#i turn around and there’s this dog (i think) slowly walking towards us but pauses when i make eye contact with it

[mydearestdaryl]

𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐲𝐚 (18+) ‧₊˚ ✧

Summary: Daryl needed some love and you gladly gave it to him. Warnings: TWD violence, gore, blood, character deaths, explicit language, smut (oral f receiving, unprotected p in v, simple aftercare). Not proofread. Pairing: Daryl Dixon x f! reader smut + fluff. Setting: Quarry. A/N: I read a post some time ago that said that Daryl in season 1 just needed some kisses to calm down and I couldn't agree more so I wrote this. It's also my first time trying to write smut, so I am so sorry if this sucks, and I was so hesitant to post it so please be nice lol. 😞

“Ha-ha, funny girl,” T-Dog deadpanned, rolling his eyes and suppressing a genuine laugh. It was the third bad joke you told in a row, and he was starting to find them funny.

“I really am,” you replied breathlessly, finally able to catch your breath after cackling at your joke.

“Okay, Eddie Murphy,” T-Dog, added jokingly, making you giggle as he placed a bunch of firewood you'd been helping him split for the past 40 minutes. “Let's head back.”

“I just thought of another one!” You exclaimed as you walked next to him. His groan of annoyance made you laugh before you even told the joke. “What do you call a fish with no eyes?”

“I. Don't. Know.”

“A fsh,” you replied after a dramatic pause, hardly able to contain your laugh as he gave you a side-eye, pressing his lips together to hold a smile back. “Please, I-” you started, but interrupted yourself as a commotion reached your ears from the camp. You recognized Daryl's voice.

Sharing a confused look with T, you both picked up the pace, coming into view with what seemed like a heated discussion between Daryl, Shane, and Rick, the man who joined the camp yesterday. You felt a little annoyed that they ignored T-Dog's request to let him tell Daryl, but oh well.

“Rick Grimes,” he introduced himself to Daryl.

“Rick Grimes,” Daryl mocked him, “y' got somethin' you wanna tell me?”

“Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof hooked into a piece of metal,” Rick stated, apparently with confidence. “He's still there.”

You stayed in place, watching as T-Dog slowly took a few steps closer to the scene.

Daryl hummed as he turned around, pacing shortly before he spoke, “Le' me process this,” said he while turning to face Rick again, clearly growing irritated. “Ya' sayin' you handcuffed ma brother to a roof, and you left 'im there!” His veins popped as his voice got raspier as he yelled at the other man.

Rick gulped before admitting. “Yeah.”

Suddenly, Daryl tossed the squirrels he was carrying toward Rick, the latter swiftly dodging them before Shane jumped into action, tackling Daryl to the ground. Next, he pulled a knife from its holster, swinging it at the former cops, but being stopped in a matter of seconds.

In the blink of an eye, Shane put Daryl in a chokehold, while Rick snatched the weapon out of his hand. “Ya best let me go!” warned Daryl, struggling in Shane's grip as the cop brought him to the ground. You walked closer toward Carol as your eyes remained on the scene, but decided to walk to the other side as you noticed Ed was next to her.

“I think it's better if we don't,” Shane replied, almost mockingly.

“Chockehold's illegal,” Daryl added, face red from the struggle.

“'Kay, file a complaint,” If this situation was not so tense, you would've laughed. You did a little on the inside. Rick kneeled in front of the restrained man as Shane spoke again. “C'mon, man, can keep this up all day.”

“I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic. You think we can manage that?” Rick spoke, trying to find Daryl's eyes. “You think we can manage that?” the cop repeated when no answer was obtained.

Panting and growling, Daryl grunted in agreement, finally getting Shane to release him; more aggressively than he should, if they asked you. Sitting up quickly, Daryl pointed at Shane warningly. Rick continued: “What I did was not on a whim,” he explained. “Your brother does not work and play well with others.”

“It's not Rick's fault,” T-Dog spoke up, his leg bouncing anxiously as he confessed. “I had the key. I dropped it.”

“Couldn't pick it up?” Daryl retorted. His voice was calmer, but you recognized in his stormy eyes a hint of grief. Nobody else cared about his brother when his brother was everything he had. You couldn't imagine how terrible this situation was for him.

“Well, I dropped it in a drain.”

Dropping his head, Daryl slowly got up, gathering his composure again. Anger returned to his expression as he walked past T-dog, “'f it's s'posed ta make me feel better, it don't,” glaring daggers at the 'culprit.'

“Maybe this will,” T went on to say, “I chained the door to the roof so the geeks couldn't get at him... with the padlock”

“It's gotta count for something,” Rick piped in.

Drying a tear as soon as it came, Daryl took a deep breath. “Hell with all y'all!” he screamed. “Jus' tell me where he is, so's I can go get 'im.”

“He'll show you,” Lori stated, staring into her husband's eyes. “Ain't that right?” Rick's eyes left his wife's after a few seconds, finding T-Dog's shortly before nodding.

“I'm going back,” he declared, almost solemnly, hands on his hips as his eyes met Daryl's again. The younger Dixon clenched his jaw before walking past everyone to get his crossbow and stomping to his tent.

You didn't notice you went behind him until Dale stopped you by grabbing your wrist. “What are you doing, honey?” the older man questioned. He'd always been kind and sweet to you, so you gently released yourself from his grip.

“He's upset,” you explained, and he seemed to understand as he nodded reluctantly, but understandingly. On your way, you grabbed your half-full water bottle, and slowly approached the edge of the camp, where the tent of the Dixon's was.

You found Daryl sitting on the chair outside his tent, shoulders hunched forward, fists clenched with anger as if grasping the last shreds of control. His head bowed low and his eyes were shut tight. You caught the way his body shook softly with quiet sobs. You stilled, not daring to interrupt this stolen vulnerable moment.

After another minute, he abruptly stood up, drying his tears before cursing loudly while kicking the chair he was sitting in. You were suddenly hesitant to approach him and decided to turn around and leave, but before you took one step, his voice reached your ears.

“Whaddaya doin' here?”

You took a deep breath before turning back around and walking up to him, your water bottle hanging from your hand. “I- uhm, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about Merle, and-”

“Ya don' even like 'im,” he snapped defensively.

“No, I don't,” you confirmed, “but I like you, and he's your brother. Even if my brother would annoy the shit out of me before, I loved him, and... I'm sorry you're going through this, Daryl,” you took a few steps closer, eyes on the ground as you spoke before meeting his.

His gaze remained on yours, before studying your face, finding nothing but the truth.

He frowned deeper, angrily huffing out a breath before turning away from you to rant. “He's jus' so fuckin' stupid. Nobody can fuckin' stand him an' he can't keep 'is fuckin' mouth shut!” he yelled, pacing from left to right, hands dancing through the air practically independently, punctuating his words.

“Why he gotta be such a fuckin' pain in the ass? Not even when we gotta surv-” mid-sentence, your hands found his cheeks, and with utter sweetness your lips impulsively found his, silencing his words.

He stilled, hands slowly dropping to his sides, body completely tense.

You quickly pulled away, opening your eyes to find his eyes slightly wide and totally confused. Your hands left his face and you took a step back. Your eyes awkwardly looking anywhere but at him. “Fuck, Daryl, I'm so sorry,” you started, a knot of anxiety growing in your chest. “I don't know why I did that... well, I know why, 'cause I like you, but I shouldn't have, I'm- I'm so sorry, really.”

Your rambling was interrupted by his hands on your waist, pulling you closer to connect his lips with yours. This time he was more relaxed, and the kiss was slower. His hands slid down to gently grab your hips, pressing his body to yours.

Your arms snaked around his neck, dropping your water bottle, and allowing your lips to part when his tongue requested entrance. Exploring the taste of each other, time stilled for a moment, but you loved it. The kiss grew almost desperate and the grip on your hips got stronger.

Unhappy to pull away, but needing to do so to breathe, you found yourself gasping as his lips left yours. You smiled brightly, cheeks rosy, and he smirked while dipping his head. “Also, I brought you water,” you added, grabbing the bottle from the ground, and dusting off the little dirt that stuck to its side before handing it to him.

“Thanks,” he nodded, taking it from your hands before opening it, downing the liquid, and emptying the bottle.

“You're gonna find him,” you reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder and a quick kiss on his cheek. He smiled and nodded once again, muttering a thank you. You sounded pretty confident as if you knew, which gave him the confidence when he left on the search for his brother later that day.

Everybody screamed as they tried to avoid or fight the walkers emerging from the thick forest. The evening that started so peacefully suddenly turned into the perfect scene of a terrifying horror movie.

Things moved fast and slow at the same time. It was a blur. Tunnel vision, solely focused on surviving and protecting your group, moving on automatic pilot as you dug your machete countless times into the head of those flesh-hungry monsters.

You didn't even notice when it ended, barely feeling a pair of strong hands gripping your shoulders. His voice sounded distant asking if you were okay over and over. But you couldn't answer, you weren't sure if you were okay, the adrenaline didn't let you feel your body.

His loud voice calling your name finally snapped you out of your trance. “What?” You asked, brows knitting in confusion.

“Were ya bitten? Are ya alright?” Daryl questioned, nealy manhandling you as he searched and scanned for bites or scratches on your neck, lifting the sleeves of your flannel to make sure the skin of your arms was intanct.

“I didn't get bit or anything,” you shook your head, still a bit gone.

Cupping your face to study your eyes, he quickly pulled you into his arms, and you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. You felt finally safe now. You wrapped your arms around his torso, closing your eyes and hiding your face in his neck.

After everyone agreed to get some rest and leave the cleaning for the morning, Daryl offered to stay in your tent with you that night.

He helped you into your pajamas, and you cuddled for a bit as he told you what happened in Atlanta. Then you simply lay in silence. You played with his fingers and he watched you adoringly, rubbing soothing circles on your back with his free hand.

You looked up to find his eyes on yours. Gently he cupped your chin, leaning down to capture your lips in a kiss. Your hand went up to cup half of his face, returning the kiss with equal passion. It was almost needy but slow. It was like he needed the confirmation that you were both here and okay.

Tongues met in a slow dance, and his hands reached down to cup your ass, easily moving you to lay on top of him. You couldn't help but moan as your body completely pressed against his, but it also made you want to feel more.

His hands slid under your shirt, and you broke the kiss in need of oxygen, immediately latching your lips onto his neck, sucking and kissing. He hummed in satisfaction, which was all the confirmation you needed to keep going, but he stopped after a few moments, pulling his hands out of your shirt, and cupping your face again for you to look at him.

“You sure 'bout this?” he asked, his face stern as he waited for your answer.

You nodded hastily, licking your lips. “Yeah. Are you?”

“'M sure,” he said without hesitation, pulling you onto his lap so you could straddle him. “Need ta feel ya,” he whispered in a husky voice, sending a shiver down your spine as you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him in for a passionate kiss.

His hands caressed the dip of your waist up and down under your shirt as you made out. You buckled your hips up unintentionally but did it again on purpose when you heard him moan into your mouth.

You were straight-up grinding into his hips before he pulled away from your mouth, “not yet, doll,” he whispered as he took your shirt off. His hands went to your breasts like magnets, kneading and massaging the curves shamelessly as he peppered your neck with hot, open-mouthed kisses that trailed down to pop a tit inside his mouth.

Your clothed cunt clenched on air, as you closed your eyes and moaned, enjoying the attention, and you could feel his excitement tenting in his pants as well.

He slowly shifted the position, you back now on the mattress. After he decided both tits had been given enough attention, albeit still reluctant, his mouth trailed lower and lower, hands smoothly pulling your shorts and panties at the same time as his tongue and mouth kissed and licked the skin of your stomach.

His eyes met yours as he kissed your thighs, silently asking for permission to go further. “Please,” you whispered, surprising yourself by how needy you sounded, but then again, you did feel like you needed him right now.

He wasted no time, and in less than a second his mouth was latched to your clit. Tongue swirling on it and sucking, making you gasp. He used his whole face, pushing himself deeper and moving side to side as his tongue flicked over your sensitive pearl quickly. Hungrily. You arched your back involuntarily, fingers finding his hair to pull while simultaneously pulling him closer.

