papers on that desk over there, lets go check those” Ushijima said grabbing your hand and leading you to the desk.

He wasn’t wrong. There were a lot of scattered papers. With the papers sat weird bottles of liquid. While checking the papers, you read what each of them had to say.

“Drug Dealers On The Loose” Said one paper title.

“Man Escapes Jail And Is On The Lookout” Another said.

As Ushijima checked the papers, he saw one particular one. It was crumpled up and was slightly ripped. The title however wasn’t. 

“Woman Gets Sent To Prison After Being Suspected Of A Murder”

Under the title had a picture of the woman. Her hair was short and her face pretty beat up. It kind of looked like a girl Ushijima knows. A girl who he’s with right now. Ushijima took a glance at you then back at the paper. Your [Hair color] Hair was the same to the woman's. Another similarity was that you and the woman in the picture had the same facial structure.

“Y/n...” Ushijima whispered. “Why do you look like this woman?”

You looked at what Ushijima was referencing to. Your eyes widened when you saw what she was showing. You quickly grabbed the paper out of his hands and crumpled it up. 

“Its nothing. We are going off task” You tried changing the subject but Ushijima wasn’t having it.

“Y/n stop lying and tell me” Ushijima said glaring. 

“You don’t need to know about me.” You spat. “Don’t you already know about my past mistakes?”

Ushijima titled his head and was about to say something when the door of the room creaked. It was followed by a sigh of a man. You looked at Ushijima with fear in your eyes.

“Why are my papers scattered more?” The man said walking towards the desk. The footsteps were getting louder.

You and Ushijima slowly crawled to the other side of the desk, hoping for the man to disappear. Sadly he didn’t, he knew someone was here before him.

“Come out wherever you are” The man sung while slamming his hands on the desk.

You slightly jumped at the loud sound. Ushijima sighed and slowly got out his gun. You tried telling him not to but it was to late, Ushijima had already stood up to shoot at the guy.

Bang Bang

The guy dodged the bullets and ran out of the room while yelling “Intruders”. You wanted to scold Ushijima but there was no time. You grabbed his hand and ran out of the room, following the guy who alarmed his workers.

While running down the long hall, you and Ushijima came across many workers who tried stopping you guys. The only thing you could resort to was violence. 

“Damn it” You cursed under your breath. “We have to capture that guy.”

“Right” Ushijima said following after you.

After running and dodging bullets from other people, you guys arrived to a big room filled with boxes and random pillars. There, you saw the guy talking to his other workers.

“There they are!” The guy shouted. “Kill them!” 

This is where the real battle starts.

Taglist:

@toaster-stick @ashydoesdumbstuff

[royalheroine]

Helen regretted arriving to new york city much earlier than her family. She arrived to see a stream of aliens coming through a big portal in the sky. She had to act fast. She should’ve run. Should’ve stayed in a cafe or something, but she did something highly impulsive. She fought.

She quickly found a broken pipe in the alleyway and started hitting at the aliens. The aliens started shooting bolts of light at her and she adapted by finding a broken off car door. She was surprised that it blocked most of the shots. She found herself protecting the stay victims and escorting people to nearby bulidings or outreach refugee camps.

Blood sprayed on her face while she stabbed a alien in the head with the sharp pipe. She didn’t notice the wound on her left side, and didn’t complain about the scratches and bruises on her legs. She just wanted it to end. She hoped her family is not here, even if they didn’t care about her. She then decided to head to the stark tower, maybe the aliens held hostages in there.

----

She found herself going up to the top floor after realizing that no one is being held hostage on the lobby floor.

---

The elevator door opened and she saw a man with raven black hair. Wearing a royal overcoat adorend with gold trimmings and fabric. He held a glowing scepter.

‘Shit did i just find the villian?!’ she thought to herself.

“And who might you be.” He smirked.

She carefully stepped out of the elevator. Trying to identify or at least avoid his attacks. Surviving multiple aliens seemed hard, but this encounter would be even harder.

“I-I thought people would be taken hostage in this tower- I think I thought wrong. Wait-” she looked at the crescent shaped charm on his chest.

