#But Blake is just SO GENTLE in stopping her so she can wipe her tears and show she's there for her

[almea]

"But what if she isn't Ruby anymore when she comes back out?" "Maybe... that's not for us to decide."

#RWBY #Blake Belladonna #Yang Xiao Long #Bumbleby #rwby spoilers #😭😭😭 LOVE REALLY IS STORED IN BLAKE BELLADONNA #And very specifically love for Yang Xiao Long #The way Blake's love for Yang is just so steady and gentle and exactly what Yang needs #It looks like she's about to turn away from Blake in the last shot #But Blake is just SO GENTLE in stopping her so she can wipe her tears and show she's there for her #The way they're holding hands after being startled by Herb coming back is sooooo cute #otp: with every smile you told me i love you #For my own tagging purposes

[pinkseas]

GOOD EVENING NIGHTY TO U ALYYY I HOPE YOU'LL HAVE A NICE SLEEP SOON or now as i type this immediately after. ur answer because i am in the Mood like YEEHAW anyway FIRST OF ALL SIRMA'AMMX SHANNON i hope u have the bestest day too like that is both Embarrassing and an honest surprise theres someone else reading our convos at all and i did,... stumble on this one comment someone wants to read more of my xiao deadge brainrot weve been throwing back and forth that u replied (more like me crying u crying back i wipe ur tears still crying cus its all from me my fault i did this to myself) and im like SHYYY but its all out in the open on tumblr anyway so we just. yeah. YeaghHFHEHDKDJFHDHHFHDJDJFH dies in a corner cutely PATCHES THE ONLY EVER that we can trust in the most honest answers regarding blake rwby and xiao genshimpact her words only that we hold like the bible amen 🙏

"i have sm respect for it esp as like a genuine coping mechanism and i cant really speak on fics for it but the thought of xiao specifically as a character regressing is so ??? i get it in Theory but in Practice." NO BUT I GET YOU i think the interpretation can still. maybe. be put into a good way though I Cant Really See It but if whoever does esp the fics then u cant rlly debate their reason its like any other screwed up hc ppl do so yknow!! "sometimes u just gotta write fics where you baby the fave and i look away from those in general out of personal preference but i am especially looking away from ones where its xiao" with all u wrote after like i can see the point of Babying Xiao but not him going actual baby and das not good at all,... cus all i do think abt esp if zhongli treats him is those two fics i told u that gets me so hard of the old man's willingness to care for him and how hes so gentle and patient and akfkfjshhxhshdh like THAT is the type of babying but not babying i can get by like YKWIM

"there's a difference between treating someone gently knowing their strength and capability and choosing to be soft regardless in a good, respectful way, VS flat out ignoring that persons capability and strength and treating them like glass and truly believing that they could shatter at any moment if thought of any differently." im gonna be fr i did use the second option but OFC ZHONGLI DOESNT IGNORE its the fact he Knows xiao can still be,... so fragile. like (skids back like im wearing socks sliding on marble floor) ur fic where lumine holds him like shes holding the world and he cries and cries and she holds him regardless,... that type of fragility. i dont know if you rmb me talking this but i mentioned abt some other brainrot abt xiao trying to move on after the events of the chasm and how the crew And lumine And zhongli play a part of it but i didnt say that while everyone has at least a piece of their worldview given to him abt grief and loss its ultimately abt xiao and zhongli going through their conflict of each other way back since rex lapis' death,... and in the end when they resolve it, xiao had been so. so fragile. like everything reaches his breaking point and he breaks. he misses the past he misses devoting his only purpose to rex lapis whos not rex lapis anymore he misses bosacius he misses his siblings he misses the adepti he couldnt even mourn properly. and zhongli lets him mourn. and its that moment where he cries it rlly shows how small he is to the world yknow. THAT kind of guilt of acting like a child but for a person like xiao that he genuinely doesnt realize nor have the power to stop it. (and all ur comments after it jsut hits so HARDDD SO REALL)

"I JUYST WROTE LIKE A WHOLE PARAGRAPH but it was super fucking rambly in a way that made NO sense whatsoever so it is gone now goodbye </3" NO WAY…. NAUR WAY U CANT JUSR DO THAT I WANNA SEE UR WORD VOMIT TO MY WORD VOMIT TOO u said it urself sumtimes u cant get entirely what im saying I GOTTA BE CONFUSED TOO SUMTIMES EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE shakes u like a piggy bank (and like yknow every single i wrote here is unfiltered. like. i just leave in all my nonsensical rambles cus fuck it its not like i can come back to it and it perfectly encapsulates how Not Sane i am in my thoghts and i must Let you Know)

i do not have the words or thoght to respond on the xiaolumi xiao and lumine one bc everythings there already ITS ALL THERE SO BASED SO REAL so. i cant say theyre perfect for each other for the exact reason i see flaw that theyre not. i think. pettiness flowing through me that i personally see their development slow that i dont vibe with others' praises abt how glorious they are as a couple but not in how i see it KFHSHFHEHFJJEJFJ "made for each other" "their souls are fated to be together" can be so Eck to me its funny that it sounds like i hate xlmi too when i can go 30k words on it WAHAHKDJHSH am thinkinf abt ur latest post instead when the two are brought up bc my brain goes fast melts fast like putty i cannot Bother going back sumtimes but i Will Try

"idk how they put up with me fr" NO BUT. NO i also cant believe how you put up with me especially with that many paragraphs and over explaining and extremely specific views of xiao and lumine and zhongli and everyone else i drag in bc i do doubt if i am being so nitpicky abt it when i mention the gnsn commu's common views on it KFHSHFHHSHFH like, being around the community in twt or at least trying to be at the sidelines can be so. draining. that u see sm stuff that contradicts how u think and it makes u a little irritated if not scared u feel like ur the only one with this thought u feel left out. so like. its kinda ironic i found who can get me outside of twt HAJFKSJFJ

"it takes xiao and lumine a long time to develop a very close friendship" has been important to me for a long time since i knew their potential, and ive been doing this even before them like 😭😭😭😭 exploring love in a way that it isnt romantic love. that it doesnt have to be them kissing to make them official, that their close friendship is that fruitful result they grew which makes it personally hard to me that them being a couple and doing sims woohoo feels like its lost entirely for that "new stage in life". and i do take them realistically i do try my hardest to make them make even a little sense bc i want them to be as human as they are, although they were never human in the first place. not just exploring abt live but exploring abt how humanity works in teyvat,... about how to live,... and that matters sm to me ughghhdh post-teyvat where they do kinda maybe be 'official', but thats after all the hardship all the misunderstandings they went during teyvat. during conflict. and once everythings peaceful do they try to let go and make their bond simply work and THATS SO IMPORTANT TO MEEEE

though dont take my pov too heavily bc i did have my moot who knows abt my xlmi views and how i speak them so delicately and aggressively (gentle) passionate that theyre even cautious abt speaking their ideas to me i felt legit bad 💔💔 like SURE THEYRE SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME i would fight anyone who wants to rebuke my ideals but not those who just wants to be around and share the sillies with me like AUGH I HOPE THAT THIS IS EVEN A LITTLE BIT COHERENT TO U SKSKHFJSHFHD 

"me sitting here like a small child drawing them as stick figures holding hands and smiling “and then they were BEST friends <3” I MEAN WITH ALL THE SHT I SAID I DO THIS TOO FR sumtiems u get super analytic like a scientist lookijg thru their science thingamajigs to cure cancer sumtimes you go goofy ahh my blorbos i think theyre very neat tgt and we're so real for that <33333

GOOD MORNING BESTIEEEEEEEE <3333333

"(more like me crying u crying back i wipe ur tears still crying cus its all from me my fault i did this to myself)" NO BC THIS IS SO REAL LITERALLY

"PATCHES THE ONLY EVER that we can trust in the most honest answers regarding blake rwby and xiao genshimpact her words only that we hold like the bible amen 🙏" patches says xiao genshin impact is the only man ever and honestly i agree

"like THAT is the type of babying but not babying i can get by like YKWIM" I KNOW WHAT U MEAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"im gonna be fr i did use the second option but" NO BC LIKE i didnt word that right i know what u mean and like. idk. u dont do it in a bed or weird or disrespectful way yknow ???? you do it Right you do it so fawking well it makes me so insane and for what

"and in the end when they resolve it, xiao had been so. so fragile. like everything reaches his breaking point and he breaks. he misses the past he misses devoting his only purpose to rex lapis whos not rex lapis anymore he misses bosacius he misses his siblings he misses the adepti he couldnt even mourn properly. and zhongli lets him mourn. and its that moment where he cries it rlly shows how small he is to the world yknow" o(-( crying shaking bawling sobbing GODDDDDDD i see it. i see the vision i get it i Understand dear fucking LORD im so. explodes. learning to live for yourself missing the simplicity of the past missing those youve lost it is all So Fucking Hard and for what !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"shakes u like a piggy bank" DORRYYYYYYYYYY next time that happens i wll just keep the paragraph i pinkie prommy <333333 just for u bestie anything for u bestie

""made for each other" "their souls are fated to be together" can be so Eck to me" BIGGEST HANDSHAKE EMOJI EVER its so weird like sometimes in writing specifically i really love it but its one of those like. i appreciate it when its Not Real but if it were ever real or if ppl ever truly believed that other ppl or any charactesr were 'made for each other' or 'fated' i would expldoea nd die /neg ITS SO WEIRD i cant Properly describe how i love it a lot in specific ways but then hate it so bad in other ways its soooo. man

"i also cant believe how you put up with me especially with that many paragraphs and over explaining and extremely specific views of xiao and lumine and zhongli and everyone else i drag in" are u kidding me ur paragraphsg and explaining are the Best Things Ever In The Whole Entire Universe i adore and cherish it every single time without fail. something something not "putting up with" or "dealing with" just love just care <- doesnt know how words work or how to describe things

everything abt the way u talk abt xiaolumi is so. pleading face emoji x1000000000 im just. smdnfmsdngnfdkg GOD

"like SURE THEYRE SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME i would fight anyone who wants to rebuke my ideals but not those who just wants to be around and share the sillies with me like AUGH I HOPE THAT THIS IS EVEN A LITTLE BIT COHERENT TO U" no i know exactly what you mean dw !!!!!!! and its weird for me specifically/personally bc like. on one hand im still working on The Thing where if Someone I Care About has an opinion thats different from mine my instinct is "oh, my opinion is Wrong and theirs is Right" and that used to be SAURRRRR bad and there's a little bit of influence still BUT!!!! character growth character development i am so much better at keeping my own thoughts and hcs now and not twisting and changing them the split second someone says otherwise...... like the past few months especially ive gotten SO good at it its unreal i feel like an actual person now. and like i fully understand the fear of "oh no what if i make them feel like they cant talk about THEIR thoughts" but w/ us specifically too its like. i love hearing about your thoughts So Fucking Much whther theyre super similar or super different from my own, and partially bc of that i am 100% ok with sharing my own thoughts even if i feel like they're silly or know they'll be different from yours. idk if you were like a Stranger stranger (which is so funny to say all things considered) id probably be all polite but in the bad way where i listened and then agreed and didnt give my own thoughts but its YOU so i give all of my own thoughts i give every thought ive ever had and i feel totally comfortable doing so <- word vomit paragraph bc im delirious but im also too delirious to reword it into somethign more coherent dorry </333

"sumtiems u get super analytic like a scientist lookijg thru their science thingamajigs to cure cancer sumtimes you go goofy ahh my blorbos i think theyre very neat tgt and we're so real for that <33333" REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL we literally are so real for that. man. i love that for us sm <333

ANYWAYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS i hope u have been doing well i hope ur day today goes amazingly i hope u get some good rest tonight or maybe during the day idk i hope school stuff is going well and finally if anything goes wrong or bad i am beating it up with my tiny baby fists peace and love goodnight <3

#parasocial bestie tag

[mxlti-fand0m-imaginess]

I Don’t Care If You Hurt Me* // Octavia Blake

dom!reader/sub!octavia

Request: nope

Prompts: 113, 125

warnings: language, smut, not proofread

a/n: i haven’t really written smut before, so let me know if you like it!

You trailed your lips down Octavia’s neck, stopping to nip on her collarbone. She let out a small moan and you smirked to yourself. You swirled you tongue around the bite, before pulling away. Reattaching your lips to hers.

You softly bit her lip, causing her to gasp. Your quickly slipped your tongue into her mouth. She moaned into the kiss before pushing you away.

“I’m sorry. I can’t do this,” she said and she lightly pushed you off of her.

“Did I do something wrong?” you said as you worriedly looked at your girlfriend.

“No it’s me. I just-,” she paused and thought about her words, “you said I love you earlier today. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just we’ve been together for a while, and I thought-”

“No baby, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just-,” she paused once more, “I don’t think I’m able to love,” she said with a sigh.

A tear ran down her face and you quickly wiped it away as it fell.

“Please don’t cry princess,” you said as you wrapped your arms around her, pulling her in for a tight hug.

“Everyone I try to love always gets hurt. I don’t want that to happen to you,” she said with a pained smile on her face.

You pulled away and gently cupped her face with your hands. “I don’t care if you hurt me.”

Another tear fell from her eye and you leaned down and kissed it away. Her eyes fell to the ground, so you gently lifted her head up so she could look into your eyes.

“Octavia, I love you. And I don’t care if you can’t say it back. I don’t care if you hurt me. I love you. And I always will,” you said as you stared into her dark, beautiful eyes.

She quickly leaned up and tried to kiss you, but you pushed her down. “I don’t believe you asked permission to do that,” you said while a sly smile on your face.

“I’m sorry y/n, I just-”

You quickly cut her off, “ I don’t believe that’s my name.”

“I’m sorry mistress,” she said silently.

“That’s better,” you said as you pressed a gentle kiss to her neck.

“No touching me tonight. Ok princess? Tonight is all about making you feel loved,” you said as you moved your legs to straddle her.

Octavia nodded. You gave her a gentle slap on the cheek.

“Use your words.”

“Yes mistress,” Octavia said, her eyes turning darker from lust.

You backed away slightly, hovering over her legs. You slowly pulled her pants off, making Octavia whine in anticipation.

You pressed to fingers against the damp material of her panties, with just enough pressure so she could feel you, but not gain any relief.

“You’re already so wet for me princess,” you smirked at her.

You pulled her panties off at an antagoizingly slow pace. She whined again, and rubbed her legs together trying to create some friction.

You dropped her panties on the ground and spread her legs, putting one on each side of you. You reached forward and pulled her shirt off, tossing it aside. You reached your arm behind her and unclipped her bra, letting it slide down her arms. You dropped it on the floor and lowered yourself, so you two were face to face.

“You look so beautiful princess,” you said softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

You trailed your lips down her neck, leaving love bites behind. You reached her breasts and lowered your head, taking one of her sensitive buds in your mouth.

You swirled your tongue around it, biting it softly. As you kneaded her other breast with you hand. She moaned at the feeling and she reached down and pulled on your hair.

You stopped your actions, pulling away.

“I thought I said to not touch me,” you said as you reached over to the nightstand beside you.

“I’m sorry mistress,” Octavia whined out.

You retrieved a piece of rope, and grabbed her hands, holding them above her head. You tied them to the headboard. She struggled against the restraints and tried to reach you.

“Please let me touch you mistress,” she said as she tried to reach her hands towards you.

“Hush princess. I told you before, tonight is all about making you feel good. Don’t make me gag you,” you said as you smirked at her.

She stopped her whining and nodded slightly. You smiled lightly at her.

“Good girl,” you said as you lowered yourself again, this time getting closer to her wet core.

“You are not allowed to cum until I say so. Do you understand?”

“Yes mistress,” Octavia replied.

You dragged your nails down her stomach, making her squirm and moan under your touch. You smiled to yourself as you leaned forward.

You swiped your tongue across her damp slit, making her moan loudly. You pushed to fingers into her, pumping them very slowly. She whined and tried to push onto your fingers. You removed them and looked up at her.

“You take what I give you, or you get nothing at all.”

“Yes mistress,” Octavia said as she stopped trying to push towards you.

You entered her with your fingers once more, pumping slightly faster.

“Oh...fuck,” Octavia moaned out.

You attached your mouth to her clit, swirling your tongue around the bundle of nerves. Octavia let out a string of moans and profanities as you increased the speed of your fingers, curling them slightly to hit her sensitive spot.

“Right there mistress oh fuck,” she moaned out once more as she began to squirm under your touch.

“Please let me come mistress,” Octavia softly let out, feeling extremely close to release.

You pulled your mouth off her clit, but didn’t stop the action of your fingers.

“Not yet princess,” you said as you put your lips on one of her nipples.

You used your free hand to pinch and flick her clit. Octavia became a moaning mess under your touch.

“Please,” she whimpered out.

“Please what? Use your words,” you replied.

“Please let me cum,” she moaned out as her back arched.

“Ok princess, you can come.”

She let out a loud moan, and her legs started shaking. You slowed your fingers down, helping her through her orgasm. Finally she released onto your fingers. You brought them to her mouth and made her lick her juices off.

You united her wrists, pressing a gentle kiss to each one, before slowly placing them down. You she’s your clothes and cuddled next to her, pulling the blanket up to your necks.

“Y/n?” Octavia asked as she turned around to face you.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

You smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her nose. “I love you too.”

#the 100 #the 100 octavia #octavia kom skaikru #octavia blake #octavia x reader #marie avgeropoulos #imagine #the 100 imagine #smut #fanfic

[doc-pickles]

always free to run home

in which alex's dad shows up post 16x16

hello! i posted this fun little fic on AO3 awhile back but i'm also throwing it over here. shoutout to @mac-andcheeses for letting me use her brain child for this one!

“Hey, it's Alex. Leave me a message.”

“Karev, it's Miranda Bailey. Your dad is being treated at Grey Sloan for injuries he sustained during a car crash and he’s also detoxing from years of heavy drug use. We don’t have any other emergency contact for him, the only reason we knew who he was… That’s not important. I need you to come back to Seattle. I know you’ve got your picket fence and your perfect kids and your blonde ex wife out there in Kansas but you need to come back home.”

+

“Hey Junior. Can’t believe they really dragged your sorry ass out here. Doctor Bailey said I got a couple of grandkids out in Kansas. What the hell are you doing in Kansas?”

Alex rolls his eyes, ignoring his dad as he flips open his chart. Bailey had explained the situation when he had arrived just 30 minutes earlier but he wanted to see for himself just how bad it was looking for his father.

“They’re my kids but you’re not their grandpa. You don’t deserve that title,” Alex answers, not looking up from the chart. “Your liver is failing.”

“I know, that’s what they told me.”

“That doesn’t just happen overnight, you must have been in pain for a while.”

“You’re not giving me any new information, the leggy brunette doctor nearly chewed my ear off when I first came in,” Jimmy lets out a sigh and Alex decides to let his comment about his doctor slide. “I’m dying, it was bound to happen sooner or later.”

“Do you just not care about anything? You’re about to die and all you can do is shrug your shoulders,” when Jimmy doesn’t respond Alex can’t help the frustrated groan that leaves him. “God I don’t even know why I came out here. You’re still the same guy that left us all those years ago aren’t you?”

Alex turns to leave but stops in his tracks when Jimmy speaks up, “Now that’s something you know a thing or two about isn’t it?” He doesn’t know how his dad knows the details of his escape from Seattle but his words make Alex’s blood boil as he turns to face Jimmy again, “Don’t you ever compare me to you. I left my whole life behind the minute I heard about my kids. I left my friends, my wife. Everything! I left the state to be there for my kids, I am nothing like you.”

“Trust me kid, I know all about your wife. Who do you think figured out who I was? Didn’t you see her name all over those tests?”

Alex practically lunges at the chart he’d just discarded. His eyes frantically scan the page, freezing almost immediately as he finds what he’s looking for.

Attending on the case: Doctor J. Karev

“She figured out pretty quick who I was, said we have the same crooked smile,” Jimmy is unphased by Alex’s mild freak out, continuing his story. “Didn’t say it outright but I saw her name on my chart and I knew. Well I pieced it together eventually, I’m not stupid.”

Alex finally looks back at Jimmy, anger still evident in his expression, “I know I fucked up by leaving Jo but you left our family! You left your kids behind!”

“And how exactly do you think I figured out who she was?”

Alex pauses, mind reeling at Jimmy’s words. He thinks he knows what he’s saying but Alex refuses to believe it. His dad was probably high still and trying to guilt trip him.

“I saw her, you ex wife. She was getting coffee and she had a baby, a little boy, all bundled up in his carrier. That’s when I figured it all out, the kid is your clone. Looks just like you did when your mom and I brought you home.

“Anyways the next day I overheard her talking to someone in the hall about how she couldn’t be on my case anymore. And it all made sense, the last name and the baby and everything. She stopped by earlier today and that short doctor told her you were coming. I think she went home to avoid you.”

Standing in a stunned silence Alex stares at the chart in his hands, still trying to fully process what his father is telling him. On the other hand Jimmy is talking a mile a minute but Alex can’t comprehend a word he’s saying.

“I gotta go,” Alex mutters the words as a half assed goodbye, sprinting out of the room and down to his rental car.

The loft is an easy destination, Alex’s body driving almost on autopilot. As he pulls into the back of the lot it occurs to him that in the year he’d been gone Jo might have moved. He’s about to call Meredith when the sleek black Audi he used to drive pulls in. He sits and stares in awe as Jo climbs out, opening the back door to grab a diaper bag and car seat before heading inside. He can’t see the baby from his vantage point but just the knowledge that he and Jo have a child together brings tears to his eyes.

He pulls himself together quickly, locking his car as he takes the steps up to the loft two at a time. It’s not until he’s standing at the door that he pauses, wondering if Jo rebbe wants to see him. Despite his reservations Alex knocks on the door, knowing he never wanted to live a life where he didn’t know all of his children.

The loft door slides open and for a moment the world around Alex is frozen. Jo is standing in front of him, eyes wide as she takes him in. As awestruck as Alex is seeing Jo for the first time in a year he can’t take his eyes off of the little boy in her arms. His dad was right, aside from the bright hazel eyes blinking up at him the kid is his clone, right down to the haphazard curls sticking up on his head.

“I… Bailey called me about my dad. And he said he saw you… I just needed to see for myself,” Alex shakes his head, as if the past year had suddenly come back to him. “I’m sorry I just barged in on you, I know you probably don’t want to see me. I’d really love to get to know him, you know where to reach me.”

Alex turns to leave, getting to the top of the stairs before Jo’s voice rings out, “His name is Blake. You two share a birthday.”

He doesn’t move as he processes what Jo’s just told him. There’s another beat of silence before she speaks again, “I didn’t know I was pregnant, you’d think a doctor of all people would know but I didn’t until I gave birth at home at 2 AM. He’s only three months old and by some miracle he’s perfect.”

