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padfootagain · 6 months

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Something Good (XX)

Chapter 20 : The First Date

Hello! Here is a new chapter for my Ben Barnes series!

Very cute, very sweet… after the roller-coaster of the previous chapters, we deserve a reprieve!

Hope you like it!!!

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Pairing: Ben Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Fluff, Slow burn, professor AU.

Summary: Coming out of a divorce and trying to get used to being a single mom, while teaching your classes at University, you thought your life could not get more complicated than it already is. But when you are asked to take care of the theatre club with the colleague that you really can’t get along with, you realize that everything can still get ten times more complicated in your life. And when you start actually liking Professor Barnes, the troubles only grow exponentially…

Word Count: 2933

Masterlist for the series – Ben Barnes’ Masterlist – Main Masterlist

This was the fifth outfit you were trying on.

Which was absolutely ridiculous because a) Ben already knew you, and you didn’t need to impress him; b) Ben had already seen you in tears, in your pyjamas, with cream smudged all over your chin, with paint all over your hands and cheeks… you had already killed your sex-appeal; c) you still liked your first choice better even after so many changes…

You let out a sigh, grabbing your first outfit again, ready to get dressed and get ready.

Ben was picking you up tonight, and would drive you home safely after the movie. You still had about thirty minutes left before he would arrive.

So, why were you so nervous?

You knew him. He was a close friend of yours, you loved him already, you had no doubt that everything was going to be fine, so… why were you so nervous?

Because you cared, obviously. Because you cared too much…

When the doorbell rang thirty minutes later, you were waiting for him, a bundle of nerves.

You hurried to the door, grinning before seeing him.

And your heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. Because he was so handsome…

“Hi,” you breathed.

He didn’t say anything, letting his eyes roam across your frame first. You reckoned he didn’t even notice that he was staring, but you complimented yourself for your outfit. Something simple but that complimented your body, and it seemed to work as planned on Ben…

He blushed fiercely when he caught your gaze with his again.

“Hi,” he cleared his throat. “You…”

But his voice was caught in his throat, he was too overwhelmed. So, instead, he handed you the bouquet of flowers he was holding, and that you had not yet noticed.

A beautiful arrangement of your favourite flowers…

Your grin widened, although there were tears shining in your eyes now, too. You couldn’t speak. A shy thank you was all you could manage while you disappeared down the hall to put the flowers away. Ben walked inside and closed the door, waiting for you.

He looked at you as you placed the flowers in a vase and then at the centre of the table in your living room.

He took a deep breath, gathering his strength and courage, despite the pounding of his heart echoing through his ears.

“You’re beautiful, Y/N.”

You turned to him, smiling bright, looking down at your clothes.

“Thank you. You’re very handsome too.”

He blushed -again- and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

“Thank you for the flowers. I love them.”

“You’re welcome.”

You chuckled as you went to get your coat.

“I can’t remember the last time I was gifted flowers… probably at Sally’s birth?”

Ben raised a surprised eyebrow.

“Flowers are romantic though. You ought to get more of those.”

“Well, you’re doing great, so far.”

“The first five minutes are the most crucial moments of a date. Now, I can do whatever I want, even get arrested, and you’ll remember this evening as brilliant.”

You laughed, the sound enough to make him chuckle.

“Exactly! But I won’t bail you out, so don’t get too tempted…”

You were nervous still, but after the ride at the restaurant, you felt much calmer again. Because no matter if you sat in a romantic setting in this Italian restaurant, no matter if you were on a date, no matter that both of you had dressed up a little… it was Ben sitting in front of you. And you could be yourself with him.

You noticed that Ben visibly relaxed too once you were sitting at your table, looking at the menu. You noticed the way his shoulders weren’t so tensed now, the way his smile was more casual, the way he didn’t push up his glasses as often as he did during the ride to the restaurant. And you were glad that he was comfortable with you.

You had a hard time focusing though. Partly because of the remnants of nerves that lingered in your brain, partly because Ben was even more dashing than usual, and it was very hard not to simply stare at him.

After a while, you were having fun as usual though. To the point where you forgot altogether that you were on a date and simply enjoyed your time with Ben. And he felt the same. The only difference was that when he longed to reach out across the table to hold your hand, he did. Instead of holding back, he reached out, wrapped his fingers around yours, held your hand in a tender hold, and the smile you offered him in exchange made warmth radiate from his heart and all over his body.

You didn’t notice time flying by, you simply talked and ate, and talked some more, and joked around an awful lot. You didn’t notice that you were too late for the movie before you stepped out of the restaurant and Ben checked the time.

“Oh… I’m so sorry,” you apologized, worried now. “Do you want to watch something else? We can still head there and choose another film.”

But Ben shrugged.

“It’s quite late, we can just… take a walk, and then go home.”

“Are you sure? Is that okay? I’m so sorry, I know you had planned something else.”

And it dawned on him, then, the reason behind your apology, behind your worry.

You weren’t upset about not going to the cinema. You were worried because you knew it made him stressed and uncomfortable to change his plans at the last minute. You were simply… worried he wouldn’t enjoy himself.

He thought he loved you too much already, but he fell even more for you at this moment.

He shook his head, a reassuring smile on his lips.

“I don’t mind. It’s okay. But I don’t want this date to end just yet. So… what about we take a walk, and then I’ll take you back home.”

You nodded, grinning now as you locked your elbow with his, and he let you guide him across the streets, without purpose or destination. Just a movement of feet to get away from the ending of this evening.

And this date was simple. Nothing fancy. Nothing extraordinary. It was mundane, really. It wasn’t even going as planned. Still, Ben reckoned this was the best date he had ever had. And you thought it was your favourite date too.

When Ben drove you back home, he walked you to your door, hiding behind a gentleman’s habit his longing to steal just a few more moments with you.

He kissed you in the lift, accidentally pressing on all the buttons and making you both laugh hard. He kissed you once more under the neon light of the corridor leading to your apartment. He kissed you again before your front door.

When you pulled away, turned around to open the door, he took a step back.

He needed to calm his racing heart, he needed to clear his head…

But then you turned to him, with something burning in your eyes… some hunger he was certain was ablaze in his gaze too.

“Do you want to come inside?”

You stared at each other for a moment. His breath caught in his throat, you saw his Adam’s apple pulsing.

“Are you sure?” was all he asked.

You shrugged.

“I know it’s our first date, but… we know each other already. We can’t say that we’re strangers. And I… I want you to stay. I want you to stay the night. Do you want us to wait?”

Ben remained motionless for a moment, and you could feel disappointment wash over you. You started nodding, giving him a shy smile. It was too soon…

But the next second he was closing the gap between your two bodies, wrapping his arms around you and kissing you with such urgency and hunger… you couldn’t do anything but kiss him back, wrap your arms around his neck and pull him even closer to you.

He walked into your flat, your lips still locked together. He only pulled away to close and lock the door, and then he was holding your face with both his hands, kissing you with such passion you were ready to combust.

You helped him take off his coat and scarf. You took off your coat while he took off his shoes, and he let you take off your scarf and shoes before he was back in your arms. You moaned when he pressed you against a wall, his hand travelling across your body now. He let you take off his white shirt, let your hands travel across his skin, soft and burning under your palms.

When you pulled away and softly pushed on his chest, he frowned.

He was dishevelled already. His glasses lopsided, his hair a mess, shirtless and lips bruised.

You didn’t think the words before they passed your lips, you meant them too much for that.

“You’re so handsome, Ben…”

He grinned, but when he reached out for you, you took his hand and pulled gently so he would follow you down the corridor, and into your bedroom.

Usually, on Sunday mornings, Ben woke up around 8am. He would eat a quick breakfast, go for a walk or a run, take a shower. He would read for the rest of his morning, then either meet up with some friends or go to the movies. These past few weeks, he had spent most of them with you and Sally. Sometimes he took a walk again, depending on how stressed he was.

All in all, his Sundays were uneventful and well planned, full of habits. And he liked them this way. A simple, quiet rhythm that punctuated each of his weeks.

Not this Sunday though.

This Sunday, he opened his eyes much later than usual to an unfamiliar sun pouring its light in a bedroom that wasn’t his own. He woke in soft cotton sheets that weren’t his. He woke with his cheek smudged against a pillow that didn’t carry his own scent.

This Sunday morning, he opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was you.

You were waking up as well, rubbing your eyes to chase away remnants of sleep that lingered there, on the tip of your eyelashes. You rolled around to take a look at the time, before heaving a content sigh. And then you turned to him.

Ben lost himself in your eyes. How could he not? He reached out without thinking, goosebumps erupting all over his body at the contact of his skin against yours. You didn’t think as you welcomed his touch, shuffling across the bed to reach his embrace, your naked bodies pressed together, your limbs entangling. You let out another content sigh.

“Good morning,” you whispered, your voice lower than usual and Ben adored the sound.

He kissed you before he would think about it too much. He kissed you until he couldn’t breathe.

Was it a dream? It looked like it. You being there, in a bed with him, under the same covers, with your skin pressed to his… soft, warm, overwhelming…

He could feel the beating of your heart against his chest: it was a little erratic, just like his own. He didn’t even notice that he was grinning when he looked at you again.

“Good morning.”

He brushed his knuckles across your cheekbone, a tender, gentle gesture that he had longed for for so long.

Was it a dream? It felt like one.

You buried your face into the crook of his neck.

“I don’t want to get up just yet,” you groaned, making him chuckle.

He wasn’t wearing his glasses yet, his world was a little blur, too much so for him to read the time on your alarm clock, by your bedside table.

“Is it late?”

“11… something.”

He raised a surprised eyebrow.

“I haven’t gotten up so late in years.”

“Same. But then again… we didn’t sleep that much last night.”

He blushed hard, and the fact that you teasingly bit and then kissed his shoulder didn’t help.

“True… You weren’t complaining about it last night, though.”

It was your time to shy away.

“Never said I was complaining,” you mumbled, making him laugh.

A warm, comfortable silence settled into the room. When he looked down at you, when he caught your gaze, he reckoned he truly wasn’t dreaming… your eyes felt too real.

“I need to pick up Sally at 4pm, but I have the rest of the day free,” you spoke after a while spent simply admiring each other.

“Any plans?”

“I’d like to stay with you, for a while longer.”

He grinned.

“I’d love that too.”

“Can you stay until I have to pick up Sally?”

He nodded, leaning down to kiss your forehead.

“Sounds perfect.”

“Unless you had plans…”

“Nothing important. Nothing as good as this…”

You grinned at that, and he must have said something good, because it earned him a tender kiss that left him breathless and heart staggering.

But you seemed worried all of a sudden, and he frowned at the sight, running a hand through your hair.

“What’s wrong, darling?”

You grinned at the pet name.

“I like that…”

“Darling?”

“Hmmm… it’s nice…”

You kissed him once more, but he didn’t forget your worry.

“What’s wrong?” he asked again, a hand splayed across your ribs where he drew soothing patterns across your skin.

“Nothing. I’m fine. I was just wondering… what is going to happen now?”

You bit your lower lip, but Ben shook his head, amused.

“Well, I was about to offer you to bake you some pancakes for breakfast. Then, maybe we can relax and… watch a movie or read together, as you wish. Or we can stay in bed all day, I like that activity too. Especially if it involves both of us remaining naked…”

You laughed at that, but he noticed the way you got a little closer to him.

“I like that plan, but I was talking about… us in general. Not just today.”

“Well, I think we should plan another date.”

“But aren’t you leaving for London next weekend? For the holidays?”

“Yeah, I’ll be coming back on January 3rd. I’ll spend the holidays with my family, in London.”

“And then?”

“Then, I’ll be back home. And whenever you’re free, I’ll take you to see this movie we didn’t get to see yesterday night, and then I intend to spend another night in your bed, if you’ll have me.”

You weren’t quite used to this flirty side of him yet, but you loved it. The husky voice, the tempting words, the hungry gaze… it worked wonders on the fire in your veins, on the speed of your heart…

But you weren’t fully relaxed still, something was still bothering you.

“Can I call you during the holidays?” you asked, voice hesitant all of a sudden.

Ben frowned, looking at you as if you were speaking the stupidest question in the world.

“Of course, you can, darling. I want you to call me, actually.”

“I won’t be bothering you?”

“Of course not!”

You nodded, still silent, looking down as your fingertips travelled from his neck to his chest, to his stomach, to settle on his navel. You heard the sharp intake of breath he took as you drew silly patterns there.

“Y/N, I want you to call me during the Christmas break, okay?” he mumbled against your skin when he pressed his lips to your forehead again.

But you remained silent. When you finally spoke again, your tone was hesitant.

“I think I should tell Liam about us.”

Ben tensed against you, but he nodded all the same.

“I thought you wanted us to wait for a bit, see how it would unfold.”

“I know, but… if Liam gets it from someone else, he’ll be mad. I think it’s better if he learns it from me.”

Ben nodded.

“Alright. He’s your ex-husband, you’re the one to decide about this.”

You heaved a sigh.

“That’s the thing, I don’t know what to do.”

“What if you waited a little. You can tell him after the break.”

You considered his answer, and nodded. It sounded reasonable.

“Alright, I’ll do that.”

Silence settled again, he felt you relaxing fully in his embrace, and Ben closed his eyes, bathing into your warmth, the regular rhythm of your heartbeat, the gentle sound of your breathing…

“I’m really happy right now,” you whispered after a while.

And Ben smiled. Because of your words, but also because he realized now that he felt the same. That he hadn’t felt this happy in a long, very long time.

“I’m happy as well,” he mumbled, kissing your temple, your cheek, your jaw, your neck, your shoulder, mouth travelling always lower.

When he gently pushed you onto your back, you let him. When he slowly pushed the covers away to look at your full body, you let him.

“You’re so beautiful, Y/N.”

All coherent thoughts left his brain when he kissed you once more, when you were the one to pull him down to you, when he was overwhelmed by your skin all over again…

He broke the kiss when he felt you chuckling against his lips though.

“I thought I was getting pancakes this morning!”

He grinned, mischievous and absolutely dangerous.

“I’d rather eat something else for now.”

He let you laugh at him, and he even joined your laughter. You did get your pancakes… in the early afternoon…

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Tag list : @reg-arcturus-black @sergeantbuckybarnes @wolfmoonmusic @idek-what-to-put @kpicard @rhapsodyonthethames @friendly-philosopher

#ben barnes #ben barnes x reader #ben barnes x you #ben barnes x y/n #ben barnes fanfiction #ben barnes series #ben barnes fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #writing #series

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lucreziaq2001 · 4 months

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•TV show: "Criminal minds".

•Content warnings: A book about a 40-year-old murder case being published and presented in a theater, an elderly woman being severely ill and dying after she found out who murdered her daughter and joining her late daughter and husband in Heaven (her daughter even coming to get her to take her to Heaven) and the man who made the investigation about the girl's case possible having passed away before he could see the book about it be published.

•What happens in this chapter is inspired by "Boy crazy"'s ending, which is one of my favourite parts of the episode. Here's the link to it: https://youtu.be/7h55JaUYuqc?si=eo4SkPLkSkOig50G .

•I don't really know what a book's presentation is like, so I kind of took inspiration from the last chapter of the fanfiction "Little talks" on fanfiction.net, and also made some things up.

•JJ is there because thanks to Emily's mother, she was pardoned and didn't go to jail for her crime. I couldn't mention it in the chapter.

•As you know, I'm a religious Catholic, and in this chapter I've basically described Heaven. If you don't believe it exists, that's fine, but don't make fun of it, please.

•Thank you very much to my friend @lex13cm for suggesting to me to use the story's title for David's book too. It was a very good idea.

•The story's final quote is from the movie "Sarah's key", just like the opening one. It is its closing quote.

•Tags: @lex13cm, @golden1u5t, @avis-writeshq, @rynwritesreid, @chrrysgirl, @amerrymango, @marie-sworld, @iluvreid, @babygirl-garcia, @hugyourlungs, @strangermoonlove.

The bridge to Heaven

Chapter 22: Finally at peace

On June 12, 2004, exactly one year after Matthew's phone call to David, which had made the writer's investigation about Emily's case begin, a very important event occurred at John W. Engeman Theater, in Long Island.

It was the presentation of the last book Dave would have published in his life.

It was entitled "The bridge to Heaven", and what it talked about were the last weeks of Emily's life as told by her mother, former boyfriend, friends and acquaintances.

But it also included David's investigation about her death, and was dedicated to Emily herself, but also to Matthew, who had died on December 9, 2003, before being able to see the book his extremely brave choice had allowed Dave to write be published.

Aaron, Derek, Elle, Jennifer, Penelope and Spencer, along with their families, were there, though, and of course Declan, his grandmother and his wife and daughter had come too.

And then, in addition the majority of David's relatives, Pauline Leonard was there as well.

The woman had remained unsure whether to go or not almost until last minute, but then she had chosen to do it not only for Emily, but also because in a way, she felt like she owed it to her sister Abigail.

"If at the beginning of last year, someone had told me that I would have soon discovered and brought to light a fourty-year-old secret, I almost certainly wouldn't have believed them" David began talking, starting the presentation, after getting on the stage and inviting Aaron, Derek, Elle, Spencer, Jennifer and Penelope to join him "It happened, though, and if we are gathered here tonight, it is also and above all thanks to the men and women who are now on stage behind me, as well as Emily's mother and former boyfriend, former nurse Pauline Leonard and Matthew Benton, who can't be here today, but whose decision allowed me to give Emily the justice she deserved. So, first of all, I have to thank them for what they were courageous enough to do".

At the end of his short speech, everyone in the room clapped, then, taking turns, first David, then each of Emily's former schoolmates told a little part of that story.

They didn't say much, so as not to spoil too much of the book, but listening to their speeches, Elizabeth was still deeply moved.

As Emily's former friends and acquaintances spoke, however, a strange thing happened to Emily's mother.

For a few seconds, as each of them gave a brief speech, she seemed to see the teenagers they were when Emily was part of their lives in them again.

It didn't last long and the woman was aware that it couldn't really have been happening, but at that moment, it still seemed so real to her.

What happened next, however, was even more emotional for Elizabeth.

Suddenly, while Jennifer, the last person to speak, was talking, she thought she saw her daughter on stage with David and her former schoolmates.

Emily was wearing a white shirt and pants of that same colour, but, most importantly, she was smiling, something she hadn't done often in the last few weeks of her life.

She seemed happier than she had been in at least the last three years of her life, and she almost immediately spotted her mother in the crowd and waved to her.

"My little girl" Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from whispering with tears in her eyes "You just couldn't not be here today, right, Emily?"

"I'm okay now, Mama" Emily told her a few seconds later, moving closer to her, then disappearing.

Elizabeth didn't know for sure if what she had just seen was real, she couldn't know that, but deep down, she felt like it was.

Wherever she was at the moment, her beloved daughter was now at peace, so she could be too.

She could finally stop suffering and holding on and just join her.

She had been ill for three years, her family knew it, and she felt like she couldn't take it anymore.

She didn't have much time left, she was aware of it, but she had always felt like she had one more thing to do before leaving this world.

That thing was finding out what had actually happened to Emily, she now knew it.

And now that she had found that out, she could be free too.

