#and then he starts getting up and leading me away already and replies ‘no we’ll do it now it’ll take 15 minutes tops’

[gossip-girl-of-middleearth]

This doctor goddamn just fucked my foot’s shit sideways with electrocution, big needles, anaesthesia, fire and carved a big, bloody hole in the bottom of my heel and had the audacity to be like “anything else?” on my way out, and as I’m grabbing my things and limping like Jaskier post-Rience in a daze I reply “lollipop?” and he straight up scoffs and sends me walking home with no fucking lollipop like I’m some cretin

I just—

So there I was, limping home with blood soaking through my bandaid and no lollipop

#but he did let me keep my torn flesh in a jar #so… PERKS??? #it’s like he ordered his medical degree off of Wish #and then five more doctors and students came in to watch #like that scene in FRIENDS when Ross is trying to get that mysterious mole removed #fuck my shit man I just wanted a little lollipop #when they were burning the hole into my foot tho I did watch the Jaskier torture scene on my phone (on silent) to make myself feel better #(screen was dimmed too so they couldn’t judge my coping methods) #funny thing is that’s not even what I went in for #but when I described it to him he’s like ‘hm yeah we’re gonna have to do X procedure’ #and I was like ‘haha that sounds fucked up so should I book a few days off work next week for it?’ #and then he starts getting up and leading me away already and replies ‘no we’ll do it now it’ll take 15 minutes tops’ #and when the smell of my burning flesh filled the room he jokes with the student ‘haha human bbq’ #AH INDEED AS THE GOOD BARD SAID HIMSELF: ARE YOU IN FACT SHORT OF A MARBLE???

[joelsgreys]

a safe haven l eight

Post Outbreak! Joel Miller x Female Reader

series masterlist l previous chapter l next chapter

summary: Joel encourages you to leave Luke and live the life you deserve with him and Ellie; Luke confronts you about Joel; Ellie discovers your secret and tells Joel, leading you to make a heartbreaking decision for the good of everyone in Jackson.

warnings/tags: 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI. (TW) THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A SCENE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. reader gets shoved and sustains an injury as a result (non life threatening). mentions of skin discoloration, the word bruise is used but no mentions of specific skin tone for reader, PLEASE HEED THE WARNINGS. *other chapter warnings and tags include: soft Joel, domestic fluff between reader and Joel, Ellie is a little shit but we love her, death of two minor OCs, talk of grief, funeral and burial, confronation between Ellie and reader, confrontation between Joel and reader, ends with angst and a slight cliffhanger.

Word Count: 10k

News of the ambush attack spreads like a wildfire.

Jackson’s safety and security has been rattled.

One life lost and another life hangs in the balance.

People are anxious—and they’re terrified.

And who could blame anyone for feeling this way?

For the first time in a long time, their peace of mind had been completely shattered.

“Where the hell did the kid run off to?” Joel grumbles, shifting uncomfortably on the examination table.

Now that the adrenaline is beginning to wear off, he’s really starting to feel the pain in his shoulder. It had started throbbing something awful not long after you’d finished stitching him up, and the expired oxycodone tablets you had given him had very little potency left—they hadn’t done a goddamn thing to help ease his discomfort. Not that it really came as a surprise to either one of you that the two decades old painkillers hadn’t worked, but it’d been worth a shot to at least try and see if they would do him any good.

“She’s with Rose in the supply closet,” you reply, taping a piece of gauze over his wound in an effort to keep it protected until you could take him home and get him cleaned up—then you would bandage up his shoulder properly. “They’re gathering some supplies you’ll need and looking for a sling.” It’s quite foolish to be this close to Joel with Luke just mere feet away in the exam room down the hallway, but you can’t seem to help yourself. Offering him a look of empathy, you lift your hand and cup the side of his face, delicately cradling it in your palm. You softly graze your thumb over the scruff of his beard. “I know, I know. You’re itching to get out of here. I promise, as soon as Ellie comes back with the supplies you need, we’ll get you home, okay?”

Joel raises a questioning eyebrow. “We?”

You nod. “I want to help Ellie get you settled in for the night and make sure you’re comfortable.”

He lowers his voice. “But what ‘bout Luke?”

“He’s going to be tied up here at the clinic tonight. It’ll be a while before he heads home,” you assure him. Dropping your hand away from his face, it falls back down against your side as you step back, putting some distance between the both of you. It probably isn’t the wisest idea to spend the night looking after Joel considering you’re already treading on thin ice with your husband for tending to his injury earlier, but your desire to take care of the man you love simply can’t be suppressed. Sensing his unease about it, you quickly add, “But if you don’t want me to, then I completely understand.”

Holding your breath, you anxiously wait for his response. 

Part of you almost hopes he’ll say that he doesn’t. 

One of you needs to be the voice of reason, and it sure as hell isn’t going to be you.

“No, that ain’t it—that ain’t it at all, sweet girl,” Joel says, shooting you a stern glare for even suggesting such a thing. “‘Course I want you to come home with me and Ellie. Just don’t want you riskin’ your neck for us. I don’t want you gettin’ yourself in some kinda trouble with Luke, that’s all.”

You flash him a small, wry smile. “I’ll be fine, Joel.”

That can’t be further from the truth.

But he doesn’t have to know that.

He doesn’t have to know you’ll be in for it when you’re finally home alone with Luke.

“We hit the fucking jackpot,” Ellie announces, walking into the room. She has an old, brown canvas bag slung over her shoulder and in her hands she holds a sling for Joel’s arm. “Well, sorta. Rose said this is the only adult size the clinic has in stock, so it’s more of a loaner. She said we’ll have to bring it back as soon as his shoulder heals. It’s seen better days,” she remarks, holding it out to you. “But it should do the job.”

Taking the sling from her, you start helping Joel into it. “What about the list I gave you?” you ask her over your shoulder as you adjust the thicker strap around his neck. “Did she get you everything that I wrote down?”

Clicking her tongue, Ellie double checks the bag.

“Uh, let’s see—saline, clean bandages, and a vial of penicillin.”

“And what about the syringes?”

“She could only give me three of them since stock is too low,” she replies. “That okay?”

You shrug. “We’ll have to make it work. We can always clean and boil the needles if we have to.” You tug the strap around Joel’s neck lightly making sure you’d fastened it securely, but not too tightly, either. You touch his arm. “That feel okay, honey?” The pet name slips out, falling from your lips before you even have the chance to catch it. Blood rushes to your face and your cheeks start to burn—even with your back turned to Ellie, you can feel the smirk that’s now plastered on her face. 

“Aww,” she teases. “Honey. How fucking cute is that?”

“Ellie,” Joel says her name warningly as you pick up his bloodied denim shirt and drape it over him in an effort to cover him up. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” 

“Don’t start.”

“Okay, I won’t.” Ellie pauses, her smirk widening as she slyly adds under her breath, “Honey.”

“Jesus, it’s like this place turned into a fucking ghost town or something,” Ellie observes, glancing around as the three of you make your way down Main Street and head towards the residential side of town. “Where the hell did everybody fucking go? Did we miss something?”

“Maria must have sent out a message to call off all of today’s evening work duties,” you tell her. Even though there isn’t anyone else outside, you keep a healthy distance in between you and Joel as you walk beside him. “The last time that something like this happened, she let everyone take the night off so they could be with their families and mourn. She might even cancel tomorrow’s duties too, if she hasn’t already.”

Ellie lets out a small, understanding hum. “I see.”

“So someone dies and everythin’ just stops?” Joel asks, lightly shaking his head at the thought. “Just like that?”

“Jackson isn’t like the zones,” you remind him. “We’re a community. We all love and care for one another, and when we have a loss, it hits people hard. Peter was a husband and a friend who everyone adored. It’s not like he was some faceless number working himself to the bone to earn just enough rations to survive.” You look around the empty streets, shrugging lightly as you shove both of your hands into the back pockets of your jeans. “Here in Jackson, we don’t toss bodies carelessly into a big fire pit and walk away without giving it a second thought. We bury our dead together—we grieve together. We’re still human, Joel. We can’t let the world outside these walls make us forget our humanity.”

“S’ppose you’re right,” he agrees, quietly.

The sun’s just starting to set by the time the three of you make it to Joel and Ellie’s.

“Careful, Joel,” Ellie fusses, looping her arm through his as she guides him up the steps of their front porch. “Careful, careful, careful—”

“Ellie!” he snaps irritably. “I got shot in the shoulder, not in the fuckin’ kneecap. I can fuckin’ walk just fine.” 

Ellie glances over her shoulder at you, scoffing. “It honestly blows my fucking mind that you have the hots for this.” She jerks her chin towards him and rolls her eyes. “Seriously, how does someone like him even manage to pull someone like you? Pretty sure it wasn’t his incredible personality or dashing good looks that reeled you in, so what kind of voodoo spell did my old man put your ass under, princess?”

Joel glares at her. “Now you listen here y’little shit—”

“Alright, that’s enough,” you cut him off. “Knock it off, both of you.” Putting a hand on his lower back, you request, “Ellie can you get the door, please?”

She nods. Letting go of Joel’s arm, she reaches into one of the back pockets of her blue jeans. She digs out her single house key and quickly unlocks the front door, ushering you both inside. “His room’s upstairs,” Ellie informs you as she flips on the lights in the foyer and leads the way up the staircase. She beckons with her hand for you to follow her down the hallway and opens the door to Joel’s bedroom. “Okay, so what’s the plan?”

“For you two to stop makin’ a huge fuss over me so I can lay down and get some fuckin’ rest?” Joel hopes. “M’exhausted.”

“Soon enough,” you promise him. “Where’s your bathroom?”

“S’that door there on the left.” He pauses, shooting you a quizzical look. “Why? What are you gonna do?”

“Run a bath to get you all cleaned up, of course.”

“Gross.” Ellie makes a face at you. “Sorry, but you’re gonna have to fly solo on that one, princess. I refuse to help you give the old man a sponge bath.”

You laugh lightly, not the slightest bit surprised by her reaction. “Fair enough. How about you go downstairs and fix him something to eat while I help him wash up?”

“Don’t have to fucking tell me twice!” Ellie whirls around on the heels of her sneakers, booking it for the door. She sings out over the shoulder, “Behave yourselves in there, you two! Don’t forget there’s an innocent child present under this roof and she doesn’t need to hear you guys bumping uglies!”

Flustered, you look down at your boots.

“Ellie!” Joel bellows her name, angrily. Before he has the chance to reprimand her, she scurries out of the room and flies down the stairs towards the kitchen.

Choking back a nervous chuckle, you pivot on your heel and walk into his bathroom. You make your way over to the porcelain tub and turn on the faucet. You kneel beside it as you wait for it to fill with water, occasionally dipping your hand into the water to check the temperature.

“M’real sorry ‘bout her,” Joel apologizes from the door. 

“It’s quite alright,” you assure him, despite the heat burning your face and neck from the teenager’s teasing. As soon as the tub is full, you shut off the faucet and stand up. You must have risen to your feet too quickly—a wave of dizziness sweeps over you and for a second, the room spins. Blinking furiously, you brush it off and beckon with a hand for Joel. “Bath’s ready. Come here.”

“Peach, you don’t gotta do this for me, y’know.”

“I know, Joel.”

“M’perfectly capable of cleanin’ myself up.”

“Yeah Joel, I know that too,” you say. “Now come here, please.”

Sighing, Joel slowly makes his way over towards you, taking your hand in his. He gives it a gentle squeeze. “You’ve done more than enough for me today, darlin’. I appreciate you for wantin’ to take care of me, but you don’t—”

You cut him off by tenderly pressing your mouth to his. “Then please, for the sake of what little sanity I have left tonight, just let me,” you murmur quietly against his lips. You reach up, pushing his soiled shirt off of his shoulders, letting the torn, bloodied denim fall to the floor behind him in a crumpled heap. You place your palm on his bare chest, right over his heart and feel it thrum strong and steady beneath your fingertips. Perring up at him, you ask, “Will you let me take care of you, Joel? Please?”

He sighs again, this time in defeat. “It really ain’t fair, y’know.”

“What’s not fair?”

Joel brushes a gentle kiss to your forehead. 

“The fact that I can’t ever fuckin’ say no to you.”

With a satisfied smile, you start to help him out of the sling, setting it on the counter. You then take off his belt, unbutton his jeans, and pull down his zipper for him.

“Turn around,” he says, kicking off his boots. 

Amused, you cock an eyebrow at him. “Joel, are you kidding me?” He nods and you shake your head at him, reminding him, “I’ve seen you naked plenty of times before.”

“Never in the light,” he counters, sheepishly. “S’always in the dark.”

You lean forward and kiss his collarbone, eliciting a tiny groan from him. “Joel, please,” you mumble against his warm skin. “Don’t be silly. Now come on, let’s hurry before Ellie comes back upstairs with your dinner.” You take a step back and tug at his jeans, pulling them down his legs along with his boxer briefs. After dumping his dirty clothes into the woven laundry basket behind the door, you help him into the bathtub.

Joel hisses out in relief as he sinks into the water.

Once he’s settled in, you kneel beside it once again.

“How does it feel?”

“Feels good,” he remarks, the hot water easing the aches in his bones that have nothing to do with his injury and everything with his age. “Real fuckin’ good.”

Cupping your hands together, you dip them into the water and start wetting his hair. You can’t help but smile when you notice how it curls more so than usual when it’s wet. “Scoot forward and then lean back a little. I’m going to wash your hair—I don’t want to soak the gauze on your shoulder.” Reaching across him, you grab his bottle of shampoo, twisting the cap off. You pour some of the product into your palm and set the bottle back down. After lathering the shampoo between your hands, you start running the suds through his damp locks.

“Christ,” Joel’s eyes roll into the back of his head as soon as you start massaging his scalp. “Fuck, sweetheart. Y’know, I think I could get used to this,” he admits with a sigh of content. “Feels fuckin’ incredible.”

You smile again, opening your mouth to speak, but then immediately clamp it shut.

Suddenly, you’re feeling a little off—something doesn’t feel right.

Brows knitting together in confusion, your smile falters. 

Normally, you love the scent of Joel’s shampoo.

You can’t even begin to count all the nights you’d hold him in your arms, breathing in the earthiness of jojoba oil combined with calming lavender from his hair as he rested his head on your chest. It’s usually fairly subtle, however now, as you wash his hair, the scent seems heavier and much more potent than usual—it makes your stomach churn violently and you can taste the bile as it slowly creeps its way up your throat. Pausing, you take a brief moment to breathe your way through the wave of nausea and swallow back the bitterness, willing yourself not to be sick right there in his bath. Worried you actually might, you drop your hands from his hair, close your eyes, and sit back on your heels as you wait for the feeling to subside.

“Baby.” You hear the water slosh around him. He tries reaching out for you with his injured arm, but grimaces, unable to make it very far before a sharp pain shoots through his shoulder. “What is it? What’s the matter?”

After a minute, it passes. You open your eyes only to meet Joel’s as he watches you with concern. “Sorry.”

“What’s wrong, darlin’? You feelin’ alright?”

You nod. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Leaning forward, you lift your hands to continue washing his hair. Shrugging dismissively, you realize, “I think I just need to eat something. It’s been a while since my last meal.”

“When’s the last time you ate?”

“Breakfast,” you reluctantly admit. “I had quite a bit of work to do at the stables, so I decided to skip lunch today, and before you scold me for it, I know I shouldn’t have worked through lunch.” You flash him a crooked little grin as he pins you with a disapproving frown. “I promise I’ll eat something as soon as I get home, Joel.”

“You’d better.”

After rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, you take his washcloth and lather it up using his bar of castile soap.

“How’s the water, honey? Does it still feel alright?” you ask him sweetly, running the wet, soapy washcloth over his chest and neck. You’re careful to keep it away from his injured shoulder. Leaning over the side of the bathtub, you start washing his side, being gentle as you sweep over the bruise he’d gotten from falling off of his horse during the attack. A lock of hair falls loose from your ponytail and into your face.

Joel lifts his hand out of the water, tucking it behind your ear. “S’perfect,” he murmurs, his hand grazing your cheek. Water drips off of his arm and lands on your camisole, soaking through the thin cotton. “Looks like you’re gonna have to take off your shirt, peach. Got’cha wet.” He chuckles at his own awful innuendo.

“You’re unbelievable, Joel! I just pulled a bullet out of your shoulder, and you’re already thinking of getting me naked,” you tease him with a giggle. “Oh, and by the way, I hope you know that there will be none of that for a while, not until you’re all healed up. Got it?”

“You can’t be fuckin’ serious.” His face falls when he realizes that you aren’t joking. “But you said it could be four to six weeks until I heal. How am I s’pposed to go that fuckin’ long without touchin’ you?”

Giggling again, you give his chest a gentle pat. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll survive.”

Rolling his eyes at you, Joel grumbles incoherently underneath his breath.

“Oh, come here, you big grump.” You lean forward and press a delicate kiss to his right temple. Your lips linger over the small, jagged scar near his hairline, causing him to shudder slightly.

Joel hasn’t vocalized it to you, but you know that of all the scars he possesses, the one on his temple is the scar he’s the most self-conscious about, especially now that you know how he’d gotten it.

“You know, you were right about Ellie,” you murmur softly against his skin. “About her knowing. You were right to warn me that night.”

He frowns. “She confronted you ‘bout us?”

Pulling away from him, you nod. “She sure did.”

“Well, I reckon that explains why she was givin’ us so much shit earlier,” he huffs, shaking his head. “When did this happen?”

“Earlier this afternoon, when we were alone at the stables,” you answer. “She offered to work through lunch with me and it was just the two of us. It happened just before Tommy showed up and told us you had been shot.”

Joel grimaces. “Might regret askin’ this, but what did she say?”

You chew nervously on your bottom lip.

“She said she wants me to leave Luke.”

His eyebrows shoot up towards his hairline.

He knew his kid was pretty bold, but to go as far as telling you to leave your husband was pretty ballsy, even for her. He should reprimand her for it, but he can’t fault her for being brave enough to do what he still hasn’t mustered up the courage to do himself. “She did? What else did she say to you?”

“That the three of us could be a family together. A real family.” You drop the washcloth into the water and rest both arms on the edge of the tub as you continue filling him in on the encounter between you and Ellie. “She said it wasn’t complicated—that all I had to do was take off the ring, pack up my things, and leave him. She also said that I could just move in here and live with you two.” Pausing, you let out a small, breathy laugh. “I told her I would love that more than anything, but I can’t. It just isn’t possible. I can’t leave my husband.”

His jaw clenches, teeth gritting together. “‘Cause he won’t fuckin’ let you.”

You can’t help yourself and you laugh again.

Now you’re absolutely sure of it. Joel and Ellie really are cut from the same cloth.

You breathe out a long, melancholic sigh. 

“Joel, I love you. And I’ve grown to love Ellie, too. You both make me happy,” you tell him, softly. “Ever since you two came into my life, something in me changed. It was almost like I’d forgotten what it felt like to love and to be loved in return. I thought I’d lost that part of me when I lost my father two years ago. I thought that part of me had died along with him. His loss left left me feeling so empty. It left a void inside of me—but you and Ellie have filled it. It’s kind of silly, but sometimes I honestly think he sent you two to me. It’s almost like he knew I needed you.”

His eyes soften. “Ain’t silly at all, darlin’.”

“You both mean so fucking much to me,” you confess. 

“And you mean so fuckin’ much to us—you belong with us, peach. Your place is with us. Your home, it ain’t with Luke. It’s here, with me and with Ellie.”

“I know, trust me, I know that Joel. But I can’t—”

Joel sits up straight in the tub, wincing slightly.

“Joel, stop. Come on, you need to take it easy.”

Placing both hands on his chest, you try to push him back against the tub, but Joel’s hand reaches up and catches one of your wrists. He lightly curls his fingers around it. “Don’t you think it’s what your dad would want?” he questions. “You think he’d want you to be livin’ a life of misery with Luke?”

“Of course he wouldn’t. But I can’t leave him, Joel.”

“Look, whatever it is that you’re afraid of—”

“Joel, please,” you whisper, thickly. “Don’t do this.”

“You ain’t gotta be afraid, baby. I can protect you. I can keep you safe.” His thumb lightly caresses the thin, delicate skin on the inside of your wrist as his eyes meet yours. “I mean it. I can keep you safe, my sweet girl. I would never let anythin’ bad happen. I swear it. I wouldn’t let anythin’ bad happen to you, and neither would the kid. She loves you too goddamn much.”

You swallow the emotional lump in your throat. 

Lifting your wrist, Joel feathers a gentle kiss on the inside of it. He feels your pulse racing against his lips. “You’d be alright with us, y’know.”

“I know I would.”

“Then what the hell’s stoppin’ you?” Joel challenges. “We’re your family, baby. We’ve got you. No matter what—me and Ellie, we’ve got you, peach.”

Joel makes it sound so simple, so fucking easy. 

But he doesn’t know Luke the way you know Luke.

He won’t let you go, not without some kind of fight.

And Joel Miller wouldn’t be afraid to fight back.

He would kill Luke, if it came down to it.

After a moment’s silence, you finally speak. 

“Just—just give me a little time so I can figure things out, okay?” you bargain with him. “I need some time to sort things out.” Before Joel can even ask you what you’re talking about, you cut him off and shoot him a pleading look. “Please, Joel. Please. I’m just asking for some time, that’s all. If I can have it my way, I’ll be living here with you and Ellie before winter comes around in a couple of months.”

Joel sighs heavily. “Fine. I’ll give you time, but only on one condition.”

Apprehensive, you question, “What condition is that?”

“He does anythin’ to you, you come and tell me so I can handle it. Alright?”

“Joel, he’s not going to do anything to me.” The lie rolls off of your tongue with such ease that it actually takes you by surprise. “He’s not going to—”

He stops you. “Just promise me, baby. Promise that you’ll come to me if you need me. Please. S’all I’m askin’ of you.”

Knowing there is no other choice but to agree, you nod. “Of course I will.”

It’s a promise you can’t and won’t keep.

“That’s my girl.” Joel places another soft kiss onto your wrist. “I love you. I love you more than fuckin’ life itself.” He glances down and brushes his thumb over your wedding band. “Y’know, someday you’re gonna take this goddamn thing off for good and you ain’t gonna have to put it back on. You’ll be mine.”

Frowning, you counter, “But I’m already yours, Joel.”

“All mine,” he rephrases himself. “Who knows. Maybe I’ll find a ring to put on your finger myself some day.”

Worried you’ll break down, you gently tug your wrist out of his hand. “We should finish up in here. Ellie’s going to come upstairs soon.”

After you finish rinsing off the suds of soap from his body, you drain the tub and help him out of it and into a clean towel, wrapping it around his waist. You hand him a second towel which he uses to haphazardly dry off his chest and hair before walking back out into his bedroom. With his permission, you start searching through his drawers for some comfortable clothes. You pluck a pair of clean boxer briefs from one drawer and faded, navy blue sweatpants from another. Once you help him dress, you instruct, “Sit down. I’m going to bandage your shoulder.”

Obediently, Joel perches himself on the foot of his bed. 

You stand in front of him, unrolling the bandage.

