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magicmarkeruser · 7 months

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*NSFW* To Starboard (OPLA Shanks x reader)

AN: all i can say is GAW DAMN i am a depraved slut for this man. Where my depraved girlies at

Warning: just smut, piv, cussing, nothing violent (does an already missing arm count?)

***

Your crew prepared to dock as the distance between the island and your ship shrank, windmills on the terrain growing larger and larger. You're standing on the main deck, hands on your hips as you inspect your crew bustling about. They're a loyal lot, you helped most of them from worse situations, therefore they feel indebted to you. Yes, you were a pirate with a sun bleached black ship and a hefty bounty on your head, but you led a life of ease. You weren't too worried about looking over your shoulder or becoming the biggest and baddest in the East Blue, as long as you could feel the wind brushing your shoulders and the sun kissing your skin you were happy. That didn't mean you never indulged in the pleasures of this world though. You had a little more than a collection of fancy shotguns in your cabin, one would even call it an armory for the Marines; and you had a notorious romantic streak across the sea. You didn't mean to break a few hearts here and there, but you just got bored after a while and needed to run off once again. Some flings came back though, begging for more.

"Raise ALL THE SAILS you fucking rat!" Your first mate yells at the new boy. You smile and begin to intervene, but come to an abrupt stop. A ship with red masts sails by to your right. You turn your body to face the passing ship, your hand finding the rigging to steady yourself as your eyes scan it's entire deck. Finally, you lock eyes with the captain who had already been looking at you. Red-Haired Shanks. He was elated to see you and you knew it, but you didn't betray any emotion on your own face. The two of you mirror each other, slowly pacing towards the back of the deck. Your ships were no longer facing side to side by the time you reached the quarter deck. Shanks' seemed anxious that this would be it, until you turned to make sure no one was watching you on board. You turn your back to your crew to look at him once again and prop your foot up on the cannon in front of you, hiking up your skirt to reveal a leg. Your hand holds your skirt up to your mid thigh, only enough to reveal a frilly garter. Your little show was heaven sent. Shanks' eyes widen and he fervently yells something unintelligible, his crew answering back. You drop your leg down and walk back to the main deck, a smile threatening to tear your face. Your ship had been docked and you waited for someone to drop a ladder for you to get on the harbor. You glance back at the Red Hair's ship, and sure enough it was reeling so hard to the right that it was threatening to tip over. Some people on the harbor watch in confusion as the ship's hull is almost fully exposed at the dramatic turn, then carry back on to their business once the ship was set straight back to the docks.

"Whaddya think that's all about cap'n?" Your navigator asks you, her eyebrow cocked as she looks back and forth between you and Shanks' ship.

"I wouldn't know," you coyly reply, and begin your climb down to the port. You jump off the ladder and smooth down your skirt. Suddenly you became captious about your appearance: was your skin as smooth as it used to be, did you smell like a sea dog, was your corset tight enough, was your hair in place? What were you doing? You weren't the eager one in these moments, but seeing Shanks excited you. Some of your crew work to tie down the ship, others walk to the nearest pub. You stand a moment longer by your ship, droplets of sweat beginning to form at your bandana. Then, his ship is anchored down once again a couple docks away from you, and you begin your slow walk down the port. As you make it down the boardwalk, you catch a glint of red in your peripherals. Butterflies swarm within your lower belly. Shanks is half running to meet you in the middle, slowing down once he's mere feet behind you. The town is bustling with people, yet they remain unaware of the electricity sparking between the two of you. You only give Shanks a small turn of your head and smile, and continue walking a little slower, not looking back at him. He follows behind you, his hand reaches for yours. Your fingers grazing against each other in a dance of their own. You're unaware of the compass of your own body (pussy) as you guide Shanks to a small inn. You continue in a dream like state as you enter the parlor, get a room key, and lead him upstairs. As the two of you stand in the poorly lit narrow hall, Shanks pulls you back down to earth the moment he pushes his hips into your ass. You turn the key quicker at the feel of his hardening cock.

"It's been too long darling," He whispers onto the skin of your neck, "I've missed you so much." He keeps whispering sweet nothings until the door clicks opens and you're both inside. Shanks shoves you back into the door, not giving you a moment to react after closing it. Your back is pressed onto the wood but you don't care. Shanks' lips find yours and you're both kissing in an urgency you didn't realize you were holding back. He nips your lower lip softly, asking your permission, and you let him slip his tongue in to meet yours. You moan into the kiss, causing Shanks' to buck his hips into yours. His hand rakes down from your clavicle to your breast and further to your waist. Hand? You break away from the kiss with a small push to his chest and yelp at his missing arm, hitting your head on the door behind you.