That night, shortly after 3 am, Elizabeth's heart stopped beating.

She was alone in her small apartment in the retirement home, but weirdly, she wasn't scared at all.

At her last breath, she saw a big white light, stronger than any other one she had ever seen, then Emily appeared before her.

Her daughter had come to get her, just what the woman had waited for for fourty-one years.

"Come on, Mama, let's go. Daddy is waiting for you" Emily told her, taking her hand and starting to walk with her into that light.

Elizabeth could reunite with her family, and the three of them would now be together forever, finally at peace.

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"When a story is told, it can't be forgotten. It becomes something else: the memory of who we were, the hope of what we can become".

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misschanadlerbong · 11 months

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Chapter 12 - Let's Kick Some Ass

Summary: Charlie struggles to propose a promposal to Alex, while Y/N struggles to prove her worth yet again in the team.

Warnings: Mentions of sexual assault.

Genre: Fluff, Clay x Reader

Word Count: 1.6k

< Previous | Next >

Your last couple of weeks were pretty hard but finally, you gathered up all the courage to tell people what Bryce had done with you. You told your parents the night Clay came to visit you and gratefully your parents were incredibly supportive. They did not overreact at all and acted rationally with the situation. Though it was hard to control the testosterone energy of the group.

Everyone was filled with rage, but you never wanted to fight with violence, you complained about Bryce to the Principal, and he was given suspension and a probation order from the police. Days passed eventually and every day felt a little better and with Clay, by your side, you had a sense of relief.

You were back to practice and now all you focused on was the finals of the Basketball Tournament which was being hosted by your school this was the first time your school qualified for finals and providing the fact that this was the last game you will play with the team made it more important.

You reached school, today was important because it was the game night and you agreed to help Charlie with his plan of asking out Alex for the prom. Charlie had an overly sweet and romantic plan, he decorated the main hallway and Jessica, and you were supposed to hold a huge banner written “PROM?” on it, Charlie stood beside the banner with Alex’s favorite flowers in his hands.

Alex entered the hallway and gave an opposite reaction to what you guys were expecting, all you got from him was a sigh of disappointment. Alex was never a fan of cheesy romance but Charlie on the other hand was the king of cheesy romance.

“Oh, Alex! Enough with your tantrums, just say ‘yes’ already. If you don’t go, I will go with him” you say to Alex.

Alex chuckles and walks up to Charlie and says “If I will not go with you then with whom will I go, Charlie? You did not have to do all this. It is obvious that if I go, you will be my date.”

Charlie was still not satisfied and said “You did not answer my question. So, Alexander Dean Standall, will you be my date to the senior prom?”

“You’re lucky you’re adorable otherwise I would have dumped you a long time back, and Yes Charles Hayden Brixton St. George it would be an honor to be your date.” Charlie started deep into Alex’s eyes and gave him a sweet passionate kiss.

The school air was filled with promposals, and every room and every corridor was full of red roses and confetti.

“It sucks to see all these people happy when your boyfriend has not even asked you about prom yet,” said Jessica.

“He hasn’t yet? But aren’t you guys dating for like a couple of years now? Isn’t it obvious?” you asked.

“But still you know.”

You could hear the frustration in her voice. Making Jessica mad is one of the many things that you should never do in your life. To calm her down you said, “If Justin doesn’t ask then I’ll go with you because Nerd hasn’t asked me yet too.”

“Yes, screw the boys, they are of no use”.

After your fourth period, you were supposed to go to the gym and get ready for the game tonight. Before going you met Clay to see him for the last time before the evening.

“Sup Nerd?”

“Hey, you look pretty happy. Excited about the game?”

“Yeah, more like nervous but yeah excited too. Anyways I’ll go for the practice so see you at the game?”

“My fifth is free so I can hang around longer.”

“Good, you can help me stretch” you winked at him.

“Nah, you can do it. If a coach sees me then he will make me exercise too.”

“Okay then, I’ll just ask Zach to help.” You say teasing him and starting to walk away.

“No Y/N wait, I’ll be there. I will just keep my stuff in the locker, okay?”

You smile at his innocence and proceed toward the gym. When you enter the gym, you see Justin standing beside one of the machines. You walk up to him and say, “Hey Justy, we have a problem.”

“What? What is it Y/N?”

“You have not asked your girlfriend yet to be your date to the senior prom.”

“Holy shit, just tell the coach I’ll be right back” While saying this Justin ran out of the gym as fast as he could panicking. That was the effect Jessica had on him. As the gym was almost empty you hear your coach and principal having a conversation in the coach’s office. You go there and knock on the door.

“Y/N, good you are here. We want your opinion on something.” Said the Coach.

“Yes sir, what is it?”

“Umm, Principal thinks that we should not let play Bryce today’s game. I know it is not easy for you to play with him, but still, what do you think?”

You turn to the principal and say “Uh sir, Coach is right. Whatever he did to me shall not come in between the game we are going to play. We cannot let it ignore the fact that he is one of the best players we have on the team that can guarantee a win. I think we should let him play, otherwise sir, it is your call.”

Principal Bolan was convinced by your point, and it was true that above everything it was more important to win the trophy for the school.

The decisive moment arrived. All the Liberty Tigers gathered in the locker room and Justin gave a pre-match motivating speech as his duty as the captain. Everyone was filled with a desire to win the goddamn match and show the opposite team who the Liberty Tigers are. The cheerleading squad did their segment before the game began.

After that, both the teams entered the basketball court to start the battle. You found it hard to admit but the other team was playing too well which made the chance of the Liberty Tigers winning less.

As you looked at the crowd who came to watch the game, you caught Clay’s eyes which were gleaming at you. He raised both his thumbs to cheer you up and you turned your focus back to the game after a five-minute break.

While Clay was attentively watching the game Tyler approached him with the camera. He was taking pictures for the yearbook and went up to Clay to say ‘hi.’

“Clay! Hi! Since when you started liking sports?”

“Oh, hey Tyler. Uh I am here for Y/N”.

“Yeah, I get it. She is pretty hot, isn’t she? And when she plays”

“Um, bro she is my girlfriend.”

There was an awkward silence between the two, but Tyler had to make it worse and asked with disbelief “Really?” Clay simply nodded to Tyler’s question and Tyler shrugged and went to a different location to take pictures.

It was halftime and the score was 20-15 and your team was losing. Everybody went inside the locker room to cool themselves down and discuss the strategy for the other half of the game. Justin was going to give another speech, but you cut him off by saying “Justin, can I take this?” Justin nodded in trust, and he let you speak.

“Guys, many of you think I do not belong on this team. But today the game is not about me or you or the school. It is about the fact that this is our last game together before we graduate. Now, will it not be better if we win that goddamn trophy in our last game rather than losing to some private school that think they are better than everyone. So, let us play. Let us play for that sportsmen spirit inside us which will not take losing as an option.” You stretched out your hand and made eye contact with Zach “So...”

Zach cut you off, said, “Whatever it takes?” and put his hand on your hand.

“No, let’s kick some ass”.

Everyone held hands and unity and said in unison, “Let’s kick some ass.”

Everyone went back to the court filled with new energy and you did kick all the asses. Your team won by 35-28. In excitement, the whole team lifted you on their shoulders as you were the lightest and made a round of the whole court. Principal Bolan announced the winner and handed over the trophy to the team. After giving his speech of gratitude you asked him for the mic.

The audience was still cheering as you said “Thank you all for your support, now I wanted to say something. This guy in this crowd is supposed to be my boyfriend and hasn’t asked me to the prom yet. So, I thought why not make this big gesture and ask him myself.” The crowd started cheering with anticipation. Hearing this Clay was both embarrassed and confused. You continued “So Nerd, would you like to be my date to the prom?”

Clay climbed down from the audience stand and started walking towards you. You gave the mic to Justin and ran towards him. You looked at him with hope in your eyes. He held your hands and said, “Yes Y/N I’ll go with you to the prom.” He kissed your forehead, and you hugged him with excitement. While you hugged him you realized that he was not hugging you back. You said, “Clay, you should hug me back otherwise it will be very awkward.”

Clay struggled to speak “Yeah, I will if you leave my hands free.” You let go of him you both laughed at your stupidity. Clay hugged you firmly and the entire crowd started cheering for your courage.

Shower your love by liking and commenting on the post. Refrain from copying, plagiarism, or posting on any other platform.

THANK YOU!!!

P.S.: I also upload on Wattpad @immafreakingmoonstone, feel free to check out my account :)

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tired-teacher-blog · 2 years

Text

Title : My one and only

Chapters : (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Status : Ongoing

Characters : Pro hero Bakugo/ Pro hero fem reader

Genre : Angst/ fluff/ will contain smut in future chapters

Summary : You've known Bakugo for many years, but never were you close, not even when you started dating him. However things change one night when you invite him over for dinner.

How will your relationship with the pro hero progress after that?

Please do not read if you're a minor

Note : I'm still trying to decide whether or not I should turn this into a mini series. In the meantime enjoy this entry as a one-shot.

Edit : Since many of you showed interest in the story and requested to see more, I've decided to turn it into an actual fic.

Explaining y/n's quirk : Telekinesis is your quirk. You're able to move objects mentally at a distance without the need to make any physical contact. You were able -through training- to develop your ability and use it on yourself in order to be able to fly.

Your power comes with a cost, since using it for extended periods of time leaves you mentally drained, but you're constantly working on improving your stamina.

Masterlist|Second Masterlist

AO3

Chapter 1 :

Your relationship with the pro hero has been going slow and steady for a while, five months to be precise. During which his way of treating you hasn't changed much from when you two were classmates in UA.

You've always watched and admired him from afar, but never dared to approach him.

You knew from the beginning that he would make an amazing pro one day, and you're glad to be right. Even more so because he scouted you as his sidekick shortly after establishing his own agency.

He's always been good to you and never treated you rudely -that part is true- but it's not enough. You wish you could spend some alone and intimate time with him, maybe cuddling in bed or on the couch and watching a stupid TV show while making fun of the presenter, or turning a regular conversation into a make out session, or at least seeing a worried look on his face when you're sick or when you get hurt during a mission.

But none of that has ever happened before, and you find yourself wondering if he's forcing himself into this relationship. Because -as hard as it was- you were the one who gathered up the courage to confess your feelings first, and he just went with it.

And tonight is no different.. or so you thought. You invited him over for dinner -begged him if you were to be honest- until you finally wore him down.

He said he would take a little nap on your couch until you're done setting the table. And sure enough, there he was, laying on his back, eyes closed and breathing softly..

You were hoping for tonight to be an opportunity to get closer to him. Maybe making the food together, or having a deep conversation, or even listening to him telling you about anything he's comfortable enough to share. Just like any normal couple would, but you two are anything but that. And it hurts.

You approached him slowly and called out his name, but he was still deep in slumber. So you placed your hand on his shoulder and shook him softly. Still nothing.

You sat back and admired his features, he looked calm and peaceful, no signs of that permanent scowl. You instinctively smiled brushing your fingers against his cheek.

And without realizing it, you moved closer and kissed his forehead. It was the first time ever your lips have touched his skin, and it felt nice, so nice in fact that you found yourself wanting more.

You hesitated first, not sure if you should do it or not, but finally gathered your courage and leaned in slowly closing your eyes and pecking his lips.

It felt warm and sweet, so you lingered there for a moment lips touching his, and you couldn't help but smile against him.

Still.. something was missing. You wished he was awake and kissing you back, but you highly doubted he would.

Your smile faded as quickly as it appeared, and you leaned back shaking your head as you finally realized how silly you were being.

But when you opened your eyes, fiery crimson orbs were starting back at you.

You flinched, and fell on your butt startled since you didn't expect to find him awake.

Shame washed over you, and you found yourself apologizing repeatedly without even meeting his eyes:

_ "I'm sorry Katsuki, that was out of line but I promise I'll never do it again, please believe me."

And for a moment he said nothing, to the point where you wondered if you were imagining the whole thing. But when you looked up, you were met with the exact intense glare except, a smirk was spread across his face, and your embarrassment was instantly accompanied by confusion.

_ "It's fine babe, I just wish you would've done it when I wasn't unconscious. It would've been interesting to see you do it."

Were you imagining that? Or did he actually say it?

_ "What? You look like a deer on headlights." He continued with a laughter when you provided no response.

He sat up and reached out pulling you completely on top of him before resting his face against your chest. You were still unable to speak, and on top of that, had no idea what to do with your hands so you kept them up awkwardly.

_ "It's okay, you can go ahead and touch me." And that was your cue to rest your arms loosely around his shoulders.

_ "I don't understand, I've always thought you didn't want any intimacy between us, that maybe you didn't even want to be in this relationship." You finally found your voice, small as it was, and you were thankful his face was still pressed to your chest otherwise you would yet be speechless.

You felt him tensing, and for a minute you couldn't understand why until he lifted his head up, and the look he gave you was of pure.. pain?

_ "I'm sorry, I must've made it hard on you." He averted his gaze before continuing: "Truth is, I've never been in a serious relationship before. All my previous encounters had been meaningless flings so I had never really made the effort to keep them going, but it's different with you, and I was afraid of ruining it so I've been careful all this time." He sighed and looked up: "But I guess I messed up."

So that was it then.. all this time you thought he didn't want you, when in reality he cared so much about you that he wasn't sure what to do.

The realization brought the biggest smile to your face.

_ "No Katsuki you didn't mess up at all. I'm so happy, and that's your doing."

You felt him relaxing under your touch, your words reassuring him. He took your hand in his, planting soft kisses on your skin and whispering between each delicate peck:

_ "You are worth the wait, and I promise I'll do better from now on." And he's a man of his word.

(To be continued..)

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jakesullysleftnipple · 1 year

Text

A Mission With Miles

Chapter 3( Training day 2 pt. 2 )

It's only days before the mission through pandora must begin. Feelings of anxiety and excitement fill the air but there's another in the air. Will this interrupt the training progress?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tonight you managed to get a full night's rest, this was well needed especially for today. Today you would attempt to take the colonel down. Before you went to bed you watched a few of Quatichs training videos to study his patterns a little bit. He doesn't have any patterns you could follow but there was one thing you did know. He was all about attack. You rarely see him on the defensive side and when he does it's not for a long time.

" I have to be at him or at least get close to. Come on y/n you got this."

You give yourself a little pep talk before preparing for what today's training holds. You have a plan for how to take him out but you were unsure if it would work. You gather all your courage and get yourself ready for training. This time you look a bit more ready and confident. After what happened yesterday you wanted to tell him what you were capable of. Even if you felt those strange feelings afterwards you still wanted to prove him wrong.

You do your hair up in your signature bun and put your tights and tank top back on. Instead of going to the training room early you wait in your room and do some warm ups. You do a few stretches to get your body more awake. 20 minutes pass and you finally decide to go to the room. You make your way out the room but right as you enter you pause. You take a deep breath to relax yourself. Memories of yesterday get tangled in your other thoughts. You shake your head and take another deep breath to ease your racing heart and feelings. You step into the room and not to your surprise there he is. Sitting down on the table, back against the way with his legs spread apart. The moment he laid his bright yellow cat like eyes on you his pupils slightly dilated, his tail swayed left to right, and his ears perked up. It was obvious to you that he was somewhat excited to see you but you didn’t react the same. You just looked over at him and closed the door behind you.

“Good morning y/n, hopefully you’re well rested.”

“Yes sir.”

You weren’t here for small talk, you wanted to get straight to the point. He tilted his head while getting up from the table. His arms remained crossed as you strolled up to you.

“You ready for round 2 buttercup?”

Instead of responding you answered him with a nod. He moves to the other side of the room to await your next move. He turned to face you with a small smirk on his face. He patiently but eagerly awaited your next move secretly hoping for yesterday's outcome to happen again. Little did he know what would soon happen. You once again strike him first but this time he actually hits you back. He strikes you in the stomach and kicks you back. You stumble and fall backward not expecting that. You hiss as you hit the ground but stand back up ready to strike him again. This continuation of striking him only for him to strike you back went on for a few more times. He found this somewhat cute, your repetitive action only yo get not even a scratch on him. He thought you’d give up in a few more tries but you weren't. You were studying each time you hit him. Where he was most sensitive. What points were easier for you to get too.

“Haven’t you had enough yet?”

Quaritch jokingly says while pushing you back to the ground. You let out another groan but still you get up. You had a few bruises and a busted lip but you still weren't going to give up.

“Not just yet sir.”

You said with a smirk as you wiped away the small amount of blood accumulating on your bottom lip. This made his tail sway even faster. The look in your eyes and your energy made his ears perk and his heart beat start to race. You finally decide this time you’d try to pin him down. You run up to him and instead of striking him head on you jaa his side. He stumbles to the side not expecting that but doesn't fall over. You come up behind him and kick the back of his legs. He falls forward onto his knees but before he has enough time to turn around you get on his back and grab his ear. You pinch it harshly and he lets out a soft whine as you do. You grab his long braid and pulled it, you knew it was one of the most sensitive places for the na’vi’s and you wanted to see just how sensitive it was.

“A-ahh”

He makes a small noise as you pull his braid. He could’ve fought back but since you had his braid you were in control. You lent forward, letting go of his ear as you get close to his face. You looked at him and see his face painted with a pained expression.

“Who’s below who now sir?”

You say tugging his braid a little harder. He once again lets out a groan as you pull it again. His face turned a deep shade of blue, his ears narrowed, his eyes slightly opened to look at you. His hissed at you but he knew you had the advantage. He didn’t want to admit nor was he going to. He bit his lip as you still held his braid tight in your hands. You had no problem staying there, the feeling of him beneath you was satisfying. But this soon would be cut short but a familiar face.

“Hey sir! Are you done yet or….”

Lyle, Quaritchs second hand man of his squad comes busting through the door. He pauses looking stunned at the way Quaritch was pinned down. His face grew a deeper blue from embarrassment.

“Oh sorry! We’re done here for today right sir?”

Your demeanor completely changes from serious to bubbly. You let his hair go and get from off him. You smile down at him and walk out the room past lyle. He looks at you walk off then looks back at Quaritch. He walks in the room to go help him up.

“Are you good sir?”

He asks before reaching out to him.

“I don’t need your help, I'm fine.”

He swats away lyles hand and gets himself up. He stood up and crossed his hands down in front of his groin to hide his erection. You pulling his hair and asserting your dominance got him all worked up. He enjoyed it a lot more than he expected.

“Was there something you needed?”

“Selfridge wanted to go over the details of the upcoming mission."

“I’ll be there shortly."

He quickly left the room and went to go find you. He didn’t know what he would say pr dp he just wanted to see you. You swiftly moved down the hallway and reached your room door. He swung open your door and there you were. Standing in the middle of the room, looking back at him.

“Um…Did you need something sir?"

He didn’t respond, he just looked at you. This look is his eyes, he hungered for something, he needed something. He didn’t respond yet. After a few moments he finally decided to speak.

“There uh. Going over the mission details. You can come and listen if you have nothing else to do.”

“Oh, i'm actually backed up on some work and I have other plans today. Can you fill me in later on sir?”

“Sure thing buttercup.”