“C’mere.” He grabs your hip, pulling you between his thighs. “Y’know, you make a real cute nurse.” He slides his hand up your shirt, his fingers gliding up the soft, smooth skin of your stomach.

“Joel, stop. Cut it out,” you scold him, playfully. “I need to make sure I do this right. Don’t distract me.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll behave,” Joel gruffs. He withdraws his hand from under your shirt and keeps it to himself.

You wrap the elastic, flesh toned bandage over his injured shoulder, pulling it behind his back before bringing it around across the front of his chest—after wrapping the excess material snugly around Joel’s bicep, you secure it, fastening the plastic clips at the end of it. “How does that feel? It’s not too tight, is it?”

“S’fine,” he answers. After you help him back into the sling, he wraps his opposite arm around you, pulling you closer to him. “So do I get a kiss or somethin’ for bein’ such a good patient for you, darlin’?”

“Yeah, I suppose you earned it.” Grinning, you carefully wrap an arm around his neck and lean down, swelling his lips with your own in a deep kiss. He swallows the soft moans that find their way from the back of your throat and into his mouth as his hand once again snakes its way up your shirt, touching each and every last inch of skin he can possibly reach.

“Oh fuck, my eyes!” Ellie’s voice cries behind you.

Startled, you rip yourself out of Joel’s grasp.

She stands at the door holding a steaming bowl in her hands, a horrified look on her face.

“Ellie,” you say her name, breathlessly. “We didn’t hear you coming up the stairs—”

“Obviously fucking not,” she huffs, rolling her eyes at you as she makes her way into his bedroom. “Well, now that I’m fucking scarred for life—” She pauses and sets the bowl down on Joel’s nightstand. “Here you go, Romeo. I made you some soup. And by made I really mean, I opened a can of twenty one year old chicken noodle soup and warmed it up on the stove.” Smirking, she adds, “So chow down. Unless you’re way too busy sucking her face off to eat, of course.”

Joel narrows his eyes at her. “Y’know I only need one hand to wring that little neck of yours, right?”

Before she has the opportunity to fire back, you step in. “I have to get going. It’s getting late and I need to make it home before Luke does.” You turn to Ellie. “He’s going to need a penicillin injection every six hours, okay? He’s pretty vulnerable to infection right now so he has to be on antibiotics for the next week or so.”

She nods, giving you a thumbs up. “You got it, doc.”

“Normally, you inject penicillin into the buttock—” You pause, holding back a laugh as a look of pure disgust flashes across the young girl’s face. “But, it can also be injected right into the thigh muscle. I’ll show you.” Pointing to the exact spot on the outer portion of his thigh, you instruct, “Five hundred milligrams, no more and no less. Easy enough?”

“Oh, okay. So that’s how you inject penicillin,” Ellie muses with a hum. After a moment, she mutters under her breath, “That would have been fucking useful to know about eight months ago.”

Your lips purse together tightly as you recall her story about what happened in Colorado with David and his group. 

“What’d you say, kid?” Joel asks, confused. 

“Nothing,” she replies, innocently.

Clearing your throat, you reach up, smoothing a hand over his damp curls, slicking them back. “I’m going to head home. Get plenty of rest, alright? I’ll come over and check up on you as often as I can. I promise.” You lean down, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to his forehead. 

“Jesus, you two make me so fucking sick already,” Ellie remarks, making a loud gagging noise. However, when you look at her, she’s smiling.

You walk into the house, only to find it empty.

Luke must have still been caught up at the clinic.

It seems like a good sign that Carl might still be alive. 

After taking a quick, hot shower, you hastily put on some comfortable clothes and hurry downstairs to prepare a late dinner. You had just finished peeling some boiled russet potatoes you planned to mash up when the sound of the front door opening and then slamming shut echoes throughout the house. You hear his footsteps approaching and a chill runs down the length of your spine just like back in the clinic—all you can think about is what he’d said to you as he was leaving the room. 

“We’ll talk about this at home.” 

Anxiously, you turn around just as Luke enters the kitchen. He’d changed his clothes at the clinic, trading his blood soaked scrubs for a pair of dark wash blue jeans and a plain black button up shirt. “Hey,” you greet him, hoping you don’t sound as nervous as you feel. “How’s, um—how’s Carl doing?”

“He didn’t make it either,” he replies curtly. He sets his black leather satchel down onto the kitchen table. “He lost too much blood during surgery. And without a machine for a transfusion—” He stops short. He hangs his head and even from you’re standing at the stove, you can see the way his jaw clenches.

Luke takes it hard whenever he loses someone—and he always takes it out on you.

“I’m so sorry,” you manage to tell him. Despite trying to remain calm and collected, you’d started wringing your hands together out of habit.

“Well, at least there was one hero in that clinic today,” he scoffs out bitterly with a shake of his head.

You frown. “Luke, please don't do that. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Peter and Carl’s injuries were too severe. And besides, you said it yourself. We don’t have the proper equipment here in the commune.” You know there is no consoling him, not a single word of comfort could ease the blow of his failure, and yet, you find yourself trying anyway. “You did all you could do for them with what little we have. There’s nothing you could have done differently to change the outcome. Their wounds were fatal. Their fate was sealed long before they made it back to Jackson.”

Luke pinches the bridge of his nose and exhales a long, exasperated breath through his lips. It’s like watching a ticking time bomb.

“Look, it’s been a long day for everyone. Why don’t you go upstairs to take a shower, relax a bit, and then come back down for dinner?” you offer. “I’ve got a chicken baking in the oven, it shouldn’t be all that much longer now—”

Luke glares at you. “I just lost two fucking people today. Do you really think I’m fucking hungry right now?”

“You still need to eat,” you say, your voice small. 

“Are you really that fucking stupid?” He starts to walk over towards you. “What?” He asks when he notices you flinch, your body shrinking away from him. “What’s the matter, darling? You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

You answer him in the steadiest voice you can, but even you can hear the way it trembles with fear.

“Of course I’m not afraid of you, Luke.”

He lifts one of hands, prompting you to flinch again. “I’m not going to hit you,” he murmurs, touching your cheek before taking it in his palm. Knowing how uncomfortable he’s making you, his green eyes seek yours, only making it worse. “How is your boyfriend? Is he doing alright?”

The color drains from your face. “Excuse me?”

Luke cups your cheek harder. “Patching him up back at the clinic wasn’t enough for you, was it?”

You grab his wrist and try to tear his hand away from your face as you sputter, “What—what are you talking about, Luke?”

“Esther came into the clinic this evening with Martha and Lisa so they could say their goodbyes. While we were out in the hallway giving them a moment of privacy, Esther told me she saw you with Joel and Ellie. She said she watched you walk into their house with them—is that true?”

Left without another choice but to tell him the truth, you nod meekly. “It’s true,” you confess. “I walked them back to their place.” As soon as you see the anger flash in his eyes, you begin to ramble an explanation. “I went home with them so I could help Ellie get him settled. She’s fifteen years old, Luke. I needed to show her how to care for his wound and how to inject the penicillin he needs, that’s all—”

“Bullshit,” Luke seethes through his teeth. He grabs your shoulders, taking them harshly in his hands. “I’m going to ask you one more time—what the hell is going on between you and Joel Miller? And before you even think about giving me the same lie about his fucking brat of a kid, just know that I don’t fucking believe you.”

“Luke, let go of me—”

He starts shaking you as if it’ll somehow shake the answer out of you. “Fucking tell me the truth!”

You squirm in his grasp. “Luke, please! Let go of me!”

He shakes you harder, his violence escalating.

“Why were you at the fucking clinic in the first place, huh?”

“Luke, stop it! You’re hurting me!”

“What were you doing there in the first place?” He repeats, shouting the question into your face. “What were you fucking doing there? You heard your boyfriend got shot while he was out on patrol? You needed to make sure that he was okay? That he was still alive? Is that it?”

“Ellie asked me to go to the clinic with her! She was with me at the stables when Tommy showed up and told her Joel had been shot,” you try telling him. “She didn’t want to go alone!”

Finally, Luke stops rattling you. “And I suppose she asked you to tend to his injury, too?” He sneers. “She asked you to patch up his wound?”

Dizzy, you take a second to catch a quick breath, then respond, “Actually, she did. She and Tommy both asked me to take care of his shoulder and if you don’t believe me, then you can go find him and ask him yourself!”

“How fucking convenient,” Luke snorts. “Do you honestly take me for a fucking fool?”

“Luke—”

He shoves you back roughly.

Your side meets the sharp edge of the countertop in a loud, painful thud. Clutching at your ribcage, you sink down to the kitchen floor, curling yourself up into the fetal position as you brace yourself and wait for what’s undoubtedly coming next.

Luke steps towards you, his hands curling into tight fists at his sides. But before he has the chance to lay another finger on you, the doorbell rings. 

You breathe out a small sigh of relief.

“Get up,” he hisses. “Go answer it. Now.”

Your side is throbbing, but you scramble up to your feet quickly and hurry to do as you’re told. “I’ll be right there,” you call out, wincing. You briefly stop in front of a mirror hanging in the hallway and check your reflection to make sure that you look—well, that you look normal. You fix up your hair a little, smooth your shirt, and put on a brave face before opening the door. “Tommy,” you say his name in surprise. Your eyes then flicker to his wife. “Maria. What are you two doing here?”

“Sorry, little lady. We know that it’s kinda late,” he apologizes, holding Maria's hand gently in his. “But we’re wonderin’ if we could come in for a minute to talk to you and Luke?”

Without hesitating, you step aside to allow the couple into the foyer of your home. “Of course you can,” you say, closing the door behind them. “I’ve got a late dinner in the oven. If you guys are hungry, then you’re more than welcome to join us. I made plenty.”

“That’s awful kind of you,” Tommy says with a grateful nod. “But it might have to wait for another time. We’ve still got a few more people to see tonight.”

Luke steps out of the kitchen. “Tommy? Maria? Is everything alright? It’s not the baby, is it?”

Maria places a hand on her swollen midsection.

At about five months, her belly had finally popped.

“The baby’s just fine,” she assures him. “Been kicking a storm up all day long.”

“Good.” Luke stands beside you. “I know today has been very difficult, but remember to take it easy, alright? You can’t stress too much, or it can put the baby in distress. I don’t want you going into preterm labor, Maria.”

She cradles her belly. “I know, Luke. I promise, I’m being very careful,” she swears. “We’re just going out door to door and checking in on everyone, offering support where it’s needed.”

Tommy nods, his face looking worn and tired as he pulls Maria close and tucks her into his side. “What happened today was a real fuckin’ tragedy. Two people gone, just like that,” he shakes his head, sadly. “We just wanna make sure everyone’s doin’ okay.”

“How’s Martha?” you ask, tentatively. “Lisa and her daughters, how are they holding up?”

“They’re devastated,” Maria replies, sighing. “Lisa can keep it all together for the sake of her girls. It’s a whole different story for Martha, though. Peter was the only person she had, you know?”

“I can check in on her,” you offer, kindly. “I can stop by on the way to the stables in the morning to see her. Make sure that she’s taking care of herself.”

“We actually canceled tomorrow’s work duties, so if you two need to take the day off, you can,” Maria informs you, her eyes flicking from you to Luke. 

“We’re holdin’ a memorial service tomorrow in the old church house,” Tommy states. “And the burial will take place right before sunset.”

“We’ll be there,” Luke nods, taking your hand in his. He squeezes it tightly. Harshly. “Won’t we, sweetheart?”

You wince a little. “Yes, of course we will.”

Tommy notices the way you squirm. “You alright there, little lady?”

Luke squeezes your hand even tighter. It’s a warning.

“Yes,” you lie to him. “I’m perfectly fine.”

The next morning, you stop by Martha’s place, just like you’d told Maria you would. While you had no words that could console the grieving widow or ease the pain of her loss, you sat with her for a good hour and simply let her cry into your shoulder. She tuckered herself out quickly, and just before she fell asleep on the couch in her living room, you made her a promise, telling her you would see her at the memorial later that evening.

“What do you even wear to a funeral?” Ellie asks, curiously. She sits comfortably in Shimmer’s black leather saddle, the mare’s reins clutched in one of her hands. Despite work duties being canceled for the entire day, the two of you met at the stables to tend to the horses—the animals had enough water and food to get by until the following day, but still needed to be exercised so you’d suggested a short ride in the field out behind the paddock.

“Well, people typically wear black to funerals,” you answer, leading the way across the vacant patch of land on Ranger’s back. “Ellie, how many times am I going to have to tell you to hold onto the reins with both hands?” you chastise her over your shoulder. “I’m serious. The last thing we need is for you to fall off and break a bone. Both hands, missy.”

“Alright, alright. Sheesh, mom.” You can’t see it, but you hear the joking grin in her tone. “Why do people wear black to funerals? Was that always a thing?”

“Yeah. It’s the traditional color of mourning.”

“Why black? Why not like, green or something?”

“I don’t know, go ask the Ancient Romans.”

“The who?”

You chuckle, shaking your head. “Nevermind.”

Clicking your tongue, you start steering Ranger, signaling him to turn back towards the paddock.

“I don’t even think I own anything that’s black,” Ellie says behind you. She gently squeezes Shimmer’s sides with her calves and the horse breaks out into a trot, catching up with you and Ranger. “Green it’ll have to be, then. Oh, by the way, Joel told me to tell you that he’ll see you at midnight. Your usual place.”

You frown. “He’s one day into his recovery. He needs to rest.”

“That’s what I fucking told him. But I guess he just can’t stay away from you, princess,” she teases as the horses arrive back into the paddock.

“Alright, let me hop off Ranger and I’ll help you—”

You stop short, watching as Ellie swings her leg over the back of Shimmer’s saddle and jumps off.

She grins. “Please. I’m practically a professional at dismounting horses now. Call me Seabiscuit.”

You snort. “Ellie, Seabiscuit was the horse.”

“Oh.” She waves a dismissive hand. “Well, you know what I fucking mean.”

Laughing, you roll your eyes at her. You pull a foot free from one of the stirrups then swing your leg over and start dismounting Ranger—but the second you start going down, your opposite leg still in the stirrup supporting your weight wobbles and you lose your balance. You fall forward against the horse, accidentally sliding down his saddle.

To add insult to injury, the horn catches your sleeve and hikes up your blouse as soon as you land your feet on the ground.

“That was real fucking graceful,” Ellie cackles as she watches you try to unsnag your shirt from the saddle. Walking around Ranger to get a better view of the mishap, her grin suddenly vanishes. Her brown eyes widen when she catches a glimpse of the discoloration that starts near your hip and goes up your entire length of your side. “What the hell? Is that a fucking bruise?”

Finally, you free yourself from the saddle. Feeling your heart pound, you tug your shirt down into place, but it’s too late.“Ellie—”

“What happened to you?”

“Nothing happened to me,” you fib. “I’m fine.”

“You’re fine?” Ellie repeats, incredulously. “There’s a fucking bruise the size of the state of Wyoming on you and you’re fucking fine? Really?”

“I fell,” you tell her, giving her the first excuse that you could think of. “I’m really clumsy, Ellie. Clearly I am.” You gesture to the saddle. “You saw it, just now. I almost fell off a damn horse.”

“You fell.” Ellie raises her eyebrow at you. “Or were you pushed?”

Staring at her helplessly, you reassure her, “Ellie, it’s nothing. I fell and I hit myself. Alright?”

She steps towards you and grabs the hem of your blouse, yanking it up. “That,” she points her index finger at your side, “That is not fucking nothing! That is fucking something.”

“Ellie!” Gasping, you harshly slap her hand away.

“Luke did that you, didn’t he?”

Her accusation comes without hesitation.

“Of course he didn’t,” you stammer. “I told you I fell—”

“Bullshit. I’m fucking telling Joel.”

She spins around on the heel of her sneaker.

“Ellie! No!” You catch her arm, stopping her. “No, please don’t do that! Don’t tell him. Please don’t tell Joel.”

“Then I’ll tell Tommy and Maria,” Ellie says, shrugging. “I’ll tell them about what their precious doctor is doing to you behind closed fucking doors—” She starts to leave the paddock and you’re quick to stop her once more.

“No! You cannot tell anyone! Not Tommy, not Maria, or anyone else. And you especially cannot tell Joel.”

“He’s fucking hurting you!” Ellie all but shouts at you.

“Ellie, I have it under control—”

She snorts, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, clearly.” Sarcasm drips from her tone. “I can tell you have it under control.”

You take her hands, clasping them in yours. “I can handle Luke, Ellie. It’s all under control.” Your gaze meets hers. “Please. Do not tell anyone about this.”

“But—”

“Ellie, please. I’m begging you,” you plead with her. “Don’t tell anyone—and especially not Joel. Please.”

It pains you to see her look so fucking helpless.

Maybe it’s selfish of you to ask her, a child, to keep such a secret.

But it’s for the good of Jackson.  

“Swear to me that you won’t tell him about this. Swear it.”

Again, she looks helpless, helpless, helpless. 

Eventually, she sighs out in defeat. “Okay. Fine. I swear I won’t tell Joel.”

“Or anyone else,” you add.

Her eyes fall away from yours as she mumbles, “I swear I won’t tell Joel. Or anyone else.”

Later that evening, after the memorial service, everyone makes their way to Jackson Cemetery, a makeshift graveyard right outside the west wall that’s protected by a steel fence. With men and women armed and standing around the entire perimeter of the site, the burial carried on. Miles, a former pastor, reads verses from a bible out loud at the request of the men’s families who were people of faith. You stand at Martha’s side, holding her as Tommy and two other men lower her husband’s casket into the ground and begin to shovel in the dirt.

From the corner of your eye, you see Joel as he stands in the crowd with Ellie and Dina. The girls have their arms linked together. Ellie looks over at you, then glances away, sourly shaking her head as Luke puts a comforting hand on your back. She knows it’s just for show. He’s playing the role of a good husband when he’s anything but.

After the burial, the entire town is invited back to the commune mess hall for the traditional funeral repast. Food, drinks, and plenty of stories of the patrolmen are shared—fond memories are exchanged in efforts to lighten the somber mood.

Joel watches with jealousy as you stand by Luke’s side the entire evening, his arm secured around your waist. He’d been sitting at a table across the hall near the doors with Ellie. Forcing himself to look away from you, he turns his attention to her and notices she hasn’t scarfed down her food as usual. Joel would often have to tell her to slow down before she made herself sick, but tonight, he doesn’t have to. Instead of inhaling her potatoes like a human vacuum, she pushes them around on her plate with her fork.

“Is everythin’ alright, kiddo?” he asks her, worriedly.

She lets out a long, heavy sigh. “Yeah. Everything’s fine.”

He frowns. “Ellie, don’t lie to me.”

She sighs again. “Okay, everything’s not fine.”

“What’s goin’ on? The funeral bother you?”

Ellie looks over towards you and Luke, nervously biting down on her lower lip. She then glances back at Joel.

“Ellie? What is it?”

“She made me swear not to tell anyone. Especially not you.”

“Who?”

The second your name comes out of her mouth, he stiffens in his chair.

“I swore to her I wouldn’t say anything, but—”

“Ellie, what the hell’s goin’ on?”

“She’s going to be so mad at me if I tell you, Joel.”

He shakes his head. “No one’s gonna be mad, kiddo. I can promise you that. No one is gonna be mad at you, alright?” He promises her. “Just tell me what’s goin’ on.”

“Well, you see—” Ellie hesitates. “The thing is—”

She trails off, unsure of how to say it.

“Christ, Ellie. Just fuckin’ spit it out.”

“I think he’s hitting her,” she finally blurts out.

Joel freezes. “What?”

“Luke. I think he’s hitting her or something.”

“Why do you think that?” he asks, his voice rigid.

Ellie lowers her voice. “Today we were taking two of the horses out on a ride around the field behind the paddock. When we got back, she slipped while she was dismounting Ranger. Her sleeve got stuck on his saddle and her shirt pulled up.” She pauses, sucking in a deep breath, then exhaling it before saying, “I saw a huge bruise on her side. It was fucking massive. It looked fresh, too.”

His blood begins to boil. “You ask her ‘bout it?”

“Of course I did. When I asked her what happened, she told me that she fell. But I didn’t believe her. When I asked her if Luke did it—”

“She admitted he did.” It’s a statement, not a question.

Ellie’s face falls. “Well no, not exactly. But Luke did it, I know he fucking did it, Joel. He’s hurting her. It’s why she won’t leave him. She’s too fucking scared of him.”

Joel looks up, his lips pressed into a tight line.

His eyes meet Luke’s from across the room.

The man gives him a small, curt nod and takes your hand in his, pulling you towards where Martha and Lisa are sitting with a group of friends, among them, Tommy and Maria.

“Joel?” Ellie says his name, nervously.

“I’ll handle it, Ellie.”

“But—”

He cuts her off.

“I said I’ll fuckin’ handle it.”

Despite knowing that Joel needed to rest, the part of you that was incredibly selfish just couldn’t wait to see him—to be with him, to hold him in your arms and kiss him. Especially after such a long, gloomy and sorrowful evening.

When midnight rolls around, you find him already waiting behind the barn. Normally, it was you who would always arrive first, so when you see Joel standing there by the paddock fence, you can’t help but feel a little surprised.

“You beat me here,” you remark with a small laugh as you approach him.

“Yeah. I did.”

Excited to see him, you don’t even catch the tone of his voice at first.

Serious.

Upset.

You beam at him and say, “Hi, honey. I missed you.” Smiling, you lift an arm to throw it around Joel’s neck in a careful hug, but he catches your wrist in his hand and stops you, the creases in his brows deepening.

“Show me.” 

Your smile slowly falters. “What?”

“Show me,” he repeats, stiffly.

“What are you talking about?” Puzzled, you pull your wrist out of his grasp and step back. 

He’d never spoken to you like that. He’d never looked at you like that before, either. Angrily.

“Joel, what’s going on?”

“Ellie told me ‘bout the bruise.”

Your blood runs frigid in your veins. “What?”

“Earlier at the repast. She told me ‘bout the bruise she saw on your side today.”

“It’s nothing, Joel—” 

“Show. Me.” Joel bites the words out through gritted teeth.

You stare at him for a moment, then sigh.

With little choice in the matter, you lift the hem of your shirt.

“Here,” you say bitterly, turning your body. “Is this what you want to see?”

His stomach churns violently.

Ellie hadn’t been exaggerating about the size of it.

The painful mark starts at your hip, and it goes up the entire length of the side of your torso until it feathers out beneath your bustline.

“I fell.” Your voice is flat, emotionless. Because you don’t know how else to react now that he knows the truth.

You don’t know what to do or what to say. 

So, you turn the dial back to numb.

“The kid didn’t believe that bullshit lie and I fuckin’ don’t believe it either. We both fuckin’ know Luke did this to you.”

He almost expects you to deny it, but when you don’t, it’s all the confirmation he needs. He starts off towards the residential side of town, prepared to yank Luke out of bed and rip him to fucking shreds.

“Joel, where the hell are you going?” you huff as you start following behind him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“M’gonna fuckin’ kill him,” Joel seethes. He lifts a hand and starts clawing at the strap of his sling to take it off. “For puttin’ his fuckin’ hands on you—”

You grab his arm. “Joel, please! Don’t!”

