zeitgeistghoul

[zeitgeistghoul]

Love Without Demand 1/?

Pairing: George Weasley/Reader

Summary: You reconnect with George Weasley at Bill and Fleur's wedding after a few years of not seeing one another. Takes place during the seventh movie/book

(hi i’m definitely neglecting other fics i want to post on here, but i recently rewatched all the HP movies and Weasley twins r hitting different and then wrote this. LMFAO enjoy!!)

read on AO3

A heavy sigh escaped your lips. You stood in front of your floor-length mirror hanging on the back of your bedroom door, wearing a dress you had been so excited to wear just a few months ago. Now, you weren’t even sure you wanted to leave your flat. The Ministry of Magic was threatening to collapse with each passing day and The Dark Lord’s power was growing. Nothing was safe anymore and that terrified you. It didn’t feel right to be getting dressed up like this, evident in the way the zipper on your dress was only pulled up halfway.

You had been invited to Bill and Fleur’s wedding, something that surprised you. You weren’t particularly close to Bill, or the Weasley family for that matter, but you had gotten to know Fleur quite well when Beauxbatons visited Hogwarts three years ago to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. You two hadn’t spoken much since then, so once you had graduated Hogwarts and found a job at the Ministry for yourself, old memories resurfaced upon the inivitation’s arrival. 

It was odd that Bill and Fleur hadn’t decided to cancel the wedding, given recent events. Most days, you half expected an owl to arrive for you, its beak clutching a letter written in Fleur’s neat handwriting informing you that the wedding had been rescheduled or called off all together. No such letter ever arrived, much to your slight dismay.

You studied your reflection in the mirror, debating whether or not you should just toss the dress back in your closet, call out sick, and spend the night on the couch with a cup of hot tea and pore over some files that the Ministry had you take home for review. On the other hand, you had already done your hair and makeup. It would be a shame to waste it, or, at least, that’s what you kept telling yourself. 

You sighed again, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles on your dress. Your need to follow through on every commitment and the dark storm cloud that was your anxiety waged a war inside your head as you sat down on your bed. A glance at the clock hanging on your wall signaled you would need to make a decision soon. Guests were to arrive at 4pm and it was nearly 3:45.

You shook your head, as if to clear your racing thoughts from your mind.

Screw it. 

With a sudden burst of energy, you rose from your bed. You reached for your wand that rested on your bedside table and with a swift flicking motion, zipped up the back of your dress. Another flick of your wand opened your closet door and a pair of heels and a small purse floated out and rested atop your comforter. Slipping on the heels and equipping the purse with an extension charm so it could hold your wand and other miscellaneous items, you apparated to the Weasley’s.

***

Your shoes hit the ground with such force, it nearly caused you to stumble over. 

Regaining your balance, you took in your surroundings. You found yourself standing in a field of tall grass that surpassed your head. A small channel of water was to your left and out of pure luck, you had managed not to apparate into it. 

You could hear echoes of cheerful laughter and voices coming straight ahead, so you pushed your way through the grass to find the source. Once you emerged, you felt some of the anxiety release its hold on you. A white tent had been pitched in front of what you assumed to be the Burrow. A woman you recognized as Molly Weasley was milling about in the yard, assigning tasks to anyone in her field of vision. Ron Weasley rolled his eyes as his mother shooed him inside, telling him to go find a way to make himself useful. Arthur Weasley was hiding an amused smile as she did so. He noticed you approaching, offering you a friendly wave.

“Hello, Y/N!” he called, holding out his hand to shake your own once you had gotten closer. You shook his hand firmly, pride swelling in your chest. Arthur Weasley was one of the few members of the Ministry who actually went out of their way to interact with you while on the job. Whenever you passed him in the halls or rode the lift with him, he always said hello and asked how your internship was going. Though you didn’t know him well, you appreciated his genuine kindness.

“Please make yourself at home, but I’d recommend avoiding my wife for the time being. She’ll find you something to do before you can even tell her your name.” You smiled and thanked him, making your way to the entrance of the Burrow. Before you could enter, the front door flew open, revealing a frazzled looking Fleur Delacour.

“Y/N?” she said. Before you could respond, she threw her arms around and hugged you tightly, which you returned.

“It’s been far too long, Y/N!” she said. “I’d begun to think something happened.” 

“Right, um, sorry about that,” you responded, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear sheepishly. “I’ve been busy with my job.” 

“That’s right!” Fleur exclaimed. “Last I’d heard, you’d been assigned a position at the Ministry. You’ll need to tell me all about it.” She slung an arm around your shoulder, guiding you inside. “Come now, you can help me get ready.”

***

Fleur was using Mr. and Mrs. Weasley’s bedroom to get ready. Her dress was hanging in a garment bag on the closet door and an open bag of luggage lay on the ground, its contents spilled out onto the floor. 