Alex finally turns around, staring wordlessly at Jo who has tears streaking down her face. Blake is fading fast in her arms, struggling to keep his eyes open as Jo gently rocks him. It takes everything in him not to surge forward and wrap them both in his arms, but he knows not to push his luck with the woman he left so long ago.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called and told you about him but this has been the longest and scariest three months of my life. I didn’t have nine months to prepare and adjust to being a mom, I had minutes. And every minute since I first held our son in my arms has been full of me second guessing myself and trying to do what’s best for him.”

Jo’s chest is heaving now as she struggles to catch her breath. Her hand comes up to stifle the sob that comes out, Alex moving quickly to wrap her in his arms, “I know you’re a great mom Jo you don’t need to doubt that even for a minute. And I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you.”

“You being here wouldn’t have changed anything, except maybe you freaking out when I went to pee and came back with a baby,” Jo burrows herself further into Alex’s embrace. “We made a baby.”

“A pretty cute one too,” Alex is about to say more when he notices a ring of bruises around Jo’s wrist. She notices too, quickly pulling at her sleeves to cover the fresh black and blue marks. “Jo…”

Jo pulls away from Alex as she walks into the loft and sets Blake down in his crib, “I’m fine, it was just an accident at work last night.”

Alex steps in front of Jo as she attempts to walk away from him. He doesn’t reach out to hold her like he wants to, instead studying her nervous behavior, “You know you can tell me the truth, right?”

Jo nods, still hesitant to look up at Alex as she focuses on her hands, “It was just an altercation with a patient, Hunt stepped in before I could get seriously hurt.”

“Jo-”

“It’s fine!”

“It’s not fine, you were attacked by a patient.”

“And I’m not on the case anymore. So it’s-”

“Not fine! What would’ve happened if-”

“Nothing happened! And I don’t think it’s your place to worry about me.”

“Of course it is, it always will be.”

“Can you stop freaking out?” “You were hurt! Of course I’m going to-”

“It was Jimmy. It was your dad that… hurt me.”

There’s a stifling silence as Alex takes in what Jo’s just told him. She’s watching him nervously, as if he was going to blow his lid at any moment, but he just stays quiet. When she realizes that he’s not going to say anything, Jo breaks their eye contact and continues her story.

“He was detoxing and thought I was your mom,” Jo rolls up her sleeves to show Alex the large hand marks covering the bottom half of her arms. “I’m fine though, I got checked over and Blake was in his car seat the whole time.”

“Blake was with you?!”

“Yeah… I was just checking on Jimmy before I left. He had told me earlier that he wanted to see Blake, that he looked just like you did as a baby,” Jo still refuses to meet Alex’s worried gaze as she retells the events of the previous night. “When I got there things were fine but then I showed him Blake and Jimmy just… He started yelling at me and pushing me around the room. He was calling me Helen and asking why I hadn’t picked you up from school yet. I pushed Blake’s car seat out of the way right before he pinned me up against the wall. Thankfully I was able to reach the code blue button and Owen rushed in right before he punched me.”

Jo finally meets Alex’s eyes and it takes everything in him not to run out of the loft and find his father, to scream at him and kick and punch and make him pay for hurting Jo the way that he had hurt him and his mother. Instead he leans down and cups Jo’s cheeks, wiping the tears pooled there as he fixes her with a gentle look.

“I’m fine, I really am Alex. I was more worried about Blake through the whole thing,” Jo shrugs as Alex’s fingers float across her cheek. “I’m used to-”

Jo cuts her statement short as she realizes what she was about to say. Instead she shakes her head and breaks free from Alex’s hold on her as she walks to what used to be his dresser. She pulls out a pair of his ratty sweatpants and an old t shirt, handing them to him as she walks past him towards her bed, “You can stay on the couch tonight, you know where the blankets are.”

“I can wake up with Blake,” Alex quickly offers. “You have a ton of bottles up by the sink and I’ve made about a thousand of them in the NICU. You need the rest.”

Jo just nods, practically falling into bed with a sigh. By the time Alex comes out of the bathroom her soft snores are echoing through the loft.

+

When Jo wakes up the next morning Alex has scrubbed the kitchen and bathroom and folded the pile of laundry on the couch. He had let Jo sleep in, toting Blake around in his carrier while he cleaned the loft. While Jo was never the neatest person she would always get antsy when the loft started to get too unorganized or cluttered. He could tell just from the state of things that she was completely overwhelmed with the infant that had unexpectedly taken over her life.

“I made coffee,” Alex gestures to the steaming pot on the counter. “And Blake just went down for a nap.” Jo nods in appreciation, silently pouring a cup of coffee for herself before turning to Alex, “When are you going back to Kansas?”

“My flight is scheduled for late tonight,” Alex lets out a sigh as Jo turns away from him. “Jo come on, I didn’t even know about Blake until yesterday.”

Jo turns back towards him, anger replacing the sadness that was just there, “Because you left! You left me Alex! I’m not counting on you sticking around just because we have a baby together.”

“I’m not just going to abandon my kid Jo.”

“Well you abandoned your wife pretty easily so excuse me if I don’t exactly believe you,” Jo scoffs, tears welling in her eyes. “You wanna know why I never called? Because being a single mom sounds a lot easier than shipping my son across the country to see his dad and step mom and their perfect life on a farm. I know you want to be in Blake’s life but I’m not putting him on a plane every other weekend so you can do that.”

“Izzie and I aren’t together.”

“Could’ve fooled me. Your stupid letter-”

“Was a mistake! The biggest mistake that I have ever made and I am so sorry about that Jo, but I would never try to take Blake from you,” Alex pleads. “You have to know that, don’t you?” “I don’t know that, I don’t know anything about you,” Jo’s voice reaches a scream as she faces off with Alex. “You spent years telling me you weren’t leaving, even longer trying to show me that your actions were louder than your words. And you still left me in a freaking letter!”

“Jo-”

Jo finally turns away from Alex, running a hand through her hair, “I’m not arguing with you about this. You left and gave me no say in our divorce.” “I had to leave, I had to be there for my kids.”

“And I would’ve come if you had asked me,” there’s tears in Alex’s eyes as Jo speaks, her voice coming down from it’s roar. “If you want to talk about knowing people, you should’ve known that I would follow you anywhere Alex. Did nine years teach you nothing or are you just extraordinarily stupid?”

Alex’s phone rings and breaks the illusion that they’re alone in the world. He only glances at the text for a moment before he’s shoving his shoes on his feet and grabbing his wallet and keys. When he looks back at Jo she’s staring at him with an anxious expression.

“I’m not leaving, it’s just my dad and-”

“Go Alex.”

“I’m not-”

“Go. We’ll still be here.”

Alex only spares one more look at Jo before he’s rushing out the door to Grey Sloan. He doesn’t know why he feels some sick sense of honor towards the man that abandoned him and gave him more trust issues than he can name, but he knows he needs to see his dad.

“Karev, your dad coded a little while ago,” Bailey begins to explain the situation as soon as Alex walks up to her. “Because of his long term drug use his heart is weak. He’s stable for now but… I would be shocked if he made it through the night.”

Alex nods his thanks to Bailey as he walks into Jimmy’s room. His dad is laying completely still, the slow and steady beeping monitors the only sign that he’s still alive. Alex settles into the seat next to the bed, watching his dad for a long moment. He hated him for years for everything he had put their family through, the way he had abandoned them and hurt his mom beyond repair. In fact Alex couldn’t help but feel a cruel kinship with his father, both men having broken their families into seemingly unfixable pieces.

“Alex.”

The soft voice shocks him but Alex looks up to meet his dad's gaze. He can tell it’s taking everything in him to form words but that doesn’t stop Jimmy.

“Kid, you’re nothin’ like me. That girl loves you more than you know and you’ve got a chance to do right by her and that little boy,” Jimmy lets out a cough and reaches out for Alex’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “Don’t make the same mistakes I did. You’re a much better man than I ever was.”

It’s silent after that, Alex sitting and holding his dad's hand until the monitors around him fall silent an hour later. He sits with him for a while more before leaving, going back to the hotel room he had rented instead of the loft like he had wanted to. There’s a million thoughts running through his head but one rings louder than the rest.

Don’t make the same mistakes I did.

+

Logically Alex knows he should’ve called or texted or even sent another letter to Jo. Maybe not the letter, but it had been two weeks since his dad had passed and he had left Seattle without a word to anyone. He feels bad for leaving Jo once again but he also knows that his decision is for the best.

He’s not shocked even a little when Jo opens the loft door and scowls at him. Blake is on the floor of the living room batting at colorful shapes on his playmat and Alex is thankful that he at least seems happy.

“Hi.”

“Hey asshole,” Jo scoffs and turns around, leaving the door open for Alex but not acknowledging him. “You said you were going to the hospital and then you left. You specifically said you weren’t leaving and then you left. Again.”

“I know.”

Jo picks up the laundry basket on the couch and begins to put away the folded clothes, “I’m not really interested in whatever it is you have to say Alex. I’m done believing anything you say because every time I do I just get hurt.”

“l bought a house in Queen Anne,” Alex watches as the laundry basket in Jo’s hands tumbles to the ground, her eyes wide as she stares at him with unwavering attention. “I know you always liked the neighborhood and it’s right around the corner from Meredith. It’s a two story with some extra bedrooms and it’s got a big backyard for Blake to run around in with the twins when they come to visit in the summers. I already talked to Izzie and she said she’s more than happy to let them visit. And uh Bailey gave me my job back, as head of peds.”

Jo’s hand flies up to her mouth as she stares at Alex in shock. He at least has the decency to look somewhat ashamed for having left without a word, but the sight of her so emotional over his return makes him feel slightly better.

“I’m staying in Seattle, I’m going to be here for Blake. I can’t… I’m not my dad. I’m not going to leave my kid or my… you. I’m not letting you do this alone Jo, you don’t deserve that,” Alex takes a deep breath and chances another look at Jo who now has tears running down her cheeks. “I’m sorry I didn’t call but I wanted to wrap things up back in Kansas and have everything lined up here. I promise that anytime you call or text from now on that I’ll answer. I’m not going to make the same mistakes I did before.”

The last word barely slips out of Alex’s mouth before Jo is across the loft, throwing herself into his hold. A sigh of relief leaves Alex as he wraps her in his arms, pressing his lips to her hair. They stay that way for a few minutes, just enjoying being close before Jo pulls back.

“Thank god, the loft is getting crowded and I’m worried Blake is gonna end up electrocuting himself or something when he starts crawling because I never had time to baby proof,” Jo blinks up at Alex, who looks confused at her statement. “What did you think I wasn’t going to come with you?”

“I-“

Before he can say anything in return Jo’s lips are against his and for the first time in months Alex feels well and truly at home.

#jolex babies #jolex fanfiction #jo x alex #jo karev #jolex fanfic #jo wilson #jolex #alex karev #grey’s anatomy #grey’s anatomy fanfic #nina writes

[countrymusiclover]

Ch 5 - Reunion/Sacrifice/Drilling

Ch 6

Clarke rests with injuries and I run a gentle hand through her hair. She told us about these people called the mountain men. They have the rest of the 100. Clarke wakes up and I hug her gently. We cry happily for a few minutes before heading outside to raven. Looking down we see she's got a leg brace on now and she notices my sad face and pulled me close. Then she hugs Clarke just before dad's guard calls to open the gate.

Mom is bolting to the front and my eyes lock onto Bellamy blake - he's come home. Clarke and I breath out "Bellamy!"

Raven tells us "Go, I'll catch up."

I nod yes before we're running at the same pace towards him. Bell barely had his head turned before Clarke hugs him, at first he doesn't hug back in shock but then he hugs her back. She goes to Octavia who is all dressed like a true grounder now. Bell turned my way and I tackle him to the ground. He laughs at me, but I kiss him deeply to where he moans and kisses back.

Breaking for air in his raspy voice he worries "You okay - the baby?"

Laying my head on his chest for a second I take a breath and nod my head yes. Setting up, O helps me to my feet before hugging me. "So What's this baby thing about?" I blush looking his way to see he's blushing too.

O squeals "Now there's something I'd thought I'd never see, congrats you two."

Raven and Clarke ask together "Baby!" Bell wraps an arm around me and I say as a joke "Suprise!"

Clarke hugs me tightly and when we break she questioned Bellamy "So when's the wedding----- after we save the others?" Bellamy glances at me with a smile. I guess I would really become a Blake after all.

Finn was on murder bounty by the grounders. He slaughtered a village of innocent grounders with an automatic rifle - he's not the same peacekeeper he used to be. Bellamy and I raised guns in the fog outside the camp, seeing Clarke coming back. Everyone of the Ark gathers around Clarke. "If we want a truce, we have to give them Finn." My father had returned but Finn gave himself over to the grounders and want us to watch his killing. I gripped my rifle hanging from my right shoulder with my hair partly pulled back, my freehand gripping Bell's who stammered out. "We're gonna get him. We'll get in close, and we'll hit them hard."

My father stands on the other side of him with my mom. "Son. . . There's thousands of them. Even if we could kill hundreds. . . They'd still wipe out this camp and your friend would still die."

I lean forward looking up at my dad in disbelief. "Dad. . . We have to try." He bends his head down sadly. "Sweetheart..."

Raven steps to my mom, tears in her eyes. "Abby..." I cut in stepping in front of my father who watches. "Mom-" She shakes her head no, breathing in. "No, Raven. . . Kristin. . ."

The four of us head for the gate Clarke shoved her gun in my hand as we stopped in front of the giant metal gate. "I'm gonna talk to the commander." I scoffed seeing Raven holding a weapon in her hands. "What else can you say to someone like her?"

Raven reveals a knife sliding it into my sister's jacket sleeve. Clever girl. "If she won't let him go, kill her. Things will go crazy, and then we'll grab you and Finn. Clarke. You have to help him. I owe him my life." Bellamy closes his eyes as she exits the gate. I run as best as I can knowing mom will freak out. "Clarke. What is she doing?" She tries to run forward but dad grabs her arm softly holding her at his side. "Wait mom..." I trailed off resting my freehand on her arm. Dad's gaze flickered to me then back in front of us. "Abby, we've got to let her try."

My sister stands inches away from the great grounder commander Lexa, a knife hidden in her sleeve. "Show my people how powerful you are. Show them you can be merciful. Show them you're not a savage." Finn is tied to the killing post by two grounders as the commander mumbles something I can't hear. My sis shoots her gaze to Finn with tears, begging the grounders leader. "Then I'm a killer. I burned 300 of your people. I slit a man's throat and watched him die. I'm soaked in grounder blood. Take me."

"But Finn is guilty." Clarke cuts of Lexa lightly crying. "No. He did it for me. He - did - it - for - me." But the commander isn't moved. "Then he dies for you." Raven snarls beside Bellamy as I keep a straight focus on my sister. "Come on Clarke, do it!"

I gasped seeing Clarke kiss Finn one last time and pull back holding a bloody knife in her right hand. Raven heavily sobbed collapsing to the dirt but Bellamy caught her in his muscular arms making his riffle swing sideways. "No! No! No!" Finn Collins - Spacewalker is gone.

An hour has passed since his death I held open the tent flap open for mom and dad to enter seeing a sobbing Clarke sitting on a bed, trying to rub the dried blood off her hands 'Finn's blood '. Mom bends down on her knees as dad and I stand beside the tents entrance. "They would have tortured him. I had to. I - - I had to - I had to." Mom pulled her into her chest hugging her tightly. "It's okay. It's okay." Clarke cries in a tight gasp. "What did I do?" Dad brushed a hand over his mouth as I wipe away my tears watching the tent flap open for Commander Lexa who says murder and murderer must join by fire for us to have peace.

My sister started to follow her outside but I jumped in front of her. "Sis, you don't have to do anything else." But she wipes her nose staring me dead in the face before exiting the tent. "Yes I do Kristin. If this truce doesn't hold. . . I killed Finn for nothing."

I blink tears watching her leave before dad broke the intense silence. "Clarke's right. We need to do this. Peace with the grounders is the way we'll survive." Mom scoffs glancing my way then to my father. "They don't know what peace is."

But dad annoys me with his statement. "The commander does."

"No she doesn't. The only thing they understand is blood and more blood. Lexa sent an army of over 300 warriors to the dropship - cause a bloody war simply because we were the strangers who landed in their backyard!" Tossing my hair over my shoulder I bawl my hands into fists, frustrated about everything we've been through since the day the council sent us down to die.

Mom added on my rebuttal holding a gaze with dad. "She's a child. They're being led by a child."

I eyed the grey chancellor pin stuck on my dark green jacket over a dark red tea shirt with gray pants covered with black fabric where it was torn and dark brown boots. I tapped my index finger on the symbol of power of our people. I'm 18 years old and I've led 98 prisoners of children before the 'adults' set foot on the Earth. "So are we." My father spoke taking my hand in his. Mom parts her lips nodding softly taking my other hand in hers as we exit for the grounders village.

Morning came and a grounder puts a hand on my chest when I try to enter the village with my gun still hanging down. "We need to disarm before we enter." Lincoln tells me causing me to roll my eyes slightly, pulling the gun over my head. Removing the amino inside and taking the knife out of my left boot handing them over to the grounder guard. Bellamy removes his rifle from his shoulder and the amino clip, eyeing me with concern. Finally my dad simply hands over his rifle without removing the clip, entering in front of us. Bellamy takes my hand in his squeezing it soft. "This better not be a trap." He mumbles in my ear. "I hope not, baby."

Our people stood on one side of the table and the grounders with their commander on the other. I felt pain in my stomach and a low growl having Bellamy rest his hand on my lower back. "Please accept this gift, commander. We drink this at special occasions. I believe this qualifies." My father hands over a bottle of alcohol to Lexa. "Thank you, Marcus of the Sky People." I stepped up by my dad's hip when he spoke in grounder tongue. "You're welcome, Lexa kom trikru." I chuckled softly pointing at the bottle. "Word of advice. Don't drink too much of it."

A grounder drank from Lexa's cup saying it was poisoned. Bellamy smacks Clarke's out of her hand, shielding my body with his other arm. My parents keep talking before Raven punches my sister. "You're the only murderer here!" I shot my head up sitting beside my father who watches the two Griffin's. "You won't be haunted by this forever. The pain will fade. What got me through was loving you." Yet Clarke harshly pulls away when mom rests a hand to her cheek. "You're talking about Dad? What I did to Finn was nothing like what you did to him!"

"Don't do this now-" Mom tries but got cut short. "I was protecting everyone. I didn't have a choice, you did...you had a choice to also tell me I had a sister. But you didn't - you turned him in!" Our mom shouted back to her talking about her first love. "No, I trusted Thelonious Jaha to talk to your father and convince him to not go public." Clarke let's angry tears go. "You knew Dad would never stop. You knew what would happen to him!" Clarke forced herself out from her chair while mom tried to defend herself. "I was protecting everyone too. I was protecting you - I was protecting Kristin!" We're trying to tear each other apart over the past.

Night had fallen again as Octavia finishes making a fire. I'm sitting on the log laying my head on Bell's shoulder. Lincoln questioned out. "How did you know it was Gustus?" The grounder who tried to break the alliance. Bellamy interlocks his hands together. "He'd do anything for her. To protect her..." he glanced down to me planting a kiss to my forehead while I struggle to keep my eyes open "it just makes sense." Our baby was wearing me out and it wasn't helping that we were in the middle of a war with Mount Weather.

Raven exited the tent radio in hand causing everyone to get to their feet. 'This is Jasper Jordan. Forty-seven of us are trapped inside Mount Weather. They're taken Harper, she may already be dead. We don't know how much time we have left, please hurry.' Bellamy states removing his view from the radio. "We need to do this now. We've got the alliance, now's the time to use it."

Clarke goes into a stern leadership mode. "First, we need an inside man. You were right. Without someone on the inside to lower their defense. . .turn off the acid fog, an army is useless. You should go." I suck in a sharp breath at her words towards Bellamy - he didn't tell me about this plan.

"I thought you hated that plan. That I would get myself killed." Bellamy shot back at her, feeling my right hand grip his hand in terror.

My sister breathed out with no emotion. "I was being weak. It's worth the risk. My map of Mount Weather. Find a way to get on that radio and talk to us. Good luck." She headed away from us when Bellamy goes for his tent to gather his gear. I grab my pack stomping behind him to throw open the tent flap. Bellamy doesn't notice me when he keeps shoving stuff into his pack for the morning coming with Lincoln.

"Inside man Bellamy, are you serious?" His head shot up at my voice as I stomped and pushed him down on his back on the makeshift bed. He grunts holding himself up by his elbows. "Kristin I can explain - it's the only way to save our people-"

I grip his shirt tightly in my small hands feeling my pregnancy emotions starting to take over. "What about me - our child Bell. Clarke looked you in the eye and damn well said it's worth the risk. That you - you Bellamy are worth the risk!" He snatched my hands in his gripping them tight, leaning up to hungrily kiss me.

I kissed him back deeply when he released his hold on my wrists giving me the freedom to pull his shirt over his head and starting to pull mine up until his hands take mine. "Kristin. The baby..." concern was laced in his voice when I look into his deep brown eyes. "Bell I - I can't lose you. This child - our child deserves to have both parents in Its life. . . So I need you to come back to me."

Bellamy rests his hands on my cheeks saying in between kisses after removing my shirt and rolling both of us under the covers. "I - will - come back - to you. I - love - you." My arms wrapped around his neck twisting my fingers in his black curls. "I love you Bell."

Now somehow people from the Ark were captured and being killed by the mountain men. I'm one of them. Tied up in between my mom and dad a bag is removed from our heads by a Mountain Men guard, throwing my hair around. Bellamy and Clarke are somewhere inside this place. Bell didn't want me in danger so I stayed at camp. Bad idea. I've got no gun or anything. My eyes scan the room to see a medical table with a live body screaming from a drill going in their leg, people from the 100 are restrained to the wall by handcuffs watching their loved ones getting killed.

I'm forced to my feet by two guards in between my mom and dad on the wall. I yank against the cuffs causing a guard to zap my legs only making me angrier. I haven't survived this long to go down like this. Come on Bellamy. I need you. Guards removed the dead body and grabbed Raven who bites into a doctor's face. But they zap her with something similar to a guard baton, only for her to kick them away. Finally they strapped het down by her neck, wrists and ankles before she whales out in screaming when the drill broke her skin.

Cage comes in and orders a guard to remove Raven from the drilling table and points to me and my mom, ordering "Put them on it!" They brought in another table and started removing us from the wall.

"No, please no - hey you don't have to do this!" Dad begs.