With a hand on your hip, he sucked a few more times before he licked a strip down to your entrance where his tongue began to fuck you. His thumb replaced his mouth on your clit, rubbing at the same speed as his tongue went in and out of you. You moaned and whimpered and cursed, trying to keep quiet, being apparently unsuccessful.

“Quiet, sunshine,” he whispered, his free hand reaching up to make you suck on two fingers to silence you, and you happily obliged. Your legs wrapped around his head as he continued his ministrations, the familiar knot forming in your stomach.

“Fuck, Daryl, I- wait,” your back arched further, legs pulling him closer, contradicting your plead as he moved faster and faster, changing again to suck on your clit and fuck you with his fingers. He hummed and the vibrations brought you closer. “So close.”

Your pitch was higher and higher, the knot tighter and tighter. All it took was a final, flick and suck of his tongue, feeling him moan against your cunt before pushing you over the edge into a shattering climax. The free hand covered your mouth as the other slowed down, prolonging your pleasure until your body relaxed and you came down from your high.

“Fuck,” you looked at him with hazy eyes.

“Fuck,” he said as a confirmation, looking down to see a damp spot on his sweatpants.

“Come here,” you said, pulling him into a kiss. He gladly kissed you back as you slid your hands under his shirt, trying to pull it up, but he stopped you, grabbing your wrist.

“I-” he started, looking away from your eyes and knawing on his bottom lip. “I have- I....”

“You don't have to take it off, it's okay.”

“No, I wan' ta, jus'” he sighed, slowly taking the shirt off. He was thankful his back was away from you. At least you wouldn't have to see those yet. “My dad... was a drunk,” he reached to touch, kind of trying to hide, one of the scars on his shoulders, but you gently pushed his hand away, tracing the scar with your fingertips before looking up at him. You smiled and kissed him shortly, before kissing the scars on his shoulders.

“You're so strong,” you whispered.

His heart was beating fast but in a good way. His lips found yours again as he settled himself between your legs. Your now-familiar mouths found a rhythm as he started to pull his sweatpants and boxers down.

His erection hit your thighs making you pull away. You bit your bottom lip at the sight; he was thick, and the size was a bit on the bigger side. “All for you, baby,” he whispered, as he pumped himself a couple of times.

He rubbed the tip on your clit and entrance, spreading your and his juices all over your cunt again. “Ya ready?” he asked, slapping your cunt with his dick gently. You nodded. “Nah, need ya to speak up.”

“Please, Dar, I'm ready. I need you.”

He hummed in satisfaction, leaning to prop himself up with his forearms around your head, kissing your cheek, before slowly pushing into you. You moaned and he groaned. You were wet and ready enough, so the stretch felt like pure bliss for both of you.

He grabbed both your hands with one of his and pinned them above your head, starting to move when you wrapped your legs around his hips. “Feel so good, doll.”

He started slow, savoring the moment but also nervous to hurt you. But soon, he picked up a rhythm and started moving faster. Your boobs bounced beneath him as he kissed and worshipped your neck and breasts. You felt so deliciously full as he thrust up into your tight, dripping heat, moaning and whimpering underneath him.

He was in heaven, eyes inevitably closed as he made love to you, but he wanted to keep them open to look at you. To him, you looked like a work of art just like that.

“Harder,” you breathed, and he obliged. Your skin met over and over and the sounds filled your tent. He grunted, reaching down to rub on your clit, eliciting a gasp from you. “Oh, right there,” your voice was getting higher, letting him know you were close. “Don't stop, fuck, please, don't stop.”

“I won', baby. I gotcha,” he moaned. His thrusts became more and more urgent, each one hitting that sweet spot that made your body arch and your toes curl. If your hands weren't inside his gasp you'd be grasping the sheet beneath you. With one last flick of your clit, you shattered.

His mouth claimed yours to silence your cries of pleasure. Pure ecstasy filled your body, and prolonging your high, Daryl continued moving inside you, until he, too, reached his peak, quickly pulling out and releasing himself on your stomach.

Spent and breathless, he collapsed next to you, who was in the same state as him. Your body tingled with the remnants of your passion, and you couldn't help the smile on your face as he kissed your face lazily.

Your eyelids were too heavy to notice when he pulled a little rag from somewhere and cleaned you up, then you felt him put your clothes on again, and his too. All too relaxed, you nestled into his embrace as he pulled you into his arms, both falling asleep in a matter of seconds.

#daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl dixon imagine #twd daryl dixon #daryl dixon #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon headcanons #twd #daryl dixon x you #daryl dixion imagine #twd fanfiction

[robertsbarbie]

cant tell if i just saw a wolf, coyote or husky outside my brothers house and am concerned for his wife’s pregnant horse because i genuinely don’t know

#the fear that ricocheted through my body when i turned around and realized there was an animal behind me #cause i was taking my brother’s dog out and they have automatic lights on their barn #and silly me thought a fly flew through or the dog got too close… nope! #i turn around and there’s this dog (i think) slowly walking towards us but pauses when i make eye contact with it #then my brothers dog finally realizes there’s something #and starts barking like crazy not wanting to go inside #and i’m very afraid because i do not know this animal’s intentions #which is so stupid but now i’m like 😱 the horse! because i don’t know what animal is was but it’s 9:30 at night so like?? it can’t be a #neighbor’s animal can it? #very afraid lmao and now here’s another option what if it’s a murderer who sends their dog in first #eris: text

[celtic-crossbow]

You’re Beautiful and Sick Like Me

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader

Setting: The Quarry

Warnings: None

Summary: Even the toughest of the tough just need a gentle touch now and again.

“What crawled up your ass?” You asked, continuing to pin up the laundry on the sad little line Merle had set up for you. You practically had to twist his arm and, in retaliation, he had placed it just high enough that you had to stand on your tip-toes to get anything done. 

Daryl had returned from hunting, pacing and running a hand through his short hair. You could guess it had to do with the lack of deer beside the fire pit. 

“Goddamn geek got my deer.” He spat, vibrating with frustration but still taking the time to place his crossbow next to his tent almost tenderly. Then it was back to pacing. You watched your boyfriend with an arched brow, finally abandoning your task with a sigh when it became clear he was going to create a ditch. 

“Come over here.” You stood behind the stump you three used for a chair more often than not. Narrowed blue eyes slid over to regard you but he made no move to comply. “What? You think I’m gonna shank you or something? Come here.”

With a quiet ‘pfft’, he stalked over and stopped in front of you, head tilted questioningly. “What is it?”

“Sit.” You pointed to the stump. 

“Ain’t a dog.” Daryl huffed, kicking at a rock. 

Rolling your eyes, you reached across the space between you and grabbed the front of his tank top, pulling him forward so that you could grab his shoulders and spin him. He got the point and plopped down on the stump. Before he could ask, you placed your hands halfway between his shoulders and neck and began to knead the muscles there. Any snide comment died on his tongue as his head fell forward. 

“That sucks about the deer.” You placated quietly, using your thumbs to really press into some knots you felt in his tense shoulders. “Not much you can do about it now though.” 

“Don’t need ya to shrink me right now. If you’re just—”

Utterly nonplussed, you tightened your grip on his shoulders when he made to stand, pushing him back down with an ‘oomph.’ 

“Woman, I swear—”

“Stop being so grumpy and let me take care of you. No one’s watching.” You ran your fingertips down the length of his spine before pressing into the muscles of his lower back. The moan he let out had his face flushing all the way to the tips of his ears. You were thankful he couldn’t see your cheeky grin. 

You, Daryl, and Merle had joined up with this little group not long after the first corpse started walking. The boys had intended to rob the occupants blind and then you would all disappear and move on to the next. It was your initial apprehension after seeing the kids that gave Daryl pause, eventually leading him to approach Merle with the decision to just stick around. Merle hadn’t liked the idea. In fact, he was quite vocal about it. You had stood on the sidelines with your pistol, just waiting to shoot the elder Dixon in the foot if he raised a hand toward Daryl. 

Daryl had taken to hunting for everyone, unable to stand the thought of the children going hungry. He’d never say so out loud but he didn’t have to. You knew. The burden he had placed upon himself kept him busy, which in turn kept him away from most social engagement. He was never much of a talker. 

But now, the enemy had taken the day’s dinner. Merle’s group had arrived back from a run to the city at some point, though you had yet to lay eyes on Merle himself. They had, however, brought back a stranger. What’s more, Daryl only managed to bring back enough squirrels for maybe a stew. He’d have to go greet his brother in a moment. You’d accompany him, of course. 

For now, you had a moment to show him some tenderness he’d usually never allow outside of your tent. Your palms slid up to his shoulder blades, thumbs pressing in circular motions to help the muscles relax. His head was hanging, shoulders slowly dropping down from where they had been tensed nearly to his ears. 

You could literally feel the tension drain as the stress he carried began to release its hold. He hadn’t moaned again but the sighs and grunts were enough to let you know you were doing a good job. As you rubbed up over his shoulders again, he tilted his head to nuzzle his cheek across your knuckles, reminding you of a cat showing affection. 

Still kneading at the junction of his neck and shoulder, you leaned in closer. “Let’s go say hi to Merle and get it over with, okay?”

His eyes opened and blinked lazily. You thought he may have been content to stay on that log for the rest of the day, but sadly, you were right. Grunting at the loss of your touch, he pushed himself to his feet and grabbed the string of squirrels. He took a step but stopped and turned to you, taking hold of your chin and caressing your cheek with his thumb. The corner of his mouth lifted and he quickly released you and flicked the end of your nose. 

When he started down toward where everyone was gathered, you fell in behind him. 

“Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out here!”

#murda writes #daryl dixon #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon fanfiction #the walking dead #daryl dixon x y/n #daryl dixon fanfic #daryl dixon x you #daryl drabbles #daryl dixon drabbles #daryl imagines #daryl dixon imagine #daryl dixon the walking dead #twd daryl #the walking dead daryl dixon #daryl x y/n #daryl x you #daryl x reader #daryl dixon x female reader #the walking dead daryl #daryl #daryl fanfiction #daryl twd #twd daryl dixon #daryl dixon twd #Spotify

[bakugosatoru]

You and Bakugo adopt a kitten together

Requests Open!

Warnings: None Genre: Romantic Fluff Fic Type: Short Fanfic (1k Words) Fandom: My Hero Academia

Authors Note: I actually work at pet store and thought about this story in my head while working so now I shall share it with all of you.

"I still dont understand why we couldnt get a big dog" grumbled Bakugo, as you wandered the rows of cages full of all myriad of rescued dogs and cats.

"I don't know, maybe because our apartment lease very clearly states 'no dogs'? Besides, it wouldn't be fair honey, our apartment isn't exactly a penthouse, and with how much you and I are away with work? Poor thing would go crazy" You calmly explained for the hundredth time to your moping boyfriend.

It was his own fault, he had let his guard down. About a week ago you were both lying on the couch after a long mission and an ad came on the television about a rescue shelter near your apartment that had animals looking for their forever home.

"You know it could be fun to have a kitty, I had one growing up" You mumbled, cuddling up into your boyfriend on the couch.

"Oh? Yea sure honey" He mumbled, clearly a little too tired to be fully paying attention.

But that was all the confirmation you needed.

So here you were, walking the rows of dog and cats, looking for the new perfect addition to your little family. Your eyes scanned the various kittens in the various enclosures and you felt your heart melt, you just wanted to take them all home. But no, Katsuki made you promise you were only getting one on the drive here.

Finally you reached the room at the end of the hall. The shelter had placed the kitties that were up for adoption into the room for prospective families to take a look at, so you and Katsuki slipped through the two doors (to prevent any kitty escapees) and into a room full of fluffy balls of joy.

"Babe there's so many! Look how cute!" You beamed, stepping towards a small ribbon toy and picking it up, four or five kitties flocking to your feet as you swirled it around.