“Don’t mind the mess,” Fleur said, taking a seat onto the bed. “My mind is a bit all over the place right now.” 

“Who else is here?” you asked, admiring the many knick knacks and pictures that decorated the bedroom. Several family photos lined the walls, moving images of the Weasley family smiling back at you as they stood with their arms around one another. 

“You’re actually one of the firsts to arrive,” she said. “So far, it’s just my family, the Weasley’s, and Hermione Granger”. Oh, and Harry Potter, of course.” Your anxiety collapsed back onto you again, squeezing at your chest like an iron fist.

“Harry Potter is here?” you asked nervously. You heard his name whispered in the halls of the Ministry week after week and knew he had a target on his back.

“Well, of course,” Fleur said matter-of-factly. “Harry and I competed together, so it made sense to include him. Plus, he saved my little sister.” Fleur looked up at you. “Is something the matter, Y/N?” 

You hesitated. The last thing you wanted to do was dump all your worries and anxieties on Fleur on her wedding day. But, at the same time, you knew this would eat away at you all night.

“Has there been any movement amongst the Dark Lord and his followers?” you asked. Fleur’s face fell, folding her hands into her lap.

“We were ambushed last night while trying to create a distraction,” Fleur responded. “Mad-Eye Moody was killed and one of the Weasley twins lost an ear.”

“I think we’re putting ourselves in serious danger tonight, Fleur.” you said. “I’m terribly anxious. The Dark Lord will tear that boy apart.” Fleur stood from the bed and crossed the room to where you stood by the door. She placed her hands on your shoulders, squeezing gently. 

“That’s all I’ve been thinking about too, we’ll be alright, Y/N,.” she said. “We’ve hired security to monitor the event. Plus, some extremely skilled and powerful witches and wizards will be here tonight. They’ll keep us safe.” You relaxed slightly, taking a deep breath. 

“You’re right,” you said. “Sorry to cause trouble.” Fleur laughed.

“Not at all, now come. I’m about to be married in an hour and I’m not even half ready.”

***

Fleur and Bill’s ceremony had been beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that you had forgotten all about your worries for the time being. Now, you sat at one of the many guest tables,watching with a slight twinge of jealousy as Fleur and Bill danced happily with another, their arms clasped around one another. A crowd of guests had formed a circle around them and clapped along to the music. Your job didn’t allow you much time for romance, so to see Fleur and Bill dancing without a care in the world made you envious. You sipped your second glass of wine for the night, sighing dejectedly.

“Everything alright there, Y/N?” a voice asked, rousing you from your thoughts. You looked up and your eyes met the warm brown ones of a Weasley twin. He was holding his own glass of wine in one hand and the other rested atop a chair in front of him. Bandages wrapped around his forehead to the back of his head, one side pulled down to cover his left ear. 

“I, um, yes,” you stumbled over your words, beginning to panic as you realized you weren’t certain if you were speaking to Fred or George. You had a feeling it was George, but it had been so long since you’d seen either of them, you couldn’t be sure. “I’m speaking to George, correct?” You felt your cheeks heat up in embarrassment. 

“That’s right, I’m George!” George laughed. “I’m surprised you could tell, it’s been a few years, hasn’t it?” He motioned to the chair to your right. “Mind if I join you?” You nodded, pulling the chair out for him to sit. As he did so, you got a better look at his ear. He must have noticed you gawking, because a smile crossed his lips. 

“Looks bloody awful, doesn’t it?” he asked, pointing to the bandages. “Got clipped by a Death Eater.” 

“That’s terrible, George,” you said. “I’m so sorry.” George shrugged, taking a sip from his glass.

“It’s not all bad, I suppose. Better off than being dead and besides, I feel quite saint-like”. You paused, not quite sure what he meant. 

“‘Saint-like?’”

“Yeah, I feel Hole-y. Get it?” You burst into a fit of giggles when the joke registered for you and George’s eyes lit up in delight. 

“Y’know, you’re the first one to find that funny. Mum and Fred didn’t.” 

“In all honesty, George,” you said, stifling another giggle. “I can see why.” George swirled the wine in his glass, taking another sip. 

“Well, a little humor goes a long way, if you ask me. Nowadays, it’s all we’ve got.” 

You both sat in silence for a moment. You had been in a few classes with Fred and George during your time at Hogwarts, but since you had been a Hufflepuff, your interactions with them didn’t reach past the classroom too often. You had always associated the Weasley twins with mischief and rightfully so. You weren’t quite sure how to make conversation.

“How have you been? Since graduating Hogwarts, I mean.” you asked, finally breaking the silence. 