Refusing to stop, he drags you along behind him.

“Joel, stop! Please, can you just wait for one fucking minute?”

Digging your heels into the dirt, you yank at his arm, and plead for him to listen to you.

“Joel, just give me the chance to explain!”

Finally, he comes to a halt and whirls around, his nostrils flaring. With furiousness in his dark eyes, he faces you.

“You promised me! You fuckin’ promised me you’d come to me if he did somethin’ to you—” Realizing he’s shouting at you, Joel stops. Seeing your bottom lip quiver, he softens ever so slightly. He knows you’re not the person to take his anger out on. No, that person is fast asleep in his bed. “How long? How long has he been doin’ this to you? And don’t you lie to me.”

“Two years,” you admit in a whisper.

Joel’s face pales. 

Swallowing dryly, you shake your head. “Joel, he’s the only doctor in this town. There’s so much pressure that he carries on his back. He’s responsible for all of the people in this community,” you begin to explain. “It’s a lot to handle for one person, he’s always stressed—”

“And so beating you is the way he fuckin’ unwinds after a long day of work?” Joel, for the life of him, can’t fucking believe you’re attempting to defend Luke.

“He just loses his temper sometimes. It gets the best of him and then I’ll say something or so something to piss him off even more—”

Joel catches your hand in his. “Baby, fuckin’ stop that right now. Stop fuckin’ makin’ excuses for him. He’s fuckin’ hurtin’ you, and if something ain’t done, there’s a good chance he’s gonna wind up killin’ you.”

“I have everything under control, Joel.”

“No, you fuckin’ don’t. He’s fuckin’ hittin’ you.” Joel’s voice breaks as he speaks. “He’s hurtin’ you.”

“I can fix it,” you say, though you sound more helpless than anything else. “I just need time, but I can fix this, Joel.”

“No, peach. You can’t fix it. But I can—all you gotta do is let me.”

You look down at your shoes, feeling tears glaze over your eyes. “No. Jackson needs him, Joel.”

“But what ‘bout you?”

“I’m just one person,” you whisper. “You have to look at the bigger picture here. I’m just one fucking person.”

“One fuckin’ person who means everythin’ to me,” he says, squeezing your hand. “If you won’t let me handle him, then we go to Tommy and Maria—”

“If he gets locked up or thrown out, we won’t have a doctor, Joel. Don’t you fucking understand that?”

Joel’s beginning to lose his patience.

He knows you’re only trying to look out for the rest of the community, but at what fucking cost?

Your own life, possibly?

Maybe it’s selfish, but he doesn’t care about everybody else. He cares about you.

Dropping your hand, he steps back, shaking his head. “I ain’t gonna let him keep on hurtin’ you. I’m gonna put a stop to it.”

“Joel, you’re just going to make things fucking worse! I will handle it—I will fix it. I don’t need your help. I don’t need you stepping in trying to play the hero. It’s all under control, okay?”

“Like hell it fuckin’ is. First thing tomorrow, I’m gonna pay Luke a visit at the clinic. Have a little talk with him, man to man, or whatever he fuck he is—”

Your stomach sinks at the mere thought of it. “No! Don’t you fucking dare,” you warn him. “Don’t you even think about it, Joel.”

“What the fuck am I supposed to do? Stand around with my fuckin’ hands behind my back and just let him keep on hurtin’ you? Ain’t gonna fuckin’ happen.” Realizing your stance on the matter is firm, Joel comes to his own decision. “Listen, sweet girl. If you ain’t gonna give me permission, then I’m just gonna have to ask for your forgiveness.”

You glare at him and left your chin. “Well, I won’t give it to you.”

He stares at you, completely taken aback by your sudden coldness.

“If you do anything to hurt him, or tell Tommy and Maria about this, I will never forgive you,” you threaten, a warm tear slipping down the side of your face as you prepare to shatter both his heart and yours. “I mean it, Joel. Stay away from Luke. And maybe it’s for the best if you just fucking stay away from me too.”

Before Joel can even think about uttering another word, you turn around and walk away.

You break down as soon as you make it home.

Sinking down onto the porch, you pull the collar of your shirt over your mouth and nose in an effort to muffle the sounds of your sobbing. That look of hurt on Joel’s face and in his eyes when you’d told him to stay away from you, it would be burned into your memory forever. It would haunt you for the rest of your damn life.

It wasn’t what you wanted.

This wasn’t what you wanted.

But there is no other choice.

There never has been another choice for you. 

The sound of gravel road crunching underneath a pair of old, tattered red low top sneakers fills the silent night air, prompting you to look up.

“Do you hate me?” Ellie questions you softly.

The remorseful expression on her face sends another sharp, stabbing pain through your chest.

“Oh, Ellie. Of course I don’t hate you.” You pat the empty spot beside you on the porch. “Come here.”

Ellie walks over and sits down beside you, pulling her knees up to her chest.

You wrap an arm around her, reassuring her, “I could never hate you, Ellie. I love you, sweetheart.”

“I’m sorry,” she apologizes. “I know I swore to you I would keep my fucking mouth shut, but I had to tell Joel about Luke. I’m sorry—I’m so fucking sorry.” She sniffs, dabbing at her eyes as they fill with frustrated tears.

“It’s okay. I would have done the same thing if I were you.”

“Really? You would have?”

You nod, wiping at your face with your opposite hand. “Absolutely.”

“You’re only saying that to make me feel less like a big pile of dog shit, aren’t you?”

“Mostly no, but partially yes,” you joke dryly in an effort to cheer her up.

Ellie flashes you a small, watery smile. “I’ll fucking take it.”

She leans her head against your shoulder and for a while, the two of you sit there in melancholy silence.

“What’s going to happen with you and Joel?” Ellie finally asks, her voice small.

“I don’t know, Ellie,” you admit quietly. “I really don’t know.”

#fic: ash #fic: a safe haven #joel miller series #joel miller story #joel miller x you #joel miller fic #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x female reader #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller angst #joel miller x y/n #tw domestic violence #tw: dv

[lidiasloca]

more than this (azriel x reader)

summary: after Azriel and reader had a summer together, the last thing Az was expecting was to face her again. (angst).

previous chapter; next chapter

chapter four

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The girl runs into his arms, and Azriel tries to catch up with her swift movements. Then, he’s hugging her. 

Mor and you share a glaze, the fifteenth just today. Since when was Azriel so physical with anyone that wasn’t, well… anyone he didn’t have a romantic somewhat-relationship with? Mor seems just as surprised as you. 

But maybe… maybe he and Elain do have something.

You don’t let the thought linger. “Mor, I was thinking on going upstairs to train. Will you join me?” 

She nods, not daring a word. 

“Can I come?” Elain says, and moves away from Azriel to face you. “I’m Elain, Feyre’s sister.” 

Please no, don’t come. You try to smile friendly and say,  “I know who you are.” 

She returns your smile. “I don’t know who you are, though.”

She doesn’t mean it to be rude, you’re sure. Not with her sweet smile, and sweeter face, and sweetest voice. But, still, her question is a reminder how secret was the relation you and Azriel had. He’s comfortable enough with her to hug her like that, but not to name the girl he spent the whole summer with.

You swallow your hurt and don’t let your smile falter. “Y/n. I’m… Mor’s friend.”

“Oh,” she replies, her tone, one of surprise. “She’s never mentioned you.” You’re not so sure that she’s not trying to be rude now.

Since you’re not quite sure how to answer, your eyes move to their own accord to Azriel. You find nothing, though, no emotion. You feel stupid for thinking you’d find pity or… something in him. 

You should know better.

Mor coughs, making your eyes turn to her. “Elain, didn’t you say you wanted to start the Valkyrie training as well?”

No, no, no, no. You beg your friend with your eyes, but she’s looking at Elain. “Yes! I would love to.”

“Well, then go get changed. We’ll be waiting in the living room.” Oh, gods, no. 

Elain nods enthusiastically and starts walking to the door. But when she’s at the door, she pivots on her heels and looks at Azriel smirking. That type of smirk… it sets you on edge. 

“See you later,” she says, and the way her voice reminds you of when someone makes a dare. You hate it; her tone and the fact that she means to meet with him later. 

Fortunately, she’s at last gone. Unfortunately, now Azriel’s gaze is only directed to you. You try not to care much about it, or at least look like so. “Let’s go,” you tell Mor. 

Azriel finally decides to talk “Y/n,” he says, though it sounds like a question. But you don’t let yourself look at him as you leave, Mor leading the way. If he can stay silently when you want answers, so can you. 

“What was all of that about?” you whispers-shout to Mor, remembering how shocked she was, too, when Elain jumped to Azriel for a hug. Azriel. For a hug. 

“I have absolutely no idea.”

…

“Now, you will stretch,” Cassian tells the sweaty and exhausted three of you. The training had been a bit too much, taking into account that this was your first Valkyrie training. 

“Again? But we already stretched in the beginning,” you complain, barely feeling the muscles on your legs.

“Because, Y/n,” Elain -Elain- starts. “It will help relax tense muscles, among other things, of course.” She smiles tenderly. That smile.

“Exactly,” Cassian says. “Ladies, I have to go now to another group, okay? But you keep stretching a bit more.” And then he’s gone. 

“How do you know that, Elain; I thought this was the first time you trained.” Mor asks her, leaning to her leg. You do the same, feeling a bit of pain in your leg. 

“It is,” she replies. “But Azriel taught me that; about stretching after a workout.” She glances at you and adds sweetly, “or any activity of the sort.” 

What? You have to force your jaw not to literally drop. You turn to look Mor, and see she’s doing the exact same. 

But cute little Elain just giggles. “I’m joking.”

Yeah - sure. 

Your curiosity gets the best of you as you ask, almost beg, with your eyes to Mor. She knows you well, and immediately understands what you want from her: “Umm… Azriel and you, Elain. What… well, are you something?” she asks and smiles shyly, so unlike her. “Just curiosity.”

Elain moves her gaze to the floor, a coy smile forming on her face. She hums and then says, “Well, it’s pretty secret, -you know Azriel-, but we… sort of have something.” She at last looks up at us, at you, her smile still there. “Is it that obvious?”

You want to strangle someone.

Is it that obvious? That voice.

As you try to not hit someone, the anger glowing inside you uncontrollably, Mor seems more inclined to silent shock. You two might look interestingly scary from Elain’s point of view. 

“Oh,” Mor gets out. “That’s…” She coughs again, trying to say something.

But you get your words faster. “For how long?” You know Azriel isn’t that kind of male. But… it hasn’t been so long since summer ended, and then, the Azriel you knew doesn’t feel like the Azriel you know now.

And now… now, you wouldn’t bet on it. 

Elain seems like she’s thinking, counting. Gods - you can hear your heart beating near your throat. “Somewhere in May,” the girl says eventually. “It sort of feels like a fever dream,” she adds, giggling. 

No.

You stand up quickly, not bothering with an excuse, as you make your way to your room. 

…

It feels like you’ve been crying for weeks, and you have the feeling you look like it, too. But it’s only been a few minutes that you’ve been curled in the bed, bawling your eyes.

There’s this horrendous mix of sadness and guilt in your heart, and they feel physically painful, like an acute stab in your heart. And another, and another. They keep coming. Especially because the room still has the scent of both Azriel and Elain. And that just makes you overthink the more. 

Mor had knocked on the door, but you hadn’t opened, just told her you needed to be alone. But once she had gone, you regretted not asking her to winnow you to your apartment. Or somewhere away from these people. 

Almost in cue to your prayers, you hear a knock on the door. You run to it, but recognize the scent, and stop your hand from touching the handle.

“Nesta?”

“Can you open?” And you do. Her eyes pierce your face, and you can make out how bad you look by the way she assesses you. “Mor told me…” She tries again, “I can get Cassian here. So he can fly you.”

You nearly drop to your knees in thankfulness. But you remain somewhat calm, and nod before muttering, “thank you, Nesta.”

…

Luckily for you, Cassian only asks you one question, and it isn’t one you don’t want to answer. “Where?”

You let him take you in his arms as you think your answer. “The day court.”

He gives you a firm nod, one that makes you think he’s been warned, or threaten, by Nesta. The thought lightens something in your heart, though tears are still on your face. 

After what feels like eternity, you enter the Day Court. Then, you commence indicating him to the palace, where you’re expecting to find your old friend. That, if he’s not busy with his High Lord’s duties or… other deals that always have him busy. 

You finally land, and Cassian gives you an incredulous look, “Helion’s palace?” You nod again, still not confident with talking too much. “Helion?” he asks again, more to himself than to you. 

“What about me?” the High Lord asks, making the both of you turn to him. You waste no time, going in for a hug. It had been a long time since you had last seen him. “Missed you, too, sweetheart,” he says against your hair. 

It’s all too warm, the bubble you feel yourself in when in his arms. But Cassian is still there, waiting. You let go of Helion, who looks at you so sweetly. Genuinely sweetly. 

 “Thank you, Cassian.” 

He nods again, and seems to debate himself before saying, “Azriel… he has been speaking to me the whole fly. He, well, he wants to talk with you. He wants to know where you are.”

The pain is again there. 

But so is Helion, who grabs your hand, as if he could sense how you are feeling. He always knows, when it comes to you, after all. 

“Cassian, please. Don’t tell him. I need to be alone.” You don’t even know why on earth would he want to see you. This is a win for him, never having to see you again. But you don’t want to think about anything related to him. 

“But, Y/n,” he replies. “Azriel told me-”

“It doesn’t matter what he told you,” Helion interrupts. “It only matters that she’s saying she doesn’t want him here, understood?”

Cassian seems shocked at how serious Helion is, since he usually isn’t. Unless it’s an important matter. Something like comfort glows in your chest. Loving comfort. That bubble again. 

Cassian nods, yet again, and then takes off flying.

“Come on, let’s get you to your room, sweetheart.”

You turn to your friend. “Is it really still my room?”

“What do you mean? Do you think I would give a random guest your room?”

You stare at him and smile. “Thank you, Helion.”

-Characters by Sarah J. Maas

This was longer than usual, but there was a lot to unpack of what I have in mind with the story. Worry not, I'm pretty positive this is going to have a happy ending, hopefully. I have the next chapter pretty planed, so it shouldn't take too long for me to write it. random mention to the grudge by olivia rodrigo, cause it's right now playing and cause i love it sm. teenage dream is so great as well :)).

tag list:

@kalulakunundrum @bubybubsters @goradgirl @kennedy-brooke

#azriel x reader #azriel angst #azriel #azriel x female!reader #azriel x you #azriel acotar #azriel shadowsinger #azriel x y/n #acotar fic #azriel fanfic #azriel fic #az imagine #azriel imagine

[acewritesfics]

The Neighbour's Cat | Tommy Shelby

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Reader

Request: from @rainydayteacups

Fic Type: Imagine

Warnings: Swearing. Fluff overload. Soft Tommy. I guess you could say pre-war Tommy but I didn’t really mention it.

Word Count: 1,564

TOMMY SHELBY MASTERLIST || TAG LIST SIGN-UP

⚠️ THIS IS A REPOST FROM MY MAIN BLOG @/DLMLUFICS. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY. MORE INFO IN MY PINNED POST.

“Did you hear that?” Ada asks after a loud thud came from out in the backyard.   

“It might be the neighbour's cat,” Y/N replies. The grey tabby is often in her small backyard, making himself comfortable in one of her flowerpots as he slept. She no longer had flowers growing in the one he took a liking too. “He often comes into the yard.”  

She goes to pour herself another glass of the wine that Polly had swiped from the Garrison when she sees movement outside the window. Recognising the familiar hair cut she stands up from the table. "I'll be right back. I need to make sure the cat hasn't gotten into anything it shouldn't have."  

"But it's dark outside, what could it possibly get into?" Ada whines, lifting her glass to her lips.  

"You'd be surprised," Y/N mumbles and makes her way to the back door and slips outside, looking into the darkness of the night for a person sneaking around the back of her home. "Tommy?" she whispers loudly unsure if it was him, she'd seen.   

As Tommy moves in front of her, a hand clasped gently over her mouth as he holds a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet.   

"Come with me," he speaks barely above a whisper, the hand covering her mouth moving to take her hand in his and leads her away from the back yard and into the street.  

“Tommy, I can’t just leave,” she protests but makes no real effort to break away from him and go back inside. “Where are the others?”  

“Back at the Garrison,” he informs her. “And who says we can’t sneak off to spend the night before our wedding together?” 

“It’s tradition,” she sighs knowing the women currently in her kitchen will have her head once they realize she’s disappeared.  

“Fuck tradition,” he scoffs as he slows his walk now that their getting further from the house. “Since when have we been ones to follow tradition, eh?” 

“I guess you have a point,” she smiles. 

“We’ll start our own tradition,” he announces, his voice echoing through the empty street as he walks ahead of her lighting his cigarette and turning to face her while walking backwards. “Our future generations will spend the eve of their wedding together instead of apart because we did it first.” 

Not realizing he’s about to step off the curb, he stumbles backwards causing Y/N to gasp as scrambles forward to try stop him from falling. He steadies himself before he can topple backwards. “I’m fine, love.” 

She shakes her head with a chuckle as his hands reach for her hips and pulls her closer. “So, what do you say?” 

“I say, I’m the luckiest woman in all of England, maybe even the whole world,” she smiles. “Let’s make our own traditions.” 

He smiles, kissing her, before taking her hand again and leading her further from her home. 

Arriving at Charlie’s Yard, Tommy helps her through the gate and towards the stables. Y/N looks around apprehensively, unsure if they should be there. It's been a long time since they snuck into the yard of the man who's like an uncle to the Shelby siblings. Last time they did it, they'd been caught. Charlie had almost fired Tommy from his job as punishment, but Tommy promised never to do it again. Until now.  

"Tom, are we allowed to be here?" she questions him, even though she has a feeling she already knows the answer as they walk into the makeshift stable.  

"I cleared it with Charlie," he informs her, surprising her a little. 

"But Charlie's at the Garrison with the rest of the blokes," she says, realization hitting her. "He was in on this plan of yours." 

"He tried to talk me out of it," he tells her.  

"But of course, Tommy Shelby gets his way," she teases. 

"I convinced you to marry me, didn't I?" he asks, a smug smile on his pouted lips.  

"It didn't take much convincing," she smiles.  

"We first met here," he reminds her. "You were tending to one of the horses Curly was working with." 

"Moonlight," she smiles remembering the day well.  

She came to Birmingham two years ago to visit her cousin, Curly, and look for work, having been fired from her last job for no good reason. Curly talked to Charlie about hiring her, claiming he needed a hand with the horses. Charlie hired her after Curly gave him his word about Y/N being a hard worker and almost as good with horses as he was.  

She was three days into her job when she crossed paths with Tommy. She was grooming Moonlight, a black stallion with a diamond shaped patch of white on his forehead. Moonlight just so happened to be one of the horses Tommy saved from a man who was about to put the beautiful boy down, because he was sick, and he couldn't afford to get him well again. Curly had nursed him back to health within a few weeks. Y/N had bonded with him so much that Tommy couldn't bring himself to find him a new home, instead keeping him as a gift for the woman he had fallen so quickly in love with. 

Those few weeks curly was nursing Moonlight back to health, Tommy spent pursuing Y/N, unable to get her from his mind. It took a month before she gave in to his advances and they've been together ever since. And Moonlight is now in a stable on a farm a friend owns, living his life to the fullest. Y/N is out there almost daily attending to him and taking him for rides. Tommy can't wait for the day when he can move Moonlight into their own stables, on property they owned, with as many horses as his wife wants. 

"The first time I saw you, I knew I had to have you in my life," he tells her. "You looked so beautiful, covered in dirt and grime, humming that tune as you ran a brush through Moonlight's mane. He seemed so calm and at peace that I felt it within myself."  

"Oh, Tommy," she coos softly, feeling her heart erupt with all the love she has for him. The fluttering feeling like a kaleidoscope of butterflies was inside her chest. She steps towards him, placing her hand on his face as she looks at him lovingly, her thumb stroking his well-defined cheek.  

"I've felt it ever since that moment," he says, his voice softer. "You bring peace to my chaotic life. It's one of the many reasons why I love you." 

"I love you," is all she's able to say before she pulls him in for passionate kiss, expressing all the love she has for the man who turned her life upside down in the best kind of way.  

Y/N startles awake the next morning when a loud noise comes from outside. Placing her hand on Tommy's bare shoulder, she gently shakes him awake, hearing the rattling of gates being opened.  

"Tommy, we need to leave," she tells him barely above a whisper. 

Groaning, his eyes flutter open and connect with Y/N's eyes. He smiles and reaches behind her head to pull her in for a morning kiss. His other hand travels up her thigh, plays with the hem of his shirt she's wearing before slipping under it to grab her hip to pull her closer.  

"Enough of that you two," The sound of Charlie's voice causes them to part. "You best get out of here before they send a search party. Can't be late to your own wedding." 

He walks away before they could say anything. Standing up, Y/N quickly dresses into her clothes from the previous day as Tommy takes back his shirt and coat.  

"I'll walk you home," he tells her as they leave the stable. They thank Charlie who waves them off with a shake of his head and tells them he'll see them at the ceremony. Hurrying home, Y/N holds onto Tommy's hand tightly, bracing herself for the lecture she's about to encounter.  

Standing on her front doorstep, she turns to face Tommy with a small smile on her lips. "I'm about to get my head bitten off by your aunt and our sisters but last night is worth every second of it."  

"I agree, my love," he smiles also. "I liked that tradition far better." 

"This coming from the man that said a fuck you to traditions," she teases.  

"To traditions that aren't ours," he corrects her.  

"You better get going before Polly sees you," she chuckles and pulls him in for one more kiss before they become man and wife. "I love you." 

"I love you too," he says pulling away from her and stepping back on to the footpath. "Don't be late," he tells her. 

"I'll be the one in white just in case you can't find me," she laughs. 

"I'll always be able to find you," he smiles and turns around, starting his walk to Arthur's house.  

As soon as she opens the door and heads inside, she gulps seeing Polly standing there with her hands on her hips and an angry look on her face. "And where the hell have you been?" 

"The neighbor's cat needed to see me," she replies slipping past her to go to the bathroom. 

TAGGED: @chapter-in-my-old-diary - @hanawrites404 - @goblinjnr - @halsteadbrasil - @forgottenpeakywriter - @star-ggirl - @iceman-kazansky - @alexxavicry - @galactict3a - @crispynutella - @il0vebeingdelulu - @nicole-19s-world - @yeppaweshallsee

Bold means your @ didn't come up when I tried to tag you. Sometimes your blog will be linked after posted but I don't think you get the notification. You'll have to let me know and I'll change it from bold to normal. Tags have been weird lately. Here's a post I found that could help: WHY OTHERS CAN'T TAG YOUR BLOG

#acewritesfics repost #thomas shelby x reader #tommy shelby #thomas shelby #tommy shelby x reader #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader

[babydollmarauders]

ILLICIT AFFAIRS — QUINN HUGHES

quinn hughes x fem!reader

summary: in which y/n is Quinn’s little secret.

specific lyrics: “what started in beautiful rooms; ends with meetings in parking lots” and “you wanna scream, don't call me ‘kid’, don't call me ‘baby’, look at this godforsaken mess that you made me” and “look at this idiotic fool that you made me” and “for you, i would ruin myself, a million little times”

warnings: cheating, 18+ content in the middle, ANGST!

notes: you will not think highly of the Quinn in this fic. i know i’m supposed to be writing the Speak Now Fic List— bear with me. this was written as a way to get out of my writers block.

i can always stop.

i can.

i have freewill to refuse his advances.

i think.

but the stolen stares, the weight of his body against mine, the feeling that comes with knowing he wants me in the way i’ve longed for him to want me, it’s an addiction.

a drug that i just can’t quit, despite how dirty and used i feel afterwards. despite having to sneak away with my hood up and my head down.

the high of being his, just for a moment, outweighs the inevitable self-criticism in the aftermath.

because that’s the thing about illicit affairs; they make you hate yourself a million little times.

