#all you hear is shots and moaning and splashing its like concerning

[kunkaii]

just when u think u have it all put together the water walls on ur guardian farm break

#side note #the sound of the guardian farm is horrifyingly macabre #all you hear is shots and moaning and splashing its like concerning #and then the occasional tick of the droppers #minecraft #kunkaii rambles #looks SICK AF THO

[secretobsessionstuff]

Alright lately i’ve been having really bad migraines and I just started thinking about how good it is to read about light sensitivity when it comes to them— So i was wondering if maybe you’d write something with Dakota having a really bad migraine, light sensitivity and all that good stuff, and he’s trying to convince blair it’s not that bad but then he gets sick from the pain and well....she’s not so convinced anymore. I hope you’re doing good!!✨✨

Thanks for the request, I had a lot of fun with it! A while ago I wrote a fic with Dakota and Blair on a cruiseship, and this is the same trip. Takes place on a cruise :)

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When Blair returned from the bathroom, she found Dakota with his head on the table. He wrapped his arms around his head as a pillow and appeared to be sleeping. But he wasn’t sleeping. His back rose and fell quite rapidly from his heavy breathing. From within the cave that he created, he tried to block out the noise of the room. The music and chatter was overwhelming.

They were in a club-like room with a few tables against the wall and a dance floor in the center. It was loud and the lights were set up to beam around the space. Dakota stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the other vacationers who were laughing and grinding up against each other. It would have looked fun if Dakota were able to even spare a glance at the scene.

Blair put her hand on Dakota’s back. His shirt was damp with sweat which wouldn’t have seemed out of place if Dakota had gone up to dance at least once. But nope. Not long after arriving at the club, Dakota guarded their table with his life. He never left his seat even when Blair asked him to dance. “What’s wrong with you, Kota?” Blair raised her voice to be heard over the music.

Upon feeling a hand on his back and hearing his girlfriend’s voice, Dakota shot up. He had only planned on resting his head for a minute while Blair went to the washroom. The plan certainly wasn’t to look like a buzzkill when Blair came back. And the plan definitely hadn’t been to rest his head and forget about time and space. But that’s what happened. As soon as Dakota found a semblance of darkness within his arms, he started to drift out of his body.

He dragged his hand down his face and tried to pump life back into his body. The strobe lights made him wince as he spoke to Blair. “I have a bit of a headache.”

That was one hell of an understatement. Dakota felt like all the blood in his skull was pooling right behind his forehead and pushing against his eyes. With each sharp slash of the lights across his vision, he wondered when the blood was going to start bursting through. Already his eyes were bloodshot with how much he’d been rubbing them.

Dakota wasn’t usually prone to migraines, but he felt this one coming on even before they got to the club. But Blair wanted to try all the activities that the ship had to offer, so he let the man stamp his hand and walked into the rave. At the beginning, he hoped that the pain would go away. Now he just hoped that the pain wouldn’t get worse.

Blair seemed to wait a moment before speaking. Her attention got snagged by the song that started playing. “Uh…I might have…ibuprofen back in the room.”

“No, that’s okay,” Dakota said quickly. He could see that Blair wanted to stay. She hadn’t even sat back down at her chair because there was too much energy in her limbs. She’s so cute, he thought. He wanted to join her on the floor but the thought of getting up made his stomach turn. “Go dance. I’m going to get us something to drink. What do you want?”

“I want you to dance with me.” Blair was slowing inching closer to the center of the room. She took the question seriously when Dakota’s face remained neutral. “But I guess I’ll have whatever you’re getting.”

“I’m getting water.” There was no chance that Dakota would be drinking anything else. His stomach would surely team up with his aching head. Though he suspected that that was already happening.

“Oh…you sure? They have some pretty cool drinks here.”

Dakota didn’t have the energy or the mental capacity to have this conversation. “…Blair.” It sounded more exasperated than he wanted but there was nothing he could do. There was only so much fake-it-till-you-make-it that he could muster.

Blair’s face dropped. “Okay fine…get me a water too.” A pout came across her face for a second before concern took over. Dakota was already gone, but she knew that he felt worse than he was letting on. He wasn’t acting like himself. For the time being, Blair danced but it wasn’t as fun.

The lineup for drinks was extremely long. Dakota stood there for as long as he could. At one point he closed his eyes to get a break from the flashing reds and yellows. It wasn’t until a stranger tapped him on the shoulder that he realized that the line had moved forward. He was still so far away from getting the drinks. Eventually, Dakota gave up because every part of his body hurt. He felt his blood pumping in his ears in tune to the music. A wave of dizziness washed over him, but he managed to stagger to the bathroom.

As expected, many other people were in the washroom. Dakota wanted to splash water on his face but there were too many people at the sinks. There was an available stall however, so he hid in there for a while. The thumping of the music could still faintly be heard, but the lighting in the washroom was dim.

The momentary break from the light and noise was welcomed. Well, it was good until the lack of stimuli made Dakota realize just how bad he felt. His stomach was in turmoil. It churned in time with his heartbeat that could be felt under every inch of his skin. The most pressing throbbing came from his eyes. He felt a band of pulsing pain wrap around his head.

Dakota wanted to stay in the stall longer, mostly because he felt sick to his stomach, but people started knocking on the door. With no time to feel better, he swallowed a wave of nausea and left. It took a few minutes for him to gather the willpower to walk back into the club. The music and the lights got ten times worse now that he had a taste of silence.

By some miracle, their table was still free! And that miracle was Blair. She sat all alone, looking sadly towards the crowd of dancers. She perked up as Dakota joined her. She noticed his empty hands. “Where are the drinks?”

Dakota was just too happy about having a place to sit that the question didn’t register in his mind. He rested his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands.

“Kota?”

“What?”

Blair was going to repeat her question, but there was a more important one to ask. Actually, it was more of a statement followed by a question. “You don’t look so hot. Are you sick?”

“It’s just a headache.” His voice was muffled by his hands. “The lights…” he gestured around the room as if Blair could somehow have missed the seizure-inducing lights.

He didn’t bother with the rest of the sentence because the need to burp took precedence. He let out a long, wet belch that made him press his fist against his mouth. The food in his stomach sloshed around inside of him, making him shiver with nausea. Maybe it was time to ask Blair if they could leave.

“Hey, babe can you look up for one second?” Blair grabbed his arm and gave it a little shake. She was tired of looking at the top of his head all night, and trying to make sense of his mumbling.

Dakota moaned from the movement. Just then, a harsh hiccup caused his stomach to jump into his throat. A heave escaped his mouth just before a gush of vomit splattered onto the table. In his disorientated state, Dakota barely had the idea to lean over and let the next wave of puke hit the floor.

“Oh God, Dakota!” Blair jumped up from her chair, removing her arms from the table just in time. She came around to Dakota’s side and held onto his large frame. He was practically falling out of his chair with the force of each retch. “Okay, alright…you’re okay.”

Dakota squeezed his pounding eyes shut as his stomach contents splashed across the floor. He feared that if he opened his eyes, he would find himself hanging upside down. The world flipped onto its side, and Dakota no longer knew which way was up. His poor belly was getting rid of everything he ate that day. By some sick joke, the noises of the club were drowned out in his current state. Most of his senses abandoned him except for touch. He could feel Blair firmly rubbing his arm.

“I’m right here,” Blair said. “Don’t worry about a thing.”

Blair wanted to move Dakota out of the club, but there was no stopping the flood of sick from pouring from his mouth. With another gurgle and groan of pain, Dakota coated the floor.

Even when he had a moment to breathe, Dakota didn’t dare open his eyes. He did righten himself though because he came close to falling in the mess he made. He slowly sat up, only to let his head fall into Blair’s arms. “Everything hurts, Bee.”

“Oh baby, I’m sorry,” Blair cooed as she brush his hair away from his face. “I’m getting you out of here. Can you stand?”

Dakota didn’t feel confident about standing, but no one would stop him from trying. He held tightly onto Blair’s arms for support as he planted his feet on the floor.

“Alright…” Blair mumbled nervously. “Let’s see if we can get back to the room without you crushing me.”

It took some getting used to, but eventually Dakota managed to walk in a straight line. He felt drunk, hungover, and possessed at the same time.

“We’re almost there,” Blair assured him as they turned down the hallway to their suite.

They were so close, but Dakota stopped. He braced himself against the wall and threw up again. “Ugh fuck…my head.” He burped which dislodged the last small wave of sick. It was a thin stream of stomach acid and bile. When he was finished, Dakota’s legs began to give out.

Blair felt the added weight of her collapsing boyfriend and accepted it. “Okay, okay this is a good spot.” She lowered them both to the ground, a few feet from the puddle of sick.

Once sitting against the wall, Dakota opened his eyes again. He hugged his middle and squinted. As he remembered all that just happened, a deep sigh escaped him. “Did I just puke everywhere?”

Blair couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah, you just puked everywhere.” She covered her mouth with her hand, but it didn’t stop the laugh. “And we just fucking left.”

Dakota half-heartedly chuckled at the thought, then he winced in pain and put his hand on his forehead. “I hope that never happens again.”

“Yeah, that was a migraine,” Blair said while looking back and forth down the hallway. “They aren’t fun.”

“No kidding.”

“Does your head still hurt?”

“Yes.” Dakota cursed at the lights in the hallway. At least they weren’t as bad as in the club.

Blair stood up. She reached out a hand to help her boyfriend. “I’ll give you meds to knock you out so you can hopefully sleep it off.”

Dakota sighed as he became upright. “You might just have to decapitate me.”

“That’ll be plan B.”

#emeto #emetophilia #sickfic #emeto fic #migraine #vomiting #puking #my ocs #Dakota #Blair #headache #pain-induced

[thesanhighlordofdawn]

Together- Thesan x Peregryn Captain (Slight NSFW)

Since Thesan and his captain don’t get enough love, I decided to write a cute fic of them together. There are some spoilers for ACOSF if you haven’t read it yet so be warned and enjoy!

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Apon a mountain high among the clouds stood the high lord of dawn’s personal palace shining brightly with sunstone that seemed to hold the gleaming of a thousand sunrises within it. Within the palace guarded by the most trained and hardened peregryn warriors sat Thesan, the most neutral and peaceful high lord of prythian.

Thesan, who had spent most of his day hunched over a desk going through endless piles of letters and reports, let out a long sigh as he finally finished his last document for the day. Even with the war over and most cities and towns rebuilt there were still many different issues and concerns that seemed to be appearing, especially with the human queens and Rhysand news on Feyre’s life-threatening pregnancy. After meeting with Rhysand all those months ago who had practically begged on his knees for Thesan to help him with the dire situation he and his mate faced, Thesan had feared the worst knowing that even with his powerful healing powers, anything he could do was useless. When he had gotten a letter days ago telling him that Feyre and his son had survived he had been relieved, not just for his friend’s sake but also for the rest of Prythian. 

Rubbing the exhaustion from his face, Thesan stood up and signaled his messenger to send all the finalized documents to their respective places before heading out to leave his office. Ever so slowly Thesan reached his arms up, groaning at the cracks that came from his back after sitting down for so long. Looking out the window you could see the few remaining minutes of sunset left meaning Thesan had about another hour or two before he would able to see his mate, Zyair. Deciding to call it a day, Thesan cleaned up any remaining papers on his desk before he made his way to his room.

While walking down the halls Thesan noted to nodded and waved to any maid or guard still around. Most left around the end of sundown to head home to their families except a couple of guards who took shifts throughout the night. Reaching the master bedroom, Thesan waved the two guards away by his room for some peace and privacy. Both nodded and walked away leaving the sound of armor clanking and wings flapping in their wake.

Quickly opening and closing the door, Thesan instantly sighed as he dropped his high lord façade, immediately relaxing his posture and allowed the tiredness of the day to show. Looking over at the warm and inviting bed, Thesan almost decided to forget taking a bath and just fall asleep instead but, he desperately needed to bathe and let go of some of the tension locked in his body. With slow heavy steps, Thesan walked into his bathroom, relieved to see his pool-like tub filled with steaming hot water mixed with multiple scented oils and golden-like bubbles. The steady glow of golden pink walls and waft of lavender helped ease the headache that had formed from the day. 

Not wanting to waste another second, Thesan gracefully peeled layer by layer of his formal clothing away until he was completely bare of all cloth and jewelry. Slowly stepping in, Thesan hissed at the sting of the hot water as he slowly eased in until the burning sting that had surrounded Thesan’s skin ebbed away leaving a warming comfort in its wake. Closing his eyes, Thesan felt the tension and stress of the day start to seep out of his body leaving him with a feeling of weightlessness. 

For what felt like hours, Thesan sat and soaked in the tub enjoying its relief until the sudden sound of doors opening and closing snapped him out of his blissful trance. Eye’s open, Thesan sat up more, ready to see who was there until the sound of the bathroom door rang through the air and the head of his lover appeared through the opening of the door. Thesan, knowing he was safe, relaxed and smiled at his love. 

Zyair, who had been searching for his high lord, relaxed seeing him safe and content, opened the door as he was waved inside. Softly closing it, he made his way over, careful not to knock anything down with the sheer size of his wings. Thesan gave a soft smile at him as he reached the edge of his pool-like tub.

Thesan looked up to his lover and mate, staring straight into his beautiful onyx eyes, and gave a simple Join me?”

Zyair, powerless to deny his mate anything gave a simple “Of course” before stripping himself of his sweaty and dirty armor from hours and hours of training and fighting. Thesan watched and admired Zyair’s form as piece after piece of clothing was removed. His rippling abs and bulging arms shined with sweat from hours of work.

Zyair blushed slightly at the admiring, even though they had seen each other nude hundreds of times. Thesan knowing how shy his captain was and looked back up while offering his hand which Zyair gladly gave. Arranging comfortably, Thesan eased his back against Zyair’s chest leaving no space between them as Zyair quickly wrapped himself around Thesan after comfortably arranging his wings.

After sitting together for a minute in silence enjoying each other’s presence, Thesan turned and tilted his head whispering “I love you” before sealing his lips to Zyair’s. Zyair was quick to respond, brushing his tongue against Thesans bottom lip asking for permission which Thesan gladly gave, before deepening the kiss. Both fought against their need for oxygen as their tongues danced together. Eventually, both had to pull away. Both rested their foreheads against each other, panting as they tried to catch their breath. Even after accepting their bond months ago both still felt the constant frenzy to be wrapped in each other arms away from the rest of the world.

Zyair leaned closer and kissed the tip of Thesan’s nose before claiming “I love you too”

Thesan gave a low hum before asking “How was your day?”

Zyair gave a long sigh “Frustrating, after losing so many soldiers in the war it’s become difficult to find more men that are willing to join the guard. Anyone we can find that is willing has almost no experience in fighting or training ”

“My poor mighty warrior” Thesan laughed. Zyair gave a quick pinch to Thesan backside causing him to gasp and gave a playful splash. 

Zyair chuckled as he wiped the water off his face before nuzzling into Thesan neck asking “And yours?”

Thesan groaned at the thought “The documents and reports I’ve been getting seem to grow more every day, it doesn’t help that Beron and the human queens seem to be acting up.”

Zyair faced hardened at the reminder of the possible looming war that could break out, having read the report Thesan had gotten from the high lord and lady of the night courting days ago.

“Whatever happens we do together” Zyair stated, staring deep into Thesan’s eyes. Thesan gave him a slight nod, not trusting his voice as he reached for Jian’s hand

“Let me help you relax” Zyair mumbled while kissing the top of Thesan’s damp hair hoping that it would distract them both from the uncertainties the future faced.

Thesan gave a slight nod, shifting to get comfortable enough for whatever Zyair planned. Zyair immediately grabbed the shampoo bottle, pouring a generous amount in his hand as he started lightly messaging the suds through Thesan’s soft hair.

Thesan leaned his head into the pressure, almost purring at the feel of Zyair’s fingers through his hair. Once Zyair removed his fingers, Thesan took the hint to dunk and wash the suds out; repeating the same step with the conditioner. Once his hair was clean Zyair grabbed a nearby rag and bar of soap, lathering it up before brushing it against Thesan skin. 

Starting from the neck, Zyair washed every nook and cranny of Thesan, grazing softly of his nipples and chest before going lower. Thesan let out a series of soft moans as he felt Zyair move the rag lower and lower, softly going around and over his obvious arousal. Finishing soon after, Thesan turned around giving his love a grateful kiss before quickly withdrawing. Confused, Zyair looked up.

Thesan gave a soft smile before motioning him to turn around “Your turn”

Zyair quickly turned letting Thesan drag the rag up and around his chest. Zyair stayed silent for a couple of minutes enjoying the feel of his mate’s hands-on him before gasping suddenly at a new sensation. Turning, Zyair watched as Thesan softly brush his hand over the smaller, softer feathers at the base of his wing, carefully tracing up the ridges of the fragile bones. His wings flex and stretch against the satisfying ache that echoes through his muscles as a spike of arousal shot through him. 

“Unless you want to stay in this tub for a while or so I suggest we take this somewhere else” Zyair growled lowly, eyes shinning with unspoken promises.

Thesan inhaled sharply before pulling Zyair out of the tub and towards their bed before giving in to the carnal desire that had been building between them.

Hours after, the two laid together in each other’s arms. Zyair’s arms wrapped tightly around Thesan, allowing him to hear the steady beat of his love’s heart as he fell into a deep sleep. It was at moments like this that Thesan thank the Mother every day that they both had found each other, knowing how many times they had come close to losing each other, even before they had confessed their love for each other. Snuggling closer, Thesan allowed himself to fall into sleeps embrace knowing that whatever the future held, they’d face it together until the very end.

#acotar #acomaf #acowar #acofas #acosf #acosf spoilers #dawn court #thesan #thesan lover #peregryn #sarah j maas #night court #feyre #rhysand #Feysand #nesta #cassian #nessian #Azriel #mor #amren #helion #tarquin #kallias #tamlin #beron #Inner Circle #viviane #illyrian

[intubatedangel]

Cold Snap: Chapter 3

I forgot how much I enjoy writing Anna and Carl’s relationship. We get to revist them the morning after their fun. Hope you all enjoy it too.

Chapter 1| Chapter 2|

Anna was already awake, a smile on her face as she watched the screen of the monitor on the bedside table. She let herself slip into the memories of last night. It was almost like a dream. Everything she had imagined and more. She shifted a little, sliding a hand from beneath the pillow, down to her chest. The monitor picked up the increase in heart rate as her fingers brushed across the foam backing of one of the AEDs pad that were still stuck to her skin.

She felt Carl stirring beside her and a few moments later the groaned a little as he rolled over. She felt his warm chest settle against her back, his arm wrapping over her, finding the hand that was brushing the pads. His fingers aligned over hers, and together they traced around the electrode with their fingertips.

"I knew there was something we forgot to clean up..." He commented, his voice rumbling through his chest into her spine. It sent tingles through her.

"I'm glad we did." She replied, guiding his hand across her chest, circling around her breast and down to the other pad.

"Hmm..." Carl grunted in satisfaction, then he shifted again sitting up slightly and leaning over her. Anna felt a slight tug on the wire of the pads. "Could have done without sleeping on this though." He said, dangling the hard plastic connector in front.

Anna winced, rolling to look up at him. "Sorry." She had to suppress a slight giggle, at the way he raised his eyebrows.

"That's it? Just sorry?" His tone was light an playful. "I think it's going to take a little more than sorry."

She pulled him down for a kiss, soft and gentle and still breathtaking. "Good enough?" She whispered when they broke apart.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's a start at least. I'll have to think about ways for you to make it up to me." He told her, before he rolled onto his back, stretching out his arms. "I suppose we should get up."

"Do we have too?" Anna moaned, pulling herself up to sit against the headboard. "Neither of us are working. We could just stay here, enjoy ourselves for the day. Play with some of the other toys..." She suggested, looking at him in what she hoped was an alluring way.

Carl looked at her, his hand reaching up to brush some of her sleep-messed hair out of her face. "You have no idea how tempting that sounds." He told her, his finger looping over her ear then running down her jaw. "But the fridge is almost empty. So I was thinking we could go the market, stock up, and maybe head to your place."

"My place? Why?" She asked, thinking about her own dreary apartment. Cramped, dull and lacking that heavenly cupboard of her dreams.

"Well, erm. I know we didn't actually get around to announcing...us. But I figured if you were ready for that, you would maybe want to... move in here more... permanently." Carl said, that nervousness she had seen a few days ago coming back. He really did love her.

She leaned over and kissed him, deeply. For almost a minute they were totally connected, breathing each other in. It natural came to an end, both of them a little breathless. "That's a yes by the way." Anna whispered, before pulling away.

Carl grinned. "Great." He whispered back, then swung his legs out of the bed. "I'll put the kettle on, if you want to..." He waved at the electrodes, ECG and AED, that covered much of her chest.

Anna chuckled, and nodded, then had to stifle a cringing gasp when Carl stood up. A large red mark from the AED connector stood out like a brand on his side. She couldn't help but giggle. "Sorry again."

"Oh...You will be....You will be...." he replied with a low grating voice.

"Seriously? A Yoda reference? Nerd." She told him.

"And yet you knew it instantly. So who is really the nerd?" He countered, slipping out of the room before she could retort. Anna rolled her eyes, yet couldn't help but smile as she began to peel off the electrodes. She was slowly peeling off the AED pads, when she heard Carl's phone ring in the other room. She didn't think too much of it, but a few moments later, her own began to sound. She ripped off the pad, cringing slightly, then looked around for her bag, spying it on the stool in the corner.

She had to step over the CPR board and other leftovers from last night, grabbing the bag and pulling out her handset. She looked at the name. It was Sara, one of her co-workers. She answered.

"I'm sorry Anna, I know its your day off, but they're calling in everyone. You'd better check the news."

* * *

The explosion made the entire boat buck, sending everyone left on the deck sprawling, a plume of fire ballooning into the sky. Shouts and screams rang out, as panic began to take hold. Jones couldn't let that happen. He winced as he pulled himself to his feet. With a glance to one side he noted that at least the injured had managed to get onto that patrol boat before the explosion.

"Get everyone onto the boats. Now!" He shouted at the nearby officers who had regained their feet. As he walked over to that first patrol boat he staggered a touch, the deck pitching up slightly as the rear of the boat took on water. He peered over the side, relieved to see that everyone was ok. "Cast off, now, carry on as planned." He ordered, then signaled a different boat to take its place. The other officers were marshalling the remaining passengers, getting them organised and ready for a much quicker exit. It seemed to have stopped the panic before it could cause any problems. Which was just as well, he had more than enough already.

He turned and looked around for that Paramedic. Lucy Branthwaite he reminded himself. She was kneeling down, and he saw blood on the deck. He started to rush over, concerned for her safety, before he noticed that she was crouched over another figure. One he didn't recognise from earlier. He braced himself on the cabin as he leaned over, taking a quick look. The young man had a badly broken arm, and a nasty cut to his head.

"Miss Branthwaite," he tried to get her attention, but her focus was on the young mans arm as she flicked a penlight across his eyes. "Lucy! You both need to get off the boat. Right now."

Lucy shook her head. "I need to splint this arm before we even try and lower him down." She replied, turning and reaching out for one of her bags. As she pulled it closer and started to open it up the young man stirred, then started to get up. "Woah! Woah. Hold him!" She shouted at Jones. "You need to stay still okay. You're going to be fine. Just stay still."

The young mans eyes seemed glazed, roaming between Jones and Lucy, then the suddenly snap into focus, and he started to say something. It was hard to hear over all the other sounds as police officers tried to evacuate all the passengers. Both Jones and Lucy leaned closer. "Help her. Please help her." The young man was crying, desperate, afraid.