"Fucking hell Shanks, how'd this happen??" You push his cape off fully to reveal the empty sleeve and look up at him, gaping. Shanks only sighs, whispering something under his breath and uses his only hand to reach for yours. His thumb strokes the back of your hand, you look down at it and back up, giving him a quizzical look. He leads you to the small bed and sits you down. He tells you what had happened only days ago on this same island. You find yourself snapping your hands up to wipe the unwanted tears pricking through your lashes. Shanks clicks his tongue.

"It's just an arm love, don't sully your pretty face over it," Shanks gently pries a hand from your face and kisses your tears away, whispering a "please" between the kisses. His mouth finds yours once again and you relax into him. Heat rises between your bodies and you're pulling his face into yours. He quickly releases you to remove his straw hat, tossing it to a side table before he returns to your lips. Things grow sloppier, Shanks let's go of your lips to latch onto your neck, leaving blooms where his teeth sinks into and pulling out a faint cry from you as he sucks on your most sensitive spot. In your daze you hear Shanks unbuckling his belt and tossing it across the room. His hand becomes frantic as they begin to tug at your corset or his own shirt, so you stop him. Shanks eyes glint with confusion, but you only smile at him as you reach for him. You gently pull his shirt out of his waistband and over his body, he complies and crooks his neck forward to let you pull his shirt off over his head. You then get up from the bed and kneel in front of him. His eyes say something different now, you cannot quite tell what though. Something had possessed you in that moment. Here you were gently prying Shanks' shoes off, pulling his trousers down and over his ankles. Once you finish undressing him he reaches for you again, but you push his hand away and stand before him. Slowly yet not so much, you unlace your corset and drop it to the floor. You unclasp your leather belt with its pistols hanging on the sides, and push your skirt down as well. Shanks' already hardened cock twitches at every article of cloth being removed. You finally remove the flimsy chemise and bloomers, a pirate didn't need ten other extra undergarments. You reach for the garter on your thigh but Shanks raises his hand.

"Keep that on" he says, his voice now gruff with pent up desire. He reaches for it and pulls you in between his legs, your hands find their place on his shoulders. His hot breath hits your stomach, causing your pussy to clench around nothing. He looks up at you with blown out pupils, you both remain still for a moment. The spell breaks and he pulls you down into his lap in the middle of the bed. You whimper at the sudden sensation of his cock against your clit, and you grind down onto him to feel it again. His eyes threaten to roll back and he grabs your face down to kiss him once more, his hand then traveling down to your breast where he pinches and rolls your nipple between his fingers.

"Fuck Shanks-" you begin but get cut off by his mouth latching onto your other nipple. His tongue swirls and sucks onto you and you let out a small cry. Your hips push down towards his cock again, but he doesn't let you sink down on him so this time you use a hand to play with his tip. He becomes merciless with his mouth as you tease him, and finally releases both of your breasts to stop your hand and hold your hips still.

"Shanks please- fuck- please I want you so bad- I need you.." you spill out as you fail to make contact with his skin again. He only smiles and softens his grip.

"So have me" he says. You blank for a moment, then use one hand to line his dick with your entrance and slowly go down on him. He's too big. You let out something between a moan and gasp as you slowly push him back out and in again. Shanks is struggling to hold himself together too, letting out shaky moans of your name. After a few slow attempts, you seat yourself fully onto his cock. The stretch makes your head buzz and you rock back and forth, stirring obscenities out of the both of you.

"Fuck-ck you're so tight...hhh you're so..fuck..wet- listen to how fucking wet you are for me" Shanks half mutters half groans as you ride him with a quicker pace. You have one hand on his shoulder and another on his thigh to stop yourself from toppling over. His own hand is holding you by the hip, attempting to guide you to bounce harder onto him. He grows impatient and suddenly between strokes, Shanks fucks up into you and causes you to wail. His eyes turn into obsidian and he grabs your waist, pulling you into his body as he lies down with his cock still inside you. Your cheek is pressed into his chest and before you protest, Shanks snaps his hips upwards into you causing you to muffle a scream with your fist. He continues to fuck you for what felt like eternity. Driving his cock so far into you at this angle you begin to see stars. His one arm keeps you mercilessly pinned to his body.