“A-are you a god?” She asked. The symbol looked very similar to the symbol in her norse mythology storybook. The storybook that she read over and over again.

“Oh, so you know your place. You realize who I really am, your god.” He spoke to her.

“Y-are you- Loki?” She abandoned all feelings of fear and terror. Those feelings were replaced with feelings of childlike curiosity.

“Yes, how does a mere mortal know about my name?” He was curious too. He thought that mortals only knew about their own realm.

“Uh- apparently people from the past worshipped you, and Thor and Odin and others, they’re called Norse. And I guess they wrote stories about you! Stories that I read a lot. And, yeah, I know this is a really weird thing to say to someone who is invading your planet but- I- you’re my favorite god.” She looked away.

‘Thats my last words. I literally called my killer my favorite and I’m going to die. Great.’ She thought to herself.

Loki put down his scepter. He wanted to entertain this small, puny mortal. A mortal that didn’t seem to fear him.

“Come child.” He guided her to the bar.

—

“So, what do they say about me?” He asked her.

“Well… They said that you can shapeshift and that you had a baby with a horse.” She giggled. The god wrinkled the bridge of his nose.

“God, the way you mortals create stories are weird and highly inaccurate. I only raised a baby horse, not gave birth to it.” He clarified, leaning the scepter against the bar.

“I mean, you were not portrayed as wholly evil or wholly good, since mischeif is neutral in morality. Which means you’re not a villain. Right? She asked

“That’s where you’re wrong. My brother is a hero and I am the villain. A villain who is not even asguaridan.” He told her.

“Y-you’re also compared to your brother?” She asked shyly

“Yes, all the time.” He huffed

“Well, you’re in the same boat, my brother, Finn. He’s older, cuter, a golden child and good at everything. Meanwhile, you have me… Messy, uncoordinated and decided to fight instead of run away like anyone else.” She said.

“Fighting is a more noble pursuit than running.” he told her, but he noticed that she was bleeding on her side.

“Oh dear, that’s not a nice sight.” He carefully laid her down on the couch.

“W-what?” She was getting faint, she didn’t notice that she was bleeding out. Loki summoned a rag and started using his healing magic. But he had limited knowledge.

“Stay with me dear, once you wake up, we will rule together, besides, two monsters should shine in the sunlight.” He assured the sleeping child.

---

The girl woke up to see a group of heroes circling Loki. She stood up but her wound thobbed.

“Ah!” She dobled over. Clutching her side. A man dressed in blue and red came over to her.

“Did he hold you hostage?” He asked.

“No- I- he healed me.” She said grogilly. She didn’t realize that it was all over.

“Dear, you should’nt move as much.” Loki called to her. The blue hero looked confused.

“Ah- where is he going?” She asked.

“Back to asgard.” The blonde hero said.

“Are you Thor then?” She asked. Staggering once she stood up.

“Yes” He smiled lightly, probably trying to calm down the shaking child.

“Your age?” The blue hero said.

“11.” She meekly said.

“You hurt a child!” Thor shouted at Loki.

“No! He actually took care of me! We- had a conversation!” She shouted in protest.

“He hypnotized you.” The blue hero tried to get the situation straight.

“I WOULD NEVER! NOT A CHILD!” Loki shouted. Thor only put a mechanical gag on loki.

“I-i”

“Lets get you down, alright?” The blue hero gave a comforting smile.

She found herself stuffed in a small elevator with a bunch of heroes and a villain. She was slightly shaking from the excess adrenaline and the pain from the wound. Loki kept glancing at her, worried that she might faint from the blood.

“Sooo…. What is your name kid?” The man in the iron suit asked.

“Helen. Helen Conrad.” She told him.

“Well, lets lighten up! Lets all introduce ourselves. I’ll start off. My name is Tony stark! Real names only!”

“I am Steve Rodgers.” The blue hero smiled.

“Natasha Romanov.”

“Clint Barton.”

“Thor Odinson”

She smiled brightly. “Thank you for introducing yourselves!”

----

She found herself in the lobby, witnessing the fight over a glowing blue cube.

‘Why are they so obsessed with that cube?’ she asked herself.