Katsuki just smiled as he stood back, watching you spin around, the kittens running after you. He wandered over to the bench on end of the room and sat down. You were the one that wanted the stupid cat after all, he was happy to just let you pick. But he couldn't help but smile at your excited squeals as the kitties clambered all over you.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp sensation in his leg. He looked down to see two small kittens, quite a lot smaller than the rest, clawing their way up his pant leg.

"Dumb cats, what are you doing? Your going to put holes in my pants you know!" He grumbled, with no real malice in his voice, as the two small kittens curled up into his lap. His hands hovered over the small creatures, not exactly sure what to do with them.

Gentle had never exactly been his forté

"Aw Katsuki honey, they like you!"

Bakugo looked up to see you walking over, that gorgeous smile on your face that always made him melt.

God you were too good for him.

"Dumb idiots just crawled up my pant leg and sat here, probably just think i'm a warm bed" He grumbled as you sat down next to him. You rested your head on his shoulders and you reached out and began to softly stroke the head of one of the kittens. A quiet purring radiating from it. Katsuki slowly lowered his hand to the other kitten, being as gentle as possible, using his fingers to scratch its head and around its ears. Soon enough, that kitten joined his friend in purring.

"That means they're happy right?" Bakugo mumbled

"Mhm" You smiled, pressing a small kiss to his cheek. There was nothing you loved more than seeing your loud, strong, and sometimes rough around the edges boyfriend turn into a gentle giant.

"I don't know how we're going to pick just one" You sighed, looking at the two kittens in your boyfriends lap. Bakugo paused for a second, before sighing.

"I know what your doing" He said, exasperated.

"I have absolutely no idea what you mean" You smirked

"Whatever, dumb idiot should have a friend or whatever." He grumbled, cradling both the kitties in his arm as he stood up to go find an employee to help with the paperwork.

"You mean it? We can get both?!" You leapt from the bench following your boyfriend and holding his free hand.

"Only if I get to name one of the dumb things" He grumbled, but he couldn't hide the smile curling at the side of his lips as he waved over the employee.

So after about an hour of paperwork, many thank you kisses, and a short ride home, you welcomed two new little fluffy creatures into your family.

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

Bonus

"Babe you cannot name him Grenade" You laughed, cradling one of the kittens in your arms as you looked down at your boyfriend, sprawled out on the floor, playing with the other kitty.

"You said I could name one, that was the deal" He said, his smile evident in his voice.

"Come on! I named this little one Blossom!" You said, rolling yourself off the couch and onto the floor, allowing the two kitties to play together as you curled into Bakugo's side. His arms wrapping around you and pulling you closer.

"Hmmmm" He hummed, his chin resting against the top of your head.

"Explosion?"

"No"

"Murder"

"Absolutely not"

"Gunpowder kitty of death"

"Babe!" You laughed, wacking him in the arm with a cat toy that was laying on the ground.

"Well then, that settles it, Grenade it is" He said triumphantly, before turning your head slightly and catching your lips in a soft kiss.

"I love you dummy" You hummed as his lips parted from yours.

"I love you too babe, and our two new dumb cats" Bakugo sighed happily.

#bakugou x reader #bakugo fluff #mha fluff #mha fanfiction #bnha fanfiction #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #bakugou katsuki x reader #mha bakugou #bnha bakugou #katsuki bakugo x reader #NinesWritings

[d0g0r0t]

Manifesting for a first meet with the little silly boy (Toby)

Pleasseeeeeed

Meeting Toby for the first time

Alr so I have 2 different scenarios on how u meet my boy Toby so imma just do both

___________________________________________

The boy in the forest

Home sucks... alot of the time..

Running away out in the thick lush woods was your only escape

The trees felt more like home then your own house.

The tall leafs in the sky blocking out the hot sun like a roof and the thick bushes acting like walls protecting you from the harmful outside world

You loved the way the cold breeze hit your skin every now making your nose and ears go red.

You were alone most of the time. Or so you thought.

It was a rough night, so like always you ran into the forest.

Walking down the flimler path that lead deeper into the woods.

You were going to your normal spot. That large fallen tree being held up by a ditch making a natural bridge.

The leafs crunching under your feet as the creations of mother nature echo noises threw out the sky.

The sun setting over you as you finally approache your destination

But something was new. The boy... sitting in the spot you normally sit.

Tilting your head and squinting your eyes to get a better look you can see shaggy messy brown hair.

There was something about him that really caught your eye

Curiosity got the better of you when you slowly took a step closer

The dead leafs causing noise making it aware of your presence.

Suddenly his neck pops and swings around looking directly at you.

Freezing up and raising your arms up showing your unarmed as you make eye contact

He stares at you for a moment before tilting his head and slowly turning his body towards you

His curiosity also getting the best of him

Taking in his appearance seeing orange goggles and a dog muzzle

He was different.. and you liked that

The thought that he wasn't like the others dragged you in

He swiftly stood on top of the log and looked down at you

"Who a-re yo-u?"

He stuttered out

You pause for a moment as you stared up at him and his high ground

"No idea"

You speak up

He takes you in for a moment and suddenly jumps down from the rotted tree in front of you

You flinch and take a step back from his unexpected action

He takes a step closer. His back hunched and his arm out stretched like his claiming you as his founded prize

Standing still like cold worn-out stone as he analyzes you

"What are you doing out here all alone?"

___________________________________________

Newcomer

After the.. "incident"

HE took you in

You were in your room practically 95% of the time so you never got to interact with the others

One late night, no one was home. You take that chance and escape your room for some food

You've never been a people person. Why would you now?

Slipping on your headphones you speed walk down the stairs and enter the dim lit kitchen to see... who you think is Toby

Freezing up and staring at him and his tall form for a moment.

He slowly glances over at you. His body hunched over the counter as he mixes something in a bowl

You two make eye contact for a moment before he speaks up

"You really like to stare don't you?"

He rasps out. You flinch and clear your throat as you look the other way

"I- uhm... yea sorry I wasnt... sorry.."

You mumble. You looked down at your feet feeling awkward and probably ruining your chance of making am actually friend

The silence wad painfully loud

"It's cool... i-i-i-i'm used to it by now.."

He leans back from the counter and looks over at you as he shoves a spoon full of God knows what in his face. Covering his mouth as he chews not wanting to be gross and expose crushed up food threw his gash

"You shouldn't be.."

You crack out accidentally. You squeak realizing what you said and quickly look up at him

"Sorry I just... fuck.."

Giving up and dropping your head as you run your fingers threw your hair

A moment passed and he let's out a chuckle and takes a step closer

"Your the newcomer ri-ight?"

Looking up and nodding. You bite you lip and fiddle with your finger nervously.

He looks you up and down and smirks. Putting down his food still making eye contact

"Wanna do something stupid?"

ANYWAYS. sorry for dying for the past few days I went on an adventure ong 💀

#creepypasta #ticci toby x reader #ticci toby #slenderman #toby rogers #x reader #crp #creepypasta x reader

[d1xonss]

Desert Rose

Chapter 30 ~ Three little words

✧ Pairing : Daryl Dixon x Rose

✧ Era : Season 3

✧ Word Count : 5.7k

⚠️TW : Mentions of scars and past abuse

In this chapter ~ After the long and painful day, the group returns to see the progress Hershel was making in this new adjustment they all had to grow accustomed too. But another unexpected thing seems to hit Rose directly in the face, hearing Daryl admit something from his past that she was completely unaware of. But she seemed to shock him just as much if not more with the confession that easily slips off her tongue.

The walk towards the cellblock was long and awkward, no one truly knowing what to say after we witnessed this man beg for his life, while the other slowly accepted it. But it only got more tense when we saw the state of the place they would soon be staying. There were dead bodies littered around everywhere, the inmates scanning each one and informing us sadly that some of these men were once their friends.

It was almost heartbreaking to see them grieve them all at once, taking it all in as they mentally prepared themselves that they would have to live in the same space where their ghosts lied.

"Let's go." Rick said eventually, seeing as they were on their way to getting settled.

"So you're just going to leave us in here?" Oscar asked as he gestured to the ground, spilt blood everywhere, "This is sick." he muttered.

"We're locking down this cellblock. From now on this part of the prison is yours, take it or leave it, that was the deal." he replied bitterly before slowly making his way out through the way we came.

Daryl and I stood side by side and he was the first one to speak up, "You think this is sick? Ya don't want to know what's outside." he informed, pausing momentarily as he ducked his head, "But m' sorry bout yer friends man." he said quietly.

The two just nodded in appreciation, Daryl turning to pull my sleeve to follow him out the door, but I stopped him, "Just give me a second." I whispered.

He hesitantly nodded, walking out of the space but still staying close enough in case anything happened as I turned back to look at them, "I was never going to let him kill you." I said, "I just figured you should know that."

They looked almost confused at my words as Oscar was the one to ask, "Why?"

I simply shrugged, "Because I'm good at reading people, and I know you were telling the truth back there. You didn't deserve that."

They nodded in appreciation, Axel stepping forward with a smile, "Thank you, miss." he spoke in a quiet voice.

I nodded and turned back around to leave, seeing Daryl lent up against the wall as he waited patiently for me. He offered his hand to me as I walked by, taking it in my own as we walked back to our cellblock a few feet behind T-Dog's frame just a ways ahead.

"Was gonna kill that guy for what he did." he mumbled suddenly.

I looked up at him and smiled, "I know."

"Rick beat me to it. Asshole." he joked.

I laughed lightly to myself with a shake of my head, "I know, how dare he take that away from you." I continued on playfully, "But that bastard's dead now, no matter who took care of him. That guy seemed out of his damn mind." I spoke, now turning serious.

He frowned down at me as he nodded, "Yeah." he quietly agreed.

The rest of the way back was filled with silence, my mind only going back to Maggie and Beth, desperately wanting to check up on them. But that meant walking back into the cell that Hershel was recovering in, subtly preparing myself to see the worst since everyone was panicking the last time I was in there.

I prayed that we were fast enough to be able to save him, but I still had a few doubts in the back of my mind. I mean hell, none of us have hacked a limb off before so the odds worried me.

When we finally made it back to our cellblock, Carl saw me immediately as he was standing right outside of the man's cell, quickly releasing a breath and running over to wrap me in a tight hug. We must've been gone for longer than I thought. I smiled as I let go of Daryl's hand, leaning down to hold him tight as he almost shuttered in my arms.

"You guys okay?" he asked before fully pulling away.

"We're okay." I confirmed before daring to turn my head to look into Hershel's cell and saw he seemed to be doing as well as he could be, but he still wasn't awake, "How's he doing?" I asked.

"He...stopped breathing for a minute, but my mom saved him."

"It's true." Glenn confirmed, coming out of the cell next to greet us.

I looked at him sadly and pulled him in for a hug, hearing him sigh before wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I knew how worried he was along with the rest and that scare probably didn't help anything in fact it only made things worse. But he was breathing again, thanks to Lori that meant everything.

Though I finally just bit the bullet as I couldn't help but stare at him over Glenn's shoulder, pulling away from him and walking slowly into the cell to gaze at his face, hearing Rick follow close behind me.

I saw the girls I was most worried about inside and placed my hands on their shoulders. They both turned around with sad smiles on their faces, and Beth turned fully to hug me. Maggie just grabbed my hand and kissed it lightly before she couldn't help but face his bed once more. We all just looked at him  in utter silence and worry, hoping he would be okay, hoping the color would come back to his face and then soon he would wake from the unconscious state.

I examined all the medical supplies that were lying on the floor, most of the bottles were empty along with many used bandages he had bled through. Everything was left a complete mess as their scattered actions had to work fast to finally slow down the bleeding. My eyes trailed up to his face again, noticing the fact that one of his hands was cuffed to the bed in case...well in case he turned. That alone didn't give me much more hope.

But then, something happened that seemed to catch all of our attention. The man began to stir, scrunching his nose up at the bright light the window provided, and I could see his eyes moving just barely under his eyelids. Beth stood up a bit straighter, noticing his brief movements as well almost instantly. A sudden soft groan left his lips, before he then fully opened his eyes and I let out a heavy breath I had no idea I was holding in.