"Help who?" Lucy asked. "Who are you talking about sweetie?"

"Sh...Shona. Please help Shona." He mumbled.

Another passenger, another casualty, Jones thought. "Where is she? Why didn't see come with you?" He asked.

"Luggage...Trapped...Couldn't help her...Please." He sobbed. "Please..."

Jones looked at Lucy, both knowing what it meant. There was someone else, injured and trapped. At the end of the boat that was rapidly filling with icy river water, water that would soon drag the entire boat under the surface of the river. There was no question about what must be done. "Get that splint on then get out of here." Jones told her, ignoring her half-hearted but obligatory protest as he turned to a nearby officer. "We've got another casualty. You're in charge. Get the passengers, then yourselves clear, Understood?" He didn't wait for an answer, turning for the door into the passenger cabin.

Lucy stood in his way. "Be careful." She told him.

Jones nodded. "Don't wait. You get clear, as soon as you can."

"Don't worry. Patients come first," She replied.

Jones headed through the door, sprinting up the steps, towards the half submerged rear of the boat, dreading what he might find.

* * *

Shona was still in the luggage area, watching the stairs, hoping to see rescue come for her, when the fuel tank exploded. The noise was like a physical wall, flattening her to the floor. The whole boat seemed to jump, giving a moment of weightlessness. That ended abruptly and prompted the heavy luggage to slam into her again. She screamed as her leg became little more than blinding pain. For an almost endless time, the pain was the entirety of her existence. Until she was pulled back to reality by something even worse

An icy, wet feeling running down her spine, and rapidly expanding.

She gasped as cold gripped her, her eyes snapping open to see the water rushing into the luggage compartment. Desperately she tried to move, her hands splashing in the water that was already rising. Her fingers instantly numbed, and her efforts got her nowhere. Her legs were still trapped, there was no escape.

"Help! Please help!" She screamed, her voice breaking into sobs as the cold began to encase her body. There was already two inches of water in the compartment, it was rising fast, way too fast. "Please..." She whimpered. The cold, pain and shear stress of her injuries became too much. The will to fight left her, her head fell back into the water, already above her ears.

Her breath shuddered as her body shivered, her temperature plummeting in the cold water of the river. Her eyes felt heavy. So heavy. Her head fell to one side, and she shot back to consciousness as water trickled into mouth and was pulled into her lungs. She sat up as much as she was able, her body acting almost entirely on reflex.

The water covered her legs now, which was actually almost pleasant, the water stripping away all warmth but also all feeling, dulling the pain somewhat. There was less pressure on her too, as cases and bags gained a little buoyancy in the water. Not enough to let her free herself, but it no longer felt claustrophobic and crushing. In fact it was almost comfortable. Like a weighted blanket, without the warmth.

 She let herself half float on the water as it rose, raising her up to a full sitting position. There was a strange feeling. It was almost like serenity. Even though she arched her neck, trying to keep her mouth out of the water, her panic was ebbing away. Her whole body was so numb that she felt nothing. No pain, no pressure. Even the actual feeling of cold had disappeared. All replaced with a feeling of peace and acceptance, even as the water slipped over her mouth, submerging her completely.

On instinct she held her breath as she descended into the water, all sounds being muted away except one. Her heart became loud in her ears, slowed by the rapid onset of hypothermia, each beat was like a drum, thumping out every couple of seconds. It picked up as her oxygen ran low, as her lungs couldn't hold her breath in any longer. She blew out a stream of bubbles, then drew in a lungful of chilled river water. Her body spasmed, trying to cough out the water, only to draw more in, leaving her trashing as much as she was able. All of this was automatic instinct alone.

In her mind, she still felt only peace, as her heart slowed once more. Each resounding thump carrying her off. Each thump taking her further, drifting closer to oblivion. With a soft, accepting smile on her face as she slipped away, Shona's heart beat one more, then came to a standstill.

#Medical Drama #Anna Swift #Cpr #Defib #Resus Writing

[idjitlili]

Legolas x reader

I am so tired I stayed up till 5 am last night reading so sorry if this shit. It is shit, Idont know what happened

Imagine somehow being teleported into Tolkien’s ,the hobbit, and you end up meeting legolas and Thranduil. In which you insult thranduil, Thorin is sorta your daddy.

You have been travelling with the company since the trolls tried to eat everyone. You had quite literally came out of a floating , flame coloured line. Only to walk into the tree. A troll had picked you up and attempted to eat you as-well , but you really didn’t care, as you was focusing how your head hurt from the tree.

After explaining your situation to Gandalf , which he ended up believing that you weren’t from here, due to your clothing, and strange sayings. Plus the evidence that all the dwarves and a Hobbit had seen you magically appear.

Thorin didn’t like having a teenage girl , with barely any self defence skills , to come with on their adventure, mission, thing. Yet he felt like he had to protect you from harm, surprisingly since you saw how he treated Bilbo. Uh basically he’s your dad.

The first night with the company , they had all offered you blankets , food (lucky Bombur makes a lot.) , the princes had given you some of their extra tunics. Which they had a lot because dwarves likes to wear layers. Too bad they weren’t green.

Dori acted like a mother to you , he would make sure you ate , and even got Ori to make you knitted goods. The dwarves thought you you would freeze to death , as dwarves didn’t get as cold as humans. Something to do with their build or something, you recall Balin telling you.

You became quick friends with Bilbo, he was interested in where you were from, and what it was like there.

Kili and fili teased you for your weird obsession with potatoes, as you mostly ate them, and you even had gone far enough to make a potato ring. (I actually did)

Now you and the company are In Mirkwood forest , unaware to what is going to strike, soon.

Kili and fili ,stood either side of you in a protective manner. For hours the company had been walking through Mirkwood, Thorin denying any assumptions that they were lost.

You grunt , at the blisters that are forming on your feet , that are sweating in your trainers.

“My legs hurt.” You moan , quietly dragging out hurt.

Kili scoffs at you , “your legs are longer , imagine how mine feel.”

You look at Bilbo who is lagging behind,

“Well you can’t say anything , Bilbos legs are as long as my dick.”

“OI y/n, i dont have no legs.”

“I never said that , my dick is hugeeeeee.”

“You don’t have a dick .” Bofur responds loudly , with annoyed tone.

“How would you know if she had a dick. You haven’t seen it.” Kili responds sending you a wink.

“Yeah thank you , my dick is in my head.”

“How would it fit though?” Fili inquires , with a confused facial expression.

“I meant my personality you jensen Ackles , and John travolta blend!” You reply smirking to yourself .’Boom roasted’ not that he would get the joke.

Unknown the rest of the company Bilbo had climbed up a tree to look for a way out of mirkwood. The air felt limited in the poisoned forest , you felt chills go up your back, shivering slightly.

“Thorin...” you speak slowly, as you spot a eight legged spider, approach in the distance. It was bigger than a sheep, teeth like knives, beads for eyes.

Thorin grabs you and makes sure you are behind him, before you know it , all the dwarves plus you are surrounded. You unarmed, stay close with thorin , so you don’t die.

Suddenly the spiders are everything, no escape, the spiders are travelling down by webs and pulling up the dwarves , who don’t see it coming because they are too busy fighting the ones on the ground. When they are pulled up , they are wrapped into a webbed cocoon.

Thorin grabs a hold of you and pulls you into his jacket , then you are both slung up into the air, you become dizzy from being wrapped up in the webbing. Then you and thorin are in just stuck. For what it seems like forever.

Until , you feel yourself falling down slowly from the trees, the cocoon is ripped open by thorin. You get up looking around there are several, other cocoons with dwarves crawling out of them. You look around to see there are still spiders everywhere, you look to the floor and see thorins swords , picking up quickly you pass it to him. he nods with appreciation and passes you a dagger.

I guess you have no chance but try to help , otherwise the others will die because you were too scared to take a chance.

‘You miss 100% the shots you don’t take -Wayne Gretzky-Michael Scott -y/n l/n’

Before you can even look around for a target , you are rugby tackled to the ground, by a disgusting excuse of one of Morgan freeman’s creations.(I think he’s god uh)

You pull your arm out of its grasp, with your ,sorry thorins dagger in hand , before the poison from the spider can be injected. You stab it the face , its body goes stiff around you curling. You push it off gagging at its texture, you pull yourself off the floor only to be tackled again.

This time the dagger had been knocked out of your gasp , desperately you try to reach it buts in use, the creature pushes you down hard. You pull up your leg and kick as hard as you can, it lands on the left of you. You finally able to grab the dagger going to kill the spider, but someone beats you to it , FIring an arrow through its head.

You look up to see a blonde dude, why is he wearing leggings. Weirdo, your brother accidentally put your leggings on ,once and ripped the crotch how he didn’t notice

he doesn’t own leggings. I do not know.

Snapping you out of your thoughts , you are dragged up, dagger snatched out of your hand, and you are roughly pushed towards the group.

“Don’t you touch her again , or I’ll make sure your everlasting life does t last.” Thorin snaps at the ginger elf that had man handled you. What a bitch.

“Oh is this human your girlfriend?awwe.” The blond elf snickers at Thorin, kili and fili gag at the thought of their uncle being in a relationship.

“Uh princess , yeah you with the dance pants. Treat the king of erebor with a little respect. Assbutt.” You glare at the blond, who tended at your words. Haha loser.

“There is no king under the mountain not will there ever be.” He replies , scowling at you.

“Yes , there will be , princess.” He scoffs.

———————————————————

The blonde elf that you soon discover his name is legolas ,and he is the kings sOn.

Bilbo was missing , aand the company were led to the woodland realm. You could only hope that he would find a way for us to escape.

You and Thorin were spilt from the other dwarves, we were brought to the king. He stuck a deal with Thorin who declined. This king was as dickhead , and narcissistic. Legolas is stood next to you just in case you tried anything .

“Take him alway, ill take to his girlfriend now.” The woodland king states to his guard smoothly.

You scoff.

“ I am literally 18, you perv.”

You feel his ice eyes , stare at you , judging , your whole life, your clothing.

“You are not from here are you,child?” He must of noticed your keanu reeves shirt.

“No”

“tell me why you travel with these dwarves.”

“Why, I like them.”

He scoffs “they are scum, pigs , thieves.” He growls at you , circling you.

“Oi princess , this is your daddy?” You ask legolas who refuses to meet your eye.

“ all I can say is, at least thorin actually loves me and he’s not even my real dad.” Thranduils jaw clenched so hard that he probably could bite your head off.

“We are NOT talking about my son we are talking a bout you.”

“ okay listen here you self obsessed prick, I don’t give a shit about what you want, so cut the shit and get to the point.”

“ I want you to get my the gems of starlight,Thorin won’t expect it from you, I’ll let you all go.”

You feel bad for legolas his dad is soulless, makes him do everything while , he sits on his throne , acting like Gaston.

“No, I am not doing that to my friends, If you wasnt such an asshole and helped Thorin when Azog attacked them he probably would’ve given them to you. But you didn’t. So you suck”

Thranduils faces fled with red , he was angry he whipped his head to towards you.

“Get her to her cell now, legolas.”

“Just saying who risks their own sons life on a forest that clearly can’t be saved,”

“My sons well being doesn’t concern you. Human.”

“You clearly haven’t got love with son. You need to get yourself a girl mat-“

you are interrupted by a slap in the face.

“Well that was a girly move, who slaps , go punch me instead.”

Legolas pulls you out of the rooms quickly, not allowing things to worsen, walking you towards the cells.

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why?”

He stops and looks at you,” because he will probably execute your friends.”

“Doubt it , he wants them gems , then he needs someone to kill the dragon.” You speak carefully walking down the stairs.

He hummed in response.

After you walked into your cell,you turned and smiled at him. You knew he wasn’t as mean as he portrayed himself as.

“Uh sorry for making fun of your trousers ,” you whispered so thorin didn’t hear , he would skin him.

He smiled lightly “sorry my Ada slapped you.”

“It was a bitch move not going to lie. “ you reach up to my face that still stung, You grin.

“I have no doubt you are going to escape.” He whispers.

“Yes sir. Stay safe princess,savvy?”

———————————————————

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh” you let out , as the water in the river splashed you hard in the face.

“Why is this so fun, yet we are still being hunted.” You throw up arms like you are on a ride in a theme park, until an arrow flies at yodu and almost hits you.

You turn to see legolas , you wave to him. He just keeps running after you and the dwarves , saying our butts , see he was a good dude.

Because of you distracting legolas , he couldn’t see an orc going to hit Tauriel. She got punched square in the nose , falling into legolas , whodidn’t see it coming and fell in the water.

For elves being graceful, that wasn’t ,but fortunately he landing in the water right near you. You reach in the water and some how pull him up so he’s holding onto the barrel. You lean back so it doesn’t tip his way. Still does. He’s stuck in the water with you. You offer him a smile.

“How was your fall?” You ask him.

“Into the water ? Amazing.” He replies grunting.

‘No falling from heaven”

“Oh.” He blushes

#legolas #legolas x reader #the hobbit imagine #lotr x reader #lotr imagine #the hobbit x reader #legolas imagine

[itmighthavebeenintentional]

Shackled - Ch 11

Summary: After nearly ten years, Sam Winchester calls Miriam Bard to collect on a life debt. Unfortunately for Miriam, Sam leaves out a few important details.

WARNINGS CHANGE EACH CHAPTER, PLEASE CHECK EACH TIME. 

Warning: Slightly more than show level violence, implied loss of family, grieving, depression, spiraling, cursing, Demon!Dean, emotional manipulation, mind fuckery, psychological manipulation, questioning one’s sanity, emotional exhaustion, depression, blood,  mental/emotional/psychological abuse, consuming blood, mental anguish, cliffhanger.

Word Count: 1409

Author’s Note: @cracksinthewalls​​ . Babe. You’re my editing rock. Thank you to @thoughtslikeaminefield​ for eternal encouragement and @fangirlxwritesx67​ for forever flails. Please read/heed the warnings. 18+ ONLY. 

In case you missed it: Ch 1 | Ch 2 | Ch 3 | Ch 4 | Ch 5 | Ch 6 | Ch 7 | Ch 8 | Ch 9 | Ch 10 ItMightHAveBeenIntentional’s Masterlist

Chapter 11

“Miriam.”

Sam’s voice was low, gentle, and she swam slowly towards it through a sea of welcome darkness.

“You don’t have to wake up yet. I’m going to give Dean his next dose and call Cas to check in. I’ll wake you up to switch out when I’m done.”

“Nrrrphh...should...go with you…”

He chuckled as he squeezed and released her hand. 

“I’ll be quick, I promise. Rest; you need it. I’ll wake you as soon as I get back.”

“Mmmph.”

Sam, however, was not what Miriam woke to. A low, urgent siren cut through the cushioned layers of Miriam’s sleep like a buzz saw through cotton. She was awake in an instant, rolling off the bed with reflexes born of experience, and she’d located her gun before her eyes were even fully open. A red light alternately dimmed and brightened in time with the buzzer.

Miriam assumed something had gone terribly wrong, and this was some sort of warning system built into the bunker. While she didn’t know exactly what had happened, she was pretty sure she knew the basics.

Dean was out, and Sam was far from in control of the situation.

Failure or not, however, she was first and foremost a hunter. She choked down her rising panic and forced herself to think. First: stay or go?

If she stayed in her room, there was literally nowhere to hide. The door was heavy but was also made of wood, not metal, so it could be broken down or penetrated by something with enough strength.

Like a demon, she thought. And though Dean didn’t actually know where her room was, since he could hear her when she was asleep, she had to assume he knew she was nearby. She didn’t know Dean would come after her specifically, but she also had no reason to expect that he wouldn’t. 

Miriam grabbed her flask of holy water, tucked it into the waistband of her leggings. She slipped through the door, padding down the hallway on bare feet, gun at the ready, and made a quick check in the doorway of the dungeon. The cuffs dangled uselessly from the arm of the chair, the ropes in loose coils on the floor. No Sam or Dean.

Shit. Where do I even start?

The bunker was huge. She knew her way to the kitchen, the bathroom, the dungeon, and the exit. She’d seen some extra weapons in the library, but as she didn’t know if any of those were even as effective against a demon as her gun, she couldn’t count on them.

On the other hand, she thought, more weapons were better than fewer. Anything to slow Dean down and give Sam time to get him back in the cuffs.

She crept towards the entrance to the bunker, her gun aimed and leading the way. Her heart raced as her adrenaline spiked, but she forced her legs to move smoothly, her arms to stay steady. She wasn't going to let Sam down again; all she had to do was find Dean and slow him down.

Surely she could do that.

After a minute that felt like hours, Miriam stood with her back against the wall, working up the nerve to turn the corner. The entrance with its huge map table was just through the open doorway on her left. If she remembered correctly, she simply had to make another left and the library was on the other side of a conference table. A few quick steps, ten or fifteen seconds at most, and she would be at the weapons. 

The trouble was, she couldn’t make her feet move. She’d been fine up til now; terrified, but functional. But the closer she’d gotten to this doorway, the more her fear increased until she was frozen, feeling as though she’d plunged into a pool of ice water.

Then she heard him over the blaring of the alarm.

“Sammy! You’re just making this worse for yourself, man! Oh, by the way, you can, uh...blame yourself for me gettin’ loose.” 

Dean’s voice carried clearly across the room, and she could feel him getting closer. He sounded much better than he had the last time she'd seen him, and his tone was casual, amused.

“All that blood you pumped into me to make me human, well…” He paused, laughing to himself, and Miriam’s knees almost buckled. She closed her eyes, bit her lip, and for the first time in so long, prayed for help.

Dean spoke again.

“The less demon I was, the less the cuffs worked. And that devil’s trap—well, I just walked right across it. It smarted. But still…”

Dean trailed off, and over the buzz of the alarm, Miriam heard a metallic scraping noise and then nothing. She tightened her jaw, drawing on every reserve of courage she had left, and spun to her left, turning and aiming where she’d last heard Dean.

Before she could fire, a hammer smashed down on her outstretched wrists. Pain exploded up her arms, her gun went flying from fingers which no longer responded, and she sucked in a ragged, agonized breath. A hand clamped over her mouth before she could choke out the scream, and she was jerked backward off her feet. 

She crashed against the wall with a bone-rattling thud, her head bouncing off the hard surface. Tasting blood, she slid to the floor, dazed, black spots popping in her vision. Before she could pull in a breath, much less react, she was yanked up into a sitting position and propped against the wall.

“Heya, sweetheart. Have a good nap? I missed you.”

Dean’s face swam into view, green eyes bright with pleasure. She moaned as he leaned down, letting some of his weight push on her ruined wrists. He ran his nose up the side of her face, breathing in and sighing almost regretfully. When she turned away from him, he jerked her face back to his with a disapproving growl.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you, little girl.”

She was ashamed of the tears streaming from her eyes, but she was paralyzed with shock, only just hanging on to consciousness. He glared hungrily at her, his expression stern, then lunged forward suddenly. His tongue pressed into the split on her lip where her teeth had cut through. He sucked hard at the wound, and an anguished wail clawed its way up from her gut. He hummed deep in his throat, enamored of her agony as he leaned harder on her wrists. 

She tried to lift her hands, shove him away, but the wave of pain that shot up her arms sent her head spinning as spots swam across her darkening vision.

“I could spend all night eating you up, Miri, but Daddy’s got a playdate with little Sammy. You and I will have to reschedule.” 

Dean rose, rolling his neck and stretching his shoulders. He moved to leave, and she was finally able to draw a full breath without gasping. Before she could even begin to struggle to her feet, he turned back, and the smile on his face froze her blood solid.

“On second thought, wait right here for me, sweetheart. I promised you some flaying, and I’m nothing if not a man of my word. I’ll be right back for you.”

Then his boot slammed down on her kneecap, and Miriam’s world erupted in an inferno of ripping, crushing agony before disintegrating into black.

…

“You look worried, fellas.”

Sam and Castiel glanced at each other, then back at Dean, neither sure if they could trust the transition. Sure, the black in his eyes had dissolved, but still…

Sam flicked his flask of holy water, liberally splashing Dean’s face. All three men collectively breathed easier when they realized his skin remained unblemished and whole. Sam’s face almost crumpled with relief, and he gave his brother a shaky, genuine smile.

“Welcome back, Dean.”

Dean’s face flickered from shock to relief to concern so fast Sam almost couldn’t keep up. Then Dean spoke, and Sam’s blood ran cold.

“Why isn’t Miriam with you? Did neither of you find her?”

“No, I was trying to lead you away from her, and-” Sam broke off as horror washed over his brother's face. “Dean, what did you do?”

“Cas, get back to the library now! Find Miriam, she-” The angel disappeared, and Dean strained against the ropes.

“Sam, get me loose, now!”

...

Chapter 12 (conclusion)

#SPN #spn fic #spn fanfic #spn fanfiction #supernatural #supernatural fanfiction #Supernatural fanfic #supernatural fic #demon!dean #Demon Dean #Sam Winchester #dean winchester #castiel #original female character #original character #Psychological Abuse #Psychological Manipulation #violence #Blood #consumption of blood #cliffhanger #please don't yell at me #I'm fragile

[zzzzzbored]

Reblog from vchris1989

“Everything alright, boys?  Heard some commotion,” Mr. Grant asked with concern as he peeked his head into his youngest son, Ian’s, room.  Ian was in bed finishing up some homework and it looked like his older brother, Warren, was lounging on a beanbag and playing video games.

“Yeah, Dad.  Everything’s cool.  Just finishing up some work,” Ian assured him.

“And I’m hanging around in case he has any questions,” Warren added.

“But I heard a noise.  Sounded like someone fell or was in pain,” Mr. Grant said with concern.

“Oh that.  Just got my ass kicked in Halo 5.  Walked right into a head shot.  Guess I was a little loud,” Warren explained, putting his father’s worries at rest.

“Okay sounds good you two.  Ian, try not to study too hard.  Your older brother could teach you a thing or two about having a good time.  G’night boys,” Mr. Grant said, beaming inside from the pride he had in his boys.

“Goodnight, Dad!” the two sons echoed back as he closed the door and went back to his room downstairs.

When the coast was clear the two brothers made brief eye contact before Warren hopped on the bed, immediately pulling his little brother into a passionate kiss and embrace.

“You heard the old man.  I could teach you a thing or two about having a good time,” Warren said with a cute grin.

“That was fucking close, man,” Ian said as his older brother began kissing his way down his neck.

“I mean talk about perfect timi- ohhhhh shit man!” Ian gasped out as his older brother stuck his head up his shirt and began ravenously licking and sucking on his nipple.  Ian pulled his shirt up to give his big bro better access.

“Careful ‘Baby Bro.’  i don’t think the old man’s gonna believe the Halo excuse if he hears your moans echoing through the house.  Especially not if he walks in on me pounding your ass full of cum,” Warren said with a smirk.

“I’ll try my best to keep it down, but no guarantees,” Ian replied, biting his lip in a cute and somewhat nervous way.

“Something tells me we’ll be alright, little man,” Warren reassured his little brother as they both stripped their shirts off, followed by every other shred of clothing.  “The old man isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed,” he said, making them both chuckle before Warren laid down on his little brother, bringing their lean and toned bodies together as they began ravenously making out and grinding against each other.

Both brothers began breathing harder as they picked up the intensity and starting grinding their engorged cocks together.

“Wow look at that.  Guess I shouldn’t call you Little man,  That cock’s almost as big as mine!” Warren said in admiration before crawling back and grabbing his little brother’s fuckstick in one of his hands.  “Looks fucking delicious,” he joked before leaning in and gently licking Ian’s cockhead.