"Shanks I'm gon- I'm gonna cum- FUCK" you hardly finish talking before that familiar feeling shoots up through your nerves and into your brain. Your thighs quiver aggressively around him and Shanks let's out a hoarse groan as his own orgasm erupts out of him. You feel your cunt heating up, filling with his cum as his strokes slow down. His arm loosens around you, finding your hair and brushing it as he cooes you through your orgasm. You try to slide off of him, but he keeps you there.

"I'm not letting you get away from me this time," Shanks murmurs into your hair, pressing kisses where he spoke. He knew you didn't like sticking around. He knew you were afraid of getting attached only to possibly get hurt, he knew the last time you had seen him you were dangerously close to leaving everything for him, causing you to live a flighty life. You roll off of him and sit up, failing to give him your strict glare once you look back at him. His eyes are begging for you to stay, pleading with love he'd been desperate to show you. His hand reaches for yours once more, grasping it with a firmness that feared you'd fly away again.

"I know you feel the same, i know you use others to forget about me-"

"Shanks you lost your fucking arm in a blink of an eye what if it's your lift next-"

"So why won't you take that risk?" He asks, he's sitting up now too, desperation filling his voice, "because I sure as bloody hell would do it for you. I love you!" You stare at him in awe, your eyebrows overwork themselves as your mind tosses around in its anxieties.

"I love you too..." you answer mindlessly. You betrayed your own code. Fuck it if it meant not hurting Shanks anymore. The two of you sit there, eyes boring their deepest desires into each other as the setting sun greets you through the stained window.

#one piece #shanks smut #shanks x reader #opla x reader #opla shanks #opla smut #red haired shanks #one piece live action

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magicmarkeruser · 8 months

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Jeff Ward as Binky or Boogie or Buggy? I One Piece (2023)

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magicmarkeruser · 8 months

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Shanks would definitely hard U-turn that ship if he saw ur fine ass sailing by

#one piece #shanks #netflix one piece

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magicmarkeruser · 2 years

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Don't Let The Vampire In

@writing.prompt.s on IG

Lestat x fem character cuz I can. RIP Anne Rice, you would've gotten this taken down.

AN: I edited this like three times so if anybody who read it before sees it again plot twist hennyy I'm feeling 3rd person POV.

***

The cold evening air was unforgiving as Lena trudged to her apartment. New Orleans was at its lowest temperatures for the first time in a while, which sucked for her who dressed light out of habit. She doubted the weather would reach this point earlier that day, and now muttered curses to herself while shivering down the sidewalk. The only person who seemed very pleased with the forecast was her neighbor, Lestat.

She already decided he was a strange man from the moment he moved in next door. His fashion was outdated to say the least, and he did not speak colloquially. She assumed he was a theater actor, always in practice, or he was in a Victorian LARPing group. Although most of his attributes seemed out of place, he was surprisingly into the metal scene. She knew this because she was the one suffering from sleeplessness as he blasted loud music next door, but none of this really bothered her due to one reason. He was gorgeous. Sounds shallow, but it was true.

She finally made it to her door, rubbing her shoes onto the cheap Welcome mat as she fiddled with her keys. Just as she unlocked the door, a voice spoke behind her causing her to stiffen. She peered behind her shoulder and relaxed at the sight of her blond neighbor.

"I said good evening, Lena. Did I startle you?" Lestat asked slyly. He took a small step closer to her yet seemed to tower over her.

Christ he's perfect.

"Yes, you did actually. Were you waiting out here for me?" she replied. Frankly, she couldn't flirt. During most of her interactions with men she'd treat them like a brick wall or speak in a sardonic tone, but whatever power Lestat had over her it made her want to try.

Lestat's eyes squinted as he grinned at her.

"Yes actually, I left something of mine in your kitchen. I anticipated getting here the same time as you so that I may retrieve it without bothering you too much." He explained.

"Oh...okay come on in then," she said as she turned back to the door. He had been inside her apartment several times in the past, but the thought of it made her giggle like a schoolgirl every time. She pushed the door open and entered, her neighbor following behind her.

"Sorry it's a bit of a mess, I've been taking longer shifts so I don't have any time in here. Do you want something to eat? Are you thirsty? Wait what did you even leave in here? Is it this cord?" She rambles more to herself than to Lestat, but he didn't seem to mind and took the cord from her hand. Their hands brush momentarily. Her body shivered, face flushing with the hope he didn't notice.