Beth let out a quiet gasp and slowly let go of me, making her way over to her dad, right next to Maggie. They whispered to him in disbelief, leaning over the side of the bed expressing how worried they were as they began to cry, but he gave them a quick smile to reassure them that he was okay. Rick made his way over quickly, taking the key he had to unlock the handcuffs, letting the man rub his sore wrist from being held up for so long. Hershel then took the man's hand, giving it a shake as Rick whispered something down to him I couldn't quite make out.

The older man's eyes then suddenly made their way over to me, gesturing me over towards the bed for me to come closer. My hesitant steps made their way over to the side of the cot slowly, squatting down low to his level. He took my hand in both of his own and I smiled at him while a few tears escaped from my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. He squeezed my hand gently in his own, giving me a genuine smile and a nod of his head, telling me a thousand things without saying a word.

He was thanking me. Maybe he remembered everything, my idea that led to saving his life, but I couldn't know for sure. But it didn't matter. I nodded back to him once as I watched him close his eyes once more, getting more rest as he breathed in and out deeply. I glanced over at Beth and motioned her to come over, placing his hand in hers while the two sisters took over my place as I stepped back, laughing and hugging each other in relief. I wanted them to have their moment as a family, so I slowly backed out of the space, knowing that he was truly going to be alright.

Daryl caught my arm the moment I got away and pulled me in for a hug that I desperately needed as I rested my cheek against his chest with a sigh, feeling him lightly run his hands up and down my back. We stayed like that for much longer than I intended before we pulled apart enough to quietly watch the sisters reunite with their dad. I was so happy everything worked out the way it did, Hershel was alive and the unwanted prisoners were dead. Today took an unexpected turn, but I silently thanked the universe it all worked out in the end.

In just a few hours, the sun had set fully and the stars shined brightly from outside the prison windows as I sat up in bed reading one of my books. I found myself reading this one over and over again for the past few months while we were on the road, but it was truly a fascinating one so I didn't mind too much. Though the talk about a potential library somewhere in the prison intrigued me.

After visiting with Hershel for a while, Rick eventually gathered us together quick to talk about a plan for the days to come. He spoke about exploring the rest of the prison considering how much ground there was left to cover, picking through each place with each passing day as much as we could. Scoping out each place until the whole building was completely clear and safe.

After we went over it, he told us to simply rest up for tomorrow, but Daryl stayed behind to talk to him about some things. So, I was just passing the time before he came in, scanning the words on the pages as the light from the small lantern illuminated the book.

My ears perked up suddenly when I heard footsteps coming closer to our shared room and I slightly lowered my book from my eyes. Speak of the devil.

I glanced up right as he stepped in the doorway, "Hey, love." I greeted.

He smiled, "Hey." he said before setting his crossbow down on the ground, walking over close enough to crawl onto the mattress and in between my legs before crashing softly with a small thud.

He managed to maneuver himself to where his head was resting on my lower stomach, causing me to pull the book out from under him and folded the corner of the page before placing it out of sight. His arms tightened around my waist while my hands instantly went to his head, massaging his scalp lightly.

I couldn't help but smile at his tired state, his eyes fluttering shut at the feeling of my fingers running through the tangles in his hair. He breathed in and out deeply, relaxing more and more under my touch with each passing second. We laid there in comfortable silence for a long while just like that, so much time passing by that I thought he had fallen asleep. Until I felt him move.

He lifted his head ever so slightly to the right, feeling him begin to bite at the skin of my inner thigh, igniting a small gasp from my lips. His movements didn't stop as he now placed light kisses over the teeth marks he created, before turning his head to do the same thing on my other leg. My heart felt as though it stilled for a moment as I swallowed thickly, loving the sensation he was creating. And just by his actions speaking louder than words, he loved it too.

He then suddenly pushed himself up onto his elbows, beginning to trail his lips up my stomach and towards my chest, working his way up impossibly slowly to my neck. I closed my eyes and sighed in content, leaning my head against the wall to give him better access as I felt his tongue drag across my neck lightly before his lips began to attack my jawline. He made his way up to my cheeks, my nose, before finally planting a heavy kiss on my lips.

I hummed in approval and kissed him back deeply, grabbing onto the collar of his shirt to pull him closer. His tongue slipped its way past my parted lips, licking wildly around my entire mouth as his pace quickened. I then slowly sat up, pushing him off of me to turn him over, straddling his hips now without breaking our lips apart once. He let out a sound of surprise at my actions but then smiled against my mouth, placing his hands on either side of me, running his fingertips up and down my sides gently.

That was enough to send a familiar tingling sensation through me as I began to rock slightly back and forth, creating a rhythm. His breath caught in his throat a little with a strain groan, before breathing deeply and ravishing in the new feeling it provided for him. I parted from him briefly to start to teasingly attack his neck, sucking lightly as I made my way further down towards just the beginning of his chest. He let out a grunt with rolled eyes, his hands falling to my hips as he gave them a firm squeeze.

I came back up breathless, "Tired?" I asked with a smirk on my face, my lips only inching closer to his once more.

He chuckled, "Hell no." he muttered before reaching up to grab my chin, pulling me down more to crash his lips onto mine once more.

Our lips moved in sync for a few moments, our hands moving around on each other's bodies almost desperately as if we somehow craved even more of each other. Daryl nearly growled as he broke away momentarily, going back to my neck again as his sharp teeth nipped at my skin gently, his hands moving slowly to the hem of my shirt. I was too engulfed in the feeling that I couldn't help the soft moan that left my lips when his mouth reached a certain spot on the right side of my neck. I could feel the stupid smirk grow on his face as he continued, not stopping or faltering once.

My hands moved desperately to the buttons on his shirt, slowly breaking them apart one by one before he quickly stopped what he was doing and jumped back as if he had just been burned. I looked back at him with sudden concern, confusion filling me as I gazed down to his chest counting I had only undone two, enough to barely see the start of his skin.

His breathing was heavy as he looked down to anywhere but my face, remaining completely silent. I slowly began to back off of his legs, sensing that I had done something wrong, but didn't know what.

"Are you okay?" I asked him softly, reaching out slowly to place a hand on his cheek.

He nodded absentmindedly but still wouldn't look me in the eye, his mind elsewhere as he thought hard about something clearly serious. I said his name softly after a few seconds, attempting to get his attention as I slowly took my other hand and placed it on his other cheek, lifting his head up to meet my eyes.

"Talk to me." I said.

He sighed and took my hands off his face, kissing my right palm softly, "M' sorry." he muttered quietly, almost ashamed.

I shook my head immediately, "No, don't be sorry. We don't have to do anything tonight, I just thought-"

"No, I want to," he quickly interrupted me, "It's just...there's something I haven't..." he trailed off, cursing under his breath as he couldn't find the right words.

I waited patiently for him to continue but he didn't. He instead only raised his hands to his own shirt, undoing the rest of them slowly himself. My eyes only narrowed in slight confusion as I watched, but made no attempts to stop or question him. When he was finally done with all the buttons, he slowly peeled his shirt off of his broad shoulders and I couldn't help but stare at him.

This was the very first time I had seen him without his shirt on and I let my eyes roam around his toned chest. He was beautiful. Nearly breathtaking as his figure was being illuminated by the lantern still off to the side. We had obviously had sex before but it was never at intimate as it was starting to be just now, never seeing each other fully naked as we were always somewhat in a rush. Some articles of clothing were just left on every time, but I never thought anything of it until now, seeing that he was clearly hiding something.

He then broke the silence, "I've been... meanin to show ya this because... I trust ya. But um... I haven't had a chance till... now I guess."

I nodded my head slowly, "Okay... I'm a little confused." I admitted.

"M' sure ya are, just...just gimme a second." he said while again, not being able to meet my eyes as his head ducked down lower.

I didn't push him, I didn't question him, I was only silent as I waited for him to open up to me about something that was clearly very nerve racking for him. When he finally got the courage, he turned around slowly with his back facing me and I couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped my lips at the sight I didn't expect.

There were huge scars covering almost the entirety of his back, crisscrossing over each other as they were all equally long and deep. My eyes followed each and every one, noticing a medium sized tattoo that was on his right shoulder, one that I couldn't make out in the darkness. But the other things I could see very clearly, almost too clearly.

I could see his shoulders slump slightly and he hung his head low with a heavy sigh, as if he were ashamed about them like I am about mine. The moment at the farm those many nights ago was now making perfect sense, seeing now that he understood the embarrassment I felt. I slowly found myself inching closer to him once I had processed every mark, raising my hand to gently place my hand on his back, feeling him slightly flinch.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry." I said just above a whisper.

I began to lightly rub his shoulder in attempts to comfort him as he continued to speak, "They're from my old man. He uh... used to beat the shit outta me and my brother. Merle took most of em but... when he left to join the military...I-" his voice cracked.

I shushed him quietly, letting him know he didn't need to say another word. I hugged him from behind and placed my cheek on his shoulder, feeling his back move as he breathed in and out deeply. He relaxed almost instantly under my touch, placing his hands over mine that rested on his stomach. We sat in silence, not moving or speaking for a matter of minutes before I suddenly had an idea.

I slowly picked up my head from his shoulder and began to kiss the scar that was left behind there. I heard him gasp lightly at the action, and I continued to kiss the ones along his back, his other shoulder, making sure I didn't miss a single spot as he sat up straighter at the feeling.

When I was done, I placed my hands on either of his shoulders and lightly turned him around to face me fully again. His eyes looked into mine deeply, watching me intently as I opened my mouth to speak.

"You once told me that I didn't have to be ashamed about anything around you, right?" I asked.

He slowly nodded his head, "Well, you don't have to be ashamed about anything around me. Especially not this." I said softly.

He sighed deeply without looking away from me, silent for a few minutes before saying, "M' sorry for not... showin em to ya sooner. M' just...embarrassed of em, was scared..." he tried to explain the best he could.

I shook my head immediately, "Don't apologize. It's a hard thing to do, showing someone. I would know." I winked.

He smiled small, leaving a certain glint in his eyes. He looked so utterly stunning sitting here in front of me, and he had just shown me something that he was the most insecure about. I had only hoped I made him feel just as safe and protected as he made me feel that night on the farm. I think in that moment we both knew that we weren't alone when it came to this. Which brought me more relief than you could possibly imagine, having someone who understands you.

A thought then popped into my head for a moment and I wanted to act fast, I felt if I thought about it too much then I wouldn't say it. He needed to know. He needed to know how much he truly meant to me, even if he didn't say it back. I wanted him to know.

"Fuck it." I muttered quietly as I grasped his hand softly and dared to look him in the eye, "I love you."

His eyes widened ever so slightly as my words echoed in the quiet air around us. When he didn't say anything, I feared that I hadn't thought it through enough, that I had suddenly messed up what we had worked so hard to build. I began to overthink everything. But as soon as I saw a huge smile break out onto his face, I was instantly relieved.

He brought my hand up to his mouth, kissing my knuckles lightly before saying, "I love you too."

I felt my eyes light up, "Really?" I asked softly.

"Really, really." he assured as he placed a few more light kisses against my hand.

I let out a breath, placing a hand over my chest dramatically as he chuckled, "Christ, we gotta work on how you space things out because-"

He immediately shut me up as he captured my lips in a soft kiss, gently pushing me back down on the bed. I gasped softly at the feeling on his tongue slowly entering my mouth, his teeth coming out to bite my lower lip gently as he pulled back.

"Tired?" he asked quietly.

"Hell no." I breathed before kissing him deeply again.

It had been a few days since Tomas had been taken care of, a few days since Hershel woke and found himself recovering, and a few days since we both said I love you. It's safe to say we couldn't keep our hands off each other. This was the happiest we both had been in a very long time because of all the recent events. We had a safe place to stay, we had the group, and most importantly we had each other. I felt very hopeful.

Currently we are still trying to clean up the prison, burn the remaining walkers and move the cars up closer to the building along with Daryl's bike. Rick was giving instructions on what we needed to get done today to a few of us who gathered outside to listen, but we all noticed quickly that a few of us were missing.

"Where's Glenn and Maggie? We could use some help." Carol pointed out.