“mmmmmmmm oh wow!” Ian groaned lightly as his big bro licked his cock head again, and again until finally he took the whole thing in his mouth and began swirling his tongue around the younger boy’s cockhead like a car doing laps at Nascar.

Ian kicked his legs out, toes curled from the sensation as his lean core tightened and he bit his lip to keep from hollering out.

Warren let his little brother’s cock out of his mouth when he tasted a drop of precum hit his tongue.

It wasn’t long before Warren had eaten out his little brother’s tight, virgin hole before slowly working his cock in, marveling at the almost supernatural tightness.  They started slow and tender at first, but a solid half hour later Warren was power thrusting into Ian.  His little brother was on his back with his thighs spread wide and his legs wrapped tight around his ass, pulling him closer with each thrust.  Ian was biting down on a sock to help him keep his volume down as he moaned endlessly as his big brother kept fucking him full of long, thick dick.

Warren felt himself getting close, so he reached down and pulled the sock out of his brother’s mouth.  “You think you can handle this?” he asked.

“nnnnngggggggggg Fuck yeah!  Fucking fill my ass.  I can take it!” Ian begged as he squirmed underneath his brother, overwhelmed by the satisfaction of being stuffed so tight and full each time his brother’s cock slid deep into him.

Warren growled gently as he picked up his pace, something that made Ian gasp for breath and go slack-jawed.  Then the moment arrived and there was no turning back.  Warren slammed into his little brother, groaning and squirming as the shots of cum began rocketing deep into Ian.  “Oh fuck yeah fucking take it!” he roared as quietly as possible as he thrust and thrust, over and over again, fucking his cum deeper and deeper into his little brother.  Ian was a good slut–each time he felt a new shot of cum surging into him he got an erotic chill, and he was sincerely caught off guard as he felt an unmistakable tightness building up in his balls.

“Oh shit!  I-I’m gonna cum!” Ian gasped out as his back arched and he began trembling.

“Yeah you love Big Bro’s cock, dontchya?” Warren said with an exasperated smile as he kept pile-driving his brother, a sweaty mess of testosterone as he honed in on Ian’s prostate, finding the spot that made the boy yelp like a bitch in heat.  He kept thrusting into that spot over and over, long after he had finished launching his own loads of cum.  Warren was on a mission to make his little brother cum from nothing more than his love of getting stuffed full of dick.  Warren finally got his way as his younger brother clenched every muscle in his body.  Ian’s reaction was to reach for his cock, but Warren grabbed both of his arms and pinned them down, still thrusting into that boycunt with primal power.  He was delighted as he watched his little brother squirm and desperately fight back against his bound arms, but only because he knew how much better this would be for Ian.

“It’s gonna be so much hotter this way!  I promise!” Warren insisted right before he saw Ian’s pupils dilate.

Ian arched his back one last time as he opened his mouth to shout, but no sound came out.  The boy thrashed around wildly as his brother kept stuffing him full of cock while his own untouched cock began launching his cum in every direction as he squirmed in place.  Ian’s thrashing body meant his cum launched not just all over his body and his older brother’s body, but all over his bed sheets, left and right.  His juices sunk in, embedding in the fabric and giving the room the odor of raging sex.  Warren finally stopped thrusting into Ian as the boy’s cock stopped twitching, finally giving them both a chance to calm down.  Warren collapsed forward onto his younger brother, splashing the pools of cum that were all over their bodies.  He was still inside his little brother, but his cock was quickly returning to its relaxed size.  Still, he left it buried as a sign of dominance and because he knew it made Ian more comfortable.

The brothers kissed tenderly as they rubbed their bodies together until Warren finally pulled out, laying next to his little brother (something which got his back wet with cum.)

“You sure made a mess,” Warren teased.

“Shit I know right?  Had no idea this boy had it in him,” Ian said with amazement as he oddly pointed himself out in the third person.

“Holy fuck he looks so good on you.  Mmmmmm yeah you make such a good slutty younger brother,” Warren said with a chuckle.

“Are you kidding me?  Knowing it’s you in there got me so fucking hot and hard.  You make a fucking amazing power top big brother,” Ian replied.

“I think we could stay in here.  I’m pretty sure we could blend in.  I’ll be Warren and you can be Ian.  We can have sizzling hot brother sex every night.  We can make these hot boys do whatever we want,” Warren said with a grin.

“I do think we could fool everyone.  I mean when we were possessing these boys, shit I thought we were so gonna get caught with all the noise and yells they were making.  But our new Dad believed you were just yelling after getting your ass kicked in Halo?  Glad we got them under control in time so he didn’t walk in on them convulsing.  Fuck it, let’s keep these bodies!  Let’s stay in these boys forever!” the person inhabiting Ian said.

“Fuck yeah you make such a sexy little bro,” the person inhabiting Warren said.  “Kiss on it?”

The brothers moaned as they wrestled tongues clear past midnight, now merely the vessels of complete strangers who planned to exploit and use their sexy and youthful bodies for a lifetime of sweaty and sizzling hot fucking.

#male body possession #male possession #reblogfromvchris1989

[azwriting]

... Of More Woe (Forget Me Not, Kylo Ren x Reader) - Chapter Twelve

Hi everyone, here’s chapter twelve.... We are getting close to end and I hope you guys have been enjoying it so far. I only have three more chapters planned out, I don’t think im going to know what to do after that. Anyways please enjoy, feedback is always appreciated. Everyone’s comments always make my day! Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! Gif is not mine!

Summary: Ben and (Y/N) continue living in their little bubble until it’s popped by certain Resistance members.

Warnings: Language, A bit of NSFW, fluff, angst

Word Count: 7692

Kylo Ren stood attentively in the hanger of his Star Destroyer waiting. He wore his signature thick black robes and watched as the Stormtroopers maneuvered around their Supreme Leader in fear. It was times like these that he missed the security of his mask, he needed to get it fixed promptly. The groups of Stormtroopers began to make a clear path on the landing bay when two transporters and a black command shuttle descended into the Destroyer’s hangar. Kylo’s eyebrows furrowed, it was his command shuttle. He continued to scrutinize the ship as a displeasing voice spoke up behind him. 

“Ah, I see they have finally returned.” General Hux noted coming to stand beside him. Kylo stared at the man questioningly, who was returning in his shuttle? Before he could interrogate the redhead, the ramp door opened on his command shuttled with a hiss and steam pouring out. There was no movements for a moment, only Stormtroopers exiting from the other transports, until he saw the ends of pitch black robes exiting the shuttle. Then he saw the tips of two blazing red lightsabers. The mysterious figure came into full view with the Knights of Ren following closely behind. Kylo believed to be staring at a clone of himself, the mysterious figure adorned similar black robes, his gray and black mask, with a standard red lightsaber in each hand.

 “W-Who is that?” He questioned Hux, completely perplexed. 

“Don’t be foolish Supreme Leader, that is the Bride of Ren.” Kylo’s eyes fell back on the group thundering over to them, finding his theorized clone’s black robes to be framing a more feminine figure, and the mask to be smaller as well. The Bride of Ren? Was one of the Knights married? When had he granted a new member amongst the Knights? The woman stalked towards them, her gloved hands twirling the two sabers, before turning them off, and holstering them to her belt. The Knights of Ren moved past her and bowed before their Master, before leaving the hangar all together. 

The woman stepped forward after their departure, nodding silently to both General Hux and him. Up close Kylo could see the dirt and blood that stained her tight uniform and billowing cloak. “Lady Ren was your mission successful?” Hux questioned, his voice curt and straight to the point.

 “Yes General Hux, it was. The Resistance is no more.” The voice was deep, modified by the mask, but Kylo could still detect the humor and joy hidden in her tone.  “Although it would do you some good to remember,” She paused, a hint of anger evident in her words, as her hands came up to release the tight air locked gears of the mask. She pulled it off in one swift movement, “That I am your Empress.” 

The air was knocked straight out of Kylo’s lungs at the sight before him. The first thing he noticed was the red burned veins trailing up the left side of her cheek and through her one eye as if she had been struck by lightning. Then he saw the blazing red rimmed yellow eyes that were brought out even more by the black shadow coating her eyelids. The woman’s hair was loosely secured in a bun, small hairs falling out to frame her snarling face. Two red circles were painted on the center of her cheeks, with the same shade of red painting her upper lip and a stripe down the middle of her bottom lip, the indication of a Queen. Her black gloved hand shot out and Force choked Hux, “Bow before your Queen.” Her power forced him down to his knees, his eyes bugging in fear. “ Let’s hope for your sake, you don’t forget to show me some respect, next time.” Her hand released her Force induced death grip around Hux’s neck, the cowering man pleading for forgiveness. 

“I’m sorry Empress Ren, it will not happen again.” 

The yellow eyed woman nodded in agreeance, “Yes it won’t, now leave my husband and I.” The General shook as he stood, bowing messily before he rushed out of the hangar. 

Her wicked eyes turned to Kylo’s, a small evil smile worked its way onto her lips. “Hi.” She greeted shifting her mask into her other hand, before quickly leaning up to press a chaste kiss to his lips. Kylo was in shock, he did not move, nor did he kiss her back. The woman pulled away, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What’s wrong Kylo?” he grimaced at her voice, at her calling him his First Order name, and not his given name. The name she had spoken so many times in their childhood… 

“(Y-Y/N)?” His voice was thick in horror at the darkly consumed love of his life, standing before him. Her eyes seemed to glow a brighter yellow, the red seeping into the middle like fabric soaking up blood. Her concern slipped away as anger replaced it.  All evidence of the girl from his youth disappearing. 

“Don’t you ever utter that name again. You know that’s not my name anymore.” Her voice was menacing, her shoulder harshly plowing into him as she hurried out of the hangar, leaving Kylo in a state of terror. 

 Ben jolted up in bed, his chest heaving painfully. Sweat clung to his hair, face, and bare chest. He whipped to his side finding her peaceful sleeping form still lying beside him, the sun casting streaks of light onto her exposed skin. A shaking hand reached out to gently touch her arm, a relieved sigh escaping his lips. She was still there, not a factor of his imagination. What had he just seen? Vile rose in throat at the thought of her piercing yellow eyes and the raw fury that had consumed her soul. It could not have been a premonition, no he would not let it be. But the horrible thought surfaced in his mind, if he was seeing it did that mean it was already set to occur? 

No, he had dreamed of her death as a padawan and she did not die, it had only been a hologram to fool the galaxy, to fool him. Perhaps this possible outcome of the future had more to it… Ben shook away the thought, he did not want to think of that horrible nightmare again. Most importantly she could never know what he had seen. He stood from the bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He stood in front of the sink, looking into the mirror that displayed his sweaty and blotchy face. Tears were dried on his cheeks, sweat clinging to his hairline, and love bites were scattered across his skin. 

A soft smile worked its way onto his face as he recalled the night before with his love who slept just beyond the wall in front of him. “Breathe Ben, its okay. I love you.” Her words from the night before seemed to calm him down, remind him to be rational. He wanted to be with her forever, even longer if possible, but she could not go Dark, not for him. She was too pure. Splashing cold water onto his face, he willed away him dream, and the fear it instilled in him. Grabbing the small cotton towel to his right, he dried his face, catching sight of something in the background of the mirror, and an idea popped into his mind.

 A rough hand trailed up and down (Y/N)’s bareback, eliciting a small moan from her lips, as it woke her from her slumber. “Take a bath with me.” A raspy voice sounded from right by her ear, lips pressing feather light kisses to her surrounding skin. Eyes closed, she shifted onto her side and outstretched her arms searching for Ben. She was much too tired to walk anywhere. A small chuckle echoed through the room as she felt Ben’s arms pull the sheets off of her and lift her up out of the bed. In her right mind, perhaps she would have been timid about Ben carrying her naked body, but no she only clung to him tightly. He carried her with ease into the bathroom, only stopping before the bathtub. The steamy room smelled of sweet lilacs and roses. 

“I need you stand for a moment, Love.” (Y/N) nodded slowly and felt as she was lowered onto her feet inside the warm bath water. Her eyes finally opening to see the white, purple, and red petals and whole flowers floating along the surface of the water. Oh how she loved him… Ben’s hands stayed firmly wrapped around her waist as she heard him step in behind her. He sunk down into the water, pulling her to sit down between his outstretched legs. A moan slipped from (Y/N)’s lips as she submerged into the water that soothed her tired muscles. She leaned back against Ben’s chest, feeling his head duck down to place lazy kisses onto her warm wet exposed skin. Her dominant hand lifted from the water to the side of Ben’s face, gently running her fingers through his messy locks. 

 It was late, everyone asleep in their huts at the Jedi Temple, except for the two lovebirds. It was the night after their wedding and (Y/N) and Ben were crammed onto the small cot, their breathing ragged as they came down from their high. She was tucked loosely in his arms, her index finger drawing tiny stars on his chest. They were quiet, skin sticky with sweat, listening to the insects buzz outside, their minds still in a lovesick haze from their climaxes. “I love you my husband.” (Y/N) breathed out, still in awe over the word, in awe over the fact that he was forever hers. They were bonded together in every humanly way possible now. She wanted to thank the Stars for bringing her to him, her eternal love. They would love each other for the rest of their days and then into the Netherworld. She was content with that, with him forever by her side as it was meant to be.

 “I love you my wife.” Ben mumbled against her forehead, drinking in her presence. She would probably never get over hearing him call her that. They laid there for a while longer, sleep a distant thought with the electric current pulsating through their veins. Ben was a live wire, every touch he graced her with, only left her feeling warm and alive. She felt Ben’s hands start to dip down her body, teasingly grazing across her upper thighs, as he shifted down to press open mouth kisses to her lips. 

“Already?” (Y/N) giggled in disbelief over his sudden onset arousal. Ben hummed against her lips, pulling her into his intoxicating taste, his hand drifting closer and closer. 

He broke away suddenly with a wide mischievous grin on his face, “For you my wife, I could go all night.” Her eyes widened at his words, the idea floating through her murky mind. (Y/N) opened her mouth to make a snarky comment back, but was cut off by her trying to hold in a moan, Ben’s hand finally finding the place that awaited him ever so eagerly. 

 (Y/N) returned to the warm flowery smelling water and the kisses being pressed against her shoulder. “Hmm what did you see?” Ben hummed against her wet skin. 

She sighed, taking in the feeling of his mouth on hers, “I saw my plans for the next few days. What did you feel?” Ben dragged his bottom lip against her neck junction, his warm tongue swirling along with his kisses. Oh how she could just fuse into his soul entirely… 

“I felt happiness…” He placed a hot kiss to her neck. “Love…” Another kiss was placed higher up. “And Lust.” His hands tightened around her waist as he sucked lightly at her sweet spot just below her jaw. (Y/N) melted under his touch, her eyes closing in a haze, transfixed on solely him. She shifted in his grip, turning to see his handsome face. His eyes lifted to watch her diligently as she leaned forward to close the gap between them. They kissed each other gently, with passion flowing over each time. (Y/N) wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him as close as the confines of the bathtub would allow. Ben’s large hands were tangled in her wet hair as their tongues lazily danced with each other. 

They kissed, and kissed, and kissed, until the water began to grow cold. Ben was the first to pull away, knowing (Y/N) would simply ignore it until she began to shake. “Let’s get cleaned up and go eat.” Ben moved to grab the bar of soap and fresh square cloth, lathering it, and immediately working the soap onto (Y/N)’s skin. She could not protest, only sink into his grip as he cleaned her.

 With a towel wrapped around her body, (Y/N) exited the bathroom with Ben following closely behind her. She flopped down onto the large messy bed, still holding her towel closed in her one hand. Her skin felt warm from the sun streaming in through the window and from Ben’s touches. Ben chuckled down at her, leaning over the bed to kiss her once again. A part of him, that was quite massive, wished to take her again. To hear her moans, her confessions of love, to feel her surrounding him so tightly. But he knew she needed to eat, to gain energy, and then he could bring her right back to bed. (Y/N) watched as he stood back to his towering height and walked over to the drawers and wardrobe pulling out clean clothing. All dark shades per usual. A soft blush dusted her cheeks as she took all of him while he dressed, paying no mind to her prying eyes. He was hers and she was his. There was simply no other way it was meant to be.

 “You get dressed and I’ll go start breakfast, okay?” She nodded quietly still lying on the bed. Ben gave her a smile, before he headed to the door, although he stopped in his tracks. Spinning on his heel, he flew back to her side laying a forceful kiss onto her lips. “You lying in this bed, barely covered, is not helping me keep rational thoughts.” He mumbled against her lips.

 (Y/N) only smiled and stroked his still wet hair, “No one asked for rationality.” 

Ben groaned, a hungry kiss following, “You’ll be the death of me.” With one more kiss, he pulled himself away and left for the kitchen. (Y/N) stayed cemented to the bed, basking in the sunlight, in a lovesick haze. She thought of Ben, of how connected she felt to him and to even herself. He of course was not the end all be all of her existence, there was more to her than just him, but there had been very little of (Y/N) (Y/L/N)’s life without Ben Solo. He was her sun. A selfish part of her thought of the two of them hiding away here for forever, letting everyone else rage on their war. In a fleeting moment the thought had passed, leaving her to feel guilty. They had a part in this war, a huge one, and it was time for it all to end. 

 A faint noise woke her from her thoughts. It was hard to describe; it sounded like a loud hum mixed with something else, something she could not place. (Y/N) rose from the bed, securing her towel under her one arm, heading towards where the noise came from. Across the room, the wardrobe seemed to shine in the daylight, beckoning her forward, the noise coming from inside as well. She opened both of the white doors, finding clothes to be neatly hung up and a black bag resting at the bottom. It was the black bag she had seen Ben pack inside his room on the Star Destroyer. Her hands were quick to pull it up, the noise vanishing as she did. The bag was empty beside for the cylinder shaped item still wrapped in torn brown fabric. 

Carefully she lifted the object, finding the grooves of the cylinder to feel familiar. Unwinding the brown fabric, (Y/N) let out a tiny gasp at what she found. It was a black and silver lightsaber, her lightsaber. The cloth dropped from her hand as she lifted her lightsaber up to examine it closely, finding black necklaces tightly intertwined around the base of the lightsaber. The sight elicited another sharp inhale from (Y/N) as she brought the items up to her chest, clutching them with a firm grip. 

 Exchanging her towel for clothes, she exited the bedroom and headed down the hallway towards the main area and kitchen. Ben was setting down two plates of food when she came out of the hallway, his eyes immediately traveling up to hers. She was silent as he glanced over her, his eyes sticking to her lightsaber she still held firmly. He sighed, “I should’ve figured it would call to you sooner or later.” (Y/N) looked down to the body of the saber once again, her thumb skimming across the metal pieces.

 “I forgot about it, forgot that I dropped it that night. You’ve kept it all this time?” Her head lifted to Ben again, his eyes watching her intently, a single nod coming from him as well.

 “It was all I had left of you, besi-” He cut himself off searching for the black necklaces that should have been tied around the body, only to find them gone. Worry filled his being, where were they? Before he could question if she had seen them, (Y/N) shifted her left hand that gripped the lightsaber, a silver band shining on her ring finger. The concern left Ben, instead filling with something else entirely. She had put her wedding ring back on… 

(Y/N) did not even realize he had noticed before his looming figure was in front of her, and lifting her into a heated kiss. She kissed him back eagerly, her hands grabbing a hold of his face, the cool silver ring such a striking contrast to their burning skin. “Where’s mine?” His question took her by surprise, her cheeks burning even more.

 “I um, I left in the bedroom. I didn’t think you’d want to wear it…” Her voice wavered, nervous and unsure of her answer, unsure of his question. Ben let out a low chuckle, nuzzling his nose against hers. “If you’re wearing yours, I’m wearing mine.”

 With that, he headed towards the room still holding her up and into him. Only once they were inside the room did he set her down, him grabbing the black necklace (Y/N) had carefully laid down on the dresser. His long fingers worked to untangle the silver band from the necklace and once he did, he wasted no time sliding it onto his ring finger. The sight was all consuming for (Y/N), they were Husband and Wife again, well they always had been but now they were acknowledging it. Finally wearing the rings they no longer needed to hide. “I’m surprised it still fits.” Ben laughed a real genuine laugh, his eyes lifting from his hand. His eyes enveloped her whole, she felt locked in place by his gaze, until he set her free with another breathtaking kiss. He could kiss her for eternity and she would never have enough, nowhere near it. Although for the time being, she could settle for these spontaneous bursts that came from him. 

“C’mon let’s go eat.”

 “Must we?” Ben groaned against her mouth. (Y/N) nodded, freeing herself from his grasp.

 “Yes, whatever you made smelled too good to go to waste.” She turned for the door, leaving a pouting Ben behind, although she did not get very far. In one swift movement she was tugged back and tossed lightly onto the bed. 

Ben hovered over her pressing sloppy kisses to her neck, “I can just make it again.” (Y/N) wanted to protest, but she could feel his hardening cock pressing into her open legs, the pleasure of the friction making her eyes flutter shut.

 “You make a compelling argument.” Her hands were tugging the ends of Ben’s hair, a moan slipping from his lips, as she lifted him into a messy kiss.

 After Ben had to make them a second breakfast, their first growing cold, soggy, and unsalvageable, the two were cleaning up the kitchen and plates. 

Drying the last dish, (Y/N) spoke up, “I have any idea.” Ben turned to look at her, his hair still messily sticking in different direction and his clothes wrinkled and ruffled up, she was positive she looked the same. 

“So do I” He said with a smug little smirk.

 She snorted lightly, “Easy Spaceboy, there will be time for that later. I was thinking maybe we could train…” 

His eyes widened at that, “What?” Was she suggesting for them to spare like they had done in their youth? He could not imagine igniting his saber anywhere near her, let alone fighting her. He could imagine the red casting an ill looking shadow onto her glowing skin. It only reminded him of his nightmare, of her two red lightsabers.

 “C’mon I haven’t in years, let’s see if I can still kick your ass!” Ben grimaced looking down at her, trying to fight his conflicting feelings. He needed to forget his dream, to forget that possible future, and maybe this could help. Seeing her with her purple lightsaber, all pure goodness radiating off of her.

 He offered her a hesitant smile, trying to downplay his thoughts, “With a remark like that I guess we’ll have to.”

 Lightsabers gripped in their hands, eyes watching each other like one of their prey, (Y/N) and Ben stood on the flat ground just beyond the lake. Their figures were rigid as they circled each other, studying their movements. He threw her a smirk, quirking an eyebrow, and (Y/N) ignited her saber for the first time in over a decade. The one side of her face was consumed by the vibrant purple light and Ben’s turned red from his crackling crossguard saber. She tried not to seem distraught by the difference, that his one blue saber, was now blackened and bleeding red. 

He seemed to sense her dejection, “Don’t worry I’ll go easy on you.” 

His attempt at a joke earned him a scoff, “Way to take the fun out of everything. Don’t worry though, I won’t on you.” She shot him a teasing grin, before she sprung off the balls of her feet, pouncing toward him like a fearless predator. Ben was quick on his feet too, his saber clashing against hers briefly as he moved to the side. They turned to face each other again, determination written in their eyes and smiles on their lips. It was just like old times… 

The two danced around the field: quick, precise, and strategic movements coming from both. Head to head, their lightsabers hit each other every minute, Ben’s strength and experience starting to give him the upper hand. As he swung his lightsaber forward, he carefully used the Force, sending (Y/N) down to the floor softly. She was quick to the floor, her grip still holding her saber tightly in her one hand, as Ben came to pin her down. Sweat clung to his forehead, seeping into his black hair, his breathing ragged as he taunted her. 