Why is he so cold? Probably from standing outside all day and enjoying the shitty weather...

"So.." she begins. She pondered between spilling her heart's deepest desires or offering him hot tea. Either way, she didn't have a chance because Lestat was already stalking out the door.

"Thank you Lena I am so pleased to have a neighbor like you," he replied rather plainly. He turned to look at her once more, cracking an even wider smile this time. Before she could answer back, he shuts the door.

***

The next day rolled by, which was Lena's only off day for the entire week. She cleaned, cooked, washed, ironed, decluttered, and dusted the day into night. As the sun disappeared over the horizon, she tossed over the final trash bag into the communal dumpster.

She dusted off her hands satisfactorily and headed back upstairs. Before entering her apartment, she looked down at the Welcome mat. It was ugly, lime green, and shriveled at the edges. With a grimace, she picks it up by the corner and goes inside. She opens the living room window and aims at the bin below. She was only three stories high; she couldn't possibly miss a drop straight down. She tosses the mat out and watches it glide down. It landed beside the dumpster.

"Man." she said defeatedly. While locking the window back shut, a knock came from the door. She checked the time, it was 9pm. Slightly suspicious hour.

She makes it over to the door and cracks it open a tad bit, using one eye to peek out only to swing it wide open at the sight of Lestat. He lifted his head to reveal his (naturally) smirking face.

"Heyy Lestat!" she greeted him sing-songishly while mentally face palming. She stepped to the side to let him in, but he stood there quietly and looked at the floor before him.

"Good evening Lena, may I come in?" he asked without taking a step forward. She blinked at him, confused, but remembered his Victorian thing.

"Why yes of course, please do come in," she said with a small bow to the head. She thought he was being playful, but Lestat seemed to relax back into himself and enter with confident strides. He had his back to her as she shut the door, she could tell he was measuring up her now clean apartment. She pitifully hoped he wasn't thinking she cleaned because of the mess he had seen yesterday.

"So, what's going o-"

"I'm going out of town for a few months, a sort of.... tour with the band, for the new album, you understand?" he interrupts her with the news. Her eyebrows raised slightly. He never left the city for that long; he would usually return in a couple weeks at most because he hated driving long distances.

"That sounds exciting!" she replied, trying not to seem crestfallen. He looked at her, looked into her, for longer than usual. Her face began to heat up.

I cannot have possibly said something wrong. Is there something on my face? What-?

"Sure," he finally said with a shrug, "I wanted to let you know now since I am leaving early in the morning. I did not want you to misunderstand my abrupt departure."

Her cheeks burned for the millionth time at this, creeping down to her neck. He cared about what she thought. Maybe he cared about her.

"Oh no don't worry I wouldn't think anything negative of you..." she began, trailing off as Lestat took a step towards her. Here he was again, towering over her. His golden locks hung low near the edges of her face. She looked up and looked away from him, swallowing thickly as he used a finger to prop her chin up to him. His orange eyes burned into hers. She felt her limbs liquefy, heartbeat roaring in her ears. His eyes swept over her face to her neck, landing on her pulse point. It was as if he could hear the blood pumping through her veins. He brought his face closer, his wavy hair tickling her cheeks as he inhaled deeply, but she didn't pay attention to any of it. All she could focus on were his blown out pupils, his pink lips, which parted to say something. She thought she'd seen drool forming on his tongue before he snapped his head back and pulled his hand away from her.

"I was also hoping if I may ask a small favor from you. Just to keep my mail with you until I return. Here, this is the key to my box," he places a key in her palm, the small engraving of his room number facing up. She stares at the key in her hand, her mind still buzzing with adrenaline from what she thought was the most tension she'd felt in ages. Lestat brushed his hand over her hair, making her return her attention to him.

"You'll be good while I am gone, won't you darling?" he was close to her again, half whispering. You could feel his hot breath on your skin.

Please just rip my clothes off please I have loved you since I have known you, I beg of you Lesta-

"Yes..." is all she can muster as a reply. Weak. He's flirting right? That's beyond her now since she can't function anymore. She thought he'd leave, but he stared at every inch of her face. His eyes landed on her mouth. God, her lips were chapped, weren't they? He looks back up at her with a smile, a perfect smile.

"I must go." His hand slid down to her shoulder before he completely pulled away and left the apartment.

She felt cold. Lestat was not exactly a warm hearth, but the intimacy they shared a moment ago lit something ablaze in her soul.