--

“Your parents haven’t shown up.” Thor pointed out as they sat ontop of the car.

“Not surprised, probably busy with my brother.” She leaned back. Probably thinking that she’d just settle back into her normal life.

“What if you came with me. To Asgard.” He asked her.

She turned to him. “Y-you’d really bring me?” She asked.

“If your parents are as neglectful as they are, then I should probably just bring you to a better place. Your skills will be better cultivated on Asgard than with your parents.” He said.

“Also, you’ve made a profound impact on my brother, Loki. So would you be kind to come on behalf of him? He doesn’t show it but he’d like you to come too.” he asked.

“D-definately! Definitely!” She shouted. Jumping up and down.

“I-i- d-definately- w-wait. Give me a s-second.” She was getting too excited that her stuttering became apparent. She took a deep breath.

She gave a curt, “Yes. yes I would like to go.” She smiled. Thor grinned.

“You would definately love the palace.”

---

Loki and Thor held on to the container with the tesseract and Helen stood behind the container.

“Are you sure we should let a child go to a different realm with two gods, and one of them tried to invade our planet.” Steve asked Tony.

“I’m sure Thor would keep her safe, besides, we might have to hold her in the tower when she comes back.” Tony repled.

“Why?” Steve asked.

“I’m pretty skeptical about the fact that a child was able to battle her way into my tower and talk down the god of lies without getting killed in the process.” He remarked.

---

Helen was beamed in the entrance of the rainbow bridge. She walked with the two gods. One in chains and one with the hammer. She looked at the view of Asgard. It looked grander than she’d imagine. The golden towers were glistening in the sunlight. The rainbow bridge was translucent but had rainbow like branches pulsing through the bridge. She seemed scared to cross the bridge at first. Having a slight fear of heights. But Thor grabbed on to her hand and gave her comforting look.

Loki looked on, wishing he could do the same. But glad that his brother did it in his place.

---

Helen was being addressed by the king of Asgard. Odin.

“You have the heart of a heroine and the capacity to empathize with even the toughest of villains. Tell me, child. What is your name?” He asked her.

“He-he-Helen.” She stuttered. Cursing herself for stuttering in front of the king.

“Conrad.”

“Conraddotar?” Odin clarified

“You can call me that.” she said.

“Enjoy yourself at the palace, you are now considered royalty for extending your kindness to my son, Loki.” Odin said.

---

Helen wore a simple green gown. She was happily skipping around and exploring the palace.

“Helen, dear, can you come to me?” A voice sounded in the hallway.

She turned to see Queen Frigga.

“Let’s fix yout hair, shall we?”

--

Helen was sitting on Frigga’s bed while Frigga was braiding her hair.

“Thank you for everything that you’ve done. Tell me, Helen, what is your family like?” She asked.

“Well, I have a brother, and two parents. But my parents lives revolve around my brother. But- Im ok with that. I do things by myself and I got used to it.” She said.

“Ah- im sorry my dear. But here, there are servants and maids that can help you. So relax. I know how traumatic the invasion was, so I hope you realze that you are safe.

----

Helen was sitting on the steps, looking at Loki in his cell. She noticed that he has a lot of furniture in his cell. He was reading a book, and she was scribbling something in her notebook.

“Mind telling me what you’re writing down, dear?” He asked, thumbing through the pages.

“Uh-I-I’m actually d-drawing.” She said. Trying not to stutter.

“What are you drawing?” He asked.

“You.” She meekly said. Loki put the book on the table and walked towards Helen, he sat down in front of her.

“Mind showing me?” He smiled lightly.

She tore the page out and she showed it to him. It was loki and helen, under a flower tree. He was reading a spell out of the spell book.

“That looks adorable. When I escape, will you hand it to me?” He smiled.

“Of course.”

—-

“Do you like the accommodations in the palace?” Loki asked, hoping that they are taking care of her.

“Yes, but I wish I can enjoy them with you.” She answered. Twiddling her thumbs.

“So I decided to sit at your cell and talk to you!” She grinned. Loki’s heart melted. He’d never knew that he’d meet someone who was so naive and childlike. Enough to paint him as a positive figure. But he didn’t care. He just felt a sense of kindness towards her. He feels fond of her. He never realized that he was fawning over a mortal. Who’s life can flash before his eyes.