“I guess you can't still beat me.” A huff came from (Y/N) as she wiggled underneath him. She leaned up to graze her lips against his, distracting him long enough to bring her leg up. As a cover she teased his inner thigh before rapidly lifting it higher and kneeing him in the stomach. Ben let out a groan releasing his grip on her, allowing for (Y/N) to flip them around. With her lightsaber a few mere inches from his throat, she gave him a snarky smile, his surprised eyes narrowing at the sight. 

Grazing her lips against his once again she spoke up, “Guess again.” 

“That was a cheap mov-” (Y/N) cut him off, pressing a rough kiss to his mouth. Ben obliged happily, their lightsabers soon turned off and forgotten entirely.

“Ben!” (Y/N) cried out, nails digging into the skin between his shoulder blades. Her shouting only seemed to encourage him more, his thrusts moving quicker and sloppier. Both of them were moaning messes, chasing their climaxes for the second time that day. She had half a thought, in her clouded mind, that if they carried on at this rate they were bound to break the bed. Her legs were wrapped around his hips, each thrust hitting deeper and deeper. It was knocking the breath straight out of her lungs. “I-I’m going to-” Another loud moan poured from her lips as her orgasm washed over. Ben let out a series of incoherent words as her walls tightened around him, inducing his own. Breathlessly the two stared at each other, in a daze from their love filled highs. Slowly he slipped out from between her legs and fell to the side of the bed next to her. With what was left of her strength (Y/N) scooted into his waiting arms. They laid there motionless for awhile, allowing their breathing to come back down and their minds to stop floating up with the stars. Ben’s fingers lazily danced across her sweaty skin, his thumb faintly running over the curve of her breasts. 

“I shouldn’t be allowed to be this happy.” 

(Y/N) perked up at that, “What?”

 He let out a sigh still tracing odd shapes, “People like me aren’t supposed to have someone like you, I think fate was being harsh on you.” His words struck her by surprise, by his vulnerability and for how familiar his words sounded. “Simple, men like you don't care about people like me!” It was she had said to him in his room on the Star Destroyer, when he was simply Kylo Ren and she was (Y/N) Stryker. So much had changed since then, there were so many things she had not known. That she was a Force user descended from a well known Jedi Master, that General Organa had been her surrogate mother, that she had fallen in love with her son. Fate, Destiny, the Stars, the Force, and even the Maker seemed to have brought Ben and her together, there was no cruel hand by it. 

“Ben, stop. Fate was not being harsh on me, you’ve been the greatest gift of my life, despite it all.” His fingers stuttered in their movements, a heavy staggering sigh coming from his lips. She could feel his self hatred rise within, she could see it as plain as day written on his face. “I could never not love you.” She added, a silent tear rolling down his cheek in the process. He nodded, inhaling sharply as a few tears followed. He had been through so much over these years, over his whole life, and she simply wished she could have prevented all his pain. If only she had not been so naive and blind in their youth, perhaps she could have stopped the darkness from rising in him.

 “I-I’ve done so many bad things (Y/N), I don’t deserve anything of this.” She was unsure of how bloody his hands were, but working for the Resistance she had a pretty good idea. He did not say it, nor did he need to, but she could feel his regret, personal sorrow, and hatred. She was not sure what to say. Yes he had done atrocious things, she had to, but would he have survived if he had not? Would Snoke have spared him if he did not shed blood across the galaxy? She knew the answer and she knew he did too. He just needed to accept his past and learn to forgive himself, learn how to make amends for his mistakes. Instead of bringing death, he needed to bring life to the galaxy. Then he could return to the Light with her. He was already so close she could feel it. As long as she stayed by him he would turn. Pressing her hands against his wet cheeks, she consoled him.

 “Shush Ben, everything will be okay. I love you and you love me, that's all that matters.” He stayed silent as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. She could feel the tears splashing onto her shoulder as Ben sunk into her hold. Everything would be okay, it had to be.

 Almost two weeks had gone by, (Y/N) had been with Ben just shy of a month. The days seemed to blur together and speed past her. Their days continued on much like before: meals, activities, sunsets, but many hours, days, were spent in bed. Their hips rocking together roughly, his curls between her legs, their moans echoing throughout the house more than once a day. They were touch starved, spending every opportunity to be flushed together as one. A few sets of sheets had been ruined in the process. 

 The night of her 24th day with Ben, the two were lying in the plush green grass of the garden after a lovely dinner. Left hands clasped together and eyes to the sky, watching the twinkling stars. She was content like this, could see herself never having another worry besides how sore she was from constantly having him between her legs. But there were worse things to worry over… ignorance could only be blissful for so long. “Do you remember the ball on Chandrila?” 

Ben’s eyes shifted away from the sky to look down at her, hers doing the same. “Yes, why do you ask?” 

(Y/N) smiled softly, a glow to her skin. She felt so alive with him by her side everyday. “I was just thinking about how we danced all night.” Ben bit his bottom lip, the memory felt so far away his mind. 

“We did, didn’t we?” She nodded gently, her fingers dancing with his. She thought of their blue and purple bodies waltzing through the banquet hall, paying no mind to the rest of the people surrounding them. “I just remember how you stole my breath that night, one of the many times.” A large grin spread across her cheeks, eyes twinkling in love. 

“That was the first time I realized I wanted to be with you more than become a Jedi.” Ben tightened his grip on her hand, leaning over to press a chaste kiss to her cheek. 

They turned back to the stars, before Ben spoke up. “Becoming a Jedi was all my family ever wanted for me, to live up to that mighty Skywalker blood, and for awhile I wanted it too. But in retrospect, all I ever wanted was you, to have you by my side.” Her heart hammered in her chest, she was more important to him than his lineage. (Y/N) leaned over and slowly kissed him, her tongue swiping across his bottom lip. Ben let out a hum and held her head in his massive hands. They stayed like that for awhile, mouths never moving far from each other as they continued to consume each other’s essence. “Dance with me, my wife.” Her eyes gleamed at his words, she took such pleasure in hearing him say the words it was almost too much to bear. Without a moment more, the two stood and fell effortlessly into each other’s embrace. Tucking her head against his, they took small steps dancing slowly. They needed no music, just one another as they swayed in the night sky, ignorant to the rest of the Galaxy.  

        Ben watched as (Y/N) ran back inside, only for a moment, to grab a sweater. The night becoming a little more frigid and the wind picking up. He stood in the garden, awaiting her return, a hopeful smile on his face. It fell almost immediately when he felt something in the Force, a presence. His eyes scanned the open fields in search of the unwelcome guest, his conscience chastising him for not keeping his saber on hand. “You can come out, I know you’re there!” He called into the darkness. A dark haired man stepped out from beside the other corner of the house, blaster drawn and pointing at Ben. 

He recognized him almost immediately, “Ah, the best pilot in the Resistance. I should’ve known you’d come.” 

The man gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on the blaster, “Where is she?” His voice wobbled, as if in fear. Ben knew the man did not fear him, not one bit, not even after his painful interrogation when he had captured him on Jakku. No, the pilot feared for (Y/N), feared what a monster like him would’ve done to her. Ben could hear his thoughts, he knew his mother had told him part of their history, and yet the pilot still believed he would have harmed her. He elected to ignore his question, his eyes vaguely flickering over to the door of the house. 

“Where’s the Jedi and traitorous Stormtrooper you’re friends with?” Ben turned the nonexistent spotlight back on the pilot, his eyes widening at the question. 

The dark haired man’s thought betrayed him, they both were close by along with the Millennium Falcon, his father’s ship. “I said where is she?” The blaster shook for emphasis and Ben almost had the heart to laugh. 

“You’ll just have to shoot me.” 

The man across from him laughed, “That could be arranged.” Ben could sense him going for the trigger, his fingers itching at his sides in adrenaline, just waiting to stop it. The blue blast shot out from the blaster, stopping midway between the two men. Ben looked at the shot, exasperated. It was not him holding it in place… 

Two sets of eyes turned to find (Y/N) standing there, arm outstretched locking the blast in place. In her other hand, she held her lightsaber, her thoughts giving her away too. She had thought it was the First Order, not Resistance.

 “Poe?!” She called clearly in shock. The pilot, Poe, let out a relieved sigh at the sight and sound of her. 

“(Y/N), you’re okay?” The utter disbelief in his voice made Ben release a snarl. Poe walked carefully towards (Y/N), his blaster still raised at Ben. 

“Yes why wouldn’t I be?” She answered him confused, letting go of the blast that shot past Ben into the distance.  Poe gave her a look that seemed to silently ponder her sanity, but he dismissed it for the time being. 

“C’mon the ships just beyond that ridge, let’s get out of here.” His hand closed around her upper arm for a solid moment, before he was sent flying to the ground. 

Ben was quick to pull (Y/N) behind him, “Don’t touch her!” Poe was up on his feet in a matter of seconds, blaster pointing at them both. (Y/N) could sense his lack of understanding, until his eyes landed on her hand peeking out from behind Ben’s tall figure. More specifically, her left hand and the silver band wrapped around her ring finger. His silent questions seemed to be answered, his arm and blaster dropping down in shock. Ben let out a short huff of amusement, “Something the General forget to mention it seems.” (Y/N) gave him a sympathetic look, trying to convey how sorry she was for Ben throwing him, how sorry she was that he had found something completely different than he had expected. 

“Poe, give them some time.” A feminine voice called out from behind them. Rey stood attentively, Luke’s blue lightsaber fastened time her belt. Her eyes fell onto (Y/N) and Ben, a look of sadness swimming in them. She could feel Ben stiffen at her side as Poe stalked away towards Rey. The sight reminded her that there was a war raging on outside of this planet's atmosphere. A war Ben and her had a duty in. They could no longer hide in paradise. It was time to put an end to it. They had grown so close over the past few weeks, the Light practically surging out of him, now it was time to use their bond to save the Galaxy.

Once they were out of sight, (Y/N) turned to Ben with a hopeful, anxious smile. “Come with us! We can put an end to all of this Ben.” Her hand extended outwards to him, his eyes staring blankly at it. She could feel his conflict rising once again, the Dark and Light fighting for dominance. Hope filled her, yes he could break free of the Dark and become Ben Solo once again. 

“I-I can’t (Y/N). I don’t belong there.” Her hope faded, the Dark creeping into his soul, twisting its menacing hooks further into him. She could feel the anger working its way to the surface in her, as she tried to repress the sadness. 

“You don’t belong with the First Order either!” Her words seemed to float right past him, his expression showing no indication that he even heard her.

 He shook his head slightly, “We could change things, end this war and rule side by side. Make things in our vision.” Her stomach dropped, she knew what he was implying. It was the same thing he had asked of her eleven years ago, on this very planet. 

“I can’t.” She tried to swallow her tears, but they were swimming in her eyes already. Deep down she knew what was coming. 

“Yes you can, I’ve seen it! You ruling by my side as my powerful Empress.” Tears fell at his words, he had a premonition of her going dark? She staggered back needing to put some space between them both. Her parents death swirled in her thoughts, reminding her of the darkness she had felt as a child. Perhaps she had always been tempted by the Dark side and it was the path she was destined to follow. No! This was not her, it was only a possible outcome of the future not her destiny. 

“It won’t happen, I won’t act on it.” Her statement was strong, stronger than her will had been moments ago. Even if she chose not to turn, she could not follow him. Not to the First Order, the very thing she had spent over a decade fighting against. Ben let out a frustrated sigh, the Light beginning to vanish inside. “I-I thought you were coming back to me…” His hardened eyes looked up to her, his silence providing her the answer. She had presumed wrong. How could she have been so foolish? He was never going to come back to the Light again, that was why he fought it so much. “You deceived me…” 

He took a step closer, “I never lied to you.” She scoffed lightly, another realization surfacing in her mind.

 “Let me guess, your meditation time… you were really contacting the First Order?” He fell silent at that and more tears fell in response. 

Her Ben was truly gone then, she could not stay by his side, not like this. (Y/N)’s right hand enclosed around her left ring finger and ripped the silver band off roughly. A pain filled howl fell from Ben’s lips. “N-No, please not again. I can’t lose you again. Y-You’re my life.” Tears continued to slip down (Y/N)’s face, her head shaking in disagreement.

“No, we were hormonal teenagers blinded by the idea of first love, we are nothing more than that.” She was hurt, her heart shattering just as it had been mended. 

“NO!” He barked loudly, “You don’t believe that, you don’t feel that. We were destined.” With that she stepped closer, grabbing a hold of his dangling hand. “No we weren’t.” Numbly she placed the tiny silver band into his massive palm. She closed his fist around it and looked up to him through his tears. 

“Goodbye Kylo Ren.” His lips wobbled, tears cascading down his cheeks as (Y/N) turned away from him. Both of their hearts shattering into a million pieces as she left him. The skies began to cry as the two separated once again. Yes, they were destined, she had lied to him. Destined to love each other but never be within grasp.         

Crying silently to herself, she boarded the Falcon that was hidden just beyond the ridge. Rey, Poe, and Finn stood waiting at the top of the ramp, their eyes dropping at the sight of her. Rey stepped forward, her own sorrow clear as day on her face, she cared for him too. “He’s not coming.” (Y/N)’s voice was barely above a whisper, her body trembling. 

Poe put a gentle hand on her shoulder, “I’m sorry.” A part of her knew he was not all that sorry, why would anyone want Kylo Ren to join the Resistance? He only felt bad for her pain. She nodded numbly, Rey and her sharing sorrow filled looks. “Let’s go then.” 

The trio moved for the cockpit while (Y/N) shuffled to the main hold, she did not want to be around anyone. She did not want their sympathy, no she wanted Ben. Another sob escaped her blubbering lips, he had hurt her again, and this time she could not forget. No she would carry this pain until the end of time, just as he would stay in her heart. The Falcon began to lift off the ground, her hand shooting out to stabilize her on the round table, dropping her saber. 

A weird sensation overcame her at the exact moment, (Y/N) gasping at the feeling. She could feel more power surging through her from the Force, the power having a distinct energy to it. Him. They had connected through the Force somehow, their energy adjoining. She could feel his sadness, anger, and pain. And she knew he could feel hers. Her eyes fluttered shut trying to drown out his overpowering presence and Force. 

“We’re stuck!” Rey shouted, confused. The Falcon was stuck in midair, the thrusters not moving the ship at all. 

“What do you mean?” Poe stood behind the pilot’s chair, while Finn leaned over the co-pilot’s chair, where Chewie sat. Rey shook her head in confusion, she was not sure how it was possible but they could not move, they were locked in place. An intense shake began to rattle through the ship, jolting them around in the cockpit. A heart wrenching pain in her chest tore her attention away from the control panel, the girl immediately standing up. Outside of the cockpit windows, she could see the small house in the distance, and the dark figure that loomed outside its entrance in the pouring rain. She could feel his pain, his anger, and his sadness, but it felt intensified, like it was not just his.

 “It’s Kylo Ren, he’s holding us in place.” Finn exclaimed looking out the window as well. The exterior of the house seemed to be crumbling from an immense pressure, they could see chunks of it falling to the ground. 

Poe shifted over to see, a groan escaping his lips. “I don’t know why I assumed it would be so easy to rescue her, they’re so very obviously connected.” Rey’s eyes widened in realization, connected.

The scavenger was quick on her feet, pushing past the boys and heading for the main hold of the ship. Finn and Poe shouted after her, afraid of what she was doing, before they chased after her too. The three came staggering into the main hold, finding a shocking sight. (Y/N) stood in the center of the room, her arms outstretched and hands fisted, her eyes were closed as tears continued to fall. Boxes, supplies, and miscellaneous objects in the room were all floating around her. The Falcon continued to shake as (Y/N)’s fists clenched tighter and Rey could feel her pain too. It mixed so well with Kylo’s she had not realized what was happening. They were connected through the Force, their combined power destroying the small house and holding the trembling Falcon in place. 

“What do we do?” Poe shouted over the creaking metal of the ship. Rey was unsure, she needed to do something or else they would destroy the Falcon. 

“I don’t - I don’t know!” The sacred Jedi texts had not disclosed anything about bonds like this, at the very least she had not read that part yet. Her concerning thoughts were silenced as a blast seemed to project out from (Y/N)’s center, knocking the three down to the floor of the ship. At that moment the Falcon began to stop shaking and stuttered out of it’s locked place. “Punch it Chewie!” Rey shouted, still lying on the floor in a tangled heap with the two very confused boys. The Falcon quickly flew off into the sky, heading for space. (Y/N)’s bright (Y/E/C) eyes shot open, glistening with tears, as she dropped to her knees. The objects floating around the room dropping with her. Rey could feel the connection was gone and so was the Force from (Y/N)’s soul.

The connection was gone and all (Y/N) felt was pain. She sobbed heavily into her hands as she sunk further into the floor, unaware of the watching eyes. No all she could see was the sweet brown eyes she had loved. She could bear to feel his pain, hers was enough, so without so much of a second thought she closed herself off from the Force. No Force, no each other. A vicious cycle they seemed to be repeating. 

Taglist:

@benpeggycartersolo​

@2heures​

@thephantomwriter​

@thefandomzoneisdangerous​

@carol-chann​

@gambitsqueen​

@pancakefancake​

@zaneholtzwrites​

@moonmama03

@siren-queen03​

#kylo ren #kylo ren x reader #kylo ren fanfiction #ben solo #ben solo x reader #ben solo fanfiction #star wars #star wars series #star wars imagine #Adam driver x reader

[palmettofoxesthings]

Original Story WIP

this is all a part of a larger story that I am currently not inclined to write but kinda works as a one off thing.

September, 2015

“We’re really doing this, aren’t we?” Celeste hugged her knees to her chest and dug her toes into the sand. “We’re actually growing up.”

“Yep.” Elena dropped down beside her and handed over a bottle of cider. “Proper adults.” She laughed and took a swig from the bottle. “Living life and being independent. Making mistakes and getting the hell out of here.”

“You’re really not going to miss home at all?” 

“No.” Elena shrugged. “It’s like… It’s like when you take an exam or something. You don’t think you’re ready for it and then when you’ve done it you could never think about going back.” Celeste laughed and drank from her own bottle as she fixed a quizzical look on her friend.

“That has to be the worst metaphor you’ve ever come up with, El.”

“Whatever. You get what I mean.”

“Yeah, I think I do. Sadly. Spent too much time with a crazy person. It’s affecting my sanity.”

“Hey!” Elena pushed Celeste a little and laughed. Celeste pushed back and turned to stare off to the horizon. The sun was setting behind them and the sky above the sea was dark. Celeste could only imagine what was in the ocean. Something about it tugged at her chest and suddenly her light mood dropped. Elena turned at the sudden silence of her friend and frowned. 

“Oh, god.” Elena moaned. “Don’t get all sad on me now. This is meant to be a celebration. I mean, you’re going to Oxford for fucks sake. Oxford. As in one of the best universities in the world.”

“Yeah.” Celeste said with no enthusiasm. “It’ll be great.” She took another drink from her bottle in her hand and half buried it in the sand to keep it upright, just like she had been doing on this beach for years.

“All right, we are not doing this on your last day.” Elena stood up and held her hands out to Celeste.

“Doing what?” Celeste took Elena’s hands and let herself be pulled up.

“Being miserable.” Elena said it so matter-of-factly that Celeste couldn’t even protest that she was not, in fact, miserable, she was merely contemplative. “We are getting drunk, and dancing, and not getting home till 3am.”

“My parents will kill me. We’re leaving at 5.”

“All the more reason to do it.” Celeste rolled her eyes but let Elena drag her towards to sea.

“You’ll take any reason to piss my parents off.”

“Meh.” Elena shot Celeste a look over her shoulder that Celeste knew read as Elena really couldn’t care less. Celeste couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her cheeks. This was pure and unfiltered Elena, a born trouble maker with mischief built into her DNA. She had been the person who had gotten Celeste into trouble over the years, but she had also dragged her out of it more times than Celeste could count. 

Elena kicked her shoes off near the edge of the water and ran in. Celeste watched her go and shook her head. They were going to freeze, she knew they were going to freeze, she knew this was an utterly awful, terrible, idea. But when she looked back at their little fire, at the bottles of cider left on the beach, at the scene that had been her best and worst times, she couldn’t help but follow along. 

The instant her toes hit the water, Celeste felt a shiver that seemed to wrack up her whole body. Northern England was not a place to go swimming at any time other than, well, ever in Celeste’s opinion. A few metres away Elena was knee deep in the water and getting deeper. Celeste braced herself for a moment to collect her thoughts and question why it was that she was going to do this. Then she charged straight at Elena and knocked them both into the water, head, shoulders and all. 

When they broke the surface again Elena had mascara streaming down her face and Celeste assumed she looked mostly the same. They grinned at each other, neck deep in the water and freezing cold, and couldn’t have been happier. The still silence of the night hung around them both as they stared up to the moon, shining in its full glory and leaving a trail of white across the top of the water. They bobbed on the water in time with the gentle waves.

“I’m gonna miss you.” Celeste broke the silence with a sad smile. “Won’t be the same living without you.”

“I’m gonna miss you too.” Elena pushed a piece of hair out of her face and went in to hug Celeste. At the last moment she whipped her arms out in front of her and splashed water into Celeste and swam away.

“Oh my god!” Celeste spluttered. “What the hell?”

“Too many emotions. It was gross.”

“I hate you!” Celeste swam after Elena. Elena’s eyes widened when she saw Celeste coming and started swimming for shore, both of the laughing the whole time. “Get back here and let me take my revenge!”

“Never!” Elena scrambled to get her feet under her and run along the sea bed back to the fire. Unfortunately, Celeste had always been the stronger swimmer and caught up from behind. She knocked them both down to the sand at the edge of the water. She pinned Elena beneath her and watched as the waves moved Elena’s hair around her.

Elena has always had fascinating eyes. Celeste had thought so since they first met in year 3. The two 7 year olds had spent five minutes staring at each other when the teacher sat them next to each other on the first day of the school year. Celeste had moved to the village over the summer so she has sat, chewing her lip, waiting for her first judgement. She remembered her parents telling her that she would be fine, she just needed to be herself. Elena had cocked her head to one side and then said ‘I like your hair’ and that had been that. Celeste smiled in relief and responded in kind about Elena’s eyes. Elena had given her a sharp nod and they hadn’t been separated since. 

Their noses were impossibly close. Elena wrapped her fingers around Celeste’s and closed the gap. The tips of their noses brushed against each other. They had been doing this dance for two years, getting close and pulling away at the last minute. Tonight, though, Celeste decided enough was enough. 

Their kiss was short. A tentative experiment between the two. When Celeste pulled away she saw Elena grinning. 

“You taste like salt.” Elena said. 

“Likewise.” Celeste huffed out a laugh. 

“Why have we never done that?” Celeste shrugged in response. She was too concerned with the ghost of Elena dancing on her lips. “Do it again.”

“Yeah.” Celeste ran a hand through Elena’s hair and brought it round to rest on her cheek. This kiss was longer, more confident. Elena brought them up so they sat with the water lapping around their legs. Elena braced then both with her hands buried in the sand behind her while Celeste moved her hands to Elena’s neck.

When they broke apart Elena’s heart was racing and Celeste was breathless. Celeste buried her forehead into Elena’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around Elena. 

Elena flicked her eyes towards their fire on the beach. The flames were dying and soon there would be no benefit to the flames. 

“We should go back to the fire.” Elena said. “Needs some more wood.” Celeste grumbled into Elena’s shoulder. “And you’re freezing.”

“Your fault.”

“Mm hm. Fire. Warmth. Dry.”

“Warmth sounds nice.”

“Then get up.” Elena laughed. Celeste stood up grumbling all the time. 

Sand clung to their feet as they walked across the beach to their fire. Celeste picked up her drink and finished the last half of the bottle as she watched Elena add some more wood to the fire. 