Kicking and punching is what I do and mom cried out being strapped down on the medical table. "Stop!" I whimper out for me and my baby "No!" locked on the deadly drill that kills.

They zap my side as I try to nee one of them where it hurts, strapping my mom down I hear my dad trying to persuade them "No one has to die for bone marrow. We can donate it."

My watery eyes stay trained on my father's weak ones. "Dad, I love you." I mumbled shivering in fear with my chest heaving up and down.

The doctors pull out the drills and I try squirming away but fail when they lock my legs down. The drills piece my right leg where I have a healed over bullet wound from the grounder war. I wailed out in high pitched screams at the level of pain that shoots through my body, yet I can still hear my mom's crying in the background. Tears strained down my face and all that runs through my head is. Our baby and me will die!

Kane's POV

Abby and y/n scream and tears fall down my face as I try to persuade their leader. "We can donate it!"

Cage states harsh "That'll never happen."

Begging out in tears at the love of my life and daughters screaming "I can - I can make it happen with their help.....please!"

After awhile of tourchering all the mountain men die from radiation levels. Octavia comes in and I shout pulling on my cuffs "get the keys from the guard, and free Kristin!" She runs freeing me and her.

I race to Abby and she shakily asks "Marcus, is Kristin.....where's Clarke?" I run a shacky hand through her hair and take her hands in my freehand once I undo her restraints on the table.

Bellamy runs in with Clarke once I've got her mom up. She embraces her mother saying in tears "I tried to be the good guy" Abby states "maybe there are no good guys..."

Kristin winces and Bellamy races cupping her face as she whimpered something I couldn't quite pick up. She completely loses herself and he bear hugs her, whispering things in her ear.

After their meltdown he comes over carrying her bridal style and I say "you did good, now let's get these people home."

I kiss my daughters forehead as she's still moaning in pain. Bellamy answers "yes, sir"

He's a really good boy for her. Reaching into my pocket I pull out my mother's ring and I hold it out in my palm, Bellamy raises an eyebrow and we both look down too notice Kristin is fully passed out in his arms. I put it in her pocket and give her permission "You have my blessing to marry her, Bellamy Blake.."

Abby comes over slowly and I wrap my arm around her gently, trying not to hurt her. She smiles as she looks up at him, in question "I already figured you'd ask for it at some point. Marcus is right and in my mind you've always had my blessing from the very beginning. Take care of her."

Bellamy answers with joy "I will mrs. Griffin and chancellor Kane."

Y/n's POV

My eyes barely hang open as I feel the cuffs fall and see o helping me sit up. Resting my hands down on the table I feel red blood in between my legs and I shriek. Bellamy bolts over to me, cupping my face and I feel our tears mixing together. He hugs me tightly and I grip him harshly, bawling "Bell I - I lost it.....it's gone....the baby's gone.....Bell....I....I can't!"

He pulls back and tilts my chin up to look at him. He is crying too but he looks over at my mom. In a light bit of hope, he whispered in my ear as he picked me up bridal style "Kristin, I'm sorry.....but I have faith that we didn't lose it okay - they didn't drill that far.....I love you queen Blake."

Dad's voices fades in and out to me but I hear tell Bell. "You did good, now let's get these people home."

I feel him also kiss forehead as I can't stop suppressing out a moan of pain. Bellamy answers "yes, sir"

Dad reaches into his pocket and pulls out my grandmother's ring, holding it out in his palm, Bell raises an eyebrow and I let myself rest for a short spell still listening and what I hear shocks me, dad gives bell permission "you have my blessing to marry her, Bellamy Blake.."

Mom's raspy voice meets my ears."I already figured you'd ask for it at some point. Marcus is right and in my mind you've always had my blessing from the very beginning. Take care of her."

Bell answers with joy "I will mrs. Griffin and chancellor Kane."

After that I fully pass out in his arms, gripping his shirt tightly in my hands and listening to his calming heartbeat as I try to not relive the horror of losing our baby.

I groan waking up in the medical bay of the Ark. Bell is sleeping on the cot next to mine - the tent flap opens and I see my mom and dad walk in with smiles on their faces which has been rare. Bellamy shoots awake when I groan once I'm sitting up. Putting his hands on my shoulders I sigh as he looks at me with a smile too. Glancing over at my parents I ask with a chuckle "Okay, guys What's going on?"

Mom nearly cries showing me a picture of an almost full grown baby. "It survived baby and - it's supposed to be here in three months." I gasped, gripping Bell's freehand "Three - three months!"

Dad comes over helping me off the table just before Bellamy is in front of me down on one knee. Raising a hand to my mouth he starts "Kristin kane I've protected you since the day we met, loved you the night of the unity day mascarade dance and I'm still surprised and amazed by you everyday.....so I'm asking to spend the rest of our lives together,  will you marry me?"

Tears fall down my face and I nearly jumped up and down answering. "Yes, yes Bellamy Blake!" Picking me up he spins me around like he did when we first landed on the ground.

Setting me on my feet, I feel my dad loop his arm through mine. My mom places a flower crown on my head and her with Bell run out the tent. Eyeing my dad I joked "Did you all have this planned?" He laughs with me as we walk through the tent to see everyone gathered in rows lined up heading towards the entrance of Arkadia's gate.

Raven stands next to o, my eyes search for Clarke but dad sighs as we are almost at bell "She sends her love, she couldn't stay here...: I nod my head, understanding after what she did in the mountain. Finally reaching Bellamy, Mom stands in front as dad hands me over to him. We join hands as dad and mom start the ceremony.

"Kristin kane, do you take Bellamy to be your husband?" Dad asks me.

I say the words, giving his hands a squeeze with a bright smile. "I do."

Mom questions "Bellamy Blake, do you take Kristin to be your wife?"

Bell chuckles "I've always wanted to say these words since the day we met, I do."

Together mom and dad finally say "By the power vested in us, we now pronounce you husband and wife. Meet Bellamy and Kristin Blake!"

Bellamy kisses me with so much passion that after it we're both left in a daze and out of breath - but I couldn't be happier.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

#kane and griffin blood #bellamy blake #bellamy blake x reader #bellamy blake x reader fanfiction #the 100 bellamy blake #the 100 #the 100 x reader #marcus kane #clarke griffin #abby griffin #kabby #wattpad fanfiction #ask box is open for anything #comments really appreciated

[rwbyvein]

Firen Lhain:  Chapter 602:   Prismatic Confessions:  Part III/III

Blake sat on one of the beds in her room, Ilia sitting across from her on the other.

"I guess... I should explain..." Blake voiced, and Ilia just looked at her nervously. "Yang was my partner back in Beacon."

"Like... Adam?.." Ilia asked.

"I was SO afraid she would turn out like Adam, but Adam is not freedom, not independence, not even power or justice, he - is - spite. Yang is strength. She doesn't really know what to do with it, but... she's - not - out - to - destroy - the world. I kept her at arms length for the longest time... and... I can't believe I said that."

"Blake?.." Ilia quietly voiced.

"Adam," Blake said, fighting back tears, "cut off - her arm." Ilia did a double take before looking back at Blake. "But, apparently that wasn't enough to stop Yang." Blake shook her head, causing the tears to fall away, and developed weird smile on her lips. She then wiped her eyes. "Next we have Weiss, the... former... heir... to the Schnee Dust Corporation."

Ilia developed a terrified look. "She?.."

"Was disinherited for trying to help the people of Remnant. She became a Huntress so her father, who married into the family, wouldn't be the one to define the family name. As you might imagine..." Blake said with a bright smile, "we did not - get along - that well - at first. We learned to trust each other, love each other. Next is Ruby, who is," Blake said, and paused, "hope incarnate. She's the reason the rest of the team, the reason everyone, got back together. Just being around her makes me hopeful we can succeed."

"And... the buck?.." Ilia asked.

"He prefers hart, through he's actually a Caribou." Blake warmly said to her, "He's the warmest, gentlest warrior I've ever met."

"He did not feel..." Ilia tried to say.

"He didn't hurt you." Blake voiced, "I've seen him strip Yang's considerable Aura with a single punch." Ilia looked at her with wide eyes. "You can't tell me it didn't feel warm being carried by him."

"Even if I was being carried under his arm?" Ilia asked.

"Whom are you trying to convince?" Blake asked her, and Ilia stared into nothing for a moment.

"Wh... why... are you telling me this?" Ilia asked.

"Because," Blake voiced, "if you join us, it wouldn't be as my girlfriend... but you will still need to know how I feel about everyone here."

Ilia looked off into nothingness as she thought this over.

* * *

Blake walked down the stairs, only to step into the sisters shouting at each other. She didn't hear what Ruby had originally said.

"Chill, sis!" Yang shouted, "Everyone knows I've got it going on."

"But!" Ruby tried to say.

"But what, Sis?" Yang asked.

"I mean..." Ruby voiced.

Blake looked around inside, not seeing Jaune anywhere. It wasn't until she looked out on the patio that she found him. She walked out to the patio, closing the door behind her. Jaune turned his head briefly to see who it was before looking back over the night.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you." Blake nervously stated.

"A lot of things happened today," Jaune voiced, "but I wouldn't say disturbed is one of them."

"I'm not bothering you, am I?" she asked, as she nervously walked up to him.

"I honestly don't know." he said, and the two stared out into the darkness. "Just... so much happened today. It doesn't seem real. Does it?" he asked, and turned to her.

She nervously tried to look at him, but had to look back out into the darkness. Jaune turned to join her. "It, "she voiced, "makes far more sense than it really should."

"It, what?.." Jaune asked. "We can't... can we?.. I mean..."

"I mean," Blake said, and moved slightly towards him, "it makes more sense than it should." Blake took another step towards him, and then another snuggling up to him. He shook with a start for a moment and then continued staring into the darkness. He moved his arm around Blake, hovering over her shoulder, unsure of what to do. She grabbed his hand and pulled his arm around her. "You've never been shy, before." she voiced.

"It's never meant this much before." Jaune voiced. "You girls were always so unattainable. The most I thought I could expect was friendship. And you, along with my team, are the best friends I've ever had. I just... never... thought..."

"Never thought, what?" Yang asked as she walked over. "I've seen the way you look at us."

Jaune turned just enough to look back at her, trying not to disturb Blake, "With... respect..."

"Well... yeah..." Yang voiced, "but a little somethin' else. I've seen your eyes wonder, if you know what I'm saying." And Jaune sighed in reply.

"Okay, yes, you're all so amazingly beautiful." he stated.

"And apparently last night it was a cat burglar, as she decided to jump to the front of the line."

"I just... needed... someone..." Blake voiced.

"I could have..." Yang tried to say.

"You were having a... talk..." Blake voiced, "with your sister."

"Is there?.." Jaune voiced, "Actually a line, or?.."

With this Yang sighed. "Sorry." she voiced, as she walked up to Jaune's free side. When he didn't react she spoke up. "You've got two hands, and I expect you to use them." Jaune quickly wrapped his arm around Yang's shoulder. "So, we didn't want to fight about this, but this is my play. I'm a babe, and you certainly know that. I've caught you staring."

Yang squeezed Jaune and then slipped out of his arm, before returning to the house, Jaune's head following her before looking back at Blake..

"And?" Jaune asked, "this is yours?"

"Two Faunus," she said with a pause, "with eye-shine, staring out into the night?" Blake asked, "How could it not?"

"Exactly." Jaune said with a smile.

* * *

Jaune and Blake stepped inside, when a burst of rose petals appeared in front of them. "Okay!" Ruby shouted.

"Ruby?" Jaune asked, and Blake respectfully stepped away.

"So, Yang-and-Blake-made-their-move-and-I-want-to-make-my-move-but-I-really-don't-know-what-but-just-know-that-you're-the-first-one-to-talk-to-me-and-I-don't-think-I-could-live-without-you-and-I-wanted-to-thank-you-for-coming-with-me-and-I..."

"Easy, Ruby." Jaune stated.

"but?.." Ruby tried to ask.

"I don't think I could live without you, either." Jaune grumbled, "Which is one of the reasons this is so... difficult..."

Weiss cleared her throat, and Jaune looked over to her. Weiss had a light blue flush, and hands tented in front of her face; when she dropped them he saw a smile, "I do believe it is my turn." Jaune gave her a nervous smile.

"Is this going to be fancy?" Jaune asked, and Weiss nervously looked down and around, anywhere but at him. Ruby turned to leave but Jaune quickly pulled her into a powerful hug. He then kissed her on the head, let her go, and turned back to Weiss.

"I suppose?" Weiss teppidly asked, "candour is in order." She nervously looked up into his eyes. She breathed in deep for a moment. "Yes?" she nervously asked, and he lightly sighed.

"Remember, I want to spend time with you." Jaune stated, and Aurora appeared behind Weiss.

"As I expected." Aurora said, and Weiss jumped. She turned to glare at her. "I have made alternate arrangements."

"Aurora!" Weiss admonished her, and then breathed in deep, "And they are?"

"Not quite as fancy," Aurora voiced, "as he says, but a lot more private."

Weiss then looked at Jaune. "Well, he does seem to enjoy the idea..." She then turned to Aurora, "Very well. Dress will be?"

"Formal." Aurora said, and Weiss looked expectantly at Jaune.

"I... uh... walked here... with the clothing on my back." Jaune voiced.

"We could..." Weiss tried to say.

"After poking the dragon's den... queen... bitch..." Jaune voiced, "I would rather NOT be without my armour.

"Huntsmen are normally except from formal dress requirements," Aurora stated, "unless they are... well... Qrow..."

"You got a problem?" Qrow asked, and Aurora brushed her chin as she looked at him. "What, you don't like my beard?"

"That - "Aurora voiced, "is not - a beard."

Weiss looked at her incensed until Qrow just started laughing out loud. He then stood up and looked her in the eyes, "I like you." he said, and Aurora nervously looked away. "Oh, man, she's a keeper, Weiss."

"I will take your accolades into consideration," Weiss replied, "though, so far, she has been fantastic."

* * *

Weiss and Jaune walked along the street, side-by-side as they followed behind Aurora. "So, tell me?.." Weiss nervously asked, "Did you truly walk across two continents with but one set of clothes?"

"Well," Jaune voiced, "I did bring spare socks and underwear."

"And... who has been cleaning it?.." Weiss asked.

"The laundry fairy." Jaune stated.

Weiss smiled for a moment, "I doubt you mean that seriously."

"I think it's Ren," Jaune stated, "though I'm not sure, but Ren seems like the most likely candidate."

"Are you?.. serious?.." Weiss asked him.

"100%," Jaune replied, "swear to the good god. My clothes were always clean by the time I was done bathing."

"You - bathed?," Weiss asked, "Out in the open?.."

"Ruby and Nora always turn around, and Pyrrha was the same way."

"And I suppose you were just as much of a gentleman?" Weiss asked.

"Of course." Jaune said. "Trust is incredibly important."

"And as a former noble, you have your honour to think of." Weiss said, and Jaune sighed. "I'm sorry, I did not mean..."

"No..." Jaune voiced. "Whether that's why, or not, I try to always mean what I say."

"Your earnestness is infectious." Weiss replied. "Just please stay your charming self, and not the one I first met."

"Uh... yeah..." Jaune said, and then let out awkward laughter. "I was pretty terrible." he added, and Weiss giggled.

"Looking back on it, it's almost a fond memory, but... yes... you were. I much prefer this charming gentleman."

"Hardly... gentle..." Jaune voiced.

"You can be a bit of a lummox, but you are always genuine, always wanting to help. Too bad it took being a bird locked in a cage to make me realize it."

"I kind of find that hard to believe." Jaune voiced.

"Oh?" Weiss asked.

"Being in a bird cage and not trying to pick the lock or something?" Jaune.

"I tried to find lawyers to take my case, but the only ones I knew were the family lawyers."

"Ah..." Jaune voiced.

"They were right in that it was a conflict of interest." Weiss voiced.

"So?," Jaune asked, "then what did you do?"

"Hire Aurora." Weiss said, and made a thrusting movement with an invisible rapier, "And had her offshore my savings so I could be supported once I escape."

* * *

Weiss and Jaune sat on a table on a balcony, overlooking the night as a sommelier poured their wine.

* * *

Aurora opened the door to the house and walked inside, stepping aside so that Jaune could walk in arm-in-arm with Weiss. A burst of rose petals appeared in front of them.

"How was your wine tasting?" Ruby eagerly asked, trying her best not to be judgemental, or jealous, or at least less socially awkward than she usually was.

Jaune stepped forward to kiss her on her lips. Ruby turned pale(r) and nearly fainted.

"I suppose we can blame that on the wine." Weiss said with a smile, and then stepped forward to do the same. This time Ruby's knees did buckle, and luckily Jaune was ready to catch her. He picked her up like a princess and walked her over to the couch. He gently put her down, and stood up, staring at her. He dropped his hand and cupped her face before gently stroking her hair.

"Shit," Yang said, "you don't take any prisoners."

"You have your," Jaune said, and thought, "bodacious play. Blake had her quiet, Weiss her company. I had to give Ruby something."

"And ice queen?" Yang asked.

"My plan is to blame it on the wine." Weiss said with a bright smile.

#rwby #firen lhain #faunus au #pollinated knight #jaune arc #ruby rose #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #yang xiao long

[prurientpuddlejumper]

A Deep and Rapid River, Ch. 11

<- Chapter 10

Summary: The end of a journey and the start of a new one

The world was beautiful—bright blue skies stretched overhead with a few lazy white cotton puffs drifting unhurriedly through and topping distant snow-covered peaks. Insects fluttered and chirped in the afternoon heat from the tall grass that lined the dirt road at the center of town, where tiny white and yellow flowers bloomed. Inside the gloomy church, you hadn't even noticed what was waiting just outside.

It was not a peaceful summer day, however. Word travels fast in a small village, though not always well or with accuracy, and a general chaos turns in the air—villagers carrying buckets of water clamor toward the smoke and others, still screaming, clamor to get away. It won’t be long before men with muskets come to hunt the great beast who had caused the calamity and abducted a bride from her wedding.

A large but fast warmblood waits, loosely tied to post just outside the church door. You could swear you’ve seen it somewhere before.

The creature sets you on its back side-saddle, before climbing on behind you and spurring the horse to a gallop. Behind you, a handful of villagers stare after you in shock.

“We shall be long gone before they recover enough to come after us,” he says, a laugh brightening the edges of his voice. You grin into the wind, fingers grasping at a handful of chestnut mane. You’re both exhilarated, and can hardly believe what just happened.

As you continue down the road, reality has to catch up sooner or later. Fear creeps back into your mind.

“Where are we going? What will we do?!”

“Are you not happy? You came with me of your own accord...”

“Of course I’m happy! “Of course I’m happy! You rescued me from that nightmare.” You’re not sure how to show your affection while trying not to fall off a galloping horse, so you nuzzle your face against the arm he has wrapped around you. “Only, we still have the same problem we had yesterday,” you frown.

“In truth, I may have wallowed and wasted away in self-pity, doubting if interference on my part was wanted, but I was encouraged to action. There is something that may assuage some of your apprehension.”

He slows the horse and turns its reins down a narrow path into the forest, barely visible from the road. You ride for several minutes, ducking sharp branches that tug at your dress, winding through the undergrowth until it opens up upon a small clearing at the edge of the river. The water is cool and clear, far calmer than the angry brown churning that overflowed the banks in the spring.

“This is where we first met, isn’t it?”

He slides himself off the saddle and lands softly in the tall grass. Taking the reins under the animal’s chin, he leads you toward a figure waiting at the far side of the meadow, under the dappled shade where the forest line hangs just over the riverbank. A smaller horse grazes idly beside them. He raises a large hand and waves to them. The figure waves back, mahogany curls bouncing with the movement, the light catching on their long, fussy sleeves.

It couldn’t be.

“Stop where you are!” she barks as the creature approaches too close. “Fifteen feet, remember our deal?” She holds up a hand in front of her eyes and squeezes them shut as if to erase him from her vision.

“Bess?” you stammer.

She looks up at you with big brown eyes and smiles. “Sorry for missing your wedding. I heard it sucked.”

You jump off the horse and nearly knock her her flat with the force of your hug. “What are you doing here? How did? What? And you didn’t—” your mouth is running at a million miles a minute yet you can’t quite manage to articulate words.

“Alright, alright,” she pats your back. “I am astonishing, I know.” She steps back and gestures to a large leather saddle bag next to her on the ground. “While everyone was distracted, I packed everything you’ll need to survive. Baked some hardtack special for you, so you shouldn’t starve for at least a month, though I recommend foraging something to supplement it.”

“This… this was your idea?” Your jaw hangs open. “But I… But you...” Your open jaw wobbles in disbelief, your last memory of Bess wide-eyed with terror and screaming.

She tucks a hand on her hip and looks aside. “I saw what I saw, and I was shocked. Frankly, it would have been a lot to process even without a damned—whatever you call him—involved. I didn’t say anything of course, but it was distressing. I didn’t know what to think. That you were cavorting with the legions of Hell after all? Then I recalled your strange behavior of late—your distraction, your mysterious smiles and contented sighs. Always hiding away in that barn yet refusing any aid with your chores. After I could breathe again it was not difficult to put together. I’m not a dummy, dummy,” she smiles.

“Suddenly they were forcing you to marry Ferdinand. I knew you would never do so willingly, but I had no power to stop their machinations. I didn't know what to do, so on a hunch, I checked your barn and found this brute curled on the floor with ten cats, weeping into one of your chemises. Thus I recruited him to my aid.”

The creature steps forward and gestures a large hand toward Bess in a friendly manner. “It was she who secured the horse and supplies, and who suggested—”

Bess waves him away sharply, clamping a hand over her eyes. “I’m sorry, guy, I cannot even look at you.” She shudders deep and sickeningly to her core. “You are fucking crazy,” she says to you, “I don’t get it. But this fellow makes you happy, doesn’t he?” You nod. “Then I am happy for you. This town has been a prison for you ever since we were children; I watched it draining your life, your dreams. So take your scary boyfriend and get out of here!”

Tears sting the back of your eyes. The creature was right—all along, Bess would have understood. Instead of confiding in a friend, you let fear lead you by the nose into a trap from which the two of them busted you out just before the door could snap shut behind you forever.

“I should have told you.” You wipe your eyes, laughing softly. “I’m an idiot.”

“No…” she coos soothingly, with some hesitation. “Well, yes. A little. But we love you.” She makes a visor over her brow with her hand and points in the general direction the massive, ominously looming creature is standing. “He loves you quite a lot, you know.”

“I know,” you smile, blessing him with a gaze affectionately returned (though he keeps his distance from the flighty Bess, occupying himself by packing up the horse). “He’s wonderful.”