“That is great child.” He said.

“Wish I had my chello here, could’ve played you a tune.” She said. Loki used some of his magic to steal away a chello from the music room and teleported it here.

“Then play me a tune then.” He smiled

—

Loki was spellbound by the tune, she played a song that a mortal composed. But he didn’t know that the mortal is a master at music composition. Apparently the song was Blue Danube, by Johan Strauss. He swayed to the melody. By the time Helen was done he asked her a dozen questions.

--

“How long have you played?”

“5 years. Started at a young age, when my parents believed in my talents.” she told me.

“They should’ve known how bright you’ve shined.”

“Don’t blame them. They stop trying after finding out about my stutter.” She said.

“Your parent’s arent even parents.” I told her.

“I realized that when I hit 9.” she replied.

“Then maybe you should have a different father. Someone who adores you, who encourages you to be as different and unique as possible, who doesn’t compare you to anyone, who empathizes with you. Someone- someone like me.” He slowed his rant. Realizing something.

“D-do you want me to be your father?” He asked. Taking a big risk, being vulnerable .

“I-i-i’d lo-love yo-you to!” She was a stuttering mess, her brain was trying to process the proposal.

“Dear, slow down, take a big breath.” He grinned

“I would like for you to be my dad.” she slowly said. Tears coming out of her eyes.

“I would whipe those tears from your eyes but I’m stuck in this wretched cell.” He chuckled.

“I want to hug you.” She sniffled.

“You’ll get the chance.”

---

Everything was broken, damaged. But Helen rushed towards Loki’s cell. She just got word of Frigga’s death. And she didn’t want to lose her new father. She saw Loki in his cell, seeming to be fine. But she just broke out in sobs.

Her breathing was ragged. Tears flow through her eyes, and she was sniffling. She collapsed to the ground. Choking and crying. Crying for him, Loki. Feeling too much of his pain. Loki put down his defenses.

He had a green shirt but his hair was matted, her crawled to the crying child and wanted to reach out to her, but the barrier kept him from touching her.

“H-hey. Don’t cry-”

“You’re depressed so I’m depressed! I don’t want this to happen, for you to be sad! I-its my fault! I’m sorry. I-I. i’m- s-s-sorry. Mr. Loki! I-i have no-no right to be you-your daughter!” She was stuttering, trying to calm herself down. But the stale air and the buzzing barrier, it was hard to.

“No, don’t say that, you’re my daughter through and through. None of this was your fault. None of it. Please, stop crying for me.” He guided her to a deep breath.

“S-sorry.” she apologized for her shrill crying

“Don’t be sorry.” He smiled.

---

Helen gave Loki a big hug when Thor freed him from the cell. Loki returned the hug while threading his fingers through her braided hair.

“Darling, I have to help Thor. But I will come back.” he told her.

“A-are you sure?” She asked.

“One way or another. Yes.”

--

When Helen found out about Loki’s demise, she locked herself in the room and cried. She sobbed, blaming herself for letting him go alone. Hating herself. A knock sounded at the door. The door opened and she saw Odin.

“S-sorry if my cries are too loud.” she whipped her tears.

“It’s alright my child.” Odin sat at her beside.

“I-Lost my dad.” She stuttered.

“He said he’d come back-”

“One way or another.” Odin’s illusion was dispelled by Loki. He smiled kindly at her.

“I am sorry for causing you unnecessary pain. But I had to keep up the illusion for my safety.” He whipped her tears with his thumb. And enveloped her in a crushing hug.

“But now we can rule together. My little princess.” He smiled.

[treatian]

The Chronicles of the Dark One: Breaking the Curse

Chapter 59: How to Break a Curse

He watched.

He had to watch. Because if they got their hands on the potion, then they'd take it right to Henry, and while the potion would work on the boy, it wasn't meant for him. He had to intercept that potion before they could use it. One way or another, he would. With Emma leading the charge, alone, he figured she would have come back to him once she realized that the egg was locked. Who else would have the key except he who crafted it? From there it would have been easy to fend the girl off, take the potion, and run, figuratively speaking. But with Regina in the mix…that changed everything.

