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#but i have distanced myself from almost everybody to the point that i don’t have any connections in my life anymore and my phone is always
hannahssimblr · 6 months
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Chapter Ten (Part 2)
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I smile and shake my head, because I’m sure that I won’t be. Jude shuffles on the bed to readjust himself, and when he settles, his leg is resting against mine. It’s warm, mine feels cold. I notice it and wait for him to move but he doesn’t, so I just let our skin touch, and I get a shiver from my toes to the top of my head.
“When you go to Berlin,” I start. “Will you know anybody else there?”
He shakes his head. “No, I’m going on my own, which I’m kind of excited about.”
“Scared though?”
“Yeah, a little bit I suppose. More excited.”
“I think I’d be scared to leave and be away from everybody I know.”
“Yeah, I get that, but I wasn’t really thinking that way when I applied for university there, it was honestly more about the experience I’d have and what I’d learn from doing my degree there.” He shrugs “Plus when I applied I didn’t actually think I’d be going on my own.” 
“No?”
“My girlfriend at the time and I applied together, actually, but she didn’t get in. It was brutal, we got our letters on the same day. Art schools work like that sometimes, they send their offers out earlier than other courses because your Leaving Cert points aren’t important. I got accepted and she didn’t, so it was a bad day.”
“So you decided to go alone anyway?”
“Yeah it felt like the best choice for me, I just didn’t see myself being in Ireland anymore, I don’t want to waste my early twenties in this horrible recession, and I don’t want to graduate into it with no job prospects. I just need to get away from it.”
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“and your girlfriend?”
“We broke up. We stayed together until we finished our exams and then we called it quits. I don’t want to put her through the long distance thing, like, honestly I don’t want to put myself through it, because I know I can’t handle that. I really just… I don’t want any attachments when I go, like, no responsibilities towards anybody else. Having a relationship while trying to navigate the changes that are ahead of me,” He shakes his head. “It would be too hard.”
“Wow. How long were you together?”
“Almost a year.”
That seems like forever to me. Nobody I know has been in a relationship for that long. “It must have been a hard decision.”
“It was, she’s a great person.”
“Well you can always get back together at some point in the future, you know, like maybe someday when you graduate…” I don’t continue because he’s already shaking his head no. 
“I don’t think so – It’s just over, I can’t really see us picking up where we left off, like, nothing to do with her or the relationship per se. It’s just that I feel like I can’t ever go backwards, once it’s done, it’s done for me. I just don’t really hang on to other people in that way.”
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I think about how I do. I’m a clinger and I always have been, so his philosophy on life is totally foreign to me, just like the idea of jetting off to some unknown city all on my own without speaking the language or knowing how a single thing in its society operates. I think that he’s much braver than I am for doing it, but I’m a little sad that he’s going. Maybe in a parallel universe he and I would have attended the same art college and been friends who hung around in Dublin together after our respective classes, sitting outside coffee shops in the city and talking about art and sculpture and our silly assignments, but none of that will happen. In a few weeks he’ll be gone forever and I will likely never get to see him again. 
I look down at our legs and move mine away from his. Perhaps it’s not a good idea for us to be touching after all. 
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“You look a little sleepy.” He says to me gently, and I am. I’m more than sleepy. It’s so late now that I must be awake for almost forty hours straight, running purely on the last shreds of adrenaline from being with him, but as soon as he mentions sleep my eyelids feel so heavy, and even the hard, flat wall that my back rests against feels cosy. I’m certain I could doze off in this exact position. I admit it, “I am.”
“Then sleep. I’ll leave.”
“Okay.”
He makes a tiny movement towards me and then hesitates and begins to get up. “Okay Evie, I’ll see you again soon.” 
I reach out my weary arms for a hug goodbye and when he leans in to embrace me my face grazes his neck, and he’s warm and his arms are strong and I wonder what the consequences would be if I let myself fall asleep on him right there and then. Maybe he’d be forced to stay here with me all night.
“I’ll text you when I’m free to hang out again.” He says, letting me go.
“Mm”
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I lay down to sleep on the bed. The blankets are so warm from where he was sitting. 
Before my eyes drift closed and I surrender to my exhaustion I glimpse him climbing nimbly out the window and hopping down onto the grass outside, disappearing into the darkness and leaving the gauzy curtains fluttering behind him. It’s like he was never even here. 
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skyfallscotland · 3 months
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Can we get a longer sneak peek for Truth and Talon? Thank you
I'm honestly not sure if this is going to make the wait better or worse for you guys, but uh, you asked so... 🖤
My feet slap against stone as I sprint down the hall. I have no idea where I’m going, I just know I need to get the hell away from here. A person or two jump out of my way as I dart around corner after corner, taking no notice of anything in my desperate need to get out. 
When I come to a grand marble staircase leading down, I grip the railing tightly and try not to roll an ankle as I throw myself down step after step. This place is fucking huge and I know it’s built into a mountainside, but logically, given there’s still light filtering in below, down might mean out too. 
There’s a set of giant steel-reinforced doors that are thankfully ajar, and when I throw myself around one and into the sunlight, there’s grass beneath my feet. It’s a welcome relief given that I’m not wearing any shoes and I’m almost certain the balls of my feet are battered and bruised from the cobblestones. 
Lía descends from the sky like a comet, slamming into the ground, and I rush forward to scramble up her foreleg. She takes off the second I tighten my legs around her, gripping onto her scales. She hasn’t had time to get the saddle on in my panic and her scales dig into the bare skin of my thighs, but I hardly care. 
“Just get me away from here, please.” I beg her. “Anywhere.” 
“Try and breathe.” She soothes me as I hiccup, gasping from exertion and distress. I can feel her holding me in place with her power in a way she hasn’t done in months and I’m grateful, because right now I’m not sure I have the strength to keep my seat.
I see a swathe of navy-blue out the corner of my eye and snap my head around, glaring furiously. “Fuck—” Off. The second word dies on my tongue as I realise there’s no rider atop Sgaeyl’s back. Lía turns her head slightly, letting out a vicious snarl and I realise she’s angry too. 
Sgaeyl keeps her distance, leaving a dragon’s length of space between us, not reaching out to brush Lía’s wing affectionately as I’ve seen her do so many times before. “We’re beyond the wards here.” Lía says, her voice tense. “She doesn’t want us out here with no backup.” I can understand the logic in that, but I can’t help feeling watched, like she’s stalking me on behalf of her rider, and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
My lips part as I go to suggest any other dragon could have come, and I pause, laughing bitterly. It wouldn’t make a difference—they all fucking knew. Every single one of them other than Violet and I, have known this entire time. Hell, they all probably know my brother better than I do at this point. What a joke. 
After a few minutes flying, Lía brings us down in a field and I slide from her back, my feet sinking into the soft ground below. I’m shaking as I wrap my arms around her head, holding on desperately. “Do you promise you didn’t know?” Tears trickle down my face. 
“I would never have kept this from you, little one. The venin, yes, for reasons you’ve already assumed, but never this.” I hold on tight, pressing my face into her scales as I cry quietly. 
“I thought he loved me.” I feel broken. Completely and utterly broken. “Out of everybody, I always thought he loved me.” I suck in a sharp breath, trying to halt my sobs. “But maybe I’m just not remembering right, maybe he never liked me any more than everyone else because you don’t—” I cough, trying to clear the lump in my throat, “—you don’t do that to someone you love. I couldn’t—I’d never do that.” I can’t imagine letting Mira think I’m dead—ever.
“That’s because you’re better than him.” Lía says, nudging my chest with her head. It reminds me of a time when Xaden said something similar and the memory only makes me cry harder. I can’t believe he knew. All this time, every time I’d laid my soul bare to him and he’d just…kept quiet.
“I think he was going to tell you.” Lía says, nudging me carefully, but ‘going to’s’ don’t mean much to me at the moment. 
“I don’t care.” I tell her bitterly. He lied. I don’t care if it was by omission, he lied, when he swore to me he never would and that hurts as much as everything else right now.
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violetmuses · 2 years
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Losing You - Torres (A "Silhouette" Drabble)
FANDOM: MARVEL Universe (Modern AU)
CHARACTER: Joaquin Torres
PAIRING: OC Nicole Shepard + Joaquin Torres
STORYLINE: Some people you will always love even if it hurts to let them go. 
WARNINGS: Angst, heartbreak, strong language, sad themes, etc. 
Silhouette - H.Z. || Masterlist (18+ MINORS DNI)
Tagged: @lilisangel I'm so sorry! 🥺💔😳
___________
2011
Joaquin Torres 
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“Thank you so much for speaking with me today. We’ll touch base again soon. Have a great day.” I hung up another important call from the main phone line that was set on this desk. Its nearby computer monitor towered, almost hiding my face.
“Joaquin?” Nicole had spoken up out of nowhere. I didn’t know what to think until she walked closer and faced me head on, prompting me to turn my swivel chair around. 
“Yes?” I smiled with respect. Window blinds here had flitted, showing illuminated sunlight. 
“Could we please talk in my office? It’s important. She gestured towards the glass double doors to leave. 
“Absolutely.” I kept my voice leveled, but tried staying calm for obvious reasons. I could only imagine what went on this time around, especially since she rarely acknowledged me without business in public like this. 
Not long after I saved my work at the desk, others strolled or hustled in the corridor and we nodded toward everyone else before heading to her office. The cornered room lined with floor to ceiling windows and beamed more sunlight than elsewhere. 
Once she closed the door behind us, I sat across from her desk and waited in silence. 
“I wanted to talk about something.” Nicole sounded anxious this time around, but not terrified. It wasn’t long before millions of questions ended up reaching my thoughts. 
Shit. I thought to myself.
“Is everything okay?” I asked her the question with genuine concern. 
“Joaquin, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve found someone.” she revealed the truth and my heart silently dropped. 
“Oh,” I cleared my throat, trying to stay calm, showing respect for her and this place of business. “That’s nice. I’m happy for you.” 
“Thank you.” Nicole offered that gentle smile again. 
“You’re welcome. Is that all?” I stood up from the chair and thankfully managed to keep my spirits up. 
“Yeah.” she nodded, but kept her distance in an effort to probably avoid breaking my heart again. 
_______
As a warning to everyone, Nicole told us that her new partner would visit the office this afternoon. 
My mind jumbled with questions until someone else’s voice answered between Nicole’s sentences. Heads turned. Everyone here crained their necks to see who it was. 
Fuck! I panicked within. 
Without even looking up anything, I knew exactly who it was. 
Helmut Zemo, Baron of Sokovia. 
His brown hair almost slicked backwards and dark eyes nearly matched my own. 
Instead of showing off by wearing designer clothes now, Helmut wore a dark Polo shirt that rolled at the sleeves. A gold watch clasped around his left wrist. Matching slacks covered the lower half of his body, but I couldn’t help staring near his palm.
He was holding hands with Nicole. My baby. My best friend. 
“Hello, Earth to everybody. Why is it so quiet in here?” Nicole tried to joke around and wake up the room from shock. 
“This the guy you met during our retreat last weekend?” Sharon called out, answering so many of our collective questions at once. 
“Yes, Sharon.” Nicole rolled her eyes after stepping away from Helmut. 
“Bring on the affluence! We have to redecorate now, Nicole.” Sam interjected, hopefully waiting for people to laugh around the room instead. A few more chuckled in return. 
“No, Sam. It’s fine.” Nicole eased Sam and others sighed in relief. 
Helmut greeted everyone with the same amount of kindness that genuine regals were known for. By the time we noticed each other, I nodded towards him and we shook hands. 
“Great to meet you.” I stayed cordial with Helmut. Even Nicole had looked on silently by this point.
“Pleasure to meet you as well. Are you Torres? Nicole has told me much about you recently.” His accented English rasped towards me with the same level as a diplomat.
“Yes. Joaquin Torres.” I continued. 
“We shall meet again soon hopefully.” Right before turning away, his smile was there, but the gesture didn’t look bright enough to ease my nerves. 
“Happy for you.” I whispered to Nicole again as we locked eyes for just a second. Before long, she moved away from me with her new man, ready to start another chapter with someone else. 
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returntosaturn271995 · 9 months
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Saturday, July 23rd: Pretty in pink...no wait, I went on a run in humidity and now my face is pretty pink.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Ted Cruz on my run today. More specifically how much I hate him and how much politics revolves around a grown man’s opinion on The Barbie Movie. Texas’s infrastructure is crumbling, but sure let’s call Barbie communist. Barbie. Communist. Barbie, a name so associated with capitalism that even the shade of pink in the logo is trademarked. A name so synonymous with a registered marketable persona that no one names their kid that anymore. Like Jesus or...Adolf. 
But yeah, Barbie (circle the R) and the movie designed to sell toys. Communist icon.
Anyways, I was so wrapped up in how stupid that was that I’m pretty sure it turned the green juice in my stomach sour and I almost shit my pants on my run. Again. 
I wish I were joking. 
After a cold shower and shameful googling I’ve come to the conclusion that I have runner’s trot. Which happens as people start to develop long distance running habits (yay!...wait.). Seriously, why does no one tell you how disgusting it is getting in shape? Next time you see a fitness influencer, just be glad you can’t smell them. They will tell you how good you will feel and look, which I do, but what they won’t tell you is that after the first three miles of running you will start to sweat from your actual asshole. 
I didn’t even know we had sweat glands down there. I’ve have had sex my entire adult life and nothing has made me need a thorough shower more than 30 seconds of jogging in humidity. 
Also a bug flew directly in my face. This is unrelated, but also has never happened to me just sitting in my room. Happily rotting away. 
There’s no such thing as “good, clean, sweat”. We are covered in bacteria and oils. I have a runner friend who judges people who drink and do the occasional drug- yeah she’s great at parties- and she’s always talking about how nice clean living is and working out. Bitch, you do hot yoga. That’s just paying $40 to sweat from your vagina for an hour, how much cleaner than me could you possibly be? She looks amazing, but that’s fucking disgusting. 
I’ve done hot yoga, and the only part I liked is when everybody lies down on the floor at the end like a suicide cult sponsored by Lulu Lemon. 
Add the fact that cardio jumpstarts your metabolism and green juice is essentially a kale colonic and it’s basically a stomach flu that damages the cartilage in your knees. 
Anyways, if you’re reading this years down the line and feel bad about not going to the gym that day, just be happy you don’t have any spandex to wash. 
In other news, Nate ran a marathon today at a pace of 8.17 minuets per mile while micro-dosing acid. 8.17. Like the fuck. Was he on psychedelics or Compound V?? (No word on if he felt like shitting himself at any point.) 
My primary focus today is health and comedy. It was health and peace but then I got bored. I even updated my computer background to David Rose in his baseball uniform to remind myself that fierce bitches can always surprise you even if you were picked (rightfully so) last as a kid. 
Some things I’m proud of today:
Didn’t stop running when my headphones gave out, just ran back home and put in new ones. 
Dragged out the trash bins even though it’s technically no one’s week. (When living with roommates this actually makes me a saint, I expect to have a candle lit in my honor next to the communal water dispenser). 
Made myself a basic ass sandwich from the rapidly aging fridge ingredients (check the expiration dates on your pickles and mustard)
18 minutes of yoga and 10 minute meditation on simplicity has me feeling calm without alcohol or weed.
Updated the Beamer’s car registration, have a fancy new duvet for my bed, and brand new shampoo and conditioner to keep my hair from getting hay-like
Load of laundry, cleaned out fridge, and didn’t spend a cent today
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brendanmello · 10 months
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Blog #1 - Brendan Mello
Social Media is now something that involves almost literally EVERYBODY in the world. It has gotten so huge, that celebrities and or other people from different sides of entertainment (For example, Kick and Twitch TV) are even using it as an approach to attract newer people, and or other business opportunities. Nowadays, social media feels almost “Needed” in some aspects of the line of work, and if you’re just somebody that goes to School, say something as simple as a high school, then you NEED to have social media to keep up with your friends. Social Media was once brought in only to keep everybody from losing connections of old friends, that still could be the case, however nowadays it has become one of the biggest marketing tactics/approaches. When it comes to Social Media, yes, I am definitely a casual user now in that field, but definitely had major involvement when I was still in highschool. Whether that may be a good or bad thing? Depends… Now that I’ve gotten older and matured, I realize I don’t see myself really being apart of the whole social media hype, and instead would rather just simply text my friends now to get together, rather than posting on for example, snapchat or instagram to show EVERYBODY what I’m up to. While I’ve slowly been distancing myself from social media, I’ve noticed that my time doing activities to “enjoy life while young” has become easier. Not always NEEDING to check my phone for that snapchat notification, and or whatever it may be. Logging onto twitter so to say, and seeing something disturbing involving some sort of violent act, after seeing it for so long and seeing how it really just makes you feel bad, and or depressed at some points. To wanna log in and see that everyday, isn’t something I’ve personally wanted when it came to social media. A strength I’d consider I have, is not only just growing up WITH social media and then eventually just learning a great majority about it, but being able to see how it can have positive effects when it all comes to spreading awareness, spreading good intentions, and of course as mentioned before, business opportunities and or just simple job opportunities to become a social media manager. A weakness within social media, I feel is the fact that I have not been able to always agree with social media approaches by some, spreading false narratives/information, opinions that should just be kept to themselves, trying to feel better about themselves that most people would lie about it just to try and feel “welcomed”. Social Media has promoted that “it’s okay” to spread a false narrative, but know the consequences when you’re called out on. That shouldn’t be the case at all, matter of fact it should be frowned upon by all, unfortunately however that’s not how it works at all… Majority of the time, it’s people with fake narratives trying to pry and get to the younger audience because they are easier to persuade, and that’s something I cannot agree with when it comes to social media. To me that’s a weakness I cannot come to agree with. But social media, at times bad, is also seen as good when you think more clearly to see both sides of the coin. When the class ends, I’d really hope to have a better understanding of why people have to always try to get attention. What is it that makes it so unique that people crave attention from social media, rather than anything else within their lives? Is it because most people see social media to spread a “better narrative” to spread a lie, but to make them feel acknowledged/better about themselves? What do they gain?