"They're up in the guard tower." I said suggestively with a small smirk.

"The guard tower?" Rick questioned, "They were just up there last night."

I glanced over at him, "Rick." I said to get his attention. He looked over at me and I looped my arm  through his, "Anyone ever had the talk with you?" I asked.

He immediately smiled and shook his head at me once the dots finally connected in his head.

"Glenn! Maggie!" Daryl yelled up towards the space.

We stood there in a line waiting for a response, looking up at the nearest guard tower, waiting for them to poke their heads out with disheveled hair. Glenn came out only a few seconds later in a rush without a shirt on, trying to quickly button his pants back up.

"Hey! What's up guys?" he yelled back a bit sheepishly.

"You comin?" Daryl asked.

He stood still there for a moment, halting his movements before asking, "What?"

We were all trying our best not to laugh at Daryl's choice of words but were failing pretty miserably as we watched the fearful look on Glenn's face. My forehead rested on Rick's shoulder as I tried to shield my face, stifling my laughs as I heard him chuckle lightly.

"You comin?" he asked one more time, "Come on! We could use a hand." he gestured as he began to turn around.

"Yeah, we'll be right down!" he finally said, fumbling with his pants once more as he made his way back inside in a rush.

With the confirmation of their help, the five of us then began to walk down the gravel road towards where the cars were parked in the front, wanting to move them first before anything. I nudged Daryl's side once he had caught up with me, catching his attention before the others could hear.

"You know, I think I'm taking watch in the guard tower tonight." I spoke quietly.

His eyebrows raised slightly at the suggestion, "Is that an invitation?" he asked in a hushed tone, a lazy smirk crossing his lips.

I just shrugged my shoulders but winked at him knowingly, watching him chuckle. But something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention, making my smile drop as I looked back towards the front. It was the prisoners coming over to talk to us which surprised me, seeing as I didn't expect them to be out walking about with the way Rick had talked and acted towards them. They practically walked into that cellblock with their tails in between their legs that day, I didn't know why they were coming back out to talk now.

Rick saw this around the same time I did, looking back at us with a nod of his head, "Follow me." he muttered.

I was about to take a step forward, but Daryl stopped me, "Hey, stay here this time. Please." he said softly.

"Really?" I deadpanned.

"After what that asshole said to ya the other day, yeah really." he said before turning around and following the others.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes a bit as they continued to approach the men, but didn't make any effort to argue as I knew he kind of had a point. I would never admit that out loud to him, but the guys that we had kept alive were still unpredictable. We hadn't had the chance to trust them enough for them just to be walking around the gates with the rest of our people. And Rick looked like he was about to make that crystal clear right now.

A huff passed through my lips as I leaned up against the car behind me right beside Carol, watching as Glenn and Maggie made it out of the watchtower to join in the hushed conversation. Though it wasn't that hard to tell what was being said with all the gestures Rick seemed to be throwing. Really enunciating how pissed he was to see them.

"I never got to say I told you so." Carol suddenly broke the silence with a smug smile.

I glanced over at her, "What?"

She laughed quietly, "I had about eight months to say it to you, but I guess never really found the right time. Too busy running for our lives, right?"

"Yeah, I guess... but I'm still not following." I said.

She gave me a certain look before saying, "He likes you. I told you so."

I then let out a laugh, now knowing exactly what she meant as she gave me shit about it time and time again back on the farm. "Hey, I guess you're right. Man, you sure know everything."

"Not everything," she corrected, "...almost everything." she winked.

I smiled and bumped her shoulder with mine before glancing back ahead towards the group, seeing it get a little more heated than before. After a few minutes Rick locked them back up behind a fence and came back over with a determination in his step to discuss what they talked about. We kept going back and forth whether or not to let them into the group, though I thought the answer was pretty clear.

T-Dog wanted to give them a chance when everyone else seemed weary about it, noting the fact that these were complete strangers that we didn't know from Adam. It was true that I felt sorry for them, they had just lost a lot in the past couple of days and seemed like good men, but I wasn't just thinking for myself. I had to think about the rest of the group, Carl and Beth especially. I couldn't let anything happen to them, so I leaned more towards Rick's side when it came to this, trying to ignore T-Dog's disappointment.

The group then fanned out towards the vehicles we had to roll up through the gates, parking them in a line so they would be easy to grab and go when we needed. But just the walk down towards them was a chore within itself, the sun baking every part of me as I subtly wiped the thin line of sweat off my forehead.

I looked down at my arm in the process, eyeing the long sleeve shirt that I relied heavily on to hide every insecurity that I had. I thought about it for a few minutes while I sweat my ass off in the heat, before biting the bullet and rolling up the thick sleeves up past my elbows, offering me some kind of relief.

If I was being honest with myself, I was tired of hiding them, knowing that no one would even bat an eye or notice them at all if I began to actually wear what I wished. I wanted to start feeling more comfortable in my own skin, more confident in myself in general, but it took pretty big and uncomfortable steps to do that.

But I was willing to try.

I breathed a sigh of relief once I felt a breeze pass by, opening the car door I was standing in front of to get in before noticing Daryl was coming up to me once more, stopping my movements completely.

Although I expected no one to really notice the change that my mind seemed to focus so hard on, Daryl took notice almost instantly as his steps faltered once he got close enough. But I tried not to let that get to me, knowing that the man was observant as all hell and knew me better than anyone, knowing how this was unusual for me.

His steps then stopped when he was right next to me, glancing down momentarily, "Rose-" he started.

"It's hot." I said simply as I let out a nervous laugh, "And I don't know, I figured it was time to start being a little more confident in myself."

He nodded quickly in agreement, "Yeah, course." he muttered, "Just...wanted to make sure ya-"

"I know." I smiled, "Just want to feel comfortable in my own skin for once...and I figured this is where you start. Baby steps."

His lip quirked up in amusement, "Baby steps." he agreed before placing a kiss on my cheek, "Just came over to see if ya wanted ta help bring some firewood back after this."

"Yeah." I nodded, "I'll just be a few minutes."

After we parted ways, I watched him walk towards his bike to follow the rest of us up while I started up the car I was in. We followed each other in a straight line as T-Dog walked backwards up the road, waving us on to guide us.

After moving all the cars up closer to the prison, a few of the guys started to head out of the fences towards the woods like Daryl mentioned as the rest of us were finishing up. I hopped out of the car I was driving with a slam of my door, heading towards the area to help them like I promised, before stopping suddenly when I saw Maggie pause her movements from beside me.

My gaze followed hers to see Hershel making his way out of the building to get some fresh air, using the crutches we found as best as he could with Lori, Beth, and Carl by his sides. A smile was brought to my face seeing how well he was recovering, hearing Maggie laugh in pure relief as she watched him.

"Well, look at you go!" I called to get his attention.

He looked over upon hearing the sound of my voice and smiled, turning suddenly to try and make his way over to me, leaving me quickly jogging the rest of the way so he wouldn't push himself. My steps slowed down to a stop once I was close enough, watching as he spoke before I even got the chance.

"I never thanked you for saving my life." he stated.

I waved him off, "You don't have to thank me. Besides Rick was the one who did that I... chickened out." I said bluntly.

He placed a hand on my shoulder, "But it was your quick thinking, wasn't it?" he asked, leaving me silent as he nodded in confirmation, "You were the one who gave me another opportunity, more time with my girls...so thank you Ro." he said sincerely.

My heart warmed as I nodded my head instantly, "Of course...I'm just glad you're okay," I admitted before taking another long glance at him, "Did I ever tell you you're looking more and more like Santa Clause?" I motioned to his white beard, trying to lighten the mood again.

He laughed and squeezed my shoulder, "You've reminded me every day."

"Just checking." I shrugged.

He carefully lifted one of his arms and pulled me in for a hug, which I gladly returned as he balanced. I was so happy he was okay and seemed to be doing great with moving around so far, silently thankful that he had made it this far. We both pulled apart from each other and I gave him another smile before a sudden, frantic yell caught our attention.

"Walkers!" Carl called out.

It was like after he screamed, everything started to move in slow motion.

~ Thanks for reading!

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon twd #daryl dixon x oc #daryl fanfiction #daryl dixon the walking dead #the walking dead fanfiction #the walking dead daryl #the walking dead #twd #twd daryl dixon #twd fanfiction #twd daryl #norman reedus #norman reedus fanfiction #norman reedus x reader #desert rose #daryl x reader #daryl twd #daryl dixion x reader #daryl dixon x original character #daryl dixon x female reader

[nycbaby21]

happy one year

Prompt: you and Alex celebrate your one year by going public

word count: 2,731

“Baby, are you here,” Alex yells into the apartment. I was snuggled up under a blanket on the couch watching some Halloween baking show. “Living room,” I yell back pausing the show. My eyes flick upwards and I spot him walking towards me with a huge smile on his face. He leans down and gives me a quick kiss and I hear gagging from behind us. “Hello to you too Trevor,” I laugh at the taller boy. “Oh didn’t even know if you guys knew I was here or not,” he says dramatically flopping down in the middle of the couch. 

“I just walked in with you dumbass,” Alex groans walking into the kitchen to grab plates for dinner. “You really make him happy ya know,” Trev says reaching over and taking the remote hitting play. Then he takes half of my blanket. “Sure make yourself comfortable,” I joke rolling my eyes at him. “He makes me really happy too ya know,” I say looking at my boyfriend of almost one year walking back into the room.

He passes out the food and slips into the space behind me, pushing Trevor down some. “Missed you today,” he smiles giving my forehead a small peck. “I missed you too,” I smile up at him. “You guys know when you act all lovey and coupley it makes me regret introducing you,” Trevor says leaning up so I can see him. “Whatever. You love us you dork,” I say while throwing a fry at him. He may pick around with us, but Trevor was one of the biggest supporters of our relationship. So many times he believed in us more than we did.

Almost a year ago today I was walking out of the Honda Center heading home for the day. “Y/n. Wait up,” I hear someone yell from behind me. I see Trevor coming towards me and Jamie walking slowly behind him. “Hey, guys. What’s up,” I ask leaning against my car after I put my camera bag in there. “Well, I’m glad you asked. We are throwing a little Halloween party this year. And we couldn’t invite our favorite media girl,” the taller boy says leaning against my car. I look between the two,” I don’t know guys. It’s sweet for the invite but I’m just not a big party person.”

“That’s okay. Jimmy here isn’t either. You two can be little antisocial butterflies in the corner together,” Trevor says throwing an arm around Jamie who ducks making him stumble. I laugh at the pair of friends. “You don’t have to. But we would really like it if you came,” Jamie smiles over at me. I look back over at Trevor who has puppy dog eyes and a pout. “Okay I guess I could stop by for a little,” I say and am pulled into a hug by the older boy. “Z let the girl breathe,” Jamie says whacking the back of his head. “Okay, I’ll send you everything. And wear a costume,” he says running off to his car.

I pulled the skirt down for the third time tonight as I walked up the driveway to the guys’ house. “Would you stop messing with it? You look hot,” Harper, my best friend and roommate says slapping my hand. “Harp half of my ass is almost hanging out,” I whine walking up the steps to see the door already open. “Exactly Y/n. It’s Halloween for once please dress your age,” she says pulling me through the crowded house trying to find the guys. I was too indecisive to pick something to wear so she did it for me. We were both wearing red mini skirts and an Incredibles crop top. 

“Y/n. Harper. Just the people I was looking for,” I hear Trevor say from behind me. I turn around and see him dressed up like a doctor. “Kind of simple don’t ya think Z,” I tease him. “I’ll have you know I’m McSteamy from Grey’s Anatomy. And Jimmy here is McDreamy,” he says throwing an arm around his roommate. “I had no choice in the matter,” the latter sighed pushing Trevor off. “Well, I didn’t either,” I say fiddling with the skirt again. Harper slapped my hand again. “You guys look great. Oh sorry where are my manners,” Trevor starts and I laugh at him and he rolls his eyes at me,” This is Alex. A buddy of mine from back in our Team USA days. Sorry, Jimmy.” We all laugh at his constant running joke of beating him before they were teammates. “Nice to meet you, Alex,” I smile shaking his hand.