***

Weeks went by and Lena kept her promise to Lestat. She'd pick up both their mails and leave his in a basket in her kitchen. If Lestat was to be gone for a few months, then he should be returning soon. She smiled at the memory of the last interaction with him as she returned from the postal box. Maybe he felt the same towards her.

She was on a shorter schedule at work and enjoyed the time off. The weather was finally beginning to be agreeable, so she spent most of her time going out with a friend or two. Today her friend Anya was over. She knew everything about Lena's insane crush on her neighbor and relished in her glee as much as she did.

"You HAVE to ask him out when he comes back! You know he doesn't seem the type to ask a girl out... he's a bit cocky. Personally, I wouldn't be into him, but you clearly are!" Anya said as Lena joined her on the couch. Lena gave her an unamused look and shrugged.

"But if he isn't into me then I would just ruin the relationship we already have," Lena said with a pout. Anya rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but stopped as a loud thudding interrupted her. It was coming from the other next-door neighbor. The two girls looked at the wall and back at each other as the thudding continued.

"That's weird, that neighbor is always quiet." Lena said. The thudding suddenly reached an alarming volume and pace.

"Maybe they're fucking." Anya states matter-of-factly. Lena's head whipped to look at her friend and she bursted into laughter.

"Hell no, she's an old ass lady living alone!"

"Oh, then maybe we should go see what's up. It would be the good neighborly thing to do."

"I mean, I guess." They both remain seated after this decision, but jump right up as the thudding gets louder. Lena and Anya rush out the door and knock the neighbor's door quickly.

"Hello? Ms. Hill? It's me Lena, from next door!" she yelled into the door. The thudding stops immediately, and the two girls press their ears against the door. A quiet sob could be heard on the other side. Her eyes widen and she pulls at the doorknob. No use, it was locked. The thuds grow weaker.

"I'm gonna kick it down." Anya decides. Lena pushes her friend away from the door and shakes her head.

"Don't be stupid, we can just get someone to help, and if that's not enough then we'll call 911," Lena said. She rushes to the door across the hall and knocks.

"Hello? It's your neighbor, someone's in trouble!" She twists at the doorknob without thinking and the door clicks open. She freezes for a second but pushes it open to reveal the dark apartment. Anya peeks from behind her.

"Anyone home...?" she said. Lena shrugs and reaches around to turn on a light. She muffles a shriek with her hand as the light reveals a dried up corpse in the middle of the room. Turning away from the body, Lena watches Anya who was already down by the next door, her phone pressed onto her ear. Anya slams her free hand against the door.

"Why the fuck is my call not going through? Lena you know you have really shitty service in this building? Oh, fuck this, come on" she paces around the hallway, her phone flat against her face. Lena walks slowly to the door Anya was just at. Lena breaks out in cold sweat, her hands shivering as she twisted the doorknob. Rotting stench of flesh filled her nose this time.

She panicked. Two dead neighbors on her floor? How long have they been dead? Who killed them? Questions whizz through her mind as she goes down the hall, one hand on the wall to keep her from collapsing. She turned the corner to find Anya still cussing out the slow service.

"Lena this entire fucking floor is full of dead people! Fuck this, I'm gonna go outside where there's better cell service," she grabs Lena's hand to leave, but Lena pulls back.

"What if the killer is in the old lady’s room right now? We can't leave her...we have to try something," Lena whispered urgently. If she were sane, she'd have run away the moment she opened that old lady's door, but a dreadful idea crept into her mind, and she had to know if it was true. Anya looks at her with worry, but sighed and agreed, saying she wouldn't want to leave Lena alone in this fucked up building.

The two return to Hill’s door. Quiet sobs could still be heard from the other side, slowly ebbing into silent, ragged breaths. Lena's hand reaches for the doorknob, she began to feel dizzy as the door unlocked this time. She opens it slowly, both her and Anya leaning as far back as possible.

Ms. Hill’s was strewn across a couch, coughing up blood and muttering to herself. Lena and Anya approached her once they saw it was clear. Lena tried sitting Hill up to get her out, but the old woman pushed Lena away in defeat. She whispered something hoarsely.

"What did you say?" Lena said leaning in.

"That man’s face...Lena did you see that man...his eyes were glowing and orang..." Hill coughs, tears slipping down her wrinkled face.

"What face Ms. Hill? Please we need to know who did this to you! Miss?" Lena never got her answer and the elderly woman slumps over.