**

i’ve barely just climbed off of him, my back skimming the mattress, before he’s already standing from my bed.

my eyes follow his movements, the fluidity and grace of flowing through steps he’s done a million times before.

his dress shirt buttoned back on, his suit pants following, his tie lazily swung around his neck and his suit jacket pulled over to complete the look.

while i’m tangled in my thin sheet, still recovering, he’s fixing his hair in the mirror above my dresser and letting his own eyes graze his neck for marks. finding none, as i know better than to make myself known on his skin.

never seen, never heard, always secret. no marks, never wear perfume nor lipstick, never leave any trace of existence. a ghost above all else.

his eyes lock with mine in the mirror, catching my longing stare with his indifferent one.

“i’ve gotta go. you watching the game?” he knows the answer, he always knows.

“yeah, Quinny, i’ll be watching.” my cheeks flush. “i always do.”

“good. i’ll try and score a goal for you.” he winks in the reflection, my heartbeat picking up as it does every time. “bye, baby.”

there’s no goodbye kisses, no whispered sweet nothings, just quirked lips and the sound of my bedroom door shutting behind him.

it’s not long until the bliss wears off, leaving me with nothing but self-depreciating thoughts. no one to blame but myself.

he has a girlfriend.

one who isn’t you.

aren’t you ashamed?

aren’t you disgusted with yourself?

don’t you deserve better?

although, maybe not.

my phone buzzes on the nightstand beside me, an incoming call from my best friend, and despite feeling like an idiotic fool and a betrayal of my own morality, i accept the call.

“hey, Lukey!” false cheer drips from my tongue, but just like every other time, i know he won’t know the difference. “to what do i owe the pleasure of your call?”

“hey, y/n/n!” Luke’s chuckle crackles over the speaker of my phone. “i just wanted to talk, i’ve been missing you extra the past few days. i want my movie buddy.”

“i miss you too, Lukey.”

god, if only he knew how badly i’ve fucked up without him to lead me the right way.

“don’t you have Jack now to watch movies with?” i question, shaking off the urge to confess my sins. to ask for his forgiveness and plead for him to talk some sense into my love-riddled mind.

“it’s not the same. he doesn’t pay attention to the little details as well as we do.” i can hear his pout through the phone, making me giggle.

“just one more month, then we’ll have the whole summer to watch as many movies as we want.” i remind him.

“yeah, one more month.” he replies, solemnly. “anyways, UBC is still treating you good, right? no chance you’d wanna transfer to, i don’t know, Rutgers or Princeton?”

i chuckle at his lame attempt at convincing me to leave my dream school.

“i’m sorry, moose; but UBC is still where my heart lies.” oh, if only he knew just what, or rather who, the reason was for that.

“yeah, alright. it was worth a shot.” he sighs. “and Quinny’s taking good care of you, right?”

i my throat closes up and i choke on the air in my lungs.

“what?” i ask him, sitting up in my bed and pulling the sheet closer to my body.

“Quinn.” he repeats. “he promised he’d look after you. has he?”

“oh, yeah. yeah, he’s been checking in on me. making sure i’m okay.” i guess that’s one way to put what we’ve been doing.

“good. i’d have to kill him if he let you get hurt.”

**

my feet have barely touched the ground outside of my car before the lake house door is flung open. my best friend bounds out of the house, his middle brother hot on his trail, attempting to speak to him about something long forgotten by Luke.

“YOU’RE HERE!” Luke’s arms are flung around my waist, hoisting me up in the air and spinning me around.

the melody of my laugh mingles in the air as my arms wrap around his neck.

“Lukey, put me down, i already feel sorta car sick! it was a very long drive.” despite the fact that my words are true, i can’t wipe the smile off my face from being reunited with my best friend.

my feet finally fall flat on the ground as Luke backs up to look at my face, his fingers grazing all over it, more specifically the under eye bags from stress and sleepless nights.

“i thought you said you were doing great? what are these?! they’re new!”

his concern is heartwarming but before i can respond, i notice all the people behind him on the lake house porch. Jack, their friends, and most importantly, Quinn. the real reason for my newly spotted dark circles.

i muster up a chuckle, rolling my eyes.

“they’re designer. they come with the UBC tuition.” i stress, hoping he buys the ‘i’ve just been working myself to the bone with schoolwork’ excuse.

“checks out. you’ve always been my little nerd.” he grins, slinging an arm around my shoulder and turning towards the porch. “aren’t you guys gonna come say hi?”

“didn’t wanna impose on your moment.” Jack jokes, hopping down the porch steps to pull me from Luke’s grasp and into a hug.

“hey, bubby. welcome back.” he smiles, ruffling my hair mid hug. i step on his foot in retaliation, making him push me back so he could check on his white sneakers.

“it’s good to be back, bubba.” i grin as he rolls his eyes.

“hey kid, long time no see.” my head snaps over to look at Quinn, who smirks at me with a knowing look.

we saw each other three days ago, the day before he flew out to Michigan.

“hey, Quinny.” a bashful smile takes over my lips and my heart beats overtime, the natural reaction when i’m in his vicinity.

“no.” Luke speaks, pulling me into his chest protectively. “you don’t get to ‘hi’ her. you got her all year. this is my turn.”

his words make me blush and i pat his chest.

“don’t worry Lukey, this is our time.” i reassure him. “i but i would like to go inside now.”

“yeah, right.” he nods, letting me push away from him. the guys all head back into the house, leaving me to open my trunk and grab my bag.

a strong hand encases mine on the handle of my suitcase, soft lips i know all too well grazing the shell of my ear.

“i hope Luke doesn’t mind sharing.” Quinn leaves me frozen behind him, taking my bag and my breath with him.

beats of time pass before i follow suit, closing my trunk and locking my car before jogging up the porch steps and into the house.

this will be one hell of a summer. literally.

**

“i’m going for a run.”

my words are spoken through Luke’s shut bedroom door, followed by the opening of said door.

“a run?” he asks me, sleep still prominent in his face from his mid-afternoon nap. “since when do you run?”

“i started running when i was in Vancouver. i thought i told you that?” the lie is like a sour candy on my tongue, spit out quickly as though another second of these words in my mouth would make me sick.

“oh, okay. how long will you be gone? i’ll have the movie set up for when you get back.”

“i shouldn’t be too long. like an hour at most.” i tell him, tightening my ponytail.

“you’ll actually probably be all sweaty when you get back. just wake me back up when you get back and i’ll get the movie ready while you shower.”

sweaty and flushed, for sure.

“okay.”

*

“Quinn, please.” my heavy pants turn to pleads, begging Quinn to get me over the edge. his hands hold mine behind my back as i grind my hips against his.

unable to risk being caught at the lake house, our rendezvous settings have downgraded from my bedroom back in vancouver. to the parking lot of a field, only a 15 minute walk from the house.

“you want me to make you come?” his words cause a shiver down my spine, my head nodding at rapid speed. “use your words, baby. say it.”

“i want you to make me come.” i beg. that’s all it takes for him to flip us over, my body laid across his back seat as he thrusts into me, hooking one of my legs over his shoulder.

“fuck, you’re so wet baby. feel so good squeezing my cock.” i clench around him, his dirty whispers echoing in my head as the coil in my stomach tightens. he angles his hips, thrusting up into the spot that makes my eyes roll back.

“right there.” i gasp, my hands coming up to grip his shoulders. i’m careful not to dig my nails into his skin. careful to never leave any sort of marks. his right hand trails down my body, settling on my stomach.

“right there?” he teases, repeating his previous move, all while pushing one hand down on my stomach. my legs shake, and i clench around him one final time before the pressure relieves and i achieve my orgasm.

Quinn thrusts a few more times, riding me through my high and chasing his before his hips stutter and he pulls out, painting my stomach with his release.

the glass windows are fogged, the car hot and reeking of sex, the only sound being our heavy breathing as we gather ourselves again.

my eyes flutter, my energy spent.

“hey, baby.” Quinn’s hand snakes onto my thigh, shaking it slightly. “you should go. Luke is probably waiting for you.”

i nod. i know he’s right, but it still stings, being dismissed so quickly.

i wipe my stomach with a napkin from his glovebox before slipping my biker shorts back on and pulling my tank top back over my head.

“i’ll see you at the house.” he bids me goodbye, as i slip out of his car, starting my walk back to the house.

aren’t you sick of this?

don’t you feel guilty for lying to your best friend?

for betraying him like this?

don’t you think you can do better?

that you deserve better than clandestine meetings?

than being someone’s ‘other woman’?

than being tossed aside the second he’s done with you?

i’m done.

*

“alright, you ready?” Luke asks, plopping down on the couch cushion beside me, a bowl of popcorn clutched in his hand.

“yeah, press play, moose.” Luke is just about to hit play on the netflix movie when the front door swings open. Quinn steps into the house, shutting the door before noticing us on the couch.

“hey.” he gives us a nod, walking towards the stairs. “oh, Olivia is flying in tomorrow morning.”

my heart stops, my muscles tensing.

Olivia.

Quinn’s girlfriend.

the one we’ve been sneaking around for four months.

“oh cool, what time?” Luke is oblivious to my silent panic.

“six a.m, so i’m heading to sleep. night, Luke. night, kid.”

there it is again. that stupid nickname. ‘kid’.

Quinn heads up the stairs and i hear the faint sound of his bedroom door shutting.

my head snaps over to Luke.

“hey, i gotta go get something from my room, i’ll be right back.” i pat his leg before rising from my seat, making my way towards the stairs.

“oh, okay.” he nods, getting on his phone as i walk up the stairs.

i come to a stop outside of Quinn’s door, debating knocking before i decide not to, in order to not raise suspicion from Luke.

i swing the door open, slipping in before quickly shutting it behind me.

Quinn sits on the foot of his bed, head rising from looking at his phone. his brows furrow before he raises one in questioning.

“didn’t get enough of me earlier?” he teases. “aren’t you and Luke watching a movie? i don’t think we can have a quickie right now-”

“we’re done.” his lips snap shut, whether in shock, or disbelief, or just plain speechlessness, i’m not sure. but he’s silent, so i continue. “no more meetings. no more.”

my heart aches in my chest, my throat getting tighter and tears bubble up in my eyes.

i thought it would be easy to stop.

i used to tell myself i could do it whenever i wanted. but now, i know it’s not true.

there was no ‘last time’, only this afternoon. no soft goodbyes. i’ll be stuck seeing him for the rest of my life. he’s a mistake that i became all too comfortable with. with him, i let my morals wash away like a drawing in sand. but i was done hating myself, thinking so low of myself for my forbidden actions.

he chuckles as if i told him a joke, as if i didn’t just tell him we were over. standing from the bed and prowling towards me, his hand raises to cup my cheek.

“what are you talking about, baby?”

it’s always ‘baby’ in secret. ‘kid’ while in company. he makes me feel so stupid, like i’m a child; naive and small.

“don’t call me ‘baby’.” i swat his hand away from my cheek. “and don’t call me ‘kid’, either. do you not know my name?

“do you not know the name of the girl you’ve been fucking in secret for the past four months? that you’ve known since you were ten?”

his nostrils flare, stepping back as though i’ve slapped him.

“i know your name, y/n.” his words drip with venom, his lips press together into a straight line. “they’re just nicknames.”

“they’re cruel.” i spit. “you know what you’re doing. i’ve made myself available to you for too long. i’ve let you use me and throw me to the side as if i’m nothing. i’ve become something i never would’ve imagined i would be-”

“y/n-”

“no! this is my turn to talk. look at this godforsaken mess that you made me. i’m actively lying to my best friend, your brother. i’ve become the ‘other woman’. a title i would’ve smacked myself for, just six months ago. i’ve lost my sense of morality. i’ve become someone that i don’t even recognize; because of you. so, i’m done.

“i will not be your secret anymore. i deserve more. i deserve better than someone who keeps me hidden. who dismisses me mere minutes after using my body.”

tear tracks stain my cheeks, my face feels tighter under the salty liquid and i quickly wipe them away.

“you’re right.” my lips part slightly, my gaze fixating on the man in front of me.

he seems genuine. his eyes glistening with pity and an unrecognizable emotion.

“i’m sorry. you deserve better.” he tells me, nodding his head solemnly.

“i do.” i reply. “and i’ve been rejecting everyone that is interested because i’ve been hoping and praying to any higher power that you would love me the way that i’ve loved you since i was sixteen, but that’s not gonna happen, is it?”

he shakes his head ‘no’ and i can’t even hold it against him, because at least he’s finally being honest with me.

i bite my lower lip, nodding dejectedly and gripping the doorknob behind me.

“for you, i’ve ruined myself a million times.”

i slip out the door, padding back down the stairs and leaving the man i love, and our illicit affairs behind me.

Luke’s head rises when i return, his eyebrow raised and his lips parted, surely ready to question what took me so long. but with one glance at my tear stained face and bloodshot eyes, his mouth closes, his arms opening instead.

i drop onto the couch, burying my face into his neck. his arms wrap around me tightly, one hand holding the back of my head as the other rubs my back.

“i know.” he whispers. “it’s okay. i know.”

his words are mumbled against the shell of my ear and the emotion with which their spoken confirms that he knew what i’d been doing. they only succeed in making me feel even more guilty. all this time, i thought i’d been doing a pretty good job of hiding our meetings this summer, but my best friend is smart, catching on a lot more than i realized.

“i’m so sorry, Lukey.” i sob, my apology muffled by his skin.

“it’s okay. and i promise, it’ll be okay, y/n/n. i’ve got you.”

#quinn hughes #quinn hughes x reader #quinn hughes imagine #quinn hughes fic #quinn hughes blurb #vancouver canucks #nhl blurb #nhl fic #nhl imagine #faithlynn’s writings <3

[guess-my-next-obsession]

The Bakesale

pairing: pre-outbreak!joel miller x f!reader (Elementary-verse)

rating: E (18+ ONLY, oral (f rec), unprotected piv, slight dirty talk, these two being in looooooooove)

wc: 2.1k

a/n: this is based on an anon request i got ages ago but can no longer find :( so i hope this finds you, anon!! 🫶🏼 also, for context, this drabble takes place between chapter six and seven :)

series masterlist | joel masterlist

“Sorry ‘bout this,” Joel apologized as he carried grocery bags filled with baking supplies into your kitchen. “Our oven’s been actin’ finicky, and I’m not sure what the hell I’m doin’—“

“You’re fine, Joel,” you said, placing a hand on his arm as he stood beside you at your kitchen island.

Things were still new between the two of you, both of you still frantic to impress the other, or at the very least not inconvenience them, but it truly was no inconvenience for Joel to come over and use your oven and advice, especially when it was for his daughter’s soccer team’s bake-sale.

“Still,” he said. “Thanks, baby.”

You felt a girlish smirk growing in your face at his casual use of the endearment, your ears not yet accustomed to hearing such a pretty thing.

“You’re welcome,” you replied, still smiling that bashful smile as you started to unpack the grocery bags. “So what are we making?”

“Sarah got assigned brownies,” he said. “Got my mom’s recipe.”

You continued unpacking the supplies while he pulled a piece of scrap paper with a scribbled list and instructions on it.

“You can read that?” you teased, laughing at your own question.

“Yes,” he replied, dry and unimpressed. “You got a problem with my handwriting?”

“If you were my student, I would,” you said, smirking at the smile that was growing on his face. “But seeing as you’re not, I guess it’s fine.”

“I can read it, that’s all that matters,” he replied, his tone thick with attitude. You laughed and nodded in agreement, reaching your hand out to rub his back in soothing circles.

“Alright, let’s get started?” you asked, turning your head to look up at him as you stood beside him, finding him already staring. “On second thought, I don’t remember you giving me a proper greeting when you walked in.”

“You’re right,” he nodded, his voice low as his eyes flickered to your lips. “Not too late?”

You smiled as you pulled him down to your lips, letting your hands rest on the side of his neck and jaw, relishing in the scratch of his beard against your fingertips. Joel’s arms were wrapped tight around your waist, hugging you close as he kissed you like a man returning to his wife after being lost at sea.

You could feel his love deep into your bones, right down into the marrow, and could feel the tenderness of his heart softening your own with each passing second here in his arms. You hoped this never faded, that the picture in your mind of the two of you sitting on some porch swing, old and grey, watching your children’s children playing in the yard would actually become reality.

“Mm,” he hummed, pecking your lips once more for good measure before pulling away. “I gotta stop before I get carried away.”

“I might like you getting carried away,” you said, giving him a mischievous smile. Joel chuckled and wiped his hand over his face before shaking his head.

“No, we gotta stay focused,” he managed through a sigh. “I only got until four until Sarah’s supposed to be picked up from Jessie’s.”

“Well, maybe if we start now, we’ll have some time left over for—“

“Alright, so I think we’re supposed to preheat the oven.”

The brownies were made and cooling on the counter with an hour to spare, giving you and Joel the perfect chance for some fun while you waited for four o’clock to roll around. Both sets of clothes were shed in a trail leading to your bedroom, giggles echoing off the walls as Joel practically threw your naked form onto the mattress with a grin.

“Made it to the bed this time,” he said, crawling onto the bed to join you.

“I would’ve let you fuck me on the kitchen floor,” you said, lightly scratching his scalp at the nape of his neck.

“Is that right?” He grinned, nudging your cheek with his lips as he kissed his way down to your pulse.

“Mmhm,” you hummed. Your smile faded as his lips trailed down to your sensitive peaks, your fingers in his hair clenching to hold him there. Joel returned your eagerness with a groan before pressing his hips into yours to let you feel his need for you. “Shit, baby.”

“You want it?” he asked, lifting his head up to meet your eyes. You nodded at him eagerly, the sight of his hair tousled from your hands, his eyes blackened with desire, his cheeks pink from excitement. “Can I taste you first, baby? All this bakin’ has me starvin’ for somethin’ sweet.”

“Fuck,” you sighed, letting your head fall back against the pillows as he kissed his way down your stomach, the sight too much for you to take. “Yes…please.”

“Please, what, baby?” he drawled, gripping the back of your thighs to press them up towards the mattress.

“Please taste me,” you moaned, meeting his dark eyes again. Joel smiled and nodded at you before bringing a finger up to your swollen bud, circling it a few times just to watch your eyebrows lace together before lowering it down to your entrance to gather your slick for a taste.

“Goddamn, you’re sweet,” he groaned, sucking his finger clean before lowering his mouth to your clit, kissing it softly.

Your head fell back against the pillow as his kisses turned into sucks that turned into beautiful swirls of his tongue, all of it building you up slowly and gently, like he had all the time in the world.

“Fuck, you’re so good,” you moaned, tightening your grasp on his hair when he found the perfect rhythm. “Fuck, don’t stop. Please—just like that.”

“I got ya,” he mumbled against you in between licks.

“Joel—“

“Come on,” he urged.

“Fingers,” you demanded. Joel lifted two thick fingers to your clit, swirling over it to gather some slick on them before sliding them down to your cunt and pressing in slowly. When he started to curl upwards while he continued working you with his mouth, you felt electricity shoot down your limbs before a white-hot, blinding pleasure washed over you. “S-shit!”

“There you go,” he cooed, sitting back to watch as his fingers drew your orgasm out until you couldn’t take it anymore and reached for his wrist.

“Come here,” you begged, pulling at his arm. Joel crawled back up to hover over your still-shaking form, his hand resting over the side of your face, warming you up like only he could. “I’d say you could do that for a living, but I’m not sure I want to share.”

“That good, huh?” he asked, clearly proud of his work.

“You know what’s even better?” You quirked a brow at him as you reached between your bodies to wrap your hand around his girth, gliding it over your sensitive bud and down to your entrance. Joel looked pained as he pressed into your heat slowly, holding your eye contact the entire time.

“Fuck,” he sighed when he bottomed out inside you. “So goddamn good.”

Your eyes rolled back as he drew himself out only to push back inside punishingly slow, allowing you to feel every single inch of him. Joel seemed just as wrecked by the pleasure as you, his head falling forward to rest against your shoulder as he picked up his pace just the slightest.

“God, baby,” he groaned as your nails scratched down his back to rest on his hips, pulling him even closer. “Ain’t gonna last.”

“I wanna feel it,” you whispered into his ear, earning another strangled moan and a lovebite on your shoulder. “Let me feel you cum inside me, baby.”

“Jesus.” He sat back on his heels and positioned your legs to rest over his shoulders before he leaned forward again to pound into you deeper than he was before. You wanted to sob at the accuracy of each of his thrusts against that spot inside, but couldn’t manage a sound with the way he had you folded in half beneath him. Your hands clawed at the sheets for purchase as his thrusts grew brutal, each one bringing you nearer and nearer to your end. “Come on, baby. Gimme one more and I’ll let you feel it.”

“Fuck—“ You could feel yourself slipping into euphoria again, your mind going hazy as every good nerve inside you lit up. “Joel, fuck.”

“That’s it,” he praised, smiling down at you, though you missed it with the way your eyes were screwed shut. “You ready for me, baby?”

“Please,” you begged.

“Fuck,” Joel’s hips slowed to a stop, burying his entire length inside of you as he reached his high with a wrecked moan. Collapsing onto your chest, you felt your heartbeats race together as you both came down from the heights of your bliss in comfortable silence.

“Mm,” you hummed, turning your head to the nightstand to look at the clock. “And with twenty minutes to spare.”

Joel chuckled and lifted his cheek off your sternum, kissing it sweetly before sitting upright. You smiled widely at the state of him in all his wrecked glory as he wiped his brow and caught his breath.

“You and Sarah wanna come over for dinner tonight?” you asked, drawing his eyes to yours.

“I gotta ask first, but I think that sounds nice,” he said, grinning as his eyes seemed to admire your own disheveled appearance. “God, you look good like this.”

“Because I’m naked?” you asked with a teasing tone.

“That’s a part of it, I’m sure,” he chuckled. “But I just like seein’ you like this. You look like one of those Renaissance paintin’s or somethin’.”

“A painting?” you laughed. “Am I a sexy painting at least?”

“The sexiest,” he replied. “Now’s your turn to say somethin’ sweet to me.”

“Oh, is that how this works?” Joel nodded like a child. You smirked at him as your eyes trailed down his sweaty neck, the neck you daydreamed about kissing every single day since you met him, to his broad, lightly freckled, golden chest with just the tiniest bit of hair on it. His stomach had you licking your lips, the muscle behind the softness of his tummy making an appearance after his show of athleticism. When you reached the patch of hair above his length that was still buried inside of you, you shook your head and tutted at him.