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stevensaus · 2 years
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What I Learned From Being Sucker-Punched By A Brain Weasel
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"You've been dating me long enough," he told her during an argument. "You shouldn't still be insecure about me." I heard about the argument secondhand, but that was almost enough to make me almost spit my drink onto my monitor. "That's not how that works," I typed back to her. "That's not how that works at all." I should have realized that was the universe doing its version of Chekov's gun. Because within twenty-four hours, I was going to be attacked by a vicious brain weasel. And I want to tell you about it. While the story includes my polyamorous relationship style, I think the principles used in the story still apply whether you're monogamous, polyamorous, or however you do your relationship(s). Heck, it applies to any kind of relationship where jealousy or envy can appear. Personal, romantic, even professional business relationships can spawn brain weasels. Brain weasels can even spawn without the other person doing anything. I've had brain weasels because I thought - with no evidence, mind you - that a partner would reject me if they knew the state of my finances. I wish I'd known all this back then. And so I share this story with you, hoping that it will help you with your brain weasels... and help me remember this when dealing with my own. Opening Cut Scene I've been polyamorous to some degree for almost a decade. I wrote "Compersion: The Skill You Absolutely Need In Your Relationship(s)" almost exactly seven years ago, and still stand behind that post, no matter what kind of relationship you have. I've been writing about brain weasels for almost as long. If there is anybody who should NOT be blindsided by uncomfortable emotions when a partner goes out on a date, you'd think it would be me. I certainly thought so. That was, until I found myself unable to concentrate while my long-distance girlfriend was on a date with someone else. The Spawn Point To be clear: Having partners go on dates with other people is something that I am used to. Hell, I specifically encouraged her to go on this date. I was thrilled at how excited she was beforehand. But the brain weasel that crawled out of my brainstem was a big one. It had "she'll like them more" tattooed across the knuckles of one paw, and "she won't have time for you" across the knuckles of another. I don't even know if weasels actually have knuckles, but you get the idea. I'm still not sure why, exactly, that brain weasel spawned then. She did nothing wrong; she actually went out of her way to make sure I was okay beforehand, and did everything I'd asked her to do. All the things I thought would be enough to deal with any brain weasel like that. It'd always worked before. But with all my experience, with my unusually compersion-focused personality, I still found it there, chittering away in my brain. The Mythos Of The Weasel There's a bunch of possible reasons why it showed up. Pretty much everybody I know was busy that night one way or another, so I couldn't hang out with (or even really talk to) folks to get support. The barometric pressure was changing, which I've noticed also messes with my mood. With her being long-distance, it's harder to reconnect, so there's more space for a weasel to lurk. And since she's further away, I don't get to see her as often, and I'm definitely envious of that. And on top of that, there's the literal decades of programming that have worn a groove in my brain. Our society has some really messed up ideas of what brain weasels - and both jealousy and envy (they're different) - signify. We are told that having those feelings means that relationship is important. We're told those feelings mean we must immediately act, and dramatically so. I ended up texting a friend: I have decades of being strongly imprinted on the mythos of John Hughes movies and romcoms that says this feeling means I need to drive across several states RIGHT NOW or carry her out of her workplace or hold a boombox or a bunch of posterboard-written messages outside her home RIGHT NOW or else I'll lose her forever, because that's how that myth goes. I caught this brain weasel whispering all of those toxic rom-com fueled misconceptions in my ear, and was caught completely unprepared. Brain Weasel Wrangling All my experience did help. First, I know a lot of the practical advice for dealing with this sort of envy and jealousy. Try to focus on something else. Treat yourself a little bit. Indulge in something nice that you don't normally do. (I got pancakes with lots of syrup.) Do self-care that you know will make you feel better. (I played some video games that usually help me refocus when my mood is crap.) And if you have friends or a support network, reach out to them (which I did), and don't bother the partner until after the date. Second, I know that "I feel anxious about this relationship, therefore it's more important" is an absolutely toxic way to think about relationships. I already knew she's important to me, and knew that she'd gone out of her way to make sure I was okay before the date, which actually demonstrated how important I am to her as well. The friend I texted knows that I deal better with emotions when I view them from an academic viewpoint, so they got me to re-explain all this in text, firmly kicking me into "academic" mode, which also helped a lot. Once I started looking at it academically, it was obvious that my feelings were not about her at all - they were my insecurities. Once I was able to recognize that, I could identify the feeling, and just observe and feel it without getting lost in the feeling. That sounds like some kind of esoteric meditation practice that requires sitting somewhere saying a mantra and lighting incense. But you've almost certainly felt something like it while watching a crappy movie. Imagine you're watching a mediocre movie that you don't really care about, with unsympathetic cardboard cut-outs of characters, and a plot that's a mad libs of TVTropes. (I'm looking at you, Jurassic World: Dominion.) Suddenly, the music grows in a giant deafening orchestral swell, and for half a second, even though you do not care about the movie at all, you catch yourself with goosebumps, or feel a tightness in your throat, or a shiver of dread, or your eyes water up. Your body reacts to the music. For half a second, your nervous system goes "OH THIS IS THE PART" and the music evokes that emotion. At least until you remember -- a second later -- that you're watching a movie whose plot is about as simple as a porno, except instead of the "plot" being an excuse for naked bodies, the "plot" is an excuse for CGI dinosaurs beating the crap out of each other. But you're still there with that feeling the music evoked...and knowing there is absolutely no reason other than the music for you to have that feeling. But it's still there, and almost more annoying because you know that you have no reason to feel it. That is what it's like. So I sat with that for a while, until she got home from the date and gave me a call. The Ensquishening It is ... unpleasant ... sitting with that feeling. Like when the other person in a conversation doesn't respond at all to something you said. Or when the little wiggly "typing" dots appear, then disappear, then appear, then go away again. That's the kind of space that brain weasels really thrive in. So I was very glad she was able to give me a call afterward. She picked up on how I was feeling pretty quickly. I'm not great at hiding my feelings, and I was only trying to hide them long enough that she had a chance to share her excitement about her evening before I shared what had been going on in my head. "So I've been having an irrational fear," I told her. "And I know that it's irrational, because it hit me out of nowhere, and I want to stress that you have done nothing wrong. I just suddenly started having this fear that it would just be easier for you to spend time with someone closer than me, and that I'd end up getting pushed to the side just because it's harder for us to see each other in person." I was not quite that coherent in real life. It came out in a jumbled rush of clauses tripping over themselves as they spilled out. But somehow, I got the point across. I heard her gasp of surprise and horror when she realized that I'd been hurting, followed by her immediately saying that she heard my concern, and it was something she absolutely was also concerned about. That, no matter how nice of a time she had that evening - or in evenings to come - that I was important, and that she wanted to make sure that my emotional needs were addressed the best we could manage long distance. I did my part by pulling that brain weasel out into the open, and she did her part, confirming that my fears were unfounded and, more importantly, that we shared the same goals and concerns. And squish went the brain weasel. Mid-Credits Stinger Scene There's three reasons why I wanted to tell this story to all of you. The first is to show that experience - let alone "length of relationship" - has nothing to do with whether or not you get brain weasels. That brain weasels tend to show up where and when you are not expecting them. And in addition, that experience is not the only predictor of how well someone will be able to handle a brain weasel, whether their own or a partner's. She did amazing responding to my brain weasel, and has been doing all this a lot shorter time than I have. The second is to try to give you an idea of what brain weasels feel like, and emotionally how to handle them. The movie soundtrack analogy is not perfect, but it is pretty darn close. Even when you realize that something is a brain weasel, you will still have a reaction, whether you want to or not. It's worth re-emphasizing: YOU WILL STILL EXPERIENCE THE BRAIN WEASEL, EVEN IF YOU KNOW IT IS JUST A BRAIN WEASEL. Simply labeling a brain weasel inside your own head is not enough. This is why the third reason is so important. The third is to show exactly what the process of brain weasel squishing should look like. It isn't always smooth. There will be emotional discomfort (or worse). But the steps and process look the same, no matter what your relationship(s) look like, or what the brain weasel claims that it's about. And the key to that process is that the brain weasel is brought out into the open, as soon as possible. It does not matter how "experienced" or "aware" you are, or how high your "emotional IQ" is. Trying to hunt your own brain weasels by yourself is a fool's errand. The times I've seen someone try - or that I've been the person trying to do it myself - the brain weasel just gets larger and larger. Eventually, the small and relatively manageable weasel becomes a looming, inescapable agent of doom. It can become large enough that it makes people think there's no point in trying to resolve the weasel, or that they know exactly how someone will react when their fears finally slip out. When brain weasels are allowed to thrive in silence, they end up making you spiral, and become their own self-fulfilling prophecy. But when you share your fears and worries with partner(s) that love you and care about you, the brain weasels go squish, just like a monster in a bad, forgettable movie. As always, please note my artistic license policy; I have not only obfuscated identities, but I have obtained consent to share the obfuscated details of the story. Featured Image by Trond Giæver Myhre from Pixabay Read the full article
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omarflores · 2 years
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On running 5000 kilometers (or 3106.85 miles)
The first iPhone was a pretty niche thing. I remember walking to class one day during high school and having a friend describe it to me as “an iPod that makes phone calls”. I remember thinking: “Why would I want my iPod to make phone calls? I already have a phone.”
The later iPhone models would go on to revolutionize, well, everything. I remember that around 2011-2012, everybody I knew was starting to get one. For better or worse, the iPhone was no longer just a niche tech product. The “app for everything” craze was also at its peak: Angry Birds. A Facebook app. An app to turn your phone into a flashlight. An app that would make it seem like you were drinking beer. Even an app called “I Am Rich” that cost 999 dollars on the App Store and did nothing but display the message I am rich (Google it if you don’t believe me)—but most relevant to me, there was a Nike app for running.
My first run ever was in Little Mulberry Park in Dacula, Georgia. However, this was long before the smartphone and app craze. These first runs of mine were guided solely by the wooden trail markers along the park. By the time I’d downloaded the Nike app, I’d been running for well over a year.
My first logged run was a 2.21 mile run on September 13th, 2012. My time was 21:19 and it must’ve been a crisp sunny morning. I finished at 10:10 a.m. I have tried to log almost every run since, though even with all this technology it is inevitable that some runs will just dissolve into the dust behind you. Regardless, I have finally reached 5000 kilometers (or 3106.85 miles) using this app.
This is significant because I reached this milestone on August 9th, 2022—almost 10 years after I started logging my runs, and I find myself in a moment of reflection. From age 20 to age 30, from suburban Georgia to Mexico City, majors switched, jobs had, people loved, and places seen. The act of running has been a constant medium through which I propel myself forward, both physically and emotionally.
For scale, 5000 kilometers is the distance between Mexico City and Edmonton, Canada. I am by no means an ultra runner (I’ve never even run a full marathon), nor do I have a lifestyle that allows me take out a big chunk of my day to run super long distances. Yet with a little bit of consistency, I have crossed an entire country and then some.
The journey hasn’t always been easy. There have been awful runs, weeks where I have no motivation, days when it feels like a chore, and even entire months gone by without putting on my running shoes. So even when progress feels stagnant, believe me, a few miles (or whatever personalized example of perseverance you can apply this to) are better than none.
As for me, I am thankful for all the progress I’ve made ever since those first 2.21 miles I logged. Mind, heart, and body - all pushing me forward and widening the gap between that starting point and now. Here’s to another decade and more.
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ashasmonsters · 3 years
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The Thru-Hiker
Female reader x Male mothperson (Desmond)
Citrus rating: Lemon
Content: Full-on smut, references to unhappy breakups
Words: 5.1k
Note: Here's the story that earns me the "18+" in my description. This is my first time making anything this smutty public, so any feedback or criticism would be appreciated. Enjoy!
You raised the viewfinder to your eye. The rolling hills fit within the frame-lines neatly, the trail before you leading straight down the middle and towards the horizon. With a satisfying click the shutter fired. You lowered the camera and cranked the film advance lever, confident that shot would turn out well. You let the camera dangle from your shoulder once again as you looked around: this spot was close enough to the main trail that you wouldn't need any "breadcrumbs" to lead you back to it in the morning. The sun would finish setting in an hour or so, and bird chirps had given way to trilling crickets and cicadas. It was warm enough that you didn't need to build a fire. Your stove would do just fine.
"That's a nice camera."
You turned towards the voice. Standing behind you, closer to the main trail and obscured slightly by foliage, loomed a lanky mothman. He wore clothes appropriate for hiking the Appalachian trail, though you hadn't seen him around. This meant he was quick or hiking the opposite direction as you.
"Thanks." You answered. He pushed a few low-hanging twigs out of the way and took a step towards you.
"Is that a..." he paused, his brow furrowing above his red compound eyes as he searched for a word, "Yashica, right?"
"Mamiya, actually." You answered, hefting the brick-shaped camera from your hip where it dangled. "It's been a pain to hike with, but I love it all the same."
"I'm sure you've got some excellent shots in that thing. I'm Desmond." He closed the remaining distance and tenderly extended a chitinous claw. You shook it in turn and returned his greeting.
"I don't believe I've seen you on the trail, Desmond," you said, "are you using those wings or hiking southbound?"
"Oh, I'm hiking southbound. Flying would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?"
"I guess that is a silly question." You lowered your eyes and made eye contact with his hiking boots. "I'm heading northbound."
"Hm. You must have started the trail pretty recently."
"That's right. I started maybe three weeks ago. You must be pretty close to finishing if you're going southbound."
"Been on the trail for five months." He answered.
"Wow." You breathed. Maybe mothmen wore it better, but he certainly looked neat for having lived in the wilderness for almost half a year. You caught yourself staring. "Um, got any tips for a relatively fresh hiker like me?"
"Take your time and enjoy yourself." He said, looking down at you. "The trail is going to take the better part of a year from you no matter what, so there's no point in rushing it."
"Thanks for the advice." A pause. You saw your reflection in his ruby eyes. "Anyway... I don't want to keep you from the trail, being nocturnal and all." You failed to suppress a tinge of longing in your voice. The sun started to kiss the horizon, making the canopy above you look like it was on fire.
"Well, actually..." Desmond rested a claw on the back of his neck fluff, "I was going to ask if you would share this spot with me. It's going to be a full moon and I planned to take a rest to enjoy it."
"Oh," you said, glad the sunset was masking your blush, "that should be fine, then."
"I don't want to impose, I could always find my own—"
"No, really, it's fine." You said, gesturing around the sizeable clearing. "We're sharing a view, not a cot. I don't mind."
"Ah, right." He played with his neck fluff again. "Well then, let's not waste the daylight." You nodded and slid your pack off.
Your sleeping arrangements for the trail had been spartan, but still comfortable. You carried a thin foam pad which rolled up nicely and fit under your sleeping bag, a tarp with hooks for hanging from above, a camp stove, and a sack to keep your food strung up a branch and away from animals.
All of this was set up fairly quickly since Desmond was helping you. He was quite tall, which made stringing up the extra food much easier than when you had done it alone. In no time, your foam pad was safely encircled by your hanging tarp and your stove was boiling a pot of water. Tonight's dinner was an Appalachian Trail classic: dehydrated cheesy rice. You took the initiative to invoke full-on luxury by adding a handful of equally dehydrated broccoli florets. You had a guest to entertain, after all.
"Thanks for making me breakfast. Dinner, in your case." Desmond said. The dim blue light from the camp stove caught only the very edges of his chitinous frame. His red eyes shone bright like a cat's through the steam from the culinary masterpiece cooking between you two.