“It takes all types,” she shakes her head. “Alright then,” she clears her throat, steeling herself, “Ride as hard as you can until you reach the next town. Blake is our fastest, strongest horse and should be able to bear the weight for a sprint of that distance. That should be enough of a head start to then disappear on foot, especially if nobody knows your intended destination is Geneva. If you would be so kind as to return the horse to the livery stable there—it is run by my cousin, and he won’t ask any questions. When you reach your destination, I expect a letter or I’ll think you’re dead.”

“You’re not coming with us?”

Her eyes grow wet. “It isn’t my journey. This place is not so much a cage for me as it has been for you. Though one day, I hope, we shall meet again.”

“I will miss you.” Your lower lips quivers with unspoken sorrow. She hugs you fiercely and protectively one last time before pulling back with a sniffle.

“Now go on! You must hurry before they come looking for you.”

The creature reaches down a hand. You clasp it, warm and strong in its grip, and he pulls you up onto the back of the muscular horse. Bess waves, running after you on foot as he kicks the horse into a brisk canter. “Don’t forget that letter!”

Tears stream down your face as you turn in the saddle and watch Bess and the river grow smaller and smaller, and eventually be swallowed up by the forest. You inhale deeply and let out a long, shaking breath.

“Are you all right?” the creature’s question vibrates in his chest, pressed to your back.

“Yeah.”

He is silent for awhile. The wild exhilaration of your escape from the church has withered and been replaced by a mournful determination to move forward. To begin new lives. The reality is not so glamorous as you reminisce on all the things you are leaving behind—Bess, Edelweiss, your flock of chickens and barn cats, the moss-covered boulders that were your secret place since childhood—yet you are ready to build that new life, whatever challenges lie ahead. You’ll have the best help one can hope for.

You let your weight shift back so your head rests against the creature’s chest. His long black hair flutters around you in the wind. He leans down and presses gentle kisses on your hair and your shoulders, and a comforting warmth spreads beneath your skin. You feel safe and cared for.

“Do you hate me? You must hate me,” you murmur into the wind, but his sharp ears pick up every word.

“I love you,” his chest rumbles. “You are my life, as much as the air that fills my lungs. Why should I hate you?”

“I was useless. I gave up. I was so terrified, I gave up on us. How can you ever forgive me?”

“You saved my wretched life long ago, dear angel.” He holds the reins in one fist, and slides his other hand under your arm, caressing your side and splaying out his fingers over your belly, smoothing the fabric of the gown. The gesture is warm and possessive, and keeps you secure on the speeding horse as you melt into him, intoxicated by his touch. “You dragged me out of misery into the light—cared for me with patience and love I never believed myself deserving of. You stood beside me and tended my wounds of both flesh and of my soul. Your company alone is a gift of which I was made unworthy. I have always wanted to thank you for saving me.”

“Now we’re even, huh?” you laugh.

“No,” he replies softly and insistently. “I think I would like to continue paying you back.”

The hand he had rested on your belly glides up to tip your chin toward him, and he presses a precarious kiss to your lips. A small jolt of hooves over the terrain sends you clutching for mane, but his steady hand darts back around your waist to keep you balanced.

“I will have to exact more payment once we have arrived on solid ground yet again,” you promise sinfully, resting a hand over his and squeezing it. “I want to kiss all of the scars on your handsome face.”

His chest vibrates with an eager hum of anticipation.

As you ride away from your old life, you feel something changing deep in your bones. You are already farther from your home than you have ever been, and ahead of you is the wide horizon of blue skies speared by sharp mountain peaks. You look up at the closest mountain to the road. It is not one you think you have seen before, although its shape is hauntingly familiar, like the face of a childhood friend, after years of separation, as an adult.

“What mountain is that?” You point to it.

“It is the white-crested peak of the great mountain that overlooks your town. The one I greatly admired from the window of the hayloft. We face its west slope, now.”

A wave of excitement for the future surges through you like electricity. What will your life look like from a fresh angle?

#frankenstein #frankenstein's creature #the creature x reader #monster x reader #fluff #epilogue #TeamBess #AND THERE YOU HAVE IT #IT'S FINISHED #I actually have so many more ideas and them leaving is just the springboard #but idk if I'll ever get around to writing them or not #so here is where it ends for now #my writing

[sneezehq]

darkness holding me tightly

Sleep takes a while to get used to. Especially when it comes to aspects of sleep such as nightmares.

I'm just going to casually continue ignoring the V8 finale thank you very much. This set in an AU where Penny survived and they all made it to Vacuo together. Enjoy!

Sleep takes a while to get used to.

Their first night in Vacuo, Penny doesn't realize how exhausted she is until she practically collapses, her vision going fuzzy in a way that is highly alarming to a person who only recently gained a body with human needs such as sleep. After a brief panic, the others had quickly figured out what was wrong with her, and they'd been shown to the dorms they'd be staying in to get some rest.

But despite how tired she'd felt, it still took Penny a long time to fall asleep that night. Sleep was such an alien concept to her, since she'd never had a need for it before. Sure, she'd known that sleeping was a thing that humans were required to do, but experiencing it herself was vastly different from the vague knowledge of it that she had previously possessed.

Ruby, as kind and helpful as always, had attempted to explain to her what falling asleep felt like, reminding her to take deep breaths and think happy thoughts as she closed her eyes. But in the end, what really helped was listening to her friend's soothing voice and steady breathing as she finally drifts off into pleasant darkness.

The first few days in Vacuo are a flurry of activity, much like the endless whirlwinds out in the sands of the desert. Penny eagerly helps the others as they help to find accommodations for the refugees of Atlas and plan to counter whatever Salem's next move might be. At night, they all find themselves too tired to do much besides shower and scarf down some food become collapsing into their bunks, Penny included. She's especially tired, what with the stress of trying to figure out how her new body works on top of her other duties as a huntress.

Penny has yet to experience the human phenomena of dreaming, despite having adjusted to her new need for sleep. This worries her. When she asks about it at breakfast one morning, concerned that something might be wrong with her new body, Blake assures her that it's normal not to have dreams sometimes, especially when you're exhausted. And, well, that sounds reasonable enough. Penny has been exceptionally exhausted lately.

"It's probably nothing to worry about," Blake says gently, smiling kindly. "Just give yourself some more time to adjust."

"Besides," Weiss cuts in. "Dreams aren't always good, you know. I wouldn't be too eager."

Weiss is referring to nightmares, Penny knows that. And while bad dreams don't sound terribly pleasant, Penny is determined to experience as much as possible in her new body, including dreams. And if a few nightmares are the price she has to pay, it seems well worth it.

She doesn't have any idea just how awful nightmares can get, however.

After a week flies by with them hard at work, they're finally forced to take a day off. Penny tags along with the rest of team RWBY to check out the sights in Vacuo, as they've been too busy with the resettlement efforts to do much exploring of the city. It's a fun trip that turns into an impromptu shopping spree, as Ruby and Weiss are determined to provide Penny with a brand-new wardrobe.

All in all, it's a fun day, a nice change of pace after everything that's been happening lately. They run into several of their other friends that Penny remembers from her brief time at Beacon Academy, sample the local cuisine, and check out every clothing store in downtown Vacuo. Truly a successful exploration of the city.

That night, it takes Penny a while to fall asleep. Sure, she's worn out from the events of the day, but it's not the same as the bone-deep weariness that follows a busy day of training. Still, she does her best to lay still and quiet in her bunk, trying her best not to wake the others from their well-deserved rest. It feels like an eternity, but eventually she finds herself drifting off to the sound of Ruby snoring softly in the bed next to hers.

In her dream, she's suddenly back at the Schnee manor. That's not necessarily a bad thing, although most of her experiences with the place have been less than pleasant. She's talking to Ruby, laughing at some joke her friend just told her—when suddenly, her vision tints red and she can feel herself losing control of her body again, no matter how hard she tries to fight off the effects of the virus.

She's forced to watch in horror as once again her body moves forward slowly and jerkily without her consent, shoving away Nora and Klein as if they were nothing. "You must go open the Vault and self-terminate," the voice inside her says, cool and calm and impervious to Penny's distress.

Penny's terror spikes—please, she doesn't want to die again—especially when she turns to make her way down the darkened hallway and Ruby is standing in front of her, blocking her path. "I can't let you do this, Penny," her friend says sadly.

Her fear continues to increase as she—or rather, her body, moving against her will—continues to advance on Ruby, Floating Array at the ready. Ruby, for her part, doesn't flinch, Crescent Rose steady in her grip.

"Stop!" Penny screams desperately, but it goes completely unheard, stifled into silence as Penny remains trapped, a prisoner in her own mind. Useless. She can't do anything.

Penny takes another step forward, and the blades of Floating Array circle and converge on their target. On Ruby.

"No!"

Suddenly, the dark halls of the Schnee Manor are gone, replaced with the comfortable darkness of the dorm room they've been staying in. Penny's breath catches in her throat. "What happened? Is Ruby okay? How did she get here?"

And then it hits her, reality slamming into her like one of those Goliath Grimm with the massive tusks. It was a dream. She's safe with her friends in Vacuo. She doesn't have to worry about the virus anymore, or being controlled, or anything like that. She has her new body, one that is completely hers to command.

Overcome with relief, she slumps back against her pillows with a quiet sigh. She hopes that she hasn't disturbed the others. They deserve their rest, especially when there's still so much work to be done—

"Penny?" Ruby mumbles sleepily. Penny can hear sheets rustling in the bed next to hers, and she immediately feels guilty for disturbing her friend.

"I'm fine, Ruby," Penny tries to reassure her, only to be suddenly blinded by a small beam of light.

She squints, clearing her vision enough to see that Ruby is holding up her scroll, using it as a flashlight to peer at Penny's face in the dark. "Penny," she says gently. "You're crying."

"Oh," she says quietly in response. Crying is one of those things that she has yet to get used to in her new body—it's such an odd sensation—but she must have been too disoriented by her dream to even notice. "I, uh—"

"Did you have a nightmare?" Ruby asks, keeping her voice low.

There's a beat of silence. "Yeah," Penny admits. No point in trying to keep this stuff from Ruby.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I—not really," Penny murmurs, staring down at the blanket covering her legs.

"Are you sure?" Ruby asks, as kind and gentle as always. "I find it helps sometimes, to talk about my nightmares."

And, well, Ruby usually turns out to be right about these sorts of things. It couldn't hurt to tell her. "I dreamed that we were back at the Schnee manor," she begins slowly. "And at first, everything was fine, but then, I was being controlled again, and you were trying to stop me, and I—I" she swallows hard, her voice dropping to a shaky whisper. "I attacked you, and I couldn't do anything to stop myself, and I was so scared—" Her voice breaks. "I don't want to die again. And I don't want to hurt you."

Tears start trickling down her face again, and she cuts herself off to wipe furiously at her eyes. She can hear Ruby fussing with the blankets. Suddenly, the bed next to her shifts, and Ruby is there, plopping down next to her and wrapping her arms around Penny's shoulders. "You're safe," Ruby reminds her, her tone fiercely protective. "I'm not going to let anything like that happen to you again."

Penny knows that Ruby can't protect her from everything, but right now, cocooned in her friend's warmth, with Ruby's determination ringing out loud and clear, Penny allows herself to feel safe. They stay like that for few moments, wrapped up in each other, but once she's calmed down a bit, Penny can't help but notice that Ruby is shaking slightly.

"Ruby? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Penny," comes the immediate response.

"Are you sure?" Penny asks cautiously. "You're shaking."

"I—" Ruby cuts herself off. "It's nothing, just a nightmare."

"Do you want to talk about it? I heard from a friend that sometimes that helps."

Ruby snorts quietly. "You're not going to stop until I tell you, huh."

"Nope," Penny replies, popping the P the way that Ruby taught her.

"Alright," Ruby sighs. Penny can hear her running a hand through her hair, like she always does when she's nervous. "I was dreaming about when we were back at the Schnee manor, and you almost got taken away from us."

"Oh." Penny thinks for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Well, I know it was scary, but I'm okay now. You stopped me, and then found a way to save me," she tells Ruby earnestly. "It's over now. We made it to Vacuo together."

"Yeah, I know," Ruby murmurs. She bites her lip. "I just—please don't ask me to do something like that again," she says, her voice cracking. She sniffles.

For a moment, Penny is puzzled. She tries to figure out what exactly Ruby is talking about—and then it hits her. "Oh, Ruby," she replies, clutching her friend close to her chest. "I'm so sorry. I was scared, and the only way I could think of to protect the power of the Winter Maiden was to ensure that it went to you, but still, I never should have said that. I never should have asked that of you. I'm sorry."

Ruby shifts, burying her face in Penny's shoulder. "Thanks, Penny," she mumbles, sniffling again before pulling back and scrubbing at her face.

They're quiet for a few minutes, content to just enjoy each other's company. Penny is the one to finally break the silence. "So, what do we do now?"

Ruby sighs. "Well, normally I'd say that we should try to go back to bed, but I don't really feel like sleeping right now."

Penny shakes her head. "Me neither."

"Well then." Ruby sits up, shifting away from Penny slightly and stretching her arms over her head. "Another thing that helps me when I'm having trouble sleeping is drinking hot chocolate."

"I've never had hot chocolate before," Penny says, smiling slightly.

"Well, we can't have that." Ruby pushes herself to her feet, extending a hand to Penny to pull her up next to her. "Let's go introduce you to the wonder that is hot chocolate."

Whatever happened in the past, they're together now.

#rwby #ruby rose #penny polendina #nuts and dolts #mechanical rose #rwby spoilers #fanfic #my writing #nightmares #hurt/comfort

[rubyinasnuggie]

Rosegarden Week Day 2 — Wedding

Something old

“Ohhh, Ruby! You look beautiful!” Yang rushed up to her sister, but was suddenly stopped. She glanced down to see a glyph under her feet, gluing her to the spot. She looked up to see Weiss staring her down with ice-cold eyes.

“Don’t you dare, Yang Xio Long,” Weiss said. “Do you know how long I’ve spent doing her hair?”

“It’s been hours, Yang. Please help me!” Ruby whispered, a mischievous smile on her face.

Weiss rolled her eyes. “Oh shut up. It’s not my fault your hair refuses to curl.”

Blake rolled her eyes with a smile.

Ruby’s eyes drifted to the small box in Yang’s hand. “Did you bring it?” she asked, voice uncharacteristically small.

Yang smiled and held out the box for her.

With shaking hands, Ruby opened the box. Inside, resting on a red velvet cushion, there was a tarnished silver hair pin, with an intricate rose inlaid with rubies and diamonds. The very same pin Summer Rose had worn at her wedding.

“Oh, Ruby,” Weiss whispered, seeing the pin. “It’s lovely.”

“Will it work?” Ruby asked. Her silver eyes were extra sparkly with tears.

“Absolutely.” Weiss carefully took the pin from the box and began to pull hair back to place the pin.

Something new

“Fortunately, this makeup is cry-proof,” Blake said, setting up her deskspace.

Ruby laughed and wiped her eyes. “That’s good.”

As Blake began to brush on makeup, Weiss and Yang worked together to attach the veil. The beautiful thing had been sewn by Kali and Willow. The two mothers had bonded over mutual love of embroidery.

Ruby thought the embellishments were a tad excessive, but she couldn’t deny the end result was gorgeous.

Something borrowed

The moment Nora walked through the door, she had to turn back around to cry. When she finally composed herself, she walked back in, followed by Ren. “I can’t believe little Ruby is getting married! And to cute boy Oz!”

“You look lovely, Ruby,” Ren said. His smile wasn’t wide, but his eyes were sparkling.

“Thank you.”

The constant compliments were starting to make Ruby feel a little anxious. Sensing this, Nora skipped over to her, holding out the red sash. “We tried to repair it as much as we could, it’s still pretty beaten up though.”

“That’s okay,” Ruby replied. “Thank you so much for letting me wear it.”

“It’s the least we could do,” Ren assured her.

“I’m sure Pyrrha would love that you’re wearing it,” Nora said. “Do you want me to help you tie it? Or is that reserved only for the ice queen of honor?”

“If you think you can do it without ruining her dress, be my guest,” Weiss replied. “I’ll fix it afterwards.” There was a slight twinkle in her eye as she said it, and Ruby giggled.

“I’m going to go back to Oscar, if that’s all right,” Ren said.

“Gonna use your semblance on him?” Nora joked.

Ren shook his head. “He’s surprisingly relaxed. I can tell he’s very excited though.”

“Bye Ren!” Blake said, waving.

“See you soon!” Yang called.

Something blue

“What’s that?” Ruby asked, glancing at the small jewels in Weiss’s hands.

Weiss held them out to her, showing a small sapphire, amethyst, and topaz. “The final touches.”

“For Team RWBY?”

“Obviously,” Weiss answered with a smile. “Is that okay?”

“I love it,” Ruby said, beaming.

After placing the three gems in her hair, Weiss stepped back to admire her handiwork. “Well, Miss Ruby Rose, I think you might actually look presentable.”

“You look so perfect!” Yang cried. She just barely shifted her weight before Weiss shot her another glare. “I can’t wait to hug you after the ceremony.”

xxx

Oscar rocked back and forth on his heels, stomach full of butterflies as he waited for his beloved.

Ren and Nora began to walk down the aisle, scattering flowers on either side. Nora beamed at Oscar and winked, acting charismatic as if she hadn’t been sobbing most of the morning. Ren’s expression wasn’t much different than usual, but Oscar could tell he was tearing up.

Next, Penny skipped down the aisle, her eyes literally glowing with excitement. She carried the rings; a golden band set with an emerald for Ruby, and a silver band set with rubies for Oscar. They each had vines engraved in the metal.

Yang and Blake followed, arm in arm. He noticed how Yang had painted her arm red for the occasion, and he held back a laugh.

Following the bees, Weiss and Jaune emerged. Despite her ridiculous heels, she barely reached his shoulder. Still, they held hands as they walked towards the altar. Weiss and Jaune were maid of honor and best man respectively, which meant the next person to walk would be...

Finally, Ruby emerged, with Tai and Qrow on either side.

Oscar felt his breath whoosh away, just like it had the very first time he saw her. Her hair had been curled and pinned back with a silver rose pin, and loose strands framed her face. Her beautiful eyes shimmered. She was already tearing up. It was only when she suddenly blurred away that he realized he was crying. He let out a breathless laugh. It felt both like the briefest moment and the longest eternity as she walked down the aisle. The rest of the crowd faded away as she drew closer.

The moment their hands intertwined, he could think of nothing else. He was sure he said all the right things, and at some point he successfully put the ring on her finger. But he didn’t really snap back into awareness until he heard the words, “You may now kiss.”

Ruby bounced on her toes and threw her arms around his neck. He looked his arms around her waist and pulled her close, hoping he could communicate the deep well of love he had for her through this kiss. Even if he couldn’t do it with this one, his chest fluttered at the realization he had the rest of their lives to show her how much she meant to him.

xxx

“I bet if we slip off no one will notice,” Oscar whispered. Their reception had been going on for about an hour, and the socializing was clearly taking a toll on his bride.

“I think they might, actually,” Ruby replied with a giggle.

“I mean, it’s our party,” he countered. “We can do whatever we want.”

After considering it for a long moment, Ruby relented and let him lead her outside to the gardens.

They found a huge hammock and curled up in it, letting the wind rock it back and forth.

The shattered moon looked full, and Ruby's eyes reflected the dazzling light.

“Have I ever mentioned how lucky I am to have you?” Oscar asked.

“No, never. Wait, do you like me or something?”

“Or something.” He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss. “You know, after the whole… Ozpin thing, I was worried this may never happen. I thought it’d be too weird to ever marry, considering I was sharing my body with an ancient man.”

“I know,” she whispered. “Do you ever miss him?”

“Sometimes,” he admitted. “Part of me wishes he could have been here to see this. He was always rooting for me. He… obviously knew I liked you from day one.” He nudged her playfully. “And I bet he would’ve been impressed with how much better a dancer you are.”

“I think he’s proud of both of us,” she said, looking up at the constellations. As if to confirm it, the alpha star of the Ozma constellation twinkled. She smiled.

Oscar nestled his head into her shoulder. “We’re married.”

“We are,” she agreed.

Just as they were leaning in to kiss, voices caught their attention.

“I knew she was going to sneak off!” Yang declared, marching over to the hammock.

“And after all the work I put into planning this party,” Weiss huffed.

Ruby winced.

Her expression softened. “I’m just teasing, you dolt.”

“Mind if we join you?” Jaune asked, grinning.

Ruby and Oscar exchanged a look before smiling.

The groups settled down together in a semi-circle, leaving the married couple in the hammock to keep Ruby’s dress from staining. They talked for a little while, but mostly gazed at the stars. When a group of fireflies danced by, Penny impressed everyone by communicating with them via Morse code.

As Ruby looked around the group, at her family, she felt love well up in her chest all over again. She didn’t think she was going to live to see this day, to have a future of any kind. But she had made it. Oscar squeezes her hand as he laughed at something Nora had said, and her heart fluttered. She looked at her new husband, and she felt certain that her future was bright.

//ring idea credits to @littlemisssquiggles

@rwbyrosegardenweek

#rwby #ruby rose #rosegarden #rosegarden week #oscar pine #rosegarden week 2020 #my art #fanfiction #dab #wedding #wedding fic

[holylulusworld]

Past

Summary: Dean finds his perfect mate, only for her to run away from him. When Sam calls her after their last encounter she needs to decide to let her mate die or come to his rescue.

Request: May I request an ABO fic where Dean finds his perfect Omega but she rejects his advances at every turn until he triggers her heat with his rut making him her true mate and even when she's claimed she rejects him for a bit making him go feral until Sam snaps her out of her fear? (you can make up why she's scared). love you, hun!

Pairing: Alpha!Dean x Omega!Reader, Alpha!Sam x Omega!Sarah Blake, vamps

Warnings: angst, unrequited feelings, true mates, ABO, ABO dynamics, mentions of abusive past/sexual assault/non-con claiming, physical and mental abuse (nothing graphic)

A/N: Omega!Sarah Blake is the Sarah Blake from the show, but in a different role

Runaway Mate Masterlist

Funny how your past is catching up with you, tries to break you with little reminders.

While you watch Dean sit in his car to wait for his brother you let your eyes wander over it. He had a classic car too, but it didn’t look like Dean’s. 

It was dirty, rusty and you hated to sit in it but seeing the Impala made you think of him and you felt pain shoot through the scar at your neck.

You know it’s impossible, you know there is no way he can be here, can go after you but still, your heart is racing. 

With shaking fingers, you dial Sarah’s number to hear a familiar voice but for the first time, she doesn’t answer.