He nervously smiled at you before closing the door. He instantly covered his face in embarrassment regretting even coming there. What were you thinking he thought of himself. He grew flustered and walked off to the meeting before he dont anything else stupid.

The moment he closed the door you dropped to your knees and took a deep sigh of relief. You thought he was going to chew you out for what you did but it was the complete opposite. You couldn’t get that look he gave you out of your head. You started to blush as it keep replaying in your head. You knew your actions were to blame but you didn’t think it would get him that worked up. You decide to not do anything like that again, You denied the thought of him finding interest in you. You got up off your knees and started to begin today's work to try and distract yourself from him and his stupid face. He would try to do the same but it wouldn’t work so well for him.

During the meeting the main thing he couldn’t stop thinking about was you. Everything about you, no one ever got him that worked up and he couldn’t get enough of it.

#avatar way of water #avatar fanfiction #avatar #quaritch miles #miles quaritch #avatar miles quaritch

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talonslockau · 5 months

Text

Fire and Ice - Chapter 24

Chapter 23 || Index || Chapter 25

The night of the long-awaited Gathering had finally arrived. Though they did their best to hide it from him, Firepaw could tell Graypaw and Pepperpaw, the winners of the contest, were getting more and more excited to be going to their first Gathering. He couldn't blame them; in their place, he would be excited too.

Ravenpaw had been avoiding him since the morning he'd witnessed the skittish apprentice speaking to the strange calico. He supposed that was because he didn't want any more questions in regards to the mystery cat, and Firepaw understood that. Even now, as all the apprentices sat and waited for Bluestar's announcement, he could tell the black tom would rather be anywhere else.

"I wish I could go with you guys. I bet all the great warriors will be there! Stonestep, Blizzardwing…" Cinderpaw mewed, not trying to hide her envy. "And this will be the first Gathering since Shadowclan invaded Windclan! Do you think it'll be dangerous?"

"It might." Pepperpaw admitted, ducking her head. "But that's why we've been sparring so much lately, isn't it? If Shadowclan tries anything, we'll be able to defend ourselves." Though outwardly the spotted molly seemed confident, Firepaw could tell she was nervous. He had to imagine he would feel the same way. Even with the truce, both Clans had proven to be exceptionally aggressive. Who knew if the truce would hold?

"I'm not gonna let Shadowclan stop me from enjoying myself." Graypaw boasted, puffing out his fluffy chest. "Let all the Clans see how courageous Thunderclan apprentices are! We laugh in the face of those who oppose us."

"What a speech!" Firepaw flicked his tail approvingly as a purr rumbled from his throat. "Well, you give the other Clans my regards. I'll be here protecting camp while you brave heroes are away. You never know, Shadowclan might try to take advantage of the code… they've certainly been doing that enough lately."

"That's what I'm worried about." Pepperpaw sighed at the mention of the code. "One-eye is always talking about how Shadowclan will invade our borders on the night of the full moon. If Brokenstar is in charge, they might take it a step further and attack the camp directly."

"Dad said Bluestar will be sending a patrol to the Shadowclan border, just in case. I'm not worried." Cinderpaw yawned and dipped into a stretch, before leaping out of it excitedly. "Look, there she is! C'mon, let's see which unlucky larks get stuck patrolling while you're at the Gathering."

Firepaw could repeat word for word what Bluestar was about to say, yet still listened patiently as her voice rang out across camp. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Cats from all over camp swarmed the Highrock, eager to see which warriors would be selected for the honor of going to the Gathering, in addition to those unfortunate enough to get the first night patrol.

"The full moon rises once more. This Gathering will be the first since Brokenstar cast out the elders and chased away Windclan. I will not let him get away with these sickening transgressions on the warrior code." Bluestar looked down on all of the cats assembled beneath her. "It may be dangerous. We also cannot forget that Brokenstar may break the code once again and make an assault on our borders, or worse, on our camp. Though we are well reinforced through the efforts of each and every one of you, I still want fighters to remain behind tonight." She paused, glancing towards the apprentices, and Firepaw thought he felt his heart skip a beat. "For this reason, I want all queens and elders to remain behind, ready to defend the camp."

Firepaw let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as he looked towards the elders. He expected them to be angry, as they had the last time they'd been barred from the Gathering, but this time they seemed unsurprised. Perhaps they had decided to stay behind themselves, given the circumstances.

"Tonight I will be bringing with me Tigerclaw, Lionheart, Tinyfrost, Dappleshine, Mousefur, Mistspring, Ravenpaw, Pepperpaw, Graypaw, and Firepaw." Bluestar announced as she picked each cat out of the crowd with her piercing blue gaze. "Sandstorm, Patchpelt, Longtail and Dewpaw will have the first night patrol, while Whitestorm, Darkstripe, and Willowbranch will have the second. I expect our borders to be guarded as well as our camp while we are at the Gathering." She flicked her tail towards the entrance. "Clan dismissed."

"Firepaw?" Cinderpaw gasped from beside him, wide blue eyes turning to stare at him. "Did you know about this?"

"No! I had no idea!" Firepaw protested, his tail bristling in shock. Why would Bluestar have called his name? "It must be some mistake. I'm still being punished for what happened with Yellowfang. Maybe I should talk to her-"

"It's not a mistake." Tinyfrost interrupted, pushing his way through the crowd to stand in front of his apprentice. "And as much as I'd like to claim it, it's not my doing either. It was actually Yellowfang that requested your presence at the Gathering."

"Yellowfang?" Firepaw glanced over at his friends in disbelief. "Why would she want me to go? I attacked her and broke her leg!"

Tinyfrost twitched his whiskers in amusement at his apprentice’s words. "Yes, I do recall that happening. And it surprised me as well when Bluestar told me. But it seems as though you've made quite the impression on her. She insisted on it, and Bluestar agreed you've been performing admirably otherwise. She decided you deserve a treat."

He couldn't help but break into a grin. "She really said that?" If Bluestar thought he was doing well, then…

"She did." Tinyfrost confirmed with a dip of his head. "Now come on. We're going to miss the patrol if we don't hurry up."

Firepaw nodded, leaping to his feet. "Right away, Tinyfrost." He purred, looking at the others. "C'mon, let's get going!"

"You know, I hoped I'd get to experience my first Gathering with you, after our first patrol together." Graypaw said as he brushed up beside the ginger tom on their way to meet Bluestar and the other cats chosen to go with her. "I'm glad Bluestar changed her mind. This feels right."

"I know what you mean." Firepaw grinned at his friend. "I was looking forward to a Gathering with you too. We saw Fourtrees during the day, but it must look so different under the full moon… I can't wait."

"What am I, crowfood?" Pepperpaw asked from behind them as Bluestar gave the signal to move forward. "I'm here too, you know."

Firepaw pushed his way through the well-fortified entrance, his fur snagging on a stray bramble. "Of course, Pepperpaw. I would never forget you or Ravenpaw." He replied as he made his way up the ravine side. "It's too bad Dewpaw and Cinderpaw can't be here too."

He paused at the top as the rest of the apprentices scrambled up after him. "I think it's better Dewpaw isn't here. She's never liked meeting new cats. A whole event about that isn't really her thing." Pepperpaw spoke softly at the mention of her sister, as though she was afraid that the small molly would somehow overhear. "As for Cinderpaw… I'd rather not spend my first Gathering trying to put out whatever fires she manages to make."

"Cinderpaw would definitely challenge a Shadowclan apprentice to a spar the moment she got there." Graypaw purred, tail flicking in amusement. "Or get into an argument with a Riverclanner over Sunningrocks. Or find a way to-"

"I'd prefer not to think about it." Pepperpaw interrupted him, ears flat as she padded alongside them. "C'mon. We should hurry if we want to keep up with the rest of the patrol."

Indeed, Bluestar was beginning to quicken her pace as they entered the forest. It was a similar pace to that Lionheart, Whitestorm and Tinyfrost had taken when Firepaw had first entered the forest; now, however, he kept pace with them easily. Two moons of training had done wonders for his endurance and speed.

He couldn't help but admire how far he had come. He was the same size as Tinyfrost now, maybe even a bit bigger. He could identify each cat in the Clan by sight, sound, or smell alone, and was a formidable hunter and fighter in his own right. No cat could look at him now and call him a lazy kittypet; he was as capable as any forest-born Clan cat.

Their trip through the moonlit forest was quiet and uneventful, the patrol focused on the Gathering that awaited them rather than concerning themselves with idle chatter. Even Firepaw couldn't find it within himself to talk to the other apprentices; his thoughts were focused on what awaited them.

It seemed like both an eternity and no time at all had passed when they reached the stream that separated their territory from the land around Fourtrees. "Be careful." Quickflash stood next to the fallen tree that stretched across as the warriors and apprentices filed past. "It can be slippery, especially after a rain-"

"We know, Dad." Graypaw purred, brushing his cheek against his father's before leaping atop the sturdy log, his claws digging into the wood below him as he made his way across.

"Just making sure." Quickflash sighed as his daughter stepped up next. "Your first Gathering… I only wish Willowbranch could be here to see it too."

"I know, Dad. You're just looking out for us." Pepperpaw nuzzled under his chin reassuringly. "There will be another Gathering with Cinderpaw and Dewpaw that she can see. And she'll get to see us introduced as warriors, too."

The young deputy looked away, but Firepaw didn't miss the smile that flashed across his muzzle. "I know there will. Up you go, now." He nudged his daughter up on the log as Firepaw stepped forward.

"Yea, yea." Pepperpaw made her way halfway across before looking back to Firepaw, green eyes shining brightly. "Hurry up, slowpoke!"

"Why don't you hurry up first!" Firepaw called as she made her way safely to the other side before bounding up himself. "We'd already be there if you weren't holding up the line."

"Oh, hush." She rolled her eyes as he landed nimbly beside her. "You know I'm just as excited as you are to see the other Clans."

He heard another thud behind him, and turned to see Quickflash approaching Bluestar. "That's everyone." He told the leader smoothly, dipping his head respectfully as he stood beside her.

"Very well." The leader gracefully stepped forward, the flash of silver catching the gaze of all the assembled warriors. Wordlessly, she signaled for the assembled cats to follow her with a flick of her tail. As one, each of the warriors stalked through the bushes, silent as they ascended the smooth slope that surrounded Fourtrees.

As they reached the crest, the patrol halted, looking down on the glade that contained Fourtrees. Below them, the Great Rock glowed under the moonlight, casting a dark shadow below it. He could see two figures on top, seemingly talking to each other.

Below them, cats milled around in the grassy hollow. He could see four elders basking close to the Great Rock, their white muzzles reflecting the moonlight. In the roots of one of the giant oaks, three apprentices played a game that looked like a mix between tag and hide-and-seek. It looked almost like a Clan camp at the height of sunhigh, were it not for the lack of dens and wide, open space.

"Do you smell that? Seems like only Riverclan is here right now." Mousefur murmured to Quickflash nearby. "I can't smell any sign of Windclan or Shadowclan yet."

"The night is still young." Quickflash replied in a hushed whisper. "There's still plenty of time for both to arrive."

"You think Windclan might still make it after they were chased out by Shadowclan?" Tinyfrost's eyes were narrow as he watched the cats below them. "I hope Shadowclan isn't off invading our camp while we're out here."

"Enough." Bluestar hissed, lashing her tail in a clear signal for silence. After several moments of tense silence, she stood, the other cats following her in one fluid motion. "Remember this is a night of peace. I expect you all to be on your best behavior." She glanced warningly at the patrol on both sides of her before arching her head regally as she gazed at the clearing below.

Firepaw hesitated, wondering if she might say something else, but instead her tail rose and lashed once from side to side. The Thunderclan cats moved as one, bounding down the slope together. His heart raced with anticipation as he followed them, the other apprentices beside him.

The scent of Riverclan swirled around them as they joined with the waiting crowd, warriors greeting the other Clan as warmly as they would their own. It was strange to think that on any other day, these cats would be at each other's throats; tonight, however, they were like old friends.

Bluestar and Quickflash strode through the crowd to the Great Rock, climbing it in a few swift bounds. Above them, two warriors were waiting, an old grizzled tabby and a sleek, strangely-spotted molly.

"Look! That's Crookedstar and Leopardflame." Graypaw hissed in his ear as Firepaw looked on. "Riverclan's leader and deputy. They're so big up close!"

"They're also on a rock several fox lengths above us." Pepperpaw observed dryly on his other side. "Looks like Ravenpaw's found the other apprentices. Should we join him?"

"Not yet." Firepaw mewed, scanning the clearing. "You guys mentioned that we might get to meet some legendary warriors, right? I want to see them first." He could only imagine what they must look like; he had to imagine most of them were bigger than Tigerclaw, with giant teeth and claws to boot.

"Well, only Riverclan is here, but I bet the best place to look is wherever Tigerclaw and Lionheart are." Graypaw strained to look over the heads of the assembled crowd. "They love one-upping the other warriors with their achievements, so I'm sure they'll have found similar warriors in the Riverclan group. They only have one night to boast, after all."

"There!" Firepaw spotted the white-tipped tail of Tigerclaw disappearing through the crowd. "Let's go!"

"I'm going to go find Spottedleaf, actually." Pepperpaw mewed as she stood and stretched. "I promised Dewpaw I'd tell her about the other healers when I got back, and I'm sure Spottedleaf can help point Mudwish out to me."

"I understand. We'll come find you, when we're done." Graypaw grinned at Firepaw as his sister departed. "Shall we?"

"We shall." The two hurried in the direction of Tigerclaw, where he sat with several Riverclan warriors and Tinyfrost. They matched the giant tabby in physique, though he still looked the biggest out of all of them. It seemed even here, the Thunderclan warrior's strength was unparalleled.

His eyes were shining as he told a tale Firepaw had heard many times in camp before: the day that Redtail had died. "I wrestled like a Lionclan warrior. I had three warriors trying to hold me down, but they were nothing compared to my strength." He boasted proudly, looking down on the assembled cats smugly. "By the time I was done with them, two lay knocked out while the last was running for the river."

"Bah, I bet they were all apprentices." A tom as black as a new moon spoke up. "Have I ever told you about the time I fought Spiderfoot and Raggedstar - and won?"

"Not that old story. You've told it so many times, Shadepaw can recite it by heart!" A tom that looked as though he were made from moonlight spoke next. "I'm telling you, that was just a fluke. I bet I could take on Brokenstar, Spiderfoot, and Tigerclaw all at the same time."

Tigerclaw snorted. "Oh really, Stonestep? You're only saying that because Shadowclan isn't here yet."

The silver tom - Stonestep, Firepaw had to guess - merely chuffed at the tabby's words. "Am I? Or are you just scared I'm right?" He looked away from the muscular tabby and caught sight of the two apprentices standing there, listening. "And who might you two be? Curious little Thunderclan apprentices, I can see."

"This is my new apprentice, Firepaw, who hails from outside the Clans." Tinyfrost spoke up, flicking his tail idly. "And his friend, Graypaw, the son of Willowbranch and Quickflash, who is being mentored by Lionheart."

The ginger tom stiffened under the gaze of such mighty warriors. "H-Hello there." He mumbled, his fur prickling as he averted his eyes. Beside him, he could hear Graypaw stutter out something similar.

"Son of Quickflash? You must have been proud to see your father made deputy. I know I was, before…" He could hear Stonestep pause, his voice warbling slightly before he did. "And it's good to meet you, Firepaw. I hope Tinyfrost is teaching you well."

"He is!" The young apprentice spoke quickly as he looked back to the Riverclan warrior. "I'm learning lots. Hunting, and fighting, and-"

"Are you really Stonestep?" He had never been more grateful for Graypaw interrupting him. "Son of Oakheart himself? I've heard loads about you! The elders say you're one of the best warriors in the Clans!" He paused as he caught Tigerclaw's glare. "Not better than any of our warriors, though, of course."

"Do they?" Stonestep purred at the young tom's words. "Did Smallear ever tell you about the scar I gave him, just before he retired?"

"Alright, that's enough out of you two. Leave the real warriors to talk." Tigerclaw huffed at the two of them, flicking his one torn ear. "I'm sure you have plenty else to see before the night is over."

"Yes, Tigerclaw." The two spoke in unison, turning away with a conspiratorial grin that the warriors hopefully didn't see. He had met one of Riverclan's greatest warriors! He couldn't wait to tell Cinderpaw, when they got back. He knew the molly would be green with envy at the mere mention of him.

"C'mon, let's go see how my mentor is doing." Graypaw flicked his tail toward the golden warrior, who was sitting with the Riverclan elders. They seemed charmed to be sitting with one of Thunderclan's greatest warriors, smiling and perking their ears as he spoke.

"So then he told me he'd take all of my dawn patrols for a half-moon if I could beat his record in the Great Sycamore." As they approached, Lionheart was regaling the elders with a tale Firepaw hadn't heard before. "I was so determined to beat him, I forgot that most of the top branches couldn't carry my weight. I fell nearly two fox-lengths before I finally caught a branch sturdy enough to hold me!"

"Young warriors have always been the most foolhardy." One of the elders shook his head with a sigh. "I'm surprised Redtail didn't try and stop you two."

"That's because he beat both of us!" Lionheart roared with laughter at the memory. "He stuck us on dawn patrols every day for a whole moon! That's actually how we got to know each other." He caught sight of the two apprentices approaching, taking in a deep breath as he regained his composure. "Ah, Graypaw, Firepaw. Are you two enjoying the Gathering?"

"Yes, Lionheart." Firepaw dipped his head in greeting to the elders. "Who was that you were talking about?" He asked curiously, perking his ears to hear the golden tom's reply.

"Ah, so you two did hear that. Well, I was just telling the elders here about how Whitestorm and I became close." He flicked his tail invitingly towards them. "This is my apprentice, Graypaw. And Tinyfrost's apprentice, Firepaw. They've both been working diligently the past couple of moons. More diligently than I ever did!"

"Ah, to be young again." Another elder sighed, her whiskers twitching at unmentioned memories. "Able to fight with the strength of Lionclan and hunt with the stealth of Tigerclan. Those were the days."

"Lionclan? Tigerclan? Are those other Clans?" Firepaw asked, his brow furrowing. "I thought there were only four."

"Don't tell me Thunderclan doesn't teach their kits about the Great Clans!" The first elder scoffed at his questions. "For shame, Lionheart. No wonder the other elders didn't show their faces tonight."

"Firepaw here wasn't born in the Clans." Lionheart said quickly, glancing at the young ginger tom with an unreadable gaze before fixing his eyes on Graypaw. "My apprentice, however, was. Why don't you tell Firepaw of the Great Clans, hmm?"

Graypaw shuffled his paws nervously. "Uh, well. The three Great Clans came long before us, and ruled before even the Twolegplace existed. They were all as big as monsters, or so One-eye told me." He hesitated as he glanced at Lionheart for reassurance, to which his mentor nodded for him to continue. "Tigerclan were cats of the night, with jet-black stripes. Then there were Lionclan, with pelts like gold and a mane with rays like the sun. They're who Tigerclaw and Lionheart are named after."

Lionheart dipped his head approvingly. "Indeed. I like to think I would make quite a good Lionclan warrior, even if I am a bit small compared to them." He chuffed in amusement at his own words. "And what of the third Clan, hmm?"