Elena grabbed her own bottle and took a seat next to Celeste. Celeste rested her head on Elena’s shoulder and smiled into the fire. For a while, at least, she could pretend that she wasn’t leaving in the morning. Elena wrapped an arm around Celeste’s shoulders and pulled her close.

Elena remembered the last time they had been on the beach this late at night. Celeste had just been dumped by her boyfriend so Elena had snatched her sister’s cider from under her bed. She had gone around to Celeste’s house as soon as she had eaten with her family and dragged Celeste away.

When the door had opened in front of Elena she had gotten her first look at Celeste since school the previous day. Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks had been puffy with tear stains running down both of them. Celeste looked unsurprised that it was Elena at her door at 9 at night and she had given Elena a sad smile in greeting.

“We’re going to the beach.” Elena had announced and held up the pilfered alcohol that she had hidden inside of a reusable shopping bag. Celeste had blinked and looked confused as she processed the statement rather than question. Celeste had then looked over her shoulder towards the lounge where she could hear her parents watching TV.

“I can’t. My parents’ll kill me.”

“It’s a Saturday.” Elena shrugged. “They’ll be passed out in their in half an hour. They won’t even notice.” It had stung Celeste to know that what Elena was saying was true. Elena had seen Celeste’s face fall and knew she had said the wrong thing, not that her friend would ever have said it. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have come unannounced. I’ll come by tomorrow.” Elena had reached in to hug Celeste but Celeste pulled back. Elena had frozen and taken a minute to take in the sight of Celeste biting her lip. It was a quirk of hers, one that Elena had noticed when it started when they were in year 7 and Celeste wasn’t quite sure what to do. It was also a sign that Celeste was probably not going to do the ‘good girl’ thing.

They had ended up on the beach, without a fire since a heatwave had hit England and it was still over 20 degrees at night. Elena had pumped music through her phone and they had spent the night laughing and crying together and, eventually, sat wrapped in each others arms and staring out to the ocean.

Staring into the fire, though, Elena hoped that the heartache that Celeste felt that night was the furthest thing from her mind. She budged Celeste off her shoulder to free herself to stoke the fire and turn her back on it to dry off. Celeste followed suit and shifted so that she was looking out to the water. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on top of them. 

“Something’s on your mind.” Elena said.

“Yeah.” Celeste acknowledge but she did not move from her spot in the sand. Instead she curled into herself tighter and buried her face into her knees.

“Wanna talk about it?” Celeste mumbled something unintelligible and shook her head. “Ok.” Elena waited for Celeste to raise her head, like she had done so many times before when she had pulled into herself. Elena knew that she just had to wait for Celeste to gather the words and force them through her mouth. It had happened too many times for Elena to recall.

“I-” Celeste choked on the word. Too many thoughts were running through her head. Too many things that her parents had said to her over the years that were weighing down on her and felt like they were crushing anything that was Celeste and not a miniature version of them.

“You need to stop hanging around with Elena, she’s no good for you.” Her mother had said to her. Celeste had lost track of how many times they had had this very argument. Neither of them had ever gotten anywhere with the other. Celeste insisted that her mother refused to listen, that she refused to acknowledge her part in how Celeste felt, and nothing crushed Celeste more than being asked how her mother could fix things because what would that prove? That her mother could follow instructions, not that she was understood, or heard, or believed in.

“Just stop it!” Celeste said. “I’ve heard, I know what you think, but I love her so shut up.”

“Don’t be so ridiculous, you don’t love her.”

“Yes, I do.” Celeste’s bottom lip had begun trembling. It was an admission that she had never made out loud before, and had barely made it to herself in her head.

“You’re too young and too naive to know anything. You’re not ‘in love’, it’s ridiculous.”

“If you think I’m too young it’s only because you won’t let me grow up.”

“Don’t say such rubbish.” Celeste’s mother scoffed and brushed her off with the same casual dismissal as she had for Celeste’s whole life.

“It’s not rubbish!” Frustration was clawing its way through Celeste. She could feel tears building in her eyes and an overwhelming desire to tug on her hair.

“It is rubbish. Of course I let you grow up. I’m supporting you aren’t I? With your university nonsense.”

“University nonsense.” Celeste’s voice wavered with disbelief threaded through every word. As much as she wished that she could, Celeste had not been able to stop the tears that started rolling down her cheeks. “Get out.” Celeste had tried to keep her voice steady, tried to keep calm, but when her mother didn’t budge she shouted. “Get out! Get out, get out!”

“Ungrateful brat!” Her mother had shouted from the other side of the door. Celeste had closed it and dropped all of her weight onto it, letting herself slide down the door and onto the floor.

“Sorry.” Celeste wiped the tears from her eyes. At some point during the memory Elena moved to her side and pulled Celeste into her arms.

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” Elena said because she knew exactly what Celeste had been thinking about just as she knew the days of the week or the ten times table. It was a kind of intrinsic knowledge but she could not pinpoint when or where she had learnt it. “You’re gonna kill it, you know. University, I mean. You’re amazing at anything you set your mind to.”

“Well we’ll see if Cicero agrees with you soon.”

“It still baffles me that you know Latin.”

“Honestly? Me too.” Celeste laughed. 

“We should head home.” Elena said, a few hours later. 

“Yeah.” Celeste nodded. She held out an unsteady hand to Elena once she was standing and together thy covered their fire, which had gone out about an hour previously.

“You know,” Celeste slurred a little as they left the beach, “we should do this before I go every time.”

“We should.” Elena smiled.

Celeste’s house was not far from the beach, but several bottles of cider each later it felt like a trek up Mount Everest. Both Celeste and Elena were leaning heavily on each other and were barely upright. Celeste giggled as they both stumbled into a wall and Elena shushed her with a finger on her lips.

“I’ll call you every day.” Celeste said.

“You better else I’ll assume something terrible has happened and mount a full scale manhunt.” Celeste started laughing but paused when Elena did not join in. Celeste frowned.

“Wait. You’re not serious, right?”

“You’re too easy, oh my gosh.” Elena ruffled Celeste’s hair and laughed. Celeste looked up the street to her house. Neither of them said anything for the rest of the walk until they stopped outside of Celeste’s front door.

“I like your hair.” Elena twirled a piece of Celeste’s hair around her finger. The fire had dried it off for the most part so it sat a frizzy mess around Celeste’s head. They stood just far enough from the door that they wouldn’t trigger the outdoor light to turn on. 

“I like your eyes.”

#wip #original story #lgbt #fiction #writing #original characters #one shot #ish #I'm using this as a distraction bc I got made redundant today and this is better than making a legit post about it cos no one wants that #mine #palmetto foxes writes things

[theflashdriver]

By Land and Sea

When Sonic makes a bet with Amy, it backfires almost immediately. He has come face to face with one of his greatest fears but, at the same time, he isn't one to back down from a challenge. Can he beat Amy at a swimming race or will he flounder? This is the third part of my Sonamy Week catch up! This fic was written for the race prompt! It’s a little over 4.5k words long, I hope you will enjoy!

"This isn't what I agreed to, Ames."

"Oh, it's exactly what you agreed to, my darling." He could hear the delight in her voice; though his eyes were turned from her the blue hedgehog could plainly see the grin on her face. "You promised that if I beat you in a race you'd go on a date with me."

No, he wasn't looking at her; instead, his eyes were fixed upon the racetrack before him. The very racetrack he took issue with. Marked with floating orbs and, no more than 200 metres away, a flagpole that slowly bobbed from side to side. Two lanes of ocean had been isolated, made into a path through the positioning of small orb-shaped buoys. The two met at their ends, a larger central buoy with a blue flag marking the midway point. If the water were land it'd be simple, as fast as Amy was he'd beat her to the marker, around it and back. He'd probably pass her before she got halfway up her lane… well, maybe three quarters. But the sea was a different matter, they were stood on a beach rather than a raceway. Though he avoided water, he'd seen Amy swimming before. She was good and fast, while he might as well have been made from lead. The blue hedgehog needed a life preserver to keep himself above the surface, let alone swim a straight line. No matter how he tried to bolster himself, throwing his eyes to the sky or focusing on that flag, fear and, an emotion he so rarely faced, doubt was plaguing him.

There was a tug at his wrist. Shuddering, he pried his eyes away; allowing them to meet those of Cream. Innocent and full of empathy, she spoke. "I'm afraid that is what you said Mister Sonic. You didn't specify what kind of race, you only said that Miss Amy had to beat you."

"She's got you there, Sonic. You should've been more specific." From his other side he'd heard Tails, the young fox he trusted more than anyone, betray him over the silly technicality. "You kinda brought this upon yourself."

"D-Don't side with them Tails! You know what I meant just like they do! I mean really. When I say race, is your first thought actually…" He shuddered, looking to the lapping waves ahead of them. "…Swimming?"

Amy's didn't hesitate to answer, gleefully posing a question of her own. "Come on Sonic, what would you call this if not a race?"

Many phrases rushed through Sonic's head; a death trap, a nightmare, a one-way ticket to a watery grave, but he settled on, "Lame. Just plain lame." Unable to stomach it, he turned around; eyes closed and chin raised. "It's like challenging Knuckles to chess after he says he can beat anyone in a one on one match, or askin' the Chaotix to solve maths problems rather than mysteries. It's just not what they do, just like I don't swim."

Cream gasped, innocently taken aback. "Oh no, does that mean you're giving up Mister Sonic?"

"Of course not Cream." He'd turned back to the young rabbit, lowering himself to better look her in the eye. "Even if Amy's better at…" Despite having spoken it once already, the word 'swim' felt gross in his mouth. He shook off its vile taste, continuing to reassure the little girl. "Even if Amy's better at this than me, I've got to give it my best shot! No matter how scared you are Cream, you should never back down." It wasn't his best motivational speech, but then he wasn't in the best headspace. He was bolstering himself almost as much as he was trying to send a message.

The young rabbit gave a strong nod, the little chao in her arms matching it. "You're right Mister Sonic! You should always do your best, even when defeat is certain. You might get lucky!" It wasn't quite the glowing affirmation he'd hoped for; even though he knew the rabbit was being genuine, her lack of faith did scuff his pride. Before her wounding could show, she'd turned to face Amy. "Cheese and I will go set things up. Good luck both of you!"

With that, Cream rushed away from the group; what she had left to set up Sonic had no idea. There was a beat of silence, his gut wouldn't let him turn toward the sea and yet he didn't have the strength to face Amy. Thus, he looked to the sky; the sun was shining, the day was windless and only had a few clouds to its name. If this were it a regular race, these would be the perfect conditions.

"Sonic." All of a sudden his imagined visage of Amy was discarded, the anxious way she'd said his name had stripped it all away. "Are you actually scared? You know we don't have to do this if you don't want to"

"Me? Scared?" He snorted, both attempting to reassure her while, simultaneously, puffing himself up. "Yeah right."

"Well, supposing you were, there's nothing to worry about." Unfortunately, his words hadn't been quite enough. She probably wanted him to meet her eye. "The waters are calm today and we shouldn't be at sea any longer than ten minutes. Besides, we're not going too far out."

Finding the strength, he looked to her. Sure enough, there was a glint of concern in her eyes, hands clasped before her. He grinned, shaking his head. "Honestly Ames, I was just putting on a show to make the kids think you stand a chance. Keep things interesting. I'll totally be able to…" The word 'swim' caught on his tongue again, its mere thought made him queasy, but he forced himself through it; maintaining bravado. "Win this race, no sweat."

"Oh really? You're not?" Following his show of confidence, her concern had mostly slipped away, a smile sliding into its place. Amy had leant in, standing on her tiptoes to match his height. "It's cute seeing you flustered for once, Sonic." Perhaps his queasiness wasn't so easily hidden. "Don't worry; I'm sure it'll be an easy lap." There were few cockier than him and so, when it came to smugness, he could recognise it from a mile away. "If anything happens just call me and I'll swim over to save you. I want you in one piece for our date after all."

Attempting to exceed her cockiness, Sonic rose to his own toes and outsized her once more. A winning smirk returned to his lips. "Don't you worry about me Ames, it may be calm now but as soon as I'm out there it's going to get choppy. Maybe duck under when I pass by, the waves are gonna be huge."

"Yes Sonic, I'm terrified of your doggy-paddle." Once again, his endeavour had failed. "Well, as long as I can hear your screaming over the splashing you're in safe hands." Amy lowered herself, turning on her heel, but before she left she looked back to him, a gentler smile on her face. "As much as I want to win, more than that, I hope you have fun; I know you enjoy competition after all. Good luck Sonic!"

"Y-Yeah, good luck Ames!" He ran his finger beneath his nose and, before he could stop himself, called out in reassurance. "Don't worry so much, swimming or running, I like spending time with you." He almost bit through his tongue as she turned around. A pinkness matching her hair had snuck onto her cheeks. "I mean, having you around keep things interesting… you know what I mean?"

Amy's hands clasped, her smile blinding. "Aww, Sonic! Of course, I know what you mean!"

When Miss Rose turned around the spring in her step had more than doubled. He rubbed his forehead. Sonic wasn't sure which parts of that conversation he regretted and, while he was no stranger to making a fool of himself, the knot in his stomach and heat he was feeling were a little too much to handle. He took a deep breath, circling his shoulders, and tried to push out such thoughts. What's done was done, he'd talked a big game so he had to do something… even if winning wasn't in the cards. Just what that something was, he had no idea. Planning was difficult…

"If you're so worried about it why don't you just run off?" Tails question pulled Sonic from his stupor; the little fox had raised a good point. "It's not like you haven't before."

"As stupid of a race as this is, I did kind of promise her, you know?" He ran a hand through his quills, continuing to ignore the heat on his cheeks. "Running off now, it'd just be wrong. Uncool even."

"Wow, I guess this really was smart of her. I didn't realise your word to her meant that much." A glance to Tails proved a fact he'd feared, there was a broad grin on his face. The smugness was spreading.

Flashing his own grin Sonic reached down, ruffling the young fox's ears. "Nah, it's just that Cream's here. Got to be a good role model, after all, I can't let her think heroes back down from a challenge. Let alone lie."

The young boy snorted. "Yeah right, you just don't want to admit it."

"Admit what?" He feigned ignorance.

"Though you whined about the race, and I'm sure you'll moan when you lose, you don't think Amy winning would be such a bad thing." Sonic could practically hear his influence in the young boy's taunts. "In fact, I bet you want to go on that da-

The hedgehog continued to noogie him, further messing his fur and cutting him off. "Yeah, well, when I beat her in this race I'll prove you doubly wrong, won't I? That'll be a change."

Finally, the boy genius pushed him off. The grin on his fluffy muzzle was forced into view. "Lucky I brought your inflatable then, isn't it? Or will you not be needing them, seeing as you're so confident."

Hands crossed over his heart, an overly pained expression overcame the Blue Blur's face. Bending his right leg he allowed himself to lean on the young fox as if he'd been gravely wounded. "My own little bro, siding with the enemy. Where did I go wrong? You knew about this, you knew they'd tricked me all this time and yet you said nothing. Oh Tails, how could you?" His right arm raised to cross his brow as he began to mock cry; "My own bro, betrayed by my own bro!"

Laughter erupted beneath him, Sonic heard the sound of feet struggling to kick up sand as the little fox struggled to support him; "It's not like I could've done anything about it, you agreed before I could say anything."

At that, Sonic brought himself to stand straight; whipping a final faux tear from his eye. "I suppose I'll find it in my heart to forgive you then. Stop me next time though, alright? Tackle me to the ground if you have to, you're meant to be my brains."

"Fine, fine, I promise I'll stop you next time." Tails promised. Reaching behind himself and into a small rucksack, the youth pulled out a dark blue lifejacket. On its shoulder a new addition, a bright orange whistle on an extendable cord.

Sonic took it with a sigh, pulling it over his shoulders before doing the buckle around his belly. "You're really confident in me winning, aren't you Tails?"

He shrugged, that smugness had returned. "Better to be safe than sorry,"

The blue blur turned back to the water, Amy wasn't lying when she said it was calm. It must have been close to low tide but the beach was long and empty. A glance further up the bank revealed Cream and Cheese, staking two flags into the sand; both their finish line and likely starting point. So, there would be a dash from land to water before the true challenge started. While at first he'd thought this would merely give him a small head start, an idea snuck its way to the forefront of his mind. There was a technique that, while difficult, he had performed before in times of crisis. The sand sprawled out far enough for it, the only problem he could really foresee was rounding the midway buoy, a sharp turn. If he could control his turning long enough to manage that then things would be fine. Running on water, well… it was worth a shot at least?

"Well, good luck finding your nerve. I'm sure you'll have fun on the date." Before Sonic could get in another word, Tails had taken off; tail spinning as he rushed over to aid the young rabbit.

Rolling his eyes, Sonic opened the valve in his lifejacket and started to blow; inflating it until he felt safe. The young fox wasn't necessarily wrong; even if this plan didn't work out he was more scared of the water than he was the practically inevitable date. Despite his stutter and regret, he hadn't lied; he did enjoy spending time with her. Amy was always excited to see him and she could pull reactions from him that no one else could. She kept him going like no one else could. Pacing, he cast his eyes across the water's surface; watching the waves froth as they broke against pale sand. It really was gross, everything from the scent of salt to the sound told him he wasn't meant to be here. Even the sand beneath his feet was uneven; it kicked up with every step and certainly didn't make for smooth running. Standing on the beach was definitely way worse than lying on the beach, at least then he could keep his distance from the water, listen to music and properly daydream.

"I thought I'd be seeing you at the starting line, I'm surprised you're still hanging back here." Amy had returned, freeing him from his thoughts. "You'll be swimming in your shoes then?"

"Figured I'd end up waiting for you no matter what." He grinned, turning to her as they wandered toward the finish line. "And well, if we're starting with a sprint I ought to get the most out of my head start."

Her red dress had been shed in place of a red swimsuit. While he tried not to think too long about it, let alone stare too long, he did think it suited her. It was a simple, red, one-piece suit but, around the waist, it had additional fabric that flared out to give the guise of a white skirt with a thin red hem.

"I thought you were going to win this race no sweat." She teased.

Winning would still be difficult but with his plan in mind; there was a spark of genuine confidence in his heart. "Well yeah, but this way you won't even make it to the water. No point in you getting soaked over what's sure to be a landslide victory."

"Oh, we'll see about that." They arrived at the starting line, Cream having gathered pebbles from the surrounding area to construct the start/finish line itself and flags being planted to better separate their lanes. "If you're going to do your best, so will I."

As she started to stretch, warming up well for someone certain they'd win, he couldn't help noticing Amy's hairband had been replaced with a messy bun; her quills bundled near the back of her head. Despite telling himself he wouldn't, he'd found himself staring at the cute sight; pulled in by her excitement. Tearing himself away he reached across his body, beginning a stretch of his own.

With the kids continued to set things up, Tails preparing a camera in case (by some miracle) a photo finish occurred, Sonic saw idle opportunity to pry. "So Ames, what did you have in mind for that date?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." She swapped from crossing her right arm against her body to the left.

"What, no spoilers?" He bent down, touching his toes before reaching behind himself; feeling his calves warm. "Come on Amy, give me a hint at least."

"I know the only way to keep you interested is to keep you on your toes," She continued to refuse. "If I told you now, wouldn't you get bored?"

"A deal's a deal, isn't it? I'm coming on the date if you win, no matter how gross it is." Another glance to Amy found her mid-lunge, returning his gaze. "But that doesn't matter, I'm only asking 'cause I'm gonna win. Tell me now, it might convince me to lose on purpose."

"We both know, as soon as your feet leave the sand, you're going to get stuck my darling." She jested. "Regardless, I want you to enjoy yourself on the date so…"

"So?" He quirked a brow, awaiting her statement.

"Well…I haven't quite decided what we're doing yet." That surprised him; Amy had been asking him out for as long as he could remember… yet she had nothing planned? She elaborated. "I've waited so long for this, I've had my heart set on so many ideas, but now it's so close I'm not sure what I want to do." She stood straight, rolling some final kinks out of her shoulders. "Twinkle Park, going to the movies, getting dinner… I can't decide." There was a sparkle in her eyes that, coupled with the glow in her cheeks brought on by her warm-up, was too much for him.

Maybe, if his plan did work out, he'd treat her to something anyway. Go out for chilidogs or maybe just hang around the beach a little longer, today felt like an ice cream and relaxing kind of day.

Having caught himself staring again, Sonic turned away. "Well, it's good you're not set on anything seeing as I'm gonna win."

"In your dreams my darling Sonic." The pink hedgehog had taken her place on the starting line, lowering herself to a crouching start position.

Sonic matched it, fingertips buried in the sand and eyes locked on the path ahead. The running lane couldn't be longer than twenty metres, even that was a higher estimate. Still, he figured it would be enough to build up the speed, he'd grab onto the buoy on the way around for turning leverage. Yeah, that seemed like it'd work!

At the edge of his lane stood Tails and at Amy's stood Cream, both prepared a flag in one hand and a whistle in the other. Cream was beaming. "The first one back wins! Good luck you two!"

"On your marks…"

"Get set…"

With the blow of the whistle he was off, kicking up sand and bolting forward as fast as he could; not a glance to Tails nor even back to Amy as he claimed his lead. No sound but his footfalls and breathing filled his ears, vision tunnelled on the midway buoy. Soon the dull thudding of his feet turned to splashing, the smack of his soles against water, he had to be prepared for that; had to maintain his pace, quicken it even. He could feel the wind cutting against his cheeks, muffling the sun's warmth as the pounding of his heart grew faster.

Then it happened, the first splash; he'd arrived in the shallows! Sonic closed his eyes, refusing brace himself lest it slowed him. Seaspray coated his body, beads of water like bullets buried into his fur to mingle the salt of his sweat with their own. His footfalls continued; short, rapid, splashes that blurred into each other, making it impossible to identify how far out to sea he was. Confident he could keep this up, the hedgehog's eyes reopened. As he could feel, the waters directly in front of him were flickering up with every step; colliding with his legs and bare stomach. He refocused on the buoy, growing closer with every fraction of a second, in preparation he reached out with his right arm. It couldn't have been ten seconds since he'd left the beach, probably closer to five.

The hedgehog lent in preparation for the turn. Contact was made with the flag. His fingers coiled around the pole's length. A resounding snap cut through his wet footfalls. The flagpole hadn't been strong enough to handle his speed and had broken in two; before he could even realise what had happened it was dragging behind him. The drag from the pole had an immediate impact on his speed, rather than bounce off the surface Sonic's next footfall splashed straight through it. Sonic quickly let go of the pipe but it was already too late, his slowed (but still considerable) momentum led him to bounce off the surface twice, splashing deeper each time, before he found himself submerged and spinning.

The world was a blur, his mouth opened only to fill with seawater as his head dunked time and time again, carried by his own prior speed. When he finally stabilised and surfaced he'd completely lost his bearings, coughing and spluttering the hedgehog found himself surrounded by ocean; kept afloat by his life vest more than his awful attempt to tread water. His shoes waterlogged, he could already feel them starting to slip. Limbs smacking against the surface, Sonic was struggling to turn. Craning his neck, bobbing as though he were tempest-tossed, Sonic could see the base of the buoy and, no more than a few metres beyond that floating grey orb, a bobbing pink head on the approach.

Having spat up what was either his fourth or fifth mouthful of water, he felt a wave meet with his back and push him ever so slightly closer to the floater. He knew he was supposed to lean forward, kick his legs and swing his arms, but the position was just too bizarre to him. The hedgehog was at his best upright, sprinting, not lying down and flailing. Thus, precisely as Amy had predicted, Sonic found himself doggy paddling; arms fumbling through the water as he ran in place. His pace was gruelling, though he continued to wriggle the truth he'd always known had set in. In the water, he stood no chance of beating Amy.