He was really cute and I was almost glad I let Harper dress me tonight. He wore a very simple Top Gun costume and sunglasses on top of his head. “Yeah you too,” he smiled and Trevor hit him in the side signaling Harper holding her hand out too. He blushed and quickly turned to greet her as well. I look up and Trevor is wiggling his eyebrows at me. I roll my eyes at him and Jamie looks between us and hits him for me. “Thank you, Jame,” I laugh. “Ouch! What was that for,” he said rubbing the spot. “You know what that was for,” I said pointing my finger at him. He leans forward and bites my finger.

“Trevor,” I yell pulling my finger back. “Oh please that didn’t hurt,” he smiled at me. I held up my finger and looked at it and then him. “You are so weird Trev,” I say shaking my head. “Dude you left teeth marks,” Jamie says reaching forward and looking at my hand. I raised my eyebrows and hit because there weren’t any marks. He gave me a wink and I didn’t say anything seeing what he would do. “Y/n. I am so sorry I didn’t know. I swear I was just playing,” he says rushing forward. “Here bite me back,” he says pushing his finger near my mouth. “What? No, Trevor, I don’t want your hand in my mouth. Stop you, weirdo,” I say trying to push him away from me. Alex bursts out laughing and Trevor stops and grabs my hand. “That was mean,” he says going after Jamie.

The two boys weave in and out of the crowd and the three of us laugh. “I don’t know how you have been friends with him so long,” Harper says looking at Alex. “You know I ask myself that sometimes,” he laughs shaking his head. “Oh my gosh! Y/n! It’s Drew,” she said hitting my arm. “Where? I thought he left for tour with his band,” I say with a sarcastic tone. She leaned over and tried to hit my arm but I ducked behind Alex putting him in the middle of us. His eyes shifted between us and he laughed. “You are just jealous. Drew is in a band and he is really good,” she says explaining him to Alex. “Ask her the name of his band,” I say taking a sip of my drink. Alex looked towards her and raised an eyebrow.

“It’s a Good Band Name,” she responds not making eye contact. I laugh behind my cup and Alex looks confused. “Okay what is the good name,” he says and she lets out a huge sigh. “That’s is. The name is literally a Good Band Name,” I say smiling over at her. “Okay yeah. It’s not the best but they can really play,” she says trying to justify her latest hookup's profession. “No yeah I am sure they are really good,” Alex says smiling down at her. “Thank you, Alex,” she says and I bust out laughing and he joins. Harper finally gets the joke,” I hate the both of you.”

“Harper I thought that was you,” Drew says coming up and pulling her into a deep kiss.  I roll my eyes at him and Alex looks over at me. I just nod my head. He pulls away from her and looks over at me. “Oh hey Harper’s roommate,” he said nodding over at me. I smiled at him and finished my drink. “Well, it’s so good to see you Drew. I hate to leave good company but I need another drink,” I say sending her a smile grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling him into the kitchen. “Harper has an interesting taste,” he says handing me my drink and fixing his own. “Oh, you have no idea,” I laugh and thank him for the drink.

“So how did you and Z meet,” he asks leaning against the cabinet next to me. I step a little closer to hear him better over the loud music. “I’m an intern at the Honda Center. I am a photography major and getting hours and work experience with the Ducks. And Trevor likes the camera so we made quick friends,” I laugh. “That does sound like Z,” he says looking down at me. I smile at him and his ears turn pink. “Are you any good,” he asks finishing his drink and throwing it away. “I mean I hope so, since I wanna make it my career,” I laugh throwing mine in the sink.

“Well how about you show me some of it and I’ll tell you if you are good or not,” he says trying to keep a straight face. I laugh and roll my eyes. “Deal. But I get to see you play hockey to see if you are any good or not,” I stick my hand out for him to shake. He steps forward and takes my hand shaking it gently. “It’s a date.”

“Baby. Baby. Are you okay,” Alex’s voice snaps me out of the memory. I look over at him and hum in acknowledgment. “Yeah sorry. I was just thinking about when we met,” I smile over at him. “You are so cute,” he says leaning down and kissing my forehead. “Oh my gosh. I need a girlfriend,” Trevor says getting up and walking to the door. “Bye Trev,” I yell as he yells back,” I’ll see you guys tomorrow night at the party.” I smile thinking about our first Halloween as a couple.  “He may be annoying but I owe him everything,” Alex says putting our plates on the table. “Yeah why is that,” I tease cuddling into his side. “Because he gave me my everything,” he whispers before connecting our lips. I can’t help but smile at the kiss.

“I love you, Lex,” I say pulling back and putting my hands on his face.  “I love you too Y/n/n,” he smiles putting his hands over my wrist. “You are still waiting for tomorrow to find out our costumes,” he laughs and I groan and throw my head back. “Just a little hint,” I ask poking out my bottom lip trying. “No maa’am. You said I get to pick them because you lost the bet,” he smiles pulling me back into his embrace. “It’s not my fault Cole is weirdly good at Twister,” I groan and lay my head on his chest. 

“Lex, are you almost done? I still have to get dressed and I have no idea what I am wearing,” I yell and hear him shuffling around in the bedroom before finally walking over to unlock the door. He was wearing a plain white dress shirt and black dress pants. He looked hot not that I was complaining, but I was very confused. “What are you supposed to be,” I asked walking into the room and sitting on the bed. “Oh sorry, silly me I forgot the most important part,” he says and ducks into the bathroom returning with bunny ears and a puffy white tail on. I laugh at him so hard when he turns around and shows me the tail.

“I’m a playboy bunny,” he smiles proudly at me. I stand up walking over to him. I smooth down his shirt and stand on my tiptoes. “You are a very hot playboy bunny,” I say kissing him. His arms wrap around my waist and he pulls me in deeper. “So if you are a bunny, what does that make me,” I asked pulling away from him. “Well, I wouldn’t be a bunny without my Hugh Hefner would I,” he says pulling out a silky red robe on a hanger with a black bodysuit, fishnets, and a captain’s hat on a hanger. I laugh at him and take the hanger. 

I stood in front of the mirror adjusting the hat on my head when Alex walked in. “Holy shit you look hot,” he says as his eyes rake down my body. “Hand me the robe please,” I say turning to face him. “I mean do you really need it,” he asks pulling me into his chest. “You want me to wear only this in public and in front of Z,” I counter raising an eyebrow at him. “Robe it is,” he smiles giving my nose a small peck before wrapping me in the robe. I throw on some solid black heels and walk towards the living room.

“So I was thinking,” he starts when I cut him off,” uh oh.” He pinches my sides coming up behind me and putting his head on my shoulder. “Anyway before I was so rudely interrupted, I was thinking about posting us for our one year today,” he says while kissing my neck. I quickly turn around and stumble a little due to the heels. “Really,” I ask throwing my arms around his neck. “Yeah. I know we wanted to keep to just ourselves and close family and friends. But I wanna show off my girl,” he smiles his adorable little smile. “I love that idea,” I say moving away from him and setting down my phone.

“Okay I set the timer for ten seconds,” I smile running back over to him and tucking myself into his side. We take a normal one both smiling and then another one of me kissing his cheek. “I’m so excited,” I gush pulling up Instagram and picking one of us smiling holding each other, and posting it. “Okay done,” I smile up at him. “Me too,” he says locking his phone and wrapping me in his arms. “Okay if we don’t leave now we may never leave so let’s go,” he says pulling me toward the car. He opens my door for me and I give him a kiss,” Happy one year Al.” He looks down at me with nothing but love in his eyes,” Happy one-year pretty girl.”

Yourusername and _alexturcotte  

liked by: _alexturcotte, colecaufield, ellenhughes, and others

Yourusername one year w/ my favorite playboy bunny

load more comments

colecaufield: looking good bunny boy 

_alexturcotte: 🫡

Yourusername: sure does

_alexturcotte: happy one year baby ❤️ i love you

Yourusername: i love you lex 

jamie.drysdale: favorites 🧡

Yourusername: jame! ur my fav too

Trevorzegras: excuse me

Jamie,drysdale: she said what she said

trevorzegras: omg cute couple! wonder who set it up 

_alexturcotte: idk some random drunk guy at a party

Yourusername: love you z

Trevorzegras: this is why I like her more

Jackhughes: cannot believe you talked him into this

Yourusername: nope all him

_alexturcotte: don’t give her my credit

Jackhughes: i have so many questions

Lhughes_06: go best friend 🥱🥵(respectfully)

Yourusername: baby hughesy! I love you the most (don’t tell al)

_alexturcotte:uhm…

Trevorzegras: it’s okay you still have me

_alexturcotte: yay 😐

Trevorzegras: rude 

Jackhughes: i still love you Z 😘

Harperusername: hmu when you are ready to leave him 😉 

_alexturcotte: sorry not gonna happen

Harperusername: she was mine first

Yourusername: don’t fight over me i love you both

Lhughes_06: not more than me though

Liked by yourusername

Fan1: okay but why are they so cute!!!

Fan3: right like I wanna be her so bad! She’s gorg

Liked by yourusername 

Fan2: uhm forget wanting to be her I wanna be him🔥

Liked by yourusername 

hater1: ew she isn’t even pretty wtf

Fan1: are you blind?

fan3: a year! they look so happy 

Liked by yourusername 

hater 2: she should’ve been a puck bunny

Hater1: right like she is literally all over luke and jamie

Lhughes_06: you never had friends before?

Liked by yourusername, jackhughes, colecaufield, trevorzegras,_alexturcotte, jamiedrysdale, quinn hughes, and harperusername

#nycbaby21works #nhl imagine #alex turcotte #alex turcotte imagine #la kings

[softagenda]

skin deep (leander)

leander x reader(f)

au - mc/reader ties up leander

originally posted on ao3

masterlist

Preview

“You can tie me up first if it makes you feel better.” 

After a moment’s contemplation, you slowly nodded. “Okay.”

Leander’s grinning face went slack, his jaw dropping. His hands paused in the middle of removing the leather gloves from his fingers. “I - wait, what?”

“Let’s tie you up first. I think that would be safest, for both of us.” You glanced back at the Wet Wick. “Would they have a room we could use for a short while?”

His mouth moved soundlessly for a moment, his cheeks flushed, before he asked, “You… want to tie me up?”

“Mm.” 

“Oh. Uh. Hold on, let’s - ”

You led the way back into the Wick.

A dozen heads seemed to turn around as you stepped through the doorway. Hesitating, you glanced through the crowd but when no one met your gaze again you approached the bar. The din of the crowd pressed against you, laughter and the clinking of glasses ringing in your ears. Somewhere in the middle of the room, Leander caught up to you and trailed behind.

The barkeeper refilled a glass and looked up, her dark eyes flickering over you first, then Leander with something akin to boredom. “What can I get ya?”

“Do you have a room we could borrow?” you asked, mentally counting what little coin you had left in your purse. “We’d only need it for a short time.”

“Oh?” Her gaze swept you from head to toe, taking the measure of you, before she shot a narrow-eyed look at Leander. “A short time? I’d have thought this one would warrant more than that.”

Leander flushed and cleared his throat, his expression sheepish, but you cut in before he could speak.

“He’s been more than generous with his time,” you said, not wanting the barkeeper to think less of Leander on your behalf. “It’s at my humble request. I’d be happy to pay a fair wage.”

A thin, polished brow arched high. She seemed to digest that for a moment, then shrugged. “To each their own.” She reached under the bar and slid a key across the counter. “Your usual room’s open.”

You turned to Leander. “Oh, do you live here?”

The barkeeper snorted. 

With a quick, strained laugh, Leander placed his hand on your back and guided you toward the stairs. “Not quite, but you know how it is. Late nights, plenty of drinks, good friends. I’m a regular.” His face was turned back toward the counter, exchanging a look with the barkeeper you couldn’t quite see except for the grin on her face. 

“I see.”

Old, beautiful oak wood and iron finishings molded the second floor of the Wet Wick. A long hallway stretched into the back of the building, a new door fixed every few paces and labeled with their own knocker. As you walked, you took note of the emblem’s etched into the surface: a hissing badger, a sleeping squirrel, a dog with its nose and tail poised in the air. They’re well-made and charming, in a strange way.