“Joel, you are the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen,” you said, lifting your eyes back up to meet his. “You’re going to think I’m joking, but after you…I really think I’m ruined for all men.”

Joel laughed, tipping his head back before meeting your eyes again, his hand smoothing your and down your thigh.

“Well, I plan on keepin’ you all to myself, so I don’t think you gotta worry ‘bout any other men.”

“Is that right?” you asked, smirking as you accepted his body on top of yours again, your arms wrapping around his shoulders to hug him tight. “Glad we got that settled.”

The day of the bake sale arrived, and since Sarah had invited you to her game that went on simultaneously, you found yourself standing beside Joel and playing salesman at his plastic table set-up.

“Your mom’s recipe is popular,” you noted as you grabbed another empty pan from the table, setting it on the cooler filled with soda and water (and a beer or two hidden at the bottom) that Tommy brought.

“You haven’t gotten a piece?” he asked, sounding almost appalled. Reached for the last remaining tray full of brownies, he picked one up and handed it to you. “Here.”

“No,” you chuckled. “I don’t have any cash on me.”

He tilted his head and gave you a flat, unimpressed look. “You did all the damn bakin’, you deserve a piece.”

You finally accepted the brownie from his fingers and unwrapped it before ripping the corner off and taking a bite. Joel’s thumb lifted to the corner of your bottom lip, wiping a bit of chocolate off and sucking his finger clean with a wink.

“How was it?” he asked, smirking cheekily at you as you tried to play off your fluster. With a smirk of your own, you tore off another piece and lifted it to his mouth.

“I can confidently say…it’s the best I ever had.”

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#pedro pascal #pedro pascal fic #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal fluff #pedro pascal smut #joel miller #joel miller fic #joel miller x reader #joel miller fluff #joel miller x y/n #joel miller x reader smut #joel miller smut #joel miller reader insert #joel miller x you #joel tlou #elementary

[luvhhannie]

in every universe | y. jeonghan x reader

𓇢𓆸 synopsis: in every universe, judgement, betrayal and love seem to lead you and jeonghan to be destined to drift away. would there be any universe where destiny finally leads you two together?

𓇢𓆸 genre: romance, angst, mutual pining

𓇢𓆸 cw: major character death, cheating, self harm, suicide, references to nothing new, unrequited love, just angst man (not proof read)

𓇢𓆸 wc: 2.70k

𓇢𓆸 a/n: is this fic kinda related to my break up? who knowsss, get what you get from this fanfic. anyways, reblogs and hearts are very much appreciated! thank you for the support! 🤍

“let’s break up” you said as you stand firmly in front of your boyfriend, now ex, jeonghan. he looked at you sternly and sighed.

“okay.” he simply said. you gulped as tears suddenly fill up your eyes. you never wanted to break up with him, yet you knew that if he was the one breaking up with you right now, you would go insane. he suddenly opened his mouth.

“i’m sorry, really, i just don’t love you romantically anymore. we’ll still stay best friends, right?” he said. this is a healthy break up. you reminded yourself. you smiled softly at him.

“of course.” that was exactly a week ago before you found out he has been cheating on you behind your back. you were curious to see how he was doing so you looked through his socials when you saw he already had matching icons and bios with another person. you also saw that he has been commenting on the third party’s posts months even before your breakup.

“i just want you to be honest with me, jeonghan. was the reason for the breakup was because you didn’t love me anymore, or because you’ve been going behind my back MONTHS back into our past relationship?” you texted him. you only wanted the truth, you even dmed the other girl as you wanted to make sure that your assumptions weren’t real. yet her ignorant replies just proved your point that he knew what he was doing.

jeonghan denied everything you have said. you always trusted your gut feeling, so you cut him off completely, telling him that you were done with his friendship and lies.

“don’t ever contact me again, starting tonight. whatever happened to us in the past is nothing now. you betrayed my trust and i could never look into your eyes ever again.” you texted him, paragraphs by paragraphs, only for him to reply with two measly sentences.

“i don’t judge you for that but i don’t want to argue with you, proving that i am not a cheater. goodbye, yn.” that was the last thing you have ever heard of your ex. you always wondered if you did the right thing by cutting him off. but then again, he betrayed your trust and lied to you. you would’ve been okay if he said the real reason why he wanted to break up. this is the universe where your soul suffered the most. meeting him, talking to him and developing feelings for him over the years, finally loving him and having him as yours and you as his, then suddenly, ending as strangers all over again, but now with memories.

though, your soul might also think that the universe where you had passed away is the most miserable. in this universe, you had met jeonghan through your brother. you slowly developed a crush on jeonghan and began falling in love with him. from his sweet antics to his playful gestures. you were in love with him, so you decided to confess. the answer you got only got you in your worst state yet. you unfortunately caught a disease where unrequited love could kill you. either you lose the memories of the person you love to survive, or die loving the person you are infatuated with. your love for jeonghan was so strong you wanted to carry the sickness till your death, as long as you don’t forget yoon jeonghan.

in every universe, your love for yoon jeonghan is as powerful as the universal force. in every universe, you have found home in jeonghan, and so did he. in this universe, you and jeonghan were highschool classmates. you both had crushes on each other, yet no one maked a move to one another, afraid of the other’s response. you two pined on each other, crushes slowly turning into love. however, on one faithful day, jeonghan finally decided that he will confess to you. unbeknownst to him, that was also the last day of you attending your highschool.

“i like you, yn. i like you a lot.” he confessed. you smiled sadly at him as you hold his hands.

“i’m so glad you do. i like you too. ever since we met.” you confessed back. you and jeonghan started crying and finally held each other’s body.

“i’m sorry, i’m moving away. i should’ve said something earlier.” you cried in his comforting arms. he sniffled and looked into your eyes.

“it’s okay, yn. let’s live this moment for now, okay? let’s love each other one last time here. promise me we’ll still keep in contact?” he asked you as he wipes your tears away. you smiled sadly.

“of course.” in this universe, no one cheated. but a promise was broken again. you and jeonghan never kept contact with each other, even during and after graduation. as time flies by, he already graduated college, and so did you. during one evening, one of his coworkers asked him if he wanted to go to one of his friends’ wedding. jeonghan being a good friend, he agreed.

finally at the wedding, jeonghan and his friend, seungcheol, waited for the bride to walk the aisle. seungcheol told jeonghan that his friend, and also coworker, joshua, was crying before the wedding started. joshua had told seungcheol that he was going to marry the most perfect person on earth and that he would die for her. jeonghan laughed at his story, thinking how silly the statements joshua had made when they finally heard the piano keys playing, indicating that the bride will soon start walking.

hearing the church door open, the guests started standing up and looking at the bride. jeonghan finally realized that joshua’s statement weren’t silly. the bride that joshua is going to marry really is perfect. the bride that joshua is going to marry is the same girl he dreamed of marrying back in highschool. he watched as yn walk down the aisle, trying to stop the tears coming out of his eyes. he silently watch the girl he has always loved smile to the guests, when both of them made eye contact. jeonghan thought that the world stopped spinning and everything was in stop motion. she took a deep breath and smiled sadly at jeonghan, continuing to walk towards her fiancé. jeonghan could only watch the two joyous couple in the background. finally hearing them both say their vows, jeonghan closed his eyes, letting the tears he has been putting up fall down to his cheeks. cheers and shouts erupted from the chapel as the newly wed couple share their first kiss. he knew at that moment, you have never loved him as much as he had loved you. he knew that you were never his. he knew that even if you deserve the love you have right now, he will never, ever, win it.

jeonghan’s soul might say that was the universe he had suffered the most. however, the universe where your mental health took over your body says otherwise. in this universe, you searched for treatments and help from professionals in the mental health field because of depression, and that is where you met yoon jeonghan, a psychotherapist. you were in your early twenties while jeonghan was in his late twenties. he has been your therapist for a couple of months now and has helped you a lot. despite his aid, you were still suffering from depression. the thoughts of you not having a purpose in the world and being a failure took a toll of your mental health. your therapist would always tell you that he’s always going to be there for you whenever you need help. there wasn’t any romantic intentions in his words, but platonic, a hint of wanted friendship. knowing you for a long time, jeonghan has taken a liking to you and thought of becoming friends with you. but of course, he still has to be professional.

“so, how have you been, yn? are there any thoughts that have been lingering in your mind?” he asks you as he usually does.

“i’ve been…alright. i’ve just been thinking of how i’m going to celebrate my birthday these days, since it’s next week.” you said to him. he wrote on his notepad as he listened to you.

“hm, that’s good. i hope you have a wonderful birthday, yn. how does your body feel right now? weak? good?” he asks you. you sit upright and blinked your eyes.

“my body feels okay. it’s just that sometimes i feel nauseous and tired.” you admitted. he suddenly stopped writing on his notepad and looked at you.

“have you been eating?” he asks. you nodded.

“yeah, i usually skip dinner though.” you said. he smiled softly and went back to his notepad.

“you should still try getting three meals a day. doesn’t matter how big or small the portion is, you need to eat.” he said. you looked up at him and smiled.

“yeah, i’ll try.” your check up went on for more minutes. as he finishes up the session, he suddenly looked at you.

“hey, yn?” he called out for you. you were already grabbing your handbag when he called you.

“yes?”

“i…i’m always here for you, you know that right? i’m your therapist, i’m here to help you. don’t be afraid to say everything to me. remember i’m always one call away.” is what jeonghan has said. but what he actually wanted to say was:

“i’m always here for you, yn. even if you only see me as your therapist, i’m also your friend. i’ll always help you no matter what.”

you and jeonghan always have a weekly therapy session, but the week after your last session, you never showed up. jeonghan thought it was probably because you were getting ready for your birthday. he even prepared a gift for you, a necklace with a clover pendant. he called you just in case you have forgotten your therapy session. it was unusual for you to miss a session. it was already 5 pm and you still haven’t answered him, even once. finally going past his “professionalism” agenda, jeonghan decided to go to your home. he drove to your apartment safely and knocked on your door several times.

“yn-ssi?” he asked through the front door. silence. jeonghan’s heartbeat started rattling through his chest. he suddenly twisted the door knob and unbeknownst to him, it wasn’t locked. he went inside your home and looked through every room. you weren’t in the kitchen, bathroom nor living room. finally reaching the last room, he opened the door to your bedroom. he widened his eyes as his mouth gaped open.

“yn?”

there you were, hanging from your ceiling fan. jeonghan could only stare in shock. dropping to his knees, he started breathing heavily.

did he not help you at all?

were all the check ups not helping you?

did he drive you to kill yourself?

was he not worth to be an aid to people?

he called 911 to report the incident and soon the authorities came, interviewing jeonghan.

he wasn’t even able to tell you that he wanted to be friends with you. he knew so much about you yet know so little about how you are. he was too late to tell you that he loved your company. that he loved you as a friend.

in every universe your soul has lived, you and jeonghan are destined to meet, destined to love each other, destined to leave each other. your soul always wondered, if there were such things as soulmates, were you and jeonghan one? destiny has always brought you two together, but also brought you two to fall apart on each other’s arms. were there any universe where you two meet, fall in love, and live your lives together? your soul always question this. in every death your soul has lived, it passes on to another lifetime.

in this lifetime, you’re just living your life as a choreographer. you have worked with countless artists and other dancers in your career. in this new chapter of your life, you were called to choreograph a dance for a kpop group you haven’t worked with yet. you have worked with countless kpop artists, from twice to nct. you were familiar with kpop and the indistry of course, but you were excited to meet the group you’re going to work with.

“here’s their practice room, i’ll leave you to it. i’ll have my assistant to come with you in there. again, thank you for accepting our request.” one of the higher ups in hybe ent told you as you bowed to them. you entered the practice room, feeling a sense of familiarity, and saw several guys already stretching, blasting their song in the room. you were given a couple of weeks to create choreography for their new song, but you told them that meeting the group should be done first as creating a bond between the artist and choreographer is as important as creating an amazing piece. one of the males went up to you and bowed.

“oh, hello! are you ln yn-ssi? i’m scoups. i’m the leader of the group. it’s nice to finally meet you.” he introduced himself as you bowed back.

“yeah, it’s nice to meet you too, scoups-ssi. i already listened to the song a couple of times and have ideas for it already, but i really do want to create a bond with the team first, since i’ll be working with you guys for a couple of months.” you smiled at him. he smiled back nodded.

“yeah, for sure. i get what you mean. here, i’ll introduce you to the members.” he said as he gathered the group together. he did a small introduction of you to the group and they instantly welcomed you with warm smiles. you thought that dk, dino and vernon had the sweetest smiles you’ve ever seen. meeting them one by one, you learned that they had units and you instantly clicked with the performance team.

“i’ve been a huge fan ever since i saw you compete with a contemporary piece at swf!” dino geeked over you. you chuckled at him and thanked him. you and hoshi were already familiar with each other, considering that you two were fans of each other. still talking to the performance team, you felt a gaze behind you. you looked back and saw the angel faced male. you smiled softly to him and bid your goodbyes to the performance team. you walked up to jeonghan and watched him stretch his arms. he looked back at you.

“hey”

“hey”

you both say at the same time. you two chuckled as you sit down next to him. you nodded your head, telling him to go first.

“oh, well, i was just wondering if we’ve met before? i feel like i’ve known you but i just can’t seem to remember” he asked you. he was thinking the same thing as you. you smiled softly and hummed.

“i don’t think so…but i do feel like we’ve known each other for a long time already.”

“i think so too, do you think we’re soulmates?” he joked. you laughed at his statement and walked away.

“if we were soulmates, i think your fans would go crazy to think that their idol is soulmates with a person like me.”

“hmm, better than a sasaeng!”

in this universe, your soul knew jeonghan’s soul, and so did his. your soul hopes that this universe will be the universe where you and jeonghan finally live your lives together in love. little did your soul know, another soul has been thinking the same thing ever since he has met a familiar warmth in this universe.

#yoon jeonghan x you #seventeen x reader #svt angst #svt fic #svt x reader #kpop #kpop fic #seventeen x you #seventeen #seventeen jeonghan #yoon jeonghan x reader #jeonghan x you #jeonghan x reader #yoon jeonghan #jeonghan #angst #fanfic #kpop fanfic

[nicherayyy]

Can you do a La Squadra or a La Unita x Child reader were reader is scared of "the monster under her bed"?

I decided to make that with La Unita bc they deserve it

La Unita "helping" Child!Reader with monsters under their bed

humour, comfort, crying, GN reader

TW: Cioccolata, mention of guns

Squalo and Tiziano

“Hey”, you whispered in Tiziano’s ear.

“Wha-“, the blonde man immediately woke up from his slumber, looking confused, “It’s 3 AM, go to sleep”

“I can’t sleep, there’s monster under my bed, he wants to eat me”, you started sobbing. The noise woke Squalo, who was actually not pleased with the fact that you interrupted his beauty sleep. 

“If we make sure that there’s no monsters, will you let us sleep?”, Squalo sighed, already hating the idea of getting up from his soft, warm bed. 

“Yes”, you replied. 

Taking their hands, you lead them along the dark corridors to your room. Entering the room, of course, you step away in the farthest corner, as far as possible from the bed. 

Rolling his eyes, Tiziano is the first to look under the bed.

“Oh my God”, he gasped.

“What?”, you asked anxiously.

“Squalo, dear, there’s really a monster”

Squalo understood what his husband was trying to do and decided to play along. 

“You’re right, it’s so scary”, he held back his laughter, trying to sound as serious as possible,  “I think we’ll need to step back, don’t want this thing to eat us”

“No please”, you plead, tears running down your face. Oh. They crossed the line a bit, didn’t they? Squalo immediately approached you, taking you in his arms. 

“Oh no, don’t cry, we’re sorry”, he comforted you. Tiziano standing right beside him. 

“There’s no monster, calm down”, Tiziano patted your head, “We were just joking around”

“If you want you can stay with us for the night, how does that sound?”, Squalo smiled at you, still holding you tight.

“Alright”, you agreed, still scared a little. 

Cioccolata and Secco

“Ugh, what do you want child”, he said annoyed, still working with some files on his desk. Secco was laying on the floor next to him.

“There’s monster under my bed, I’m scared”, you sobbed. 

“Don’t worry”, he tossed his files aside, smiling at you, “I think it’ll eat you quickly, you won’t feel a thing”

“What?”, you cried, your legs shaking. 

You heard Secco’s laugh. 

“Yeah, it’ll eat your toes”, he looked right into your eyes, “You were bad today, remember? And bad children are being eaten”

“You guys are mean”, you replied with a pitched voice, tears running down your face. Why did you think it was a good idea to ask Cioccolata for help anyway?

Carne 

“Hey”, you called, trying trying to get Carne’s attention. You guys weren’t close, but right now you were too scared to care. 

“Need anything?”, he asked.

“There’s monster under my bed, I’m scared”, you replied with puffy eyes from a long crying.

“Monsters do not exist”, he denied, “However, I can stay with you until you fall asleep”

“Okay”, you agreed. 

 Carne is not that bad as you thought. Maybe you need to spend more time with him.

Diavolo and Doppio 

You knocked on the door of Diavolo’s office, waiting for permission to get inside. 

You didn’t have to wait long, Doppio opened the door. 

“What are you doing here so late at night?’, he gasped, “And why are you crying?”

“There’s monster under my bed”, you sobbed. 

"Wait a minute, I'll call the boss", he took a book from the shelf, holding it against his ear, "Boss, you're here? What do I do?"

“They need to figure it out themselves, give them a gun”

“Boss? What do you mean gun?”, Doppio asked confusedly, his eyes wide. 

“If they want to live they need to fight for it”, he replied, “You know, the best defense is a good offense” 

“BOSS THEY’RE NINE”

#jjba part 5 #jjba headcanons #jjba x reader #jjba x you #gn reader #diavolo x reader #doppio x reader #carne jojo #cioccolata and secco #cioccolata x reader #jojo no kimyou na bouken #jojo no kimyō na bōken #jojo bizarre adventure #jojo part five #vento aureo x reader #jjba vento auero #vento aureo #la unita speciale #squalo jojo #tiziano and squalo #tiziano jojo #squalo x tiziano

[lackadaisicallizard]

Smart

A ravenrock microfic (peter x benjy)

“My mind is blank.” Peter’s head is in his hands, his tone defeated. 

“Come on babe, you know this one,” Benjy replies, his voice as calm and patient as ever. It’s a little infuriating how collected he is sometimes.

“When will I ever need to know the properties of a boomslang in my day to day life?” 

Benjy chuckles. “If you ever get bitten by one, you might change your tune.” 

Peter cocks an eyebrow at his amused boyfriend. “I’m never going to be stupid enough to get bitten by one.” 

“Didn’t you say James did when he was a kid once?” 

“Exactly.” 

Benjy laughs again, shaking his head. “I love you.” 

Peter hums. “Will you still love me if I fail this potions essay?” 

“You’re not going to fail the potions essay! You’ve got the best tutor in the school.” 

Peter’s lips curl up into a smirk. “Oh yeah, and when does he show up then?” 

“Oh fuck you, Pettigrew.” 

The smirk widens. “Is that an offer?” 

Benjy rolls his eyes but leans in all the same, waiting for Peter to meet him halfway before pressing their lips together. It starts as a slow kiss because even if they are tucked away in the corner, they’re still in the school library. 

Then one of Peter’s hands finds Benjy’s cheek and he feels a hand on his knee as the Ravenclaw moves in even closer. Peter can’t help but smile into the kiss, the warmth of the moment contrasting with the coolness of the library. As their kiss deepens, Peter’s fingers gently trace the outline of the other boy’s jaw, and the faintest gasp escapes Benjy’s lips as Peter’s fingers find the nape of his neck, weaving his fingers into soft brown hair and holding him there. 

Time seems to slow, and the awareness of their surroundings fades away, leaving only this moment. Only Benjy. 

Always Benjy. 

Driving him crazy with his beautiful face and even more beautiful brain. 

God, he wishes he could just live inside the brain of Benjy Fenwick, even just for a day. Just to see inside the mind of someone truly beautiful and witty and just good. 

Peter knows he doesn’t deserve him, but he’s far too selfish to give him up now. 

Because even if he can’t live inside Benjy’s mind, Benjy lives in his. He always will. 

They pull apart then, their breathing a little ragged, their heart rates slightly more elevated than they were a few minutes ago. 

“Can we ditch the studying yet?” Peter asks, already knowing the answer. 

Benjy smiles as he leans back in his chair, his eyes still very much sparkling as they stay on Peter’s face. “Not a chance, Pettigrew.”

It was worth a shot. 

“What if I told you that boomslang skin is used in both polyjuice and beautification potions?” 

Benjy blinks at him. “Did you know that the whole time?” 

Peter puts on his best innocent expression. “Maybe.” 

“Then why on Earth did you pretend you didn’t?” 

“Because when I don’t know things you tell me the answers, and I love when you tell me things.”

“Really?”

Peter nods. “Seriously. I could hear you go on about shrivelfigs for hours. Your mind is ridiculously sexy.”  

Benjy is quiet for a good ten seconds then as he stares at his boyfriend with a stunned expression. Peter is just starting to worry about the silence when Benjy stands up and holds out his hand. Peter takes it, bewildered, as he also stands and follows the other boy’s lead through the library. 

Peter finds his voice as they pass through the door. “Um, Benjy, where are we going?” 

“Back to your dorm.” Benjy’s tone is firm. 

“What about the studying?” Peter asks the question but has no intention on stopping the current unexpected chain of events. 

“We’ll get back to that later.”

“Is this because I called your brain sexy?” 

“Partly, yes.” 

“And the other part?” 

Benjy stops them then. They’re at the base of the stairs to Gryffindor tower. “What is a Chizpurfle carapace used for?”

Peter furrows his brow. “Um, what?” 

“Just answer the question, Pettigrew.” 

“Um, they’re often used in antidotes to common poisons, but they’re quite hard to break open so they’re often fed to venomous tentaculas first.” 

Benjy takes an audible breath at that, eyes widening slightly. “And Horklump juice?” 

“It’s used in the making of various magical ointments. Benjy, what is this-“ 

His question is cut off as he finds himself pushed up against the castle wall, Benjy’s mouth finding his once again. They kiss for an extended moment before coming up for air, Peter using the break to ask a question. 

“Not that I’m complaining about this in the slightest, but are you telling me that me knowing the properties of potions ingredients is turning you on right now?” 

Benjy shrugs. “Yeah, kind of. Is that a problem?” 

Peter smiles, noting the lightly flushed skin only inches away from his own. Benjy’s lips have been kissed a darker shade of pink and his usually neat hair is slightly disheveled. 

“Nope. Not a problem at all.” 

“Good.” Another chaste kiss. “Just one thing.” 

“Yes?” Peter doesn’t even need to know what it is that he wants, he would give Benjy absolutely anything. 

“Don’t hide how smart you are from me. Ever.” 

Peter smiles. “Oh you want a little competition, huh?” 

Benjy snorts. “I wouldn’t go that far, Pettigrew.” 