"Consider it my treat." You smiled back. There was a pause, so you pulled a topic from the air. "Are you a photographer too? Not many people can tell apart the brands of these old things." You patted your Mamiya camera as if it were a tiny metal lapdog.
"Ah, no," He said, almost defensively, "if you have compound eyes like me, you can't really look through viewfinders. It just doesn't work."
"Right, sorry." You rubbed the back of your neck. "Where does your camera knowledge come from, then?"
"Well... you know the old mothpeople stereotype about how we like light?"
"Um." You spoke carefully. "I have heard of it."
"I kinda live up to that stereotype. Like, very much. It's why I wanted to stop here to watch the full moon."
"Okay, but how does that tie into cameras?"
"It's kind of embarrassing." He fidgeted with his long white neck fuzz. "It's the flash. When it goes off, it's like... like..."
"Like a drug?" You finished for him.
"No! Not like that. It's not addictive... I don't think. It's more like... what's that thing humans do with their nails and their skin?"
"Like scratching an itch?"
"Yes! Exactly." He said excitedly. "I don't itch, but if I did, I imagined it would feel like when a camera flash goes off."
You chuckled even though you knew he was a little embarrassed. This whole situation was just too absurd, too odd.
"So you're like a connoisseur of camera flashes." A pause. He lowered his gaze.
"Mamiyas have the best one." You chuckled again.
"Well, then." You pulled your camera from your bag and held it before you. "May I take your portrait?"
"If it's no trouble," his antennae perked up, "yes please."
Wrestling the camera into shooting position, you flipped the viewfinder open and aimed it squarely at him. The scene fit perfectly within the frame-lines; the glowing blue stove flames in the foreground and Desmond's red eyes neatly in the middle.
"Looks good to me." You said, pressing the flash release. The flash, a piece of metal the size of your thumb, sprung out of the camera and whined as the battery charged it.
"Oh, wow." He noted. You pressed the shutter—
"Goddamn!" Desmond cried, shuddering. Briefly, a low chirr seemed to emanate from him. "Pardon my French. That was good."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Most people hate when I ask to take their portrait." You cranked the film advance lever and smiled. You returned your camera to its place in your bag, then... remembered there was a meal on the stove. "Crap, I hope the bottom isn't burning." You said, quickly grabbing the stirring spoon and scraping the bottom of the pot. You continued until you were sure the food was in good shape.
"You know, when I thought about making this trek, I was worried about getting lonely. Like I wouldn't be able to put up with just myself for so long... but I've already met so many people and they've all been kind." You continued stirring the meal.
"Then what made you consider it in the first place?" Desmond asked, cocking an antenna.
"Oh... you know... adventure." You lied. The resulting pause made you painfully aware of how bad of a liar you are. The cheesy rice bubbled and spat steam at you as if heckling your poor performance.
"I'd believe that if you had a fedora and a whip. And knew where the holy grail was." He chuckled, his mandibles clicking.
"What?"
"Ah, just a stupid joke. There's these old movies..." He cut himself off and extended an empty claw, taking the spoon from you and making it his turn to stir. "I don't want to tell you your business, but everybody I've met in the past five months comes to the trail to run from something."
"Well... you're right that it's definitely my business." You tried not to scowl. The turn in conversation had resurrected an unpleasant feeling in your heart; something in the same neighborhood as shame or sadness.
"Not if what you're running from is the law and you're a serial killer or something. Then that's definitely my business." He clicked once more. His attempt to lighten the conversation didn't help that feeling much. The cheesy rice heckled him this time.
"I'm not a serial killer, I promise." You started, drawing in a sharp breath. Perhaps you just needed to vent. Maybe that would ease this malaise. "Why don't you start? Tell me what you're running from first, then I'll tell you about me." You took the stirring spoon back from him. He ran a claw down his face.
"I'm running from a breakup. We dated for three years." He sighed.
"I'm... sorry." You said, unsure of what else to say.
"Don't apologize; not unless you're the girl she ran off with." His mandibles clicked weakly. "I'm kidding. She didn't run off or anything. She didn't even cheat. She just realized that men weren't for her."
You raised an eyebrow. "Three whole years?"
"It didn't take her that long to realize it, just that long to work up the courage to tell me. Maybe I wasn't her true love, but she cared about me a lot. She was so scared of hurting me that she bottled it up for most of that time."
"You didn't want to remain friends?"
"I did— and I still do. I... I just said three things: 'I need some time to process this,' 'I'm in a lot of pain but it's not your fault,' and 'I'm going hiking for six months, call me back when I'm done.' That's all I could think of in the moment, and now I'm here."
"That's rough."
"You're telling me." His shoulders dropped. "I'm used to breakups with jerks. That I can make peace with, because then it's like a problem that solves itself. Jerk breaks up with you, therefore no more jerk to deal with. But... when it's someone that you love, that you want the best for, and that means they have to move on... that's something I'm still trying to work out." He sighed hard and lowered his crimson eyes. "I think the rice is done."
You were so caught up in his pained explanation that you lost track of time. You quickly turned off the camp stove and set the pot on the ground.
"Thanks for reminding me." You grabbed your enamel bowl as he readied his and started dishing out the rice and broccoli. You both sat there in silence, enjoying the feeling of hot food in hand. "Anyway, I guess it's my turn to share."
"Please. I wouldn't want to dump my problems on you without hearing out yours."
"I had a breakup too, though honestly I think mine wasn't as rough as yours." You said.
"We all go through different things. It's not a contest." Desmond said, idly poking his steaming meal. "Tell me about it, if you want."
So you did. Over the course of the meal, you told Desmond all about your past relationship: the fights you had with your ex, the nights spent in separate sleeping arrangements, the endless worry over how much of it was your fault. He nodded sympathetically with each painful memory you unraveled to him. Remembering it all made you feel worse, but having him listen made it feel much better. When you had no more to say, he stared at you. You saw yourself reflected in his eyes. Your spoon was trembling.
"It's okay to cry. I won't mind." Was all Desmond said before you had to set down your food and hold your face in your hands. It's like you had been saving up a surplus of tears throughout all these events and just barely they were escaping you. You could hear Desmond awkwardly scoot over in the dirt to your side before he offered a rigid shoulder to you.
"Chitin isn't exactly memory foam, but..." You rested your head on him without a second thought. One of his claws found its way to your shoulder and you felt better for it. This was the first time you had mentioned your breakup out loud and unquestionably the first time anyone had offered you a shoulder to cry on, literally or figuratively.  You quickly came to find even Desmond's exoskeleton quite comfortable.
"Thanks for listening." You said as your sobs started to slow. He plainly chirred in response, making his grip on your shoulder a little tighter. His embrace was the first one you had felt since the breakup. You felt warm and safe in a way you had previously only had with your ex long ago. His neck fluff tickled you as he leaned his head onto yours.
"It's okay." You could feel his mandibles nudge your cheek as he spoke. "I know how hard it is." Your composure returned, and you stilled yourself against him. You finally removed your hands from your face, your eyes bloodshot.
"I'm glad I'm not wearing makeup." You chuckled weakly. "Otherwise my cheeks would look like a barcode right now."
"That's the spirit. Enjoy the little things." He rubbed your shoulder. "That's what the trail is all about."
You found yourself naturally holding Desmond closer, burying yourself in his neck fluff and wrapping an arm around his side as he held you. He smelled like pine and smoke. You grabbed your bowl of food once more and resumed eating, not leaving Desmond's side.
"I'm sorry for smearing my tears all over you." You said, coming back to reality. The taste of rehydrated cheesy rice wasn't great, but it was warm and familiar. Combined with Desmond's arm wrapped around you, the pain and baggage from the breakup left you like grime after a shower.
"It's alright." He said. "If moths could cry, I'd be crying all over you too. We're in the same shitty breakup boat."
He and you sat there together, finishing the meal. The camp stove had been turned off for a while now, and the only warmth you felt was your own, reflected off his chitin. The pause was permeated by lesser insects chirping and wind gently rustling the branches above. As you finished your food, you became painfully aware that Desmond couldn't hold you forever. He'd have to get in his sleeping bag eventually, and in the morning, continue his hike to nowhere other than your distant memories. Or, maybe...
"Want to share my sleeping bag with me?" The words left your mouth before you could even react. A second later, you realized what you had said and your heart raced. Your face found itself hidden in your hands again.
Why the fuck would you say that? Are you crazy? How would you feel if he randomly propositioned you for sex, huh? To which your responded to yourself with, Screw it, I'd be down for that.
Oh well. The fact he'd leave forever in the morning was both a blessing and a curse... but for now, mostly a blessing. It didn't matter if you were "rebounding" or doing something impulsive. Whatever happened tonight would stay in tonight. You and him would go your separate ways and there wouldn't be any regrets to be had. You practically held your breath as he processed what you said; the pause felt infinitely long.
"I'd love to." He broke the silence, his mandibles clicking more than usual. "Unless you're having second thoughts."
You looked up at him and shook your head. Wordlessly, he took your hand stood up with you. You led him to your dangling tarp wherein your sleeping bag and foam pad rested. Luxurious it was not, but as you slapped aside the flap and pulled Desmond in behind you, little else other than him was on your mind. You sat down on your "bed" and turned round, looking at him. His saucer-sized red eyes glowed as they met your gaze. He stepped closer.
"You're sure?" He said, kneeling before you. "I don't want to—"
You leaned forward and grabbed his head, clumsily planting a kiss where his mouth would be if he was human. It seemed to do the trick; he gasped and relaxed, his mandibles caressing your cheeks. You pulled back to breathe.
"I'm not asking you to marry me." You planted another kiss on him, tugging on his neck fluff. "I'm asking you to keep me company tonight."
"If you insist." He clicked. Something in his tone changed. For the first time his voice had timbre and need. He had left his tone suited for polite conversation and jokes outside your tarp. Here on your twin-sized foam pad, all pretenses were gone. You both knew you were going to give yourselves to each other; yet he surprised you by tugging the neck of your shirt down and scattering little kisses from your chin to your collarbone with his proboscis. It was rough and leathery and frankly didn't feel like anything you had touched before. You shuddered when he took it with him, descending past your breasts and peeling your shirt off your belly.
"Desmond..." You sighed, the only thing keeping this encounter casual being the button on your jeans.
"Everything alright so far?" He looked up at you with his large eyes, his mandibles brushing against your thigh as he spoke.
"Excellent." You breathed, resting a hand on the back of his neck fluff. "Please..." You used the same hand to ever-so-gently nudge him closer to your midst, which was already roiling with burning need. With a single claw, he carefully undid the button and zipper. You shimmied out of your jeans until his neck fluff  tickled the inside of your exposed thighs; your underwear soon followed. He clicked some more as you fully exposed your entrance to him, his eyes studying you and his claws gently finding their way to each of your legs.
"Forgive me, it's been a while." He said as he lowered his face into you. You reclined further, only gazing upwards to the tarp and a tiny patch of starry sky.
"Don't talk, just— Ah!" He pulled a gasp from you as he began his ministrations. With your head resting on the foam pad, you just closed your eyes and let the sensations fill you. Something of his, you weren't quite sure what, playfully danced around the edges of your entrance until it found its mark. It gently flicked across that tender nub and your hips bucked in response. You held his neck plumage tighter, desperately tugging him closer to you.
"Keep going, that's— oh, that's perfect..." He didn't resist your pull. If anything, as his fuzz tickled you and his mandibles started to prod at your folds he increased his fervor. Relentlessly he played across all parts of you at once. Hard chitinous mandibles spread you open while his proboscis felt like it was everywhere. It rubbed your bead with every advance it made into you, filling you with a tingling warmth that spread throughout your whole body. He didn't let up at all, your breath hitching and leaving you as moans. You rocked your hips and whined. Harder and harder, rhythmically to a rapidly increasing tempo. You gripped him tighter, burying his face into you. Ecstasy built within your core with each surge of his "tongue" until you could hold on no longer.
"Oh, oh!" You cried, your body seizing and legs locking around his shoulders. Pleasure crackled around your whole body and there, in the dark with Desmond wordlessly working you, you weren't sure how much time you spent at the peak. Slowly, the sparks behind your eyes stopped flying. Your breath resumed its normal rhythm. Lifting your head off your sleeping bag, you made eye contact with his glowing red orbs, the only source of light under your tarp.
"How did I do?" He chittered, his grin smug enough for you to sense even in the darkness.
"You were fantastic." You indulged him, running your hand through his fuzz as he crawled over top of you. He pressed his forehead to yours.
"I didn't tire you out, did I?" He asked before descending upon you and kissing you lightly. With the gap between you two closed, you felt something tumescent and twitching under his shorts brush against you.
"I suppose I can stay up some more." You giggled as his fuzz tickled your collarbone. "I'll just sleep in."
"Glad to hear it." Desmond rasped. His voice grew ragged as he nipped at your neck, cradling your chin in one claw and using the other to undo his shorts. In the darkness, you could only feel something slick, smooth, and long come to rest on your belly. You squeezed your thighs around it. Desmond immediately chirred louder than before, sounding like a baritone version of the insects outside. His deep timbre resonated inside you.
"Excited?" You teased, his length completely at your mercy as you held it between your legs.
"I've forgotten how warm humans feel." He rumbled.
"Can I jog your memory?"
"Please."
You released him from your thighs and reached down with a hand. You felt the entirety of his length in your grasp; it was delightfully slick and uniform with pleasant little ridges to encounter as your hand traveled towards his base. You grasped it gently, eliciting more bassy chitters from him as you angled it towards your entrance. You fumbled a bit in the darkness, but after a few tries his tip rested at your threshold. His eyes met yours.
"Ready?" He clicked.
"Go ahead." You gripped his shoulders and pulled him close, nestling your face in his fluff as he started entering you. His hips slowly began to close the distance, each ridge on his length pushing a squeak out of you. His pace was deliciously slow. You had just enough time to adjust but not to catch your breath. All you could do was hold him tight in the darkness, nothing but the sensation and his chirring to occupy your mind. It felt like an eternity of slowly being filled by him. Eventually, cool chitin met your wet bundle of nerves, sending electric pleasure up your spine and forcing a gasp out of you.
"That's all of it." He grunted, his body completely flush with yours. "Do you feel alright?"
"Give me a moment." you said, exhaling sharply. The sensation of fullness with him hilted completely within you took your breath away. Little moans escaped you as his shaft quivered inside your depths. Embracing him, you found a steady breathing rhythm once more. "Okay, you can move."
With only chitters in response, he buried his head in the nape of your neck, his mandibles poking and prodding as he peppered you with kisses. His hardness withdrew just as slowly as when he entered you, then returned with a steady tempo. Each time his hips rocked you moaned into his fuzz. You imagined if you and Desmond had met at a different time or a different place, you'd be voicing your pleasures into a pillow. Since he had started his rhythmic thrusts, Desmond held a low, purring chirr that surged each time his pelvis met yours.
He chittered something specific, completely forgoing English as he picked up speed. He released your shoulders from his grasp. Changing position, he now kneeled upright with his knees on either side of your rear and his claws firmly gripping your thighs. The new leverage and angle made you squeal. He pumped in earnest now, both the speed and impact making you moan with nothing to stifle your voice.
"Desmond!" You cried, one hand splayed above your head and the other reaching down to hold your sensitive bead, "Keep going!" His pace remained constant. The low chirr grew into a growl. He pounded over and over, his hips slamming into your ass. As if it took considerable effort, he wrestled his chitters back into grunting speech you could understand.
"Close," he said sharply, "getting close!" You decided against speaking, instead locking your ankles behind him and rubbing your nub feverishly to meet him at the brink. His pace quickened even more. His claws squeezed your thighs as he desperately held onto you— into you, his thrusts remaining deeper inside you as they mounted in strength. His chirring returned, ascending in volume and pitch into a strangled, desperate call. His gaze snapped skyward and his back arched and he desperately pulled at your entire body in an effort to seat himself as deep within you as he could. You cried out in time with him. Your voice reached its limits. You rubbed yourself with abandon as you felt his cock fire within you with great trembling pulses. The pleasure within you mounted, growing until it erupted with a crackling warmth that left you quivering and crying out. He held himself as deep as he could go, grinding his hips into yours. Hissing, he lowered himself upon you once more and kissed you hard. You wailed into his mandibles as you rode out your peak. His hard chitin ground into your nub and held you at your limit before his rolling hips finally relented. Still, but remaining deep within you, he broke away from the kiss. You caught your breath as your eyes locked.
"Goodness..." You panted. Your face burned. Streaks of cool wetness rolled from your eyes down your cheeks. Desmond's chirring slowed into nothingness. The only sounds left were your breathing and nature outside.
"Are you okay?" He asked, his usual tone returning slowly.