 “Not too bad,” George said. “I own a shop with Fred in Diagon Alley, Harry helped us loads when he invested. Business has been excellent, but seems to have slowed down as of late. I think it’s because people are afraid to leave their homes.”

“What kind of shop do you own?” you asked curiously. George grinned mischievously. 

“A joke shop.” 

How fitting.

“That sounds absolutely perfect for you two.” you said. “I’m glad you’re doing something you love.”

“What about you, then?” George inquired. “Are you doing something you love, too?”

You froze for a moment. You hadn’t really thought about that. 

“I work for the Ministry,” you said, recovering before you could fall into a pit of existential dread about your future. “I’m in the Improper Use of Magic department. I’m just an intern learning the ropes right now, but I’m hoping to work my way up.” 

“Improper Use of Magic department, eh? I’m sure that’s a good time.” George commented. You nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah, we’ll receive some interesting cases. They let me read the files sometimes to get an idea of how to document them. We get a lot of instances of underage magic, which I’m sure you’re familiar with.” you added jokingly, nudging George’s arm with your elbow. He held his hands up, as if to feign innocence.

“I’ve never engaged in such trivial matters” he said dramatically. “But to be fair, Umbridge may or may not have had it coming.” You laughed, inwardly grimacing as the memories of Umbridge as Hogwarts’ headmaster came back to you. You never quite looked at the color pink the same way after that.

“She’s...something else.” you concluded. “I see her quite frequently at the Ministry.” George shuddered, as if haunted by her memory. 

“Do you ever see my brother Percy? He dreamed about a Ministry job ever since he was a kid.”

“I saw him on my first day, but I don’t think he recognized me. Although, I see your da-” 

Your words fell upon deaf ears as a blue-ish colored orb suddenly shot into the tent. Silence fell upon wedding guests as they stared in shock at the sudden intrusion, trying to process what was happening. The orb spoke:

The Ministry has fallen.The Minister of Magic is dead. They are coming. 

They are coming. 

Chaos ensued. Guests shrieked and hollered, pushing and rushing past one another to escape. Inky black smoke flew in and out of the tent, igniting the small chandeliers that lit the venue like flamethrowers. The flames licked at the roof of the tent, causing them to spread at an alarming rate. 

Your worst fears about tonight were confirmed: the Death Eaters had come for Harry.

“Y/N!” you heard George shout over the chaos. He stunned a Death Eater trying to attack Ginny from behind. “Y/N, we’ve got to go!” 

You felt George grab your hand and pull you out of the tent. The booms! and cracks! of spells and curses rang in your ears as you let George guide you, feeling the cool night air on your skin. You watched guests flee a wedding that, an hour before, had been filled with so much joy and love.

“Get yourself out of here, it’s too dangerous.” George said once you two had put some moderate distance between the chaos yourselves. 

“No, I’m staying here to fight,” you responded indignantly, pulling your wand out of your purse. “I want to help.” If you were going to conquer your fears and anxiety, now was the time to do it. You marched back towards the tent, despite George pleading you not to.

Stupefy!

“Y/N, watch out!” a voice cried out. The spell hit you with such force, it felt like you had been hit by a bus. You fell to the grass, collapsing onto your side. You watched as a plume of black smoke shot up into the sky, your vision growing dark. The last thing you saw before you passed out was Mr. Weasley and George running towards you.

Then, everything went black.

[zeitgeistghoul]

I absolutely adored part 1 of Caustic Ties 💚 can you add me to your tag list so I don’t miss any of your work?

hey thank you! i’m glad you liked it, thanks for waiting 💚 and absolutely!

[zeitgeistghoul]

Caustic Ties (1/2)

Pairing: Axel x F!reader

(for you, anon! thank you for the suggestion! I apologize for taking so long in getting this up, i’m working two jobs this summer and it eats up most of my free time. i finished this weeks ago, but just now sat down to edit it. chapter 2 is in the works, thanks for you patience :) )

Axel was sprawled lazily over one of the many couches that sat in the X-Mansion’s common area, tuning in and out of the long talk Wade was currently giving the team. Domino kept trying to tell him to wrap it up, but Wade would shoo her away and continue rambling, earning exasperated sighs from the other members. It’s no wonder Cable never wanted to come to these meetings. This place would be a fiery pile of ash by now due to the time-traveler’s short temper and distaste for Wade’s antics. Axel’s found his eyes wander to you, the newest member of the X-Force crew. He watched as you tried your best to stifle a giggle as Wade began flailing his arms to emphasize whatever point he was trying to make with this announcement. He watched as you put a hand over your mouth to hide your grin. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. You had only been here for a day and you were already getting the full experience of Wade’s ridiculous pep talks and the antics that went on in the mansion. Axel didn’t know much about you, as it was technically your first day on the team, so he still hadn’t gotten the chance to introduce himself. He had heard from other members of the Force that you had the ability to transform your arms and legs into tentacle-like tendrils. He hadn’t seen a demonstration yet, but was sure it was avant garde like the rest of abilities held by his team members. That would definitely make missions more interesting. He wondered if you had chosen a name for yourself yet. 