“Are you underestimating me, Fenwick?” 

A smirk. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” 

And he knows in that moment that he means it, because people underestimate Peter all the time. He’s used to it. He often prefers it, even. 

But with Benjy- well he’s finally met his match. 

Because Benjy sees him. Not his friends, not his pranks, not Wormtail or Pete, but him. 

Peter Pettigrew.

Whose world is slowly beginning to revolve around a wonderful, kind, blue-eyed, pink-cheeked, brown-haired boy. And as they stand there, wrapped in the moment of each other, Peter is nothing but grateful for the boy who sees him for who he truly is.

#marauders #ravenrock #benjy fenwick #peter pettigrew #canon pete? we don't know him #they're in love your honour #why am I writing this instead of sleeping? #who knows? #not me #dead gay wizards

[sparrowofthedawnsworld]

Piercer!Jake thought below the cut (mayhaps this will become something later). I saw this on tiktok and immediately thought of Jake, so-

You hear a male voice call your name from the doorway and immediately look up to acknowledge him. He flashes you a quick smile and motions for you to come closer to him.

He is undeniably beautiful, instantly captivating you with his smile and softer features - though, enhanced in a few places by some facial piercings.

“You’re getting your nose pierced, right?” He asks, glancing down at the paper in his hands and then back up at you.

All you can manage in response is a quick nod, but he seems unfazed. Turning around on his heel, he leads you back to one of the rooms, where everything is already set up just so.

“Okay,” he starts, laying the paper aside and picking up a purple marker. “Sit right up there for me. All I’m gonna do right now is mark your nose, okay?”

You’re lost in the way he’s talking to you. So gentle, yet confident in his words and actions. Probably because he’s done this a thousand times.

“Okay,” you reply, taking a seat up on the table, watching the way he moves about the small space.

“Alright,” His fingers just barely graze your jaw as he tilts your head. “Look straight ahead for me.”

Carefully and skillfully, he touches the felt tip of the marker to the side of your nose, creating the smallest little dot. He pulls back and examines it for a moment, before nodding to himself and stepping back from you.

“Check that out in the mirror for me,” he smiles, gesturing towards the mirror. “If you want to move it, I most definitely can. It is your face, after all,” he chuckles lightly.

You look in the small mirror and take in the placement. Of course, it’s perfect.

“I love it right where it is,” you tell him. very much pleased with the placement.

“Awesome,” he nods with a grin. “Jump back up there then and we’ll get you pierced!”

The nerves start to bubble up in your stomach as you plant yourself back in your previous spot. Not because you’ve never had a piercing done before, but because you’ve never had a piercer so fucking handsome. Ever:

Truly, you’re half convinced he’s not real.

“So,” he chimes, his raspy voice pulling you from your daze. “Do you have any other piercings besides your ears, or is this your first?”

“I have a few,” you answer him, engaging in his small talk, watching him pull a pair of dark blue gloves over his hands. “This is obviously my first facial piercing though. But I have my bellybutton and nipples.”

Although you’ve rather boldly finished your sentence, you can’t help the flash of shock and embarrassment that washes over you, once your brain processes what you just said.

He is notably a little red in the cheeks, as well, but not nearly as flustered as you are.

“Well, this should be a piece of cake for you then, huh?” There’s a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, fighting to be seen, as he tears open the packages for needle and the jewelry.

“Ready?” He asks, taking the needle in between his fingers and turning towards you.

“As ever,” you smile, trying to act cool in favor of pulling yourself out of the hole you just dug… and fell into.

Tediously, he takes your face in his hands and places the needle over the mark he’d made.

“Aaand…Here we go,” he says, giving you the brief warning before swiftly pushing the needle in.

You cringe, eyes beginning to water, threatening to spill out over your cheeks. Nice, you think to yourself.

Reaching for the little stud, the needle is quickly replaced with the jewelry and some of the pain instantly subsides.

Much to your surprise, just as your eyes open completely, his thumb makes a short pass over your cheek, swiping away a stray tear that had fallen, immediately making you turn a deep shade of red.

“Don’t stress, love,” he grins. “Happens all the time. It’s normal.”

#jake kiszka #piercer!jake #gvf #greta van fleet #jake gvf #jtk fluff #jtk x reader #jtk #the moon 🌙 #gvf blurb #greta van blurb #greta van fleet blurb #gvf fanfiction #gvf fics #gvf fic

[inkyquince]

DAY 17: Dating What Daddy Hates (Asshole Ensemble/ The Purge)

Bring the gang to dinner with daddy they said, it would be fun, they said. 

content warning. Dubcon, gangbang, the entire asshole ensemble is here (Briar, Remy, Wren, Harper and Bailey), cumplay, degradation/praise, general dickhead behaviour.

Honestly? You weren’t sure if the Purge did all that much for your town.Well, now they had more reasons to go murder and commit arson and “release the beast” along with all the usual raping. Actually… 

You yanked your laptop over to you, scrolling through the various statistics that were splashed over the homepage of your laptop, already trying to justify the annual tradition. Huh… Rape statistics were down on the Purge night. Everything else was up for your town. Not much urge to do what you can already get away with all year round, huh. 

With a sigh, you shut the laptop, your stomach already feeling far tighter than it should be. 

Why should you be worried? You would be safer this year than you’ve ever been in the orphanage. Adopted to some rich family who liked doing a good deed or something. Though there were rumours that any orphan shipped off would return on Purge night by the caretaker. Though… That never happened in your time. Hell, Bailey would pop open wine when an orphan was taken and then lock the entire orphanage down before heading out with others for the entire night. 

You could faintly hear the clatter of your new family moving down below, chatting away before dinner was served. You didn’t yet feel… Part of them. For good reason too, any orphan quickly snatched up a few weeks before the Purge sometimes went missing… 

The phone on your bedside bleeped.

Perks of having a rich family, you thought as you reached over and swiped it open. 

BrownEyes: u set for the night? 

You smiled to yourself and thought for a moment about your response. 

You: Yeah, tho could use several shots and a friendly game rn. 

BrownEyes: O? Want me to sneak in? 

You: God no. I think you’d be shot on sight. 

BrownEyes: What… Daddy wouldnt let you have a friend around for drinks, games and then a really nice long fuck? 

You rolled your eyes with a snort and sat up from lying on your stomach, listening out for any footsteps heading towards your room. 

You: stfu wren

BrownEyes: Nah ;D

BrownEyes: Anyway, come down from your high ass tower, sunshine. We missing ya. 

You: We?

Wren started and stopped texting over and over, the three bubbles appearing just to disappear as soon as they popped up. There was a good couple of seconds of him not replying, You exhaled through your nose as you heard footsteps leading up to your bedroom door, you adoptive mother peeking her head through the doorway. 

“Dinner’s ready. We are going to watch some movies afterwards, too, if you want to join.” 

You nodded and abandoned your phone, Wren still attempting to message you. You’ll just see what he said after dinner. As your door shut softly behind you, switching the lights off as you went, his message finally popped up on your screen, illuminating the room with the pale light. 

BrownEyes:  Yeah. We’ll catch up with you in a bit huh? Hope you missed me. 

Dinner was awkward. You weren’t feeling up to chatting, even as your parents and adopted siblings wanted to let you join in. You mainly missed.. Well, everything. Even doing your jobs in town, even the assholes, Robin, everything. Missed it too much to properly appreciate the easy life you were living now. 

“So, we’re planning on heading out of town for a bit next week.” Your new father cleared his throat and gave you a smile. 

“Have fun.” You mumbled, pushing the slightly overcooked vegetables around your plate before scooping them up. 

Your new mother gave a little laugh before patting you on the hand. 

“No, silly, you’ll be coming with us! A proper vacation away, wouldn’t that be nice?” 

You gave a small smile, relaxing into your chair and opened your mouth to reply when there was a knock on the door. Everyone fell quiet. Your father glanced at the clock and his grip of his cutlery tightened. 

“The purge only starts in 5 minutes. Probably someone asking for provisions or something.” He stood up, voice unsteady and made his way back to the foyer. 

Your mother waved you and the other two kids off as she began to gather the dishes up and you slowly made your way up to your bedroom, faintly hearing voices coming from the front door. You had just made it to the threshold of the room when there was a shout and a loud bang echoing throughout the house. You froze up before darting back out of the room just to have your mother yell up the stairs for you to stay in your room. 

You backed up into your room, fumbling with the light switch when a large hand covered yours and your mouth. Squirming wildly, you tried to elbow at your assailant but was only met with a low chuckle. 

“Cool it, sunshine, just me.” Wren breathed into your ear. 

You bit down on his hand and he quickly yanked it away with a small hiss before giving another soft laugh. 

“Wren you asshole!” You hissed, still trying to elbow him just without much of the fervour you were doing it with before. “What-” 

“I said I missed you.” He breathed, turning you around and nosing along your temple. “Fuck… I really missed you, sweetheart.” 

You froze up as his warm lips gently connected with yours, his gently sighing into the kiss putting you at ease. His calloused, large hands cupped your cheek as he slowly walked you back, almost shutting the door as you were pressed against it. 

“Fuck, baby.” Wren murmured, nipping at your bottom lip before pressing his hot tongue into your mouth. “You know how to make ‘em yearn, don’t ya?” 

Too lost in him, it wasn’t until there was another scream and the sound of a gun going off did you snap back to attention, pulling away even as he tried to press in closer, desperately trying to press his lips to yours again. 

“Wren, no-” He quickly captured your lips again before pulling you down to the floor, hungry fingers slipping underneath your shirt. “Wren!” 

His soft brown eyes met yours in the small slither of light creeping through the slightly ajar door. 

“M-My family, what-” 

“They aren’t your family.” The smuggler breathed, pressing closer against you as his fingers skimmed just below your nipples. “So don’t worry about it, sunshine.” 

“No, what’s happening? Whose-” 

“Shush, I needed a distraction to get in. Told you we were gonna catch up.” Wren murmured before pressing another kiss to your lips. “They’re fine, I promise. Just… Spooked. Nothing bad, I promise.” 

With a sharp grin, he leaned forward enough to press his gloved palm against the door, shutting it completely and leaving the room in darkness. 

Unable to see anything, you were completely at the blond’s mercy as his mouth found your throat and sucked marks into your skin, his thumbs rolling your soft nipples into hard peaks. You could only squirm and sigh softly under his ministrations, his own erection pressing against your stomach. Putting your trust in your long time fuck buddy, you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer while praying that he was right, that your family was just spooked and wouldn’t have noticed him coming in. 

“God, I’ve missed you.” Wren murmured again, sighing against your wettened skin, saliva hot against your skin. “You never came to visit after you were taken in. Hurt my feelings real bad.” 

“They didn’t- fuck…” You exhaled slowly and tilted your head back for him to get better access. “They didn’t want me going out there anymore. Anyway, no reason to, I don’t need to pay rent anymore- Ow!” 

You tensed up again as Wren pinched you roughly as he bit down on your neck particularly hard. 

“No reason, huh?” He murmured, tone darker at your admission. “Then… I guess I gotta make sure you can feel the reason to come crawling back to me right between those thighs, huh? Make sure you can feel it every time you fucking sit down.” 

You shivered as Wren pulled away from you, sitting up just to yank at his belt, loosening it so his dark trousers slid to his knees and his erection slapping against his toned stomach, leaving a string of precum from his leaking cockhead. 

Spreading your legs himself, the smuggler got comfortable between them, shucking down your own garments, along with your underwear, to get at his long awaited prize. He slowly dragged the tip of his cock along your thighs, slowly feeling his way up the crest of your thighs. He exhaled shakily as he nudged your hole before beginning to push in. 

“Fuck. Missed your slutty hole so much.” Wren exhaled as he rested his weight on you, slowly bottoming out inside of you. “Welcoming me back so warm and sweetly.” 

You just tucked your face into his collarbone, whining as his hip bones pressed against yours, his balls throbbing against your skin. You struggle to keep quiet as his pace begins to pick up, sighing with his hot breath hitting your forehead. He continued to press kisses to your skin as you whimpered, somehow needing to readjust to his length despite the amount of time you had spent on his cock in the past months. Wren sighs softly, a few groans interrupting his gentle noises, pushing deeper and deeper inside of you, as if trying to mark you deep from the inside. 

It felt so right, having him with you again, just like this. Rocking slowly on his cock, letting pleasure ebb and flow through you, forehead to forehead. Wren always managed to make you feel safe, even as you distantly heard some crashes, but you couldn’t slip back out of your haze enough to worry about it. Not until you felt something bang at your door repeatedly. 

You quickly covered Wren’s mouth, worried that it was your parents. 

“W-Who is it?” You gasped out, hoping that they were only coming to check on you, instead of wanting to come in and see a man obviously much older than you  bullying your poor hole. 

“Open the door, brat.” Your heart jumped into your throat, panic closing in. 

No… Not… Not him. Anyone but him. 

Wren shook your hand off and dragged you against his chest, groaning louder now. 

“One moment, jesus!” The smuggler made you hook your legs around his hips before leaning back, pulling you away from the door. “Alright, all good to come in.” 

He entered, almost obstructed completely from the hallway’s bright light, but you’d know that figure anywhere, especially in your nightmares. Bailey leaned against the doorframe, eyes shifting to your hole, Wren upping the pace so that his cock felt more like it was brutally hammering into you than the slow lovemaking of before. 

“Been a while.” Bailey’s lips quirked up into his usual sneer, eyes flicking towards your face for only a moment before drifting back down. “Good to see you doing what you do best.” 

You struggled to gasp out a curse at him, the smuggler’s lips immediately pressing against yours with hunger. There was faint movement behind you, and with fear sinking into your skin, everything else came into sharper perspective.The panicked shouts. The sounds of furniture being upturned. The laughter… The smell of coppery blood, getting headier as footsteps approached where you and Wren were tightly pressed against each other. 

A hand wound into the back of your shirt, yanking you away from Wren’s lips, despite his soft whine. You were pushed back against the carpeted floor, Bailey kneeling by your head. You froze up, seeing his slender hands caked with blood leaving marks against your clothes and then your face as he roughly cupped your cheek, smearing more against your skin. 

“W… Whose-” 

“Shut up.” Bailey sighed, his tainted fingers gripping his zipper and pulling it down. “Just open your cum hole.” 

Using his bloodied fingers, he pried open your mouth, nails scratching against your teeth before shoving just the head of his cock into your mouth, the taste of blood and precum smearing over your tongue. You tried to clamp down on the sensitive flesh only to be roughly smacked, Bailey’s rings stinging against your skin. 

“We come to get you and this is how you repay us?” He sneered before wrenching your jaw open further, sinking down into your throat, his balls pressing against your cheek. “Thank me properly, whore, and I’ll let you walk out instead of dragging you out on your goddamn knees.” 

You could just whimper as his cock throbbed on your tongue. You could feel Wren’s chest rumble with a chuckle as you sputtered and whimpered around your caretaker’s meaty cock, struggling to breath as the precum slowly dripped down your throat. You could do nothing but drink it down and try not to panic. 

“Sorry, sunshine. This was the deal.” Wren whispered quietly, mouthing at your throat, tongue flicking every time your throat bobs with Bailey’s ruthless cock. “Just enjoy some proper loving.” 

A mocking laugh echoed up the stairs and Wren throbbed inside of you, his breath hitching in his throat. You heard two pairs of footsteps stomping up the stairs, two voices snide as they made their way closer. Your body shivered and Bailey smacked your cheek again, just more lightly as to not have you bite down on his cock. Your nose buried in his trimmed happy trail, you struggled not to panic as you struggled to breath, his cock moving back and forth in your throat slowly. 

You heard a low curse form Wren as he gripped your thighs harder, just as the door was kicked all the way open and there stood Harper and Remy, blood spattered on their clothes. You could only stare before Bailey yanked his cock out of your mouth and you could violently inhale, tears springing to your ears as oxygen finally got to your lungs. Your heartbeat was deafening in your ear drums, dizzy, but so was the sound of slick against skin, being rubbed almost violently. Eyes finally blinking free of the haze, you focused on Bailey’s cock, his gloved hand jerking himself off. Precum dribbled over the bridge of your nose and cheeks, cockhead flushed darkly. With a sharp gasp, Wren finally came inside of you, swearing softly before pulling out as he was still cumming, painting both your thighs and the carpet in cum. 

“Just in time, huh?” Harper said in a sing-song voice, leering down at you as Remy pushed past him. 

Wren stood, cock still dribbling globs of cum. He paused while getting up, to drag two of his fingers through your combined mess and happily traced his tongue over the creases of his gloves. Finally at his full height, he winked at Remy, who wrinkled his nose at the smuggler. With a twinkle in his eye, he leaned in and dragged the tainted fingers over Remy’s curling lip before looking back down at you. 

“Gonna snoop, sunshine. Be back in a bit.” He grinned, dropping his hand to drag along Remy’s stomach before heading out the door, momentarily obscuring the light before disappearing. 

Remy took his place between your thighs, deftly undoing his trousers and taking his cock in hand, pumping it enough to get him to full hardness.His tongue slowly swiped over his bottom lip, eyes dark as they drilled into your face, hungry and mean. Before you could say or do anything, Bailey gripped your chin and yanked your head back again, pressing his cockhead against your lips but not shoving it inside again. 

“Going to give me a kiss hello, like your boyfriend, or what?” His tone was flat, but creeping with excitement, delighting in the situation you found yourself in, in your new home, with your expired new family downstairs. 

You shakily kissed his leaking cock and you could feel Bailey shiver slightly, dragging the sensitive tip over your lips repeatedly. You alternated between kissing and licking it, as Remy used his thumbs to press into your hole, admiring Wren’s cummy mess dribbling out of you. Harper meanwhile just stood by, delighting in the show, his own hand slowly cupping his erection. The farmer smacked his cockhead against the mess between your thighs, vaguely lubing up his cock before starting to press into you. You shivered, his cock longer than Wren’s, pressing into you further than ever before and Bailey swore sharply as he came, cum droplets running over your lips and chin. 

“Fucking hell.” Bailey breathed and Remy absent mindedly nodded to himself, as if he agreed. 

Your caretaker sat back on his haunches, letting his cum dribble onto the carpet. Harper seemed twitchy, excited, eyes flicking between the white fluid on your face as you slowly tasted it with the tip of your tongue, and Bailey’s weeping cockhead, still dribbling out semen. 

Remy finally bottomed out just as another voice called for Bailey to come back down and help him with something, and your caretaker got to his feet fully, tucking his softening cock back into his trousers. You shivered as he stepped over you without another glance, heading back downstairs and Harper finally opened up his trousers, fishing his cock out. The farmer didn’t take any notice, too busy pinning your thighs to your chest, to push into you deeper, swearing softly. 

“This is all it takes then, hm?” His teeth flashed in the small amount of light in the room, greedy hands squeezing your flesh. “You’re as docile as can be when surrounded by men taking their turns. Good to know.” 

You could only weakly kick at him in objection but he caught hold of your ankle, squeezing it hard enough for you to stop but not enough to actually hurt the vulnerable bones. 

“What did I teach you? Not kicking.” Remy hissed darkly and Harper gave an entertained chuckle, still just slowly jerking himself off as he watched, happy with the show he was getting. 

“Easy there.” The doctor said, mostly to himself as a joke. 

As Remy thrusted into you, pace kicking up into a rougher rhythm, Harper rested on his side, face hovering by yours, grinning as he began to pepper your lips with kisses. He closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation properly, his hand reaching down to squeeze his throbbing balls before returning to its previous position, thumb squeezing out precum from his slit. You could feel his cockhead nudge against your bare stomach as he continued to nibble on your bottom lip before switching to hot, open mouth kisses. Harper’s movements were slightly awkward, unpractised, as you slowly parted your lips and felt him give a short, excited exhale. The tip of his tongue wasted no time in exploring, dragging over your teeth. Remy’s fingernails dug into the skin harder, eyes fixed on the two pink muscles slowly pressing against each other, lazily kissing. His cock throbbed alarmingly and the farmer slowed down, gritting his teeth.The two men distracted you enough for you to be deaf to the last pair of footprints making their way up the stairs before pausing in your doorway. 

“Hm. I should start offering group rates if none of you could wait for barely a few minutes.” That voice, so smooth and husky, like the whiskey Whitney would tip down your throat, was… Gloating. 

Of course you would recognise it anywhere, even as you tried to tip your head back to look at him only to be stopped by Harper’s fingers cupping the back of your head, refusing to stop tasting you. You hummed softly and Briar chuckled darkly. 

“Didn’t think they would all leap at the chance to take you home, with being able to fuck you as the payment Wren offered. Neither did I think my boys would be so into each other’s sloppy seconds, but what do you know?” 

“Sunshine let me hit it first, I’ll have you know!” Wren called from down the hallway, as the sound of a struggle got louder, something fragile smashing. 

There was a chorus of “Shut Ups”, some louder and others, some more breathy and moaning than annoyed. Briar just snickered and made his way to your bed, sitting down and lighting up a cigarette. He began to idly pick through your things, in your drawers, and on your laptop, mirthful eyes dragging back to you and the two men crowded over you every now and then. 

Despite Remy fucking in your far longer, it was Harper who was strugglnig to keep up, lightheaded on your taste alone. His own grip on his cock got slippery and loose, trying his damndest to maintain a tight hold. His breathing kicked up a notch, breath hot and clammy against your skin, saliva dripping down between your lips and tongues. His rapid exhales turned more into weak moans, before stiffening up completely as you gently sucked on his tongue. Spurts of cum shot over your bare stomach, Harper’s exhales half moans and half whines. 

“Fuck.” The doctor whispered, lips still moving against yours as he whispered. 

“Really a two pump chump, huh?” Wren’s voice, now closer, startled you and Harper sounded a noise of irritation, of his warm come down being interrupted. “No judgement, Harpcicle, I blame sunshine for your lack of… Stamina.” 

“Shut up.” Harper said flatly, your hazy brain registering a small amount of surprise at the doctor’s dropped facade. “I remember when you first got laid.” 

Remy snorted and Briar gave a huff of laughter, even as the two men kept their attention on you rather than the bickering between the two blondes. Remy’s cock nudged something deep and sensitive inside you and you arched your back, whining. Harper rolled onto his back and zipped his trousers back up, but didn’t make any move to get up, even as Wren continued to tease before growing bored and shooting you a wink before leaving again. 

Still in a daze, you could just wind your arms around Remy’s neck, enjoying his sharp cologne, the scratch of his barely there stubble against your cheek. Even the way that you could properly enjoy his low, slightly unsteady breathing in your ear, his soft hitches of breath letting you know just how badly he was affected. 

“Shit…” He murmured, his rhythmic rocking into you only becoming unsteady as you squeezed your knees tighter against his sides, fingers slowly tangling in his short hair. “Fuck. Ease up, or I’ll blow quicker than Harper.” 

You could just hiccup out a soft giggle and you felt Briar’s steely eyes flick to your face at the sound. His smile remained inscrutable, his smoky exhale almost billowing up to completely cover his face, like a dragon coveting its golden horde. Remy’s chest rumbles with his own quiet chuckle before his pace quickened, balls throbbing against your ass. You both gasped in tandem as  he reached his end, with you also shaking around him, having been edged since Wren had his turn. 