"I'm great, Desmond," You smiled, "but you managed to tire me out this time." He clicked, then slowly withdrew his softening length from your sensitive core. You felt something ooze out of you, but were too exhausted to do anything about it.
"Sleep, please." He said, stroking your hair with a claw. "I'll be right here. Don't worry about anything else."
When morning arrived, the hole in the roof of your tarp acted as a skylight. You had awoken fortuitously just before the golden beam would have shone burning rays straight into your eyes. You definitely slept in, but found yourself fully clothed. You expected to feel something regretfully sticky and wet in your underwear, but you were completely clean. For a moment, you considered that last night might have been a dream. That line of thought was cut short by the sound of boiling water and the smell of coffee creeping into your tarp.
You emerged to find Desmond sitting in front of a small fire, emptying granules of instant coffee into a pot.
"Coffee?" He offered. "It'll be done in a bit."
"Thank you, Desmond." You sat in the same spot as you did last night over dinner. The silence that followed was comfortable and warm, unlike last night's awkward pauses. You watched him shake the pot with a claw as the sun warmed you. "I guess I should also thank you for, um, cleaning me up. I kinda passed out on you there. Sorry."
"No, no. It's fine. I'm nocturnal, remember?" He looked up at you and grinned. "It felt good to take care of a sleeping human again. It reminded me of old times." His grin softened into a gentle smile. The instant coffee had fully dissolved and he pulled the pot from the fire. He filled, then offered you an enamel mug which you accepted. The aroma was cheap and comforting.
"I'm going to miss you." You held the mug tightly. You didn't meet his eyes as you spoke, instead staring into the coffee as if it would tell you what to do.
"Me too." Desmond responded.
"Could we... could you..." You searched for the best way to ask. "Would you want to be with me?" Desmond released a slow chitter. He shook his head, and his soft smile shifted further into a shallow frown.
"I'm sorry." He said softly. "I wouldn't feel comfortable whisking you away three weeks after your breakup. Hell, I'm five months out from my own and I'm still not sure about where I am emotionally." You nodded in response. The coffee in your hands cooled in the resulting silence.
"I guess this is where we part ways, then." You sighed.
"Maybe..." He finally met your gaze. "You're hiking northbound. That means you'll finish in what, five more months?"
"Four if I hurry."
"The trail ends in Maine. There's this tiny, tiny town up there." He mused. "When you finish the trail, look for me around town. I'll be there. If you still want to be with me... then we could pursue a relationship like normal people. Coffee dates and stuff. If not... well, I'll buy you lunch."
"Is that another one of your movie references?" You chuckled. His plan sounded like something straight out of a cheesy rom-com.
"I'm serious." He explained. "My mom lives up there, and I've got nowhere else to be in four to five months."
"How am I supposed to find you?"
"I'm pretty sure the town population is in the double digits, and I'm definitely sure that me and my mom are the only mothpeople there." You considered his offer. It was all you had to look forward to, really.
"Let's shake on it." You extended a hand to him over the dying embers. He reached out to meet you, but then suddenly paused. "What's wrong?" You asked, a pang of fear striking you.
"I have one condition: when you inevitably run into my mom, our story has to be something other than, 'we met up on the trail and had sex after an embarrassingly short conversation and a camera flash,' okay?" You burst into laughter, as did he. He took your hand in his claw and shook enthusiastically.
"We have a deal." You answered. "Don't worry, I'll come up with something good."
"You better. You've got four-to-five months to craft it." He clicked. You smiled.
When you both finished your coffee, you gave him a hug and enjoyed the feeling of his neck fuzz on your cheek one last time. The fire had gone out, you packed up your tarp and sleeping bag, and you took a few steps north on the trail. You stopped soon after and turned, watching him go. He disappeared into the foliage. Sighing, you resumed your hike. To pass the time you talked to yourself.
"Ah, so nice to meet you, Mrs. Moth-mom. Yes, of course, we met at a pottery class."
No! Stupid.
"We were flying kites in the park, and ours got tangled up together—"
Now you sound like you're referencing sappy rom-coms.
You sighed. At least you'd have a while to come up with something convincing.
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flowerkidlxrry · 3 years
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Lowkey - Drew Starkey
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Author’s Note:
Hi! Since I did an open ended story last time, you guys deserve a new one. Let me know if you guys like it.
Warning: contains police, alcohol and nicotine
Song: Lowkey - NIKI
Check out my Masterlist :)
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After the shooting of the Outer Banks 2 Chase and Madelyn hosted wrap party at their house. All the cast are there and being Madelyn’s best friend I was invited too. I got there around 11pm and went to Madelyn and Chase to congratulate them.
She pulled me aside and said “Rafe is there, why don’t you say hi?” while wiggling her eyebrows. I laughed at her and said she was crazy. We have an inside joke that I like toxic men therefore I am attracted to Rafe Cameron but Drew is so different from his character, he’s the type of guy that is gentle and very funny and that’s the opposite of my type in guys.
Madelyn excused herself to welcome the other guests that are coming and I decided to go to the kitchen to get myself a drink. I heard Madelyn call my name and invited me to play beer pong with the cast. I joined them and when it was my turn to play, I was against Drew. I can see him crossing his fingers and praying that I don’t get to shoot the ball to the cup cause he’s already wasted. But I got the shot he groaned but still chugged the cup of beer where the ball landed. The game lasted for 5 rounds until almost everyone is tipsy. I went back to the kitchen to find something to eat when Drew approached me.
“You got me pretty drunk out there, you’re good at playing beer pong” he said.
“That was luck cause I don’t even know how to play I just followed what everyone was doing” I said.
He chuckles, “By the way I’m Drew. Nice to meet you uhh?”
“y/n, Mads is my best friend.” I said.
“Nice name, hmmm I like it. By the way I’m about to head outside to smoke do you want to come?” he asked.
“Yes sure let me just get hmmm THIS for us” I said while holding a bottle of whiskey.
We went outside the house and sat to the curb. He offered me a cigarette and held the lighter out for me. We were just sitting there smoking and drinking the whiskey that we stole inside. The chaos from the party inside echoes through the silent neighbourhood.
“I feel like at some point the police will show up, it’s too crazy inside.” I said and he agreed.
Wonder what I'll do when the cops come through
And the whiskey's run out
'Cause I've been lookin' at you since half past two
Wanna take this downtown?
This liquid courage got me way too honest
Put your phone on vibrate, let's catch a vibe, babe
While the sun's down
A few minutes later, I saw one of the neighbors wearing a robe and looks like she’s calling someone but she’s looking at the house. Moments later I can see a couple of black cars with sirens heading towards the house. I grabbed Drew’s hands and we ran as fast as we could. We ran a couple of blocks until we can no longer hear any sirens from the cops. We stopped as we were both breathless, we looked at each other and started bursting out laughing. I don’t know if it’s funny cause we ran even though we’re not guilty or we’re just both too drunk to take anything seriously. Our laughter was stopped by continuous texts and calls from his phone so I went to his pocket and grabbed his phone and put it on vibrate.
I don't really give a fuck 'bout all the "he said, she said" bullshit
So pick your poison, love, let's go somewhere a little more exclusive
Take a shot, take a chance, take my hand, boy
Tension so intense like an asteroid
Be discreet, gotta dodge all the tabloids
We drank the last bit of whiskey and started walking downtown. We saw a bar and we thought it’s a good idea to go inside and drink more like we didn’t just finished a whole bottle of whiskey. We got shots and started dancing with everybody inside the bar. Every shot, the distance between us got a little smaller, 5 shots later, I can feel his grip on my waist getting tight and his breath on my neck getting hotter. I turned around and looked at him and I kissed him. When we pulled away, I dragged him outside the bar and started running. Our bodies are intoxicated with alcohol and seems like we don’t have a care in the world.
We stopped running near an empty playground and we started kissing again but this time it got a little bit aggressive. When Drew was about to kiss me on my neck, we heard someone calling his name then a big flash blinded us so we ran back until we got back to Madelyn and Chase’s house. The party is still going but it did simmer down a little bit.
Hush now, I know we're a little too fucked up to stay still, love
Be as quiet as you can, 'cause if anyone sees
They'll just blow shit up
I don't gotta know if you're taken
I'll just let ya know bedroom's vacant
No one's gotta know, just us and the moon 'til the sun starts wakin'
We went back inside and they were looking for us. They thought we got arrested or something, we assured them that we’re alright and everyone decided to drink again. I was glancing over Drew who’s talking with Chase and Rudy and I was with Madelyn and Madison, he catches my eyes and I signalled him to meet me at the corner. We discreetly excused ourselves. I held his hand and told him to look out while I find the guest bedroom but we were both so drunk that some people are looking at us weird.
Us in a king-size, keep it a secret
Say I'm your queen, I don't wanna leave this
Low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low-key
I finally unlocked the door of the bedroom and he started kissing me roughly leaving hickeys on my neck. We were so intoxicated that everything felt so fast, but it was already 5am the sun is starting to come out, we looked at each other’s eyes and he said “let’s keep this lowkey.” I smiled and turned around, he placed his arms on my waist and kissed my shoulders as we both fell asleep.
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akaashisupremacy · 3 years
Text
Ambition
Summary: As you fall deeper in love with him, where do you fit into among Atsumu’s ambitions? 
Atsumu x reader  || HQ Masterlist
genre: angst to fluff (wc: 1k)
“So are you two together or what?” Osamu Miya squints at you expectantly with his hands on his waist.
He is much like his brother. They both have little subtlety.
After a reunion in Onigiri Miya, everybody except the twins finally leave. You’re left alone with Osamu, who is cleaning up the tables and Atsumu who is in the loo.  
Osamu’s been seeing the two of you around enough that his curiosity is piqued. You look left and right, making sure Atsumu isn’t eavesdropping anywhere nearby.
“Ahhmm, don’t think so. To be honest, I’m not sure this is going to last once he heads back to Osaka.” you shrug.
You try to do it as casually as you can. You don’t want to look affected by your decision.
“Oh, really now?” Osamu tries not to give away his surprise, but from the slight raise of his brows you can tell that isn’t what he expected.
Atsumu comes out of the bathroom just as the awkward silence settles between the two of you.
“Did I miss anything?” he asks.
You and Osamu shake your heads in unison. This is a conversation to be had between you and Atsumu only.
Atsumu’s eyes flicker back and forth in suspicion.
“Let’s get you home. I’ll walk you to the intersection.” he nods.
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Atsumu is disconcerted by what he witnessed between you and Samu. He thought you and he are at a point where you can be honest with each other. Apparently not.
As your feet crunched beneath Hyogo’s pavement, he subtly turns to you.
Atsumu is one for intense romantic relationships. He is not shy about his passion. He doesn’t shy away from physical intimacy in the early stages. He is unafraid to argue and air his opinions. He likes getting in what sprints of time he can get with his partners.
And so he finds it disconcerting that despite being un-immune to his charms, you’ve been keeping him at arm’s length where he is unable to relish in the usual emotional intensity he expects out of his relationships.
“You don’t have to walk me home. I can go alone.” you insist.
“I want to.” he quickly follows you and grabs his coat. In the corner of his eye, Osamu nods as if to wish him good luck.
You remembered earlier this evening when the alcohol was really setting in, you exchanged a series of long glances at Atsumu. Your cheeks were both flushed, eyes hazy with lust and intoxication. You couldn’t help looking at him and he at you.
You looked at him through your lashes, tracing your eyes over the bridge of his nose and the curve of his cheeks. And nothing thrilled you more than when you caught him looking at you the same way, except maybe when he would smirk or wink at you from where he was.
Even though you were seated apart, these gestures obliterated the distance.
It’s not that you haven’t been attracted to him before. But something about his impassioned ways tempered by time and a tinge of melancholy adds a layer of charm to the Atsumu you know.
“When I get back to Osaka—“ he begins. Before this year, Atsumu’s never been to your side of town. Now he knows your address like the back of his hand.
“I don’t think you’ll hear much from me.” you interrupt.
The crisp in the air turns to chill.
“Hai? Excuse me?” he swivels his entire body towards you, hands buried deep in his pockets. “Aren’t you moving there?”
“I think we should stop, whatever this is.” you try to replicate the shrug you gave to Osamu.
Your impending move to Osaka was the catalyst of your increasingly frequent meetings with Atsumu this past few months. At first it was strictly business. You asked about the logistics and the house-hunting.
Soon after, Osaka was just an excuse. Whenever Atsumu came back to Kobe, you hung out because you wanted to.
You were surprised at how much you liked spending time with Atsumu. He has an irresistible zest for life and sport that was contagious. Although he’s not as frank as he used to be, you appreciated his candor and his single-handed determination not to give a shit for those who didn’t like him.
However the more time you spent with him, the more evident it is that his life revolved around his work.
Atsumu blinks hard and furrows his brow, “Was I…reading some signs…wrong?”
You hate it that he’s standing so close enough that you can feel some warmth from his body. It’s difficult not to fantasise what his skin is like on yours once you’re both alone in an apartment.
When you gaze up to his eyes, they are wide, confused and hurt.
“I-I know you were offered to play in a league abroad…” you organize your feelings, “and I…don’t want to move to Osaka just so our goodbyes can be difficult. I don’t want to have to compete with volleyball.”
“Oh that,” he murmurs swiftly, “I’m turning it down.”
Your head whiplashes, “WHAT?!”
Atsumu is one to be defined almost exclusively by his ambition and drive for volleyball. It’s such a huge part of his identity.
“I’ve made up my mind that I’m not going to play for a foreign league. I’m going to spend the rest of my professional career here in Japan.” he says steadfastly. It’s his turn to shrug.
He looks so calm. You can tell he’s made this decision for a while now.
“I’m not injured,” he reads into your expression, “I like my life right now and I’ve hit the point that I want to maintain my work-life balance. If those offers came when I was younger, I’d totally grab it. Burn myself to the ground to improve my game and everything. But that’s just not me anymore. I want to settle down in Japan.”
“Is that bad? That I’m not the ambitious, blazing athlete you thought I’d be?” he smiles. There’s a tinge of sadness as if he’s expecting inevitable disappointment.
“No, I respect that. It’s just that…” You’re not sure what to say.
“I’m closer to my family, to you and I don’t want to be ashamed that I admit that.” he continues, ”My drive has gotten me to where I am today. That doesn’t mean I need to keep this up for the rest of my life.”
He looks wistfully at the sky. You’re not sure if you’ve ever seen him so serene.
You both stop walking. You’ve arrived at the intersection. His gaze returns to you.
“So can I invite you to my game next month? Tickets will be on me.” he smiles.
He reaches out to hold your hand. Your fingers instinctively interlace with his.
“Of course, I’d love to see you play again.”
You lean in to plant a kiss on his cheek. Instead his hands cup your face and kisses your lips. Although his lips are warm and soft, the easy contentment in his eyes is replaced by longing.
When you began spending time with Atsumu, you wondered why you hadn’t been more attracted to him when you were both in Inarizaki. But now it doesn’t matter.
You feel lucky to fall for him at this stage in his life. Where his life isn’t centered completely around his career anymore. Where his ambition is to build a life with you.
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Read more Atsumu here (one shot) or here (mini series). 
Taglist: @itstheee-ha-chan @kaizumi @holaaaf @glxar
Comment or message to be added to the taglist! :D
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astaroth1357 · 4 years
Text
Demon Brothers Getting Possessive at the Club
… I can explain. Or, well, no I can't. But this exists now anyway so enjoy?
Warnings: Possessive Behavior, Yandere-ish, Violence
Intro: The MC and their favorite demon were just trying to have a fun night out at The Fall. The lights were going, the music was blaring, and the two of them were by the bar but there was a problem. Their demon noticed a sketchy creep who'd been eyeing their human all night long… and that simply won't do. So when their human left to use the bathroom…
It was time to take care of the problem.
Lucifer
Though Lucifer was usually less than into the club scene, the MC wanted a change of pace from their usual dates and he did so want to make them happy… At first, he thought he'd just be dealing with the loud noise and crowded atmosphere but then he noticed something else…
A demon had been following them through most of the night, always keeping his distance but staring at the MC far too much for his liking…
This put Lucifer in a bit of an odd position. He didn't exactly want to leave the club because the MC didn't look tired yet, but he also didn't like seeing that cretin following them around…
Yet, of course, it also rubbed his pride the wrong way to go tell him to stop directly. Lucifer would never admit to feeling bothered by some pitiful lesser demon… Never.
But by the time the MC left him to use the restroom, he was at his wit's end. He could see the man had taken a seat at the other end of the bar just to watch them and he was growing irritated… So he had to devise a new strategy.
It's unusual for demons to walk around in their true forms. It's not that it's frowned upon or anything, it's just that it's normally something reserved for big events… or for displays of dominance and control.