“Yo, Barf Boy, I’m talking to you!” Wade’s voice roused Axel from his thoughts. He turned his gaze to Wade, who now had friendly arm around you. “You’re in charge of the new kid around here.” Axel sat up from his position on the couch.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked. “I’m no babysitter.” Wade laughed obnoxiously. 

“Well, now you are!” he said enthusiastically. “Starting today, you’re Y/N’s mentor! Meeting adjourned.” The team filed out of the room before Axel could even open his mouth in protest, leaving you and him to stand there together in stunned silence. What the hell had he just been thrown into?

Axel stood on the training grounds watching you spar with Domino. He observed that you were quick on your feet and incredibly skilled in combat already. You hadn’t even used your ability yet. You ended the spar quickly, gently pinning Domino down. She let out a hearty laugh.

“Damn, newbie, you know what you’re doing!” You stood up and held out a hand to help her up, which she accepted. Domino dusted herself off and motioned to Axel. “Your turn!” Axel was reluctant to take on the role of mentor, but it didn’t look like he had much of a choice in the matter. Everyone else was too busy with their own duties or missions to be helping a new trainee get her bearings for hours each day, so he was their best bet. Axel walked over to where you were standing and faced you. 

“Ready?” he asked. The nod you gave him in return signaled the beginning of the spar. Axel threw a swift punch to your left, which you dodged without hesitation. Your fist barely grazed his cheek as he avoided the punch you hurled back at him. Axel grinned. “Not bad, but let’s see that power of yours.” You shook your head. 

“I don’t want to use it unless I have to.” you said. “It’s weird and kinda gross, if I’m being honest.” Axel laughed.

“Well, sweetheart, I spit up acidic vomit, so I think we’re both a little gross and weird.” Your eyes widened as he sucker punched you in the gut, causing you to stumble backwards. “Now, let’s see it.” The spar continued on with punches and kicks being thrown in all different directions, but you still refused to use your ability, no matter how many taunts Axel threw your way. He finally managed to kick your legs out from under you and you crumpled to the ground. Axel pinned you on your back, your faces inches apart from each other. 

“Pretty good, sweetheart, but it looks like you still need some wor-.” Axel’s sentence was cut off by one of your arms shapeshifting into a tentacle and wrapping around his torso. He could only watch helplessly as you lifted him off of you and flipped him around so you were now straddling him on the ground instead. All he could do was stare back up at you, silence falling over the both of you as his gaze met your E/C colored eyes. He must have looked visibly stunned, because you began to giggle.

“I told you I didn’t want to use it!” you said sheepishly, slowly getting up off of him and offering your hand to help him up. Axel begrudgingly took it. Beaten by his own student on the first day, how ridiculous. He watched as Domino ran over to congratulate you on your victory, your face lighting up in a smile. After Domino was finished gushing over you, you approached him and held out your hand to shake his own.

“I’m really excited to learn from you, Axel.” you said. Axel shook your hand, feeling how firm your grip was. You were determined. He could already tell this was going to be one hell of a ride.

Everyday afterwards, Axel would train with you on the X-Mansion grounds. He noticed you were improving rapidly with each session and you took his feedback seriously, something he wasn’t expecting. He had helped you condition and strengthen your arms and legs so you could lift heavier objects with your tentacles and have more stamina when using your ability. You had even received a specially designed battle outfit for missions that accommodate your tendrils in a way that wouldn’t destroy what you were wearing in the process. Wade would come observe you on occasion and gush about how well you were doing, as well as propose to work on a move where you would catapult him and the other Force members into enemies by hurling them around with your tentacles. Axel shut that plan down before it could go any further, much to you and Wade’s dismay. 