Fortunately for him, he had time to think. Why they did it, he couldn't bring himself to even try and fathom, but instead of heading straight to the library, they turned and walked in the opposite direction. A moment later, he saw Emma's bug drive by. Where they were going when the library was right across the street, he hadn't a clue. But he tried to keep himself calm. If they'd thought of another plan, then it would fail. One way or another, they'd come back to the library. They'd have no choice but to try and vanquish the dragon.

So he watched and waited and plotted and planned.

And finally, about an hour before sunrise, he saw Emma Swan walk to the library and stand at the front entrance. She had the sword with her. He saw her gaze over into the shop just once as she waited, but he'd been expecting that and already had himself well hidden among the shadows and shelves, so he'd be difficult to make out at that distance. Once Regina showed up, she unlocked the building, and the two of them entered alone.

Showtime.

He took his cane, made sure a length of rope was hidden in his sleeve, and a roll of duct tape wasn't noticeable on his wrist, then put his gun in his jacket pocket. He made sure that things were ready when he returned because he was certain that when he did, he wouldn't have much time. Once he was positive preparations were made, he left the shop and walked across the street. The boarded-up and papered windows on the library meant that he didn't have to worry about being seen, and the darkness outside meant that he didn't have to worry too much about his shadow being cast either.

He stayed at the main doors to the lobby and listened. Inside it was quiet, no crank of machinery, no footsteps on the floor, no voices. His entire plan hinged on Regina sending Emma down alone while she waited upstairs. If he got anything wrong, if he opened that door and there was no one there, or it was Emma instead of Regina, his plan might not work, and he'd need to think of something else as he went along. He hoped he was right.

After a few minutes of waiting and listening to quiet, he held his breath and opened the door.

"What are you doing here?"

He managed to hold in his sigh of relief as he found Regina standing by the side of the open elevator shaft, waiting for the signal to lift it from Emma below. It was perfect, just perfect only…how much time did he have. He figured Emma would go down the elevator; that was a minute or two. She'd need a minute to find the dragon, then another to be shocked that it was real. She'd probably use another few minutes fighting her instinct to hide from it before she gave in and fought back; that could be anywhere from two to seven minutes. Then she'd need another two minutes to come back up…well…one minute and forty seconds if his plan worked. He had maybe ten minutes, and he'd already spent at least three outside. Seven minutes left at best. He had to get on with it.

"Just checking on progress and seeing that Miss. Swan does her job, of course."

Regina huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched him saunter through the abandoned library, appearing as though he'd merely found a chair to rest upon himself. That was what he wanted it to look like, at least.

"About that…you and I are going to have to have a nice talk when all this is over about what exactly her 'job' is and why you brought her here in the first place. Why create a Curse you intended to be broken, Rumple?"

"Those are all excellent questions. And I'm sure it'll be a lovely little chat, but first…why don't you take a seat, Your Majesty," he offered, tapping the back of the chair for her. When she rolled her eyes at him, an obvious refusal, he reached into his pocket for his gun. He made sure it made an audible and identifiable "click."

Regina went still with something like fear and shock, and then she straightened her back, realizing what was happening. "You've got to be joking."

"Not at all," he whispered. "Take…a seat!" he ordered, growled at her, through clenched teeth keeping the gun carefully aimed at her. Still, she made no move to sit, but rather looked around as if for something to defend herself with. He let out a low chuckle. "We both know you've got nothing to use against me. You've used up the last of your magic here, remember, " he pointed out before motioning to the gun in his hand. "Fortunately, for me, this will still do plenty of damage."

She let out a heavy sigh, then looked up at him and sneered before moving toward him and falling into the seat. She automatically put her hands behind the back of the chair, expecting the rope he pulled free.

"Gold, I swear-"

"Convenient to find you up here," he interrupted as he tied. "I'm not surprised you didn't show her where the emergency controls were; just let her go down there by herself to face the beast. What exactly was the plan, Your Majesty? Trap her in an elevator shaft? Get her to pass you the potion so she can pull herself up? Leave with the potion yourself. Be a hero?"