Graypaw hesitated. "I, uh, I don't remember…"

"One-eye would be so disappointed." The elder molly from before spoke up, her light gray tail swishing languidly. "The last of the Great Clans is Leopardclan, swiftest of the three, that ran like the wind over prairie and forest and swam like fish in the river. They were covered by black pawprints, like our deputy Leopardflame is." She bowed her head solemnly. "It was a sign from Starclan when she was born that they are still with us today."

"Every warrior is descended from the Great Clans. It is thanks to them that we have the gifts that allow us to thrive within the forest." An old tom huffed, stretching out a brown striped paw. "It's what separates us from those kittypets the Twolegs adore."

Firepaw shifted uncomfortably at that, unsure how to respond. "Oh, go on, both of you." Lionheart rumbled with a flick of his tail. "You're obviously not interested in hearing us old-timers speak, so go find something that does interest you."

"Yes, Lionheart." Graypaw replied quickly, standing up and stretching out his back paws. "Come on, Firepaw. Let's see if we can find my sister. Hopefully she's had time to speak to Mudwish by now."

Firepaw quickly followed after him, the elder's words still on his mind. "Clan cats will really come up with anything to think they're better than kittypets." He grumbled to Graypaw as they passed through the crowd.

"Don't let it get to you." The tom replied smoothly, even as he cast a worried gaze at his friend. "It's all just an old queens' tale, anyways. Could you even imagine a cat the size of a Monster? It's just not possible." He flicked his tail towards the Great Rock. "I see her! There, at the base. She's talking to Spottedleaf and- that has to be the other healers. C'mon, let's get going."

He followed quickly on the other apprentice's heels, spying the two mollies sitting next to two other cats. One was a Riverclan tom, he could smell as he approached, but older than Spottedleaf; he smelled as though he were nearly an elder himself. He was covered in scars, including a particularly nasty one across his face.

The other was much younger, though their scent was masked in herbs, making it hard to make much else out. They sat stoically off to the side, cleaning at their ears with their white paws.

"I can't believe that he would just let a healer leave like that, even if they still have Wetnose. After Windclan, I had feared the worst, yet even I never expected that." The older healer shook his head slowly as the pair approached. "I'm glad to hear they're in your capable paws, though. If you need any herbs, you know we're only across the river. Crookedstar may not be as generous as Bluestar, but I'm certain we can spare a little help in times of need."

"Your offer is most kind, Mudwish, but we're doing well at the moment. Even with the late newleaf, herbs have been growing well in our territory. Starclan has blessed us with a good harvest." She flicked an ear towards the two apprentices. "Firepaw, Graypaw. I don't suppose you've come to learn our healer secrets, have you?"

"We're actually here for Pepperpaw." Firepaw nodded to the spotted molly as she stood up. "Are you sure you should be talking about the Shadowclan elders? I thought we weren't supposed to mention them."

Spottedleaf shrugged. "Healers are held by a separate code. We look after every cat in all of the Clans, not just our own. There are no secrets between us and Starclan." She nodded to the molly beside her. "Go on, then. Don't keep your friends waiting."

The three didn't linger, instead moving back through the two Clans mingling. "So, did you find anyone interesting?" Pepperpaw inquired, studying the two of them curiously.

"We got to talk to Stonestep!" Graypaw exclaimed, his tail waving in excitement at the memory. "He seemed to take an interest in me, too, can you believe that?"

The gray molly purred at her brother's enthusiasm. "I'm glad to hear it. What about you, Firepaw? What have you learned so far?"

"Well, Lionheart and Graypaw told me about the three Great Clans." He recalled slowly, the elder's parting words still fresh in his mind. "I hadn't realized the Clans had such a history."

Pepperpaw scoffed. "The elders love telling those tales. I doubt such giant cats have ever existed, and even if they did, why aren't they here anymore?" She paused for a moment. "Then again, I suppose if they did exist, we couldn't be here, so we should be glad they don't."

"Cinderpaw always loved those stories." Graypaw murmured thoughtfully. "She boasted she was going to become a warrior of Lionclan one day." He snorted at the thought. "Anyways, let's go see what Ravenpaw's been up to."

They found Ravenpaw on the roots of the giant oak that represented Riverclan. Beneath him sat the three Riverclan apprentices that he had spotted earlier, completely enraptured by the story he was telling them.

"Fur was flying everywhere. Blood splattered against the leaves, deep red against bright green. I'd just fought off a warrior when the ground shook, and I heard someone cry out in agony." Ravenpaw's eyes were shining brighter than Firepaw had ever seen as he spoke animatedly, his tail lashing excitedly. "Then Redtail ran past me, his fur torn and his mouth dripping blood. 'Oakheart is dead!' He howled to me, before leaping back into the fray to help Tigerclaw."

"Wow! I didn't know Ravenpaw could tell a tale like that." Graypaw whispered to the other two apprentices. "He might beat One-eye in a story-telling contest."

But Firepaw wasn't listening. "Did I hear him right?" He hissed to Pepperpaw. "If Redtail killed Oakheart…"

"Then who killed Redtail?" Pepperpaw finished for him. "I don't know. But we can ask questions once he's done."

"Finally, Redtail dragged the warrior off Tigerclaw, and with the strength of all of Lionclan, flung him into the bushes!" Ravenpaw announced triumphantly. "It was then that he spotted me crouching in the tall grass. 'Run! Bring back help!' He yowled at me, before sprinting back into battle."

The Riverclan apprentices inched forward eagerly, crowding around him with questions on the tip of their tongue.

"What were Oakheart's dying words?"

"Is it true Oakheart fought off three warriors at once?"

"Who do you think would win, Tigerclaw or Oakheart?"

Firepaw looked at Pepperpaw with his own questions. "Come to think of it, Tigerclaw said there wasn't a battle at all, and that they pinned down both him and Ravenpaw." He tilted his head in confusion. "If that was a lie, what else did Tigerclaw say that wasn't true?"

"Don't tell me you're indulging him." The duo jumped as Tigerclaw's voice rumbled from behind them. They turned to see the warrior looming over the two, his eyes ablaze with cold fury. "Ravenpaw has always had an overactive imagination. He's just pretending to have been there to impress the Riverclanners."

The ginger apprentice could feel his heart nearly beating out of his chest as he stared back at the huge tabby warrior above them. "I-I'm sorry, Tigerclaw. I didn't know."

"You do now." Tigerclaw hissed as he stormed past the two of them. "Ravenpaw! Come along now. You're almost a warrior; you ought to be socializing with them instead of these apprentices." He spat the last word as he reached the roots next to them.

At the sight of his father, the black apprentice's eyes went wide with a horror that Firepaw had never before seen in a cat. "Y-yes, father." He all but whimpered as he stood and approached his father, the fur along his tail bristling as he crawled towards him.

"Oh, no…" Firepaw couldn't help but whisper as he watched the two depart, the Riverclan apprentices looking after the two in bewilderment.

"That didn't look good." Graypaw observed as he watched them leave. "What was all that about?"

Pepperpaw's ears were back as she replied. "I think maybe Ravenpaw saw something he shouldn't have."

"Something he shouldn't ha-"

Graypaw didn't get to finish his sentence as a loud yowl sounded across the clearing. All the assembled cats turned as one to see the source; a large patrol of cats streamed down the slopes, headed by a cat as large as Tigerclaw.

"Shadowclan!" Pepperpaw hissed from beside them. "See the leader's tail, kinked like that? That's Brokenstar."

The Shadowclanners stayed in a tightly knit group as they charged through the crowd to the Great Rock, forcing the other warriors to move out of their way. The apprentices looked at each other uneasily as two of the warriors leaped atop it; Brokenstar and a large white tom with dark paws.

"Spiderfoot." Graypaw hissed to Firepaw. "There aren't any cats in the Clans like him. I heard he was giant, but he's bigger than Brokenstar, even with all that matted fur!"

Brokenstar stepped forward, almost pushing Bluestar and Crookedstar out of his way as he gazed down at the ruffled crowd below him. "Friends, I come to speak to you about the needs of Shadowclan-"

"Where is Tallstar?" One of the Riverclan elders yowled from beside Lionheart.

"We can't start yet! Windclan hasn't arrived!" Another Riverclanner spoke, though Firepaw couldn't pick out who it was in the crowd.

"As the leader of Shadowclan, it is my right to address you all here!" Brokenstar roared over the angry dissent of the crowd. Below him, the Shadowclan warriors formed a defensive circle around the base of the rock, clearly ready to go on the offensive. The crowd fell into an uneasy quiet, forming pockets as they stared down the enemy warriors.

"As you all know, the harsh leafbare and late newleaf has meant less prey runs in our hunting grounds. Many lost warriors, elders, and kits to starvation because of it." The dark leader bowed his head as if in mourning. "But Shadowclan did not. We have spent generations hardening ourselves against the cold northern winds. We are born stronger than other Clan's kits."

"What a load of mousedung." Graypaw hissed to the other two. Similar sentiments seemed to be echoing through the rest of the crowd. "Shadowclan just got lucky, plain and simple. I bet-"

Pepperpaw hushed him as the tabby tom continued. "And so we find ourselves with many mouths to feed and too little prey to feed them." He sighed loud enough that all the cats could hear him. "The needs of Shadowclan are simple. In order to survive, we must increase our hunting territory. You must allow us to share in your hunting grounds."

Shocked yowls filled the air at his words. "Share our hunting grounds? It is unprecedented!" A tortoiseshell queen from Riverclan cried.

"We would never submit to such demands." Tigerclaw hissed, his tail lashing as he glared up at the enemy leader.

"You must." Brokenstar spat back at them. "Windclan failed to understand this. In the end, we were forced to drive them out."

Cries of outrage came at his words, though the Thunderclan warriors were muted compared to the Riverclanners. It seemed Mudwish had not yet shared with them what had happened to Windclan. "How dare you disturb the natural order? Who are you to go against Starclan?" One elder called out furiously.

"I am Brokenstar, leader of Shadowclan, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure my Clan stays fed." His eyes glittered as he looked down on all of them. "We will have more hunting grounds. And we will drive out all of you to make sure that happens if we have to!"

There was silence at his words. Each cat looked to those beside them, as though their companions might have some answers that they did not. For his part, Firepaw could not turn away from the darkness that stood atop the Great Rock, threatening to engulf Clan life as they knew it.

"I do not ask for your answers now." Brokenstar's voice was smug now that he at last had the silence of the crowd. "I understand such a decision may seem difficult to make. Yet, as you leave, you must ask yourselves; would you rather share your hunting grounds, or be driven out and left homeless? Windclan refused to believe our strength." He wasn't close enough to hear, but he could only imagine the leader purring at the horror on each cat's face. "I would not make their mistake."

Hushed whispers broke out among the crowd, discussing the leader's proposal. On the rock behind Brokenstar, Crookedstar looked shaken, obviously caught off guard by Shadowclan's display of force. Beside him, Bluestar stood still, staring down the scarred tabby furiously. He was glad to see the Thunderclan leader would not be so easily swayed.

"I also bring news of a grave danger to your Clans." Brokenstar called as the din below him quieted. "Shadowclan warriors drove off a group of cats that had spurned the warrior code and killed several of our kits so they would not have to share their prey. We chased them out of our camp, but we do not know where they went afterwards. They are led by a mangy old molly with dark gray fur and a bite like Tigerclan." He looked over the assembled warriors, tail lashing at the mention of these rogues. "They are all dangerous, and must be brought to justice. Until then," The leader's matted fur bristled, "Keep a close eye on your kits. None of them are safe."

Firepaw felt fear course through his veins as the assembled Thunderclan cats began muttering to each other. It was obvious he was talking about Yellowfang and the others. And while they had been begrudgingly welcomed into the Clan before, they were now accused of murdering kits. As he spotted Tigerclaw's scruff rising, his giant claws digging into the dirt, he knew immediately that the molly that had granted him her trust wasn't safe from the warrior's wrath.

He had to tell her.

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archiveikemen · 1 year

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Abe no Yasuchika Main Story — Chapter 15 Premium Story

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Yasuchika: … You need to quit being so reckless.

Yasuchika: I seriously can’t take my eyes off you for even a second.

Yuno: You really came to save me…

I felt a warm hand on my head when I was about to burst into tears.

Yasuchika: You did a good job hanging on by yourself so far. Good girl.

Yuno: … Thank you.

Ayakashi 1: You're interfering!

Yuno: Watch out!

Yasuchika: Oh you’re pretty energetic.

Yasuchika raised his hand, and a purple light enveloped the ayakashi.

Yasuchika: But you’re nowhere strong enough to survive in Kyoto.

Yasuchika: Come again another time.

Ayakashi 2: Ggh… these powers… I’ve heard of you!

Ayakashi 3: Abe no Yasuchika! The second coming of Abe no Seimei…

Ayakashi 4: Shuten Doji’s favorite pet! — Argh.

(Shuten Doji...?)

Yasuchika casually reached out and flicked the tip of the ayakashi’s nose, causing some purple sparks to appear.

Yasuchika: We make a pretty good duo, don't you agree?

Yuno: … Yeah.

Yuno: But what are you doing here, Yasuchika?

Yasuchika: I received a report saying that one of my men failed to fix the barrier in the area he was put in charge of.

Yasuchika: I went to have a look, and sensed that the air around that place felt off…

Yasuchika: Then I entered the other world by going through a crack, and there you were.

Yuno: Um, did you happen to see a little boy? He was also attacked by the ayakashi.

Yasuchika: Yeah, I had my men look after him.

Yuno: Thank goodness…!

Yasuchika: You’re always so caring towards other people.

(Yasuchika…)

Yuno: I knew that you would come to my rescue, so I was fine.

Yasuchika: … Right.

Strangely, there seemed to be something wavering behind those eyes as he gazed at me.

I clenched my fists, not knowing what that look meant.

Yasuchika: … Yuno, there are some scratches on the back of your hand.

Yuno: Huh? Oh, yeah.

Yasuchika: …

(Yasuchika…?)

A bewitching smile formed on Yasuchika's face.

Yasuchika: For some reason… looking at them makes me angry.

Yasuchika: I was glad I could come to your rescue, but… I couldn't make it before you got hurt.

His tone made me shudder.

(Others might not be able to tell… but I know he’s genuinely upset.)

Yasuchika: Fortunately, the town is clean now that the barrier has been repaired.

Yasuchika: This means that I can proceed with my big plan tonight.

The sight of his tongue poking out between his lips as he spoke was so hot, I had to look away for a moment.

But I gathered my courage and made the first move, which was to hold his hand tightly.

Yuno: … Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?

The air surrounding Yasuchika suddenly grew less tense.

Yasuchika: Of course. As long as you’re around, I’ll keep it within limits.

(As long as I’m around, huh.)

(How long can I stay by his side?)

Yasuchika: 「Purse all evil, cleanse and shed light on every corner...」

Yasuchika: 「All that were stripped of their power shall vanish into the darkness. 」

(— It's so bright.)

Ayakashi: Ah… ahh… the light—

Ayakashi 2: The powers given to us by Ashiya Doman are disappearing…

Yuno: …!

A light shone down the ayakashi's heads and trapped them.

After it slowly faded away…

(Those parasols and white clothes…)

Everything those ayakashi were wearing fell to the ground.

What was left behind were a group of black shadows.

Yuno: What are those…?

Yasuchika: They’re actually low class ayakashi. It was Ashiya Doman who gave them those powers to make them stronger.

Yasuchika: I’ve stripped those powers from them, so they're basically useless now.

Yasuchika: Developing that spell was definitely worth all the effort.

Yuno: It’s finally over now!

(As expected of our amazing Onmyoji.)

Black Shadow 1: Who am I…?

Black Shadow 2: This place gives me the creeps… I want to go home.

Black Shadow 3: I feel lonely… so lonely…

Yasuchika: Oh? It looks like apart from losing their powers, they lost their memories too.

Yasuchika: Doman gained such a great amount of control over them, all the way to their souls… interesting.

The black shadows trembled in fear when Yasuchika poked at them.

Yuno: I’m starting to feel sorry for them.

Yasuchika: Uhh even though they attacked you? Aren't you a little too kind-hearted?

Yuno: Imagine if they weren't manipulated by Doman…

(I know I sound super naive right now.)

Yasuchika: You’re not wrong to think like that. It's just who you are.

Yuno: Eh?

Yasuchika: You’re someone who's always healing others, so it's natural that you’d have a soft heart.

(I’m glad he thinks that way about me but…)

It felt as if he was comparing himself to me.

Yuno: … What do you plan to do with those ayakashi?

Yasuchika: They hurt you, so I’m going to make them disappear for good.

(... Erm.)

Yasuchika: — Usually, I would’ve already done that without a second thought.

Yuno: Eh?

Yasuchika looked up at the sky with a faint smile.

Yasuchika: But since the ritual has been held, it'd be nice to end the day peacefully without any kids getting hurt, regardless of whether they’ve been good or bad.

(End the day peacefully?)

Yasuchika: I’ll create a portal to the underworld and send these ayakashi back.

Yuno: You can do that…?

Yasuchika: I told you before, remember? I’ve already made all the necessary arrangements for tonight’s events.

Yasuchika picked up a lantern hanging from a nearby tree.

Yasuchika: I need to walk a little more to get closer to the portal leading to the underworld. Just give me a moment, okay?

(He makes it sound as if he’s only going for a stroll in a garden.)

Yasuchika frequently travels between the two worlds with ease.

— He does it so easily that I can't keep up.

Yuno: Okay… um, Yasuchika?

Yasuchika nodded when I called out to him.

Yuno: Please come back.

(I know it's not the case, but… it feels as if he might not want to return.)

I wrapped his hands in mine, hoping that the warmth would keep this dangerously fragile man in check.

Yasuchika: — You want me to come back?

Yuno: That's right. The incident just now made me uncomfortable… I want you to stay by my side.

Yasuchika: As you wish.

Yasuchika pulled me towards him, in a manner so tender that it was like he was handling something precious.

(Ah…)

The way his fingers touched me was so gentle that I didn't resist.

Yasuchika: I promise you.

I let out an involuntary gasp when I heard his sweet whisper in my ear.

Then he kissed the top of my eyelids…

Yasuchika: …

Yuno: Yasuchika…

The way we gazed at each other contained a feeling that neither of us could name.

(It’s not just me. Why is he looking at me like that…)

Yasuchika: — I’ll be right back.

Yuno: G-Go ahead.

I had to force those words out of my mouth.

The sight of him turning his back towards me made me feeling somewhat frustrated.

Yuno: … Be careful!

(I have tons of things I want to say to him, but those are the only words I can speak at this moment.)

Yasuchika gave me a small smile in response and started walking while leading the ayakashi behind him.

Yasuchika: Come with me, all of you. You won't feel lonely if you follow me.

The candle light in his lamp flickered, and with a flash of purple light, Yasuchika vanished through the torii gate.

All the black shadows followed behind him like moths attracted to light.

(— It looks like a procession of spirits.)

(In that case, why would they follow Yasuchika’s lead?)

Yuno: We’re all the same after all.

Yuno: … Lonely.