Axel would never say it out loud, but he secretly loved being your mentor. He surprised even himself in thinking this. You were always so enthusiastic about learning new strategies and moves, as well as a fast learner. You proved to be a worthy opponent and Axel was never bored when sparring with you or bitter when he lost to you afterwards. The two of you spent several hours out of the day together and it honestly felt like he was hanging out with someone he had known for years. He wasn’t one for close, meaningful relationships and considered himself to be closed off, especially when it came to women. There were reasons for this, of course, but he didn’t want to relive that now. He was always so surprised with how genuinely kind and understanding you were, as you were always asking him if he was okay after a particularly rough training session even though you were pretty beat up yourself. He hadn’t noticed it at first, but he definitely acted differently around you. He was often hyper-aware of what you or what he was doing. He would feel an unwanted twinge of jealousy when he saw Wade put an arm around on your shoulder when talking to yu or when you laughed at something he said. It felt like Axel had just completely forgotten how to act around you, no matter how hard he tried to push his feelings back down where they came from. When the two of you brushed hands by accident when putting away equipment after a training session, his skin practically lit up in flames. He had hurried out of the storage room without word, leaving you confused. Training with you had become difficult as well, since it involved close contact. Axel would toss and turn at night, his mind racing with these strange thoughts and feelings. He was never the type to become attached, so this was a first. How was he supposed to deal with this? He couldn’t avoid you, you were his student for the time being and that wouldn’t work, period. He could have Domino or someone else from the Force take the reins and train you instead, but you were so close to being finished that it almost didn’t seem worth it. The best solution was to attempt to create some distance after you were done training with him and you had gone on your first official mission. This seemed like the most logical solution, for now, at least. He would start to further the gap between the two of you, beginning tomorrow.

[zeitgeistghoul]

Hi! I had an idea for a Zeitgeist fic for you? How about one where the reader is like a trainee X-Force member and Zeitgeist is stuck mentoring her and starts to fall for her? I know it sounds cliche but I adore that trope so much

ugh i LOVE it, thanks for the suggestion! i might make it into multiple chapters since i haven’t done something like that before. you can hopefully expect the first chapter sometime this week 💞

[zeitgeistghoul]

I just read your Zeitgeist fics and oh my goodness they’re so good! It’s so hard to find fics about him so I’m extremely happy to have stumbled across your work, I’d love it if you wrote some more with him in the future? 💚

hey thank you so much!! i’m glad you enjoyed it, it means a lot 💚 and absolutely! if you have anything in particular you’d like to see in future fics, let me know since i’m always looking for inspiration ☺️

[zeitgeistghoul]

Bill Skarsgård in Deadpool’s Lips Are Sealed: Secrets and Easter Eggs

[zeitgeistghoul]

Escape

Pairing: Merkel x Reader

(i rewatched Atomic Blonde last night and forgot how damn FINE Bill looked in that movie, arguably one of his best looks. i adore Merkel, so i gotta write about him. sorry, it’s short.)

You scanned the area around you, desperately looking for your friend or a familiar face amongst the crowd. You and your friend had been bar-hopping in Berlin all evening. Your friend, being the outgoing flirt she was, had managed to talk a guy she had met at the bar previously to take you and her to an underground club Berlin protesters had claimed as a designated hangout spot. Individuals with brightly colored hair and leather jackets partied around you, screams of laughter and delight echoing throughout the area. The guy your friend had nabbed promised plenty of booze, drugs, and an overall good time at this place. So far, you had experienced none of it. You finally located you friend, visibly making a face as you discovered her tongue was down this same guy’s throat. You sighed, taking a seat at the bar. So much for a girls’ night. The bartender approached you when you sat down.

“What’s your poison?” the man asked, casually resting his arms on the bar. You hesitated to even order any alcohol with the night you were having, but all caution was thrown to wind when you glanced back at your friend again.

“Vodka,” you answered. “On the rocks.” The man nodded and went to make you your drink. The ice clattered as it hit the glass, followed by the flowing sound of vodka being poured into it. He slid the glass to where you were sitting, which was quickly intercepted by you. You took a hearty swig and gently placed the glass back down on the counter. You fought the urge to wince from the taste, but you couldn’t help it. You already felt sick. The man chuckled.

“That bad, huh?” he asked, once again leaning his arms on the counter. You turned to look at him. He was wearing an oversized gray fur coat, black fingerless gloves, and his hair was buzzed on the sides. Not to mention, he was incredibly good-looking. He lit a cigarette as you continued to look at him, exhaling a puff of smoke away from your direction. He offered you a drag from his and you took it without thinking.

“It never gets easier.” you responded, inhaling the smoke from your drag deeply. You hadn’t had a smoke in months and damn, did it feel good. The man laughed once again. You handed the cigarette back to him. You heard more laughter and yells, looking up to see man with a buzzed head shouting obscenities.

“The shop is open!” you heard him yell. The music blared around you and the man behind the bar rolled his eyes.