"Funny, you know it so well it's almost like it's your plan."

"Perhaps it is," he shrugged, finishing his work and stepping away from her. It was close enough anyway, up until the last bit.

"What do you want with that potion? What will it really do?"

"Exactly what I said it would, break any curse."

"But not Henry's!"

He smiled. He hadn't lied to Booth. True Love's Kiss could break any curse. Even in this cursed state everyone found themselves in. Magic was in this world. It was what was keeping the Curse in place. Something small meant the magic wouldn't be absorbed by the Curse, which was probably how Regina had gotten by and how he'd been able to use a few simple spells and potions over the years. But with something big, the Curse would leech onto whatever magic was there, absorb it for itself and use it to keep itself running. True Love's Kiss, on the other hand, that powerful pulse of magic he'd first felt when Prince Charming had kissed Snow White, he had no doubt that was powerful enough to overwhelm the Curse, to give it too much magic to absorb. It would temporarily and break the Sleeping Curse that held Henry hostage. It might even…

A powerful infusion of Light Magic from True Love's Kiss that could not be easily absorbed by the Dark Curse…it might even be powerful enough to overwhelm it all together. And break it.

So that was how it would be done. It all came down to True Love's Kiss. He'd never been given a vision of how the Curse would break, only had the knowledge that the Savior would break it. And now, as everything seemed to line up so perfectly, it was so brilliantly clear that this was it, this was how it would be done. True Love's Kiss…

But it had to be True Love. If it wasn't, then there was no luck. Fortunately, considering how Emma had reacted to Henry being cursed, the limits she was willing to pass in order to get him back…it was True Love. Love between a parent and a child. And Regina hadn't been able to break it. What did that say about their relationship?

"You've had the power to do that all along, dearie."

"How?" she snarled.

He only smiled and shook his head at her ignorance. Only a minute or two left. He had other things to do.

"Tell me how?!"

"If I have to tell you, it'll never work," he answered before tearing a piece of tape off of the roll he'd brought with him and moving toward her to place it over her mouth.

"No!" Regina cried before moving her head out of the way foolishly as if a few quick movements could stop it. "No! I have something you want!" she screamed suddenly. "I have something precious of yours. You don't even know…I'll give it to you! If you just help-"

He didn't listen to her. The moment she turned back to him, he lunged and fit the tape over her mouth. "You've tried that once before, Your Majesty," he reminded her. "Didn't work then. It won't work now." The only thing precious to him now was Baelfire. It was she who didn't know that no matter what she thought she had, it was nothing compared to his own son. Especially not when he knew that there was something that would get him back, and it was on its way up…now.

Suddenly a light on the elevator flashed on, and he felt his stomach jump. It was light to let the operator know that it was safe to raise the lift. So he did. He threw the switch as Regina had meant to and recalled it. But when the lift was perhaps a floor or two below, he shut it off abruptly. Regina whined. He turned to glance at her, to throw her a warning, but she didn't see. She was too busy trying to get her hands loose.

"Regina!" Emma called up the lift. "What the hell was that? Regina!"

Regina whined again, but clearly, the girl couldn't hear her. This was the part where her suspicion of her was going to come in very handy.

"Miss Swan?" he called, innocently poking his head into the open shaft and looking down at her. "You got it?"

"Mr. Gold," the Savior cried, looking up at him. Thank the gods…clutched against her chest was a golden egg that he hadn't seen in a very long time. She'd done it. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to check on you. I'm glad I did. Regina abandoned you and sabotaged the elevator," he lied as Regina made strangled muffled sounds against her bonds.

"What?" she cried before looking around the caged lift. "I'm coming up!"

He watched as she delicately balanced the egg on the top of the ragged lift in a way that would have made him nervous, even if his main goal wasn't to have her toss it up to him so he could take it and run.

"Now, there's…there's no time for this. You can't possibly scale the wall and carry that."

"Yeah? Well, I can try," she called, climbing up onto the top.