The words I muttered to myself disappeared into the darkness.

After it was all over, we went to meet up with the little boy who was in the custody of Yasuchika’s men.

(His mother must be worried sick. I have to send him back to her as soon as possible.)

Child: Big sis…!

Yuno: I’m so glad you’re safe…

I hugged the little boy who came running towards me.

Child: I… I was so afraid… I even left you behind and escaped by myself.

Yuno: It's alright. I was the one who told you to run away.

Child: Thank you. I…

In the corner of my eye, I could see Yasuchika standing there and acting as if this didn’t concern him.

Yuno: The one you should thank isn’t me, it's that big bro over here.

Yasuchika: Eh?

I placed a hand on Yasuchika's back and pushed him towards the little boy.

Yasuchika: Yuno?

Child: Big bro, thank you so much…!

The little boy wiped the tears off his eyes.

Yasuchika: Uhh you're welcome…?

The little boy was still weeping, he felt so relieved that he couldn't stop his tears.

Yasuchika: You’re safe now. So there's no need to cry, okay?

Child: Ueeuee… I’m sorry

Yasuchika: … It's ok.

Yasuchika averted his gaze. It seemed that it was an unusual situation for him.

He then pat the little boy’s head.

Yasuchika: You’re only about seven years old, right? You’ll forget all about tonight as you grow older.

Yasuchika: Therefore, you shouldn't worry anymore and go home to your family.

Child: … Okay.

(Yasuchika’s so kind.)

The Yasuchika standing before me looked like a completely different man from the Yasuchika who was just using black magic for evil deeds this afternoon.

(I wouldn't have gotten so captivated by him if he were even more of a jerk.)

#ikemen genjiden #ikegen #ikemen series #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #otome #ikegen main story #ikemen yasuchika #yasuchika main story

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jonogueirawrites · 1 year

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The seer of life and death.

Chapter 4

AO3

Too late.

Xavier was nervous. Understandably so. He kept looking at his watch, wishing for it to turn seven. Tired of waiting, he gave the drawing in front of him the last touches, and soon you stood amidst the trees with a warm smile on your face. He caressed the paper with the utmost gentleness, imagining he could trace your skin with his fingertips. Closing the sketchbook, he took his jacket from his bed and went to the university’s gates.

He walked slowly, trying to gain time and also think about topics he could talk to you about. Still, in his mind, he could only see you giving him a shy glance and hear your laughter in the air. Looking at his watch again, he noticed he had gotten lost in his fantasies and that he was late.

Arriving at the gate, he looked for you, but you were nowhere to be found. Thinking that you got tired from waiting, he sagged his shoulders and cursed himself. How could he have blown up such an opportunity to be with you? Coming up with excuses and apologies, he looked up to the night sky. His ears caught wind of low whispers, and soon his sad face turned to one of pure bliss.

He tilted his head to the side and swept the hair from his face. You walked out of the woods talking to your parents. An exasperated look on your features. As soon as you saw him, your whole being lit in happiness, and he couldn’t deny it. He was sure he was falling in love with you.

He marveled at your beauty and not only that. After the morning you two spent talking about anything and everything, he discovered how fun and funny you were. He could relax in your presence and just be himself. He loved the way you tilted your head when you paid attention to his stories, always asking for more details. Ready to give your opinion whenever he asked for one.

He fell in love with the way you walked. The tone of your voice. The little scrunches around your nose when you chuckled. How your hair complimented your face and made your eyes shine. The way your lips curled up with the simplest of smiles.

He had definitely fallen in love with you. And it was in a way he couldn’t explain.

You approached him with your parents right beside you. Your father was the first to speak.

“She doesn’t want us to come along. It doesn’t mean we won’t keep an eye on you.”

Xavier nodded his way. He tried to show him he wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. He made sure to appease his worries, but your mother shook her head at both of them.

“She can take care of herself,” she addressed your father. “And you, Xavier, give her a night to remember fondly.”

“I’ll do my best.” He flashed her a genuine smile.

“If we are done,” you said sternly, “I think we should be on our way, Xavier.”

“Of course.” He waved goodnight to your parents, and you got into his car. “By the way,” he turned to look at you once you were both comfortable inside, “you look lovely tonight.”

The smile on his lips sent goosebumps all over your body. You were suddenly self-conscious and ran your finger over your hair. You were sure he would be the death of you. “I…” You chuckled shyly. “Thank you. You look handsome as always.”

When you finally gathered enough courage to look up at him, you noticed how happy he was. His eyes watching your movements with admiration, made your heart swell with delight. A silent prayer on your mind when you avoided his gaze. One begging the creators not to let you fall in love with him. And one of them answered, sending butterflies to your stomach.

Too late.

The way to Jericho was filled with conversation and comfortable silence. You exchanged glances, and you even dared touch him. His long hair hid his face from you, so you reached for it and tucked it behind his ear. When you caressed his cheek with your thumb, he took hold of your hand and brought it to his lips. Landing a soft and chaste kiss on the back of it.

You melted with the touch and agreed with the creators.

Too late, indeed.

Sitting by the window, Xavier ordered coffee while you opted for hot chocolate. He also got you a pastry of your choice and a slice of pie for him. You chatted until you were thrown out of the place. You never noticed how fast the time flew, and then you waited for him on the sidewalk. After paying, he came to stay by your side, and there you stood admiring the night sky filled with stars and decorated by a shy moon.

You could feel his gaze upon your skin when his fingers laced yours. Closing your eyes and smiling at the peacefulness of it all, you let your fingers curl around his. Still with your eyes closed, you heard yourself saying, “Thank you, Xavier.”

“No. Thank you.”

He caressed your face with the other hand, and you looked at him. His signature smile played on his face. All you wanted was to kiss him.

And as if he had read your mind, he took a step forward, into your personal space. His lips centimeters from yours. He raised his hands and placed them on the sides of your face. You held his wrists and leaned on his touch. Xavier lightly rubbed his thumbs on your cheeks. His gaze intense and unwavering until the last second before he leaned in and kissed you.

His lips were even softer than you had imagined, but it ended way sooner than you had hoped. When you opened your eyes, you noticed his remained closed. His lips were curved up, and you mimicked him. When he looked at you, you could see awe in the depths of his eyes.

And you? You felt at home in his arms.

Safe at last.

I hope you liked.

Likes and reblogs are super appreciated!

#xavier thorpe #xavier thorpe/reader #xavier thorpe/you #xavier/reader #xavier/you #the seer of life and death #chapter 4

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allthingsfangirl101 · 9 months

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CE Chapter 20: First Official Outing

Masterlist

Ellie's hands wouldn't stop shaking as she searched through her closet, looking for something fitting for tonight. She's never been to a Mafia Party before. The longer she struggled to find an outfit, the worse her anxiety attack got. She jumped when there was a soft knock.

"Ellie? Sweetie, I figured you might need some. . ."

Olivia's voice got stuck in her throat when she saw the state of her son's soulmate. She jogged over to her.

"You okay, sweetie?"

"I don't know what I'm doing," Ellie whispered as she slowly sat on the edge of her bed. Olivia sat next to her and instantly grabbed her hand.

"It's okay to feel like this," Olivia said gently. "It's very overwhelming. Can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Yes, please."

"Lean on George," she said. "Completely lean on him. Tell him everything. Every fear. Every moment of happiness. Every time you thought about him that day. The more you lean on him, the more he can lean on you. And George needs you, Ellie."

Ellie took a shaky breath, looking down at Olivia's hand wrapped around hers.

"What if I'm not good enough for him?"

"You're his soulmate, Ellie. You were literally made for him."

"I know that," she sighed. "I just. . . I don't know if I'm good enough for the organization."

"Ellie," she sighed. She reached over and made her look up at her. "Something you need to know about this organization is that those men downstairs and throughout the house will always have your back. Honestly, they will have your back more than they have George's."

"Really?" Ellie chuckled.

"Of course," Olivia smirked. "My husband and I used to joke that he was the face of the organization but I ran the rest of it. He'd joke that if we had different opinions on things, the men would follow me. Not him. And I think my son's men will behave the same."

"I hope you're right," she whispered. Olivia stood up and kissed her son's soulmate on her forehead.

"Don't worry," she whispered. "Everything is going to be fine. Just remember: lean on George.”

Ellie watched as Olivia left her room. As soon as she left, Ellie's stomach dropped. She stood up, trying to figure out which dress to wear. She went back and forth between her closet and her mirror. Each dress she tried didn't look fancy enough. A little while later, there was another knock. She turned around to see George peeking his head in.

"Hey, you," he said softly. "My mom practically dragged me up here. You okay?"

He walked into her room when he saw her nervously thumbing her fingers through the dresses in her closet.

"What's wrong?"

Ellie slowly turned around, forcing herself to look her soulmate in the eyes as she admitted this.

"I don't know if I can do this," she said softly. George instantly closed the gap between them and grabbed her hands.

"You don't have to," he said under his breath. "My darling, if you aren't ready for this, you don't have to go downstairs."

"But all of your business partners." She couldn't look at him anymore. She looked away, guilt swallowing her up. George gently lifted her chin. When she did, he was softly smiling at her.

"I don't care about my business partners, Ellie. I care about you. And there is no way I'm going to drag you downstairs to an event that you don't want to go to."

"You've been talking about this party for the last week."

"Ellie," he whispered, "if you don't want to go downstairs, I completely understand."

"I don't want to disappoint you," she whispered.

George closed the gap and pressed his lips delicately to hers. She sighed before slowly kissing him back. He broke the kiss, leaving his nose pressed against hers.

"You could never disappoint me, Soulmate."

* * * * *

The party was in full swing, George entertaining his guests while Ellie was upstairs struggling to gather the courage to join him. She tried on at least fifteen outfits but none of them looked the part of Mafia Boss's Wife. He found himself continually checking the stairs for any sign that she was coming down. He wanted to go up and check on her, but he didn't want to pressure her.

An hour into the party, he checked the stairs for at least the seventeenth time. He sighed, forcing himself to look away.

"She's fine."

George turned around to see Jacobs walking up to him. "What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Ellie," Jacobs continued. "I was just up there."

"You went up there?"

"I did," he nodded. "I noticed you continually checking the stairs for her. After about the tenth time, I went up to check on her."

"Did you pressure her?" George panicked.

"Of course not," Jacobs said completely calm. "I just talked to her. She's nervous that your associates won't like her. She's worried they won't like that she's a simple bookshop owner."

"A simple bookshop owner?" George scoffed, struggling to keep himself calm.

"Her words," he clarified. "George, I think you should go up and talk to her. Just reassure her. . ."

"What's wrong with you?" George asked when Jacobs randomly stopped talking. Jacobs smirked, waiting for his boss to see what he saw. "Seriously, Jacobs, you can't just stop mid. . ."

George stopped when he turned around and saw Ellie at the top of the stairs. She was wearing a floor-length black velvet gown. It had a deep v-neckline and a slit that went maybe a little too high. There were small details that made her look even more gorgeous.

He buttoned up his suit and quickly went to her side. He reached up and helped her down the last few steps.

"You look gorgeous," he said softly.

"Thank you, George."

He looked around and smirked before turning his eyes back to his soulmate.

"No one can keep their eyes off of you."

"Am I overdressed?" Ellie panicked.

"Absolutely not," George said quickly. "You look perfect."

Ellie nervously wiped her hands on the skirt of her dress. She looked around, seeing everyone staring at her. She looked back at George with desperate eyes.

"I need you to promise me something, George," she whispered.

George grabbed her hands and pulled her into his chest. Their faces were inches apart as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Anything." He said. "What do you need, darling?"

"I need you to promise me that you won't leave my side. Please, George? I don't think I can do this on my own."

"I will never leave your side," he whispered. "I promise."

"Thank you," she said shakily.

"Of course, my darling soulmate," George smiled. "Come on. Let's get you something to eat."

"And drink," she said quickly. "Please, George. Something strong."

George laughed as he looped her arm through his.

"Let's get you one, darling."

"Multiple would be best."

#joe keery #joe keery x reader #joe keery fanfiction #mob #mob boss #mob fanfic #original content #Choice Encounter

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beneaththetangles · 1 year

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Hankering for some horror? We got it. Kaiju or demons run amok? We have that, too. How about coming-of-age romance? We’ve got you covered. Post-apocalyptic adventure? Sure, come on in! Whatever you’re in the mood in, it seems, our reviewers have got something for you (or for you to avoid) this week. Welcome to Reader’s Corner!

Bride of the Barrier Master (Vol. 1) • Even If This Love Disappears Tonight (Vol. 1) • Kaiju No. 8 (Vol. 5) • Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible (Vol. 5) • No Longer Heroine (Vol. 2) • Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17–21 • Tombs • The World After the Fall (Vol. 1)

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Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17–21, Manga One-Shot

From ages 17 to 21, Fujimoto of Chainsaw Man fame dropped several one-shots that were finally compiled into a single volume. While they all share his sense of humor and fantastic art style, each of the four stories is wildly different. The first is about two humans surviving together dressed as chickens after human-eating aliens take over the planet. The second is about a teenager who wants to be an astronaut as an adult with a crush on his teacher, when someone invades the classroom. Another about a lovestruck student council president who can’t get the courage to admit it. The final story is about an assassin who ends up going up against an unkillable opponent. So yes, they are wild and different. I loved each one of these stories for very different reasons. Each stood out in its own unique way and was very well crafted. The big thing about each of them is that if you tried, you likely could have gotten an entire series out of the premise out of them. However, Fujimoto was content with each being a self-contained, complete story. Frankly, I love that and would love to see more creative one-shots like these from the mangaka I love. - @mdmrn

Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17–21 is published by VIZ Media.

The World After the Fall, Manga Vol. 1

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: mysterious towers suddenly appear around the world, and from them, stream hordes of horrific monsters bent on destruction. Amid the mayhem, certain people receive invitations to enter the tower and progress up its many levels under game-like conditions, complete with special abilities, rare items, and all life functions depending on stats rather than actual physical realities (such as the ingestion of food, medical treatment, sleep, etc.). As the Tower Walkers initially progress and ultimately die like flies, one hero distinguishes himself for his dogged perseverance and determination. His skill? Stabbing. Like, stabbing a lot until he can stab really hard and with deathly consequences. He’s a simple man. Okay, so not a great deal actually happens in this opening volume, either in terms of plot or characterization, but there is something on offer here, and it is admittedly quite stunning: full-color, glossy art of lots and lots and lots of monster battles, beautifully rendered. This story began life as a Webtoon—hence the full color—and is now receiving a physical release. Which is both a good and a bad thing. Good, because, as mentioned, the art is fantastic: lively, dynamic action candy for the eye. But also bad, because the pacing of the storytelling is way off here (not being scripted for release in volumes) and we don’t get far enough along for the story to distinguish itself from the millions of other magical-training-towers-suddenly-appear-on-earth-with-monsters adventures. There has been some effort to adapt the layout of the single long scroll of a Webtoon to the horizontal reading pattern of a physical book, but it’s inconsistent at best and ignores the potential of the double-page spread for visual impact. Adapting a Webtoon is a far more demanding undertaking than gathering together manga chapters into tankoban volumes (where mangaka usually have in the back of their heads the notion that their work may be gathered together into volumes, and write accordingly), and sadly, The World After the Fall does a mediocre job of it. It’s early days though in the business of Webtoon adaptations, so here’s hoping for some improvements, because having such high-quality art in physical copy is a real boon. ~ claire

The World After the Fall is published by Ize Press, an imprint of Yen Press.

Tombs, One-Shot Manga

Twisted tales that’ll make you want to sleep in your parents’ room! I believe this is, by far, the best short story collection from Junji Ito! I’m a huge fan of Japan’s master of horror, so to say that I was excited to read his newest release is an understatement. He is the master at writing the most unsettling horror stories and his intricate art style makes these creepy tales so immersive. From a strange town filled with tombstones, even in the middle of the streets and homes, to a nosey neighbor that you wish you didn’t live next to… “Like a good neighbor, stay over there!” My favorite story was “Washed Ashore,” which is about a strange deep-sea creature that washes ashore and attracts a huge crowd. I would have loved a few more pages to really explore the weirdness surrounding this creature and its effect on the people. Usually, short story collections are hit-or-miss—you have a few stories that you really enjoy and then some you don’t care for—but all nine of these stories were thrilling. Tombs is an excellent introduction for those who are interested in reading his work. Even though it’s a horror title, it isn’t too off-putting to new readers of the genre: it’s not intensely violent or graphic. But to seasoned Ito fans, it’s a must-have. It’s Junji Ito at his best! ~ Marg

Tombs is published by VIZ Media and releases on March 28.

Bride of the Barrier Master, Light Novel Vol. 1

I have a feeling that Bride of the Barrier Master was selected for English publication based solely on the low cost of purchasing its rights (the book lacks the slick design of most light novel releases, featuring just one illustration—on the cover) and maybe a reading of just the initial chapters, which are rudimentary but compelling. They tell the story of Hana, a girl neglected by her parents for being the less talented of twin sisters, who becomes able to summon shikigami familiars and fight against creatures known as shadows as she becomes the titular wife. The licensing decision certainly couldn’t be based on the remaining 2/3 of volume one, which are full of contrived situations, inane conversation, and zero tension in either the action or “romance.” This is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. It reminds me of watching a goofy Disney channel show for tweens where the characters puts on a play that gets laughs from the audience because of the clumsy dialogue and overacting. There’s obviously none of the latter in the book, but it feels that way for the characters, who jump from situation to situation through leaps of logic that serve to tie events together but don’t carry any plausibility at all. For instance, the central couple gets lunch at the mall only to run into Hana’s best friend and her boyfriend, who just happens to also be an antagonist. The whole story is full of dumb shlock like that. A saving grace, if there is one, is that the story wasn’t written so simply that I could fly right through it. I suggest, though, that you stay as far away as possible from Bride of the Barrier Master. Read a better light novel. Or a short story. Or even that fan fiction piece you wrote as a 4th grader. Anything else is pretty much guaranteed to be a better use of your time. ~ @animepopheart

Bride of the Barrier Master is published by Yen Press.

Kaiju No. 8, Manga Vol. 5

It never fails. With every volume I read of Kaiju No. 8, I always forget to breathe at multiple points when reading. Volume five proved that to be true as Kakfa engages in full-out battle with Kikoru’s father in a great effort to prove he is still human. However, his “inner” kaiju makes the outward battle far from easy, as Kafka has to face his own inner battle of who will claim “dominance” over the Kaiju No. 8: Kafka or the kaiju? And unfortunately, that’s just the beginning of his problems… While I confess I was pretty devastated that the third division did not play an active role in this volume, the appearance and involvement of a new character—and new division—made it hard to mourn the lack of some of my favorite characters. Okay, no, I lied. It’s still hard, but Narumi (a character who is going to greatly impact Kafka’s new life, though not in the best of ways) made things interesting. It’s hard to really dislike a character who not only looks cool but can also say some pretty cool things and do pretty cool things as well. Though I still absolutely hate what he said to Kafka, I am hesitantly optimistic that I will come to like his character more in the upcoming volume. As always though, the stakes are even higher with an even more on-edge cliffhanger than the last volume. I am again desperate to see what happens next in this series! ~ @lauraagrace

Kaiju No. 8 is published by VIZ Media.