“Percival becomes more obnoxious by the second.” he commented, causing you to smile. You and the man behind the bar continued to chat. You learned his name was Merkel and he was surprisingly easy to talk to. An older gentleman with glasses and dark hair approached the bar at one point and Merkel handed him a beer. Percival, the loud man from earlier, quickly joined him and they began talking in hushed voices to the side of the bar. All of a sudden, the sounds of police sirens filled the area. People began running and shouting, pushing past and knocking into you as you stood up. You turned to look at Merkel, only to discover he was hurrying the man in the glasses and Percival away from the area. You followed the crowd, looking for your friend. You managed to escape into an empty alleyway, waiting until the stragglers had all run past making sure the coast was clear. You spotted your friend running off with her guy, shouting her name as she ran past. She turned and spotted you, quickly running back to say she was going back to the guy’s place to spend the night and that she would call you in the morning. You stood on the sidewalk, watching her wave back to you as she ran to rejoin the guy she was with. Before you knew it, you were the only person standing on the street. It was late, not to mention cold. You rubbed the sides of your arms and you made the trek back to your apartment. It was dangerous, but you didn’t have money for a cab. You prayed there weren’t any creeps lurking the streets tonight and began walking. The sounds of police sirens in the distance caused you walk faster. You hadn’t even made it two blocks before someone grabbed your arm. You yelled in surprise, but relaxed when you saw it was Merkel.

“Relax!” he frantically whispered. “It’s just me!” He released his grip from your arm and you stared at him in confusion.

“I thought you left with those men.” you said. Merkel looked up and down the street before linking you arm with his and forcing you to start walking.

“I came back.” he answered. “I wanted to make sure everyone was gone.” The two of you walked for a couple blocks, Merkel checking over his shoulder every few moments to make sure there were no people or cops following you.

“I should get home.” you told him. “My apartment isn’t far from here.” That was sort of a lie, your apartment was at least a fifteen minute walk away. Merkel glanced at you and then back over his shoulder again.

“I’ll walk you, then.” he replied. You blushed.

“No, really,” you said. “I can make it back by myself.” He laughed at this.

“And let some creep pick you up from behind?” he said. “I don’t think so.”

You and Merkel walked the entire way to your apartment. You fought to the urge to look over your shoulder every five seconds, but Merkel kept telling you to act natural. A cop car drove past at one point, the officer slowing down to observe the two of you as you walked. Merkel quickly slipped his hand into your own and grasped it. “We’re just a couple walking home.” he murmured to you, looking straight ahead. The cop car eventually sped up again and passed the two of you without a problem. Merkel’s hand stayed in yours for a few seconds before he removed it, much to your slight dismay. You shivered, partly from the cold and nervousness you were feeling. Merkel saw this and quickly removed his coat, throwing it around your shoulders. The way he rubbed your shoulders as he did so in an attempt to warm you up practically had you swooning. When the two of you reached your apartment, you stopped and removed his coat. You handed it back to him, sad you had to part ways. He took it from you, watching you with an analytical look on his face.

“What?” you asked. He only smiled.

“Nothing,” he responded. “Just that you are quite beautiful.” You blushed for what must have been the third time that night. Merkel put his coat back on, shoving his hands into the pockets.

“I’ll be off, then.” he said, turning to walk down the street. As he started walking, you hurried after him.

“Merkel?” you said. You couldn’t believe you were about to do this. “Would you like to come inside?” Merkel grinned.

“I’d love to.”

[zeitgeistghoul]

If Billy asked me for a favor in THAT FACE I’d giVE AND DO EVERYTHING FOR THAT SWEET BOY

[zeitgeistghoul]

Bill Skarsgård for GQ Magazine, July 2018 issue | credits to @GifsOfSkarsgard on Twitter for the photos 

[zeitgeistghoul]

just wanted to say i love love love ur writing omg , from the content to how u actually put it together ugh so good sis xx

omfg that literally means the world thank u so much !!!!! 💞💞

[zeitgeistghoul]

Flaunt Magazine | Bill Skarsgård

[zeitgeistghoul]

bill skarsgård ‒ hemlock grove. 1x11 (2013)

[zeitgeistghoul]

Corrosive Heart

Pairing: Axel Cluney x Reader

Warnings: Light swearing and mentions of sex

(hello! comin’ at you w/ another Axel fic. i haven’t seen any that are sad, so u know i had to do it to ‘em. pls enjoy! also, feel free to put suggestions of what else u might want to see in future Axel fics in my ask box! i’m always lookin’ for inspiration)

The sound of your apartment door opening roused you from your nap. You sat up as your boyfriend Axel walked through the door, two brown paper bags filled with groceries tucked under his arms. You stretched, stifling a yawn as you stood up from the couch you had been sleeping on.

“Welcome home.” you said to Axel, taking one of the grocery bags from him to the counter and placing a kiss on his cheek. You began unpacking the bags and placing the items in their respected locations. Axel came up behind you and enveloped you in a huge hug, leaving a trail of kisses from your cheek to your neck. You couldn’t help but giggle from the ticklish sensation it caused.

“I missed you.” he mumbled into your hair, resting his chin on the top of your head.