Dialing her number again you get up from the steps in front of your room and Dean is alerted. Your heart beats fast enough to jump out of your chest as you dial her number for the third time.

“Y/N? What’s wrong?” Shaking you look at Dean as he gets out of the car to run toward you. “Y/N, talk to me, Sweetheart.”

“I…we have an emergency signal or rather we always answer our phone, no matter what we do at the third signal, Dean. I dialed her number three times, but Sarah does not answer.” 

Your voice trembles and for the first time, Dean can see the vulnerable and scared Omega shine through. 

“Okay, tell me where she wanted to go to. We will check there first and Sam can try to trace her phone.” Dean runs toward his car, dialing his brothers’ number as you try to reach your friend once again.

Black…everything is black before the pain wakes Sam from the darkness. He can smell blood, dirt, and fear as he tries to blink his eyes open.

“You’re awake…” Coughing a young woman looks at him, fighting the shackles holding her to the ground. 

“You’re a hunter too, I assume, just like the girl over there. She told me to remain calm, but they knocked her out as she refused to tell them anything about someone called Y/N.”

Sam’s eyes wander toward Sarah. He can see blood running down her forehead, but she’s breathing. 

While the skilled hunter scans the room he recognizes two things, his shackles will not hold him for long and the girl looking at Sarah’s bleeding wound is a vampire.

“She told you…” Sam’s eyes are trained on your friend to make sure she’s still breathing.

While the vampire studies Sam’s stoic face the hunter tries fumble with the shackles, already picking the lock holding the chains.

“The hunter, she’s right. You should remain calm and we will find a way out of here.”

“I am so scared.” The vamp’s eyes dart between Sam and Sarah. She knows the moment your friend wakes up she will warn the way stronger hunter and Winchesters are know for not dying that easily. “What can we do?”

“Do you know what they want and who they are?” While the vamp looks at Sarah once again Sam let the chains around his hand slip off his wrists to silently place them behind his back. His feet are still bound but if must, he can take the vamp down.

“I don’t know anything, Sir. They came in here, hit the girl and asked her about the other woman. She refused to answer and then they left.”

Sniffling the vampire looks at Sam. She plays her role well, Sam gives her that, but he is not an easy victim to her sob story. 

“Was that before or after they brought me here?” Searching the girl's face Sam fumbles the syringe with the blood of the dead out of his back pocket. “What’s your name?”

Maggie and it was before they brought you here. She was out cold when two large guys dragged you in and dropped you.” Nodding Sam waits for the perfect moment.

“How long are you here?” While the vamp looks at Sarah steering in her sleep Sam strikes. The syringe bores into the girl’s neck and she screams in pain.

“Hey…are you wake?” Watching your friend Sam frantically searches for the key to his chains. “I am a hunter too. My name is Sam, Sam Winchester and I know Y/N. We met during a hunt.” 

“Sammy doesn’t answer his phone…” Slamming his hands onto the steering wheel Dean curses. “This is not a coincident, Y/N. Sam and your friend disappearing at the same time in the same town.”

“I am sorry, Dean. I guess she found me before I had the chance to take her down.” Blinking a few times, you look out of the window. “Or rather them…”

“Them…” Glancing at you Dean stops the car. “What are you not telling me, Y/N? I know you are after mama for a reason but so far, I didn’t ask. If Sam is in danger, I need to know everything.”

“You know I can’t tell about my past, it’s better this way. No one ever wanted to hear my side of the story. For everyone, I was an aggressive Omega not wanting to submit.” Voice bitter you dial Sarah’s number once again. “Every Alpha chose their side…”

“Well, I am not every Alpha not even close.” Giving you a soft smile Dean looks at you. 

“Listen, I know you don’t want to talk about what happened to you. I would never force you to tell me. I have a huge package I carry with me too, Sweetheart, but we are running out of time here.”

“Mama…she’s…” Looking at Dean you search his soft eyes. “I would need to explain everything, but this would take us hours and as you said, we are running out of time, Dean.”

“Just the highlights then. You can leave everything out we do not need to save Sam and your friend, Y/N.” You hesitate, nibble at your lower lip as Dean starts the engine. “Fine, Y/N. I’ll tell you something about me first.”

Dean’s grip on the steering wheel tightens as he starts talking. “I sold my soul to save my brother. I was in hell for 40 years and one day, I broke and started to torture souls too. When I came back I had nightmares, I still have sometimes…”

Surprised by Dean’s honesty you look at him, really look at him and you can see the broken boy behind the tough hunter façade. 

“I lost everyone, Y/N. Mom, Dad, Bobby - anyone I ever liked died or left me except for Sammy, and he just doesn’t know better…” Huffing you try to swallow the lump in your throat as you look at anything but Dean. 

“At the beginning, I thought it’s my fate as an Omega. I believed that I just need to get used to that someone rules my life, tells me what to do or leave but slowly, I doubted being an Omega means what my life became.”

Dean’s heart clenches in his chest hearing the hurting in your voice. He wants to say something, wants to soothe the pain but he knows you are not ready to let him help you.

“All I can tell you is that one night, he tried to kill me, and I fought him. It ended badly…for him.” Your face is stoic, but your voice betrays you. 

“I get it, Y/N. He was a monster but what I don’t understand is that you hate all Alpha’s only as one treated you badly. This is no excuse for his behavior or what he did to you, tho…” 

Dean dials Sam’s number again, still ending on his brother’s mailbox he tosses the phone into the glove department.

“One Alpha…” Laughing bitterly you glance at Dean. “It started with my brother and father selling me to this monster. Or rather making a deal to rise in the ranks.”

“Y/N…” Gasping Dean tries to remain calm but the anger welling up is untamable. “I am so sorry.”

“I trusted them with my life. Till that day, they protected me, made sure no one ever hurts me. My father, he never treated my mother like she’s not equal as she’s an Omega and then one day…”

Snapping your fingers you look at Dean. “Poof, the gentle and caring family was gone.”

“I…” Voice cracking Dean blinks the tears away. 

“At first, he was nice. Asking me about hobbies and shit but then he…” Sniffling you look away. Rather concentrate on the trees passing by than Dean’s sad face. “He forced his mark on my neck and everything else too…”

“Omega…” A low whine leaves Dean’s lips as he gives you side-glances. He can see the tremble of your hands and the pain tightening your chest.

“When he was done, he left for days or weeks and I prayed he won’t come back. Every. Single. Time.” Dean’s eyes drift toward you occasionally while you keep on talking. “One night, he…he crossed another line, or rather wanted to and I lashed out.”

“I won’t ask what he tried to do…”

“I was able to avoid getting pregnant and he assumed, I am infertile, Dean. That night he brought a young girl into our home or rather my prison. I saw the fear in her eyes and just knew, he would force her too…” 

Sniffling you wipe the tears away. “I tried to call the cops, told them what my Alpha is about to do but…” Laughing bitterly you shrug. 

“None of the Alpha’s believed you,” Dean asks and you shake your head.

“Oh, they believed me, Dean. But they laughed about me and congratulated my Alpha on his decision to get a younger mate.”

“Bastards…” Slamming his hands onto the steering wheel Dean curses. “They should’ve stormed the house. I would’ve done so…”

“I hung up and felt his hands on me. I…I reacted instinctively and pushed him away for the first time, I found the strength to fight back, because of the girl I had to protect. He tried to strangle me, but I was faster.”

There’s a hint of pride in your voice and Dean smirks as you tell him you ran into the kitchen and stabbed him with the cheese knife.

“He ended like a tiny mouse. Begged for his life, Dean and I knew he wasn’t the powerful Alpha I thought he was.” 

“What has mama to do with all of this?” Your eyes meet Dean’s and you know you must tell him everything to save your friend.

“She’s his mother. Her grief about the loss of her perfect Alpha son and the hatred she always harbored toward me forced her to look for a way to kill me.” 

Your features darken as you look at the world outside passing by. “I wasn’t the young and vulnerable eighteen years old girl they threw into the lion’s den. I am a strong and trained hunter, Dean. I killed two of her pack members when they tried to get hold of me.”

“And she did what?” 

“I was not easy to take down, so she thought making her pack stronger would stop me, would bring me down but…” Smirking you give Dean a wink. 

“I was a hunter and knew how to take vamps down. Mama tries to create a new and larger family, but I won’t give her the chance to do so. I will hunt her and every single member of her sick family down.”

“Why did she turn the girl if she supported her son’s abuse?”

“Mama, or rather Delilah believed I lied. I tried to tell her more than once that her son is a monster but she didn’t listen. Mama is after me believing I killed her gentle and caring son.” 

“I will open the door and we will have to fight our way through. I think someone called mama is after us as she wants to get hold of your friend.”

“Mama…shit.” Sarah tries to follow Sam but she still feels dizzy and needs to press her body against the wall. When Sam wants to help she flinches away. “I can follow you, Sam.”

“I didn’t want to cross a line. I just wanted to help you. You’re injured, stay behind me no matter what. A friend of Y/N is a friend of the Winchesters…” Sam silently opens the door only to step into a sewer.

“You are a friend of Y/N?” Not believing Sam your friend eyes him suspiciously. 

“I said she’s a friend, not Y/N sees me as one. I know she has problems trusting Alpha’s, but right now we need to help each other and find my brother and your friend. Dean is with Y/N and I hope he’s on his way as I assume we are running into a whole nest of vamps without any weapon…”

Runaway Mate Tags

@webcraft4eveh, @supernatural3002

SPN Forever Tags

@donnaintx, @screechingartisancashbailiff, @fallen-wolf22, @sister-winchesters99, @mogaruke, @the-is13, @helloitsmeamie203, @sandlee44, @strayrosesbloom, @notyourtypicalrose, @thewinchesterco, @marvelfansworld @hobby27, @gh0stgurl, @flamencodiva, @jay-and-dean, @voltage-my2dlove, @spnhollis, @chonisberonica, @wittysunflower, @supernaturalenchanted, @shikshinkwon, @yolobloggers, @hhiggs, @laxe-from-outer-space, @ilovefanfic86, @linki-locks11, @eggingamazinglove, @trumpettay, @fandom-imagines1, @thenamelesschibi, @waywardbaby, @straycuties9, @drakelover78, @stuckys-whore, @zxph-yr, @i-love-superhero, @unlikelysamwinchesteronahunt, @deepmuffinspymaker, @katsav17, @heyitscam99, @fandom-princess-forevermore, @neii3n, @exo-nova, @cocklesbelli, @echoesofpassion, @lauravic, @shatteredabby, @deanmonandnegansbitch, @sea040561, @lemondropirwin, @lonewolf471, @wronglanemendes, @juniorhuntersam, @helpmeluci, @goodgodimaweirdperson, @shadowkat-83, @alltimesamantha, @officialmarvelwhore, @meganywinchester, @miraclesoflove, @maniacproffesor, @hollymac79, @kayla-2000, @gracefultrenchcoat494, @babygirls-fav, @spnwoman, @amiquette, @alexoloughlinlover32, @geekofmanyforms, @jessica-marsh09, @spnficgirl, @shut-themoonscone, @thequeenreaders, @countrygal17a, @atomicfandombomb, @kteelou, @soryuwifeyxx, @defenderrosetyler, @shortwinchester, @maybesomedaygayyyy, @tmiships4life, @sabascio, @that-place-called-middle-earth, @the-broken-angel-13, @bunnybaby89, @pandabiiissh, @maddiedott, @lilulo-12, @theoneandonlymelol, @mblaqgi, @clawsandshotguns, @justsomedreaming​, @cassiopeia-barrow, @its-the-timey-wimey-winchesters​, @mscarter213​, @jo-like-josette​, @mep6811​, @prettydeaneyes​, @rvgrsbrns​, @deanwanddamons​, @tearsforhan​, @skittlebittz​, @certaindeanwinchesterforcastiel​ @belovedcherry​

Dean/Jensen Forever Tags   

@spnfamily-j2​, @supernatural-bellawinchester​, @negans-lucille-tblr​, @deans-baby-momma​, @thefaithfulwriter​, @squirrelnotsam​, @roonyxx​, @neerness​, @deansgirl-1968​, @spn-dean-and-sam-winchester​, @butifulsoul125​, @lyinginthegingerlocks​, @20gayneen​, @janicho88​, @woodworthti666​, @thevelvetseries​, @dreaminemz​, @akshi8278​, @midnightsilver16830​, @mrspeacem1nusone​, @ria132love​, @caligraphee​, @the-witch-in-silence​, @justanotherwinchester​, @multisuperfandom​, @jason-todd-squad​, @jadesupernatural​, @psychicforest​, @luciathewinchestergirl​, @magssteenkamp​, @palefiregiver​, @tranquility-or-chaos​, @jxackles​, @michellemxndes​, @addictedtofictionalcharacters​, @gabifernandessn​, @waywardrose13​

#Runaway Mate Masterlist #dean winchester #dean winchester x you #dean winchester fanfic #dean winchester fanfiction #abo #abo dynamics #angst #mentions of abusive past #dean winchester x reader #dean winchester SPN #dean x reader #dean x you #alpha!dean #alpha!dean winchester #alpha!dean x reader #alpha!dean x omega!reader #alpha!dean x omegareader #true mates

[blake-belladonna-defence-force]

Illusions And Their Marks

Sooo @angelicbees made this post https://angelicbees.tumblr.com/post/190208611157/hi-what-if-neo-transformed-into-blake-briefly-to and I was inspired to write this...

Um. This miiiiiiigt sting 😅 it certainly stung to write. Writing about the girls arguing is not easy but for the sake of this story, it had to be done.

I’m honestly not sure how I feel about this one. But I hope you enjoy it.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Blake!” Yang gave her friend a playful grin, always delighted to see her. “You’re out early! Not that I’m complaining, mind you. Means a get to spend a little bit more time with my favourite girl outside of missions, huh?” She finished teasingly as she draped her arm over Blake’s shoulder.

But Blake cringed away from her. And it wasn’t in the way that it usually was. Yang was never offended when Blake flinched or recoiled. She knew that she had had a difficult life, it was understandable that she’d have certain reactions. An unexpected arm wrapping around her often elicited such a reaction, which was exactly why Yang made sure to announce her presence before placing her hand on Blake. But this wasn’t a recoil based on fear. It felt far closer to distaste.

“Blake? You okay?” Yang asked softly, pulling away and moving to hold Blake’s biceps gently. “Is something wrong?”

Blake rolled her eyes (with far less fondness and more irritation than she usually did) and nodded with a smile.

“If you’re sure, Blake.” Yang murmured, thumbs rubbing her arms gently. “I just… you’re really important to me, you know? I care about you so much and- Blake?”

Yang blinked in confusion when Blake’s lip seemed to curl in disgust, wrenching her arms from Yang’s gentle hold and seeming to almost… sneer at her.

“Blake… what is it? What’s wrong?” Yang asked nervously. “Why are you...?”

Blake spun around on her heel and stormed off, dismissively brushing Yang off.

“Blake!” Yang called after her, running to catch up. “What’s wrong? Please, talk to me!” She asked, fear creeping into her heart. “Did I do something? Did something happen in training?”

But Blake didn’t answer, merely shoulder checking Yang out of the way and taking off.

“I-“ Yang stared after her in hurt confusion. “Blake…”

Had she been making Blake this uncomfortable the whole time? Did Blake not feel the same way, after all? Did Yang get this whole thing wrong?

Frustrated, hurt tears pricked at her eyes and she wiped at them furiously, growling at her own stupidity.

Of course Blake didn’t feel the same. Why would she?

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Blake rolled her eyes and snorted indignantly when Weiss dragged her into their dorm room and sat her down on her bed.

“Start talking, Blake. What’s going on between you and Yang?”

“Weiss…” Blake sighed wearily, heart aching. “I wish I knew.”

“Something must have happened.” Weiss said as she arched an elegant brow. “You’ve been giving each other the cold shoulder for over two days, now.”

“You mean that Yang’s been giving me the cold shoulder!” Blake corrected, hating the way her voice cracked. Hated how visible her distress was; it was written in every aspect of her body, she knew. “I don’t even know what I did.”

“Have you tried asking her?”

“Yes!” Blake snapped, glowering at her friend. “I’ve tried. So many times. But each time, she just… just brushed me off! She’s not even giving me a chance to fix whatever it was that I did!”

“Why does it have to be you?” Weiss questioned, with a confused tilt of her head. “Why do you assume that it was you? It might just be Yang having a rough time and accidentally taking it out on yo-“

“Oh please.” Blake laughed bitterly, hating the way her eyes welled up. “It’s always me! I’m what’s always wrong, Weiss! Always have been, always will be.” She ignored the shocked and concerned expression on Weiss’s face. “You don’t get it. She’s mad at me. I can see it in her eyes. I can hear it in her voice. And I don’t even know what I did to deserve it.”

Before Weiss could argue, a familiar pair of footsteps walked through the door and stopped and stared at them.

“Sorry, didn’t realise I was interrupting something.” Yang muttered, refusing to look at Blake. It hurt more than Blake thought was possible. “I’ll just le-“

“You most certainly will not!” Weiss snapped, activating her semblance and using it to push Yang away from the door and stormed around her to said door. “You two are going to stay here and work out your differences! You won’t be coming out until you do!”

There was the telltale sound of Weiss activating her semblance again and neither girl had to approach the door the know what Weiss has done; they were locked in.

“Great.” Yang muttered, flopping down into a chair and glaring at wall silently. “Exactly what I wanted.”

Blake dug her right fingers into her left bicep, desperately trying to distract herself from the war of emotions bubbling within her chest. Yang had never been dismissive towards her like this.

“I’m guessing that you have an excuse?” Yang drawled sarcastically. Her eyes were cold and hard, anger and hurt swirling within lilac pools.

“Maybe I could give you one if you just told me what I did.”

“Oh like you don’t know!”

“I don’t, that’s the thing, Yang!” Blake finally snapped, standing up and glaring at Yang, hands curled into fists in an attempt to retain as much composure as possible. “If I knew what I did wrong, I would apologise! But I am not going to apologise for something when I don’t even know what it is!” Blake’s voice cracked as her ears pressed against her skull in distress. “I can’t fix this when you won’t even look at me! When all you do is brush me off!”

“Oh that’s rich, coming from you, Blake!” Yang retorted as she stood up. Blake just barely stopped herself from flinching at the cold edge surrounding her name. “You’re a hypocrite!”

“When have I evee brushed you off?!” Blake demanded, bewilderment taking over. “Since I’ve come back, I have done nothing but try to reach out to you!”

“And how do I know that’s not because I’m just an obligation to you?!”

“Obli- obligation?!” Blake sputtered, more than a little hurt at the accusation. “How could anything about you be an obligation? You mean so much to me!”

“Yeah you really showed that the other day, didn’t you?!” Yang’s voice broke, hurt taking up more residence in her eyes than anger. “You just walked away from me! You brushed me off! Like I was nothing!”

“When the hell did this happen?!” Blake asked, more and more bewildered by the second. “Because I sure don’t remember it!”

“The other afternoon!”

“I was working with Marrow all afternoon that day!”

“…what?”

“Marrow and I were working on my swordplay against a larger and stronger opponent.” Blake said slowly, body shaking. What was going on?

“I- I don’t-“

Blake grabbed her scroll and pulled out her schedule, showing when she clocked into the training room and when she clocked out and handed it to Yang.

“Wait… what?” Yang whispered in shock, looking at Blake with a disbelieving expression. “How-“

“If you still need further proof, call Marrow and ask him yourself.” Blake choked out, grabbing her scroll and throwing it onto her bed and staring at Yang. “After everything that we’ve been through… after all the times that I’ve nearly lost you… do you really think that I would let it all be for nothing, Yang? That I would treat you like that?”

“I-“

“Because I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end, Yang. I know what it’s like when somebody that you care deeply for just makes you feel like nothing.” Blake reminded, voice slowly breaking. “So why would I put the most important person in my world through that?”

“But… if- if that wasn’t you…” Yang stammered, confused and hurt, “then who was it?! They looked exactly like you!”

“I don’t know.” Blake felt her ears rotated furiously, her voice shifting to a low, furious growl. “But if I catch them-“ Blake cut herself off. That wasn’t what was important right now.

“I- oh God.” Yang whispered, hand covering her mouth. She stepped back and sat heavily on her chair, eyes welling up. “I didn’t even stop to think…”

“Yang…” Blake sighed softly, wiping tears of her own as she approached Yang and kneeled in front of her. “I am so sorry that… whoever this was did this to you. I’m sorry that they used my likeness to hurt you. But I promise you; there is not a single thing about you that’s an obligation to me. I care about you so, so much.”

“I should have just talked to you!” Yang croaked out. “I’m so sorry! I should have known that you wouldn’t-“

“It’s hard to think clearly when you’ve been hurt.” Blake said quietly, voice wavering. “But I need you to know that I would never do that to you. You mean too much to me.” She quietly promised, ignoring her own hurt for a moment. Yang needed this. So she looked into Yang’s eyes and bared her soul. Despite the past couple of days, she didn’t once doubt that it was safe with Yang.

“I-“ Yang’s voice wavered as she hesitantly reached out for Blake. “Ok-okay. I- I believe you.”

The sight of a confused and distraught Yang broke Blake’s heart. She stood up and pulled Yang against her, tucking Yang’s head under her chin and murdering soft reassurances as two strong arms wrapped hesitantly around her waist.

“I’m so sorry, Yang.” She whispered, kissing the top of her head softly.

“I’m sorry too.” Yang whispered back, burrowing her face into Blake’s collar. Yang’s arms tightened around her waist, pulling her close with a sense of urgency. They both needed this.

Slowly, both women allowed their walls to fall, as did their tears. Blake burrowed her face into Yang’s hair as both of them trembled, the hurt of the last couple of days finally being released as both women uttered soft apologies and reassurances, promises and oaths to never let this happen again.

Eventually, their tears ran out and they were left drained of energy. Blake pulled back and hesitantly cupped Yang’s jaw, brushing away stray tears with her thumbs as Yang leaned into her touch.

“So…” Blake asked anxiously, fear still making its presence known. “What- What now?”

“We work through this together.” Yang mumbled tiredly. “Uh… if- if that’s what you want. I mean, I’ve been awful to you these last couple of-“

“Yang.” Blake gently interrupted, lifting Yang’s face to meet her gaze. “It was a misunderstanding. Of course I want to work through this with you.”

“Okay.” Yang breathed shakily. “Good.”

Blake let out a jaw cracking yawn that ended in a slight squeak. She watched as a hesitant smile crossed Yang’s face before a yawn of her own took over her face.

“Um.” Blake muttered, tapping her arm, unsure.

“Blake?”

“Yes, Yang?”