Her consistent, fast-paced, breaststroke was cutting through the water unfazed by its gentle waves. As he watched the pink hedgehog approach he did, admittedly, feel himself relax. Tail's lifejacket, despite its condescending whistle, was keeping his head well above the water despite his frantic efforts. He wasn't comfortable but, at the very least, seeing her so close made him feel safe. Before he could quite make it to the buoy she'd pulled up in front of him, coming to a halt and treading water so very casually.

Soaked and ragged, he used most of his remaining smarm. "Hey, Ames. Long time no see."

"Hey." That prior cockiness wasn't there, instead that gentle smile she'd worn when she'd worried about his fear. "Need a little help?"

"Maybe just a little, looks like you're goin' my way and getting there way faster than me." He smiled.

"Nothing to it but practice." She'd gotten closer still, floating shoulder to shoulder with him. "Wrap your arm around me and I'll show you."

He fully stopped treading water, taking her offer and allowing herself to properly float with her. It'd be a lie to say he wasn't embarrassed but, given the situation, he thought he was keeping his cool rather well. "I think it'll be lost on me but I'll give it a shot."

Amy lowered herself, laying flat in the water, and began to swim again. She'd slowed yes, head permanently raised above the water rather than bobbing, but her pace was still ten times what his had been, "You just need to understand that, as long as you keep moving, you'll keep floating."

"You say that but without this vest, I'd have sunk like a stone regardless of how hard I struggled." He explained.

"That's where the practice comes in, the more you do it the longer you'll manage to stay up."

"I'm sure you're right Ames, but, I think I'll just stick to dry land wherever I can." He couldn't help staring at her as she swam; powerful arms cutting through the water. Words seemed to bubble up without his say. "Then again, I guess I would like to practice running on water some more. If I'd made it around that corner I'd have beat you for certain."

"Well, if you want another shot at it you could always challenge me to another race." He could tell she was joking, at least mostly, "Although, I've yet to decide on our first date, let alone a second…"

As she raised the deal again, a thought entered the hedgehog's head, one he hadn't considered until now. Thinking fast, Sonic waggled his forefinger; "I said if you won I'd go on a date with you, not what kind of date we'd be going on." Finally, having been soaked and beaten, things were back to their natural state. He was the one being cocky. "That means I get to pick what we do."

"Oh Sonic, you really think that matters to me? Of course, you can pick our first date! I'd love that!" Her swimming slowed, she'd turned to look over her shoulder. A smile had spread across her lips, still gently pulling him along. "I didn't pick this race because I knew I'd win, I picked it so you couldn't keep running once you cleared the finishing line. Any time spent with you is a good time."

"Y-Yeah, sure, wh-whatever, Ames." Though he couldn't bring himself to admit it, surrounded by ocean and blushing profusely, he felt the same.

#sonamy #sonamy week 2019 #sonamyweek19 #amy rose #sonic the hedgehog #tails the fox #Cream the Rabbit

[the-observant-frisbeetarian]

Chapter 5

Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart by George deValier

Feliciano lay in long, sun drenched grass with Ludwig beside him, smiling, a ray of orange sunlight turning his hair to gold. He reached for Feliciano and pulled him close with warm, strong arms. Feliciano gasped, ran his fingers through that golden hair, shuddered at the soft touch of Ludwig's lips on his neck. All was silent around them… no one else existed in the entire world. Feliciano threw his head back and moaned. "Ludwig…"

A deafening bang exploded in his ears and Feliciano's eyes shot open, blinking in the sudden soft light. It took him a few moments to remember where he was, and when he did, he could hear Lovino's frantic breathing cut through the silence of the bedroom. He turned his head to see Lovino limp heavily from the front door to the dresser, take the glass tomato Antonio had given him from its surface, and clutch it tightly in his hand before smashing it suddenly to the ground. Feliciano blinked in shock and pushed himself upright, the last vestiges of sleep falling away. "Lovino, what are you doing?"

Lovino barely noticed him. He just dropped to his knees, placed the lantern on the ground and searched through the shards of glass until he found something. He held the tiny object up to the light. Lovino stared at it, unmoving, breathing heavily, before he closed his hand over it and clutched it to his chest. He laughed bitterly. "Bastard."

Feliciano pulled himself out of bed, confused and worried. "What is it?"

"Nothing. It's nothing." Lovino put his head in his hands briefly. "Oh God, it's nothing, nothing."

Feliciano dropped to the floor beside Lovino, grasping his hand and opening it to see what he held. It was a plain, silver ring. Lovino did not protest when Feliciano took it and held the ring up to the light, turning it over in his fingers. There were letters inscribed on the inside. Feliciano read out the unfamiliar words. "Te quiero. What does that mean?"

"Nothing," Lovino repeated firmly. "Forget it." He snatched the ring back and thrust it in his pocket. "Just forget you saw it, and I'll forget I saw it, and we'll all just forget that any of this ever happened." Feliciano got the feeling he was talking about something other than the ring.

"Forget that what happened? Lovino? What happened?"

Lovino just shook his head and pulled himself to his feet. "Nothing," he repeated.

"What's the time? Why are you home so late? Where is Antonio? Grandpa said you hurt your ankle, are you all right? Lovino, you look like you are going to fall over."

"Feliciano," said Lovino as he limped shakily to his bed. "Go back to sleep."

Feliciano nodded reluctantly, realising that was the most he was going to get out of Lovino tonight. "Will you at least let me bandage your ankle?" Lovino responded, but it was muffled by a pillow. "I'm sorry?"

"I said, Antonio already did that. Now shut up."

Feliciano smirked at that. He quickly swept up the broken shards and discarded them, a little disappointed as he watched them fall into the bin. It was a shame that Lovino had to break something so pretty just to find out what was inside it. Te quiero. He would have to find out what it meant. Feliciano sighed and climbed back into bed, hoping that he could fall back into the same dream he had been woken out of.

.

The wind carried with it a deep and bitter chill as Feliciano walked through the cold morning air. The winter had been unusually mild so far, and even though the day before had been unseasonably warm, there had been a sudden change almost overnight. Feliciano could even make out snow on the mountains. Along with the sudden freeze, dark clouds had settled on the horizon, and Feliciano watched them uneasily as he strolled along the road. He never had liked winter storms, with the freezing rain and the piercing lightning and the thunder that rolled off the mountains and echoed back twice as loud. When Feliciano was little, Grandpa Roma used to say that the thunder was the old Gods fighting each other. That just scared him more.

Feliciano was fairly sure Ludwig would not be waiting for him this early, but he made his way towards the oak tree anyway. And when he made out the familiar military uniform and blond hair in the distance, his heart leapt and he ran.

"Ludwig! Ludwig, you came!" Feliciano stumbled as he reached the tree and laughed breathlessly when Ludwig grasped his arms to steady him.

"Careful," said Ludwig, but his lips twitched in a small smile.

"I was worried you wouldn't come ba -" Feliciano stopped himself. "I was worried you would be too busy."

"I am busy, but... not enough to keep me away." Ludwig shrugged helplessly. "I think only one thing would be."

The words sent a dizzying thrill through Feliciano, even as they filled him with dread. He did not ask what that thing would be... he did not want to think about that now. Today he wanted to forget the dangers, forget the right and wrong. Today, he just wanted to be with Ludwig. He looked down and realised with a jolt that Ludwig was still holding him by the arms. Ludwig noticed at the same time and immediately dropped his hands, turning red. "I'm sorry, I..."

"Come with me." Feliciano did not give Ludwig a chance to finish, to start overthinking and grow embarrassed. "I want to show you a place." He grasped Ludwig's hand then turned and headed across the field. "You like walking, don't you? That's good because it's fairly far away. Oh, but don't worry, we'll get there before noon. I'm not going to lead you into the mountains, Ludwig!"

"Uh... just where are we going?" Ludwig sounded a little surprised, but as though he was trying to hide it.

"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise!"

"It's a surprise?"

Feliciano laughed gleefully. "It is now!" Actually, he was not even completely sure himself where they were heading. But he was sure he would find the perfect place. A place where no one could find them; where they could be all that existed in the entire world. A place far enough away that by the time they walked there and back, they would have spent the whole day together.

Usually this field would be well tilled, but lately there had been little time for the usual work. The green grass brushed almost to their knees, occasionally brightening to yellow when the sun broke through the dark clouds. Feliciano was relieved to see that the darkest of them remained at a distance. Ludwig's hand remained warm and firm in his as they ambled side by side, heading towards the sloping hill at the end of the field. Feliciano swung his basket by his side and wondered if he would miss the market again today. He hoped so. After all, how could be not prefer to spend the day wandering over the countryside hand in hand with Ludwig? It almost felt like they could just keep going… keep going towards the mountains, away from everything, and never come back. Feliciano snuck a sideways glance at Ludwig to find him looking back. They both immediately looked away.

"The weather has certainly turned," said Ludwig quickly.

"They say a storm will hit before the spring," said Feliciano, before remembering the sentence as his code from the previous day. He glanced nervously at Ludwig, but he did not seem to have noticed anything unusual.

"It looks like it, doesn't it. Are you cold?" asked Ludwig.

Feliciano shook his head and smiled happily at the concerned tone in Ludwig's voice. "I'm fine."

Ludwig nodded. "And… how are you? After yesterday, I mean. Are you all right, Feliciano?"

Feliciano suddenly remembered the events in the town square and wished he hadn't. Today he was supposed to be forgetting all that. "Well... yes. Thank you for being there to... thank you for being there." Ludwig had not released his hand yet. Feliciano clutched even tighter to it.

"I did not want you to see that. You should not have to see things like that." Feliciano's chest leapt but he kept his eyes on the grass beneath their feet. Ludwig was silent for a long time. "We're not all like that," he said finally, almost a whisper.

"I know that. Of course you're not." Feliciano was certain, beyond any doubt, that Ludwig was one of the best men he had ever known. To compare him for a moment to those police in the square, whose job was to torture and maim and murder, was unthinkable. "You're a good man. I can tell."

Ludwig turned his head sharply, looking almost upset. "I've always been able to control things. But I am not strong enough to control everything, apparently."

"What a silly thing to say, Ludwig. No one is strong enough to control everything. Not even Grandpa Roma. And he's the strongest man I know. Once a tractor broke down in the field and Grandpa pushed it all the way home by himself. With Lovino and I sitting on it and yelling at him to go faster."

"He sounds a bit like my grandfather."

Feliciano was always so happy hearing even the smallest thing about Ludwig's life. He tried to imagine Ludwig's grandfather; if he was tall and strong and handsome like Ludwig, or as different from him as Grandpa Roma was from Feliciano. "Maybe our Grandpas would be friends if they met."

Ludwig gave a small shrug, but he did not look convinced. "Who knows."

The grass grew shorter beneath their feet as they reached the edge of the field and headed up the sloping rise. Clusters of trees dotted the landscape before them, the mountains rose in the distance, and the green rolling hills on all sides were splashed with patches of red and orange and purple. Ludwig stayed silent for the most part, letting Feliciano ramble on and point out the landmarks below as they climbed - the broken down tank that had sat by the roadside for a year, the outline of the village in the distance, the rows of farm houses growing smaller below them. With his stomach fluttering madly and a sort of wild excitement running through him, Feliciano felt the concerns and dangers and fears melt behind him the further away he walked with Ludwig. He felt practically giddy as he looked down at their hands still clasped… Ludwig had not moved to pull away. He passed his basket to Ludwig before leaning down to pluck a flower. He then placed it carefully in Ludwig's jacket. "That's a giglio bianco." Ludwig smiled and Feliciano's heart skipped a beat.

"White lily."

"Esatto!" said Feliciano, smiling back. He rattled off the names of the flowers he recognised as they passed. "And there is an agno casto, and those are valeriana rossa. And oh, here, we grow this in the garden." Feliciano plucked a sprig of rosemary and pressed it into Ludwig's jacket buttonhole next to the lily. "And there's rosmarino."

"That's for remembrance," said Ludwig. Feliciano blinked quizzically. "It's from Shakespeare. Hamlet," Ludwig explained.

"Oh!" said Feliciano in understanding. "Yes, Grandpa read that to us a few times. 'Pray you, love, remember.'" He smiled wistfully. Grandpa always used to read English stories to him and Lovino, back before the war started and there were too many more important things to do. "Well there you are, Ludwig, now you will not forget me!"

"Feliciano, I don't need a sprig of rosemary to remember you. Nothing could ever make me forget." Feliciano laughed happily as Ludwig cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject. "You're not too cold?" he asked again.

"It is not so bad while walking." Feliciano gave Ludwig a strange look. He had already answered this question. "Are you cold?"

"No. Your winters here are very mild compared to my home."

"Really? Does it also rain a lot, like in England? Do you get lots of snow? Is it… oh, Ludwig, look, let's stop over here!" Feliciano noticed a small copse of trees, like a little dark island in the middle of the vast rolling green, and pulled Ludwig over to it. It was darker under the overhead foliage, but the sunlight still streamed through and bathed the thicket in gold and shadow. Feliciano finally let go of Ludwig's hand to wander between the tree trunks, leisurely reaching up and picking a leaf off each one. He twirled them absently between his fingers. "Do you miss it?" he asked, peering back up at Ludwig through a low hanging branch. "Your home?"

"Of course. Very much. And my grandfather. And my brother." Ludwig followed Feliciano at a short distance as they wandered under the dark cover of leaves. He seemed quite content to follow wherever Feliciano led today.

"And your friends?"

Ludwig scratched the back of his neck nervously. "I've never had many friends."

Feliciano was surprised. "No friends?"

Ludwig shook his head. "Gilbert was always the popular one. Usually people just seem afraid of me. Or I suppose I just don't talk enough to..." Ludwig shrugged. "I don't know."

Feliciano found that strange. He was usually afraid of everything... and yet Ludwig did not scare him at all. He reached up and plucked another leaf from a tree. "I'm not very good at making friends either, Ludwig. Although it's not because I don't talk... actually, I think that might be the problem. I mean, I always try to be nice to people, but they usually end up saying 'Shut up, Feliciano, you're so annoying!' or 'You're nothing like your Grandpa, are you?' or they just look at me strangely and walk away. You don't ever do that, though. You never tell me to shut up."

"That is because I do not want you to shut up."

Ludwig always seemed to know the exact thing to say to make Feliciano's heart leap and his knees weaken. He turned quickly to hide the silly smile that spread across his face, continuing to weave between the tree trunks and pick leaves. He came to one where the branch was too high and jumped a few times, his fingers straining to reach the leaf just centimetres out of his grasp. Then his stomach tightened when he felt Ludwig walk up behind him. He could smell the familiar scent of his jacket; could feel Ludwig's chest inches from his back, his close presence like an electrical charge. Ludwig reached up, his arm brushing Feliciano's shoulder, and plucked the leaf from the branch before pressing it into Feliciano's shaking hand. Feliciano just stared at it dazedly, suddenly overwhelmed with that increasingly desperate desire to touch Ludwig. He turned, almost in a daze. Ludwig was still so close behind him. But it wasn't close enough. Feliciano reached up and planted the leaf in Ludwig's buttonhole, his fingers lingering too long on the firm chest. Ludwig raised an eyebrow.

"Soon I will have a garden in my jacket."

Feliciano laughed, forcing himself to drop his hands and look at the ground. He tried to breathe deeply; tried to remember how. He took a reluctant step back and shivered.

"You are sure you're not too cold?" asked Ludwig.

"No," said Feliciano immediately, hiding his shaking hands in his pockets.

Ludwig sounded unconvinced. "Your jacket does not look warm enough."

"It is just a little colder under the trees, that's all." Why did Ludwig keep asking if he was cold?

Feliciano heard a shuffling and looked up in surprise to see Ludwig shrugging off his jacket. He turned red and held it out, staring at his feet the whole time. "Here."

Oh. Because he was trying to give him his jacket. Feliciano bit his lip. It was such a silly gesture… something that Grandpa Roma would do to make the girls in town giggle. And yet Feliciano felt lightheaded, like his chest would burst, and his lips pulled into a smile he could not control. He was filled with such ridiculous happiness at the insistent gesture.

But then he looked at the jacket. The military grey, the decorations on the chest, the lines on the shoulder, the badges at the collar. The lily and rosemary; the eagle and the swastika. Feliciano's stomach dropped. Could he wear that? What would that mean? Before he could make up his mind, Ludwig took a step towards him and placed the jacket over his shoulders. Feliciano gasped, a sharp breath, inhaling the clean and warm scent. The jacket fell heavy and much too wide over his shoulders. He pushed his hands slowly through the arms and laughed when they did not reach the cuffs. Then he smiled up at Ludwig. Ludwig gazed back intently, his blue eyes bright. And Feliciano knew it was all right. It had to be all right. Because right now, it wasn't a military jacket. It was Ludwig's jacket.

"We're nearly there, Ludwig," said Feliciano, still unsure where they were headed. But he just took Ludwig's hand again and drew him out of the trees, into the sunshine and further up the green hill. They continued to climb as the sun rose higher and the chill of the air around them lessened. Feliciano was not sure if the new warmth that flooded him was from the sun, the jacket, or the fact that Ludwig again made no move to pull his hand away.

It did not take much longer before Feliciano found a suitable destination, a ruined structure that sat close to the highest point of the sloping hill. The ceiling of the old church had long since crumbled, but a few broken pillars and stone wall remnants remained scattered around a cracked courtyard. Grass and weeds pushed insistently through cracks in the stone floor, and long, green tendrils grew twisted around the few remaining arched windows.

Feliciano jumped up onto the eroded barricade that encircled the ruins, Ludwig holding him steady by the hand. He pointed out over the fields that spread out below them, the houses and roads and buildings that looked like a tiny doll's village. "And look, Ludwig, there's our oak tree."

"Yes, it is very beautiful," said Ludwig, looking not at the view, but up at Feliciano. "Don't fall."

"Don't be silly Ludwig, you're holding my hand, I won't fall. And if I do you'll catch me." Feliciano made his way unsteadily along the rocky wall, clinging firmly to Ludwig's steady grip. He walked until they reached a spot where a few tall stone fragments blocked the direct sunlight. Feliciano smiled down into Ludwig's worried face. "Tell me more about your home. Tell me about your village."

"Very well, but only if you stop and get down before you hurt yourself."

Feliciano laughed and let Ludwig help him down. He sat on the broken wall, gesturing for Ludwig to sit beside him. "Well?"

"Well," said Ludwig thoughtfully as he sat. "It is small. And very similar to what you have here… farms, and fields, and trees. And yet different… wilder, almost. There is a beautiful castle that overlooks the town. And it is very old… I believe the castle dates from the fifteenth century. And in the village there is a beer hall, one that I go to with Grandfather and Gilbert every Sunday after church." Ludwig smiled slightly. Feliciano reminded himself to breathe. "All our lives we have gone to that same beer hall. And everyone knows each other; we have known each other our whole lives. It is warm and friendly. It is wonderful. It is home." Ludwig's face was alight, and the remainder of his awkwardness seemed to fall away. Feliciano was transfixed.

"I'd like to go there one day." A sudden low, muted roar broke the stillness of the morning. The familiar sound of distant bombs echoed off the mountains, but Feliciano determinedly ignored them. "Can we go there one day, Ludwig?"

Ludwig closed his eyes briefly. "Yes. We can go there one day." At that moment, the sun broke through the clouds and rose above the ruins behind them, shining down brilliantly, illuminating the green sloping rise, the clusters of trees, the bright patches of colour, the wide open fields and the scattered houses below them. Looking across the beautiful and familiar view, Feliciano could understand Ludwig's love for his home; his need to fight for and protect it, to serve in its name. It was something Feliciano understood far too well.

"I'd bet your village is just as pretty as this, Ludwig," sighed Feliciano. Pretty, beautiful, glorious... just like this day that he wanted to last forever. "Ooh, I know, I'll photograph it for you!" Feliciano reached into the basket Ludwig had placed on the ground and took out his camera. He hefted it up and angled it towards the stunning view before him. Ludwig immediately sat up straighter and leant over to look more closely.

"What's this?"

"My Grandpa's camera! Isn't it fantastic?" The camera was for the rare occasions he might have to take photographs of strategic positions. Instead Feliciano liked to take photographs of birds and flowers and pretty girls. "Lovino taught me how to develop the pictures and everything. Smile!" Ludwig didn't, but Feliciano took a photograph of him anyway. "Here, now take one of me."

Feliciano pressed the camera insistently into Ludwig's hands and tried not to think of the irony of handing a German a camera which was intended to be used against him. He just gave Ludwig a bright smile, almost laughing as Ludwig took the photograph. "There. Now, I'll develop them tonight and show you tomorrow." Feliciano waited for Ludwig to hand the camera back, but he just turned it over in his hands, staring at it intently. Feliciano waited as Ludwig looked it over thoroughly before finally looking up apologetically.

"This is a very good camera. One of the best."

"Really, is it? I don't really know much about that. Machines like this confuse me. I can never get the radio to work properly, I always seem to get someone yelling in Russian. And the first time Grandpa let me use the telephone I somehow had a thirty minute conversation with a man in Dublin. He was very nice but he kept calling me Fred." Ludwig laughed and Feliciano's stomach flipped. He so rarely heard that wonderful deep laugh.

"Well, it is certainly a wonderful machine." Ludwig placed the camera back in the basket. "And you are a strange, wonderful man, Feliciano. You are…" Ludwig stared at him in that way which confused Feliciano, delighted him, made him nervous and made the world stop around him. "You make me question everything I ever thought I knew."

"Um… I apologise?" said Feliciano, unsure if that was the correct response.

"Don't." Ludwig managed a smile and Feliciano's heart thrummed. He was fairly sure he was going to burst from happiness soon. It could not be possible to be this content just sitting and talking to someone. But this whole day had been wonderful, and Feliciano could never remember a time when he had been happier. He wondered if this was how Lovino might feel around Antonio if only he would calm down a little. Which reminded him…

"Ludwig," said Feliciano. "Te quiero." Ludwig turned white, then red, looked for a moment as though he was going to fall over, then began stammering a response before Feliciano interrupted him. "Do you have any idea what that means?" Ludwig paused, closed his eyes, and let out a long, shuddering breath.

"Oh. Oh, I see." He shook his head and almost laughed. "Why?"

"Do you know what it means? I think it might be Spanish."

"It is."

Feliciano was incredulous. "Why didn't you ever tell me you spoke Spanish, Ludwig, that's not fair, no wonder it is so easy for you to learn Italian when German is really hard for…"

"I don't speak Spanish," interrupted Ludwig. "It's just that my brother had a good friend who was Spanish, before the war, and he taught us to say a few words."

"Oh." Feliciano almost felt embarrassed. He was not used to the feeling. "But you understand 'Te quiero'?"

Ludwig turned red again. "Well, it means... from what I remember, which might be wrong, I think it means… I love you." Ludwig said the words in a rush. Feliciano was not sure he had heard them correctly.

"I lo… oh." Feliciano stared into the distance, a little dazed. "I love you? Really?"

"Yes." Ludwig shifted uncomfortably and smoothed his hair absently.

"Oh." So Antonio was in love with Lovino. Feliciano could not say he was surprised, really. That would certainly explain a lot. And was really quite obvious, come to think of it. No wonder Grandpa Roma was worried. Maybe he thought Lovino would run away to Spain. Feliciano broke out of his thoughts and looked sideways at Ludwig, who stared fixedly at the ground. "What is 'I love you' in German?"