So when Lucifer slipped into his demon form in the middle of The Fall, it turned quite a few heads. Truthfully, there was only one head in particular that he wanted his way, and once he got it, he stared the guy down…
It was a taste of the lowlife's own medicine, but so much worse coming from him… The feel of Lucifer's bloody-onyx eyes and chillingly cold smile from across the bar could have made even the strongest men run for the hills…
Needless to say, the demon didn't last very long under the eldest brother's gaze. In fact, he wilted almost immediately before slinking away as quickly as he could… 
A guy not even able to stomach the firstborn's stare? Truly a pathetic coward if Lucifer ever saw one.
He was totally back to normal by the time the MC returned and went back to dancing with them like nothing ever happened… Though his human couldn't help but notice the crowd kept their distance from them for the rest of the night... 
Eh, Hell is just weird sometimes isn't it?
Mammon
Look, Mammon had been trying to have some fun the whole night and for the most part he'd been succeeding except for one thing…
He could sense that asshole still hadn't left them alone. He'd just hover near him and his MC like a hellhound stalking prey… It was annoying. It was creepy…
And it was reeeaaallly getting on his nerves.
When the MC left for the restroom, he was leaning back against the bar scanning the room for their abhorrent admirer while using the tint of his sunglasses to hide his eyes.
It didn't take him long to see the gross fuck sitting alone at a table. Who knew what he was planning... following them home? Taking candid shots of MC? Either way, he wanted to sock him in the jaw…
But, of course, Mammon knew he had to play it just a little smoother than that to stay in the club.
Mammon sauntered over to the man's table and invited himself to sit, kicking his feet up to look casual but knocking his boots against the surface so roughly it made the guy jump... Pathetic.
"Oi, so I've seen ya lookin at my human… Real work of art, eh?" He flashed the guy a fanged grin and watched him sweat for a second before cutting off any answer.
"-'course they are. Don't need to tell me. But I gotta say, you're really ticking me off, bud… We're just tryin to enjoy ourselves but I keep seeing your ugly mug wherever we're at."
He pulled his legs back from the table and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a deck of playing cards.
"Tell ya what, I'm feelin oddly generous so let's play a game. You and me. If ya win, I'll let ya have a night with'em…" He fought the urge to punch the guy when he saw his eyes light up, "but if I win…"
Mammon put the deck on the table then leaned in real close, "I'll flay your skin off and gild ya skeleton in the 4th circle myself… Gold skulls are selling like hotcakes right now." He put every bit of malice he could into the threat, even barring his increasingly sharpening fangs.
The guy must of had a good head on him because he paled immediately before getting up and running from the table. If there's one thing everybody knows about Mammon, it's never play cards with him if he can make even a single Grimm… Chances are, you're gonna lose.
When the MC came back, Mammon flagged them down to their new table and pulled them onto his lap for a little chat before getting more drinks. They're his human. His.
Leviathan
Of course Levi noticed this creep the second that they walked in. He's Envy. He had been hyper-vigilant of all the attention the MC had been receiving since their first step inside. But this guy was… persistent.
He'd been tailing them all night, always finding spots with good vantage points, which of course was sketch as hell but...
Honestly? Levi just didn't like him looking at them. Not at all. In fact, he'd hazard to say he truly hated this complete stranger for how much real estate his eyes were taking up of his precious MC… What gave him the right??
By the time the MC had to use the restroom, he was sitting at the bar seriously contemplating whether or not to just carry them home… He didn't like night clubs anyway, but they seemed to be having fun and they always looked so cute while dancing…
No. He couldn't just take them home. But once they left, he had a much better idea.
It was easy for Levi to slip away from the bar. The asshole was leaned back against a nearby wall and pretty much pulled his phone out the second the MC was out of sight. From there, Levi only had to do what he did best, blend into the background, until he was right next to the guy...
He didn't say anything. He didn't give him any warning or threat. No, no he was far too ticked to be that charitable…
The only indication the man got of how royally he fucked up was the searing pain of Levi's fangs digging into his shoulder, the thirdborn's gloved hand muffling his screams until the venom took hold of his prey.
The last thing that man ever saw, propped up and paralyzed against the wall, was the MC coming back to their docile otaku, who now pulled them into his arms… still shooting the occasional smirk in his victim's direction.
And the last thing he ever heard was the same word his killer whispered to him after his throat became too tight to scream… "Mine."
Satan
This always seemed to happen whenever he took the MC places… They could be walking together in the park and he'd still see lesser demon eyes following them around...
Frankly, it did piss him off to a degree. He knew they never asked to be stared at like a piece of meat, but if he'd go on a rampage every time it happened then they'd never have a quiet date again. So he learned to put up with it… to an extent.
The demon that had been following them that night was really testing his notoriously short patience...
He had tried several tactics to shake the guy as they were dancing but he'd always come right back. He even got more handsy than normal to show, "Hey, this one is mine!" but that had gotten him equally dismal results… It was bordering the line of disrespect now.
He did his best to keep up a friendly face while the MC was with him, but they must have noticed he'd gotten tense. They told him to try and relax a bit before they left for the bathroom…
Oh, he was going to relax alright.
The second they were out of sight, Satan's smile broke into a glare he leveled right at the offending scumbag's table. Of course, seeing the MC had left put the guy's attention elsewhere, but that was his funeral.
Satan knew his time was limited, so he skipped the pleasantries and marched right over to him, slamming his foot down onto the edge of the table with such force it threatened to tip it over then grabbed him by the neck.
"Back. OFF."
It really didn't take much, his reputation preceded him. He felt the guy's pulse skyrocket between his fingers before he let him go.
It was hard not to get a little satisfaction when watching the worthless creep scramble away from him like his life depended on it (as it very much did). He almost considered giving chase just to amp up the fun, but the MC returned sooner than he expected…
A pair of arms around his waist and lips against his cheek were enough to evaporate his anger right then… but it didn't settle his sudden need to mark them in the slightest.
Ultimately, the real question was whether he could wait until they got home to show the world that they were his or if they needed to find somewhere… quieter. No promises, MC.
Asmodeus 
Asmo had dealt with his fair share of admirers, the stalking kind included. Fortunately, dealing with them had always been relatively easy for him (he is a ruler of Hell after all) but one targeting his beloved human…? That was far less acceptable in his eyes.
He caught sight of the beady eyes of the creep while he was dancing with the MC. At first, he thought the guy was looking at him (who wouldn't?) but then he followed his eyeline right to his lovely human companion…
Though he couldn't exactly blame him for staring, he and MC made a fantastic looking pair, he definitely couldn't sit idly by either. People like this are usually bad news and he refused to let any harm come to his MC…!
He was as tactful as ever, though. He liked The Fall and would rather not be banned from returning… He waited patiently for the MC to go to the bathroom before making his way over to the creep, his perfect smile still sitting on his face.
"Excuse me, cutie." He waited for the stalker's eyes to leave his phone and settle on Asmo's own. "Ah, there you are! Good. I had a question for you, I think… oh no, I must have forgotten it! Silly me."
Though he could see the demon was growing annoyed, Asmo stalled for just a few moments longer… just long enough for his bewitching charm to set into his victim's mind.
"Ah! Now I remember. Do you like dogs?" He smiled in satisfaction to see the creeper's head nod slowly. "Oh good! Because I know a very hungry dog right now… Cerberus is his name and I don't think he's had a meal today. Would you be a doll and go feed him for me? He lives in the cave behind the House of Lamentation. You can't miss him."
The demon's head nodded slowly yet again as he rose from his chair and walked out of the club quietly. Quick, painless, and with no messy cleanup!
Well… none that Cerberus wouldn't clean up for him anyway. Asmo returned to the bar with a newly giddy grin on his face... His MC wouldn't be seeing that man ever again~!
Beelzebub 
Beel is very patient. Beel is very kind. Beel is very forgiving. Beel is… really not about this right now...
Unlike his brothers, Beel's easygoing nature made him less quick to pick up on the lingering glances that the MC gets from others. Even when he does notice, he can usually let it slide if looking is all they do (he's the only one who can touch after all).
But even he couldn't miss how wolfishly that demon was staring at them… It made him uncomfortable and the guy just refused to leave them alone…
By the time the MC left Beel at the bar to use the restroom, he was on a level of irritated usually only reserved for when someone denied him food… It was like that jerk had taken a cheese grater to his patience and it was wearing thin…
As much as he knew he could deck him, he didn't want to get them kicked out… The MC was having such a good time, despite the creep's ogling, so he used a different approach…
Being so high up in Hell had its perks and one was that anywhere in town that offered food also had a secret menu… A Beelzebub Only menu (as a precaution so that he wouldn't wreck the place whenever he stopped by). Anything on his menu always had huge portions and The Fall was no exception.
The bartender didn't seem too surprised when he ordered a Drakon Leg, but he was very surprised when he asked to get the full bone too… Not with the meat on it. Just the bone.
Fun Fact: the bones of Drakons are supremely thick and strong enough to be used as clubs.
Even More Fun Fact: it takes an incredible amount of force to snap these bones…
...which Beel did without breaking a sweat… and maintaining eye contact with the creep The. Entire. Time. The sound of the bone snapping in two was almost as deafening as a gunshot and he didn't even flinch.
The demon went running out of the club with his tail between his legs and quickly got swapped out for the MC running back, worried about what made such a loud noise…
Of course, by that time Beel had the bone thrown away and was chowing down on the meat like nothing ever happened so they dropped the subject soon enough...
He may not be as open about when he claims someone as the rest of his family but that's because when push comes to shove, who in their right mind would want to challenge Beel anyway...?
Belphegor 
Nope. Nope. Nope nope nope, he's not having this. Not one bit.
Belphie lacks a lot of the good-natured patience of his twin... Chances are if there's something happening and he's not stopping it, it's just because putting up with it is the path of least resistance…
But there are always exceptions and those are usually reserved for the MC.
Strangers trying to get close or even imagining themselves being with MC really makes his blood boil… He knew them the most. He loved them the most. On just what grounds did some random moron think he could take his place?? Wishful thinking? Keep dreaming, buddy.
So, of course, he wasn't happy when he noticed some asshole staring at the MC like Beel does when he sees a havoc roast...
He kept his poker face up while he was with the MC, but he was devising a plan to take care of him the entire time… One he finally got the chance to enact once the MC went to the bathroom.
He's even better at going unnoticed than Levi, so sneaking his way over to the asshole was a piece of cake. He didn't notice until Belphie casually draped his arm around the guy's neck, hanging his clawed hand dangerously close to the scumbag's heart...
"Having a good time…?"
He could feel a shallow swallow against his arm as he began to slowly apply pressure to his trachea.
"I bet you were… and I was too until I saw you following us… Care to explain yourself?"
"I-I uh-Gah!" 
The guy's voice gets cut off by Belphie's arm getting even tighter, the sharp tips of his claws drumming directly over the man's thundering heart.
"Ugh, that's what you actually sound like? Never mind, it's not worth knowing…" His fingers stopped drumming and slowly began to dig into his skin...
"I'm only going to say this once… If I ever see you tailing my human again, you won't be needing this-" his claws drilled a little deeper into his chest, "-anymore. Am I clear?"
The demon's head nodded as much as his strangled throat would allow and Belphie finally retracted his claws, wiping the blood off on the guy's shirt before letting him go. He fell forward onto all fours before attempting to scramble away as fast as he could...
Belphie watched him go with disinterest on his face, but satisfaction in his heart. Yet another threat to his human dealt with… And they could go back to enjoying their evening together. Alone. Just where his human belonged...
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topazy · 3 years
Text
Inside, outisde
Pairing: 10k x reader, Addy Carver sister!reader
Warnings: Blood, swearing
Chapter: 1.02
Slowly, you open your eyes, feeling the sweat sticking to your clothes as your eyes adjust to daylight. Groaning, you looked up to see 10k standing next to you. He was keeping watch with his hand wrapped securely around his gun.
Leaning forward, you noticed the cars had stopped moving. "What’s going on?"
"Ohh she finally wakes," Addy teases. "Warren has run out of gas."
As you jumped out the back of the truck, Mack motioned for you to get back. "Heads up," he pointed to the left. "We got company."
The group waited in silence as two men on motorbikes approached.
"That's right," Warren said quietly as she stared at them as they rode past. "Keep rolling and we all live to see another day."
The men started revving their engines before speeding off. Your eyes stayed glued to Casandra, who was trying to stay completely out of sight of them. You weren’t sure why, but something about that was off.
"We ran over some fun stuff," Doc chuckled, before Warren stabbed the z that was trapped underneath the wheel of her.
Warren turned and looked back at the town your group was leaving. "Even after all this, it's still beautiful. Take a good look. Might not be back for a while."
Addy let out a deep sigh, "so long New York. See ya in the next life."
Addy continued to take pictures and videos of the dead to document what was happening, while Warren and Garnet tried to figure out the group's next move.
You began scavenging for anything that could be useful in old cars. It was sad seeing all the belongings left behind, knowing all the owners were dead. You just hoped that somebody had granted them mercy. You felt slightly distracted from the task at hand when you overheard the conversation next to you.
"So what's your name, kid?"
"Ten Thousand."
"That is not a name," Doc laughed before pointing towards you. "It's a number. It’s almost as mad as her name."
"It's my name. I made it up myself."
Doc nodded, "Well I suppose you'd have to. Does it mean anything?"
10k just shrugged, "That's how many zombies I'm going to kill."
"How many have you killed?" You asked while looking through a kid's backpack.
"Already on 1,055."
Wow. That was impressive.
"So what happens when you get to 10,000?"
"Change my name."
For the short time that you’ve known him, 10k didn’t tend to speak much. His answers were usually short, and you got the impression he didn’t want to get too close to anyone.
"To what? Twenty thousand?" The older man laughed.
"Jeff."
Doc pulled a funny facial expression at you. Why Jeff? You wanted to know what his real name was, but decided against asking him at that moment. You were sure he wouldn’t appreciate any more questions.
You smiled at 10k, "I like that name."
Warren stepped down from the car roof she was standing on. She looked worried. "Where did everybody go? I haven't seen a survivor except for those two bikers."
"Black Summer," You eyed Cassandra carefully as she spoke, "Everybody starved to death."
"But you survived." You and Addy shared a look, "how did you survive?"
"Did what I had to do," Cassandra answered bluntly.
Frowning, you handed the bag with bottles of water you found to Mack before heading in the other direction to look some more. After a few moments, you heard a commotion, followed by a voice you didn’t recognize. You readied your bow and arrow as you walked back towards your group. One of the scruffy looking bikers from before was standing between Garnet and Warren. "I see you're scrounging for gas. You know, like we used to say, ass, gas or grass."
Murphy looked the man up and down, "Nobody rides for free."
The stranger looked smug, "I know where you could fill up."
"Now would be the time to share that information," Warren said, stepping closer to him.
"Place called Jersey Devil Refinery, maybe five miles off, just off the turnpike."
"How do you know there's gas there?" You asked, unsure whether to believe him or not.
"Got overrun day number one," he answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "All the tanks are still full, just rusting away."
"All right, take us to this refinery," Warren replied. "And if there's gas there like you say, you can ride with us to the next outpost."
The man grinned, "you won't be sorry."
Garnett looked unsure but went along with it anyway. "Let's get out of here. I'll be riding with Warren and a new guy. Everybody else load up in the truck."
Murphy groaned. "So are we just gonna pick up every sketchy loser at every place we stop?"
You scoffed, "well we brought you along, didn't we?"
Once you got into the back of the trunk, 10k leaned in to you and whispered. "You don’t trust him, do you?"
"There’s a lot of people here I don’t trust."
When you reached your destination, Murphy scrunched up his face as Addy parked the car.. "What’s that smell?"
"The undead and gasoline."
The group discussed the best way to draw the Z’s attention away from the pump that was drawing them in. Eventually, Cassandra pulled out a necklace that had a music box built inside it.
"That's great," Warren nodded. "You're our decoy."
"I'll go with her," the sketchy guy said.
"I’ll come too," you volunteered. Your gut instinct was telling you to not trust the two of them together.
Cassandra glared at you. "I don't need his help, or hers."
"No, you need cover. Take them." Warren paused and looked around before letting out a deep sigh. "Where'd that kid go?"
"He was here a minute ago," Doc said with a shrug.
You added, "His name is Ten Thousand."
"Well, he'd better be back by the time we're ready to go," the older woman frowned. "Change of plan. Astra, I need you to stay here with Doc, and Murphy." You opened your mouth to protest, but Warren cut you off. "No arguments."
"Wonder how it's going?" Doc asked. "I haven't heard anything blow up."
"Yet."
You kicked Murphy lightly in the thigh for his insensitive answer. "Don’t be such a negative jackass."
After watching Murphy and Doc play cards for a while, you turn to face the ‘saviour’ of the world. "How'd you get to be the savior of the human race?"