“Animal motifs?”

“Yeah.” 

“I’m curious to see what lies on your usual door.” 

Leander’s boot caught on the floor, and he stumbled. His hand swept through his hair, a grin spreading on his lips. “Ah ha ha, don’t read too much into it. Barkeep’s got a twisted sense of humor.”

By then, they’d reached the end of the hall. One door took up the corner, its front and trim cast from a dark, glossy rosewood and decorated with more delicate filigree. This one too had a crest on the front, though much larger and finer than the rest. Initially, you mistook the shape for a large rat with a long tail - then you recognized it.

“A mongoose?” you asked, leaning closer. A narrow head grew out from the furred body, with gleaming gold eyes and a protruding fang, its tail curling high as though warding off predators. You considered that for a moment before glancing at his neck, where the golden earring of the sword and the snake, eating itself, rested. “Because of…”

He unlocked the door with a flare of his wrist. “Like I said. Twisted sense of humor.” He held the door open and gestured you in. “After you.”

You paused before the threshold, instinct rising like a wary wolf and baring its teeth in the back of your mind at the thought of entering a closed room with a stranger. A powerful stranger at that. A mage with abilities similar if not greater than her former teacher. A man nestled in the heart of his territory, surrounded by his pack. 

That mental beast of vigilance had hunted you - dogged your footsteps through the journey to Eridia. Always wary. Always watching, waiting for the knife to swing on your back.

Forever you would look at every shadow with fear, every person with suspicion. After all, Mericka had been your teacher and companion, your guide in this volatile world - if even she could plunge the knife and turn it, why not a stranger?

Still, you had to try. Otherwise, how could you move forward?

Several people seemed prepared to vouch for Leander. The mysterious doctor, Kuras. The barkeeper. The unknown dozens of people who worked as part of the Bloodhounds. This - trusting him - was a calculated risk.

“Is this the room reserved for the rich and famous?” you asked, surveying the spacious room with a table, chairs, dresser, and a large bed in the center of the wall. Two bedside tables were draped in a green velvet cloth and topped with antique feylamps that cast the room in a golden, slightly greenish glow. A tapestry was draped over the wall and undulated under a breeze invading from the window opposite the door. Its many threads and colors depicted a map of the city itself.

“I’m about as famous as it gets for the Wet Wick,” Leander said, amused, as he closed the door and crouched down to untie his boots.

You hastened to follow. It’d be rude to dirty the floor for this, when there might be guests using the room later. 

With boots and jackets hung by the door, you lingered just by the foot of the bed. “So… ropes?”

When you turned to look at him, your breath caught in your chest. Beneath the coat, the layers of shirt were skin tight and sleeveless. Taut muscles bunched beneath the black fabric but bared his arms, leagues of smooth skin threaded with the occasional vein. The scar that peeked over his jaw spread down his left arm, the edges jagged but faded, like ink across the thick bicep and forearm.

You blinked and forced yourself to look away. It’d be rude to stare.

At your question, Leander’s brows arched, but he clapped and said, gamely, “Jumping right in! Brave one, I see. Well, I appreciate a woman who knows what she wants.” He headed for the bedside table and began rummaging through the top drawer. 

You’re the brave one . Your hands twisted together, your gut tightening. 

“Luckily, I’ve always got the essentials on hand.”

“Rope counts as an essential for your nightstand?” 

Leander’s shoulder twitched, and when he glanced over to you, his face was slightly rosy. “Well, you never know where the night will turn.”

You mused over that before nodding. In a sprawling city like Eridia, full of monsters and magic, you supposed the likelihood of getting ambushed while asleep was high. It’d be useful to have rope nearby to subdue your attackers for interrogation.

“Here we go!” Leander turned. In his hands was a pile of silk.

You stared at the fabric. “You’re… quite kind to your prisoners.”

Leander’s lips parted, his eyes searching for something in your face, before a single, awkward laugh escaped. “Not into that?” 

“No. I mean,” you hastened to explain as his eyes widened, “It’s not that,  just… It’s a good thing, I suppose. Just surprising. Will that truly be able to subdue a fully grown man?”

“Oh, yeah.” He grinned as he looked down at the silk, the slippery material almost dripping from his wrists. “It’ll hold.” 

He spoke with such confidence that you assumed he must know from experience. You stepped closer and inspected the bundle. “Is there an enchantment on it? To make it binding?”

Leander met your gaze. The soft fringe of his hair fell across his brow, the ends caught in the fan of his lashes. “There could be. Do you want that?”

The quiet held between you for a moment. “That might be for the best,” you murmured, though you would understand his caution. After all, you were just as much stranger to him, as he to you. That he would even allow you to tie him up spoke volumes on his courage.

He leaned closer, and his next words brushed across your face. “So sure your touch will drive me to madness?” His eyes held you to the spot, the clear, emerald depths gleaming, identical to the magic that had conjured lilies from thin air in the pub below.

Your throat felt exceptionally dry. You swallowed, your gaze trailing across the strong nose and olive skin, his gold earring swaying from his ear, before lingering on the edge of the scar that cut up his jaw. “Yes,” you whispered.

A hum rose from within him, rumbling like the early boiling of dragon’s roar. “More and more,” he said, almost in your ear. “I’m starting to believe it.”

A shudder slipped down your spine. 

With a quick breath, you stepped back. You cleared your throat and said, fighting the tremble that threatened to slip into your voice, “You should.” 

Leander rolled his shoulders, the bones cracking, before his winsome grin returned, if a bit more subdued. “We’ll see. So,” he gestured to the bed, “how do you want me?”

You walked around the bed, grabbing the headboard and the frame to test the give of the wood. Luckily, the headboard seemed to have been nailed to the wall. Likely to prevent thieves from stealing such high quality pieces. There was even a decorative window of wooden spokes embedded across the length of it. “We can improvise with these.” You grabbed one and tugged hard, but luckily the wood held fast.

Leander’s lips pressed together as though fighting the urge to say something.

“Or not - think they’ll break?”

“Oh, no, they’ll be fine. They were,” he paused, his cheek hollowing, “practically made for that purpose.”

For tying rope ? You pondered that for a second before setting that aside to consider later. Perhaps weavers used the spokes to create custom throws and bed sheets.

Leander sat on the end of the bed before laying down and sliding over, his head nestled on the feather pillows. His arms stretched out to the corners of the bed, his muscles shifting beneath the shadow of his shirt. He somehow seemed even broader spread across the bed like this, the thick duvet holding him snug. 

“How’s this?” He reached back and hooked his fingers through the spokes, tugging until his back lifted an inch from the bed, the muscles of his arms and abs flexing, straining. 

Your heart was beating strangely fast as you considered him. Must be nerves.

“Hmm. It’d be a more effective hold if your arms were tied together. Less flexibility or leverage to maneuver.” 

“Like this?” He lifted his arms above the crown of his head, his elbows loose by his ears. 

“Yes. Same with your legs.”

As he shuffled into place, you picked up the bundle of silk from the bed and rubbed the fabric. There’s more to the texture than the silk you’d felt in the past - the old but well-cared for square that your teacher had spread on the altar - a sort of roughness that sparked beneath your fingertips. The strengthening charm, you’d bet.

You tied first his legs before moving up to his arms, Leander docile beneath you. As you leaned over his face, working the silk around his wrists and spokes into a double-looped mooring knot you’d learned from fishermen in your childhood, he shifted slightly. You glanced down. 

He was watching you from below, his chin tipped back. His dark hair had fallen back onto the sheets, exposing his face to the warm glow of the feylights, their flickering embers dancing in the corner of his eyes. His lips were parted, his skin flushed once more.

You froze, realizing your position. “Sorry, almost finished.”

“Take your time,” he replied, sounding a little breathless. 

You glanced down again with concern, looking at his chest. Could the position be restricting his ability to breathe? The shirt had seemed flexible, if rather tight. You’d better pick up the pace.

With a tug, you secured his arms and sat back to give him space. “How does that feel? Too tight? Not tight enough?”

Leander licked his lips and peered up at you from heavy-lidded eyes, a smile teasing the corners of his mouth. “Just right.”

You stared back, bemused by his attitude. “You’re being awfully gracious about all this. Most people would balk at the idea of a stranger with a dangerous curse tying them to a bed.”

“I’m not most people,” he said, “and it’s not the first time I’ve been tied up by a beautiful stranger.” Leander rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck while you attempted to digest that statement before he continued. “Well, I’m ready for you. Shall we?”

You hesitated. “...are you sure?”

“That I want your hands on me?” He grinned. “Never been more sure of anything.”

“This isn’t a joke, Leander.”

He released a long, heavy sigh before shifting his hip to nudge your thigh. “All of this,” he began, gesturing to his tied up body with a flutter of his fingers, “is for your sake, not mine. Well, maybe a little for mine, but not how you’d think,” he conceded with a quick grin but held your gaze.“Listen to me. I’m confident in my abilities. I can handle whatever you throw at me.”

A film of luminescent magic swept over his body, as thin and glossy as a spider’s web. He tilted his head to the side, his cheek brushing his arm.

“So,” he continued, his voice dropping deep and soft. “Touch me.”

Your heart pounded in your chest, anxious, racing. His eyes were as calm and bright as the surface of a pond, without a trace of fear. 

With a sinking feeling, you looked down. If you ignored the bandages, your hands could almost look normal. The size. The shape of them. You hadn’t been born with tentacles or massive talons or nails as sharp as knives. Maybe that would have been easier. 

What made them grotesque far transcended their appearance.

With trembling fingers, you pulled the end from the bandage around your wrist and began unwinding. Each new layer revealed more of the skin beneath, dark and stormy like a bruise, threaded with strange cracks of hardened gold, until you’d dropped the last of the bandages from your black fingernails. 

You flexed your fingers idly, dread sitting like a stone in the pit of your stomach. When you glanced over, Leander was watching eagerly.

“Interesting…” Then, with another warm smile, he gestured with a tilt of his chin toward the golden pin on the front of his shirt. “We match.”

You huffed before swallowing around the weight in your throat. “Where should I…” you trailed off, avoiding his gaze. 

He hummed thoughtfully, sounding far more at ease than he should be. “Since I can’t hold your hand properly like this, how about my arm?” 

You paused, wondering if you should do this on your feet for a faster escape, but in the end you simply twisted your hips until your leg pressed against the side of the bed. 

Leander laid perfectly still and relaxed, as though he were out on the grass tracing shapes from clouds on a summer afternoon, rather than subjecting himself to potential insanity. The arm closest to you eased further into the bed as he settled in. His right one, where the edges of that scar reached around to the more tender flesh of his inner arm. 

You checked his eyes again, searching for any hint - however tiny or hidden or cowed - of fear, concern, anything. He only smiled back. 

You took a long, steadying breath, your heart in your throat. Then you reached out with a shaking hand until a point just beside his elbow. Retreating for a moment’s panicked indecision, you repositioned closer to the middle of his forearm. 

You stared at your own fingertips, enduring that familiar loathing and fear down to your marrow. Please. Please, don’t hurt him . You prayed whatever powers that Leander believed in were steadfast and watching.

Then, you let your fingertips drop to his skin for a single moment, before immediately yanking them back to your chest.

His body twitched, the bed creaking at the sudden movement. That luminescent web of magic flared, rippling across his skin for a brief, bright wave, before vanishing. His eyes were closed, his face blank.

“...Leander?” Pulse pounding, barely daring to breathe, you waited.

Then as his mouth slowly twisted into a smile, one eye peaked open. “Is that all?”

You watched with bated breath, still on the edge, still waiting. 

Leander tossed his hair back from his face and stretched his arm out toward you, encouragingly. “Come on, you’ve got me all wrapped up like this - it’d be a shame if you stopped there.” His voice lowered, rich and sweet as honey: “Keep going.”