"It's... well, it's..." Ludwig went still and took a steadying breath. "Ich liebe dich." Ludwig said it so softly Feliciano could barely hear.

"I'm sorry?"

Ludwig looked up out across the fields, clenched his hands into fists, then turned to face Feliciano. "Ich liebe dich."

Feliciano froze, caught in those eyes, the colour of the sky behind the clouds. Ludwig was so close. So warm, so real, so everything… "Ti amo." Ludwig blushed deeper and Feliciano stumbled over a few words, trying to explain while at the same time realising that he meant it. More than anything else he had ever said, he meant it. "In Italian, it is 'Ti amo.'"

"Ti amo."

Feliciano shivered at the words, even though Ludwig was only repeating them. A familiar silence settled around them, heavy with hope and tension and uncertainty and confusion. It was abruptly broken when a massive roar tore through the sky. Feliciano looked up to see three planes flying in a triangle formation overhead. He still had not quite gotten used to the planes that were always flying overhead these days.

"Those are ours," said Ludwig, a hint of relief mixed with the pride in his voice.

"Wow," said Feliciano, watching as the planes disappeared into the distance almost as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving three white trails in their wake. "Is that what your plane looks like, Ludwig?"

"Yes."

"What is it like to fly in one of those?"

"It is…" Ludwig paused for a moment, searching for a response. "There is no word for it. Not in English, not in German. It is… indescribable."

"You love it. Flying." It was obvious when Ludwig spoke about something important to him. His eyes shone brighter and his carefully composed stiffness almost drained away. It was mesmerising.

"It is everything to me."

Everything. Feliciano nodded and absently plucked a weed that grew through the stone wall. He listened to the gentle sound of the wind rustling through the grass as the roaring of the planes finally disappeared. Then he took a deep breath and came to a decision. Some things are just worth the risk... "Do you have a girlfriend, Ludwig?" He was fairly sure Ludwig would have mentioned by now if he did, but Feliciano did not know another way to ask what he wanted to know.

"No," said Ludwig firmly. "My only girl is my Messerschmitt."

"Who's Mrs Schmitt?"

Ludwig almost laughed. "No, my plane. She's a Messerschmitt Bf 109. Her name is Greta."

"Your plane's name is Greta?"

"Yes."

"Greta Schmitt."

This time Ludwig did laugh. "Just Greta. We all name our planes. They are very special to us."

"But there is no special girl." Feliciano was aware that he was treading dangerously, but he did not want to stop.

Ludwig answered slowly. "No."

"Why?"

Ludwig's eyes flashed as he suddenly stared heatedly at Feliciano. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing!" said Feliciano quickly, leaning back, a small shock running through him. So Ludwig could look scary after all. "I didn't… I mean, I just… you're just such a nice guy and all I thought you would have had a girlfriend, I'm sorry if I upset you, I really didn't mean to."

Ludwig's eyes softened then he sighed and looked at the ground. "No, I am sorry. I just... no, I do not have a girlfriend."

"Why is that?" asked Feliciano carefully.

"Because… well..." Ludwig sat stiffly, on guard once again, far from his relaxed demeanour of earlier and nowhere near his normal composed and controlled self. "This is nothing, forget about it."

Feliciano's heart started to pound. "But, it sounds like there is a reason, tell me."

"Please, Feliciano." Ludwig's eyes were wide and he almost seemed to be trying not to panic. "Just leave it."

"I don't want to leave it, there's something you want to say, but you're not telling me! What is it?"

Ludwig did not answer right away. "You could never understand," he said finally, then immediately winced as though he had said too much.

"Maybe…" A small hopeful suspicion started to swell in Feliciano's chest. "Maybe I could. Understand, that is."

The silence was absolute as their eyes met. Feliciano felt like he was waiting on a knife's edge and he couldn't move, his body rooted to the spot, unable to look away, his breath coming too fast as the air became heavy with tension around him. How did time always seem to stop when Ludwig looked into his eyes like this? Ludwig finally tore his eyes away, his expression pained and conflicted. "Maybe I will explain another time."

Feliciano shoulders sagged as he let out a deep breath. "Oh." He was filled with frustration and disappointment once again. He did not even know what he had been waiting for, but he was fairly sure this wasn't it.

"I will explain, I just..." Ludwig leant forward briefly, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "I need to think."

"That's all right. I can wait, Ludwig. I don't mind waiting." Feliciano hesitantly reached out and placed his hand on Ludwig's, half expecting him to push it away. But Ludwig immediately clasped it in his. "I'd wait forever."

The hours flew by like seconds, until to Feliciano's surprise and anguish, he noticed that the sun was swiftly descending to late afternoon. He did not want the sun to descend. He did not want the day to end. He never wanted to leave this place. Feliciano was starting to love these places - these magical spots scattered across the countryside where it felt like the world stopped and he could forget about everything but the grass beneath his feet and the sky above him. Places like the little thicket of trees and the oak tree and the golden field around it. Places he sat and spoke with Ludwig like they were somewhere else, somewhere only they existed, where they were not enemies and there was no war and no Resistenza and no sunset when Ludwig had to turn and leave.

"You will miss the market again today?" Ludwig's voice almost startled Feliciano.

"Yes." Feliciano did not know what Grandpa Roma would say now that he had missed the market three days in a row. Neither did he know how he would explain it. And he wasn't really surprised to find that he didn't really care.

"We had better start walking back."

That familiar sinking feeling settled in Feliciano's stomach. "Yes."

Ludwig stood slowly, pulling Feliciano reluctantly to his feet. They walked back slowly, silently. They did not need to speak. It was one of the first times in Feliciano's life when he was completely comfortable walking beside someone in silence. As they headed across the rise, down the hill, into the field, their steps grew slower and smaller until they were ambling and almost pulling back as they approached the oak tree. It was only when they reached the tree that Feliciano finally spoke, looking down at Ludwig's jacket as he prepared to reluctantly take it off. "Oh, I lost your flower."

"That's all right, I still have the other one you gave me." Feliciano blinked in surprise. "The red flower… the other day," Ludwig explained. "You had it in your pocket."

Feliciano's eyes widened in understanding. His chest swelled with joy, that Ludwig would remember and keep such a silly little thing. "You kept that?"

"Of course. I keep it in Greta's cockpit. It is my lucky charm."

But that joy turned into a now familiar ache when he looked up into Ludwig's face, into his eyes. Because Ludwig would soon be leaving him again, and Feliciano could not be certain he would come back, and this time the thought physically hurt. Feliciano shrugged off Ludwig's jacket, feeling immediately colder. He handed it over reluctantly. "Be careful tonight. Come back to me. Please. Tomorrow."

Ludwig nodded, his eyes dark and conflicted. "Yes. Tomorrow, Feliciano." Then he turned to walk away. And something inside Feliciano snapped.

"Wait, no."

Ludwig stopped short and turned back, looking worried at the almost panicked tone in Feliciano's voice. "Feliciano? What is it?"

Feliciano clenched his hands, tried to remember to breathe. Had he really said that? Was he really going to say this? But he had no choice. He could not let another day end like this. "Don't leave like this again."

"I don't..." Ludwig's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "It is getting late, Feliciano. You know I have to leave."

"Not like this. Please don't just say goodbye and walk away and…" He was unable to stop speaking the words. "I don't want you to go, Ludwig. I don't want you to go into battle. I don't want you to move base. I don't want you to go home to Germany. I want you to stay here with me, forever." Feliciano could not look at Ludwig. He could not bear to see the way he might be looking at him.

Of course the tears came. Feliciano did not bother trying to stop them. He was unsure of what he was saying, unsure of what was happening. All he knew was that he could not stop. "I'm sorry, Ludwig, I am. I don't know what I want but I… I know that if you just say goodbye and walk away again I won't be able to stand it, I won't, because every time you do I feel like I'm dying and it hurts so much." He finally looked up to find Ludwig staring at him with an expression he could not read, almost like he was angry, and still Feliciano could not stop. "Please, Ludwig, don't just walk away this time, please stay and… and I just need… I just need you to… I need you closer, and…"

Feliciano clenched his eyes shut, angry at himself that he did not know what he wanted to say, or how to say it. He jumped when he felt Ludwig's fingertips cold on his cheek, then pressed into them, so scared that Ludwig would push him away. He opened his eyes to find Ludwig's burning into his. His fingers felt like icy fire as they traced over Feliciano' cheek and into his hair. Feliciano was just about to lose control and fall against him when Ludwig reached out and pulled him close until their bodies pressed together. Feliciano gasped at the stunning, perfect feeling. Yes, like this. Closer, like this - this was what he wanted. And then Ludwig leant down and his lips were against Feliciano's ear and Feliciano nearly cried out from the feeling.

"I said I would explain…"

"I… what?" Feliciano could hardly concentrate on Ludwig's words. All he could feel, all he could think was Ludwig's arm around him, Ludwig's fingers in his hair, Ludwig's lips whispering against his ear…

"Earlier. I said I would explain… another time. Not now." Ludwig spoke with barely suppressed urgency, his grip on Feliciano almost painful. Feliciano tried to lean further into it.

"Why, Ludwig?" Feliciano clutched the front of Ludwig's jacket with shaking hands, pressed closer, inhaled the smell of his hair. "Tell me…" He could feel Ludwig's heart beating... why was it so steady when Feliciano's was pounding like a drum?

"Meet me here tomorrow."

"I'll be here." Feliciano tried to hide himself in the curve of Ludwig's neck, to block out the sky and the world and everything in it until nothing existed but the two of them. "I promise I'll wait. I'll always wait for you." Ludwig straightened and pulled back, even as Feliciano tried to stop him. His eyes still held that familiar look of conflict, but they seemed calmer somehow. Feliciano wished he could feel the same but all he felt was devastation that once again Ludwig was leaving him. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Auf wiedersehen, sweetheart."

"Bello, ciao." Ludwig held him for one moment more before tearing himself away and marching towards the road. Feliciano turned immediately and looked up at the growing storm clouds with wide, wet eyes. He was breathless, confused, stunned. And he could no longer watch Ludwig walk away.

.

Next Chapter

Disclaimer: This story belongs to George deValier. Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya. I own nothing.

#Auf Wiedersehen Sweetheart chapter 5

[heycasbutt]

Beneficial

A/N: Hi all, this is just an angsty fluffy one shot about being FWB with Spencer. It’s also written from Spencer’s POV.

————————————————

You rolled off me, your naked body glistening with sweat and I couldn’t help but think that there was no one more beautiful than you in the world. Right now, it’s just friends with benefits. “No strings attached. Just lots of orgasms.” You had told me the first time we got into this and I stupidly believed you. I believed I could have sex with you and not want to be part of every facet of your life. I believed that our job was too strenuous to support a relationship. I believed that getting into this would dampen the growing affection I had for you. But in truth, it just made it worse. Hearing you grunt and groan beneath me or on top of me was music to my ears, better than Beethoven or Mozart. Outside of the bedroom you still went on dates and broke men’s hearts. Outside of the bedroom you kicked ass, took names, and saved lives which made me want you more.

On more than one occasion I thought about confessing my feelings, not hiding them anymore. But when Luke joined the team and you started flirting with him, I decided against it. The longing looks you gave him, the flirty jokes you made with him. The way he sat with you the one time you were sick on the plane. I offered, but you turned me down saying people would get suspicious.

“Spence?” You whispered softly. You had taken to calling me that your first day on the job. I told you that J.J. was the only one to ever call me that and you, determined to be different, had to change that. I didn’t mind though, made me feel, special.

“Hmm?” I hummed running a hand through your hair, gently scraping your scalp. Your eyes slid close in bliss and you hummed softly.

“Never mind,” You smiled and rolled closer, laying your head in the crook of my neck as my long arms looped around your waist. My fingers drew lazy patterns on your back and you hummed in contentment.

“Want a drink?” I asked after a while. You nodded eagerly and I climbed out of bed slipping on some boxers. You followed suit pulling on your panties and buttoning my shirt over your pert chest. Swallowing thickly and trying not to imagine how wonderful it would be to wake up to you every day, I walked down to the kitchen.

“Is everything okay, Spencer?” You asked softly as you came to stand beside me, stroking my arm gently. Maybe sex was the answer, maybe sex would keep my mind occupied and I couldn’t think about you all the time. I kissed you fiercely, grabbing your ass in my hands and lifting you onto the counter.

“I need you,” I whispered huskily in your ear. You shivered and moaned and pushed my boxer shorts off. I kicked them off to the side and quickly divested you of the offending material.

——————

It had been 3 days since we last had sex. But I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering. What it would be like to have you in my life 24/7. To be able to call you mine and never have to worry about losing you to Luke. What it would be like to bring you coffee in bed every Sunday morning and spend the day kissing and holding each other. I’m not sure when this became more about love and less about sex but it did and it was hellish and pure bliss all at once.

“You doing alright, Pretty Ricky?” Morgan asked. His tone concerned but I couldn’t tell him that it was you driving me insane. So I nodded, and smiled a tight lipped smile. I couldn’t tell him about how I knotted my fingers in that glorious hair of yours. I couldn’t tell him about the one time I spent an hour worshiping your body with kisses and touches. I couldn’t tell him that I had memorized every dip and curve of your body with expert precision. That when I closed my eyes, all I could see was the swell of your breasts as my fingers traveled your sides, making your breath hitch in your throat.

“Spence. Is everything alright?” J.J. asked, a brow furrowing in concern as she set her coffee down on my desk. I gave the same response I gave to Morgan, but she wasn’t dumb. She knew me better than anyone-except you.

“Is it about...Y/N...” J.J.’s voice dropped as she subtly motioned to you. You were sitting on Luke’s desk, your soft creamy thighs peaking from under your dress. Your chest straining against the buttons of your top. Luke had said something that made you laugh. You tossed your head back and belted out a laugh. You laughed when you were with me, but right now I felt...jealous.

I nodded solemnly and looked down at the slowly cooling cup of coffee on my desk. I had taken to stirring some bourbon in with the hot liquid. It made me feel numb and I thought that I could better cope with my feelings that way. Bourbon and Sugar with a splash of coffee.

“You need to tell her. I think she likes you too. You’ve seen how she acts around you,” J.J. comforted before standing and walking back to her desk. I couldn’t tell her. This was about sex, about numbing our feelings for the outside world. It was never about being in love or falling in love.

You approached me in the kitchen later that same day. I couldn’t ignore just how beautiful you were. Your hair had started to fall out of the updo you’d put it in that morning and the way it framed your face was beautiful. I quickly shook away my thoughts and poured some coffee. Silently and slowly I slid the flask from my jacket pocket, hoping to God you wouldn’t see. But alas, of course you did. Your usual smile turned into a frown and you stepped closer.

“What’s going on Spence?” Concern laced its way through your words. I wanted so bad to scream that I love you. That I’d always loved you and that’s why I couldn’t have sex with you anymore. Meaningless sex that is.

“Nothing.” I replied stirring in an ungodly amount of sugar and then taking a sip, the hot burn of the coffee and the burn of the alcohol soothes the ache in my throat and in my heart. At least temporarily.

“What is it? Is it something I said or did? Do you want to stop this...arrangement?” You whispered the last word like I was an embarrassment. You couldn’t be caught sleeping with the skinny little nerd baby of the BAU. What it would do to your reputation in the Bureau would kill you.

“No. Just leave me alone.” I replied firmly as I walked out of the kitchen. Setting my coffee on my desk I walked out of the BAU and down the hall to the elevator. Choosing instead to sit in the car and drown my sorrows in the remainder of bourbon I had on me. Entering the parking lot, I finally felt like I could breathe. Like a weight had come off my body.

I sat in solemn silence in my car. The sound of the alcohol hitting the container as I took large gulps of the burning liquid. It felt good.

——————

You showed up on my front porch that night. Claimed you’d had a hard day and needed to relieve some stress. Opening the door wider and letting you in, you began to quickly shed your clothing. I did the same, while you felt the rush of adrenaline you get before sex, I felt numb. I felt nothing. Did I still love you? Absolutely. But I was also trying to tell myself that you wouldn’t and couldn’t love me back so I should be grateful to at least be getting something. Heartbreaking casual sex.

I felt nothing as we had sex that night. The thrusting was pure muscle memory. When you rode your orgasm, and I followed soon after, I tried to sound like I had enjoyed it but the reality is, I didn’t feel it. When you cuddled into me afterwards I acted like I wasn’t hurt. Once you fell asleep I slipped into some pajamas and went to the kitchen, deciding to drown my sorrows once again. I opened the liquor cabinet, a bottle of Jack Daniel’s was calling my name. I retrieved the bottle, not bothering with a glass and sat on the couch with a book.

Exactly 12 minutes and 30 seconds into the book that I wasn’t really reading, you padded down the hall to the living room. Concern was etched across your face as you took in my presumably disheveled features.

“Spencer...” Your voice full of concern as you came to sit with me. I slid away from you, desperate to not have you touch me. Afraid of what it would do to my wellbeing.

“What?” I replied. My words dripped with sarcasm and hurt. Months of hurt had been pent up and now it was all coming out and I didn’t seem to care what happened.

“What’s going on? You avoid me, you’re unhappy, I can smell the alcohol in your coffee from the next room over. Is it something I’ve said? Something I’ve done?” You asked scooting closer to me and laying a comforting hand on my shoulder. I didn’t shake it off.

“I’m in love with you,” I muttered. I figured this was as good a time as any to tell you. The alcohol had numbed my nerve endings and the ache in my heart. You recoiled and I knew you didn’t feel the same. You just wanted meaningless emotionless sex.

“Y-You are?” You stuttered. Your eyes wide in disbelief.

“Look, I know we can’t be in a relationship. It would ruin your reputation among the men of the Bureau and no one wants to date the scrawny nerd from the BAU. The one who can’t construct a whole thought in a soci-” I was cut off by your lips on mine. They were full and soft. The way they moved in sync with my own. I pulled you closer, tasting a hint of mint and cinnamon on your lips. I dragged my tongue along your bottom lip and you eagerly granted me access. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I couldn’t believe this would ever happen in life let alone with someone as wonderful as you.

“I love you too, Spence. I always have. That’s why I proposed this arrangement. I thought it would dampen my feelings for you but they only worsened when I came to the conclusion you didn’t love me back,” You whispered against my lips as your hands knotted in my hair.

“Help me,” I begged. “Help me not drink to numb my feelings. Help me feel again..” I murmured as I lazily traced your sides.

“Of course. We’ll go to meetings and therapy together,” You squeezed my hand reassuringly and I smiled, truly smiled for the first time in weeks.

“Thank you. I love you,” I whispered into your hair and pulled you as close as humanly possible.

“I love you most, Genius,” you responded with a smile and a gentle kiss on my lips. And for once, I felt. I felt love and admiration and affection, I felt alive. And it was because of you.

#criminal minds fandom #criminal minds fanfiction #matthew gray gubler #spencer reid #mgg #criminal minds #reid x reader #spencer reid fanfiction #matthew gray gubler fanfiction #sr

[theepicwaffleman12]

Under the Waterfall

So this is a Bumbleby lemon. My first lemon, actually. (Well, really, it’s more of a lime.) If you’re not a fan of that, keep scrolling. That’s all you gotta do.

For the rest of ye, here, have a shower fluff. I hope you enjoy. Let me know how I fucked up and I’ll do my best to improve for next time!

(Oh, and of course I’m gonna be writing WhiteRose stuff too, eventually. Did you honestly expect me not to? :P)

She stood under the waterfall, the droplets cascading on her body and rolling off with gentle splashes. She stood, thinking, under the rain of an Atlas shower.

It had been quite the past few days.

“Oh.”

He fell. The sickening crunch heard later didn’t ease matters, only made her mind worse. Then there was Yang, kneeling beside her, holding her close, keeping her calm.

“I know you won’t.”

She knew. She knew that she wouldn’t leave. They remained there for quite some time, just holding each other, promises restored and faith returned.

But what if she thinks I’ll leave again? Did she think I was never going to come back? What about us now? We’re closer than we ever were, but how long until that comes crashing down? How much happiness do I have to lose?

What if sh-

“Hey.”

That voice. Blake dragged herself from out of her mind, covered herself and turned around, and there was Yang standing in the entryway of the shower, a towel in her robotic hand. She gave Blake a glance from head to toe, blushed slightly, but still carried that same confidence that Blake knew and admired for so long.

“Room for one more?” asked the blonde as Blake’s cheeks dusted a light pinkish-red. “You seemed a bit down recently, even more so than usual. Maybe this’ll be good for both of us,” Yang explained. Blake slowly smiled and gave a nod.

“Now turn around.”

“Wait, why?” Blake shot a quizzical look at Yang as she set down the towel and popped off her arm.

“So you get a surprise,” said Yang almost nonchalantly, before adding with a sensual growl, “and I get to have a good look at that Bellabooty.” Blake rolled her eyes at the nickname she hadn’t heard in so long, but did as she was told, stifling a laugh. The rustle of clothes landing on the floor sounded behind her, followed by the wet footsteps of bare feet.

“Alright, you can turn around,” said Yang, with a surprising touch of embarrassment and shyness. Blake took a deep breath and turned around.

The very first words out of her mouth were, “Holy shit.”

Yang’s body was... well, there wasn’t a word that could describe it perfectly. Her legs were muscular, long and smooth, leading up to a region barely explored, her stomach was lined with a pack of abs that would possibly make Sun jealous, and finally, her breasts.

Dear gods, were they something.

Now, Blake was no stranger to human anatomy. She carried the same parts as everyone else, with the addition of two extra ears placed on her head. But somehow Yang’s chest made Blake’s mind seem like she was seeing breasts for the very first time. She stared at the large mounds, topped with dark pink areolas and peaked with small pointed nipples.

Yang was absolutely aware of Blake’s gaze on her chest and waved a hand in front of it, leading Blake’s eyes up to her own. “Hey. I’m up here, y’know,” grinned Yang with a mischievous look in her eyes, adding, “Not that I don’t mind you staring at my boobs, but I’m up here.”

“S-sorry, they’re just... Wow.” Blake glanced around shyly and rubbed the back of her head but Yang shook her own head with a warm smile.

“Don’t go dismissing your own body, there, Belladonna. Your breasts are fine too, your stomach is nice and lean, and I’ve already begun to know your ass better,” Yang smirked as her own cheeks dusted pink. Now both girls were blushing under the water in probably the most awkward scenario they’d ever been in.

They just stood there for a few minutes before Blake finally decided, screw this, and grabbed the nearest bar of soap. “Should we wash each other?” asked the Faunus as yellow eyes bashfully stared into lilac. Yang paused momentarily but her eyes betrayed her as her head gave a nod that seemed all too eager.

Blake rubbed her hands in the soap. “Where shall I start?”

“Legs,” said Yang as she pointed to the area in question before rubbing shampoo in her golden locks and washing her hair.

So Blake began at her legs, moving her hands up and down, very gently. Her hands danced up Yang’s curves, passing by a certain area on purpose before arriving at Yang’s belly. She traced her soap-covered fingers over each of the abs that stood strong like stones on the skin before reaching around and rubbing her back and just grazing Yang’s butt. She’d get that later, if she was allowed. She stroked Yang’s arms, gave her hands a quick squeeze before heading towards the most dangerous area.

Yang knew exactly what Blake was doing and while she was nervous at Blake touching her chest, she was also incredibly excited. Bad brain, she thought to herself. It’s just two girls washing each other who may or may not be a thing. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

Blake finally lowered a hand onto one of the mounds as Yang’s breath hitched. Blake immediately stopped. “You okay?” she asked with a concerned tone as Yang nodded and shot a comforting wink at her. The hand went back and began to move in circles. Both girls’ faces were red as Ruby’s cloak, and the mood in the room was beginning to escalate faster than they anticipated. The other hand found its way to the other breast and repeated the motion while Yang’s mind shot into pleasure. Her mouth betrayed her body as she let out a quiet moan of relief.