"No, you can't," he insisted, even though she was doing just fine thus far. "Just toss it up," he urged as she looked up at him sadly. He straightened his back, trying hard to look as tall as possible so that she felt as small as possible and found no other choice but to do as he said. He smiled down at her reassuringly and placed a hand over his chest. "Your boy's going to be fine. I promise. We're running out of time. Toss it up."

He wasn't lying. And least that's what he told himself. Henry was Cursed, this magic would help him, but there was another kind of magic that would help him, magic that she possessed. She'd figure that out. He knew it.

Finally, Emma nodded and swallowed hard. "You hold on to it. I'll be right up," she said.

Then she tossed the egg up to him. He caught it easily in one hand. He looked it over, recognizing his own work. If he'd had the key with him, he would have checked for the potion, but seeing as how the key was safely in his office and the egg was undamaged, he didn't feel the need to. Nor did he feel the urge to free Regina as he turned and left quickly, listening to Emma calling his name all the way out.

[erismerald]

𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓪𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷 ( sam drake x reader)

Hey, let's get started on the requests you sent me, this first one its for @missdictatorme , i hope u like it  

 let you know that English is not my first language so if I have any grammatical errors I'd appreciate it if you let me know.

I love you guys and the orders are still open in case you want to send me any special orders!

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𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼: age diference, romance tesion 

"No, no, I won't do that," I said severely looking at the nate.

- "yeah me nither, I won't pretend I'm the boyfriend of a kid" sam the nate's older brother comes into the conversation to defend his position, I look at him angrily, he always complained about my age, and that he shouldn't even be there.

- "THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET THAT DOCUMENT, DAMN IT!" Nathan answered aggressively... I could see on his face that he was already too angry with the situation. We have been looking for an artifact in Greece for about six months, but we have never been able to find any blinks of its exact location, and all we need is the document we found, very good, no?

Well this document goes to auction in 2 days and we need to get in and steal it, but it seems the only way that can happen is if sam and I pretend to be a couple. It's not that I think it's such a bad idea, sam is a very attractive man, considering his age, but he always made it clear that he doesn't like me very much. At the moment I'm 23 years old, and recently finished an archaeology course in London and that's where I met the drake brothers.

They were friends of my history teacher at the time, and they tried to contact him to get more information and help about this artifact, and my teacher had told them that I was very good with ancient history and wouldn't mind helping them.

Well, 6 months have passed and here I am in front of two people who were unknown to me but have now become my best friends.

"Why don't you call Elena to help us?" Sam asked the nate with a glimmer of hope, which was soon devastated by his brother's answer.

"she's doing a report in France, I'm not gonna ask her to abandon everything to come here, so this is our only option"

"Okay" I said in a voice half shaky half confident, and then I got the attention of both of them."I agree to do this, on one condition."

"Which condition?" asked Sam with a disapproving look at me.

"after all this, you two take me to dinner," I said in a joking tone, and then we all fell for a laugh. it was nice to laugh a little after all the stress we've been having these past few weeks.

"okay I'll take it too, but the same on account of the document" sam looked at me with an angry face.

"So it's decided, you have two days to practice, in the meantime me and Sully are going to crete to try to get more information about the artifact"

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A few hours passed and just before 8pm we arrived at the hotel, where Sully had made the reservation, I was completely dirty and my clothes needed to be changed urgently, and by the smell I feel, sam shouldn't be much different.

We entered the small hostel reception and approached the receptionist, "Good evening we made a reservation here under the name Victor Sullivan." I smiled at the lady standing in front of me "Good night miss, let me just see... aahh yeah I found a double room right?" when she said that sam and I looked directly at each other. and we both made a disgusting face.

"are you sure this is right?" sam asked urgently

"yes, my sir, that's what is in here" she turns the computer screen towards us

"There is no way to change?" I ask her

"even if you want we don't have any other rooms available right now, I'm sorry"

"It's okay, we'll stay with it" Sam interrupted the girl, took the key smiled and went out to the room

I thanked her softly and left behind him, when I arrived he was already getting on the elevator. "Can you wait for me?" I speak breathlessly "I'm sorry I thought you were already behind me," he says in a husky voice, which gave me a chill and made my heart beat faster.

He held the elevator door for me to enter, and smirk at me.