“I, uh.” Yang looked away, embarrassment clear on her face. “I might actually take a nap so…”

“Oh! Sorry!” Blake said, backing up and away from Yang, ears pinning in embarrassment. “I’ll just… get out of your hai-“

“No! That’s not what I was-“ Yang caught her hand, pulling her closer and looking up at her, an almost insecure expression on her face. “I was kind of hoping that you’d… stay… with me. I mean you, you don’t have to! I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything, especially since this whole whole mess happened and you can say no but I just thought that I’d offer an-“

“Yang, sweetheart. You’re rambling.” Blake cut her off softly with a gentle coo, biting her lip shyly. “And um. Yeah. I’d like to stay.”

The two very emotionally drained and tired women chose to rest in Blake’s bunk, keeping a respectful distance between them at first. But, as was often the case with them, they soon drifted closer, seeking out the comforting touch of the woman beside her. Hesitant arms curled around waists and shoulders, hands carded through hair and faces burrowed into necks. Quiet murmurs filled with reassurance and affection were pressed into soft skin, starting the process of filling the cracks left behind by a stranger wearing Blake’s face.

Together, both women would work through the ache left behind by this stranger. And if they ever found that stranger? Well… what more can be said about the combined strenth of two powerful women?

They might not take revenge. But they’d be damned if they let this stranger hurt anyone else. Especially the woman that they each held so dear.

#blake belladonna #bumbleby #yang xiao long #rwby #fanfic

[jj-lives]

Ash Inktober -Bmblb

3 days in a row is crazy. Hopefully I can keep up this pace.

-------------------------------------------

Yang had gotten into the habit of leaving her phone beside her pillow when she slept. Six months prior she would have left it on her nightstand or even across the room to allow her an uninterrupted sleep. But now she kept it close when she crawled beneath the sheets. She enjoyed Blake being the last person she spoke to before closing her eyes, even if some nights it was through text and not voice. So her phone always remained beside her pillow where she would hear Blake’s replies late at night when her normal exhausted mind would ignore the random beeps and pings. The vibration at least woke her. 

She was never as glad of her new habit as she was tonight. Yang would never forgive herself if she’d missed the call. Not sparing time to change out of her sleep shorts she threw on a jacket and jumped into her shoes, forgoing socks as they would take time she did not have. Grabbing her keys she turned to rush out the door, stopping briefly before grabbing her leather bike jacket, just in case.

Her mind was spinning as she pulled up behind the orange barricade. She couldn’t remember the past fifteen minutes it took her to get here. She could only think of one thing. 

Blake. 

Jumping out of the truck she rushed past the barricade and a few late night onlookers. The smell of smoke pervaded her senses causing her to cough to clear her lungs of the heavy feeling. There were a few dozen people walking around wrapped in shining foil blankets the emergency crews always handed out. Yang focused on every one that she passed. 

Where was she?

“Fuck.” 

Uncharacteristically swearing as she noticed she’d left her phone in the car, grabbing only her keys and leather jacket. Down the block she could see a row of fire trucks and ambulances, lights flashing so bright she could see into the apartments across the road. Ash still fell like burning embers of snow in the orange lights of the emergency vehicles. Dread filled Yang as she took in the gaping hole at the side of the structure. Three apartment’s blackened belongings on display. Her knees nearly failed her as she spotted the charred remains of Blake’s reading chair. 

Yang prayed that Blake hadn’t fallen asleep in that chair as was her habit. 

Pushing through the growing crowd of people picking up stranded loved ones Yang made her way to the row of flashing trucks. As she rounded the third ambulance she heard her name.

“Yang.” 

The rasp in her girlfriend’s voice was not caused by lack of sleep and it shattered Yang’s already fragile resolve. Tears forced burning trails to her jawline. 

“Blake!” She looked so small and frail sitting outside the back of the ambulance with an oxygen mask that had she not called her name, Yang wasn’t sure she would have recognized her. Rushing forward all she wanted to do was hold her, but she paused, scared of touching her. “Are you hurt?”

“She shouldn’t talk much. She’s inhaled quite a bit of smoke.” The medic spoke up from inside the truck. “Are you the girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

Nodding he jumped down unwrapping a sheet of gauze. Yang’s heart throbbed painfully in her chest. 

“Where are you hurt?” She asked, stepping closer to Blake.

“Please give us some room.” The medic gently laid a hand on Yang’s shoulder, guiding her to take a step back. “It’s just a bit of heat rash. I’m just going to bandage it to protect the sensitive skin as it starts to heal. Okay?”

Blake nodded, giving consent as she shrugged the foil blanket off her shoulders and held her left arm out to the medic. Before the gauze covered it Yang could see the skin was an angry red. 

It could have been worse. 

Yang repeated the words in her head to calm her own fraying nerves. Blake didn’t need her to be an emotional mess. But the words did nothing but cause her to picture what could have happened. She could have lost her. 

The familiar warmth of Blake’s hand covered her clenched fist, bringing Yang back from the horrific images in her mind. 

“I’m okay.” She wheezed.

“Don’t speak, okay.” 

Yang unclenched her fist to hold Blake’s hand firmly in her own. Blake squeezed back, strong as ever. And as Yang took the time to really look she could see Blake’s strength shining in her eyes. Yang smiled. 

“You scared me.” Blake smiled back through the plastic covering her nose and mouth. “Don’t do this again, okay?”

“You got here quickly.” The medic spoke up as he secured the bandage. 

“I may have broken the speed limit a couple times.” 

Yang ducked her head, only looking up when a firm pull to her arm almost toppled her. Blake glared up at her angrily. 

“Well I don’t have to admonish you for speeding. Looks like you’re going to get berated enough on the subject from this one.” The medic chuckled, turning to Blake. “But not tonight.”  

Blake nodded reluctantly as the medic disappeared into the truck. She shot Yang a warning glare but Yang couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. All the lectures about safe driving would be welcomed. At least Blake was here to lecture her, when it could have turned out differently.

Returning with two bottles he handed one to Yang. “Take the bandage off tomorrow and apply this to the area. It will help the skin to heal and protect it since it will be very sensitive.” Yang nodded, taking the advice very seriously.

“And you need to drink this before I release you.” He turned to Blake handing her a bottle. “You’re dehydrated.”

Blake tried to unscrew the cap with her one hand, not wanting to let go of Yang, but her injured arm wasn’t cooperating. Yang let out a humoured snort that garnered her another indignant glare. Shoving the ointment into her jacket pocket, Yang grabbed the top of the bottle with her free hand and twisted until the cap released.  

Blake pulled the mask aside and took three large gulps of the water. When she put the bottle up to her mouth again the medic stopped her.

“I know you must be in a hurry to get out of here. I would be too.” He said warmly. “But try not to rush drinking this. And you still need to get your oxygen levels up a little higher before I would like to let you go.”

“I’ll make sure she slows down if you need to look after another.”

“I need to take this to my coworker as he’s run out.” He held up another small tank of oxygen and a mask. “But I’ll be back in a few minutes to check her vitals once more.”

Both nodded as he took his leave.

Knowing Blake was safe and reasonably unharmed allowed Yang to finally relax for the first time since the phone woke her. As the adrenaline left her her muscles started giving way. Her legs shook so hard with exhaustion even Blake noticed. She pulled Yang closer so she could sit beside her. Yang placed a kiss to the top of Blake’s head as she rested it against her shoulder. No matter how tired this ordeal had made Yang, she was sure Blake was feeling it tenfold. 

Blake alternated between taking sips of water and breathing in the oxygen the medic told her she needed. As diligent a patient as she was a student.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.”

Turning her head, Blake pulled her mask lower as she placed a gentle kiss to Yang’s cheek. She looked to want to say something but Yang moved the mask back into place. 

“The sooner those vitals are up the sooner we can get you home for some sleep.”

Blake nodded but still seemed reluctant to let whatever she wanted to say go. She looped circles against Yang’s palm with her thumb irritatedly before giving up. With a heavy sigh she took another sip of water. 

Leaning her head on Yang’s shoulder once more she smiled as she squeezed Yang’s hand tightly three times.

The medic returned and after checking her oxygen levels released her telling Yang to make sure she continued to drink water regularly and reminded her of the ointment in her pocket. Leaving the blanket behind Yang draped her leather jacket over Blake’s shoulders and led her to the truck.  

She made sure Blake was buckled safely before she closed the door and made her way to the driver’s seat. Once the truck roared to life she made sure to turn on Blake’s heated seat before she made a U-turn. Blake dozed the twenty minute ride to the apartment and Yang was reluctant to wake her as the pulled into the apartment’s parking garage. 

Blake rubbed her eyes sleepily as Yang gently slid the seatbelt across her shoulder.  

“You smell like smoke.” Yang whispered and Blake scoffed. “Do you want to take a quick shower before bed? I can wrap the bandage in plastic for now.”

Pulling her hair to her nose Blake took a deep breath. The bridge of her nose wrinkled at the unpleasant smell. She nodded at Yang’s previous offer before opening the door and climbing out. 

They entered the apartment quietly, not wanting to wake Ruby and deal with the mounds of questions she was bound to ask. Yang led her to the bathroom and sat her down on the side of the bathtub as she gathered the material she needed to protect the bandage.

Blake placed a gentle kiss on Yang’s lips as she secured plastic to her arm with pieces of bandage tape. It was a pleasant surprise which caused a rare blush to form. Yang gave Blake some privacy handing her a towel and a shirt and shorts to sleep in.  Changing her own smoke scented clothes while Blake was in the shower Yang crawled into bed to wait. 

It only took Blake a few minutes to wash the smoke down the drain and join Yang.  She crawled between the sheets and immediately moulded herself to Yang’s side.

“I like when you’re clingy.” Yang whispered in her ear as she wrapped an arm firmly around her. 

Blake snuggled closer, grabbing hold of Yang’s hand. She interlocked their fingers and brought them to rest at her chest. Yang smiled as Blake squeezed her hand exactly three times before she fell into a much needed rest.

#bumbleby #inktober #ash #fanfic #my writing

[yinyangofnevermore]

I desperately want Yang to get hurt protecting Blake and Blake says something like “I’m not leaving. Not this time.” Or “I am NOT breaking my promise.” Just some yangst.

How’s this:

Blake and Yang made their way through the streets of Mantle, taking on any of Salem’s Grimm that they came across.

 They were beaten and bruised and exhausted, but they persevered as they continued on in their fight to protect the city and its people.

The image of the Ace Ops giving up on Mantle had seared its visage into Yang’s mind’s eye. She refused to be like them. She refused to give up. And she knew Blake and the others felt the exact same.

A winged Beringel took a hefty swipe at Blake, and Yang saw her purple aura flicker again as Blake grunted from the force of the blow.

Yang shot herself forward at the Grimm, loading it with time delay explosives as Blake wrapped Gambol Shroud’s ribbon around its body. Yang landed next to Blake and grabbed onto Gambol Shroud and the two of them heaved the Grimm up into the air together before they watched it explode in the sky.

Yang put her hand on Blake’s shoulder as she breathed heavily, her abused lungs burning as they fought for air.

She looked at their surroundings, at all of the ruined buildings with smoke billowing high above. She could see several bodies buried under the rubble. The city’s sirens blared loudly, telling anyone who didn’t know that the Grimm were running rampant.

“I’m not sure how much more of this my body can take,” Yang said between breaths.

“We’ll take as much as we have to in order to save the city,” Blake said, her eyebrows furrowed in determination and her ears flat.

Yang glanced sideways at her partner and nodded.

Moments later, they heard an explosion a few blocks away.

Their eyes met before they both took off in the direction of the blast.

Yang saw a pink and black blur fighting several Atlesian Knights with an umbrella in the center of the ruckus as they neared.

“Neo,” Yang growled.

Blake’s eyes narrowed as she and Yang threw themselves into the fray.

Their arrival only surprised Neo for a split second as she registered who the two young huntresses were.

She grinned, tipped her hat and sketched a quick bow before she twirled her umbrella, Hush, in preparation.

Yang’s jaw bulged as she ground her teeth at Neo’s cocksure attitude, her semblance seconds from exploding in irritation.

She glanced over at Blake’s steady presence and calmed herself with a deep breath.

Blake met her gaze and they both leapt into action.

They circled Neo, both shooting at the small woman from opposite directions.

Neo deftly dodged most of the their attacks and blocked the rest with Hush.

Blake threw Gambol Shroud to Yang, yanking the blonde back across the circle they’d created. Yang aimed a kick at Neo as she soared through the air, but the small woman bent backwards as Yang flew past her, leaving her wholly unharmed before she popped back up.

Yang landed next to Blake and quickly turned to face Neo once more.

Neo smirked and leapt at them, lashing out in a flurry of attacks that made both huntresses retreat a few steps back from the force of the onslaught.

After several moments of being on the defensive, both Blake and Yang finally regained their footing. Yang blasted forward and began an onslaught of her own while Blake gave her support fire from behind.

Punch. Dodge. Parry. Kick. Duck. Round kick. Back step. Jab. Upper cut. Side step.

The two seemed quite evenly matched as Neo had to both fight off Yang’s direct attacks and Blake’s support fire, until Yang just barely overreached.

Yang leapt forward, her prosthetic arm leading the way in a punch as Neo side stepped out of her path. The smaller woman grabbed Yang’s arm, utilizing Yang’s momentum to yank her forward and throw the blonde off balance as Neo’s knee connected with Yang’s ribs.

Yang’s aura flickered miserably but held as Yang crumpled to the ground, spurring Blake into further action.

She threw herself forward into a front flip, whipping Gambol Shroud around with her, causing Neo to step away from Yang and pay attention to this new assault.

Yang recovered a few moments later and gave Blake support fire as the Faunus huntress trapped Neo’s umbrella in an ice shadow clone.

Neo grimaced but broke the ice, brandishing Hush once more with a flourish.

Blake spun Gambol Shroud on its ribbon in a renewed attack forcing Neo to parry each blow until she finally slipped past Blake’s guard and sliced Hush along the young huntress’ lower leg.

Blake’s aura shattered and she cried out as the sharp tip of Hush drew a deep gouge down her shin. She stumbled a moment and fell to her knees.

“Blake!” Yang screamed in concern, blasting herself forward with Ember Celica.

Neo smirked as she eyed the vulnerable Faunus girl and thrust Hush forward toward her chest.

All Blake could do was watch as the umbrella came at her.

Suddenly Yang let out a grunt as Hush’s tip pierced her weakened aura, allowing the blade to plunge into her abdomen.

She gave Neo a gruesome smile as she grabbed Hush and released her semblance in a massive blast of fiery energy aimed at her enemy.

The last thing Yang saw before Neo shattered and disappeared was a look of pure surprise on the small woman’s face.

After her semblance blast died down, Yang collapsed.

Hush landed several paces away, bent and burned.

“Yang!” Blake cried out, rushing as quickly as she could to Yang’s side.

She placed her hands over Yang’s wound, applying pressure in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

“Why would you do that?!” She said, tears glistening down her cheeks.

Yang wiped one away. “You really think I’d let her kill you? We protect each other, remember?”

Blake stifled a sob and held Yang’s hand to her cheek. “But you got hurt because of me. Again.”

“Better for me to take a gut shot than for you to take one to the chest. I’ve got abs of steel, after all,” she chuckled lightheartedly, but the laugh quickly turned to a groan of pain. “This sucks, to be sure. But at least I’m fairly sure I’ll live. A chest wound would have a less than optimal outcome. And I’ll take a hit for you like this any day if it means you’re still with me.”

Blake couldn’t stifle the sob this time and Yang tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear as she cried outright.

“I’m so sorry…” Blake’s voice trembled. “You’re always getting hurt because of me.”

Yang gazed into golden eyes that seemed connected to her very soul, and saw the pain and fear and self-loathing within them.

A moment later, she recognized the look as Blake’s flight response.

She’d seen it before.

She could never forget that look. Or how it made her feel.

She removed her hand from Blake’s cheek as if stung, a hollow feeling resounding throughout her body, drowning out the pain of her wound.

Blake could see the hollowness reach Yang’s eyes.

“Yang, wha—”

Yang’s eyes grew watery and she looked away. “Don’t leave me again…” She said, her voice small.

Blake’s eyes went wide. “What? NO! No no no no no! I’m not leaving again! I won’t do that!”

Blake gently turned Yang’s face to her and wiped a tear away as she pressed their foreheads together.

“I’m not leaving again! I promised!” She said, her own tears beginning anew. “I swore to you that I’m not going to break my promise! And I won’t!”

Yang sniffled. “You won’t?”

“No! I won’t! I—I can’t!”

Yang cocked her head to the side in confusion.

“I can’t leave you because… Because I love you.”

Yang froze for a moment, processing what she’d just been told. “Yo—You do?”

Blake’s cheeks were on fire, her face still mere inches from Yang’s.  “Of course I do…”

Yang ran her fingers through Blake’s hair and blinked when one of Blake’s tears dripped onto her face. 

She drew Blake down closer to her and lifted her own to meet her halfway in a gentle kiss.

“I love you too,” she breathed when they parted.

Blake’s breath hitched at her words and she leaned back down to kiss her again.

“I’m sorry you got hurt again,” she whispered moments later. “Because of me…”

“Hazard of the job, you know that.”

Blake nodded.

“But at least I was able to give you more of a hand with Neo than I did with Adam that first time…” She paused in thought. “Well, maybe not as much of a hand as that time,” she said with a grin, waving her prosthetic in the air.

Blake gave her a wry look, her ear twitching in mild annoyance as she smacked Yang lightly on the shoulder before she leaned down to kiss her again.

#RWBY #RWBY 7 #RWBY 8 #RWBY fanfic #ask #RWBY headcanon #bumbleby #blake bellodona #yang xiao long #bees #wlw #gl #bumblebee #bmblb #yin yang of nevermore #neo politan #YYoN fic #theycallmestephlee fic #theycallmestephlee

[alj4890]

None But You

A/N Our next chapter will be the end. This chapter is not a pleasant one at all for the most part. Do not worry. All will end happily for our couples. I made this one longer than usual because I didn’t want it to end on its original dark note. Forgive me for what comes before it..

@graceful-popcorn   @krsnlove   @alleksa16   @hopelessromantic1352     @emceesynonymroll​   @buzz-bee-buzz   @hopefulmoonobject    @rainbowsinthestorm   @lxaah11   @my-heart-beats-for-ya @everythingmarvelsherlockspn @friedherringclodthing   @aworldoffandoms   @ab1901   @i-bloody-love-drake-walker  

Masterlist

Summary: Thomas and the others race to rescue Amanda and Millie from the evil Duke Montmartre's clutches. Along the way to Gretna Green, we see just how truly evil this villain is. And things do not go according to plan towards the end.

Part 15

"Where are they?" Ryan muttered, stepping out of the chapel.

Thomas checked his watch once more before tucking it back in his vest pocket. It was already well past the allotted time it took to get to the chapel from his home.

He and Amanda should be nearing the end of their ceremony.

Mr. Richard Blake joined the two gentlemen. "Perhaps we should send someone to make certain there hasn't been an accident of some sort."

"I'll ask Lord Matthew." Thomas scanned the countryside one last time, hoping he would see his carriage approaching.

The sounds of angry, panicked shouts caused him to pause.

He recognized two of his footmen, riding as if the Devil himself were chasing them, on horseback.

"Lord Hunt!" One shouted. "Sir, Lady Amanda has been taken."

"What?!" Thomas could feel the very world tilt at such news. He grasped the railing. "Who--"

"We didn't recognize who it was that had her. Her lady's maid was knocked down by the blackguard while he carried Lady Amanda out." The first explained.

"Mr. Berger and some of us chased him through the servants’ entrance." The second one explained. He glanced at Lord Ryan. "Once we saw the plain carriage, we caught a glimpse of Lady Millicent. She too had been bound and gagged--"

"Millie?" Ryan whispered. "My Millie was taken with Lady Amanda?"

"Do you know which way they went?" Thomas asked. "Did you see the men behind this?"

While more explanations were given, Mr. Blake rushed inside to tell the others.

Thomas ordered the footmen to see to Lady Bridgerton and Lord and Lady Rawlings. In three quick strides he was in the saddle and turning towards his home.

Ryan took the other to follow.

"We will meet you at Kirkwood." Thomas shouted when Lord Matthew and Sir Chris came rushing out.

*****************

Kirkwood Manor...

"My lord," an anxious Berger led Thomas to where the carriage had last been seen. "Do you have any idea who would do such a thing?"

"I do." Thomas responded; his voice steady as he looked about. "I know of only one man who would dare to abduct the ladies."

As he spoke, he noticed movement in a nearby bush. He cautiously approached it and struck his hand in. He dragged out young Brandon.

The little boy stared wide eyed up at Thomas.

Little Jane crawled out of the same bush, wiping her tears with her hands.

"Please sir," she pleaded. "Please don't be angry."

"Angry?" Thomas squatted down before them. "Why would I be angry with you?"

"Because we didn't stop them." Brandon hung his head in shame.

"Stop who?" Thomas kept his tone gentle in the hope that these two knew more about what had happened.

"The old man." Jane said softly. "The one that took Lady Amanda."

Thomas held on to his temper. "This old man," he motioned toward his own suit, "did he dress like me?"

The children nodded.

Brandon sniffed and pointed toward the town of Stamford. "The carriage went that way."

"Here." Jane handed over the torn veil she found as they hurried through the woods to see where the carriage was going. "The old man threw this out the window."

Thomas carefully took the one wedding item he had seen sitting out in Amanda's room when he joined her the night before. The delicate lace was ripped and dirty in spots.

"Did you see Lady Millie with them?" Berger asked.

"She was asleep." Jane explained. Her hands twisted the skirt of her dress. "Sir, they had tied Lady Amanda up."

Thomas stilled. "How?"

"Her hands." Brandon explained. "And they had a rag over her mouth."

"She was covered with that." Jane pointed to the black cape Berger held.

"Did you overhear anything?" Thomas pressed.

"I did." Brandon mumbled. "The man that had Lady Millie said something about her being used as a witness for something green."

"How many men did you see?" Berger asked.

"Three." Jane wiped at her tears. "The old man in the carriage and--"

"The coachman and another man sitting with him." Brandon added.

Thomas stood with Amanda's veil in his fist. "Thank you." He hesitated. "Berger, I need my horse made ready. Have my saddle bags prepared for a long journey. I plan on stopping as little as possible." He motioned toward the children. "Make certain they are substantially rewarded for their assistance and that their parents know what they have done for Kirkwood Manor."

The viscount's long stride soon had him in his home. He paused long enough to reassure Lady Lucinda that he would bring her niece back unharmed.

"I shouldn't have left her." Lucy pressed her handkerchief to her mouth as another broken sob escaped. "We don't know where the blackguard has taken her!"