He let out a grunt, "you really wanna know?"
"Yeah."
"Truth is for a guy who's been wrongly convicted, I'm actually very civic-minded. I volunteered."
"So the doctors gave you the vaccine, and then they let the zombies bite you?" He nodded. You didn’t like him, but nobody deserves to have that happen to him. "How many times?"
"Eight."
You sighed, "I’m sorry that happened to you. It must have been awful."
He shrugged, "I blacked out."
"Shut up, you two," Doc said quietly. "We have some nosey neighbors."
As soon as you noticed the group of zombies that were starting to walk past the truck, you shuffled down in your seat, but Murphy started frantically yelling. "Call the others! Get us out of here!"
"Stop yelling." You frowned, "you're attracting them to us."
"Astra, keep him inside," Doc instructed you. "I’m going to draw them away."
"Wait, it’s too dangerous to go out there yourself!" You pointed out, "I’ll come with you."
The older man shook his head. "He might be our last chance. Whatever happens, keep him alive."
You watched as Doc disappeared into the crowd of Z’s. You just hoped he would come back.
You tried to try and calm Murphy, who was panicking loudly. The occasional zombie would bang into the car, but as long as you stayed out of sight and quiet they would hopefully pass by.
"Get us out of here!" Murphy yelled as the car began to move slightly.
"Stop being so loud, you're attracting them."
When a Z managed to get its finger through a crack in one of the windows, you leaped forward and cut its finger off, causing blood to spray onto the seats, and Murphy to be even louder.
Oh fuck. We are screwed.
In the distance, you could hear Doc shouting. "Ten thousand! Cover the car! Murphy and Astra are trapped inside."
Gunshots filled the air as the dead began to fall to the ground. You let out a sigh of relief. 10k, and Doc had your back.
"Hey, it's going!" you exclaimed, only to be cut off by the so-called saviour, who shoved you to the side and jumped into the driver's seat. You jolted back when he slammed his foot down. "Where the hell are we going!"
Losing control of the car, Murphy crashed into a wall. You let out a scream as you felt something cutting into your skin, before blood began dripping from your hand. "You stupid son of a bitch! You almost got me killed!"
The door to the truck swung open as Warren helped you out. You were vaguely aware of somebody helping Murphy to get away as well. You knew from the snarling noises coming from behind that the Z’s weren’t far behind. You made it back to the others just in time, as the truck you were just in exploded. At least it’s taken out some of the dead.
Warren raised her hand for everyone to be quiet. There was a ringing noise coming from a phone box. Garnett, who was the closest, answered it.
"Sergeant Charlie Garnett," he paused before continuing. "Please tell us where to drop him off - California? Hold on - That's not gonna happen," he turned back to face the group. "We need to go somewhere closer."
"Closer?" You asked questions.
What in the world have you gotten yourself into?
Shaking your head, you turned to face the other way. "Oh shit. Dead, coming right at us."
Addy and Mac held off the dead while the rest of you ran towards the only vehicle your group had left. "Wait, we can’t leave. We aren’t all here."
Doc looked around worried until he spotted 10k running. "Wait! Here comes the kid!"
"Found these."
You smiled as he handed Warren the small gas tanks he’d found.
As the group rode off, 10k’s smile fell from his face, and was quickly replaced by a frown. "What happened to you?"
You glared at Murphy. "I cut my hand with my blade when we crashed. I have some bandages in my bag, I’ll be fine."
Without saying anything, 10k began rummaging in your backpack and pulled out a first aid kit. He bandaged up your hand before returning the kit to you.
"Thanks."
He shrugged, "no problem."
You shifted awkwardly. You wanted to talk to him, but weren’t sure what to say.
10k took you by surprise when he leaned into you, and spoke quietly. "Can I ask you something?"
"Uh, yeah."
"What does Astra mean?"
A warm feeling spreads through you, "well…"
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Text
Unexpected Encounters (Adrenaline Junkie Part 8)
Part 1     Part 2     Part 3     Part 4     Part 5     Part 6     Part 7     Part 9     Part 10     Part 11     Part 12     Part 13     Part 14     Part 15     Part 16     Part 17
Spotify Playlist (collaborative)
Warnings: minor swearing
Word count: 2,775
You walked down the now worn cobblestone path towards the main plaza of the village by Philza’s house. Whistling the first verse of the L’manberg national anthem, you wove slightly at the crowd of people gathered at the stands that littered the sides of the street. 
The village was much larger than the entire L’manberg nation. It had several different precincts with a large, diverse group of people and a few hybrids living there. It also had more amenities like shops, a library (which, to your delight, grew expansively to include more books on inventions, some being exclusively about yours. They were proud people that embraced whatever fame comes out of the area), and multiple towering office buildings.
Everything’s changed since you’ve last been here a year ago. What was now more modern used to be traditional. What was loosely populated was now bustling with people. What used to be barren was now chock full of shops and apartment complexes. It was kind of jarring to see this much change in a little over a year.
In retrospect, it was jarring how much you changed in a little over a year. The hallucinations have finally almost completely stopped along with the nightmares. They only came about once a week now. You were slowly reincorporating green back into your wardrobe. Your phantom pain has retreated into your subconscious. It was always going to be with you, so you got used to the constant pain and tingling feeling. You learned to appreciate the small things in life and just live in the moment so you would have something positive to look back on in the future.
You invented several different gadgets to help your brothers win the L’manberg War of Independence such as a portable TNT launcher, handheld long-distance communication devices (which you affectionately dubbed walkie talkies since you could walk and talk! Wilbur and Tommy were not as enthusiastic of the name as you were), and a redstone powered crossbow that continuously fired arrows until you released the trigger. Though all of your inventions were practically your babies, they did not come anywhere close to trumping your magnum opus: your metal fully functioning wing. 
After several mishaps and failed attempts, you finally made your wing correspond to the electrical impulses in your muscles so that it copied the movements of your flesh wing. It’s built out of a lightweight hollow iron and has feather shaped metal pieces protruding off from it to emulate your other wing. It was a sleek silver color that always caught a ray of sunshine and reflected it to another place. It was basically permanently attached to your body by now due to it being a pain to take on and off. It was just easier and more efficient to keep it on constantly. 
People around you stared, some in awe and some in admiration. A stark difference from when you first lost your wing. Sometimes, you resented them for treating you differently just because your name became more widely known, but you were always a firm believer that everyone deserves a second chance. Even attention seeking, unscrupulous assholes looking for cheap brownie points from their peers because ‘I knew them before they were discovered! I knew them personally, we were, like, really close!’ So for now, you tried to ignore the ugly indignation bubbling in your gut and threatening to spew out in a string of hurtful words. You were sick of being angry, especially now that L’manberg is at peace. 
You passed several people who pointed at you and whispered amongst themselves. Ignoring them, you continued onward with your head held high and your wings folded in tightly to avoid children grabbing and pulling them with their grubby little hands. It always took you a while to clean and preen them after people touched them. You hated cleaning off fingerprints and grime from the smooth metal.
Walking with a sense of purpose, you continued onwards passing multiple shops and stands until you finally reached the butcher. Opening the decorated glass door, a little bell chimed alerting the burly man behind the counter of your presence. Like the others, he stared wide-eyed at you with his lips slightly parted in shock. Great, another exhausting encounter. 
Putting on a polite smile, you broke the silence of the meat shop. “Hello, I’m here to buy half a pound of fresh ground beef. Would you by chance have any in stock?” That seemed to snap him out of his stupor.
“O-of course, I’ll get that for you right away.”
He disappeared into the backroom where frosty fog rolled out in tiny clouds. Maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad after all. Maybe he wouldn’t ask any questions or try to get to know you on a personal level.
He returned in a hurry, slapping the wrapped beef onto the counter and giving you a price. Reaching into your wallet for the cash, you paid him generously. “Keep the change.”
“I-thank you, Mx. Minecraft.”
Putting the beef into your satchel, you gave him a more genuine smile. “Don’t mention it.”
Briskly walking out, you made a beeline for the village’s main entrance. You couldn’t stand the feeling of constantly being watched and talked about anymore. Why couldn’t they treat you like a normal person? In your opinion, you were, well, you. Nothing was special about you.
As you were about to cross the threshold of the village, you heard footsteps behind you.
“HEY! MX. MINECRAFT I NEED TO TALK TO YOU.”
Stopping dead in your tracks, you closed your eyes and took a few steadying breaths so that you wouldn’t lash out at this person. You just wanted to go to your childhood home and have a nice, peaceful dinner with your dad. Was that too much to ask? 
Opening your eyes and plastering on a fake smile, you turned around and greeted him. He was a young boy, probably around eleven or twelve years old. His clothes and shaggy auburn hair were disheveled and he had dirt smeared on his face. “Hello, to whom may I owe the pleasure?”
He put his hands on his knees and tried to talk between gasping breaths. “Mx, my name’s Arthur Fox, i-it’s truly an honor to meet you. I’ve admired your work since before the war in L’manberg. You’re an amazing inventor and I wanna be just like you when I grow up. I- oooh I’m sorry, I’m rambling aren’t I?” He kind of reminded you of Tubbo in a strange way.
“No, you’re fine Arthur. Thank you for being a fan of my work, but I must get going. I have an important meeting to attend to.” You weren’t exactly lying to the young boy. Turning on your heel, you started to walk off only to feel a hand on your arm.
“Mx, I need to talk to you.”
“I really have to get going, Arthur. It was a pleasure to meet you.”
“No, it’s important.”
You struggled to keep the smile on your face as you shrugged his arm off as politely as you could. This kid is determined. Too determined. “So’s my meeting. I have to go.” You started to walk off into the beaten forest path.
“Do you know about The Warden?”
You halted abruptly and sharply turned around. You let your smile and polite stature drop into pursed lips and sharp eyes.
“...Of course I do. Everyone does.”
Flinching slightly, he quickly recovered his confident facade. “No, that’s not what I meant. Do you know about The Warden?”
“Like I said,” you played stupid, “everybody does. Who doesn’t?”
He puffed his cheeks out in frustration. “Ugh, how could someone so smart be so stupid at the same time? I mean you met it didn’t you? It took your wing.”
You took a step forward and narrowed your eyes, fully facing him now. “How do you know about that? Who told you?” 
He stepped back. “I-I heard rumors a couple of years back that it got someone. I heard your name thrown around here and there.”
You gave him enough of a warning that you didn’t want to talk, but he ignored it and now he has to reap the consequences. At this point, you were so tired and drained from everyone trying to be buddy-buddy with you that you finally snapped. The only thing you wanted was to go home, you did not need this right now. 
“Well, Arthur, you shouldn’t pry into other people’s business. I’ve told you time and time again that I have to leave, yet you persist to stop me. Why? And where are your parents, didn’t they teach you any manners?”
He looked downwards and fiddled with his fingers. “They’re dead. T-The Warden took someone important to me. I… I thought you might be able to help me.”
Shit, you just yelled at a grieving orphan. You were a massive asshole weren’t you? Your eyes softened slightly and you frowned. “...I’m sorry for your loss. Is there anything I could do to make it up to you? Dinner perhaps? We can talk about how I could help you afterwards.”
He glanced up at you. “But-but what about your meeting.”
You winced. “Uh, I’m moving it forward, we have more pressing matters.” You paused awkwardly. “Do… Do you have anybody to ask permission? Any siblings?”
His shoulders drooped. “...No. I’m all by myself.”
Shit, you yelled at a grieving homeless orphan? God what kind of role model were you? 
“C’mon, kid. We’re going to my house.” 
His wordlessly followed you and avoided looking into your eyes. The walk to your childhood home was very awkward, neither of you attempted starting conversation. You sighed.
“Look, Arthur I’m sorry for yelling at you like that. That was really uncalled for, I shouldn’t have yelled or gotten mad. It’s just that- The Warden’s a… touchy subject for me.”
“It’s alright, Mx. Minecraft. You can make it up to me by… making me dinner and showing me some of your blueprints?”
He looked up to you with hope filled, sparkling eyes. You snorted. “It’s a deal, kid. We’re almost there.” 
You could see the silhouette of the house in the nearly setting sun. It was still the same as when you left a year ago. 
“Ya know,” you sighed out, “this is actually my Dad’s house. I’m just visiting him for a couple of weeks.”
“Where do you live then?”
“I live in the heart of L’manberg with my brothers.”
“That’s cool…” He trailed off. You frowned, it seems that he was nervous to meet your Dad. You probably should’ve mentioned that Philza was there to him before taking him here.
You stopped, grabbing Arthur’s shoulders. “Kid, you don’t have to worry about meeting my dad. He’s probably the kindest, most genuine man I’ve ever met. He’ll welcome you with open arms, that’s what he did with me and my three brothers. He adopted us all.”
He gave you a small smile. “Alright, Mx. Minecraft, I trust you.”
“Oh, please don’t call me ‘Mx. Minecraft’, it makes me feel ancient,” you lolled your head back and dramatically groaned out, making him giggle. “I just turned twenty, buddy. Feel free to call me (y/n).”
 Putting your hand on his shoulder, you led him to the front door. You twisted the old door knob and pushed the wooden door open.
“Dad, I’m home and I brought the beef!”
He popped his head out from the kitchen, his messy blond hair flopping onto his face. He gave you a joking smile. “Took you long enough, any longer and I would’ve locked ya out.” 
You watched as his eyes wandered over to Arthur. He frowned, revealing his frilly pink apron that Wilbur got him as a joke. Oh, you could just hear the gears in his head churning.
“...(Y/n), who’s this?”
Grinning sheepishly, you replied. “Dad, this is Arthur Fox. Arthur, this is my dad Philza Minecraft. I promised him dinner and somewhere to stay for the night. Do you have some of Tommy’s old clothes Artie could borrow for the night?”
He sighed, shooting you a we’ll-talk-about-this-later look. “Yes, they’re in the attic. I’ll grab them after dinner so he could shower before going to bed.”
Arthur timidly spoke up. “Thank you, Mr. Minecraft.”
Your dad softened and gave him a gentle smile. “It’s no problem, Arthur. And please, call me Philza. Mr. Minecraft makes me feel old.”
Arthur let out a loud laugh. Despite everything he went through, his laugh still sounds like an innocent child’s laugh. You chuckled, kids always had a silly little laugh. Philza grinned at him, a child’s laughter was something that he missed.
Arthur wiped at his eyes as his laughter died down. “I’m sorry, (y/n) said the same outside.”
“I did,” you smiled lightly at Arthur before looking back at Philza with mischief, standing up straight and putting your hands on your hips. “But I was funnier.”
“Pft, you wish. I was saying that before you were even born. So, I win because I’ve been saying it longer.”
“Whatever ya say, old man. Funniness over age.”
He playfully glared at you, placing an offended hand over his heart. “I’m not that old.”
“Ya kinda are, Dad. You’re practically turning to dust!”
He gasped. “I am not!”
“Are too!”
“Am not!”
“Are too!”
“Are too!”
“Am no- wait Dad, that’s cheating!”
“You still said it though!” He sang out, grinning at you cheekily.
“No, that doesn’t count!”
Arthur’s amused brown eyes bounced between you and Philza like he was watching a tennis match. Every so often, he would giggle at something one of you said. You both took your banter to the kitchen where you and Philza started to cook. Dinner was done and the table was set in no time. There was pleasant small talk as dinner neared an end
Your dad swallowed his last bite of beef and turned his attention towards Arthur. “So Arthur, how old are you?”
Arthur gave a small grin. “I’m ten.”
“Do your paren-”
You loudly coughed, throwing a discreet glare at Philza. Mouthing ‘don’t’ from behind your hand, you took a big sip of your water and stood up. “I’ll wash all the dishes. Arthur, would you like to look at some of my blueprints while we wait for my Dad to get you some clothes?”
His eyes shined with excitement. “Yes please!”
You chuckled, putting the plates in the sink and walking down to your old workshop to grab one of the blueprints you left in a filing cabinet. You grabbed the first draft for your prosthetic and the final draft for the automatic farm.
Upstairs, you situated the blueprints in front of Arthur at the dinner table. “Okay buddy, learn to your heart’s content. I’m gonna do the dishes. If you need something just give me a shout.”
Walking into the kitchen, you filled the sink with warm soapy water and got started scrubbing. You moved your wings around subconsciously as you wiped the pots and plates clean of grease. Humming in satisfaction when you were done, you dried your hands and sat next to Arthur who was looking at your designs with complete awe. 
“You like them?”
He nodded his head so fast you thought it might fall off and started to fling questions at you. You smiled fondly at him, it was nice to see someone so interested in how your inventions were made and not just how they worked. 
You two were mid conversation when Philza walked into the room with a bundle of clothes in his arms. You grabbed Arthur’s hand and led him up to the bathroom. You bent down and rested your hands on your knees, looking at him.