Blake chuckled at this and, gaining more confidence, began to put more effort into the circles. Yang’s breath hitched more and more, her eyes squeezed shut and her legs began to twitch. Her moans became more drawn out. Finally, Blake let go and both girls let out a very happy exhale.

“How’d you even manage to do that?” asked Yang. “You don’t seem like the kind of person who has experience with this stuff.”

“I don’t,” admitted Blake. “But you can learn something from those novels.”

Oh, right. Yang mentally facepalmed as she took the bar of soap from Blake, rubbed her hand in it (which was harder than it looked), and wickedly grinned.

“Please don’t tell me you’re starting where I think you’re going to start,” Blake grumbled as Yang gave a completely fake innocent nod, motioning for Blake to turn around. “Fine, fine, just be gentle with it,” said Blake, quietly muttering “Why the hell not?” under her breath.

Yang’s hand seized the two cheeks and begun to squeeze like she was a kid who had just gotten access to a new toy. Blake let out a “Eep!” before almost shouting, “I said gently!” She could hear Yang stick out her tongue playfully but her gropes eased to gentle strokes. “Sorry, got caught up in the moment,” admitted Yang. “I didn’t think I’d go that fast.”

“It’s fine, it- Ooh! That feels nice,” sighed Blake as Yang’s hand gently caressed her butt before moving up to her breasts and took hold one of them from behind, using the same circular motions Blake had used. Blake’s moans become more pleasure-filled and longer. Yang’s hand trailed down Blake’s stomach, legs, back up to her rear and gave it yet another squeeze before reaching her arms and finally setting at her hands. 

Both girls’ hands intertwined as they held each other, and for a while it was just the two of them, fully bare as the water continued to cascade down.

It was Yang who woke from the trance first and exhaled. “Well, I for one feel a lot bett- Oh, you sly kitten.” Yang shook her head as her brain finally registered Blake, now facing her, as her hands squeezed Yang’s rear. “So you like my butt as much as I like yours, eh?” asked the blonde brawler with a flirtatious tone to her voice. A simple “Mm-hm,” came from Blake as she continued her groping.

Completely lost in the moment, Yang leaned down towards Blake. To her surprise, Blake leaned up towards her. Their mouths were inches apart, almost touching. “You fine with this?” whispered Blake. Yang smiled before whispering back a confident “Hell yes.” 

Their lips finally collided.

Fireworks exploded.

Blake’s eyes were full of wonder when she pulled back, Yang’s full of pure joy. “I keep saying this, but... wow,” Blake sighed, her voice breathless yet full of love and passion. Yang nodded. “Yeah. Wow.”

A few seconds went by before Yang asked the question that lingered in both of their heads: “So, are we a thing now?”

“I think so,” answered Blake, before teasingly asking, “Is that gonna be a problem?”

“Fuck no,” Yang swore before apologizing and adding, “I’ve actually sort of liked you since Beacon. I think it was at the dance when I realized how I felt, with you and I without a care in the world, just having fun together. I was actually hoping to express myself after the tournament was over, but we know how that went and... I just shut down after you ran. I didn’t think you’d even come back, that’s how depressed I was.”

Blake nodded. “Me either, honestly. I didn’t know how you’d react, whether you’d want me back or not.” Yang took a hold of Blake’s face and gently stroked her cheek, wordlessly saying all that needed to be said. Blake’s mouth warmly twisted upwards in response. 

“Now, can you let go of my ass?” asked Yang playfully.

“Why don’t you make me, then?” replied Blake, her smile growing wicked, shooting a wink of her own at Yang, who blushed again.

“I’m supposed to be making you feel flustered, not the other way around!” laughed Yang before she moved her own hand to squeeze Blake’s rear quickly before she managed to break free of the Faunus’ grip and swayed her hips on the way out for emphasis. She could practically hear Blake’s mouth drop open as she bent down to pick up the towel before she turned back around. “Someday, I’ll get to watch you do that,” teased Yang. “I’ll see you outside, ‘kay?”

“Yeah...” sighed Blake, blowing a kiss to her before she realized what she had done. Yang, playing along, pretended to catch it and winked at her before wrapping the towel around her and then she was gone.

Blake turned the shower off, wrapping her body in her own towel as her mind raced with joy, ecstasy and love all at the same time.

Gods be damned, that woman. I love her, thought Blake.

I love her.

And she loves me right back.

#bumbleby #lemon #lime #rwby #fanfic #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #there's still shit i could edit but meh #i like how it came out regardless #lmao i'm such a dork when it comes to these two #they're so fuckin CUTE #I L O V E them #asdsgdgajsdg #this took like two hours to write lmao

[shardclan]

Rebis’ breaths came heavy. Each one felt as those it oozed from her mouth,  sinking into the dirt and pooling in the gouges left by her fingers. No matter how she tried to pulled herself free, the soil slipped and moved. She couldn’t get enough traction until she had practically dug herself out.  

Arcanus hadn’t collapsed. He had crashed. They were at the end of a massive, elongated crater that matched his full size. The celestine pillars in the distance were the ones Rebis remembered from the Chalcedony Circle. Debris and broken branches cluttered the distance in their direction, suggesting he had been out of control before they arrived.

She clutched at her arms and tried to rub warmth into them. Pins and needles stabbed at her fingertips where the frigid earth had packed under her nails, and her gown was rapidly going stiff and sticky as the blood dried. She felt well enough magically, and her brief nap, assuming she’d had one before the lapse, had given her some strength back. But neither strength nor magic explained what had happened between the morning rescue and now, and there was no time to put that puzzle together.

The change in Vortex winds bought Rebis time, but they were still near the bordering floes. Time wasted on how they got there only served to give hypothermia time to settle in. Horizon’s Landing wasn’t far away, however a swim was death for certain and at this time of year the sandbars were probably already submerged.

Not that she could have dragged two full grown guardians across them anyway.

She took a deep breath, and squeezed herself. No panicking, she told herself. Don’t get overwhelmed, even if… The unfinished thought was enough to drop her heart like a stone onto her stomach. 

She went to Rubranova first. She wasn’t much worse for wear than when Rebis had last seen her. A fresh splash of blood trickled down from where her hand still held the bundle of sullied cloth to her neck, and a thin film of sweat was beaded worryingly over her face. Her eyelids fluttered at Rebis’ touch, but she didn’t rouse.

Rebis pulled at her nightgown, but the fabric proved stronger than her weak arms. Rubranova’s weapon had been left behind in the courtyard, and she looked around for something sharp. Her eye fell on Arcanus’ sword, but she couldn’t. She wasn’t ready to assess him, much less potentially loot his body.

She knelt and concentrated on her open palms instead. “Envision.”

Light magic popped and puddled into her hands. She could not have managed another apparition of Telos in her mental state, but the golden pair of scissors was small and practical and easy to focus on. She cut a sleeve from her nightgown, and after a hesitant glance at Arcanus, went ahead and cut the other one off as well.

Rubranova’s hand fell limply aside as soon as Rebis tried to move it, and she quickly tied the sleeve around Rubranova’s neck. The bunched mantle against the wound stayed in place, with only a vague hiss from the guardian as Rebis knotted the material.

“Ru…?” she called in a trepid whisper. “Is it too tight?”

The guardian mumbled something that Rebis hastily leaned in to hear. Maybe it was only wishful thinking, but it sounded like ‘thank you’.

Rebis backed away carefully, holding her hands warily out and at the ready in case the guardian fell over. When she was satisfied that there was nothing else she could do, she clenched her fists and reminded herself anew to stay focused.

Do what Telos would do, she thought. Trouble was, assuming Telos got in this situation to begin with, she probably would have put them both on her back and carried them to Horizon’s Landing. Not helpful, but it very nearly caused Rebis to crack a smile as she crept toward the male guardian’s body.

After a moment of cautious observation, she realized they couldn’t have been there too long. The blood on her gown had still been warm when she pulled herself free, and he wasn’t pale. She pulled his hair back from his face, his pulse was visible in his neck. Visible and fast.

A blossom of warmth came to her fingers. Her frills rose curiously at first, and flared with alarm, and she scrambled away from him.

The prototype armor was gone.

Her mind flooded with approximations. How long they’d been there, when the armor went missing, how deep was his capacity–How much magic did he have left?

Her fingers settled on the white celestine. The whole morning had been a fight to retrieve it. And in the Isles, especially so close to the Seat, she would not survive long without it.

It dinged flatly where she tossed it against Rubranova’s armor.

Digging her bare heels into the dirt, she pulled Arcanus’ sword free of its sheath and cut his clothing away to assess the wound and give herself more material if it needed staunching. She rolled him carefully onto his back, and allowed herself a little relief at the sharp hiss and scrunch of his brow it earned. He had some vitality left in him–at least more than Rubranova.

The wound, like everything else about the situation, raised a lot of questions, and offered only the worst conclusions. A broken imperial horn glittered like freshly fallen snow where it jutted from his right side. Only one imperial in the clan had horns like that, and it made sense that Arcanus had taken so much damage. He wouldn’t have had his guard up around his own niece.

On the bright side, the wound wasn’t actually bleeding. His flesh was burned shut around Stellaria’s horn, freshly enough that the stench assaulted her nose when she leaned in for a better look. She knew Light magic could scorch at high intensities; Arcane magic probably shared that trait.

She frowned, and worried again how much magic he had left. Even if it was only enough to burn a patch of flesh, heat was not a primary property of either of their elements.

She touched him again. Without the crown, no warmth came to her fingers. Nothing did. The air was glutted with Arcane element, yet she couldn’t find his even with the assistance of contact. She slapped experimentally at his cheek. He grunted, but he didn’t stir.

“Ooh no,” she moaned shakily, searching around for help that didn’t exist. “Oh no, that’s bad. That’s bad.“

The idea that came to mind was risky, but as far as she was concerned, she had accepted the risks of the situation as soon as she threw off the crown. She sawed his cut clothing into a long strip, and tied one end to her wrist and the other to the crown. The spare sleeve, rendered unnecessary by Arcanus’ willingness to sear his own flesh, she used to tie herself to him.

She knelt over him, and flexed her fingers, muttering ‘okay’ over and over under her breath to ready herself. This could go wrong in any number of ways. 

Arcanus had a lethally low amount of magic left. If he was conscious, he could easily self-regulate back to the lowest safe threshold, but he was so far gone that she couldn’t wake him up despite the damage to his physical body being less than catastrophic. Any mid-level mage of the matching element could regulate him. Since there wasn’t one of those around, he would have to make do with an advanced-level mage of the wrong element who happened to be contaminated with the right one. 

“Don’t use it,” Rebis whispered to herself. “Channel it.” She pressed her hands down onto his chest, and repeated the words to herself. Trying to tap into Arcane magic had gotten her into this mess, but moving magic was very similar to using it. She had to take it easy, just move it a little–

Her hands lit up with sharp pink light, and before she could reign it in, it shot into Arcanus chest in a pulse that bounced him off the cold earth. He wheezed a cloud of stardust from beneath her, and his hands clutched at her forearms. His eyes opened and briefly focused on hers before rolling up. He collapsed back into the dirt, his breaths rapid, but much stronger. 

Rebis pulled her hands free of his grip with a strangled sob. Her pale skin was red where he had very nearly crushed her wrists. She fell between him and Rubranova, breathing heavily. Her nerves were shot. There was only one more thing to do.

She yanked the crude binds tying all of them together and looked up to the sky. 

What would bring her brother fastest…? What would let him know it was dire? She smiled faintly, closed her eyes, and spoke her spell once more.

Lavi chewed absently at the few remaining bones of his breakfast and listened to Ashlesha rattle off the descriptors of the manifested Shadow astrals. One nearby in the starwood strand, the other two much farther out. 

“Thank you,” he said offhandedly. “We’ll get something out tomorrow morning.” Ashlesha usually let the gratitude go to his head with a grin on his face and a bounce in his step. Lavi looked up, and found him unusually quiet. “What’s the matter?”

Ashlesha pointed off to the west. “Either Dantalion slipped something pretty outstanding in my tea, or your sky appears to have grown a cake.”

Lavi squinted, first at Ashlesha and then up at the western sky. The bone dropped from his mouth. He took off at a dead run. 

“Lavi?!”

“It’s Rebis, come on!!!”

#Flight Rising #C: Rebis #C: Lavi #In which Rebis may or may not have just altered Arcanus #zodiac goetia

[twoprides]

stay with me / yi cheng fam / rated g / 2299 words

It was summer. The day was sweltering, but a soft breeze had picked up over the lake. They'd traveled quite a bit to get out here, almost half a day, and had taken A-Qing along with them for once. Xiao Xingchen had repeatedly reminded her that water ghouls were dangerous, but she'd complained vocally and tearfully about being left behind anyway. It didn't bother Xue Yang none, too jaded with the Little Blind's antics, but he could've done without the brat's whining.

Like now.

Xue Yang tsked unkindly and shot up from where he'd been lying, hands behind his head on the third or fourth branch of a large oak overlooking the reservoir. The branch moaned under the sudden movement, and Xue Yang felt his perch dip a bit but not enough to give out. He dangled a leg to the side in response as his right folded up for him to lean his arm against.

"Little Blind, aren't you afraid I'm going to cut out your tongue with how much you scream?" he asked, glaring down at the child who'd been making a racket at the base of his resting spot and kicking the trunk as though that'd make him fall. His expression matched his tone of voice, a little threatening and a little sinister. The Little Blind had a loud and dirty mouth, but he knew she was secretly terrified of him. Children often were; they were perceptive, after all.

"You wouldn't dare!" she shot back, all put-on bravado despite the way she'd immediately quailed at the suggestion. Xue Yang tilted his head to the side, grinning even as she continued her diatribe. "Didn't you hear what I said? The daozhang is working hard to catch food for us, and you're just sitting here!"

"So?" Xue Yang rejoined, yawning exaggeratedly in the process and leaning back again. "He seems to be enjoying himself. Why should I help?"

"What do you mean, 'so?'" she fumed and stamped her feet while gesturing with her stick in frustration. She pointed in the direction where Xiao Xingchen was knee-deep in water, Shuanghua in hand. "He's been splashing around for so long and hasn't caught anything! I can hear him!"

"Then you help him."

A-Qing stamped her feet again, and just as it seemed she was about to give the trunk another good kick, Xue Yang leaned his head out to the side. "If you have the ability, come up and force me down. Otherwise, you're better off leaving me alone."

No threat this time, but the cold, unfeeling edge to his words had A-Qing stiffening and a shiver running down her spine. Without another word, only an indignant huff, she angrily tapped herself out of range. Xue Yang watched her for a moment, pigtails swinging energetically behind her as she plopped down in a clearing and settled for yanking grass out by the roots. Probably cursing him, he thought, and scoffed. He had no intention of doing what the Little Blind wanted, but he found his eyes wandering to the subject of discussion anyway.

The imagery was a little funny and a little strange. The daozhang had thoroughly soaked himself, but he seemed no more upset than he usually was. Every few minutes his sword darted out and caught water, droplets spraying across his clothes and weighing down his drenched sleeves further. None of this hindered his movements, however, even as his efforts continually came up empty. Xue Yang watched for no longer than five more minutes before hopping down from his post and landing with a thud on the uneven ground.

“Daozhang, what are you doing?" he called, stepping out from the oak's protective shade. The sun didn't bother him, not truly, but his skin prickled at the immediate spike in temperature.

They'd originally come to dispel the ghouls that'd been plaguing the fishermen of Yi City, this watering hole being a popular location. The monsters themselves had been easy enough to locate; it was the aftermath where they ran into some... complications. Xue Yang had wanted to exterminate them then and there and leave it at that, but Xiao Xingchen had insisted on carrying the corpses to the nearest village where they'd been quickly claimed. He'd curbed his annoyance then, surrounded by maudlin villagers clasping the daozhang's hands and thanking him, but while lounging, he'd thought that they hadn't hunted any walking corpses in a while. Maybe it was time again.

Pushing these thoughts aside for the moment, he stopped at the water's edge where the depths were so clear it was only the faintest reflection that told him where it started. "You’re not really doing this to catch food, are you?” he continued, raising an eyebrow. They hadn't brought any fishing equipment because that had never been their intention to begin with.

“Yes and no,” Xiao Xingchen answered, turning in the direction of Xue Yang's voice. "I feel my swordsmanship has been in decline."

"So, you're doing this to practice?" The laugh was implicit in his words even if the sound didn't manifest. Xiao Xingchen reciprocated with an upward flicker of his lips.

"Well, yes. A-Qing has also mentioned wanting to eat fish, so as they say—two birds with one stone." He turned back to his task, Xue Yang making no move to assist but instead crossing his arms where he stood. Jiangzai hung at his side, and he gave it a cursory glance.

"Does it matter? After all, your sword points out corpse energy on its own." He could catch a glimpse around Xiao Xingchen's form if he craned his neck, the shimmer of scales and the flash of Shuanghua just a fraction of a second too late. This spot's popularity for fishing had its merits, and the fish had returned faster than they'd expected upon the water ghouls' removal. Too bad they weren't well-equipped.

He thought for a moment. Before Xiao Xingchen could respond, he added, “If you wanted to practice your swordplay, why not practice with me?”

“Would you practice with me?” was the immediate response, and upon hearing it, Xue Yang instantly changed his mind.

“No. Never mind.”

Xiao Xingchen was nearly as astute blind as he was seeing. They’d crossed swords enough in the past that he’d recognize him with just a stroke or two. But Xiao Xingchen didn’t know the depths of his reasoning; there’d even been a hopeful lilt to this question.

“Are you sure?” he asked, dejected if Xue Yang had to guess though his voice was still light and pleasant. “I may be blind now, but I can assure you that you won’t have to go easy on me.”

“No.” Xue Yang took the rejection to sit down. Gravel crunched beneath him, sword set to the side as he laced his hands together over his raised knees. “You seem to be having fun with your carp,” he said lackadaisically. “I’ll leave you to it.”

They lapsed into silence for a good while then, interrupted only by the water and the birds and the sound of A-Qing shuffling around somewhere behind them. It was peaceful. The lake was situated in the trough of a valley, and what was normally a clamorous destination had been briefly rendered quiet and secluded by the threat of danger. By tomorrow morning, it would be teeming again.

“Did you do this with that friend of yours?” Xue Yang suddenly asked. His eyes followed the daozhang’s backside intently, but he worded his question with the same innocent air as always.

“Zichen?” Xiao Xingchen returned, so distracted by his task that he seemed to have forgotten he’d never mentioned a name. “No. I’ve never done this myself either until—“ He broke off at the same moment his sword struck gold, or rather a carp in shimmering blue-grey scales and burst of red through water. “Ah!”

A smile lit up his expression, and Xue Yang found himself smiling absently in turn. It disappeared by the time Xiao Xingchen meandered back up the shore, replaced by an expression of bored indifference. He knocked out the bamboo basket at his side for the fish at the end of Xiao Xingchen’s blade to flop inside. It was already dead and would probably start stinking shortly in the heat. They still had the trek home.

But task (somewhat) accomplished, Xiao Xingchen appeared in no rush to leave. He sat at a small distance from Xue Yang. Maybe bolstered by the catch, he seemed more willing to share than usual and just a little less burdened by it.

“My friend was a gentle soul,” he continued as he wrung out the excess water in his robes. “But because he had a rather stern mien and preferred dark colors, people came to know him as the distant snow and bitter frost. To me, however, it was quite different. His presence was like the sun.”

Xiao Xingchen had always had a disgustingly soft way of speaking, and somehow it’d gotten softer. Xue Yang refrained from scoffing though his expression twisted for a moment.

“He sounds precious to you,” he said instead, a flat observation met with an affected affirmation.

“He was.”

Xue Yang noted the usage of the past tense and said nothing. Silence returned, this one shorter than the last. It was maybe a few seconds before Xue Yang started, “I’ve never had anything precious to me.” A pause. He shrugged. “I could lose anything and move on.”

Material possessions could be replaced or remade; betrayal was a foreign concept because he’d never had real friends to understand the meaning. Betrayal in the sense of, say, an unexpected change in business arrangements was as close as he could grasp. Even then, it didn’t hold the same sort of feeling that it did for others; to him, it was just an inconvenience.

He didn’t mention, of course, that whatever pain he suffered, he’d always inflict ten, twenty, fifty times of it back in retaliation. It only seemed fair. The world had made an unfeeling monster of him. He’d do the same in return if he could.

Which was why he supposed demonic cultivation called to him.

“Is that not lonely?” Xiao Xingchen had stilled and turned his unseeing eyes in Xue Yang’s direction.

“No.” He meant it. He didn’t think he’d ever felt truly alone, but... Xue Yang’s gaze found Xiao Xingchen whose brow had furrowed slightly in something between troubled and concerned.

Rather than argue the point as it seemed he wanted, he merely wet his lips and said, “I see...”

The corner of Xue Yang’s mouth curved into a smirk. “Daozhang,” he said as he turned back to the surface of the water twinkling in the afternoon sun. “I’d be lonely without you, though.”

“Hm?” Xue Yang wasn’t sure if that was an utterance of surprise or one of not hearing him. Either way, Xiao Xingchen’s position shifted in the corner of his eye, lips parting to follow up on the syllable when Xue Yang stood abruptly.

”It’s about time to head back, or else the fish will start to rot.” He reached out for Xiao Xingchen’s wrist with his right hand, fingers wrapping around it and tugging before Xiao Xingchen responded and moved. Their hands closed around each other briefly as the other accepted the support before Xue Yang was stepping away again when the daozhang was on his feet. He picked up the basket without being asked as Xiao Xingchen stood dusting off his robes as best as he could.

Xue Yang saw his efforts and laughed at him. “What’s the use? You’re already dirty from head to toe.”

Xue Yang flicked a particularly muddy sleeve and added, “Whose turn is it to do the laundry?”

“Yours!” A loud shriek came from a short distance away. Both of them lifted their heads to the source as A-Qing angrily tapped her way back to them, stumbling here and there across the pebbled ground. “You’re so shameless to ask! Trying to trick the daozhang again! Hmph!”

As soon as she reached Xiao Xingchen’s side, she clung to his right arm and pushed him forward, the farther from Xue Yang the better it seemed. “Let’s go, Daozhang! I’ll help you the next time!”

“Oh? You never offer to help me,” Xue Yang mocked and picked his sword back up in the same breath. The basket swung in the crook of his other arm.

“That’s because you can see! And you’re always playing tricks on us!” A-Qing stuck out her tongue at him as she continued pushing and pulling.

Xiao Xingchen laughed in response, “Alright, alright. A-Qing, then, how do you want to eat the fish tonight?”

“Fried!” she immediately chirped, jumping high enough to hit Xiao Xingchen’s chin.

“And you?”

“If I say anything else, won’t the Little Blind throw a fit?”

A-Qing stuck out her tongue again. “I’m not ‘Little Blind’!”

In her eagerness to escape, she’d started pushing Xiao Xingchen even more insistently. Pretty soon, they were a good few paces away. Xue Yang let himself lag behind. Something about his own fabricated words bothered him, but he couldn’t figure out what. He didn’t get much time to think on it. Xiao Xingchen called for him in the next moment, and he paused to look back in the direction of the village from which the water ghouls had originated.

”I’m coming,” he replied after a beat, figuring they could always go night-hunting for walking corpses some other time.

#mo dao zu shi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #xue yang #xiao xingchen #a qing #don't mind me im just crossposting from ao3 #i just love yi cheng fam ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و