"She's dead." Anya says blankly.

"I know that."

"Look at her neck. The hell is that?"

Lena cranes her neck to view what Anya was pointing at on the old woman's nape of her neck. A snake bite, but these were much bigger. They had human teeth marks around them too.

Lena stilled.

"Anya you should go home." Lena said quietly. Anya whips her head around, a bewildered look on her face.

"Hell no! Do you not see what's happened? All these people have the same marks on them. I swear if this is some sci-fi nerd's idea of a prank. A vampire stunt or some shit? You can wake up grandma!" She shakes the dead woman and looks at Lena, but Lena gives her a stern look and tells Anya to leave again. She looks at Lena incredulously.

"Fine, I'll go! Since I know this is some bullshit joke your lovely neighbors pulled on us! Vampires for Christ’s sake!" Lena follows Anya back to Lena's apartment, averting her gaze from the open doors of the dead neighbors. Lena stands inside her doorway as Anya grabs her bag. Anya gives Lena a hug before heading towards the elevator with quick steps.

Lena began to shut her door but stop as her eyes land down in front of her. It was the ugly trashed Welcome mat. She grabs it frantically, shut the door, and sticks the mat in a closet. She felt sick, dirty. She decides to shower, but hot water couldn't burn the gross feeling that crawled all over her. The cold body that she once yearned to feel around her now filled her with fear. After washing away the impressions death left on her, she wrapped herself in a bathrobe and sat on the edge of her bed. She shivers for a while, eyes heavy with fatigue, not realizing when she eventually went to sleep.

***

Lena snapped awake at the sound of a knock. Was it the next day? She jumps up and change into day clothes. The knock repeated, she felt a hammering at her skull, she knew that knock. She stares into her vanity, practicing a very normal smile, before slowly walking into the main room. Her hands begin to shake. She didn't have to open it, but she had to know. She stands in front of the door for several seconds. A third, loud knock. She musters that smile and opens the door.

The room from across her apartment was closed shut, but that did not distract Lena for long. Lestat stood in front of her. His eyes glinting something she couldn't make out. She was beginning to drown in fear. She didn't have to know.

"Hello Lena, it's good to see you're well. May I come in?" Lestat said smoothly, almost as if he was forcing it. She doesn't speak and steps aside, but Lestat remains standing outside of her door. He holds back a huff.

"You're not upset with me for being gone so long are you, darling? I'm back now so let me make it up to you, alright?" He leans on her door frame yet avoids crossing the threshold. She simply smiles and steps back. She look at him innocently as his gaze begins to darken.

"Lena. Let me in." He commanded. Why doesn't he just say it? Why is he still trying to act like everything is normal?

"No." she said faintly. His face twists into an annoyed grimace at this. He sighs as he places his hands on his hips, shaking his head.

"You're being ridiculous, darling," he spits out the last word, "I'm not going to hurt you, never you, alright? Just let me in now so I can get my mail."

She stares at him, her mouth slightly agape. He admitted it so casually. Should she call the police? Shut the door? Throw garlic at the handsome bastard? Her mind was spinning. She felt that obsession she spring back to life. Here he was, the object of her desire, promising he wouldn't hurt her. She closes her mouth and begins to tremble, opening her mouth once more to answer:

"Come in."

#writing prompt #vampires #lestat de lioncourt #fanfic #drabble #akasha #writing #vampire blurb #lestat x reader #lestat fanart #queen of the damned

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magicmarkeruser · 2 years

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If The Secret History Was Normal and Boring

***

Richard quickened his pace as he realized he was far behind Bunny and Henry, who turned the corner of the hall without so much as a glance to the third boy.

This morning, Julian had reminded them that they had a Latin exam the following day. He had not mentioned an exam prior to today, but the students dared not to counter this abrupt news. Cramming the entire unit into one night was a more agreeable decision. The troupe entered the library and scanned for a quiet spot. The library was packed, today of all days.

"No don't sit there," Henry hissed at Bunny. Bunny, who was about to smack his bag onto an empty table, raised his arms up as if to say where the hell else were they supposed to sit. Henry ignores this, furrows his brows, and walks stiffly across the room. He stops in front of a table away from the unusually present crowd, which was occupied by a single girl. She was deeply engrossed in an indecipherable book but leapt from her seat when Henry slammed his Latin textbook on the table.