“Loser.” you responded. He laughed and you took one of his hands and kissed the top of it. “Just kidding, I missed you too.” You and Axel had been together for almost a year, finally deciding to move in together five months into the relationship. The connection you two had was undeniably strong, practically overwhelming you when you first met him. There was something so interesting about him that you had to know more. You had met him in his auto-repair shop when you were having car troubles and the rest was history. You had been the one to ask him for his number when your car was fixed, earning a surprised, but interested, look from Axel. Your first date was at a coffee shop and then to a tattoo parlor, where he had gotten an anarchy symbol tattooed on the side of his right arm. It was at that moment that your realized you were in for one hell of a ride with this guy and your friends were horrified when you told them your first date consisted of lattes and watching him get a tattoo. (You would be lying if you said you hadn’t thought about getting one yourself in that moment, only making the tattoo on your back from your tenth date together all the more funnier.)

Axel was an extremely closed-off individual. You knew he had a secret the more time you spent with him. He didn’t tell you much about his past other than that he didn’t have the best relationship with his parents, he had hurt a girl really badly by accident a few years back, and he never drank. He must have sensed the connection you two had as well, because he never objected to the numerous dates he went on with you afterwards. You had been the one to suggest making it official one night in your apartment after a night out together and he had been extremely hesitant. This had resulted in a small argument between the two of you; you starting to cry and Axel being frustratingly distant. He left your apartment and you had hurried after him, following him down the street where he suddenly made a mad dash for the dumpster in a nearby alleyway. He let out a stream of vomit inside of it and after wiping his mouth on his sleeve, had frantically told you to stay away. You watched as the side of the dumpster began to erode away with a sharp hissing sound. In that moment, you couldn’t think of anything else to do except throw your arms around him.

“I’m not normal.” he whispered, his whole body tensing as you looked up at him. “I’m just going to end up hurting you, just like that girl from before.” Your heart ached at how broken and afraid he looked in that moment. He buried his face into your shoulder and you tightened your embrace.

“I know you won’t hurt me.” you whispered back, gently caressing his head and blinking back tears. “You never could.”

It had taken a lot of coexing and reassuring, but Axel finally decided you two should be in a relationship. If anything, the moment you two shared together in that dirty alleyway proved how strong this connection had become. Axel finally trusted you. He was beginning to open up, his past proving to be darker than you thought. He told you about Felicity, a girl he had met on the beach one day years back. He had met her at a bar and after a couple of drinks together, they had walked down to the beach for some more privacy. Things got hot and heavy quickly, but was rudely interrupted by Axel spewing acidic vomit all over the girl’s face.

“I’ll never forget the way she screamed,” Axel had told you after you brought him back inside and sat him on your couch. You sat next him with your hand gently placed over his own, occasionally stroking it whenever he seemed to be having trouble piecing together his thoughts. “She was in so much pain because of me, because of this fucking ability I have.” He looked up at you and in that moment you wanted to hug him again. “I ruined her life, (Your Name).”

His past had been difficult to process, but dating a mutant was the least of your worries. You had had weirder, if not worse, ex-boyfriends in the past. Axel was the one to suggest he move in with you when you guys had hit the five months mark. He had told you he was going to suggest it once you guys had hit six months, but he had been too excited to wait another month. Within a week, Axel had moved in. He was over at your place enough for it feel like he already belonged, always leaving his clothes and other miscellaneous items behind. (You never complained, it only meant you got to wear his shirts to bed.) You felt your relationship together actually improved once he moved in, further proving how well you two got along. Your days consisted of going to work and Axel to the shop, you getting home around 5:30pm and him 7pm. Despite how tired you were from your day job, you always tried to have dinner ready in time or do his laundry when he forgot to. It felt very housewife-y, but you secretly enjoyed it. He would come home and tell you about an asshole of a customer that came into the shop and you would giggle at how aggravated Axel got as he recalled his story. Moving into together was just what you two needed. Everything felt so goddamn right. Axel was still hesitant about being so exposed and vulnerable to you, but his worries seemed to melt away with time. You found yourself thinking this every time you laid next to him at night, gazing at his face as he slept and taking in every little detail. Unfortunately, Axel would suffer from nightmares. In fact, they seemed to plague him. Almost every night, there would be a time where he would bolt upright, forcing you awake. He would look around frantically, remember you were with him and slowly lie back down to attempt going back to sleep. You had been such a constant, calming presence for him. You would rub his back and whisper, “I’m here”, as he drifted back to sleep. You would even sometimes gently trace the outline of the tattoos on his arms and he would stirr slightly in his sleep, but it was never enough to wake him.

The nightmares never bothered you, no matter how many times Axel felt or asked you if they did. You were never annoyed or upset. It made you feel needed in a way. It was comforting to know he found solace in your presence. He even tried to take sleep medication on a nightly basis, especially when you had to get up earlier for work. Overall, you were so goddamn happy. You loved Axel more than you thought humanly possible and you felt it was mutual.