READ: Kaiju No. 8 Reviews Vol.1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol.4

Even if This Love Disappears Tonight, Light Novel Vol. 1

The first twist in this lovely coming-of-age novel plays out fairly early on—early enough to serve as the premise of the story: Maori Hino cannot make new long-term memories. She forgets each day as she sleeps at night, and has done so ever since an accident in the spring of her sixteenth year left her with anterograde amnesia. So when Tooru Kamiya makes a fake confession to her after school one day (for reasons), she first lays out a few rules to protect her secret, and then blithely enters into a fake relationship with him. She wants to discover whether or not she can still do new things, even in her condition. What follows is an unusual, if not necessarily unique, romance. (Think Memento without the violence and manipulation, or 50 First Dates with fewer gags and a great deal more self-awareness.) But it’s never really the intriguing setup that carries this story; it’s the opening promise of character growth and the delicate touch of author Misaki Ichijo in leading her three main characters—including Hino’s best friend, Izumi Wataya—through the challenges of loss and relational brokenness to a place of tender hope. Kamiya is the initial narrator of the three friends’ shared story; and by the end of the opening paragraph, his tale already promises a profound journey with just a few simple words: “…that day after school, I surprised myself.” Here is a character who is introduced as rather dull, without ambition or dreams, and quite possibly rather self-satisfied or even conceited; yet, within a few short sentences, he turns that tired Kyon-like trope on its head by admitting he still has a great deal to learn, even about himself. The novel delivers surprisingly quickly on this promise of character growth, in a refreshingly direct manner without the tedious melodrama of misunderstandings and endless hesitations—and not just for Kamiya, but the girls as well. (Also, don’t worry, there’s no love triangle here.) The different narrators, each of whom has his or her own distinctive voice, are deployed to good effect, driving the story forward and, along with a couple more plot twists, making for a satisfying read. All in all, this is a thoughtful, kind, and compelling story. A few tears may have been shed in the reading. ~ claire

Even if This Love Disappears Tonight is published by Yen Press. There’s also a film adaptation.

No Longer Heroine, Manga Vol. 2

I can’t say I am one to read overly dramatic fiction, but No Longer Heroine continues to be an absolute delight to read! Last year, volume one was in my top ten favorite manga of 2022, and this trend continues to hold true with the release of volume two! Hatori has made it clear to Rita that she loves him and is content to do so from afar. While things seem to be going as smoothly as they can in this kind of situation, Hatori is completely taken off guard when Hiromitsu arrives on the scene and not only looks like her favorite pop idol but surprisingly takes an interest in her! I absolutely loved this volume! Hatori’s love problems are anything but simple with Nakajima “the fool,” who continues to listen to all her dilemmas and delusions—and continues to be the real MVP in this series. I still continue to be #TeamRita, but I was very surprised at how much I liked this new love rival! He’s definitely a player, but surprisingly treats Hatori very well. It also didn’t hurt that with all the drama that unfolded, he was the one person who stood up for her more than once. I’m extremely curious as to what will happen next, especially with Hatori’s new plan to win Rita’s heart, because no way are things going to go as simple as she thinks it will. Hopefully, the wait for volume three will go by quickly, because I need more of this hilarious and over-the-top shojo series! ~ @lauraagrace

No Longer Heroine is published by Yen Press.

READ: No Longer Heroine Vol.1 Review

Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, Manga Vol. 5

I’ve liked Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible much more since Kubo and Shiraishi’s friends and family have become a larger part of the story and the manga has become as much about Shiraishi’s growth as it is about his potential romance with Kubos That all continues in volume five, which enters a small sports festival arc involving the five main friends. Seeing Shiraishi blossom under Kubo’s care and that of the others is lovely and a high point for the volume. Another is a warm moment involving Shiraishi’s mom after she meets Kubo for the first time. Much of the rest of volume five is cute but a tad forgettable. Still, I’ve come to adore Shiraishi and Kubo over the course of this run, and while the series lacks a creativity and depth that might aid it in becoming one of the best ongoing romcom series, there’s still plenty of warmth, humor, and cuteness in Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible to continue to carry it for many more volumes. ~ @animepopheart

Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible is published by VIZ Media.

READ: Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible Reviews Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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“Reader’s Corner” is our way of embracing the wonderful world of manga, light novels, and visual novels, creative works intimately related to anime but with a magic all their own. Each week, our writers provide their thoughts on the works they’re reading—both those recently released as we keep you informed of newly published works, and those older titles that you might find as magical (or in some cases, reprehensible) as we do.

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queenclaudiabrown · 1 year

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Redone

Fandom: Primeval: New World

Pairing: Mac Rendell x Samantha ‘Sam’ Sedaris

Word count: 582

Mac Rendell sat at the hospital bedside of Samantha Sedaris, reading Evil Under The Sun by Agatha Christie to her. She’d started it the day before, and Mac had included it in the list of things from his flat that Ange had gone to pick up at Evan’s request.

She’d managed to fend off the creature for the few seconds it took for the lift to open, stabbing her baton against its eye, pressing back on the baton locked between its jaws. Its disturbingly handlike paws had swiped and scratched at her, tearing up her abdomen and chest, even leaving slashes on her thighs and arms. She’d somehow kicked the beast off her when the lift opened and scooted back inside, first slamming the heel of her shoe against the door-close button and then against the creature’s muzzle when it interfered with the door’s closing. It had taken every ounce of her remaining energy to send the lift up one floor, and when Toby had gotten back to the Tank she’d seen Sam unconscious on the security feed, but Mac had left before he’d heard. He had still hunted down and killed both creatures while Evan got an ambulance, but he was at her side by the time she was loaded into the vehicle. She’d immediately been whisked into surgery, and the doctors had assured the team that she’d make a full recovery soon enough.

“Mac.” Sam cut him off, not unkindly.

He paused in the middle of pronouncing Poirot’s name to look up at her inquisitively. “What is it? Are the pain meds wearing off?”

She shook her head, suppressing a wince at the slight flare of pain from the shallow bite the Lycaenops had managed to land on her shoulder. “No, I’m pretty numb right now. Can I-” She hesitated, then gathered her courage and finished the thought, more shyly than she’d meant. “Can I have your house key?”

A smile spread across Mac’s face. “Changed your mind, did you?”

Her mouth quirked unbidden at his teasing, but her face returned to seriousness almost immediately later. “When I was in that elevator, trying to stay awake, all I could think about was that if I died, I’d never see you again.” She looked away, tears forming in her eyes. “I guess I like you a lot more than I thought I did.” He voice cracked, and she cursed her emotions.

“Hey.” He leaned forward, setting the book on the floor to take one of her hands in his. “Look at me.” She reluctantly turned her head back, his image slightly blurry from her tears. “You didn’t die. We did see each other again- we’re together right now. If you want they key… you can have it. You don’t have to explain it to me, you don’t have to confront any feelings you may have. You just focus on getting better, alright?”

Sam smiled. “Alright.”

Mac returned it, and he took his hands reluctantly from hers to reach up and take they chain from which his spare key hung off his neck. He wrapped it around her hand, which he then raised to his mouth and kissed the back of. She blushed despite herself- really, it was such a chaste thing, she didn’t know why she was reacting so.

“Now, would you like to hear the rest of the interview, or no more Poirot for tonight?”

“Finish the chapter.” She decided, and with a smile he picked up the book again.

I will definitely write a whumpy version of the scene where she fights it off another time.

#primeval #primeval new world #mac rendell #samantha sedaris #sam sedaris #fluff #fluffuary2023 #injury recovery #hurt/comfort

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adrianblackstone · 2 years

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Janus's whims

It's about crossroads, and how our choices are sometimes forced into paths we didn't choose.

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P E T E R

Chapter 1. Drunk soldiers and a terrible wine.

second act

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1 I hate what my family is going through. I hate what I am going to do now… I mean, what I am going to do again! Ever since they showed up and everything happened, we’ve been part of a scheme that might be the root of some serious consequences. I know that I can’t give myself the right to think about the consequences of it, because the most immediate trouble will be over my family and friends if we don’t do what they ask us to do. Still, I feel like I am slowly dying being part of this drug stuff.

After I ask for a few minutes to Mr. Janus, I take off my apron, and then I am walking toward them. So, I stand behind the kitchen door, where Ally, our cooker, is making some beef. Before going in, I take a deep breath, and then I imagine a circumstance in which I am back at the bar counter, doing my stuff. There wouldn’t be a war out there… there wouldn’t be these, beings… I could simply stay inside our tavern to serve some drinks and to talk to our customers, preferentially people more like Mr. Janus and less like old James (although I don’t hate him).

There is a door to the backs of our tavern in our kitchen. I walk towards that door and, very quickly, I manage to grab a small knife from Ally’s table, who is currently occupied cutting some greens. I do not intend to try anything, and I know it is stupid to carry a weapon with me. If they find out, well…

I slowly open the back door. There is a small stairway to the street level. The alley up there is narrow, 3 meters across. The buildings around us have 3 or 4 pavements. I look up and I see the sky. The moon is full, the air is absolutely freezing. Thirsty howls of the wind lapping at the shores of the mountains echo through the village. My senses are screaming. I start to climb the stairs. My heartbeat rate increases with each step I take. I touch the cold handrail and my skin contract with the shock. Adrenaline is reaching every pore of my body. So, I finally see them when I reach the alley.

Four horses covered with black armor, ridden by 3 tall men. All of the horsemen had long dark and straight hair. Their bodies were covered by a pale white veil that seems to intensely shine under the full moon. Although the wind was blowing, their hair did not move, as if the wind was not strong enough to do it. Red sheaths were hanging from their left side. But their eyes were the most frittering of it all: deep dark circles marred their white skin, highlighting their red pupils. Everything related to their aspect imposed fear and caution as if I was a prey facing my predators. They were not the men that used to bring us the herb. They were something else.

I am sorry if I made you wait. The house is stuffed with customers tonight. – I try to say something polite because I’ve seen what these men (?) could do. But something was not quite right. They were the bosses, not the henchmen that would bring Doniva to us. Why are they here? They didn’t say anything at first. The silence just increased the tension I was feeling. A cloud covered the moon and the alley became darker. So, one of them, the one with an enormous scar crossing his pale face look at me and dropped something on the floor. So, the one at the left opened his mouth.

Double the amount of Doniva that you are giving to them. – Each word came out slow as if talking was a struggle for him. The voice, I can’t even explain it properly. It sounded like three people talking simultaneously: one very bass, the other very sharp, and the last a bit tremulous. My muscles flinched and I had to control myself to not run away. Something dark and sticky was oozing among his teeth. I was five meters away from them, but I still could feel their nasty breath.

I gather some courage and walk towards the bag they dropped on the floor. I hesitate before grabbing it: there is blood leaking through the gray tissue. My heart is going so fast that you could see my shirt tremble. I open the bag, and I drop it on the floor after seeing what is inside. A human finger, carrying a wedding ring, and I know who it belonged to.

This is a warning. Do not try to disobey us and do as we command without hesitation. Even think about denying our will and I am going to use the knife that you brought hidden with you to cut her open – I am in panic. All of my strength seems to be reduced to nothingness. It is her finger. They mutilated her. My mind simply cannot obey me. I fall to the ground, on my knees, looking at the bloody bag.

Why did you do this? We’re doing as you told us! Why did you do this to her? WHY? – I am not being myself. Screaming to these creatures was definitely not the wisest thing to do. But I don’t care, I simply lost it. It was when I thought they would draw their swords to kill me, but they laughed. Laughter filled with evil and pleasure.

I told you. This is a warning. Keep doing as you are told, or we will continue to bring parts of her until there is no longer. – He drew his black sword from the red sheath. Point it to my face, and continued saying – And then, I would need other body to cut in order to convince you.

After saying that, the three horsemen turned their horses and rode away, leaving me on the cold ground holding a piece of her. I don’t know how long I stayed there before going back to the kitchen. What would I do with that bag? How could I simply return to the bar counter and work? How could I tell what just happened to my father?

I finally made it to the kitchen. I have to ask for Ally’s help. Perhaps we should close the tavern for tonight, so we could talk better about what we would do. No. What if they are watching us somehow? I am panicking again.

Ally, I need your help with some… - I didn’t finish the sentence, because it wasn’t just Ally who was in the kitchen waiting for me: my father was there too, together with someone else.

Hi Peter. – It was that doctor, a customer we met two days ago? – Sit down, we need to talk. – He sounded way too different compared to our previous talks. Why was Mr. Janus there? Damn it.

---

Note:¹ Hey guys finally posted the second act of Chapter 1. Hope you enjoy it :)

see ya!

#fiction writing #writing #writers of tumblr #writblr #books & libraries #lovestory #horror writing #lgbtqia story

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extremelyblackandwhite · 2 years

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the punchline goes | lee bodecker.

PAIRING: lee bodecker x reader

WARNINGS: age gap (reader is younger than lee), mentions of abortion

A/N: happy new year! hope you guys had a nice holiday period if you celebrate it. enjoy the next chapter !!

previous part / next part

Lee drove down the street, his eyes both on the road and on her. He couldn’t exactly read her, not tonight, not when she was staring at the road, gripping at the pregnancy test box enough to deform the cardboard box. In his mind, he didn’t know exactly what to think other than his mind was obviously rushing way ahead of the actual events. She could not be pregnant, heck, the amount of times he’d had hope for a kid in the beginning of his first marriage only to be disappointed after couldn’t be counted with two hands. Yet, the idea of having a kid, a baby with her just got him being a young careless man again. The idea of restoring her old place, maybe get some new fences, paint the outside and the inside. Perhaps even setting up a little nursery with some nice new stuff she’d like. Damn, he could have that life, he would love that life; yet, he didn’t know, he didn’t know how she felt or if she was even pregnant.

He drove down the road until a gas station just outside of town. It was far enough no one from Knockemstiff would drive there yet close enough they wouldn’t be driving all night. She let out a shaky breathe, looking to her side to search for some comfort from him.

- I don’t wanna go. - she buried her back onto the passenger seat of the cruiser.

- Baby. - he turned the car off, moving in his seat to look at her. - I know ‘ya scared, baby but if ‘ya pregnant then not doing that test is not gonna chance that.

- What if I am pregnant?

- There ain’t nothing we can’t figure out. - he cupped the side of her face. - I promise it’ll be fine.

He held her hand, a relaxed face expression as she gathered the courage to get out and do her pregnancy test in a sketchy gas station’s bathroom. What a great story to tell her kid, she thought. Lee exited the car as well, keeping an eye on the weird bathroom while she was in. He popped a cigarette off the box and onto his lips, leaning against his cruiser as he waited. He had no clue how long a pregnancy test took, so he just smoked, watching his surroundings like a watch dog until he noticed a red Corolla. He looked down, he knew that car, he knew the owner.

- What the fuck? - he mumbled to himself, throwing the cigarette to the floor to put it out before walking towards the red Corolla. He knocked on the glass before leaning down. - You following me, Jamie?

- What are you doing with my sister?

- Last time I checked she was an adult who didn’t need supervisor from her big brother.

- Why is she here? Can’t even afford a cheap motel to defile my sister?

- You shut your mouth. - he gripped the window. - I can still arrest you and make you spend the night in jail. How about that?

- Why don’t you get into that bathroom? I’m sure she’s waiting for you.

He tried to stay calm, last thing he wanted was to hit or hurt her brother. He didn’t want to but his smug expression, his lack of respect for his sister was getting his blood boiling and it wasn’t until he noticed his fists gripping the collar of Jamie’s shirt that he was past the point of no return. He opened the car door with his photo, dragging Jamie onto the ground, his knuckles white as he attempted to convince himself not to beat this man to a pulp.

- Lee. - her voice broke him from his anger. He dropped the man to the ground, turning to see her with her arms crossed in a protective manner and the test hanging from her fingers.

He dusted off his shirt to walk to her, his hand caressing her arm as she rose up the pregnancy test. It was turned towards her, he couldn’t see the result and he couldn’t read it on her face.

- What is it, baby?

- It’s positive. - she turned the test around. - It’s positive, I’m pregnant.

- You’re pregnant?

- Yeah. - she nodded her head before leaning to wrap her arms around him and her head against his chest.

She was going through a mix of emotions. She wasn’t upset she was pregnant, not as upset as she initially thought. Despite it being an unplanned baby probably conceived at Lee’s dirty motel, it was making her happy to know she was pregnant. Perhaps it was the new start she wanted, the family her father had always wanted for her, the start of something of hers and hers only without so many issues in the way.

She was ready to tell him something other than surprised words when she noticed her brother a few feet away from her. Her grip loosened on Lee, as she moved to get closer to her brother but he merely looked at her with disgust as if she was the scum of the earth.

- Jamie, what are you doing here?

- What are you doing here? - his eyes lowered to the pregnancy test she was still holding before looking back at her. - You’re pregnant?

He spoke lowly as if she were nothing but a child who’d made a mistake on prom night.

- Don’t look at me like that.

- Are you pregnant or not?! - his voice rose as he attempted to tower over her. - Is he the father?

- What do you think? - she pushed him back. - I don’t need your permission and why are you even here?

- Clearly I have to keep an eye on you as you seem to have forgotten who you are.

- And who am I, Jamie? - she crossed her arms. - Am I yours and mom’s safety fund?

- Don’t talk to me like that.

- No, you don’t talk to her like that. - Lee extended his arm, making sure he didn’t try to get any closer. - You don’t want any problems with me, boy.

He looked at the couple in front of them with the same expression he’d given his sister before getting into his car and driving away. Y/N held onto Lee’s side, a look of regret painted in her face as she watched the Corolla disappear into the darkness of the night.

- He’s gonna tell my mum.

- That little sh ...

- No. - Y/N stopped him before he could try to pursue him. - Let it be.

- We can still catch him.

- She’s gonna find out either way, Lee. I just wanna ... I don’t know, do something normal. I just found out I’m pregnant at a gas station bathroom, I wanna do something normal for once.

- Sure, baby. Wanna go grab something to eat?

- Let’s go to McDonalds, to the drive in?

- Sure.

Y/N had her hand on her tummy the whole drive, looking at the non existent bump which was sure to grow over the passing months. She didn’t want to think of what awaited her at home, all she wanted to do now was eat the fast food as Lee complained about there being nothing good on the radio. She wondered if he would do the same once the baby was in the backseat. At the same time, she also wondered how long it would take for him to realise that this baby was a one way ticket to being out of his office. She tried not to think of it, not to think of the reputation she was about to gain; yet, as he drove to her home, the reality become much sharper.

- Let me go with you.

- Lee, no.

- I can help you and I don’t want your desperate of a mother and brother stressing you out. It’s probably not good for the baby.

- I’m glad you’re worried but this is my family and I have to sort it out. - she opened the door.

- I’ll come get you tomorrow.

- Lee ...

- We’ll have breakfast. - he interrupted her. - And then we’ll go to a nice jewellery shop so you can chose a ring, alright?

- Alright. - she leaned through his window to kiss him. - I’ll like a very expensive one.