"Duke Montmartre is taking her to Gretna Green. Given the direction his carriage took, he will be turning onto the Great North Road within the next two hours."

His friends perked up at this news.

"I will be leaving as soon as I change." Thomas informed them." When he noticed his butler hovering in the doorway, he gave more instructions. "Have a carriage prepared. Given the Duke's need of luxury, I do not see him pushing his coachman to rush to Gretna Green. I think they will most likely stop for evening somewhere between Tuxford and Doncaster." He began to leave the drawing room. "Have the carriage travel there to bring back Lady Amanda and Lady Millicent."

"I'm coming with you." Ryan followed him.

"So are we." Matthew added. Chris nodded in agreement.

Thomas hesitated. "I understand Summers needing to go since his intended was taken, yet I can't ask you to possibly put yourself in harm's way for--"

"Nonsense." Chris interrupted. His easy-going demeanor hardened. "You and Summers would do the same for us if the situation was reversed." He glanced over at Ms. Harriet Blake. "I would hope to have all the help I could get if it was my lady that was taken."

Thomas clapped him fondly on the shoulder before going upstairs. "We will leave in fifteen minutes."

***************

"I think I should go." Richard said softly to his sister.

Harriet did not bother to hide her surprise. "You do?"

He nodded. "Emotions are bound to run high. Cooler heads are needed in these situations."

Harriet gripped his hand. "You are usually the one to keep calm during stressful moments."

He looked over at Lord and Lady Rawlings sitting with Lady Lucinda. "I believe they will need you to help keep their spirits up."

Harriet followed his gaze. She straightened her shoulders and gave a quick nod. "I will do all I can for them."

Richard smiled fondly at his little sister. "I know you will, Harry."

Her lips firmed to keep her surprised laughter at bay. She affectionately swatted his arm before joining the concerned elders.

****************

Three hours later, on The Great North Road...

"I will remove the gags if you ladies can promise me you will do nothing to draw attention to yourselves." Viktor said.

His voice was all politeness causing the two bound and gagged ladies to glare at him.

He quirked an eyebrow and waited silently for them to nod their agreement.

He removed Amanda's first. She tried to speak, but her mouth was so dry that her voice was hoarse.

"Will you untie us?" She croaked.

Viktor paused in removing Millie's gag. "I suppose I could." His eyes narrowed while his tone turned sinister. "But if you do anything I disapprove of," he eyed Millie, "I will punish her."

Amanda's bravado disappeared. If he had only threatened herself, she would dare anything, but to risk Millie's safety...she could not take a chance.

He turned his attention to Millie. "The same goes for you too, my lady. Do anything and Lady Amanda will answer for it."

Millie's eyes snapped with her anger. Her voice cracked as she heaped insults upon him. "...vile libertine! You're not fit--"

She let out a cry when he struck Amanda.

Amanda's head snapped to the left with the force of his hit. Her eyes welled with tears while a trickle of blood formed on her lower lip.

Viktor relaxed back in his seat. "You were saying, Lady Millicent?"

Millie stared at him in shock. She turned toward her friend and whispered her apology.

Amanda shook her head, unable to speak as her tears fell silently down her cheeks.

Viktor chuckled. "I believe you both have learned that I am a man of my word."

Sinking into her fears, Amanda leaned her head against the window and watched the carriage take her further away from the one she loved. The one who made her feel safe. The one who brought her nothing but happiness.

The thought of being tied for eternity to the man across from her scared her more than anything else. These few hours with him only proved that he planned a lifetime of torture for her.

And all because she preferred Thomas over him.

"What will you do with us?" Millie asked.

"Do?" He smiled. "I would think given the direction we are traveling, that it would be quite clear what I intend to do." He settled his leering on Amanda. "I will admit that a few plans have been considered."

Enjoying their confusion and yet hoping to cause them both to cower before him, he began in detail what he was still debating on. "I of course did not plan on you joining us, Lady Millicent. I at first thought to have my way with Lady Amanda and then leave her behind at a coaching inn. I know a proprietor who is always looking for some new," he chuckled at their shock, "ladies of ill repute. I'm certain she could bring him a great deal of business."

He reached over to untie their hands as he continued. "I had also considered marrying her once we reach Gretna Green. Now that you are here, I suppose I should settle on that. I do need to marry and I will gain a great deal of pleasure forcing Thomas to see that only I have rights to the woman he loves."

Amanda rubbed her wrists. "Your grace," she tried to think of a way out of this without his lashing out a Millie. "Surely a man of your," she tried not to gag, "handsomeness and fortune need not kidnap a lady for your own. I know there are many ladies that would jump at the chance to become your duchess."

Viktor beamed at her compliments. "That is true." He reached in a basket for a bottle of wine and two glasses. "Forgive me but you two will need to share a glass." He poured them a drink then one for himself. "I do have the pick of all the ladies in London." He held his glass up as if in a toast. "Yet you were the one to defy me. I can't have that."

Millie took a gulp before passing it to Amanda. "Your grace, all the ladies at the house party were infatuated with you. Surely you won't disappoint them by--"

"My decision has been made." His voice cut through their attempts to sway him. "Lady Amanda will be the next Duchess of Montmartre." His eyes held a glint of evil. "And she will be my devoted wife, or she will soon learn what my true displeasure feels like."

Amanda's hand trembled, sloshing some of the wine onto her dress. "Please, your grace, I beg of you. Don't--"

He struck her again. His temper snapping as he grabbed her arms and yanked him toward her.

Millie covered her mouth when a scream welled up within her. She did not know what to do as he violently shook her friend.

"Listen to me, you little doxy. I know what you and your precious viscount have been doing when you retire in the evening." His hands tightened, bruising her skin. "I could sell you this very night to some man and not blink an eye. You will get down on your knees every night and thank God I made you my wife." He lifted one hand to her jaw, gripping it to hold her face up toward his. "If you for one moment act like you prefer anyone more than me, you will pray for death." He slowly smiled at the fear in her eyes. "But I will make certain you live a long, long life."

He threw her back into her seat. "I think you need some rest, my dear." He motioned toward her face. "You're awfully pale for some reason."

Millie reached over and gripped Amanda's hand. They held tight to each other as the carriage continued up the road.

***********

Kirkwood Manor...

"I can't stand not knowing." Lucy cried out as she paced.

"Lady Bridgerton," Harriet wrapped her arm around her, "do rest. I will ring for tea and--"

"I'm going." Gabriel untangled himself from his wife. "I can't sit by and let others go after our daughter."

"We should all go." Lucy told him.

Henrietta rose from the settee. She blew her nose and rang for the butler. "I will ask them to prepare our carriage."

Harriet remained silent, not blaming them at all for wanting to go after them. She was having enough trouble of her own remaining behind. She believed they would be successful. They had to be. If what she had gleaned from listening to everyone's worries were true, then her new friends were indeed in grave danger.

Lucy noticed her worry and reached out to her. "You're welcome to come with us, Ms. Blake."

The young lady hugged her. "Thank you Lady Bridgerton." She stepped back and included the Rawlings in her gratitude. "I'll arrange everything with the servants while you go change."

************

A few hours later, on The Great North Road...

"They stopped here to change horses." Chris explained as he hurried back into his saddle.

"Did they give any indication of where they would be stopping?" Matthew asked.

"They plan on stopping at dusk." Chris explained. "The coachman mentioned something about bandits."

"Did anyone see Amanda or Millie?" Thomas asked.

Chris hesitated. "One of the stable lads peeked in the carriage."

"And?" Ryan prodded.

"He saw them. They are no longer bound and gagged." Chris cleared his throat. "He said..."

"Said what?" Thomas snapped.

"He said that the lady with dark hair had bruises and blood on her face." Chris said, wishing he wasn't the one to break such news. "He said the lighter haired one did not seem hurt."

The rage Thomas had been able to keep at bay so that he could focus on retrieving his beloved burst forth.

Without a word, he urged his horse forward, praying he would reach them in time to not only save Amanda, but to be able to kill Viktor Montmartre.

His friends caught up with him and remained silent, knowing there was no point in trying to calm him down. Each man had been raised with the notion that a true gentleman protected women and children from harm. To hear that one they had grown close to was receiving such treatment spurred them on to rescuing her by any means necessary. Even Richard seemed as determined as the rest of them in ending this evil once and for all.

*******************

Dusk, near Doncaster...

"I've secured rooms for you and the ladies, your grace." Charles informed him.

The duke descended from the carriage, ignoring the two that waited behind him. "And the excuse for their condition?"

Charles flashed a smile. "Your wards ran away on a lark with two questionable gentlemen from London." He shrugged his shoulders. "Being the concerned guardian that you are, you went to retrieve them and plan on taking them as far north as you can to keep them from such lecherous men."

Viktor laughed and clapped him on the back. "Excellent work, Charles." He was still chortling over the irony as he made his way inside.

John climbed down from the coach and held his hand out for the ladies. His eyes widened when he saw Amanda's face. When she stumbled on the steps, he caught her in his arms.

She looked up at him as he gently helped her stand upright. Her eyes searched his before a bitter laugh escaped her lips. "What troubles you sir? You promised you would make certain the Duke would do right by me." She lowered her head in embarrassment. "Is this not what you expected?"

Millie slapped Charles's helping hand away and hopped down on her own. She pushed John away before he could utter a word of apology and wrapped her arm around Amanda.

"Do I need to teach you manners again, Lady Millicent?" Charles taunted.

She glared at him when he held his fist up. "Touch me again and you will wish you were never born."

Millie led her friend toward the inn, leaving the two servants behind.

"Millie," Amanda whispered as she looked about. "I know this place."

"You do?" Millie asked.

"We're close to Snowfield Abbey!" She gripped her friend’s hand. "We can try and escape!"

Millie shushed her when she noticed Charles following. "Let's get you to a room so you can rest." She lifted her chin and did her best to appear haughty before the duke and his servant. "I assume there is a room prepared for us."

Viktor chuckled. "But of course." He motioned for the innkeeper. "Show my wards to their room and make certain to lock them in." He met Millie's eyes. "They are not to be trusted."

The innkeeper bowed. "Of course, your grace." He waved toward the stairs. "If you will follow me."

He took them to a sparsely furnished room on the second floor. There was one bed, one chair, and a small window looking out toward the stables.

"I will have some dinner sent up." He told them as he began to shut the door.

They heard the lock click and then his retreating footsteps.

Amanda lit the few candles in the room.

Millie's shoulders slumped. "Oh Amanda," she winced as she got a close look at her friend's face. "You must be in agony."

"I can't think about my face." Amanda hurried to the window and opened it. "We must find a way out of here."

She studied the slope of the roof. One false step and they could end up with a broken leg or worse. She leaned further out, hoping to see a trellis or anything that could aid in their descent.

She then noticed John looking up at her from the stable. She could not make out the expression on his face in the encroaching darkness. Fearing he would report her actions to the Duke, she quickly ducked back inside and shut the window.

The innkeeper's wife came in at that moment with a tray of food. She curtsied and paused when Amanda turned toward her.

The matron's hand rose to cover her gasp. "My lady, I have some salve to help with..." She motioned toward the bruises. "I can bring it when I pick up the dishes."

Millie took a chance and gently grasped her arm. "Please, you must help us."

The matron shook her head. "I know about you being tricked into galivanting all over the countryside." Her lips firmed. "I know you wish to marry, but you must trust in your guardian."

"That man," Amanda said harshly, "is not our guardian. He is a brute. He kidnapped me so that I could not marry a man far above him in manners and temperament." She stepped closer to the shocked woman. "He is the one who caused the bruises you see before you."

The matron seemed to hesitate before shaking her head. "I'm sorry. His grace told us we were not to believe a word you said."

"Please." Millie pleaded. "We are telling the truth. We were taken from Viscount Kirkwood's home in Norfolk."

The matron slowly shook her head. "Forgive me." She quickly left and locked the door behind her.

Millie sank down onto the bed. "What are we to do?" She lowered her head into her hands. "How will we ever escape if no one believes us?"

Amanda turned back to the window. "We will depend on our wits. If we can get out of here, then we can make our way to Snowfield and--"

"Alone at night? On foot?" Millie shook her head. "We will get lost or worse."

"What could possibly be worse than this?!" Amanda cried out in frustration. "Look at me! This is only a glimpse of what my life will be if the Duke succeeds in getting us to Gretna Green." She fell to her knees and broke into sobs. "I will have nothing but misery if I'm forced to be his duchess."

Millie teared up and dropped down to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her friend and cried with her.

****************

"Thomas, we should stop." Richard called out. "We can't take a chance of a horse stumbling in this darkness."

The viscount knew he was right yet was beginning to panic. His earlier belief that the duke would halt for the night worried him as each stop seemed to prove otherwise.

Was he traveling straight through to Gretna Green?

"We will stop at the next inn." Chris decided for them. "If we are to face the duke, then we must rest."

Thomas looked over at Ryan and saw the same concern he suffered with.

"They're right." Ryan finally said. "We do need to stop."

Thomas gripped the reins and reluctantly nodded.

Matthew waved down the road. "There is an inn I usually stop at on my way to Dumfries. We should be there within the hour."

***************

"This salve smells dreadful." Amanda mumbled, debating on whether or not to try it.

Millie sniffed and jerked her head back. "Oh my goodness." Her eyes lit with amusement. "Perhaps if you wear it the duke will hire another coach to drive us."

A surprised laugh burst from Amanda. "If that were true I would rub this all over my body in the hopes he would give up this mad scheme of his."

Millie dipped her finger in the strange substance. "I'll dab some behind my ears to make the whole carriage stink."

The two laughed softly before putting the lid back on it.

Amanda once again went to the window. "If only there was a safe way down, I--" she jumped away with a fearful squeak when a man's face appeared before her.

John motioned for her to open the window.

Millie rushed to her side. "Should we?"

Amanda undid the latch and pushed it open.

John motioned with his head. "Come with me.

"Why?" Millie crossed her arms. "Where are you taking us this time?"

He frowned at her. "Away." His expression turned to one of remorse when he turned toward Amanda. "From his grace."

"How?" Amanda whispered. "How did you get up here?"

He stepped to the side so they could see the ladder he had used. "The duke and Charles are deep within their cups." He glanced down. "Now is the time if we are to escape."

He held his hand out and waited.

The two ladies shared a concerned glance. Then Amanda took his hand and climbed out the window.

*************

Millie leaned forward as John held fast to Amanda. With each step her friend took, she held her breath all while praying for the Almighty to keep his angles around her.

Once at the ladder, she breathed a little easier. As Amanda began her descent, John came back for Millie.

The lady pulled herself out the window then froze when she stepped out on the slanted roof. Her equilibrium faltered and she swayed while looking over the edge.

John took a hold of her and the window frame to help balance them both.

“I do not do well with heights.” Millie admitted.

“Don’t look down.” He grumbled, trying to get her moving toward the ladder.

“Don’t look down? That’s your advice?” She snapped. “How—”

“Quiet!” He ordered.

When she seemed ready to tear into him, he put his hand over her mouth.

Horses were heard approaching.

Amanda ducked into the inn’s shadows, praying the group of men did not see her. With the moonlight, her wedding gown seemed to glow, drawing more attention than she needed at the moment.

Millie stared down at the men and hoped they didn’t look up. Her reputation would not survive not only a kidnapping but also what appeared to be socializing with servants on the roof.

****************

“I’ll go speak to the innkeeper.” Matt handed the reins of his horse to Thomas.

The weary men led the horses to the stable.

“How have we not caught up with them yet?” Ryan murmured.

“You don’t think they turned off the road and journeyed instead to Montmartre’s estate?” Richard asked.

Thomas shook his head. “He wouldn’t put off—”

“Thomas?”

The men spun around at the feminine voice.

Thomas dropped the reins and stepped closer to the figure he could barely make out in the shadows. “Yes?”

Amanda stepped out. “Thomas!”

Saying her name in disbelief, he rushed to her and embraced her. “What are you doing outside?”

“Escaping.” She held him tight. “Oh dear.” She turned toward the roof. “Millie is still up there.”

Ryan overheard her and looked up. There standing there with a servant was his intended.

“Millie!” He called up to her.

“Shh!” she scolded. “Do you want everyone to hear you?”

Ryan told her to hurry up or he was coming after her.

John helped her to the ladder. Millie slipped on the fourth rung and fell into Ryan.

“Are you hurt?” She asked, twisting in his arms to make certain she had not jostled his wound.

He kissed her, silencing her follow-up questions.

Amanda tugged on Thomas’s hand. “We must leave before the duke discovers us.”

When she moved closer to the stable, light from a nearby lantern revealed her face.

“Dear God!” Richard exclaimed.

Thomas cursed and gently cupped her face between his hands. “I had heard that you…” he swallowed, unable to take seeing the evidence of what she had endured. “Viktor will pay for taking you from me.” His thumb carefully brushed her cheek. “For daring to touch you.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want you challenging him.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Please. Take me away from here.”

Matthew walked out to tell them that the duke was here, only to smile at seeing the two ladies back with his friends. “I saw Montmartre inside, and—”

Thomas gently pushed Amanda aside and searched his saddlebags for his pistol.

“No.” She cried, grasping his arm. “Snowfield Abbey is nearby. Let us go there and think this through.”

“I’ve done nothing but think this through.” Thomas explained. He asked Richard to watch over Amanda. He then asked Matthew to go for the local magistrate before facing her once more. “After tonight, Viktor will never bother you again.”

*****************

An hour later…

A slightly intoxicated and belligerent Viktor faced Thomas.

“So? You came all this way for your little tart, hmm?” He poked the viscount in the chest. “I don’t know why you want her. She’s only grown uglier the longer I have been with her.” He snorted at his own joke while Charles laughed out loud.

“You shoulda done what I did, your grace.” The servant added. “Lady Millie never knew what hit her.” He mimicked his fist connecting under her jaw followed by his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Ryan jerked him up by his cravat, nearly choking the man to death. “You are the one who struck my intended?”

While the servant muttered his apology, an elderly gentleman of some substance stood by watching the interrogation unfold.

The local magistrate, Sir Edgar, not only recognized the heiress to Snowfield Abbey, but also was more than ready to string up the men that had treated her and her friend so badly.

He was not impressed with the duke’s title. The man admitted after questioning to having taken the ladies. His coachman also went into great detail about the planned abduction and what all was considered to do with Lady Amanda.

Sir Edgar decided to finish up whatever the gentlemen that had ridden to their rescue started. He personally hoped it involved a coffin but would be content in arresting the men.

“I challenge you to a duel.” Thomas slapped Viktor across the face.

The duke fell back against the bar from the force Thomas put into the action. He glared at the viscount for daring to touch him. “I accept.” He leaned to the side to leer at Amanda. “Whatever will you do, my lady, once he is dead?”

Thomas grasped his collar and tossed him outside. “Do not speak to her again!”

Viktor landed in a puddle. He pushed himself to his feet and swung toward Thomas. “You filthy bastard!”

Chris shook his head. “I think you are clearly the filthy bastard here, Montmartre.”

Viktor looked around and only saw Charles as his ally. His temper burned at being bested once again. Without thinking of the consequences, he pulled a small pistol from his pocket and took aim at his enemy.

“NO!” Amanda cried out, rushing to push Thomas out of danger.

Two shots rang out.

Amanda froze in fear, her hands covering her mouth at being too slow to save the man she loved.

Thomas looked down in disbelief that he was not hit.

Slightly behind him, Charles fell to his knees, gazing down at the blood forming on his white shirt.

Viktor was once again lying in the middle of the street. His life had abruptly ended by a single shot to the head by Sir Edgar’s pistol.

“Forgive me my lord, “the magistrate said to Thomas. “I know you wanted your duel, but I refused to make Lady Amanda a widow before she has a chance to marry you.”

Amanda stumbled into Thomas’ arms once more. Between her tears and his soft words of comfort, she calmed down long enough to hear what everyone else was saying.

“What about these two?” Ryan motioned toward John and a still bleeding Charles.

“These men will be spending a long time becoming familiar with our jail.” Sir Edgar responded. He eyed Thomas. “Unless you wish to challenge them.”

Thomas tightened his arms around Amanda when he felt her begin to get worked up once more. “Knowing they are behind bars will suit me.”

Millie stepped on Charles’s hand as she made her way over to Ryan. “If I may, Sir Edgar? John might have helped in abducting us, but he also realized how evil the duke and this man were. He risked his life and livelihood to help us escape.” She slipped her hand in Ryan’s. “Wouldn’t those actions deserve a less lengthy stay behind bars?”

Sir Edgar mulled over her words. He glanced at Amanda. “Do you agree, my lady?”

Amanda met John’s gaze and slowly nodded. “I do.”

The elderly magistrate grunted. “I will take that under consideration.” He called out to some of the men that were watching from the inn. “I could use your assistance in taking these men to our version of The Tower.”

Some of the stable lads eagerly leapt to the task.

The innkeeper and his wife stepped forward to apologize to the ladies for not believing them.

Millie glared at them while Amanda was a bit kinder in telling them that hopefully if something like this were to occur again, that they would listen to the victims.

“Please, let us fix up some rooms for you—”

An empty carriage followed by one filled with people rolled to a stop in front of the inn.

“Millie!” Henrietta jumped down and rushed toward her daughter. “Oh my poor darling!’

Lucy followed after to embrace Amanda. She held her tightly, fighting back the hysterical tears she had been struggling against since them moment she had heard her niece had been stolen away.

She eased back to look at her, gasping when she saw her face. “Who—my—”

Amanda took her hands. “I will be fine Aunt Lucy.”

Lucy shook her head as tears streamed down her face. She hugged her once more, whispering prayers of thankfulness that they had made it in time.

*****************

Later that night…

Once the party arrived at Snowfield Abbey, the servants quickly made rooms ready.

Harriet managed to not only get the story out of her brother, but also found time with Millie and Amanda to hear what they endured. Wishing she could have seen for herself Viktor’s demise (despite her brother’s teasing that having a blood thirsty sibling did not bode well for his reputation in the Church), she also wished she could have had a hand in administering justice to the blackguard.

After more explanations and questions were given, Lucy declared that it was time they all got some rest.

Thomas and Amanda had decided to go ahead and be married in the morning, much to Lucy and Henrietta’s horror.

“Her dress is ruined!” Lucy cried.

“You can’t possibly be married tomorrow!” Henrietta pointed out. “We need time to make your wedding all that is—”

“I could marry you now.” Richard spoke up. He winked at the couple when the matrons gasped at such a notion. “If you wish.”

Thomas began to nod as Amanda spoke up.

“I suppose we should wait until my face looks better.”

“You’re still beautiful.” Her intended muttered. “I’m not marrying you for your looks alone.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you. But perhaps we could wait to—”

“No.”