“Fuck.” You whispered, burying your face properly in his shoulder as Remy’s cum dripped from your hole, his grip on your legs almost bruising at this point. 

The farmer still took a moment before pulling away from you, untangling himself and slipping his cock free from your hole. Harper’s eyes flicked to his weeping cockhead, a small rosy blush on his cheeks. Remy leaned his head back, small drops of sweat beading at his temple and exhaled slowly. Briar gave a husky chuckle and leaned forward, your bed creaking with his shifting weight, and plucked his lit cigarette from his own lips, just to tuck it on Remy’s bottom lip. The farmer briefly cupped the brothel owner’s hand to tuck it between two of his fingers, but Briar didn’t slip his hand away, resting it against Remy’s cheek as he inhaled slowly, eyes fluttering shut as the nicotine hit. The other man watched him as he took a few more puffs before leaning away, running his slender fingers through his long chestnut hair, just to push it back. 

“Move up, Remy.” Briar nudged his foot against the farmer’s leg. 

Properly adjusting the cigarette on his bottom lip, Remy stood. He gave you a lingering, low glance, smoke curling over his face, before stepping over Harper and faintly beginning a conversation with Wren, if the blond’s smug laugh was any indication. Briar instead knelt down where the farmer had been, ignoring Harper’s fingers slowly tracing over your stomach, dragging through the slowly cooling cum. Briar smacked his hand away as he gripped your waist, just to turn you on your front. His thumb ran along your hole, gathering the combined cum just to tuck the finger into his mouth, sucking slowly. He tilted his head, as if deciding on the taste before spitting it cleanly out, onto the carpet. 

With your own cheek resting against the floor, and Harper just slowly dragging his long fingers over your skin, left over cum on his fingertips making new patterns on your back, you fully relaxed into the new position. Obviously Briar noticed, if the satisfied hum was anything to go by. 

“Quite fucked open already.” He murmured, using just one thumb to press into you, making more cum rush out, down your thighs. “So I just get to enjoy you, without worrying if I will rip that pretty little hole.” 

You just mumbled something and you felt Harper press closer to you, giving the shell of your ear a light kiss. Not even hearing the rustle of his clothes, Briar’s cockhead nudged your opening with a soft squish.

“Hurry up.” Bailey appeared at the door again, resting his forearm against the frame. “Others are growing bored.” 

“So you could take your time, fuck at your leisure?” Briar gave an amused sigh, slowly sinking into you, filling you up again. “But you have to rush everyone else? Almost sounds like you wanted more time with your little orphan, hm?” 

“Shut up.” Bailey muttered before using his weight to push himself off the wooden frame again. 

He didn’t leave, instead his cold eyes rested on your face, your blissed out expression. Even as Harper began to idly play with your nipples, even as Briar bottomed out with a low chuckle, he refused to stop looking at you. Even as your eyes shut in bliss and the brothel owner draped himself over your back, murmuring obscenities, his gaze remained fixed, analytical and aroused. 

“Never understood why you had so many repeat customers.” Briar sighed out. “Knew you had talent but… Yeah, this hole is something else. Basically a fucked open gloryhole but still damn addictive.” 

You could just whine softly as he rutted into you. His cock had a delicious curve to it, putting pressure on a spot that almost had your eyes rolling to the back of your head. Briar refused to let up on you, even as you reached another orgasm, shivering around his cock. Harper continued his nibbling, leaving love bites all over your neck and shoulders, even nipping at your earlobe just to make you squeak. 

Bailey also remained, watching you fall apart. 

Downstairs, Wren and Remy picked over the family’s possessions, the blood staining the nice wooden floor boards. The blond in fact, kneeled down to twist the rings off both the husband and wife and the farmer rolled his eyes, just about finishing his cigarette before stubbing it out in a decorative ashtray. 

“Who's that for, hm?“ 

 “Hey, could be for you.” Wren grinned at him before they both quietened down, listening to your soft moans growing louder and louder. 

“Could be for them.” Remy snorted, idly leaning back against a bloodied counter. 

“Yeah, but only after I sell them, y’know.” Wren straightened up, rolling the rings in his palm before tucking them into his pocket. He slung his arm over Remy’s shoulders, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Then I’ll buy a nice collar for them. Or a sex swing. Or a new cottage. Y’know, all for easy access.” 

The farmer was cut off in his reply as there was a final moan and footsteps began to come back down the stairs. Both Bailey and Briar appeared at the foot of the stairs, Harper’s cheerful voice echoing from your room, no doubt dressing you back up. 

“Happy Purge.” Wren just grinned at his compatriots, smug as they echoed his own words back to him. “Let’s go see if any places on Danube street look especially full of expensive shit.” 

EVENT MAIN POST

#inky halloween event #bailey the caretaker #wren the smuggler #briar the brothel owner #remy the farmer #harper the doctor #dol #nsft #quincewrites #degrees of lewdity #GOD IM SO SORRY IM ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH THIS EVENT STUFF HAPPENED AND I NEEDED A BREAK FROM WRITING DAILY #SHOULD BE MORE BACK ON TRACK NOW MY LOVES #HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS FUKIN BEAST #4.7K DAMN WORDS

[minigirl87]

Lavender & Mint with Steven Grant

Steven Grant & FReader

Edited by @melodygatesauthor

Again, I really want to give a big thanks to @melodygatesauthor for all her her help and for editing this work. Also, for her encouragement to do it. I highly recommend you read her stuff it's so good. ❤️

I love the smell of lavender as it's calming, and I use this shampoo. It's a tea tree one (I have psoriasis), and I thought of Steven just being soft and needing some love ❤️ plus I associate certain smells with people and feelings, yep, I'm weird. Lol. Please enjoy and feel free to reblog and give any feedback.

Summary:

Steven has a bad day at work, which leads you to one on the boy's secrets regarding you. Steven needs love as he's soft and sweet.

Word count: 622

No warnings, SFW, Pure Fluff, Comfort, Kissing.

Steven, love, you okay ?” You asked already, knowing the answer.

You received a text from him earlier, “Hiya love. I’m so sorry, will be home late tonight. Works a bloody nightmare. Love you. S xx”- Poor Steven, you thought again as you closed the flat door.

There’s no reply, but you know he’s home as the lights are on, and there’s music faintly playing in the background. You hang your jacket up next to his. You gently smile to yourself as your hand brushes against the soft fabric.

You follow the music and discover Steven’s having a shower. Instead of scaring him half to death, you leave him be and decide to make some tea. After putting the kettle on to boil, you go to feed Gus II, and while passing the tv, you switch it on, leaving it on the History channel.

You reach up for yours and Steven’s favourite mugs, avoiding knocking down Marc’s and Jake’s. As the kettle whistles, Steven pads softly into the kitchen wrapped in a towel and drying his unruly wet curls. “Hiya Love” he says, wrapping his arms around you, kissing the top of your head. You feel him completely relax against you, as he let’s out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in.

“You OK Love?” You say turning to face him.

You take his handsome face in your hands and rub your thumb across his jaw. Steven nuzzles into your palm, apologising for the stubble there. You look into his tired, but still beautiful chocolate eyes.

“I love feeling it, I love feeling you, love”. You kiss him softly, and Steven whimpers as a tear rolls down his cheek.

“I will be love, it’s..., it’s just work today was bloody hectic. And Donna, we’ll you know how she is.” You can see Steven’s upset, and you grab him and hold him till he calms down in your arms.

“Love. I’m sorry you had this happen to you love, is there anything I can do for you?.”Steven’s quiet for a moment looking at you, then he boops your nose and smiles.

“ I... “ he goes quiet again, looking behind you. You assume he’s talking to Marc and Jake as his head nods. “ Sorry, love. We’re so lucky to have to have you.”

You smile “I love you all, so much.”

With a love-struck look on his face, you tell him to go get changed, and you’ll sort the tea.

“What about you love?” he asks walking away,

“I’ll pour the water and come get changed Love”

After your both changed and comfy on the small sofa. A documentary starts about Cleopatra.

Steven gets himself comfy cuddling into you. Your arms are around his shoulders as he plays with your fingers. You’re just about to kiss the top of his head when you smell something familiar.

“Steven did you use my shampoo?.”

Steven’s cheeks heat up “Erm ... sorry, love. I was hoping you would be back before I got home. But you weren’t and I was upset, and I wanted something to comfort me”

You kiss his head, giving him a squeeze “so is that why you all smell my hair then?”

He tilts his head up softly smiling “yes Love. The smell of lavender and mint always reminds us of you.”

Smiling to yourself, you both snuggle closer together. You mentally take note to buy more shampoo, now confirming your suspicions. Steven gives your hand a squeeze, bringing you back to reality. You squeeze Stevens' hand back and feel lucky to have not one but three hearts that love you. And you love them to the moon and back.

@melodygatesauthor @my-secret-shame @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @campingwiththecharmings @welcometostayingawake @missscarlettangel @missdictatorme @steven-grants-world @jake-g-lockley

#steven grant x you #steven grant x reader #steven grant #moon boys #moon knight x reader #comfort #fluff #steven grant fluff

[yeowangies]

Praise

Part I | Part II

❧

PAIRING: Vegeta/Reader RATING: Explicit CONTENTS: Explicit sexual content, a little body worship, dom/sub undertones, praising. WORDCOUNT: 4343

Summary:

If you had to guess, since he hadn’t pushed you away, or made any moves that would indicate that he wanted something more, Vegeta seemed to be enjoying your touch. A touch that wasn’t meant to hurt him, or take anything from him.

Notes:

I've been writing this for MONTHS and I'm finally done and happy with this!!!!

This is the third chapter of Edge I and II. No one edges anyone in this chapter, and I took a super cool suggestion from a comment I got on AO3 💖 so this is a softer ending compared to the first two chapters!

Enjoy!

“I don’t understand this.” Vegeta said flatly.

“Just humor me.”

“What do you get out of this?”

“Do this for me, please? I promise we’ll both enjoy this.”

“I don’t see the point. I’m capable of cleaning myself.”

You rolled your eyes. You were losing patience and that wasn’t good considering the circumstances. You really did want him to enjoy this, but his overanalyzing mind was doubting your intentions, which was ridiculous because you’d never hurt him. Not even if you could.

But you figured you couldn’t really blame him after your ‘challenge’ last time. You hadn’t hurt him but you certainly put him through hell.

“This is my reward.” You said softly, looking Vegeta in the eye. “And a prince deserves this kind of treatment, don’t you agree?”

That seemed to have worked; his shoulders visibly relaxed, even if just a bit, and he dropped his arms to the side. When you reached for his hand, he let you hold it. 

You led him to your ensuite bathroom, and he quickly reached for his armor to take it off, but with a hand on his forearm, you stopped him. He eyed you curiously, until your hand slid down to tug at the garment. 

“Let me.”

Vegeta didn’t reply, only let go of his armor to pull his arms up his head to make it easy for you to remove the covering before dropping it on the bathroom floor. His bodysuit was next, and you rapidly pulled off his skintight top up and off him, throwing it to the floor, before kneeling down to get rid of his boots. He kicked them off easily before you could even touch them, so you quickly moved on to get rid of his pants, tugging them down with a little more force than you expected to use. You pulled down his boxers last, and you tried not to stare at him too much once he was fully undressed. 

Some fresh bruises adorned his skin, probably a result from the early training he had that morning but that would highly likely disappear by nighttime, along with his old scars that you knew by heart. It was unbelievable that someone could have a body like his, with such defined muscles and hardened skin. You’ve been together for a long time then, but it still sent heat down your abdomen every time you got to see him naked. And he was half hard already, which made it slightly difficult to not jump him right then and there. 

A smirk grew on his face as you quickly stood up with a pink tint on your cheeks. You did your best to ignore Vegeta as you got rid of your own clothes, taking off your shirt as fast as you could, but you could feel his eyes fixed on you as you got naked in front of him. When you dropped your jeans and underwear at last, he was still looking at you intensely, but he didn’t make any move towards you. 

You turned on the shower then, waiting a few seconds for the water to warm up, before wordlessly taking his hand again and leading him underneath the spray right in front of you. As you both got soaked, water making both of your hair lay flat down your neck, you reached for the shampoo bottle, pouring a generous amount on your hand before reaching for his hair. Vegeta looked quite funny with his hair down, unlike his natural flame-like shape, but you only smiled as your fingers worked into his hair. His gaze was still on you, looking at you almost intrigued, until you started massaging his scalp. He leaned into your touch, closing his eyes. It wasn’t in your mind to tease him, but as you kept pressing your fingertips onto his skin, a quiet moan left his lips. 

Touching Vegeta with ulterior motives wasn’t what you planned (yet), so you worked the shampoo quickly before rinsing it off carefully, trying not to tug too hard. Running your fingers through his hair, admiring how soft it felt in that moment compared to how coarse it normally was, you checked to see if all the shampoo was gone before moving on.

You reached for the soap and began working to clean his skin. You started with his shoulders, delicately spreading the foam, tracing every little scar with your fingertips as you worked your way down. His gaze was once again on you, but when you looked at him briefly, it had softened considerably since minutes ago; it was comforting. You were mindful when you skimmed over certain bruises, and soon you dropped to your knees to run the soap over his legs. 

Vegeta moved slightly to better accommodate you, and you tried your best to ignore his half-hard cock; you didn’t want to cross any unspoken boundary. Your intention at the moment was to take care of him. It probably wasn’t what he was expecting, but he rarely ever let you ‘pamper’ him. He liked being in control, and you enjoyed it when he would make you submit to him, but this was entirely different; this situation wasn’t meant to be sexual, just a small gesture to let him know how much you care about him and how much you appreciate him. It would be something difficult to put into words, and difficult for him to hear them as well, but you could show him how you felt like this, tracing your fingers over his skin, thoroughly cleaning his body, without expecting anything else. 

And if you had to guess, since he hadn’t pushed you away, or made any moves that would indicate that he wanted something more, Vegeta seemed to be enjoying your touch. A touch that wasn’t meant to hurt him, or take anything from him. 

As you stood back up, having cleansed almost every corner of him completely, you moved to turn off the shower, but to your surprise, he caught your wrist. You blinked at him as he reached for the shampoo bottle before gently turning you around. When you felt his fingers working into your hair, the thought of mentioning to him that he absolutely did not have to do that crossed your mind. After all, you were doing it for him. 

You decided against it when he started massaging your scalp. It felt good, and the thought of Vegeta doing something like this for you, on his own free will, made your heart flutter. He was humbling himself; you had mentioned it before to convince him, he was a prince, and the prince of a proud warrior race at that. But he was washing your hair at the moment, delicately running his fingers through it to rinse the shampoo out. The gesture did not slip past you. 

The water was still warm enough to make the blush on your cheeks appear natural, and you were thankful for that when he turned you back around to face him. Vegeta pushed your hair over your shoulders and tucked some of the loose strands behind your ear before he reached for the soap to start working on your shoulders, following the same path you had marked on his body. You really had to fight the urge to gape at him. He had been gentle with you before, and it had left your mouth hanging open even then. But this felt so much different. 

It was funny when you noticed how red the tip of his ears were when he ran his hands over your breasts, you couldn’t control the small smile from your lips. Your heart jumped in your chest when he kneeled down, running the soap and spreading the foam over your thighs. You felt the need to tell him he didn’t have to do that, but when had Vegeta ever done something he didn’t want to? At least since he’s been on Earth; you can probably count those times with just one hand. You had to suppress any noise coming from your lips when his hands ran down one of your calves. This was a moment you wanted to engrave in your memory, and you didn’t dare to look away. 

You couldn’t help the smile on your face when he stood up in front of you with a very faint pink dust on his cheeks. That wasn’t because of the water, and you knew it. It caught you off guard to notice what was then an intense erection he was sporting. You didn’t stare at it, and you didn’t mention it either, and he did the same. But you felt a little pleased with yourself; after all, he got like that after touching your body all over. 

Vegeta turned off the shower as you reached for the towels, wrapping one around his body to help him dry off before taking your own towel. He stepped out of the shower first, wordlessly offering you his hand to help you get out as well, and you accepted it happily. A comfortable silence lingered in, and it followed you both onto the bedroom, Vegeta sitting down on the bed, with the towel wrapped around his waist, awaiting whatever it was that you had planned. Taking your place by his side, you sat down, resting your chin on his shoulder.

“That was nice, was it not?” You ask him playfully.

He remained quiet, and you knew it was because he did enjoy showering with you. 

“What now?” Vegeta asked, turning his head to look at you.

Offering him a sweet smile, you slowly unwrapped the towel from your body, dropping it onto the floor. He blushed slightly at the sight of your nudity, you had to contain your grin. You moved your hand to take off his towel, his erect cock practically bouncing free once you discarded it. 

You were aware of his affection for you, even if he didn’t show it conventionally, but he had maintained his enthusiasm for a while, and you hadn’t even kissed yet. 

Vegeta kept his eyes fixed on your face, anticipating your next move. He was still acting surprisingly docile, but you assume it was because of the relaxing shower. You glanced back at him, reveling in the gleam of his stare before leaning in to kiss him. Cupping his cheek, you pressed your lips softly to his, and he kissed you back with the same care. 

“Vegeta,” You trailed your lips down his jaw, in time with your hand that was carefully traveling lower. “You’re really handsome, you know that?”

His body tensed underneath your fingertips, but he didn't say anything. Without even looking, you knew he must be blushing. You skimmed over one of his nipples before your hand traced his abs slowly down to his navel, stopping just above the base of his cock. 

“Your body is to die for.” You whispered, pressing kisses on his neck.

“Is this how it’s going to be?” Vegeta asked, placing his arm around your shoulder as you turned your head to look at him. “You’re going to tease me the entire time?”

“I’m not teasing you, it’s the truth.”

You smiled genuinely at him, just as you wrapped your hand around the base of his dick. His lips parted slightly when you began to slowly stroke him. You watched his reactions carefully, taking in the expressions he made as you pleasured him; his head lolled back when you rub the slit with your thumb, and small, quiet grunts escaped his lips when you twisted your hand. 

“I adore watching you.” You told him, steadily speeding up your moves. 

This time, you could see the faint dust of pink on his cheeks. It was still adorable how easily embarrassed he could be in intimate situations.

Vegeta pushed you closer, kissing your lips rather forcefully, intertwining his tongue with yours. Your hand kept on pumping him, building up the pace, until you noticed precum dripping from the tip. He grunted when you released him, but you smiled reassuringly as you pulled away from his hold, sinking down to your knees in front of him.

Locking your eyes with his, you grabbed a hold of his cock, keeping it in place as you dragged your tongue from the base to the tip. He groaned, his hips bucking in when you wrapped your lips around the head. 

“Fuck…” Vegeta cursed when you swirled your tongue around. 

When you started bobbing your head up and down, taking more of him, you had to remind yourself you were doing this for him. The noises spilling from his lips made the skin between your legs tingle with anticipation, but this wasn’t about you, not yet at least. You had your mind set on showing him how much you appreciated him and how attracted you were to him. You obviously couldn’t compliment him with your mouth full, but the gesture was worth more than a thousand words. 

Humming around him, you earnestly sucked his cock, running your tongue on the underside as you pulled back before swallowing him down again, and soon the tip was grazing the back of your throat. One of his hands reached for your head, tangling his fingers with your hair and lightly tugging at it every time his dick was fully inside. 

Vegeta was close to an orgasm, his groans growing louder, and the hold he had of your hair getting tighter. His hips jerked up with every slide of your lips, seeking more friction, so you tried moving your head back and forth faster, your mind set on making him come soon, feeling the muscles in his abdomen tensing more often. 

It didn’t take long for him to reach his peak, suddenly thrusting in so desperately you practically choked. His cock twitched, and he came with a growl, filling your mouth with cum, leaving you no other choice but to swallow, and you did so gladly. Riding out his climax, his hips slowed down his moves gradually, until he finally pulled out, his hand on your head letting go. 

You looked up at Vegeta as you tried to catch your breath; he was panting, face flushed, and you adored him. You offered him a small smile, tracing your hands up his thighs, pressing small kisses to his stomach before standing up. He looked at you through hooded lids, with a gleam that you could only describe as enamored. You had rarely seen such a look in his eyes, and you felt like your heart might beat out of your chest. 

Vegeta pulled you close just as you moved to straddle his legs and sit on his lap. Leaning in to meet your lips with his, you kissed him nice and slow, wrapping your arms around his neck as he pressed his lips against yours with more desperation. You would have normally followed his lead, but you wanted to take your time; after all, technically you were the one calling the shots then. You kept your pace, gently tangling your tongue with his as you ran one of your hands through his hair, caressing his scalp with your fingers. He sighed contently against your lips as he tightened his hands on your waist.

It didn’t surprise you when you felt one hand in between your legs, but it still made you gasp when his fingers traced your entrance, so soft it was almost teasing. You were already wet from sucking his cock, and when he pressed one digit inside you, a sinfully wet sound invaded your ears as he started carefully pumping in and out of you. You moaned into his mouth, holding tighter onto his shoulders as he continued moving his finger, getting you ready for something bigger. 

Your toes curled when Vegeta added a second digit, and you broke the kiss, gasping at the intrusion as his moves got faster. He buried his mouth on your neck, licking and biting just as he pressed inside you just right, making you feel as if electricity was running through your veins. 

“Vegeta,” You whimpered shakily, earning a quiet chuckle from him. A yelp escaped you when he pressed his thumb against your clit. You took a moment to gather your thoughts, and spoke again. “I-I’m ready… Stop teasing me…”

“Weren’t you teasing me just a minute ago?” Vegeta asked in an obviously mocking tone, you could even feel his smirk against your skin as he traced his lips up your neck.

“I wasn’t… Everything I said was all true…” You moaned loudly again when he picked up the pace of his fingers, curling them inside you and grazing a sensitive spot that made your legs weak. “Please, Vegeta, I want you…”

Taking pity on you, Vegeta retracted his hand from between your legs, pulling away from your neck as he popped his fingers into his mouth, sucking on your slick. You blushed instantly at the sight, and he looked at you, amused. 

The next thing you know was that he had thrown you on the bed, making you bounce, before crawling over your body. It took you a couple of seconds until you realized that wasn't the position you wanted. You put your hands on his shoulders, trying to stop him, and he looked down at you with a frown. He obeyed to your surprise, when you pushed him to make him lay back on the mattress. 

“This is my reward, isn’t it?” You smirked, straddling his hips.

Vegeta looked at you with annoyance, but he complied. It must have killed him to not have the upper hand, but you know he would keep his word and let you do as you pleased. Leaning down and kissing his lips softly, you ran your hands over his shoulders, tracing his scars when you trailed your fingers down his chest and abdomen.

This was all for him. He had to know how attractive he was, and how much you adored him. 

Breaking off the kiss as you wrapped your hand around his erection, you eyed his expression carefully as you shifted to position yourself better, running the tip over your entrance.

“I wasn’t teasing you before, you’re really gorgeous, Vegeta.”

Sinking down in one swift move, his cock was sheathed inside you in an instant. Vegeta closed his eyes tightly, growling as his fingers dug into your skin. The intrusion was a bit uncomfortable at first, no matter that he had prepared you before; the stretch was delicious however, and you craved it more and more. 