" t-thank you " I thanked him during the short trip to the room none of us released a sound, it was too strange the atmosphere, well i really understand why... in that afternoon we were asked (or better forced) to pretend to be a couple,  when none of us almost empathize with each other... to be honest, we never really got along. but it wasn’t my choice, Sam was quite attractive and seductive but he had a difficult personality and could sometimes be very arrogant, but beside that he seems to be a very good with women, But I’m sure he never looked at me any other way than as a child.

while I was lost in my thoughts, I lost the notion of time and "woke up" with sam calling me repeatedly "Were you listening to me?" Sam said a little angry "I’m sorry I was lost in my thoughts I didn’t even realize we were here," so I got off the elevator and followed Sam to our room.

When we got there we could see that what the receptionist had told us was true, we would have to sleep in the same bed and share the same bathroom...

"Do you want to take a bath first?" Sam asked me suddenly, sitting on his side of the bed "if you want you can go first I want to enjoy the view" i said, taking off his coat and backpack to a small table.

"okay then" he got up and went to the bathroom. When I heard the door close I took a breath of relief, I still had to analyze how sam and I could for a real couple. I walked to the balcony and leaned over the parapet looking at the reflection of the moon at sea, it was strange to think that I would have to pretend to have a boyfriend, when I don't even know what it is to have a serious relationship.

Yes, I'm already 23 years old but all I had closest to a love life was my first stolen kiss in a parking lot after leaving a party drunk.

how could i pretend to be sam's girlfriend ? it won't be so bad, i thought to myself and closed my eyes and started imagining what it would be like to have his lips on mine, what it would feel like to have his hand clinging to mine, and with that once again the feeling of butterflies in my belly and my heartbeat growing back.

I was quite well there just feeling the sea breeze swinging my hair, and passing all over my body until...

"Hey?" I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned quickly, but when I looked I saw sam with his hair still wet and the water drops falling on the towel around his neck "it's telling you that you can go take a shower now, you're too distracted".

I just waved and ran to the bathroom, and was relieved again to close the door, and stood there just taking a deep breath, with these attitudes it looked like I was 16 again embarrassed... but I tried not to think about it and went into the bathroom, and relaxed.

A little while later when I came out of the bathroom with a new and more comfortable outfit, I let my hair dry naturally, and left the bathroom.

when i came out i saw sam in the same place smoking, i don't know why but to see the smoke coming out of his lips and his face lit up with the moonlight i felt my body stiff and rushed, i felt my cheeks burning, and tried to take a deep breath.

"You've been acting very strange, what's wrong?" His voice came out rough, he didn't even turn his face to look at me

"What's your interest?" I said shivering, wanting to go in the bathroom again. the light in the room was out and at that moment I was grateful that he couldn't see my panic face

"Why so aggressive" he laughed softly "I hope you don't feel uncomfortable pretending to date me" he looked back with a smirk on his lips.

I WOULD NOT tell him...

"No, of course not" I approached him and leaned over beside him staring at the water

"So why don't you look at me?" he said and put his hand on my chin and lifted it up a little so I could look directly into his eyes.

I looked deep into his hazelnut-colored eyes and felt hypnotized by him, "You seem to be the one who's uncomfortable, having to pretend to date a child, as you say."

he laughed a little and looked at me intensely "so why do I feel you nervous? and you know I only said that because of the age difference that separates us, because for me you are a woman, not a child" he puts his hand on my neck

"You're wrong, I'm not nervous" I responded quickly and turned my gaze away from his "Besides I don't know why you say that I don't care about your opinion -"

With this I felt his lips pressed against mine... slowly my body was pushed against the cold wall and I felt his body pressing mine in order to hold me gently.

Sam was much taller than I was, then his body covered mine.

I did not know what to feel at that moment so I just surrendered to him.

"I was just waiting for an opportunity to feel your lips on mine" he whispered in my ear, making my body shiver, and kissed my neck, not quickly but softly, making me relax in his arms, which at this moment were on my waist

"I guess pretending to date you won't be so bad" I said looking into his eyes "you decide if it's pretending or not" he spoke calmly leaning his lips against mine again...

I think from this day on things between us won't be the same....