- Everything you want, baby.

He waited until she was inside the home to drive away but once she was inside the house, that little happy bubble burst as her mother and brother were waiting by the stairs. She put her jacket on the hanger before walking towards them.

- I want all of you out of my house by tomorrow.

- Y/N, we need to speak about this. - her mother followed her up the stairs.

- No, we don’t. This is my house, Lee is moving in and I don’t want you or Jamie in my house.

- Chubby, I am here to tell you I will help you.

- Couldn’t stay quiet. - she mumbled to Jamie. - I don’t need help, I’m fine.

- We can find a nice, discreet clinic to get rid of your problem and it’ll be fine.

- I am having the baby and I want you out of my house.

- Do not come crying to me when you become the joke of the town.

- Trust me, I won’t.

#sebastian stan #sebastian stan/reader #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan x y/n #sebastian stan/y/n #sebastian stan x you #sebastian stan/you #sebastian stan imagine #lee bodecker #lee bodecker x you #lee bodecker/you #lee bodecker x reader #lee bodecker/reader #lee bodecker/y/n #lee bodecker x y/n #lee bodecker imagine

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shelby-love · 2 years

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TOMMY SHELBY | “A Game of Fate” (2/2)

Requested: yes Published: December 30th, 2021 Pairing: Established Tommy Shelby x Reader Prompt(s): none Warning(s): none Word count: 1.5k Author’s note: I am sorry for this late update. I didn't think it has actually been that long since I posted this. I was listening to "Let's Hurt Tonight" by OneRepublic as I was writing this, and perhaps it's why this took such a dark turn (the song itself matches this fic very well). I tried to keep it as "light" as I could, but given how I wrote the first part, such demands were impossible to fulfill. This talks of post-trauma, because there is no way in hell that Reader is okay after what I put her through in the first chapter. The ending is open for interpretation, for trauma doesn't go after two days have passed. I'm really proud of my writing in this one, and I hope you will like it.

☇ my navigation // PT.01 //

Sometimes, fate was so cruel it made one cry. You had, honest to God, never believed in fate until the moment the liberty of a choice was taken away from you. There was darkness around your heart and mind, urging you to believe that maybe, just maybe, this torture was fate deemed your eligible punishment.

Barely any fight left in you to disagree with the universe.

There is suffering in silence. Menace in the waters. Fear in every fiber of your body.

And for what?

Your skin was slick with sweat that had formed over days work. There was little air in the derelict stockroom, only the cold that seeped through whatever cracks had been made over the years of neglect. Rarely did you visit such places, where one didn't have working water.

Your lips turned dry, tongue like sandpaper. Thirst.

You were thirsty.

Yet all it took to send you vomiting was one look at the water. One thought at the liquid.

They hadn't been gone long; you took note. The sun blinked in between clouds as it did when they were there, and so you still saw it through the gap in the wall. It was little after the first few hours of dawn; one might guess if they had the courage.

A hum of a song left your lips, the only sound in the warehouse. It had once been accompanied by the rustling of cloth against the chair or the scraping of a boot against the floor. By the time your wrists began bleeding and your feet froze solid, you had given up entirely. But you had to drone the melody if only to let yourself know you were still alive.

It was fate's game to play now.

And you were no longer a player.

Eyelids became too heavy to hold yet again, the itchiness in your eyes a malice on its own. They began closing at a snail's pace, but you held them in place knowing what kind of irritation the water gathered in the corners of your eyes would give. That dance was so overdone. It was more challenging to dance it the more it happened.

And so, you let them flap shut, your neck a loose rope that could no longer stay upright. Your chin met your chest, and you could hear the shallowness of your breathing accompany the song. The fire turned ember in your lungs but still it hurt to inhale freely more than it hurt to just gather enough air to live.

The waters would be a mercy.

Indeed they would. They would leave no room to fight them, perhaps not in the beginning. But it was a swifter death than the one that was draining you. Slowly, you would close your eyes and fall asleep, and mercy would be as sharp as a knife in ending you in your sleep.

And then just as you were about to succumb to the darkness, fate played wrong.

And Tommy Shelby made the right move.

The game was over.

But you didn't know.

Bella.

Changretta's voice was a force in your mind. The warehouse was once again filled with sound. They were so, so loud.

Bella. Bella. Bella.

Your body began shaking on its own accord, and you pulled at the restrains, fearing what's to come.

Not the water again.

Please not the water.

Your creased riding boots kicked against the ground that you mistook for bottomless water only a second before. But it was solid. The floor was as solid as it could be beneath you.

Grounded. You were on the ground.

But then hands – rough, calloused hands – were grasping your shoulders and you were afraid of being pulled under as you were hours ago. Your face downright denied to look at the shadow casted over your lap even when its hand took your chin in a firm yet gentle grip and pulled your face to its own. The water burned behind your closed eyelids, and you refused to begin the dance despite knowing the relief that awaited once it was done.

Bella.

"Y/N."

Name. Your name.

"Y/N look at me."

You pried your eyes slowly, and then waited for relief to wash over you upon seeing his face. "You're okay," Tommy said to you, his words a declaration. Final.

You gathered your strength and wept.

***

"Here love," it was Polly who gave you the tea. The saucer rattled as your shaky hands grasped it, pulling it to your mantle covered lap. Your eyes took in the crammed living room - one you had known for years – with blank disinterest. You hadn't even casted a glance at the liquid tea, and your food lay cold and forgotten beside you.

Polly scooted closer to you on the chaise. You let her. You let her lean over and kiss your hair, now clean and flowery scented after it took Tommy hours to clean it. No water, you remember screaming at him in the tub. Begging. You remember clawing at his shirt like a relentless animal that had escaped years of imprisonment. He took every blow, every curse with steel in his eyes. There was raging ice in them, wrath that waited to be unleashed. Not upon you. But upon the Italian's that took you from him.

He left just over a quarter-hour ago, taking the anger with him, leaving his warmth with you. "Take care of her," you remember him telling Polly, who still shook in the aftermath of seeing you so…

Tortured.

Polly disappeared to give you space. Space and time to adjust.

Warmth washed over the room from where the lit hearth was placed, the crackling and popping of burning wood a sound that complemented it. You hadn't needed to hum, for there was already music drifting through the house from a radio. The scene was all but serene for yourself.

You touched your neck softly, with just the tips of your fingers, remembering what agony took place inside it. Your wrists, once soft and scarless were now marred with burns from the rope you had pulled on tightly one too many times. The clothes. The clothes you had picked out only a day before were discarded, and you sat dressed in the finest silk pajamas with wide pants and buttoned top. The color of the porcelain teacup, appliquéd with not flowers but circles of all shapes and sizes. It was what you had chosen for yourself, deeming it adorable and comfortable enough to wear as sleepwear. Now you felt bare, despite its cap sleeves and ankle long length.

Like the skin wasn't yours.

All it took to crumble was one look at the tea in hand, one look at the reflection.

You threw the teacup at the wall and screamed.

***

"Is he dead?"

The mattress dipped, a new weight on it. You didn't move, didn't nest into the warmth like you loved to do. Only laid with your hands beneath your cheek, looking out of the ceiling high window where the moonlit sky was embracing the world. You dared not to breathe, dared not to make a sound that would disturb the calm night.

For hours, you had tossed and turned. On and on until you decided sleep was a nothing more than a wistful wish you couldn't have. "Tommy?"

He stayed silent, as if he too knew the delicacy of the night. The sheets rustled but did not pull away from you. You stayed covered, not a speck of your body introduced to the cold.

Then he spoke, "Can I hold you?"

You bit your lip to keep the tears at bay, realizing you had kept him at arm's length since he came for you.

Late. He had been late.

But he still came.

"He-he said," you began slowly, speaking into the night itself, trying to not sound as disconnected as you felt. "He said I deserved to die."

Tommy stilled.

"And he told me to give you a message," you continued. "He said he will take everything from you. Then put a bullet through your head. So I'm asking you Tommy…is he dead?"

A moment of silence, then like death herself whispered, "Yes."

Dead. He was dead.

Gone.

You had failed to realize you were crying until your muted cries turned into sobs. Sneaking along your body, shaking you until a body wrapped itself against you. A calm force to keep you grounded.

Tommy kissed the back of your head, "Forgive me. Please."

He took your hand from beneath your head in his own, pressing it against your chest. Just between your breasts, a place where your frantic heart beat the hardest. You covered your joint hands with your other one, sealing them together. Sealing him to you.

"I'm sorry."

You grinded your teeth to keep the tears at bay. Tommy kissed your shoulder, your neck. Silent, butterfly light kisses that kept you together.

"Okay," you croaked, barely audible. Pulling his hand to your mouth, you kissed his callousness with tear-soaked mouth and placed it back against your chest. "Okay."

Legs tangled, you molded yourself to his body as if he were the only thing standing between you and the demons that loomed over your back.

That night, you dreamt of soundless water. Of floating against it and being pulled under. Of being helpless underneath the surface.

You awoke each time, and Tommy lulled you to sleep with kisses and whispers of reassurance. It was a dance newly started, but you weren't alone to dance it.

Note: If you enjoyed reading this fic do check out my other work by clicking on one of my masterlist links. If it’s not a bother leave a like, comment and/or reblog. It gives me motivation and lets me know that you liked what I wrote. <3

If you would perhaps want to read some of my work earlier, you can check out my AO3 profile, I’ll always make sure to tell you guys when a fic is posted on there in advance!

Lastly, if you wish to be tagged under any of my future fics go to my tag list ! I no longer take requests through ask, dm, comments anymore. Once on my tag list post you’ll find a link to a Google Form that you have to fill out in order for your request to be valid! x

✭ PEAKY BLINDERS:

@lovemissyhoneybee @thanossexual @marvel-ousnesss @sextvpes @heartbreak-of-a-marauder @killerstvles @navs-bhat @kpoptrash2000 @softieekayy

✭ TOMMY SHELBY:

@captivatedbycillianmurphy @remusflirts @peakyxtommy @sarcasm-n-insomnia

#tommy shelby #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x you #tommy shelby x y/n #tommy shelby fic #tommy shelby fanfic #tommy shelby fanfiction #tommy shelby imagine #one shot #tommy shelby one shot #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders x you #peaky blinders x y/n #peaky blinders fic #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders fanfiction #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders one shot

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allandoflimbo · 3 years

Text

Ashens (Part 23)

Summary: She falls in love with Bucky Barnes from the moment she sees him. Bucky, still in love with a woman from his past, hates Y/N and plans to make her life miserable. To both their dismay, they are assigned together to go undercover into The Capitol for six months. There, they develop a heartbreaking friend with benefits agreement. Dystopian.

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 6,000

Rating: M for Mature, E for explicit. Enemies to lovers trope, sharing a bed trope, friends with benefits trope, temporarily unrequited love, heavy and angry sex, heavy on the angst, and very strong language.

Full Masterpage |

The world was on fire and no one could save me but you

It's strange what desire will make foolish people do

I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you

+ + +

“Don’t question acts of the daring and misinterpret it for insanity.

Simply thank the courages ones for their heart and strong character,

for not all are willing to do the good and get destroyed in the worst way,

not for their own benefit, but for others.”

+ + +

It starts in his fingers, a feeling of hot tingles and sporadic static. He plays with the condensation of the glass, gathering the wetness on the tips of his digits until they are completely numb from the cold. The hot tingles and static dissipate momentarily until they move up his arms and into the cavity where his heart beats.

It beats for the way you waltzed into the room, smelling like sweet strawberries and your shampoo.

It beats for the way it continues to ache and hope to feel your touch again.

If he’s quiet enough, he could hear it, too. It thumps away in his head, making his temples pulse and his palms sweat. He rubs the palm of his hand against the glass, too.

He looks up, dark eyes meeting your figure in your shared bedroom. Memories of the last few months fill his brain with a strong ripple of serotonin, gaze drifting towards the messy, fresh out the dryer, white sheets.

He’s feeling too much. It must be why he feels like he’s having a heart attack and why his mouth is insanely dry.

His eyes flicker back up to you again, and for a fraction of a second, he considers saying something.

Bucky doesn’t talk about his feelings much.

He always held it down.

He didn’t talk about how he felt when he watched his sister being taken from him, or when either of his parents died and he in result became an orphan.

Not much has changed since then, he thinks as he keeps looking at you.

You were moving around, unaware of his inner turmoil.

Bucky is fully convinced that no one on this earth detests him more than he detests himself. Not only does he hate himself for the things he’s done, but he can’t stand how he’s unable to talk about his feelings when he knows he needs to.

He can’t stand how weak he is and how he doesn’t have the guts to face it.

He’s watching you and he wants to speak up, but he can’t.

He detests himself for always running away from facing his demons.

This had a lot more to do than you going on a date. This was about everything. He knows there’s so much he needs to tell you.

He just wishes it were a lot simpler.

He doesn’t dare compare his issues to yours.

He knows each person has their own demons and their own complications to conquer, so he doesn’t dare compare. But, sometimes, he can’t help but think he is the world’s most horrible person, through no fault of his own.

Why couldn’t he have been stronger? Why couldn’t he have stopped himself from getting brainwashed? Why couldn’t he stop himself from doing all the things that he did?

Nobody knows what it’s like to live with the memories of being forced to train young girls who were taken from their families to fight for the KGB, one of them who later turns out being your friend. Not to mention then also shooting the same girl through the stomach on a bridge in Odessa. Nobody knows what it’s like to be forced to put a bullet between countless of innocent people’s eyes, some being young kids, cutting their innocent lives short.

Nobody understood what it was like to then be forced to kill someone’s parents, the same person who’s teams then welcomes you decades later into their home as family.

He experienced all of it without one goodbye to his blood family.

It doesn’t make sense to him how no one else could see what was going through his mind. Maybe he was messed up to the point where he could no longer be okay ever again.

Maybe.

But you, you had woken something inside of him that he thought had been long gone. You gave him a longing for communication, to talk about how he was feeling. For the first time in over half a century, because of you, he sees a potential light at the end of the tunnel.

You didn’t treat him like an ex assassin, a veteran, an avenger, or just a friend. You treated him like an imperfect man, taking him into your arms in spite of that.

Unbeknownst to you, you had taken his broken heart in your hands and held it tenderly, like a mother holding a newborn child. You taught it how to be happier, you taught it self forgiveness and preservation. You showed him how to be human, how to feel human desires that for so long he had held down.

He continues to watch you, swelling hard.

You showed me that it was okay. He thinks to himself.

You were his friend for much longer than you ever knew, and you had no idea.

He needed you more than you realized.

But you were right. It was time to let you be truly happy. After all, how could someone like him make you happy? You made it clear to him, time after time, that you’re both toxic together. He knows most of it was his fault, but he had changed. Unfortunately so had you and your feelings were just platonic now. It was a mess. Both of you, together, was a mess.

The amount of orgasms you shared don’t even make up for the hurt you’ve put each other through.

That’s what he needs to tell himself as he watches you from the living room, pulling the wool scarf tight around your neck to hide your tattoo, and tightening the lightweight white coat over your shoulders.

You were wearing a mid length dark red dress and short black heels. You looked great. The small smile your wore complemented you well, too. You looked happy.

Bucky knows he has no right to feel what he does as he watches you go back into the bathroom to touch up your hair.

It was a quarter past seven and the sun was setting. If this was two weeks ago, you two would probably be having sex right about now.

It had become routine after a certain point. He would probably have you bent over the sink, leaving finger indents on your hips.

Not anymore. That was over.

Ironically, it wasn’t even want he wanted to do with you as he watched you walk back in. He just wanted to grab you, run his hand through your hair and kiss your forehead.

The thought of wanting to do such a pure act catches him off guard and he feels a tightness in his chest grow hot. There was the static again in his fingers.

“I’ll be back in a few hours. We’re just going to have dinner at his place.” You say, slowly stepping into the lit living room.

Bucky’s on the sofa and you watch as his eyes leave yours to obviously linger down your body.

He clears his throat, reaching for the glass of water on the coffee table.

“Be safe.” He says softly.

You watch as he takes a sip of the water, his eyes meeting yours again over the glass. There’s a pull inside of you that wants you to ask him if he was okay.

“You’ll be okay here?”

He gives a curt nod, avoiding your eyes.

“I’ll be fine.” His tone is hard and straight to the point, but something was still clearly off with his behavior.

He’s been acting weird since a few days ago when you told him about Pietro.

You start playing with the sleeve of your coat, clearly stalling.

He had to open up to you.

“You have food?” You ask. The edge of Bucky’s lip perks up. You’re thankful for the almost smile.

“Yes.”

You watch him for a few more seconds. The mundane exchange is almost comical.

“I gave you his address, right? Just in case?”

Pretty blue eyes narrow at you curiously.

“Yes, I have it right there.” Bucky says, pointing over to the dining table below the blue A.I glow.

“Okay.” you say, nodding slowly, “Okay, I’ll see you later then.”

Bucky doesn’t say anything as you leave. He leans his elbows on each of his knees, bringing both his clasped hands together up to his chin.

He wants the static to go away. He wants to tell you everything.

He takes in a deep breath and runs a metal hand through his hair.

No, I wasn’t going to be okay without you here.

He picks up the control off the table and starts season nine of Friends.

It was going to be a long night.

+ + +

You were nervous. This was your first date.

Ever.

You also didn’t know what to expect from tonight. Sure, you liked Pietro. He was sweet, a good guy, and he was attractive. You wanted to give it a try. You were done being dragged down by one man that didn’t even love you the way you did.

It was time to move on.

Three soft knocks is how long it takes for the dark blue door of apartment 8C to swing open.

You’re immediately welcomed by the scent of something delicious and Pietro’s warm and bright smile.

“Hey, you.” He says with a delighted perk in his voice. He swings the door open wider for you to walk through, “Come in.”

Timidly, you walk into his inviting home.

The walls were beige and he had dark brown wooden floors. They were glossy instead of matte. To the left was a small kitchen with black cabinetry, and in front of you a small living room with a television and a black cotton couch.

You didn’t miss the hallway towards the far left the most likely led to a bedroom and bathroom.

Bedroom.

You feel your throat close up.

You were nervous.

“May I take your coat?” He asks sweetly, stretching out a hand to you. Your eyes go from his hand to his own eyes and his smile is contagious, “I’m just going to hang it in the closet. I won’t let it run away. Promise.”

You chuckle.

You give him a short nod, shrugging off your coat and handing it to him.

“Thank you.” You say.

There’s a small pause of silence.

“Wow, you look amazing.” He says quietly, taking in your dress. His eyes sparkled as he looked at you and you knew he was being sincere. You smile. “Do you want me to take your scarf, too?”

You instinctually reach for your scarf before pausing, your hands lingering on the fabric a bit longer than casual, “I’ll keep it,” your eyes meet and he squints at you, “It’s supposed to go with the dress.” You say quickly on your feet.

He tilts his head at you and chuckles.

“Okay. Well,” he looks down at his hand still holding your coat, “I’m just going to go hang this up. Feel free to to look around for a few seconds.”

You nod again, watching as he walks to a small closet towards the right, passed the tv.

You look over into the kitchen, and you see a neatly set table with two glass of wine.