As you supported your weight with your hands on his shoulders and your hips started to grind, you couldn’t help the whines leaving your lips. Your mind was already in a haze, heat tightly and steadily growing in your belly since he’d had his fingers on you, and then feeling his impressive dick touch every place inside you just right helped to build up your desire even more. His digits kept prodding your sides with a firm hold as he tried not to buck upwards. This was still your show after all.

“Oh, Vegeta,” You moaned, your eyes never leaving his face as you kept rocking against him. “You’re amazing, you fill me up perfectly.”

You witnessed his face glowing red as you complimented him, and couldn’t help but smile. 

“You’re so good. Your cock feels so good.” You purred sensually, punctuating each word with a swing of your hips. 

The growl came rumbling deep from his chest this time, and his hold on your hips got tighter, making you wince, surely leaving bruises that you’d admire tomorrow. 

“Stop messing with me, woman!” Vegeta scolded you, keeping you firmly in place as he suddenly started roughly thrusting upwards, making you yelp. “Who do you think you’re talking to, using such filthy words?”

You tried to hold onto his shoulders as strongly as you could so you wouldn’t be knocked off balance by his sudden onslaught; it was difficult to do when his cock kept hitting inside you so wonderfully hard. You mewled over and over, trying to somehow keep the plan you had in mind afloat, even through all the intense pleasure you were being given at the moment. You looked at Vegeta through hooded lids, locking eyes again, finding his completely clouded by lust. 

“You like it when I do that, don’t you? When I praise you?” You showed him a small mischievous smile. “You don’t have to be ashamed.”

“I am not ashamed.” Vegeta scoffed, his face still sporting a faint red hue.

You leaned down to kiss him, savoring his mouth and stroking his cheek with one hand. Vegeta groaned against your lips, momentarily slowing down the moves of his hips but still holding tightly onto you, sliding his arms around your waist to keep you as close as possible, pressing your chest against his. 

Even through all the roughness he usually had around all his edges, he still managed to have small gestures that warmed your heart. 

“It’s only the two of us here.” You whispered into the kiss, whimpering when his hips snapped against yours. “And I only do this with you…”

His hand on your jaw took you off guard, making you gasp. You flushed instantly; it was such an alluring gesture, keeping your face in place while he leered at you with dark eyes, like he wanted to devour you whole.

“You’re only this lewd with me.” He said with a gruff voice so erotic it made you moan. 

“Only with you.” You whimpered, trying to keep your eyes open and fixed on his while Vegeta kept thrusting into you. “Only for you, my prince.”

Vegeta groaned, picking up the pace, and your eyes rolled back into your head. Your entire body was tense, the heat in your abdomen so close to snapping as the pleasure kept building up. 

You weren’t lying to him at all when you praised him, Vegeta was truly the only man who ever made you feel this insane amount of fulfillment. You knew he took it as a personal goal to make you reach your peak hard and ardently, and he delivered every single time, even if he tortured you a bit before getting there. 

“Vegeta, I was, ah-” A particularly harsh thrust threw you off balance, making your legs twitch. “I was made for you… And you were made for me-Fuck!”

Vegeta chuckled wickedly as you clung to him, trying to move your hips and meet his moves, but you found it impossible to do so. 

The unforgiven pace Vegeta had set kept growing, his hips slamming into yours, the wet sound of skin slapping against skin reaching your ears and adding to your arousal. Your mind was in a haze, and you could only think about his body, his lips, his cock. 

Vegeta, Vegeta, Vegeta.

Shuddering uncontrollably, you saw stars behind your lids as your orgasm took over, moaning loudly while Vegeta still had a hold of your face, watching your expression as you came undone. Jolts of pleasure traveled through your veins, making you vibrate as he kept ramming into you, prolonging the state of bliss you were in.

As you slowly rode out your orgasm, Vegeta gripped tightly onto your hips with both of his hands, grunting as his pace turned uneven, seeking his own release. You tried to keep your eyes open and watch him get to the edge, but his cock roughly sliding in and out of you without a pause after you had reached your peak was making it tough; you couldn’t stop shivering with aftershocks, even when you wanted nothing but to collapse on top of him. 

Slamming his hips violently, Vegeta buried his cock deep inside you when he came, filling you up to the brim with cum, making you gasp at the sensation. He growled, thrusting into you a couple of times until he was completely spent, letting go of your hips to hold onto your behind instead. 

Watching his brows furrowed, and his mouth parted slightly whenever he orgasmed was always insanely attractive. 

You hummed contently as you collapsed on top of him, nuzzling his neck as you tried to catch your breath. Vegeta was panting underneath you, his hands still curling on your butt and pressing you close. His small displays of affections were during brief moments like those, as he slowly skimmed one hand upwards, moving his fingers tenderly over your skin. You wondered if he was even conscious about them, because they certainly made you melt inside him whenever he did that. 

Planting a sweet kiss on his jaw, Vegeta turned to look at you curiously. 

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” You asked him, trying not to revel too much in how well your plan turned out. 

He remained quiet, like he always did when you were right. You rolled your eyes, burying your nose in his neck, taking in his scent, mixed in with shampoo and the smell of sweat and sex. 

“Compared to what you put me through sometimes, this was nice.”

“You talk too much.” Vegeta commented, and you frowned.

“But I haven’t even said much yet.” You looked at him, finding a smirk on his lips, and you arched an eyebrow. “What?”

Sometimes his silence annoyed you, especially when he ignored your questions. You huffed, knowing well he had enjoyed what you did for him that day. You wanted him to admit it somehow, so you pressed on. He was expecting you to keep talking, anyway.

“What do you think about doing this again some other time?”

“…Occasionally.”

“So, does that mean you enjoyed it?” You smiled against the skin of his neck. 

“It was… pleasant.”

“So, yes? It was how a prince should be treated, after all.” 

Vegeta grunted. You know you must have stroked his already over inflated ego with that comment.

“I guess we both won, in the end.”

When he pinched your behind, you yelped, flinching in surprise. 

“You’re full of yourself, woman.”

“Look who’s talking.”

#dbz imagine #dbz fics #dbz fanfiction #vegeta x you #vegeta x reader #dragon ball z #dbz #vegeta #my writing

[breakfastteatime]

Today's request is 'You've got one minute' for @ralndown ^_^

Every time Cal thinks he’s settling into a routine on Bracca, something awful happens. Maybe the Ibis Maw gets hungry for flesh and grabs a tentacleful of unsuspecting scrappers. Maybe a ship that’s been in the same place for two years suddenly decides to collapse under its own weight. Maybe someone breaks something aboard an old terraforming lab and suddenly there’s a bunch of people turned into trees.

Today, Cal’s crew makes it halfway through their shift before the worst, most terrifying siren goes off. Bracca doesn’t have a lot of warnings for incoming disaster, but this one? This is the one they’re all trained to react to in one way, and one way only.

Get out. Get out now or die.

Maybe that’s why the Force left Cal feeling nauseous all day. It’s so useful like that.

Dropping the wires he’d started stripping, Cal follows the others. Prauf’s leading them and he’s already on the comms, listening intently to whatever’s being said. When he stops still and holds up a hand to make everyone else do the same, Cal shivers under the weight of the collective fear around him.

It only gets worse when Prauf starts issuing orders in a sharp tone of voice Cal’s never heard before.

“It’s a chemical leak. A bad one. We’re too deep in the ship to get out in time. Get into your emergency teams, find a room, and seal yourselves in. If we’re lucky, we’ll see each other on the other side of this thing.”

People break off into their groups. There’s no time for goodbyes or good lucks. Cal sticks close to Prauf and Tabbers. He takes a breath and immediately coughs it out, a sharp bite scraping the back of his throat. Prauf grabs him, throws him into a room, and Tabbers seals the door.

It’s not enough. The room, a tiny refresher, has an air conditioning vent high on the ceiling. Even Prauf can’t reach it to close it off. Gas seeps in. Cal hears people coughing and choking from all around, senses their fear and pain.

“We gotta seal it, now!” Tabbers shouts. His eyes stream, coughing hard. “We’ve got one minute before we’re all spitting out chunks of our lungs.” He pulls a wall panel down. “Weld this over that vent!”

“Lift me up,” Cal says. He puts his filter mask on, hoping it will help. “I can do it.”

Putting his own mask on, Prauf grabs Cal, lifting him. Cal plants his feet on Prauf’s shoulders. His eyes burn, so full of tears he can hardly keep them open. Tabbers hands him a sheet of metal and Cal presses it to the vent, welding torch in hand as he covers it up. He can’t keep his eyes open, so he trusts Prauf to guide him, molten metal sealing the panel in place.

“Good job,” Prauf says, lowing Cal down. “Sit, both of you. That gas is light, so we should be safer down here.”

Cal’s feet touch the ground. He drops to the deck moments later, eyes squeezed shut, lungs still rebelling. His mask isn’t doing much to help, but it’s better than nothing.

“Is this shit what I think it is?” Tabbers’ voice is muffled by his mask.

“Yeah,” Prauf replies. Cal hears him sit beside him. “Someone messed up big time.”

“I’d threaten to beat the idiots myself, but I cannae imagine they’re alive now,” Tabbers says.

“What is it?” Cal asks when he can talk again.

“A chemical weapon designed to rot battle droids,” Prauf says.

“Aye, not that it worked,” Tabbers adds. “It’s far better at killing us organics.”

Cal never heard about anything like that. Not that he tells the others. The idea that the Republic would create something like that leaves him nauseous.

“Looks like no one thought to remove the canisters before we started pulling this thing apart,” Prauf says. “Foreman said someone cut off the wrong thing and boom – we’re all breathing in poison.”

Cal doesn’t join the conversation. He pulls his knees to his chest, keeps his eyes firmly closed, and tries not to suffocate in the feelings of so many people dying around him. He pushes the Force away, begs it to leave him alone like it usually does.

“Cal?”

Prauf’s big, warm hand lands on his back. Cal startles, eyes flying open. His vision is fractured by the tears still running, but the burn is easier to manage now.

“You okay?” Prauf asks.

“Yeah,” he says, knowing he doesn’t have to worry about how rough his voice sounds. And then, because he needs a distraction, he keeps talking. “Can’t believe we’re stuck in a ‘fresher.”

Tabbers chuckles. “Get comfy, brat. We might be here a while.”

It’s two days before the foreman gives them the all-clear. The survivors are given a half-shift break to clean up, get something to eat and drink, and then sent back to work to make up for the two days of sitting around doing nothing. Cal notes that their crew is down several people when they meet up to be assigned duties, but no one says anything.

Back to the Bracca routine.

#fic requests 2023 #star wars jedi: fallen order #jfo headcanon #jfo minific #back to bracca!! #cal kestis #prauf #tabbers

[samsexualdeancurious]

Candy and Whiskey

Pairing: Dean x Reader

Words: 1,101

Summary: Dean brought a little adult treat for trick or treating with the twins.

Warnings: Drinking, some kinda dirty flirting between adults.

Written for an Angel Patron request

---

“Abby! Stay with your sister!”

The youngest of your twins slows her pace but only a bit. Dean chuckles softly. He’s already holding both of their candy buckets, pink and purple pumpkins swinging from the hand that’s not curled around your own.

“Abby,” you call again and she comes to a halt at the end of the front walk of the next house. She taps one little princess slipper-clad foot while she waits for the rest of your to catch up.

“You walk too fast,” Maggie complains.

Abby mumbles an apology and snatches her purple bucket from her dad. Together, the twins make their way up to the front door of the house where various little superheroes are receiving their shares of candy from an older woman in a pointed witch hat.

“I swear,” you sigh. “Those two.”

“They’ll slow down when they get tired,” Dean assures you.

“Yeah, and we’ll end up carrying them the rest of the way home.”

Dean laughs, digging in the inner pocket of his coat for something. He’s dressed like a cowboy, right down to a leather vest and sheriff’s star under his long dark coat. It’s a damn good look, especially with the dark hat completing the outfit. You can’t help but admire him for a moment before you realize what he has in his hand.

“You did not.”

He smirks and gives the flask a little shake. “Want some?”

You hesitate a moment and then grab the flask. It’s straight whiskey inside and burns going down but the warmth is welcome in the chilly Halloween night. You pass the flask back to Dean, who takes a sip of his own and tucks it away. You shake your head fondly.

“You’re a terrible influence,” you murmur as the girls skip back down the front walk to you.

“You love me.”

Apparently, the girls are okay with carrying their own buckets again, because they immediately start leading the way down the sidewalk to the next house. You lean into Dean and follow them.

You don’t drink a lot but the few sips you get as your little family makes its way around the neighborhood definitely have you leaning more towards tipsy as you get closer to home. The girls are still going strong, surprisingly. You suspect they’ve been sneaking candy when you weren’t looking. Just like their father, of course. You wouldn’t expect anything less.

“Have I told you yet how fucking hot you look tonight?” Dean murmurs, low for your ears only as the girls run, squealing, past some homemade ghosts hanging from a tree.

Your cheeks burn. Your costume isn’t anything particularly complicated, just something you threw together last minute - a black dress that’s a little reminiscent of Morticia Addams with a less extreme plunge to the neckline, paired with some kick-ass boots and a long blue cloak. You’d already felt good about yourself when you twirled in front of the bathroom mirror but something about Dean telling you how good he thinks you look always sparks warmth in your belly.

“You’re sweet,” you reply, giving him a little shove. You’re feeling all warm and fuzzy but you can’t tell if it’s from the whiskey or Dean pressing a kiss to your jaw.

“Mommy! Look at how big this candy bar is!”

Maggie is bounding down the steps, a king-sized Hershey’s bar clutched proudly in one fist. Abby is hot on her sister’s heels, her own Hershey’s bar held above her head for you to see.

“Wow! Those are big ones!” You crouch down to look at both candy bars. “Good job! Put them in your buckets so they don’t get lost.”

Both girls tuck their candy bars in their buckets with a reverence that has Dean muffling a snort.

“A few more houses and then we’re gonna head home,” he tells them. Both immediately start whining but a firm look silences their complaints. “Look how much candy you have! That’s enough to last you until next Halloween.”

“Not to mention, Dad’s going to stock up on more when it goes on sale tomorrow,” you tell the girls conspiratorially.

They giggle and Dean pouts but there’s no real heat to it. You shoot him a wink as the girls scurry off towards the next house.

“You’re trouble.”

His tone is low and a little dangerous. You can’t help a shiver of arousal at his words and your mouth goes dry but you somehow manage to muster a response.

“What’re you gonna do about it?”

Dean yanks you close, mouth pressed to the sensitive spot behind your ear when he says in a low growl, “You’ll find out when we get home.”

He releases you abruptly and calls for the girls to wait for him at the end of the next driveway. You’re left standing in the middle of the sidewalk, probably looking a bit stunned.

When you’ve shaken yourself back to reality and caught up with your family, Dean’s chatting amicably with your neighbor Cindy while the girls compare candy with her son, Hunter. You plaster on a smile that you really hope doesn’t show any of the absolutely filthy thoughts you’re struggling to push from your mind.

“Hi, Y/N!” Cindy is dressed as a cat to match Hunter’s dog costume. “Looks like the girls are having a successful night.”

“They got king-size Hersheys at the last house,” you tell her.

“Oh, those are always the best houses. I’m surprised neither of you stayed home to give out candy.”

“We-ell,” you say slowly, drawing the word out as you shoot your husband a pointed look. “Someone at the whole bowl of candy in secret, so we didn’t have any candy to give out.”

Dean blushes, adorable pink spots high on his cheeks as he rubs the back of his neck. Cindy laughs. When he’s distracted by Abby tugging on his coat and bends down to listen to what she’s saying, Cindy turns a knowing smile on you. She doesn’t say anything but you know exactly what she’s thinking. Every woman in the neighborhood has a massive crush on Dean.

After you say goodnight to Cindy and continue on your way, Dean loops his arm around your waist and tugs you in close.

“Want some more whiskey?” he asks and you shake your head.

“No.” You lean into his side. You should probably eat something when you get back to the house but the buzz you’re feeling is pleasant and warm in combination with the low-level arousal still burning in your belly. “No, I want to make sure I remember tonight.”

Dean groans.

—

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#my writing #supernatural #supernatural fanfiction #spn fanfic #supernatural fic #dean x reader #dean winchester x reader #dean winchester/reader

[airplanned]

Castletown Academy 5

Zelda’s friends are much more protective than Link’s (and Revali is just rude).

---

Hudson apparently had a few back and forths with Zelda's lawyer about something or another in the prenup.  Finally, Hudson sent him an updated copy he said was safe to sign.

Link texted, "I have a prenup for you.  I can drop it off at your office today or give it to you Friday."

"Today!" she replied.  Then a moment later, "If it's not too much trouble.  If it is, Friday is fine."

He smiled to himself and headed downtown on his lunch break.

Zelda's office building was all blue glass with a huge lobby.  His feet clomped against the marble floor as he walked up to the front desk where a young Sheikah woman sat.

"Hello," he said.  "I want to drop something off for Ms. Zelda Hyrule?"

"I can make sure she gets it."

She reached out, but at the last second, he hesitated.  "It's kind of confidential."  Was it?  It wasn't a secret, but it also wasn't anyone's business.  It was personal.  But it was also purposefully impersonal, so he didn't really know.

"Would you like to give it to her yourself?"

"I...I'm sure she's busy.  Maybe you could just...make sure she gets it?"

The woman gave him an indulgent smile.  "I'll see if she can come down."

"Only if she's not busy."  Goddess, he should just drop it off.

The woman was already dialing.  "Who may I say is calling?"

"Uh.  Link."

"...Hello, I have a Mr. Link here."

"It's actually not--"

She turned to him, tucking the phone against her chest.  "She's in a meeting right now, but should be out in ten minutes.  Would you like to wait?"

"Uh.  Yeah.  Sure."

"He'll wait...You're welcome."  She hung up the phone and gestured to a set of chairs off to the side.  "Can I get you anything?  Water?  Coffee?"

"No thanks."

He sat.  Intensely aware that he should just hand over the folder.  No one would care enough to look inside.  If they did look inside, they'd realize that it wasn't their business.  He was wasting his lunch hour and wasting Zelda's time.  She did not need someone who was going to drop in at her work.  That was kinda clingy of a romantic partner, and kind of intrusive for a non-romantic partner she was about to marry.  Like he felt entitled to her time when he knew he was entitled to nothing.  Oh, shit, he was overstepping.

"Mr. Link?"

Link looked up to see a frowning Rito looking down his long nose at him.  

On instinct, Link stood. "It's just Link."  That made him sound like he thought he was a rock star or something.  "I mean, you don't have to--"

"This way."

The Rito turned and walked away without bothering to see if Link would follow.  Of course, he did.

Instead of taking him to the elevator or up the stairs to where he assumed Zelda's office was, the Rito lead him down a short hallway and into a small conference room, where a pair of Sheikah--a man and a woman--were waiting for them.

They were also frowning.  

Zelda wasn't there.

"You might have me confused with--"

"Sit down," the woman said.  Her arms were folded over her chest, her eyes narrowed behind her glasses.

Link sat at the conference table.  He was the only one sitting.

The three of them lined up on the other side of the room to glare at him.

The woman said, "We'll start easy," which made the Rito scoff.  "How did you meet Zelda?"

"We were both touring a school."

"Did you know she would be there?" the Sheikah man demanded. 

"What?  How would...what?"

"Why were you touring the school too?" the Sheikah woman asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously. 

Link lifted his hands in surrender, trying to get them all to take it easy and see he wasn't the threat they clearly thought he was.  "Listen.  You clearly care about Zelda a great deal, and I'm glad she has people to look after her--"

"Why were you at the school too?" the Sheikah man asked, louder this time as if he hadn't heard before.  He had a graphic T-shirt under his blazer, like he was trying to young and hip.

"I was trying to find a school for my daughter."  Why else would anyone tour a school?

His interrogators tensed.  "You have a daughter," the woman repeated.

"Oh, fantastic," the Rito said.  "He's not just after her fortune, he also wants her to raise his child.  What a catch."

What?  "I wouldn't--"

"Of course you wouldn't," the Rito said, but the sarcasm said he thought otherwise.  "And let me guess, your daughter is cute, and Zelda was smitten on first sight."

What the hell?  That was his daughter.

"What do you want from Zelda?" the Sheikah woman asked. She was trying to change the subject, but Link's jaw stayed tense.

"We're working together to get our kids into school."

"That didn't answer the question."

"He wants her money," The Rito said.  "We all know that's what he wants from her."

Which was kind of true.  Zelda's part of the agreement was to provide money for Flora's schooling.  Link's part of the agreement was to...agree to let their kids be legally related.  He wasn't doing any work.  The only thing he brought to the table was Flora.  It was a very lopsided agreement with him getting to live rent free in her house while Flora got to pursue her dreams.

He didn't know what to say.  He could feel his tongue wanting to attach itself to the roof of his mouth. 

His silence seemed to prove his interrogators right, which they were.  Kind of.

"Look.  Give us something to work with here," the Sheikah woman said.  "You show up a week ago, and now you're marrying our friend with no evidence you're not going to take advantage of her."

Link swallowed.

"What do you like about her?"

"Yes," the Rito said, folding his arms as if he'd won.  "Name one thing."

"She's pragmatic," Link said.  "But that's not fair because I think she's pragmatic because she has to be.  And she'd go to the ends of the earth for the people she loves, and that's not fair either because she shouldn't have to.  She shouldn't have to marry me to make sure Ralphie is safe."

They stared at him.  All of their mouths hung open the smallest bit. 

No, they weren't staring at him, they were staring at his hands, and he realized that at some point in his rant that he'd slipped into sign.  In embarrassment, he tucked his hands together and folded them into his lap.

"Are you happy now?"

Everyone twisted to the side to see Zelda standing in the doorway, fire in her eyes even as her face remained eerily calm.

"Zelda!"

"Interrogating him?  Really?"

"We just wanted to make sure he didn't have ulterior motives," the Sheikah woman said, curling in on herself the slightest bit.

The Rito didn't seem embarrassed at all.  "We needed to see if he was good enough for you."

Zelda folded her arms.  "And?" she snapped.  "Is he?"

"No," the Rito said, but the Sheikah had their heads tilted, assessing him in a new light. 

"You will leave him alone from now on," Zelda said, her voice a command.  She turned to Link, and everything about her softened.  "I'm so so sorry, Link.  I didn't know they would--"

"I know," he signed.  "They're looking out for you.  They're right, this is a weird situation."

Her face fell, panic taking over her.  "Are you backing out?"

"No!  No no!  If I was your friend, I'd be worried about you too.  And I'd be worried about Ralphie.  My friends are the same.  But they don't know what it's like, and I'm still in if you are."

"They didn't scare you off?"

"Never."

Her face looked so profoundly relieved that it made him wonder how often she let go of her worries. 

"Is that the prenup?" she asked, all business once again.  All business in front of her friends who just accused her of marrying her for her money.

"Yeah."  He handed it over.  She flipped through to check it, signed both copies, and then handed his back to him, leaving her friends to stare after them as she walked him out.

#Zelda #my fic #Castletown Academy