“Thomas, we—”

“Marry us now, Richard.” He slipped his arm around her. “I can’t take a chance on another Viktor popping up.”

Lucy and Henrietta watched in shock as Mr. Blake stood before the fireplace in Snowfield’s drawing room. Thomas still in his dusty traveling clothes took Amanda’s hand. Her face and clothing bore evidence of blood and bruises. Not to mention dirt on her backside from falling into the floor of the carriage. Both had definitely looked better.

No flowers.

No church.

No lace.

Nothing but two people who only saw the one they loved before them. Their words were spoken with all the reverence and heart that one could wish to hear. Their smiles were tender as they gazed upon the other.

Lucy pressed a handkerchief to her lips as the tears fell quietly over how sweet the two were.

Hen reached for Gabe’s hand and slipped her other hand in his coat pocket for his handkerchief.

Millie did the same, taking Ryan’s as he wrapped his arm around her.

Harriet stood between Chris and Matthew, watching it all unfold with a smile.

Chris leaned close to her ear and whispered. “You don’t cry at weddings?”

She looked up at him. “I cry only when one is tricked into approaching the altar.”

Matthew coughed on his laughter at her response.

Chris struggled with is own laughter, looking everywhere but at the people sending disapproving glances his way.

Harriet turned her attention back to the couple, cheering with the rest when their union was sealed with a tender kiss.

#Thomas Hunt #choices thomas hunt #rcd regency au #Thomas x Amanda #thomas hunt x oc #rcd ryan summers #rcd matt rodriguez #RCD Chris Winters #None but you #thomas hunt x amanda

[rwby-grimm-guardians]

RWBY Grimm Guardians Arc 2: Beacon’s Fragile Light Ch XI

Hey, everyone! This is the eleventh chapter of Beacon’s Fragile Light! Here, we head to the main event: the Fall of Beacon! As usual, please enjoy.

Disclaimer: Still own nothing!

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(At the Amity Colosseum)

To say that everyone was up Shit Creek without a paddle would be an understatement. First, Yang’s match with Mercury was almost compromised, Summer’s Grimm instincts were beginning to run rampant, and now Pyrrha’s match with Penny ended horrifically with Penny being destroyed. Ruby, who was investigating Mercury, collapsed to her knees at what she had just witnessed.

Summer hugged her tightly, also shocked by the recent battle. She began rocking the teenager as the young leader started to cry. “I’m sorry....” The former STRQ leader whispered, her voice filled with guilt. She reluctantly turned her attention to Ruby’s scroll, pulling it out and texting the other girls in a group chat. “This is Cres. You...all saw that… Right?” She asked.

Yang texted, “Yeah. Are you two safe?” “Safe, yes.” The former leader replied. Blake texted, “I’m sorry…. I know this isn’t the best time, but Yang, Weiss and I need you and Ember at the fairgrounds.” “On our way.” The blonde replied. “Cres, can you help Ruby?” “I’ll try….” Summer typed, before putting the scroll away. “Ruby…?” She called out. Her daughter’s head shifted slightly towards her, making her tears more visible.

“Ruby… We need to help Yang and our friends…” The elder Rose said, gently helping the young leader to her feet. Ruby wiped her tears away, before nodding and hugging Summer tightly. “Shh…. I got you.” The former STRQ leader whispered, pecking her daughter’s forehead. “I’m always here.” After a few moments, Ruby whispered, “This isn’t fair…” The elder Rose nodded, “Believe me, I know. I agree.”

The two jumped as a Nevermore, carrying several Grimm Sapiens, broke through the safety barrier and into the arena, before it locked eyes with a shocked Pyrrha. Summer growled, before Ruby said, “I’ll help Pyrrha.” Nodding, the red clad woman said, “I’ll take care of the pawns then.” Nodding in agreement, the young leader grabbed one of Floating Array’s swords, duel wielding it with her scythe.

Summer paused as she and Ruby saw the Nevermore being attacked. Turning, the two spotted teams SSSN, CFVY, ABRN, FNKI, alongside Jaune, Nora, and Ren, weapons out. “We got this beast.” Jaune said. Ruby gave a small smile, before nodding at her Weapon Spirit. The former STRQ leader chuckled, “Alright. I’ll make sure that the weaklings don’t interrupt.” before tackling a couple of the Grimm Sapiens to the ground.

As the five teams combined their strengths to conquer the Nevermore, Summer let herself loose, removing her eyepatch and tearing into the Grimm Sapiens and dismembering them. She ripped one in half, tore off another’s head, and proceeded to crush one’s spine, before snapping its neck. She punched a hole through two Grimms’ chest, killing them instantly.

One Grimm Sapien managed to sneak past the red clad woman and run towards Ruby. Summer froze, before moving at inhuman speeds and getting in front of her daughter. She then caught the beast by its arms, tearing them off, before kicking it to the ground. Before it could stand up and attempt to tear out Summer’s throat with its teeth, Ruby shot it in the head, killing it.

After a few moments of silence, the five teams, Ruby, and Summer gave a look over of the arena. The Grimm Sapiens were dead, as well as the Nevermore. The young leader sighed, before looking at the taller woman, “Are you alright?” “Are you?” The red clad woman asked, covered in Grimm blood, only for her daughter to give her a concerned expression. Sighing, the taller woman nodded, “I’m fine. Just tired.”

Ruby eventually nodded, “Your eyepatch is off.” Summer nodded, “We’re gonna need this power.” “Does it….you know. Hurt?” The young leader asked. The taller woman paused, brief tapping her eyelid, before smirking, “Just a bit numb right now.” The two then went over to Pyrrha, who was crying… Understandably so, since she probably believed that she was RESPONSIBLE for Penny’s death.

“Pyrrha…” The taller woman said, feeling her heart twist as the redhead let out a quiet sob. “This is my fault.” She whispered, prompting Ruby to bend down and hold her. “Pyrrha… This is NOT your fault.” The young leader said. “You aren’t responsible for what happened to Penny.” The redhead just looked at the red clad teenager, “How can you just...say that as if…?” “As if we know that truth?” Summer asked, finishing Pyrrha’s question.

Jaune placed a firm, yet gentle hand on his partner’s shoulder. “Pyrrha… We know you well enough to know that you would never do this....to anyone.”” He said gently. “We’ll find the assholes who’re being this.” He then looked at Summer and Ruby, “Right?” Summer gave a gentle smile, placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder, “Definitely.” She hoped that Jaune wasn’t wrong about that.

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(At Beacon Academy....)

“What...do we do now?” Weiss asked, breathing heavily as she almost collapsed to her knees in exhaustion. She, her mother, Blake, and Gambol had been fighting hordes of Grimm, White Fang soldiers, and rogue Atlesian androids for a good while now. Yang was almost there, but the heiress was beginning to worry if she, Ruby, and their Weapon Spirits wouldn’t arrive in time.

Gambol looked around, searching for a means to make a temporary retreat, before hearing the sound of footsteps and voices. Growling on instinct, she turned behind her and drew her blade, only to freeze when she noticed that what she heard were students. Arktis looked behind her and nodded at the elder faunus, “We keep fighting for now.” Blake nodded, “Gambol and I will see if we can derail the White Fang.”  Weiss nodded as the two faunus went in another direction.

After reaching another part of the campus, Blake looked around, “Okay… Where the hell are we going to find the bastard in charge?” A sinister chuckle filled the room, saying, “Now that’s a little rude, don’t you think, Blake?” The teenage faunus froze, feeling her blood go cold as she turned to face the voice she hoped she’d NEVER have to hear again.

Gambol growled, her pupils turning into slits and her nails transforming into panther-like claws. A red-haired bull faunus came out the shadows, causing Blake’s eyes to widen in horror. “Gods… Adam…!” She said, causing the man to smile. “Hello, darling.” He said, giving a very arrogant leer towards the two. “Why and how the fuck are you not dead yet?!” Gambol shouted, furious that the man had the gall to show himself after everything he had done. He smirked, “Now where’s the fun in telling you?”

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(Meanwhile…)

On a nearby rooftop, Cinder and Vampier grinned as they witnessed the chaos and destruction occurring. “Hope you’re getting good footage.” Vampier said to Mercury, who was broadcasting the violence. “Of course! This is fantastic!” He said. Cinder nodded, “Good.” She then turned to observe Emerald, who seemed...unsettled by what she was witnessing. The pyrokinetic sighed, deciding to not bother with Emerald’s emotions for the time being.

In his...or rather, THEIR office, Evergreen and Ozma watched the carnage happening throughout the campus. “We could’ve prevented this…” The brown haired man said in the mindscape that he and Evergreen shared. Evergreen looked at him in both anger and disbelief, “Oh really!? Then what was your ‘PLAN’ for that!?” The immortal soul opened his mouth, but said nothing, before lowering his head in shame and guilt.

Evergreen stayed silent for a few moments, before eventually sighing. “Look at me, Ozma.” He said. The immortal soul looked up at the man in shock. Not ONCE had he heard the headmaster call him by his REAL name. Evergreen took a deep breath, before saying, “I get that you have good intentions...but your actions are NOT supporting them.” The immortal sighed, “Then what do YOU think we should do?”

Evergreen, now in control of his body, grabbed the Long Memory, “You’re gonna sit back.” He then went out the door, saying, “I’M gonna fight back. Which is what we SHOULD have done from the start.” As he exited the building, the headmaster then began searching for Pyrrha. ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this….’ Evergreen thought. He did NOT want the red haired girl to take up the burden of one of the Four Maidens… But now, there WAS no other option left.

The earth beneath him trembled, before he heard the cry of a Wyvern. The dragon-like Grimm erupted from a mountaintop near Mountain Glenn. Even though he’s miles away from it, Evergreen can tell that it’s on route towards Vale, with possibly many lesser Grimm in tow. The headmaster began running faster, knowing that Beacon’s final moments may be drawing near.

As the students are still fighting, Pyrrha noticed the headmaster running towards them, before he came to a stop and began breathing heavily. Summer briefly split up from Ruby and went up to Evergreen and helped him upright. “Professor? What’s the problem?’ Pyrrha asked. Evergreen looked at her, “I need you to come with me…” Summer raised an eyebrow, before Evergreen nodded. “If something happens to her... veuillez la ressusciter en tant qu'esprit d'armes de Jaune.” He said.

Summer’s jaw almost dropped, “You...can’t be serious…!” The headmaster sighed, “Got no choice anymore…” “You...were against this… Right?” The taller woman asked, receiving a nod from Evergreen. “I hate myself for doing this…. But now the Maiden’s power is NEEDED.” The red clad woman opened her mouth to protest, but instead, she sighed, letting the man go. “You better be right about this…” She said. “I will do what I can if the worst happens.” Evergreen nodded, “Thank you.”

“Now then, please come.” The headmaster said. “I’ll try to explain as much as I can to you on the way.” Pyrrha raised an eyebrow, but eventually followed Evergreen. Ren, Nora, and Jaune looked at the two in confusion. “Where are they going?” Nora asked. “I don’t know…” Jaune said. Summer then shouted, “If you want to help them, then follow! That’s the best advice I can give you right now!” She then joined up with Ruby before the blonde teenager could give a response.

Clenching his fists, Jaune gave a nod to his teammates, ‘I’m going to see what’s going on.” He then ran to follow the headmaster and his partner. Cinder smirked from the rooftop. “Looks like things are finally in place.” She said, her eyes glowing. She gave a grin towards Vampier, “Looks like you’ll get your rematch sooner than expected.” The sadistic woman grinned, “Excellent.”

-To Be Continued-

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And that’s chapter 11! Now then, I suggest going to your regular translating engine (Bing and Google is what I use, personally) and copy-pasting what Evergreen said to Summer in italics on the left side in French.

Have the right side set to English (or your native language) and you will know what Evergreen wants Summer to do.

Now then, the next chapter WILL be graphic in some way. For that, there WILL BE A WARNING. Get it? Got it? Good. Anyway, I’ll see ya later!

#rwby #rwby ocs #rwby au #grimm guardians au #Summer Rose #ruby rose #yang xiao long #Blake Belladonna #Gambol Shroud #jaune arc #pyrrha nikos #rwby arkos #ozma rwby #rwby ozpin #adam taurus #nora valkyrie #cinder fall #mercury black #weiss schnee #willow schnee

[artistic-mathematics]

Daphne/Velma one-shot. Prompt from... myself, because I literally can’t with myself. Rated G. (Short summary: Velma tries to come to terms with her emotions at two in the morning.) AO3! if you prefer reading it there, of course. Thank you, again, to @apapercheesecake for being my proofreader and emotional support. <3 If anyone else wants to send me prompts, PLEASE hmu. Help me revive this fandom, lmao.

Do you ever look up at the stars and wonder if I’m looking at them as well?

She’s aware that it’s well past midnight, but she doesn’t care. Velma sits at her desk, as she’s done for hours beforehand, staring out of the window right above it. The Milky Way is beautiful. Mysterious. Sometimes, she can barely believe that the Earth is a part of this sea of light and wonder.

Tonight, though, a sadness hangs in the sky. There’s a certain… something. The usual spark is gone, replaced with a feeling of… gloominess.

Maybe quarantine has finally gotten to her, surrounding her like a bad omen.

Or maybe it’s her own melancholy dragging her down.

I am not upset, she accuses herself, but even as she does so, she subconsciously wipes a tear away, feels the path of tears that had dried long ago on her face. I’m not! she tries again, to no avail.

New tears begin falling down her face.

So much for being not upset.

“Shut up,” she says out loud.

There’s no one else around. It’s two in the morning. In the back of her mind, she knows she should sleep. Sleep her anxiety away. Sleep all of her worries away.

Even nowadays, however, sleeping seems like a trap, one concocted by Fred in terms of how well it works. Whenever she tries to rest, she’s thrown into a terrible world—one where she stands, frozen, as her friends collapse around her. Where she sees a flash of bright ginger hair fall with them, and she realizes the sun would never rise again—

She shakes her head, and glances back up at the infinite universe beyond her reach. I wonder if she still cares?

She. Daphne. Just her name makes Velma feel a little nervous. Jittery. She feels her chest ache with longing.

She can’t remember the last time anyone made her feel like that, because there wasn’t anyone.

Daphne always made her feel loved. Beautiful, even, when Daphne was the pretty one—so why is it that the other girl is suddenly ignoring her?

She’s not.

Deep down, she knows Daphne isn’t that kind of person—but it’s been almost three months since receiving her last text message. She’s aware that Daphne is terrible at responding to text messages, especially since the other girl is actually popular. She’s seen the absolutely ridiculous amounts of notifications Daphne receives every day, from trashy girls who just want a status boost in the community to pushy jocks who are only after her money… and her body. She’s probably getting way more messages than usual, she reasons, now that no one has anything better to do.

She doesn’t understand how Daphne deals with it, considering that Velma wants to chuck her set of encyclopedias at every single one of those fake, spoiled brats.

(They don’t even deserve to have encyclopedias thrown at them. Those idiots are worth as much as the Twilight series. They do have one thing in common, though; they should all burn in a fire.)

With all that in mind, there’s no possible way Daphne could be ignoring her, so why is Velma so scared?—and why is it that she can’t convince herself otherwise?

She grits her teeth, tries to will the negativity to just leave her alone. She wants to feel good about herself, feel good about her relationship with Daphne.

But I can’t.

Daphne is the sun and Velma… well, if we’re going with this analogy, I’m basically Pluto. Small, insignificant, distant. Demoted and degraded because people saw who I really was.

If Daphne is the sun, then maybe she’s distancing herself for a reason. If drawn too close, a tiny dwarf planet like Pluto would burn up.

Burn up or not, I’d try to get closer anyway. I’m… I think I’m addicted.

She reminds herself of the last time she felt this way, the last time she depended on someone like this. How she spent so much time with them, just studying and understanding and giving, only to find out that she had been associating herself with someone so ridiculously fake.

Like a fake planet—wait, am I that fake too?

Her thoughts come to a full stop as she tries to process the idea—what if she, too, is just as fake as Daphne’s so-called “fans”? There is plenty that Velma has concealed within the deepest recesses of her heart. She’s passionate about anything related to logic or pure fact—that’s what she’s known for, after all.

Her actual feelings, however, she keeps hidden. She refuses to talk to anyone about her raw emotions, except the obvious exception. Even then, the other girl has to catch her in a particular vulnerable state of mind. She wonders if hiding her feelings makes her a terrible person. Daphne has always been open to her, but it’s never been the other way around. It makes her feel vulnerable. She detests the idea that it could happen again. That someone might take advantage of her if she opens herself up.

That, she realizes. That’s why I’m so afraid. She’s terrified that people will keep coming and leaving, taking pieces of her as they go. Hundreds and thousands of people, ripping her into shreds and snatching what they can, before eventually they no longer need her and there’s nothing left of her.

Being with Daphne makes all of those unpleasant thoughts go away. Velma feels so hopeless alone, like she’s lost in the middle of space, so she clings onto Daphne like a rope thrown to guide her back to the spacecraft. Without Daphne, she drifts further into the unknown, into the darkness, into the black hole that is her own mind, plaguing herself with the doubts of years long past.

She shakes her head to clear her mind, before suddenly jolting. In her stupor, she hadn’t noticed her phone ringing. She glances down to see Daphne’s name lit up on the screen.

Oh!

The girl immediately swipes to answer the call. As soon as the screen changes, she turns speaker mode on.

“Hi Daph,” she says. She immediately curses herself for how wobbly her voice sounds.

There is a slight pause on the other end of the phone, before Daphne’s voice fills her ears.

“Oh! Hey Velm! I knew you weren’t asleep, because you never sleep at this time, but you didn’t respond to my other eight phone calls—”

“Wait, what?” She frantically checks her phone notifications to see that she indeed has eight missed calls. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I was… I spaced out.”

Another pause. “You never space out.” The tone is accusing, but the volume is gentle. Quiet. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

“N-no.” She hears Daphne sigh. “Okay, fine, yes. I just… I miss you. It feels lonely here. For once, books can’t solve my problems.”

She’s almost impressed by how smoothly the words leave her mouth. On any other given day, she wouldn’t have relented so quickly, even to the other girl.

I must be really out of it.

“It’s fine, really,” she adds, in hopes of reassuring Daphne. “How are you doing?”

There’s some rustling before Daphne speaks again. “I’ll tell you when I get there.”

“Get wh—Daph, no, we’re in the middle of a pandemic!”

“Open your back window for me!”

“Daphne Blake—”

The phone beeps and Velma heaves a sigh. Having Daph over would be nice, she tells herself, just as the knocking begins. She looks over to see Daphne grinning through the glass.

After Velma’s pulled Daphne through the window and knocked both of them onto the floor in the process, she begins her interrogation. “Okay, explain,” she hisses, standing up.

“Explain what?” Daphne says innocently.

“Why are you here?”

The taller girl stands up as well. “Well, for starters, I haven’t responded to your texts in three months, and I feel like giving you a phone call and apologizing wasn’t going to cut it.” Okay, fair. “Also, you always respond to your calls within three rings, no matter what time it is. I figured something was wrong. Then you told me, surprisingly, told me about how you were lonely and said books weren’t helping without me needing to pry, so I knew something was definitely up.”

Velma stares at her and Daphne shrugs.

“And judging by your face, you’ve been crying as well.”

“As if you needed to add that after perfectly analyzing my entire afternoon and evening,” Velma says, crossing her arms. She hates how Daphne read her like a book.

“Well, I’m a mystery solver too.”

“A damn good one.”

Daphne smiles. “I learned from the best.”

“You flatter me,” she responds, trying to scowl at Daphne for her ridiculousness. Daphne has always been a master mystery solver—it was just a fact.

Despite it all, Velma finds herself smiling back. Daphne’s smile has always been bright. Contagious. Pretty.

At least one thing hasn’t changed.

“You missed me.”

She raises an eyebrow. “It’s not hard to guess that, considering I told you that.”

The smile twists into a smirk. Normally, on any other day, she would be flustered, even a little annoyed. Instead, Velma’s reminded of just how lucky she is. She gets to see all of Daphne, not just the bits and pieces she chooses to show to the public eye.

“So you admit it,” is all Daphne says.

“I don’t know what your point is, but don’t get used to it,” Velma responds flatly. She’s still grinning, though, because she can’t help it. It’s been too long since she’s last seen Daphne and she’s excited.

So excited, in fact, that she’s barely able to restrain herself when Daphne raises her arms to offer her a hug.

“Daph, social distancing.”

“You literally opened the window and pulled me inside your room and you’re only now worrying about social distancing?”

She feels her face heat up. “I couldn’t just leave you outside!”

“And I couldn’t just leave you here while you were all mopey and sad!”

“I am not mopey—”

“Velm, I love you, but please before my arms fall off—”

Her heart begins racing and the tears begin falling. Fast. She loves me, she repeats to herself. She loves me.

“Wait, no, Velm, please don’t cry!” she hears Daphne cry in desperation. She tries opening her mouth, tries pouring her heart back out to Daphne, but she’s sobbing loudly to respond. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

She feels herself panic enough to choke out “it’s not that, Daph.” Thankfully, it’s enough. The taller girl gently guides Velma to her bed, coaxes Velma to lean on her. Daphne slips a hand around her waist and kisses her head. Murmurs galaxies upon galaxies of tender, reassuring words. Subconsciously, she returns the hug and she holds on tight, holds onto that life-saving rope.

It’s warm. Safe.

She leans into Daphne’s touch, takes a few deep breaths. She inhales, catches a whiff of Daphne’s signature perfume, and nearly bursts into tears again.

“I’ve got you,” Daphne whispers. “Take as much time as you need. I’m here, I promise.”

Velma nods into Daphne’s shoulder.

“But afterwards, I owe you another thousand apologies and a well-worded explanation.”

She chuckles at this. “That seems fair.”

When even her hiccups are gone, she speaks again.

“I’m ready,” she tells Daphne. “Thank you.”

She feels Daphne smile against her hair before launching into a lengthy explanation. Velma is barely paying attention, however. She doesn’t care about what happened. She’s just glad that Daphne is back.

It may be far away and insignificant, but even Pluto has seasons. And winter is finally over, she thinks.

“I’m sorry,” Daphne repeats again, snapping Velma out of her trance.

“Do me a favor and stop apologizing,” she says, pulling away to glare at Daphne. As the other girl opens her mouth, presumably to apologize for apologizing, Velma pulls her into a kiss.

Daphne raises an eyebrow when they part. “I thought you were worried about social distancing.”

“I was being stupid,” Velma admits. “Even the size of the universe is trivial compared to my love for you.”

Of course I think about you when I look at the stars. You are all I think about when I look at them.

#velma x daphne #velma dinkley #daphne blake #scooby doo #my fanfiction