“Alright buddy, everything you need is in there, clean towels are in the closet. When you’re done, I’ll be in my room just over there,” you pointed to your door. “Last door on the left. I can show you where you’ll be sleeping for the night when you’re done. Does that sound okay?”
He gave you a gap-toothed smile. “Yes, thank you (y/n)! You’re the best!”
He closed the bathroom door and you stood there. You felt… oddly fond for the boy you just met only hours before. 
Philza cleared his throat and pinned you to the wall with a stern look. “(Y/n), explain now.”
“I will, but let’s talk in my room so Arthur can shower in peace. Poor boy needs it.”
He sighed and walked into your room. You had a long talk ahead of you.
(A/N): so, how do you guys like Arthur?
Taglist (comment if you want to be added):
@acecarddraws  @goldenstarofthunderclan  @ravennightingaleandavatempus  @dirtydiavolo  @yeiras-world  @immadatmostthings  @hee-hee-haw  @jackalopedoodles  @m1lkmandan  @vanhakirja  @im-a-depressed-gay  @coolleviauchihadreamerlove  @questioning-sanity  @camisascam
@bongwaterflavoredgatorade  @kakamiissad  @jayistrash4  @lifestylesleep  @speedymaximoff  @sun-shark-tooth  @appetiteofapeoplepleaser  @lestrangenymph  @kinismanditory  @dragons-lurk-here  @rinzyx05  @the-wandering-pan-ace  @sparkling-gayyyy  @angelic-scent  @shinipii  @dont-hug-me-im-a-fander  @izzydimensional  @used-avocado  @laura--444
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futurewriter2000 · 3 years
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Rocks and Dust
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A/N: I don't know why Remus gave me such Heath Ledger vibes when I was writing this but he did and I am honestly so fucking proud of it. Now, I really want to make myself some rice and chicken... or just rice. I hope you like it <3
REQUESTED BY @cloudywitchh: Hiiii, Im not sure if your requests are open, but if they are i have one. :)) Before I request, I want you to know that I love your oneshots and series! ive been binge reading. Could you possibly do a Gryffindor reader that has both james and remus that like her. oneshot or series. if you choose to write it, thank you, if not i understand
XX
Souls meet when eyes do and it hasn't been much easy to hold yourself back when such mesmerising hazel eyes had done nothing but watch you seductively.
At first you couldn't feel it but after a while, something in the back of your mind told you to look a certain direction. When you did, your eyes met his and a certain colour started to appear on your cheeks.
You watched him, he watched you. "Yes, Potter?" you asked with a smirk forming on the corner of your lips.
He smiled, tilting his head a bit to the side before speaking. "Had you done something new with your hair?" he asked, glancing up at your hair as you let out a laugh.
"Not really."
"Well, no matter of it." he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "You look absolutely stunning."
You felt your heart flutter in your chest but you were not about to let him know that. "Thank you. When don't I look absolutely stunning." you joked and he rolled his eyes.
"Hey, mate." Remus came into the common room and tapped James' shoulder as he passed him by, sitting next to him.
James smile faded a bit. He was a tad disappointed in his friend's presence. Everything had seemed to go so well between you and him. If the two of you continued to be alone, he would have had more confidence to ask you out on a date. Knowing that Remus took fancy in you too, it was a bit challenging to do so.
"What's up, Moony?" James looked at him, clearly not in a friendliest tone Remus was used to.
Remus' lips twirled upwards and he felt amused by his friends' frustration. He looked at you and smiled wonderfully. "Hi." he said and you smiled cheerfully, oblivious to the competition in front of you.
"Hi, Remus."
You seemed to be a tad disappointed as well. You loved to flirt with James because it seemed so easy and fun to do yet sometimes you couldn't understand whether he truly likes you or if he's doing it just out of fun. But you live by your mother's words; If a man truly likes you, he will do absolutely everything to let you know and pursue you.
That was why you were always so laid back. You didn't overthink anything when it came to boy. They seemed to think more simply than girls and whatever they did, they did because they wanted to, not because there was a whole scheme behind their actions.
You could see a bit discomfort in James. You couldn't really figure out why but he started to pout, which had made you a bit more uncomfortable around both of them.
Remus, however, loved to talk to you. He was open and honest but sometimes you felt as if he held too many secrets inside of him. To you, he was a bit harder to get to know, no matter how much he could tell you.
"You're going to love this, (y/n)!" he started to sound more excited. "I had found the oldest yet most interesting place a few nights ago-" he hear- both of you heard James scoff to that. "And I know your curious spirit cannot wait to explore it."
"Where?!" you threw all your books away and jumped forward. Old ruins and historic backgrounds always made you overly excited. You must have gotten it from your dad's side of the family. Everybody seemed to be more of history freaks and you were no different.
"I can show you. What do you think James?" Remus turned to James, who only laughed.
"No, thank you." he stood up and stretched his arms over his body. "Rocks and dust? Not my cup of tea. If I wanted to take a girl I fancy-" he looked at you with a grin and a soft chuckle. "I'd take her somewhere more romantic." he walked to you and winked. "A lovely restaurant or a walk among the trees under the moonlight." he was leaning down to you, close and observing the flush in your cheeks.
Your eyes were meeting and it lit a fiery spark between the two of you but as you didn't want to give him the pleasure of it, you rolled your eyes and moved away. "That's a bit of a cliche, isn't it, Potter?" you stood up and stretched your back as well. "I don't do romance." you turned from James to Remus and smiled excitedly. "Shall we go and explore!?"
"Yes we shall."
---
Remus hasn't felt you this excited over some 'rocks and dust' in all the years he had known you but he had felt his heart fill with joy and love when he could see how a person can live for the small things in life. You didn't care about wealth or power, neither if a person was physically beautiful and attractive. You neither cared if person had its flaws, you still loved anybody for who they were; good or evil. You always tried to look the best in people and your gift was, that you always seemed to bring out just that out of everybody and especially out of him.
As the two of you had walked, he had realised that he wants to tell you something important to him. It wasn't a secret to his friends and family but it was a shameful secret to him and to everybody else.
"Can I tell you something?" he asked as the two of you were climbing up the hill.
"Yeah." you stopped, gasping for air and putting your hands on your hips. "I think we need to rest too." you smiled and he laughed.
"It's not that far. We're almost close."
"My heart is almost close to stopping too."
He laughed again and sat on the rock, finding the moon shining on him as if it was leaving its fullness from a few days ago. "I just have the need to tell you this... and I'm serious."
You looked up at him and found the moon perfectly cut out the colour of his green eyes. "Your eyes look so pretty in the moonlight." you said without any filter but sat down next to him.
"Thank you."
You smiled and looked up at the moon before taking a look of his worried expression. "What is it?" you shoved him a little as he smiled. "You can tell me your deepest darkest secret." you joked but it was no joke to him.
"Well... I'm... I'm a werewOlf." he stuttered out, trying to sound casually as he said so but unsuccessful.
You only stared in silence, clearly processing the information as he was impatient to wait for your reaction. Your eyes only narrowed at him and you nodded. "I knew it."
"You knew it?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"I mean, I didn't know it. I just know there was something to you that I couldn't put my finger on but I kind of knew it. It did cross my mind once but I brushed it off quickly. I didn't believe it but apparently my intuition was on to something." you laughed and stood up, offering him your hand. "Shall we continue?"
"You don't seem a tad phased by it." he took your hand gently and stood up.
"Oh, I am but I really don't mind people being people. You know?" you started to talk fast. "I don't judge people by their flaws, more by their actions and I don't seem why your werewolfness would bother me when there are far worse withces, wizards and Muggles in this world, who are far more worse than any werewolf I had encounter. Which, you're the first but still. You don't seem the one to eat children and howl at the moon."
He let out a loud laugh. "I don't eat children but I do the latter."
---
The two of you walked up the hill hand in hand, him trying to pull you up as his steps were much larger than yours. He was more of muscles than you, faster and careful as for you seemed to trip over a branch or two.
He had opened up as the two of you made your way to the top and started to walk on the flatlands. It stretched far away from the castle but you could see the ruins so clearly from the distance. The light of he moon made the subject far more pleasing to the eye and at that moment when Remus was talking to you and your eyes seemed to wander on the view- everything seemed to be perfect and you imprinted that moment into your memory so that you can look back and re-live it all over again.
As he talked, he seemed more lose and excited. He hadn't held back on anything. He had told you about Animagnus forms of his friends and how he isn't the only one who howls at the moon. Sirius apparently loves to do it just as well in his other form. He had constantly made you laugh by his full moon stories and how he accepted the awful fact of his life-long destiny of sharing his body with a beast.
He was glowing, literally glowing when he was telling you all the things he was hiding from you and for the first time, you were the one to listen and he was the one constantly talking.
"We're here!" he pointed at the ruins of an old castle. It wasn't big or notorious as Camelot or Hogwarts or any other historically known castle. It was small and poor in it's built but it was still a castle, just not the traditional kind.
He let go of your hand and it gave you a sort of an electrical shock as he did. You seemed to be so comfortable and in love of holding hands that you completely forgot what it was like without his fingers intertwined with yours.
It wasn't for long though. He had opened the old wooden door for you and offered you his hand to lead you inside. "After you, m'lady." he bowed as a gentleman should and you hurried up inside, taking him by the hand and leading him behind you.
Your wands needn't to be lit as the moonlight made it's own natural light through the large gaps between the rocks. Nature made it's own charm by growing vines around the walls, flowers and grass among the cracks. It truly did feel more magical than the magic itself.
"Oh, Remus look!" you ran to one of the walls and saw names carved in. "Ibzan." you smiled back at him.
"Old biblical name." Remus followed and saw many other names written around it. "Arthur." he laughed. "Wouldn't be an English castle without an Arthur in it."
"Tatiana." you looked at it. "Like a princess." you looked at him but he seemed to be very close to you, staring forward. His chest was against your back and his head leaning over your shoulder. You didn't have to look back. You could only move your eyes to the side and see him there.
He seemed to be so focused on the rocks in front of you that he hasn't even noticed you marvelling at him. All you could see, for the first time noticing his sharp, nicely structured side profile. His cheek bones were finely defined, his lips sharp and plump and his eyebrows nicely arched.
He truly was a beautiful boy and you hadn't noticed it till now. His palm was placed against the rock as he was supporting himself but when he had noticed you looking at him, he slyly looked back. A corner of his mouth quirked up and he said: "A girl doesn't need to be a princess to have a beautiful name." he spoke low and quietly.
The spark that James lit before was over-flamed by the passion Remus arroused in you. Before you knew it, he was leaning down and kissed you softly. One short kiss and it was enough to tempt you for more. You put your hand around his neck and pulled him down for me, smiling into it as you had felt him smile as well. As heavy as they felt, they seemed light as well because no kisses seemed to be as perfect as his; soft, teasing yet deep and passionate.
When he placed his hand on your cheek you could feel the dust set on your skin. You let out a giggle and he pulled away. "What?" he smiled but then just noticed how dark your cheek was. "Oh, my-" he let out a laugh, then looked back on the wall his palm was pressed on before. "I am terribly sorry."
You laughed as well. "Don't worry." you continued to laugh and wipe it away. "It'll probably wash away."
"Probably." he tilted his head a bit and gave you a peck. "And we should probably head back."
Putting your arms around his neck, you made a big stretch and looked up at the sky. "Ugh..." you looked back into his green eyes, burning your soul into sparks and bitses. "But it's so beautiful here." you let out a small whine and he chuckled.
"Well, (y/n)(y/l/n). I didn't think you did romance." he teased.
"I don't. I let the man do all the romance for me." you stepped on your tiptoes and brushed your nose against his.
"That's a bit unfair."
"I wouldn't worry if I were you, Lupin. I have time to make it fair."
"Glad to hear it."
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thebadboyfanclub · 3 years
Text
Lamb For Slaughter (Aro Volturi x Reader)
So I finally found out how to put a tittle through my phone so we are back in business babies. This was requested by anon, Enjoy!
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Bella and (Y/n) have been inseparable since she arrived in Forks, she was the one that helped her feel comfortable and welcomed the most out of everyone. She understood that Bella was not used to people taking into consideration how she felt or what she wanted, so (y/n) felt like it was necessary and helped her grow a bit of a backbone.
However, all her work went out the window when her boyfriend Edward left her. She became miserable, depressed and refused to heal from the heartache, (y/n) was a few years older than Bella so she had a grasp of how a break up at that age could make you feel lost and misunderstood so she remained a vague help in the shadows, trying to help Charlie in this process.
"Never in a million years I thought I would end up in this type of situation"
(Y/n) said to Alice as they walked towards the big entrance of where the "vampire royalty" lived. Alice gave her a ghost of a smile and it took no genius to see that she felt particularly nervous.
(Y/n) felt no empathy for her, especially now when in just a span of an hour she found out vampires existed, that they were vampires and apparently they were in trouble at the vampire police? She wished she was dreaming or joking yet they were no sight of cameras and she vividly remembered waking up from her nap hours ago.
As Alice effortlessly opened the big and what looked like quite a heavy door,only to be met by two tall strange men dressed in black, a shirtless Edward and a slightly disheveled Bella.
"Hello Demetri, Felix"
Alice greeted them as she took off her sunglasses. The two men looked at (y/n) with surprise before smiling.
"Another mortal, Aro won't be pleased"
"She has nothing to do with this"
Bella defended her as (y/n) tried to look confident under their gaze, she felt like she was under a microscope and most importantly that her life was at risk.
"Aro will be pleased, she is here for a reason"
"Am I? And if I am then what is the reason?" (Y/n) thought, still choosing to remain silent and observe the scene.
Before Alice could answer a young female voice was heard in the distance.
"Enough"
"Jane"
Edward was heard in a very shy and almost scared demeanor that made (y/n) hands get sweaty. As the extremely young girl approached and took off her hood you could see her red hues glistening that brought shivers in (y/n)'s spine.
"Aro send me to see what's taking so long"
At that they all silently followed the girl like sheep followed the leader. She could feel that something was not going to go well at the pit of her stomach yet she couldn't understand what would happen next.
As Jane opened the doors she was met with three men sitting in chairs a few steps higher than the marble floor, certifying their distance and higher standards than the others that walked in.
As soon as she walked in she felt tense and under a spell, the air felt stuffing like she could not take another breath or her lungs would explode.
"How wonderful, Bella is alive after all, isn't that wonderful? I love a happy ending, but they are so rare"
A man with long black hair and extremely fair complexion approached them, he seemed like the leader since his chair was more out front. He was firstly walking towards Edward but before he could fully stand in front of him the man froze. He had a strange aura surrounding him, made (y/n) get very hyper aware of her surroundings when they locked eyes.
"And… who is that?"
He asked in a high pitched yet kind of child like voice, it was disturbing to say the least. His entire presence resembles a lunatic to her yet he seemed very intrigued by her.
"That's (y/n) she is a friend"
"Friends, what an amazing bond to have. Allow me to introduce myself then dear (y/n)... I am Aro"
He said as he extended his arm to her. She gave him hers and he placed a slight kiss on her palm, his hands felt like solid ice against hers. Aro took a deep inhale of her scent that made him feel like his lungs were on fire and her blood was the antidote.
"Aaaaahh quel dolce profumo" (that sweet smell)
He said as she took her hand back in a swift motion. Bella was trying to understand what was happening while Edward felt torn between what was the right thing to do in this situation.
"I don't understand"
"Of course you don't dearest, do not be afraid of me, I want to protect you"
Aro reassured her yet she didn't feel relaxed, quite the opposite actually. As her eyebrows furrowed Alice pushed her a bit closer to Bella.
"What is going on?"
"Il mio cantante" (my singer)
"Can you stop with the Italian? And somebody please explain this to me"
She grew frustrated as her voice became louder. Alice decided that it was time someone helped (y/n), mostly because she felt bad, she saw what could happen if Aro saw her. She could help them survive 
"You are Aro's mate, like Bella is to Edward"
"Excuse me?"
She could not believe it. There was no way her fate would be this crazy man that stood before her, it was baffling to her.
"There must be a mistake here"
"I'm wounded dear, I could give you the world"
Aro said without showing a hint of emotion. In his mind this was the most marvelous news, there she stood, his true second in command and he was sure she would make a great one. Another diamond for his coven
"Edward, what is going on?"
"I'm afraid Alice is right (y/n)"
"No, I'm not going to stay here. I have a life of my own"
"Unfortunately dearest I can't possibly let you go now, you belong here"
"I belong where my heart wishes and trust me my heart wants to get out of here"
"That could be arranged"
The blonde hair man that sat in the back silently watching hissed at her. At this point (y/n) fell in survival mode and if it was this strange man who could be her punching back then so be it.