“I’ll get started on dinner.” you said to Axel as he released you from his embrace. “Thanks for getting the groceries, work had me beat.” You grabbed a pan from one of the cabinets and set it onto the counter, moving to the refrigerator to grab some fresh vegetables and other ingredients. You reached for a knife and began to chop the vegetables, your initial grogginess from your nap beginning to fade away. “How was your day?” you asked over your shoulder as Axel took a seat at the table.

“Not bad.” he answered. His response was followed with silence as he hesitated to bring up the next part. “I have some news, (Your Name). “ You stopped chopping and turned to look at him.

“What is it?” you asked, worry already beginning to run rampant in your mind.

“I joined a team.” Axel responded. “They’re just like me and we’re supposed to go on a mission tomorrow morning.” You were downright confused. People “like him”? Did that mean mutants?

“What does that mean exactly?” you questioned, abandoning your progress on dinner and joining him at the table.

“We have to free this mutant kid from these bad people that have him prisoner,” he continued. “I saw an ad for it this morning so I stopped by and they ended up recruiting me.” You were extremely confused. You never thought Axel would actually end up doing something like this. Yes, he had come up with a name for himself and had special gear to enhance his abilities, such as his vomit-guard mask, but you never thought he’d actually think of stopping crime.

“So you’re apart of this team now?” you asked, a bad feeling bubbling in the pit of your stomach. Axel nodded. You sighed, unsure of how to feel about the whole situation.

“I’ll be careful.” he added hurriedly. He clasped both of his hands around yours, squeezing gently. “I think this could be good for me.” You smiled, placing another kiss on his cheek.

“If you say so.” you said. “You should do what you think is best, no matter what, I’m here to support you.” Axel could hardly contain his grin as he embraced you.

“I’ll make you so damn proud, babe.” he said. He leaned again to kiss you, this time with more passion. You kissed back, placing both of you hands on the side of his face and deepening the kiss as much as you could. It wasn’t long before he had hoisted you up from your chair, earning a surprised cry from you. Your legs wrapped around his sides and he took you to the bedroom, where you two went at it for almost an hour. Dinner preparations were long forgotten as you were too busy trying not to moan too loudly because your neighbors had made a complaint a few weeks back about how particularly noisy you two were during sex.

After a session of love-making so good you could hardly stand, you forced yourself to get up from your bed. You pulled one of Axel’s shirts over yourself, enjoying the smell of cigarettes and cologne that washed over you as you did. Axel was in the shower and you two had decided it was a take-out kind of night instead. You packaged up all the food you had taken out to save for tomorrow’s dinner and put it inside the fridge, then grabbing your phone from the counter to call the Chinese place a few blocks over. After a proper meal, you got ready for bed. Axel followed soon after, just as you were climbing into bed. You sighed heavily as Axel got into bed with you.

“Everything ok?” he asked, pulling the comforter over himself and placing a kiss on your shoulder. You nodded, trying not to let your worries get the best of you.

“It’s just-” you started, suddenly feeling stupid. You turned to look at him. “I have a bad feeling about tomorrow.” Axel gave you a smile.

“You have nothing to worry about.” he said. “I’m gonna be just fine.” You took a deep breath to calm yourself down and finally agreed to try and relax. Axel shut off the light and you both got comfortable. Axel wrapped his arms around your body to cuddle you, causing you to feel more safe and relaxed. It wasn’t long before you were asleep in his arms.

The next morning, Axel was up earlier than usual. You stirred as he gently released his grasp from you and felt him get up from the bed. He went to the kitchen and you could hear him making coffee. You sat up, your anxious feelings from yesterday still present. You wrapped a blanket over yourself and joined Axel in the kitchen. He wasn’t wearing anything except for his boxers.

“Aren’t you cold?” you teased, gently tickling his back as you passed behind him. He smiled and kissed you good morning. You both didn’t have work today and it felt strange, almost foreign, to see Axel up so early when he didn’t usually have to be anywhere on a day like this. You watched him down two cups of coffee and gather some things from your bedroom. He returned to the kitchen fully dressed, his vomit-guard mask tucked under his arm.

“I’ll better get going then.” he said, making his way to the door. You stood up to see him out.

“Promise me,” you began. “That you won’t be a jackass and that you’ll stay safe.” Axel grinned.

“I promise.” he said, kissing you on the forehead. “I’ll be back here tonight before you know it.” And with that, Axel was gone. You watched the door close behind him and the feeling of worry solidified into sheer dread.

Something told you that was the last time you would ever see Axel again.

[zeitgeistghoul]

bill skarsgård ‒ atomic blonde. (2017)

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Bill Skarsgård’s characters in some of his latest works (2013-2017)

[zeitgeistghoul]

who was chasing Pikachu

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