"Mind if we sit here?" he asks monotonously, yet his cold gaze seemed to say, "get the fuck up." The girl shook her head, whispering more to herself than to them they can have the table, and left the library entirely.

"Well, that was rude," scoffed Bunny. He slung his bag on the back of the wooden chair beside Henry and took out his own textbook. Henry ignored him and flipped to the page they needed to review. Richard undid the top button of his shirt, as he was the most nervous for this exam, and sat across from Henry.

***

Hours went by as the three went back and forth in Latin, and slowly the library returned to its usual, quiet atmosphere. Henry asked Bunny something in the archaic language but heard no response. He asked a second time, slightly agitated, yet still no answer.

"Bunny, are you listening to m-" Henry began as he whipped his head around to his friend but stopped to see Bunny's bright red and sweating face. Richard stared across the table at the blond boy, his head tilted to the side in confusion.

"......Are you okay...?" Richard finally asks after several moments of silence between the boys.

"I can't hold it in anymore," Bunny choked. Before anyone could reply, the pained expression dissolved from Bunny's face as he let out a barely audible fart. It was a long and sharp sound, like a trumpet's call. Henry's mouth fell agape, looking around quickly to be certain nobody else was near them. Bunny smiled impishly at the two, rather proud of the unique cadence of his flatulence. An older student walked by the three and fell into a bout of coughs. He shot a glare in their direction due to the suffering they caused him.

"Dramatic much," Bunny mumbled. He straightened his back and cleared his throat before answering Henry's long forgotten question in perfect Latin.

***

Another hour went by, leaving the three boys and the librarian to be the only ones left in the room. The trio decided to take a break, much to Richard's disappointment as he had no idea what they were studying the entire session. He kept his head down and went over the book, nearly piercing through the page with his finger as he grazed over the words.

Henry on the other hand was proud of his hard work. He was confident he would ace this exam and turned over to treat himself to something in his satchel. This action caught Bunny's attention, who had been shooting pieces of balled up paper into the nearby waste bin, and he tapped Richard's book to point at Henry. Henry was mumbling something ruminatively and pulled his hand out of his satchel. His fist completely enclosed around the mysterious item he had pulled out, and Bunny and Richard leaned forward to see what it was. Henry slowly opened his hand, revealing a Snickers bar in the center of his palm. Bunny let out a dramatic gasp as Richard leaned back with a huff.

"I didn't know you had a sweet tooth, old friend," Bunny stated sincerely, slapping Henry's shoulder. Henry shot him an annoyed look as he unwrapped the chocolate, quite delicately, and finished it in two bites.

"It's a reward system I made for myself," Henry justified, "it helps keep me on track of my studies you know it-" but Bunny cut him off with a yawn, clearly uninterested in Henry's excuse for eating a chocolate bar. Richard, on the other hand, was devastated by the chocolate. He was expecting Henry to reveal something to help him study really. There was no hope for tomorrow in poor Richard's heart that evening. Before he could say a sullen good night and head to his dorm, Bunny suggested they stay a while longer. Sighing, Richard agreed anyway.

***

It was dark out now, and the librarian shot dirty looks at the boys every second that went by. Richard felt her gaze burning through the back of his head and turned slowly to look. Upon making eye contact with the frowning woman, Richard whipped his head back around to his friends.

"I think it's getting late; besides we've probably mastered this whole unit by now," Richard said quickly, not wanting to be in the librarian's gaze anymore. Bunny let out a long yawn as he nodded in agreement. Henry shrugged, "I guess this has been substantial."

Much to the librarian’s joy, the three students packed their books and left the empty library. The hallway and the entire building were absent of life as well. Bunny sauntered down the hall, his flimsy bag hanging on for dear life from his big shoulder. A sharp, cold wind met the boy's faces as they exited the building. As they began to say their goodbyes for the night, Francis appeared around the corner, waving at them from the distance.

He gave a very pleasant "good evening" when he neared them, and informed the group that Julian had meant to say that the exam was next week.

Richard sighed heavily in relief at this news and ran around in gleeful circles. He shouted a good night to everyone and continued running off to his dorm. He planned on sleeping in the next day.

Henry, on the other hand, had fallen to his knees. Bunny and Francis looked down at him in unison. Henry's usually tidy dress pants were now smeared with dust. He had a frenzied look on his face, and he raised his arms to the sky, letting out a cry to the gods.

#the secret history #donna tartt #henry winter #bunny corcoran #richard papen #francis abernathy #dark academia #Spotify

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