"I'm not talking to you fu-"
Alice did not allow her to finish her sentence. She clapped her hand over (y/n)s mouth and pulled her back for everybody's safety
"It's for your own good"
Alice whispered in her ear while Aro went into a laughing fit. Alice freed her one (y/n) looked a bit more calm and less dangerous.
"She has a fire in her, you will be one of my greatest additions"
(Y/n) hasn't felt this helpless in ages, she valued her free spirit and the need to feel alive by choosing her fate at her own time. Now she was standing on a dead end that others forced her in.
"You knew about this? That's why you brought me here? Like a lamb for slaughter"
She turned to Alice, the feeling of betrayal written all over (y/n)s face. She didn't understand why Alice insisted in her tagging along but now it all made sense, she was a simple sacrifice for her beloved brother.
"It's not like that-"
"Okay, explain then"
Alice started looking around as her scattered thoughts did not help her to come out with an explanation to justify her actions.
"I'll stay here, just let them go please"
(Y/n) stated as she focused on Aro. She could sense what her future meant for her, she would become like them, eternally young.
"The girl knows too much, she is a liability"
The blonde one threw his two cents in. Even though she was caught in this because of them she felt pity for them, she saw first hand how Bella had become because of Edwards absence. 
"Consider this as a deal, I won't put a fight on anything you need me to do but they will leave unharmed. Bella will become a vampire eventually"
"This is a rare occasion, however I feel charitable, take them away demetri. Would you like to say goodbye to your friends?"
Aro asked her. She felt he back tense up at those words, an ironic smirk painted her lips
"Friends? What a funny word."
Aro instructed Demetri to take them away with a simple hand motion while (y/n) felt tears cloud her eyes. As she heard them walk away Aro came closer to her and placed his hands on the sides of her face in a way to soothe her. His coldness reminded her for what's about to come, making her legs tremble.
"You'll be safe here dearest, you don't have to worry about anything"
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milliedazzledust · 3 years
Text
Unspoken (Bucky Barnes imagine)
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Request by @screechingdreamercollectorsblog : the reader lost all her family and also a twin sister. She’s in love with Bucky but he doesn't know and no one knows her story except Steve but he never told it as it was her decision. One day Wanda tells her "you don't know what it’s like to lose somebody especially a twin." And Reader said "Actually I do." And then She walks away. Bucky heard It and goes to talk to her and also they confess each other feelings. Also She starts an amazing friend ship with Wanda.
Words: 3183 words
A/N: So many ideas, I feel like this needs to be a several part story. Thanks for the request, this was fun to write -
She thought a lot about her family. The memory of their death, the circumstances that led to it, the guilt. It was all a constant reminder, every day, of what she lost. She often felt like she was walking with a shadow on her back, consuming what was left of light, making her into this gloomy person everyone was so afraid to get close to. In a way, she was glad. Her guilt made her believe living this way was her sentence and she couldn’t allow anybody else to carry her burden. One person knew though, the only hope on her pathway. Steve Rogers. He hadn’t been bold enough to ask her up front but instead waited, close enough so she knew he was there, until she was ready to confide in him. Late one night, he had found her crying on the rooftop of the Avengers tower. Silently, he had put a blanket on her shoulders and had sit next to her. Without looking at him, she had told him everything. There had been no judgment from the Captain, not even a look of pity. He promised he wouldn’t tell a soul and after that, she grew closer from the man she considered now family.
That’s how Steve picked up on what was happening in front of his eyes before anybody else. Everyday, he would catch Bucky’s eyes lingering on her. The Soldier often asked Steve about her, he could guess the sadness behind every broken smile. Behind her cracks, he could almost see his own. She reminded him a lot of what it had mean to become the Winter Soldier, of the pain his mind had endured as Hydra tore it into pieces. While he was curious of her past, he also understood that whatever it was, she hadn’t dealt with it. The grief was evident and he wanted nothing more than to help her anyway he could, but every time he took a step toward her, she took three more backward. Steve assured him it wasn’t his fault. They both could see the internal struggle within her, the raging battle between self-inflicted pain and sheer will to live again. So far, she hadn’t give in and instead opted for an illusion only Steve and Bucky weren’t falling for.
She wasn’t the only one feeling the overbearing weight of grief. That specific day marked the one year anniversary of their battle in Sokovia. There was an eerie, gloomy atmosphere inside the compound. For the Avengers, it was the reminder of a difficult battle, of many lives lost, of victory. For Wanda Maximoff, it was the day she lost her brother. She had barely left her bedroom and no one dared go speak to her. Natasha and Vision had gone to see how she was doing but she had refused the company. They could all hear her crying and had collectively silently agreed that it was better to let her process her feelings alone. Y/N was debating wether she should follow their example. She had been standing close to Wanda’s bedroom door for the past hour when she felt a presence next to her.
“You should go talk to her” She heard someone whisper.
She turned her head, her eyes landing on a pretty concerned Captain.
“Wil it really make a difference ?” She asked.
“She’s hurting” Steve answered. “Just like you”
The woman dropped her head.
“I’m not sure, I .. I won’t know what to say”
“You’ll know exactly what to say, Y/N. You’ve both lost a lot”
“So have you. So have everybody here”
He sadly nodded.
“Why does it have to be me ?”
“Because we’ve all grieved. We made peace with whatever happened to us. We don’t feel sadness, anger or guilt just thinking about whomever we lost.” He explained. “You do. Just like her.”
She pursed her lips.
“I can’t pretend to understand, Y/N, because I don’t. I see the mountain that is your pain everyday when I look into your eyes. And, behind this door is a friend who’s going through the same loss you’ve experienced. Even if you haven’t dealt with the death of your sister, you know what it was like for her to lose Pietro, to live without him, to not be capable to let yourself be alive when half of you isn’t anymore”
Hearing his words was enough to reopen the gigantic wound inside her chest. She knew he was right, but it didn’t make it any easier. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder, encouraging her with a soft smile.
“Alright. I’ll go”
She glanced at Wanda’s bedroom before looking back at Steve and swallowed the lump in her throat. Taking a deep breath, she closed the distance and knocked. Not waiting for an answer, she walked inside. She knew if she had ask Wanda, the Witch would have let her wait without an answer until she left.
The young woman was sitting on her bed, her gaze drifting into space. Y/N wasn’t sure she had even acknowledge her presence. All she could see was her soul bleeding an ocean through her eyes. When she sat next to her on the bed, Wanda tried to brush the tears away but it was useless. She couldn’t stop crying.
“I’m sorry you lost him” Y/N whispered.
She cursed under her breath, knowing those were in no way comforting words.
“If you came to tell me you understand, you can leave” She replied with a thick accent.
For a moment, Y/N did not say a word. She was thinking hard of something that could appease her friend, but her mind was blank.
“Are you also going to ask me if I’m okay” She heard Wanda say.
“What is the point ? I know you’re not”
She sighed.
“I’ve always hated that question. How are you suppose to know how you are if all you can feel is emptiness… It’s easier to say yes, put on a smile and turn your head”
“Is that why you’re here ? Are you expecting a yes or the truth ?”
“I already know the truth”
Wanda humorlessly chuckle.
“Are you going to pretend you know what I’m feeling ?” She told her with irony
“That’s the thing. I don’t need to pretend”
She felt her friend tense beside her.
“You should leave”
“Wanda…”
“No!” She shouted, getting up to put a distance between them. “I don’t need you to tell me I’m gonna be alright! I don’t need to hear it will hurt less with time, that I will forget ! Because I won’t, okay, I won’t!”
She started sobbing. For a split second, Y/N thought about hugging her, but she knew that this wouldn’t be a good idea. When her sister died, she couldn’t bear the hugs. They were so full of light and hope, such a bright contrast to the dark that was surrounding her. So she stayed on the bed, and watched her friend break down. Wanda needed the pain, she needed the anger, because they would inevitably lead to the last stage of grief. To life.
“Stop pretending to get this … this torture, because I can assure you, you don’t” Wanda vehemently told her, pacing around the room. “My heart is broken, okay ? It’s … It’s shattered. Not even in pieces, because he took those with him when he died.”
“Wanda …”
“No! You don’t know what it’s like to lose somebody !” Wanda yelled back. “Especially a twin!”
“Actually, I do”
Wanda instantly stopped walking and turned back to her friend, surprised. She watched Y/N playing with her hands, trying to keep the tears at bay, her eyes fixed on her lap, refusing to catch a glimpse of pity when she’ll start talking.
“It.. It doesn’t stop. The pain, I mean. It’s like this overbearing weight that crushes you every single minute of every single day. And when you get a moment to breath, a moment where you don’t feel your heart might explode of sadness, you feel guilty. So all that’s left of you now is pain and guilt. I can’t tell you it’ll get better, because it never did for me.”
She brushed the tears on her cheek as Wanda slowly sat back next to her.
“The world stopped when I lost her, my twin I mean” She continued, starring into space. “And I try, I swear I try to make it work again, but to this day all I keep asking myself is why her … why her and not…me. She was so much stronger than me, she deserved …”
A sob escaped her lips, preventing her from speaking.
“Steve told me I would be able to help you, because I understand your pain. But I can’t. What good would it do to you if I told you I feel like dying every time I think about my memories of her ?”
She humorlessly laughed.
“What good would it do if I confess I don’t want to live because I’m scarred of forgetting ? That I can’t breathe because each breath feels like I’ve cheated death ? That I’m becoming a void of darkness silently sinking ?”
They stayed silence before Wanda’s hand slowly came to hold hers. They spent a short moment without talking. Two woman with broken soul that understood each other on a level no one else’s could.
“You know ..” The Witch started to mutter. “Vis’ told me something once, and it stuck up on me ever since.”
“What was it ?”
“What is grief, if not love persevering”
A tear roll down Y/N’s cheeks, the words stabbing her right through the chest. Suddenly, she was up on her feet, alert and disoriented. This was sheer pain like she had rarely known, wide open scars bleeding through her soul.
“I can’t” She breathlessly told her friend. “I … I’m … I’m sorry Wanda I ca..”
And she fled the room. As soon as she stepped outside of it, she bumped into a muscular chest. Stopping in her tracks, she looked up. That’s when she saw it, what she dreaded the most. A look of pity. Bucky was standing in front of her, searching her eyes, his mouth open like the words were on the tip of his tongue yet he couldn’t voice any of them. He raised an arm toward her, a reflex to comfort the woman he cared the most about, but she was gone in a second. He turned back to glance at Wanda. The woman sadly smile and shook her head.
“Go get her” She simply told him.
And just like that, he was gone. He started by her bedroom, but she wasn’t there. He went to the lab, asked Tony and Bruce if they had seen her, but she wasn’t there. He passed by the gym, than their living room, but again, she was not there. He was almost running inside the building, going anywhere he could think of, but there was no sign of her. He was very frustrated when he crossed path with his best friend.
“Wha …” Steve started to ask.
“Y/N” Barnes only answered, almost out of breath.
The Captain hummed, watching his distress, knowing it was a bad time to ask him about it.
“She’s on the roof”
Bucky didn’t wait, not even hearing what Steve said next, and fled. He didn’t take the elevator and rushed up the stairs. It was a long way up but he did not care. All his mind was focused on was closing the distance between them. Finally, she was there. Sitting on the edge of the building, the sun shining so bright above their head.
“Please tell me you were not thinking of jumping” He said, half joking.
She didn’t turn around to look at him. She had felt his presence before he was even near her.
“The thought crossed my mind” She admitted.
He didn’t want to know if she was joking. Quietly, he stepped next to her and sat on the border, his legs dangling in the air.
“What happened ?” He inquired.
“I just … I thought I could help Wanda and…”
“That’s not what I’m asking” He cut her. “What happened to you Y/N ?”
She pursed her lips, turning for the first time to look back at him. She was almost expecting to see the pity in his eyes, but instead it had been replaced by worry.
“I had a family before the Avengers”
“A family you’ve lost” He guessed.
“…Yes. I couldn’t save them”
He raised his head toward her. She could see the millions of questions he had behind his stare. He was too polite to ask her but she knew he wanted to know. So she turned back to look at the garden in front of the compound, focused on the daisies Tony had insisted to have, and started to tell him her story.
“My parents were … scientists. Experts in genome manipulation. They were working for the government, for Shield. They discovered something important, something they wouldn’t tell us anything about. They started to get edgy, paranoiac, always looking over their shoulder. Whatever it was they found, they were scared. We fled America at the time. My sister and I, we didn’t understand what was happening, we didn’t get that … that they knew they were gonna die. That they were trying to keep us alive”
“What did they find ?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m here”
“I don’t understand”
She closed her eyes, remembering them.
“They experimented it on me”
“What ?”
He was shocked.
“We were in Stockholm at the time. One night, they took me to their lab, they said they needed me to work. I was seventeen, just so happy to be with them, so I said yes. Four days later, I woke up alone, surrounded by ashes and no memories. I found …” She stopped for a second, her lips quivering. “I found what was left of their bodies. My sister was there too. All of them, dead.”
Tears started to roll down her cheeks.
“I was convinced I killed them, I couldn’t move, I was just … stuck. So I stayed there, laying on the ground, next to their bodies, until Tony found me.”
“That’s how you came to live with Stark”
“Yes. He took me in, changed my name and my story, made me swear to never talk about this”
“Why ?”
“He helped me figure out what happened that night. My parents did succeed in their experiment. They made me … enhanced. That’s what they called it anyway”
“They gave you your powers” He guessed.
“Yes. The same day, Shield found them. While I was under, they put a bullet in their head. My sister was supposed to be sick, at home. But she sneaked out and hid in the lab. She just wanted to be with us. Shield tried to make it seen like it was an accident, a malfunction”
“An explosion”
She nodded.
“Yes. They blew up the lab, with all of us in there”
“But you didn’t die”
“I absorbed the blast”
“Oh…”
She brushed the tears off her face, looking at her trembling hands. It was useless to try to make them stop.
“I never found out who was behind their assassination, or what I am suppose to be”
“What you’re suppose to be ?” He repeated, surprised.
“They put their secret inside me, that’s how I came to be. But what is it, and what am I?”
He frowned, his mind working a thousand miles an hour.
“Do you really think this changes who you are ?” He asked her.
“I lost my identity, Bucky. I lost the person I was. Those powers, they turn me into something I’m not”
“Are you saying I’m the Winter Soldier? That I’m … not a person anymore but a program design to kill ?”
He knew the answer to that question, but he needed her to understand.
“Of course not!” She vehemently answered.
“This is the same fight, Y/N. Hydra might have wiped out my memories, but Bucky Barnes reappeared each time they tried to erase him, because this is who I am. My strength, my arm, my alter-ego, they don’t define who Bucky is. The kid that grew up in Brooklyn does”
“Do you really believe that ?”
“I believe we’ve been broken. But it doesn’t mean we can’t be fix”
His metal arm moved to hold her hand. When she turns around to look at him, he gently tucked a piece of hair behind her ear with his human hand before brushing his fingertips on her cheek, wiping her tears away.
“I don’t know how many times you’ll need to hear this, Y/N, but we’re not beyond repair” He whispered.
A shiver ran up her spine at his whole demeanor. His shoulders held high, his eyes boring into hers, all she could see was his rage to live, his will to rebuilt stronger foundations around their broken pieces. No it was not pity anymore, nor was it worry. All she saw now was admiration.
“You and I, we are survivors” He said with force.
He was a warm light she had yearn to feel, fresh air she thought would never touch her skin again. Wordlessly, she laid her forehead on his chest and closed her eyes. She didn’t want this feeling to go away and wished to hard she could bottle up this moment with him forever. They stayed like this, her body against his, his hand entangled in her hair, his chin resting above her head, and for a moment none of them spoke.
“Why do I feel so guilty to have you” She muttered so low he almost didn’t hear her.
“Because you know I can bring you peace” He honestly answered next to her ear.
“If I let you in, if I take the risk to be hurt again and I lose you…”
“You won’t”
“You don’t know that for sure”
“I know I’ve got strong feelings for you, and they won’t go away”
“And I feel the same, but we’re gonna get hurt”
“Isn’t that what love is about ? Navigating between feelings so loud they can’t be shut down, even after death. Stop being so afraid to keep on living, Y/N.”
“Bucky …” She called, slowly raising her head to look at him.
“I’m not giving you a choice, doll.”
Before she could talk herself out of this, he closed the short distance between them and laid his lips on hers. Suddenly, what was a flame became a raging fire in the pit of her stomach. She could feel her heart pumping all the way to her ears, feel the tingling sensation of his fingertips against her skin, a sense of peace finally. This was raw emotions they were sharing, sparks of electricity they were making as their lips were moving. Their own world they were creating. A promise they were sealing.
“You’re gonna be okay” He assured her, kissing her forehead.
“Promise me you’ll stay, Bucky”
“For as long as you’ll let me” He finished.
She looked up at him with hope.
“I promise”
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