There’s a pot on the stove with the lid on it, but the stove isn’t on.

You feel a warm and inviting hand on your upper back.

“I made, or should I say, I attempted,” he adds a chuckle that makes you smile, “to make some chicken parm.”

You giggle.

“I’m sure it’s delicious.”

You both walk over to the table which isn’t that far to the side and he pulls out one of the chairs for you. You thank him politely, taking a seat.

There’s the sharing of shy glances and awkward feet hitting each other under the table. You mutter out sorry’s.

Pietro clears his throat when he remembers he forgot the plates. You smile again as he apologizes and gets up.

“I’m the worst.” He says quickly.

“You’re not, relax. I forgot, too.” You play with the glass on the table, vividly remembering Bucky doing the same not too long ago.

You were picking up each others habits, hard.

“So, how’s it going with the whole situation at home? With your friend?”

You’re caught off guard by the indirect mention of Bucky and you try to casually grab the white napkin off the table, laying it over your lap.

“It’s going better.” You say, hoping it’ll make Pietro cut the topic short.You smooth the fabric over your legs, picking at it.

He looks over his shoulder to you and you can feel his eyes on you.

“Really? That’s good. I’m happy to hear that. I know it was rough for you. I hated seeing you like that.” That makes two of us, you want to say. There’s another pause. “You’re quiet today.” He notes, placing your plate in front of you. You’re hit with an intense wave of nausea as the delicious smell peaks up into your nose. You look away from the plate swallowing hard, “You okay?”

You clear your throat and swallow and swallow.

“Yeah I’m fine,” the bile lays in your belly as the smell continues to drive into your head, making you dizzy and sweat, “Do you have some water?” You croak out, trying to push your chair a little away from the table. It scrapes angrily against the floor, and if it wasn’t for how sick you were feeling, you would be apologizing.

“Yeah, yeah of course.” He says quickly, moving around the kitchen and fixing you a glass.

He hands it to you and you take some heavy gulps. It’s cold and slices through your throat. It lays into your stomach uncomfortably but you prefer it over a dry and heavy tongue.

You place it back down on the table, taking a deep breath. You feel the sweating start to dissipate and your stomach slowly settles.

You bring your palm to your head and quickly blink away.

You hated throwing up.

“Sorry, about that.”

He chuckles and gives you a smile as he takes his own seat across from you, “That’s okay. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?”

You weren’t too sure, but you don’t say that. “Yeah, I don’t know what that was,” you look back down at the plate that begins to look somewhat appetizing again, “Believe me, it wasn’t the food. This smells delicious and looks delicious.” He opens the glass the red wine and offers some to you. You quickly shake your head, giving him a wave of rejection with your hand. Just the thought of wine made your stomach turn again, “I’ll stick to the water for now.” He nods and pours himself a glass, “Sorry if I’m quiet. I’m a bit nervous.”

“Nervous why?”

You shrug, digging a fork into your chicken and swirling it around.

“I don’t know. I’m just like that.”

He says your name and you stop poking your fork to look up at him, “It’s me. We’ve been friends for a few months now. I’m not some stranger.”

You smile. He was right.

“I know, trust me. It’s just…” you think for a moment and then start laughing, “God, we’re literally on a date, during the apocalypse, like this is just weird, ya know?”

Pietro frowns.

“Apocalypse? We’re safe in here, in these walls. Everyone is safe in here.”

Your smile drops.

You stare at him and begin to wonder if he’s actually being serious. Was the majority of the people in here really convinced that this was it? That everything was perfect? Was Hydra really that capable? Part of you is proud of your parent’s work because you truly were safe because of what they built, but the world was still out there, living. There was still more. This wasn’t supposed to be a permanent solution.

There were people out there still dying, trying to survive. And these people had no idea, including Pietro.

You realize you’re quickly going into dark territory and you don’t want Pietro digging into what you were trying to say, accidentally blowing your cover.

“You’re right. I don’t know why I said that.” You say quickly. You bring the chicken to your mouth, taking a small and careful bite, “This is so good.” You say after chewing and swallowing.

“I’m glad you liked it. I made some lava cakes for desert, too.”

You laugh.

“Are you a cook?”

“Nah. Just watch a lot of Tiny Kitchen.”

You perk a brow.

“Tiny Kitchen?”

“You’ve never heard of Tiny Kitchen?”

You laugh, placing your fork down on the plate.

“No, what the hell is it? A small kitchen?”

“Literally what it is. I’ll show it to you afterwards.”

“Okay.” You grin.

You look down at your plate again, wanting to go in for another bite, but for some reason you just can’t.

+ + +

He doesn’t get past episode three. He can’t.

Not when all thoughts of you clouded his mind. He knows Pietro is good people, so he’s entirely not concerned about that.

He knows he’s jealous. He knows that.

The jealousy mixed in with the anticipation of how the rest of the mission will play out worries him.

He wanted you home and near him, but since that wasn’t going to happen, he was home by himself, glooming.

He knows he needed a distraction right away so he picks up some of his things from the dining table, slides on a light jacket, and makes his way towards the tower.

He knows the blueprint of the tower already and he’s able to navigate himself into stairwell of the apartment on the top floor.

After weeks of dissecting, you both found out that Ashens’ father, Ashen, and his mother don’t live here with the boy. For safety precautions, which are obvious why, he’s being housed in under high security and under the supervision of some au pair who is as clueless of his importance as the day is young.

Bucky knows that what he’s about to do borders on breaking boundaries, and downright creepy.

But this was a situation he would qualify as desperate times comes to desperate measures.

Bucky’s able to bypass security, taking a security outfit off a ‘poor’ victim (he scoffs) as he does soon.

He’s just outside the boy’s bedroom when he hears the nanny tell Ashens goodnight.

When she’s leaving she tells Bucky in a heavy Bulgarian accent, clearly thinking he’s just a regular guard, that Ashens is about to go to sleep. Bucky keeps his head down and nods.

The clueless ar pair goes the opposite way, presumably to her own bedroom.

Bucky waits a few moments before knocking on the boy’s door.

He hears the little boy give out permission to come in. Bucky opens the door.

The bedroom is plain and depressing. There’s a bed with plain white sheets, a small nightstand, and a large window. There are no toys and nothing that would show any proof that a child resided here.

The room is not one he would expect for a boy Ashens’ age.

The little boy sits up in bed, his eyes squinting at the figure in his doorway.

“Hello.” The boy squeaks out.

Bucky practically laughs at how easy it was to get here. For a boy they are trying so hard to keep protected from just anyone, it was quite easy ending up just a few feet away from him.

Bucky’s had his fair share of experiences with kids, having a little sister himself. He knows he has to do this differently.

“Hi.” Bucky says lightly, almost too cheerfully.

The boy continues to stare at him as Bucky closes the door behind him, but not letting it close shut just yet.

“Who are you?”

Bucky slowly takes off his halo looking helmet and the boy squints at Bucky’s revealed face.

Bucky tucks the helmet under his arm and smiles.

“Can you keep a secret?”

The boy looks at him for a few more seconds before nodding slowly.

It’s not until Bucky is closer to the boy that his eyebrows shoot up,

“Wait. I know who you are.” Bucky can’t tell if the boy is excited or surprised, but the reaction makes Bucky’s chest swell.

This might go down easier than he expected.

“I -I was so little when I had the toy but,” the boy starts to talk excitedly and Bucky has to hide a growing smile, “Because I can’t have toys anymore. Not since we moved here. I was little but I remember,” the boy and Bucky both narrow their eyes at each other as if it’s a game to who would say it first, “it’s captain America. You ever heard of captain America?”

Bucky bites his lip.

“No, never.” He says sarcastically. “Oh, he’s the best. You look like his friend, but I don’t remember his name. He used to be the winter soldier and then he became good.”

Bucky’s heart swells again. The boy’s joy was so pure.

“Oh, yea?”

“Yeah. Dad didn’t like them vey much, though,” his face drops as he looks away from Bucky, “I didn’t like how happy he was when they all died. But no one knows that just us I think,” when Ashens looks up again, Bucky’s face is more solemn this time, “Are you sure you’re not the winter soldier?” The boy whispers the question.

Bucky considers his next words carefully. He places the helmet at the feet of the boy’s bed.

“If I told you I was?”

“I would be surprised because I though you were dead, and also I would be confused. Because why you here?”

Bucky nods. He looks away and then back at Ashens.

“Would you tell your dad?” He asks quietly. This was important.

The boy looks at him for a bit before answering.

“No. He would kill you. Daddy’s not on the good side.”

“And you believe I’m on the good side, right?”

“Yes. You’re an Avenger.”

Bucky bites his lip and looks around the room. This boy was good. It angered him that his own father wanted him killed. Now, more than ever, he wanted to rescue this boy.

“Can you trust me?” Bucky asks, suddenly serious.

The boy nods.

“Am I in trouble?” He asks timidly. “What do you mean?” “Ae you here to save me, sir?”

The question broke Bucky’s heart, but he nods.

“I trust you.” The boy’s eyes dart down Bucky’s left side, “Can I feel you arm?” The edge of Bucky’s lips perk up as he takes a seat, “and what does it feel like to hold the shield? Did you really know Iron Man? Black Panther always said —”

+ + +

By the time Bucky is back you’re already home in your pajamas tucked into bed.

“Hey. Where’d you go?” You ask him as he takes off his coat, draping it over one of the chairs in the dining area.

He kicks off his shoes and reaches back, pulling off his shirt. He walks over to the closet for a new one.

“I met Ashens.”

You raise your brows at this. You knew it was part of the plan to happen, but you didn’t expect it to be today.

“What?”

Bucky also pulls out a new and clean pair of boxers, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Yeah. We spoke for a bit.” “And he didn’t recognize you?” “No, he did,” Bucky says simply, eyes going over to you. You looked so pretty, comforter pulled up under your clothed breasts, a book in your hands, and a messy bun in your hair. He wanted you. He looks away, remembering where you had just been, “He knows I’m here. He won’t tell his dad." “How can you be so sure?” “I’m an Avenger, aren’t I? That’s what everyone tells me, has been telling me.” He says it bitterly. Bucky sighs, closing the closet door and then walking over to the bed near you, “Because I made him a promise that I was here to save him. I think he knows his dad is bad news. He’s a smart kid. He knows his dad hits his mom, too.” Bucky’s voice is soft.

“So you trust he’ll keep this between us?”

“I do.”

You nod. You watch Bucky’s eyes as his stare stays on you, unnerving.

“And you?” You voice shakes as you ask, “How are you? Ya know, after?”

Bucky nods his head.

“I’m alright, ya know? I — ,” something happens to him that you had never seen before. A wave of happiness washes over Bucky’s face like a fresh cup of lemonade. His eyes shine and a bright smile fills his face. Even his voice sounds perkier, “It was just so nice talking to him. He’s such a sweet kid. I know we’re doing the right thing,” his eyes meet yours again and his voice lowers to a deep tone, “We’re both going to walk away from this mission with more than we thought.” It’s the first time he’s said that you are both going to walk away from the mission together, and not just you. He knows that. Bucky clears his throat, “You definitely won’t run into his father. He’s not living with him to avoid attention and possible abductions. Ashens is a literal rapunzel right now.”

“Good. That’s good.” Obviously it wasn’t. But it was good for the both of you. You had less chances of running into Ashen.

Bucky takes in a deep breath when he realizes his eyes are lingering on your collarbones for far too long.

“How was your date?” He actually doesn’t want to even know, the thought of you and Pietro makes him sick, but he knows he needs to show courtesy. They can’t ignore it forever. “It was fine. I wasn’t feeling too well, though—“

Bucky’s eyes narrow.

“—Oh no, I’m sorry.”

“Couldn’t eat. But,” you took a deep breath and eyed the hallway, "Brought some in a small Tupperware if you want it. It’s in the kitchen.”

Bucky ignores the flutter in his heat at the mention that you thought of him. Thought of him enough to bring the leftovers for him.

He smiles.

“What is it?” “Chicken Parm.” You watch as Bucky continues to watch you, eyes still sparkling. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. You’re happy, right?” Your eyes flicker away for a moment.

“Y-yeah.”

He knows he’s not fine so he lies.

“Then I’m fine. You looked great by the way.” He adds quickly.

You tilt your head at him and he tilts his back.

Damnit, he needed you.

“Yeah?” You ask hoarsely.

He wanted you.

“You’re glowing.” He says.

+ + +

Jazz and burlesque shows were the epitome of everything she had lived for up until she was sixteen years old. The smell of handmade lace garters and expensive perfume still lingered in the back of her mind, bringing her a feeling of contentment and a strange longing for the past.

Nostalgia would overwhelm her as she looked on at what was the exact contrast to her innocence – her mother’s hugs. She missed those nights where she’d play some 12’s of her beat up vinyl on her record, the scratches adding to Peggy Lee’s voice a twinge of imperfection that made it the perfect tone.

With nothing on but her undergarments, and a pair of leg garters accompanied with knee high black stockings, she’d open her closet to a huge collection of gorgeous cocktail dresses. A couple handful landed just above her knees, not many past her mid shin - Scandalous and mildly scandalous. Her parents would kill her if they ever found out she even owned them (let alone have them in their home) so she kept those hidden in a little pile in the back corner of the wardrobe.

She had every right to be terrified for many reasons. It’s not that she was not loyal or a rebel, per say. She was born and raised into a Christian family, all strict rules of modesty and heavy morals applied to her daily life. She was always daddy’s little girl in the simplest sense possible.

She wouldn’t ever dare roll her eyes at him or purposefully make him disapprove of her, ever. Sure, she was raised in a rich family, so she was used to getting everything she always wanted. Material things being at the top of the list. Even then she remained as humble as possible.

Especially when she thought her strong faith was behind it all.

Do well for God, he gives back in return, right? At least that’s what her naïve self believed at the time. But she’d never admit it to her family that she now thought otherwise, especially to her mom.

If anything, God was now banning them all to Hell anyway.

Her vanity was those of every girl’s dreams. Drawers filled with everything you could only wish of having. Inside were lingerie of every shade (from fiery red to pure jet black, like the night sky in the city), style, and earrings of every pearl and diamond crystal variety you could think. Her favorite would always be the garters.

She’d clip each of the four clasps into place just above her knees with her nimble fingers and then she’d sit opened legged in front of the mirror.

Diligently, and with prestige dexterity, she’d apply her blood red lipstick and her four inch black heels.

After an o shape with her lips around her fingers and a loud pop, she’d walk around her room and close her eyes, envisioning herself as a burlesque girl and a sensual song playing in the background. After all, she had all the right in the world to be the exact opposite at night than what she was during the day. Morally, at least.

She still remained as the same sweet, innocent, and faithful young girl she always was. But she had big hopes and dreams, especially in film and dance. God should be okay with dreams, she thought.

When she had learned the truth it was just short of her 20th birthday. She unwontedly found out that her father and brother were different souls at night, too. She wished she never found out that everything that had been lying in front of her had been a lie, and instead of life being a gifted blessing it was instead a bloody carcass hades.

Their life wasn’t one she liked to admit to partaking in. There were times where she would trick into telling herself that they weren’t doing it. She’d trick herself into thinking that way so that when she saw her dad that night, she’d be able to surpass the strong smell of whiskey and gun powder and kiss him goodnight.

Jimmy would roll his eyes with a shove past her shoulder.

As much as she detested it, she knew that without them, they wouldn’t be living in one of the most beautiful homes in all of Manhattan in complete safety. It was because of them that she wasn’t living out in the slums. She tried to divide that part of harsh reality from her brain as much as she could. Eventually, the pros outweighed the cons.

Maybe it was the fact that her body had finally developed into a women’s body. Her breasts were now fully perked and her legs were long and porcelain gorgeous; all she knew was they figured she could be put to good use.

At first she was repulsed by her own father’s comment, but if it meant having dinner that night and not getting killed, she would swallow those nagging feelings and take it head on. It never lasted too long anyway, and all she had to do was stand there and be her brother’s accessory.

When her father brought her into the business, he told her she would thank him one day when she had children of her own- she’d have all the men of the lower east side wrapped around her pretty little finger.

She was alright with it, until something happened that she would never forget. She had to swallow the repulsive bile and control herself not to run away then and there. She was too far in and knew way too much.

It was just another Tuesday night and she had been sitting at the dinner table, when both her mom and dad had stepped out of the dining room and into the kitchen. She ate her soup quietly, not being able to stop thinking about going back to her room to play burlesque, when Jimmy had turned to her.

At first it was the sudden motion that caught her attention, it had made a strand of blonde hair fly off her arm. Then it was the feral look in his eyes.

“Daisy,” his voice was low and dangerous. Daisy knew that tone very well because it was the tone all the other men used on their nights of missions. She was terrified and disgusted. Wide eyes trailed from her eyes to her full red lips and she felt a cold rigid finger against the heat of her skin on her upper thigh, pushing the fabric slightly up. She gulped.

Jimmy smiled, “You gorgeous thing.”

She thought about telling her father but she knew that if he found out, the one partnership that was bringing them the most cash would be jeopardized and it would have to be terminated and he’d be more than upset. She knew when her dad got angry, it was not good. It’s was messy and bad.

Back at dinner, her father would say grace before they ate, all of them hand in hand, and her mom would sit there quietly, a terrified and exhausted look in her smiles. She had heavy bags that weren’t there years ago, and her hair that used to always be done was now up in a messy clip, the baby hairs hanging against her wrinkled forehead, messy and unruly. But still she managed to smile, even if it wasn’t a real smile. It was all a stupid act.

It reminded Daisy of how she herself was when she was 16 - pretending to be oblivious to what her family were doing to the innocent. And so she hated her mom for that, for being just like her.

She felt disgusted in herself, she felt disgust for her family. Oh how she missed those days of when she was a child, before she even knew the truth. It was all so much simpler back then and she was so much happier. The worst it used to get was when her mother would tell her stories about when she was a nurse back in WWI.

She had wanted to be like her mom at first. Her mom was quiet, humble, caring, and extremely gracious. It’s what made her such a good person to have back in the war to help the soldiers- she was strong willed and knew she could help and would in her best ability do so. But those stories made Daisy question why any man in his right mind would want to do such a thing to their own body- putting themselves at such a risk.

Sure, she was privileged by riches, but problems didn’t have to be solved by violence. There must be other ways, like prayer or simply believing.

Her mother would tell her the graphic stories of the injuries that made Daisy queasy and fidget in her seat. She loved her mom’s qualities and how willing she was to help others who were injured and almost dying, but it still made no sense to her.

When daisy questioned her concerned to her mother she had simply said:

“Don’t question acts of the daring and misinterpret it for insanity. Simply thank the courages ones for their heart and strong character, for not all are willing to do the good and get destroyed in the worst way, not for their own benefit, but for others.”

To this day, Daisy wondered if her mom was indirectly referencing her own father- him lacking thereof.

Next, she wondered about when her mom stopped believing her own words.

Daisy wondered if she’d ever meet one one day - a soldier. Someone willing to get destroyed. Or if her mom had been lying and all men are the same, evil like her father and brother.

But she was evil, too.

No, I don't wanna fall in love.

A/N: yes. she’s pregnant.

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