Inch by inch, your shoulders began to sink. The tension in your body ebbing away with every word - every confusing, vaguely ridiculous word. You suddenly felt your body again, as though you’d been adrift as a spirit before getting sucked back into your mortal flesh: the sweat sticking to your back, the ringing fading from your ears, your heart beating against your ribs.

Your lungs pinched, forcing you to suck in a quick breath, and the relief seemed to burst over you. 

“Leander, you’re - “

“Just fine.” His eyes softened, more of that genuine warmth seeping through the cracks of his charismatic facade. “That’s one hell of a curse. Nothing I can’t handle, though.” Leander gestured once more with his chin. “C’mon. Try again?”

Inexplicably but hopelessly tempted, you reached for him again, still wary, your eyes darting from your hand to his face. You let your hand fall until your whole palm was pressed against him, skin to skin, checking his expression all the while.

He’s flushed around the cheeks and collar, but there’s warmth and humor and life in his face. 

You could hardly believe it, but it’s there. 

You smoothed your hand up his arm carefully, in awe at the feeling of his body heat against your bare skin. Fingertips pressing in here and there, tracing the curvature of muscle and bone, your thumb lingering on the pulse just beneath his glove, his heart thumping beneath your touch.

You’d touched people before - even been intimate and embraced others - but always through the veil of the bandages. You’ve spent the past few years on the cusp of giving up all hope that you could ever have this. 

Now, at the threshold of your final desperate chance, the very day after you’d made your peace with death as you laid bleeding out in a swamp, at the claws of a vicious monster - you’ve found it.

You traced your hand back down his arm, following along the path of a vein, your other hand gripping the sheets so tightly your knuckles strained white. The feeling was unlike anything you’d ever known.

Leander’s hushed voice broke through the dream-like trance you’d fallen into. “Am I the first person you’ve been able to touch like this?” 

Caught between embarrassment and abject longing, you admitted, “So far.” Idly, your fingers continued to delicately trace his scars, the raised edges contrasting vividly against his smooth skin.

His lips parted, the look in his eyes inscrutable, before he said, his voice slightly rough, “Anything you want.”

You froze.“What?” 

“Touch anything you want,” Leander said again, his cheek nestled against his arm. “I’m all yours.”

Your hand stilled as the bold, frankly outlandish offer sunk in. 

For having only known you for a few hours at best, Leander was proving to be very generous with his time, his skills, his magic, and - apparently his body too. You’re even a little concerned at the prospect - as he himself had said about the Senobium, things that seemed too good to be true usually were. But was the truth here that Leander was creating a trap, or that he was by nature generous to the point of endangering himself?

Still. You licked dry lips as you fought with yourself. No one had ever offered a second touch before. No one else had survived the first.

Feeling your morals losing the battle against utter temptation, you asked, “... you wouldn’t mind?” You knew you shouldn’t - truly he’d been generous enough, you shouldn’t take any more than that. But you wanted to, more than a little desperately.

“Not a wick.”

Treading with caution, you braced one knee on the bed and rose over him. You reached forward until both hands stopped, poised above his wrists. Being able to touch another person with one hand - that had been barely more than a dream. Both seemed like utter fantasy. With a small breath for fortitude, you gingerly laid both hands on his skin.

A breathless laugh escaped you as you stroked gently down, the sensation electric for all it was a barely-there touch. Once you’d reached just above his armpit, you trailed them back up again, this time with the lightest scratch of your nails.

Goosebumps chased your fingers up his arms. Leander seemed to shudder under you.

His eyes narrowed on your face for a long moment before he clenched them shut. “You’re really not doing this on purpose, are you,” he said, the words more like a pained truth than a true question.

You frowned, unsure what he meant. You started to pull away, but the moment your hands left him, his head whipped up.

“Wait, that’s not - Ignore me.” When still you hesitated, Leander attempted to shuffled closer, his back lifting from the bed as though intending to close the distance himself. The bedframe creaked ominously, something wood letting out a hissing wheeze. “Keep touching! Do with me as you will. Don’t stop on my account, please.”

“Ah, you shouldn’t move so much - your wrists - “ When you glanced up, his hands were turning purple from the tight pull of the silk rope. 

Without thinking, you leaned forward and tried to unravel the knot as quickly as possible amidst the shaking of the bed, only for Leander to grow suddenly still underneath you. You paused in your struggle to unravel the mooring knot and looked down.

His face was just inches from yours. You froze, staring into his shocked green eyes, the thick fan of his lashes, his flushed skin and full, parted lips. He held your gaze for a moment before glancing down at your mouth, then back, and something about the way he looked at you snapped a curl of fire through you, like a lit match sparking on a line of gunpowder.

Purely on instinct, you grabbed the headboard and pushed yourself back, almost tumbling off the bed in your haste. “Sorry, sorry,” you hastened to apologize, burning from head to toe. “That was - an accident.”

On the bed, Leander was silent for a moment, still angled toward the ceiling. Then he sighed. “...I know.”

You turned away to hide your face, working furiously to get yourself under control. You couldn’t believe how thoughtless you’d just been. Here Leander was, sacrificing his time and safety and comfort to help you, and you just - smothered him in the process? And to almost - 

The sight of his lush, parted mouth flashed through your mind.

Immediately you began silently reciting the Register of Alchemical Ingredients , fighting for distraction. By the time you’d reached spirit of nitre, your once teacher’s voice echoing in your head, you turned around and cleared your throat.

“I apologize again if I’ve made you uncomfortable.” 

Leander’s brows rose, but he shook his head. “Not at all. Well - “ He glanced down his body before avoiding your gaze. “No harm, no foul. Want to continue?” He’s smiling, his eyes crinkling, but soon frowned when you shook your head.

“It’s probably for the best that we stop here.” Clearly, you’d need to prepare for the next opportunity. If there was one, either with Leander or someone else. You felt dizzy with this new opportunity, this freedom you’d been searching for all your life. Even so, you couldn’t lose all sense of respect like that. 

You untied him, from the side of the bed and well out of his personal space. As Leander slowly sat up and rubbed his wrists, the skin now bright red and raw, you felt a pinch of irony well bittersweet in your chest. You took a seat next to him and pulled a small vial of salve out of your pocket. He’d already begun tugging his gloves off and offering his hands at the sight, an eager smile on his face.

It’s enough to make you genuinely fond of him already.

“It’s funny. We restrained you in case you lost control, and then I…well,” you trailed off, delicately holding his wrist and smoothing the salve across the angry marks. To have bruises this dark, even with silk…. “I should have been more considerate of you.”

“I disagree. If anything,” he said in a low voice, just above a whisper, “you could’ve been greedier.” 

For what felt like the thousandth time that afternoon, you glanced at his mouth again, your blood heating at the sight of that whiskey sweet smile spreading across his lips, crinkling the corners of his eyes.

“Still could be, if you want,” he continued, leaning in, his shoulder bumping into yours. The swing of his earring caught the glint of the feylamps, the light flickering down the length of the sword.

You got to your feet and tucked the salve back into your pocket, along with your other meager belongings. “I couldn’t impose.” He looked a second from arguing the point, until you met his gaze solemnly over your shoulder. “Thank you, Leander. I can’t express how much this meant to me.” 

Then, you smiled. 

It was undoubtedly an awkward, cracking thing - you couldn’t remember the last time you’d attempted more than a half-smile or a short laugh. This one seemed to fill your cheeks up.

You had a moment to witness Leander’s jaw drop, before you hurriedly turned and began gathering your things. It’d be rude to overstay your welcome, after all. 

Your eagerness to get back out into the city had nothing at all to do with the way his mouth kept popping up in your mind or the way your hands ached with the desire to touch him again.

________________________

“How about you, sparrow? I did say I’d buy you a drink earlier.” 

“No, no, no, my treat. ”

“If anything, I should treat you, Leander.”

“Oh? ” 

“As an apology for the rope burns.”

“..."

“...”

“...”

“It’s, uh. Both exactly what you’re thinking and not.” 

_________________________

a/n: thank you for reading!

#touchstarved leander #touchstarved fanfic #touchstarved reader fic #leander x mc #leander x reader #leander fic

[bi-bard]

Grounding - Will Graham Imagine (Hannibal)

Title: Grounding

Pairing: Will Graham X Reader

Word Count: 1,660 words

Warning(s): mentions of Will's instability (this poor ma just needed some genuine help)

Summary: (Season 1) (Y/n) needed to talk to someone about their feelings for Will. After speaking with Alana, (Y/n) feels like there are too many risks in expressing an interest in Will. He doesn't agree with that assessment.

Author's Note: I... love Will Graham. I will continue writing about him until everyone loves him as much as I do.

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

"Hey, Alana," I jogged over to her, falling into step with her. "Can we talk about something?"

"Sure," she nodded.

I pointed toward an empty office. She followed me, letting me shut the door behind her.

"What's going on?"

"I just... I need to say this out loud so it isn't sitting in the back of my mind while I'm working."

"I don't know if that's gonna-"

"Let me believe it," I cut her off. She held her hands up. I paused as I pulled myself together.

"Hey," she touched my arm. "Nothing leaves this room."

"I think I'm in love with Will," I spit out.

Her eyes went wide for a moment. She slowly nodded.

"Sorry-"

"No, no need to apologize," she promised. "That's a big deal."

"I know," I replied.

"I... Can I give you a professional opinion?"

"That's never a good way for a talk to start," I said.

"Will isn't... Will might not be in a position where a relationship would be healthy," she tried to word it as carefully as she could, but I knew what she was referring to.

"I understand," I nodded.

"(Y/n)-"

"I know," I cut her off. "He has nightmares. He gets into the minds of killers for a living, which only fuels the nightmares. He has a lot of trouble with physical touch and eye contact. He has some kind of abandonment issues that probably led to an avoidant attachment style. That's why he takes in more stray dogs than he has friends. Hate to break it to you, Alana, but I studied psychology too. I understand the risks here."

"If you two end up together-"

"There's a chance of us becoming codependent, I know," I stopped her. "I... I don't know what I'm going to do."

"You need to wait for him to heal, " she sighed.

"Yeah, I know."

I ran a hand over my face.

"Anyway," I felt a lump growing in my throat as I tried to blink away any tears, "I just wanted to get that off my chest but thank you for that. Not like I had already been anxious about that exact thing."

"(Y/n)-"

"I'll talk to you later."

I walked out of the room, going to walk down the hall. I saw Will looking at a file as he walked down the hall, so I quickly turned around and walked the other way.

I had managed to work through the day without focusing on Will. It wasn't until that night that I got a phone call from him.

"Hey, what's up," I asked.

"I... found another dog," he confessed. I almost chuckled. He sounded like a guilty child. "He has a collar, but it's late and cold, so I took him in for the night. He's now hiding under my bed, and I wanted to see if maybe he was quicker to trust you."

"Why me?"

"I don't know," he muttered. "You're just trustworthy, I guess."

I grinned and closed my eyes for a moment.

"Okay," I said after a moment. "I'll be there in a bit."

"Thank you."

When I made it to the house, Will was waiting outside.

"Hey," I waved as I walked over. He waved back. "Where's the baby?"

He chuckled, "Under the bed, tucked against the wall."

I nodded and walked inside.

I walked over and laid on my stomach on the floor. I saw a little puppy curled by the wall, shaking.

"Hello," I said quietly. I slowly pushed my hand forward. "Hi. How are you, baby?"

I looked over when Will laid on the ground next to me.

"Don't crowd too close," I warned, turning to the puppy. "Don't wanna overwhelm him."

Will nodded and scooted back a little bit.

"Hi, puppy doggy," I said softly. I held my free hand out to Will. "Give me one of the dog treats."

"I tried to lure him-"

"Will."

He sighed and handed me the treat.

"Here you go," I held a small piece of the treat out to the puppy. "Are you hungry, puppy?"

The dog started sniffing in the direction of the treat. I laid the first piece down on the floor before breaking off another piece and scooting back a little bit.

Soon, the dog had slowly crawled out from under the bed.

"Hello," I said, offering the last piece of the treat. I let the dog sniff my hand before I pet him lightly. "You're a sweetheart."

I carefully picked up the dog and he stayed calm.

"What a good puppy," I muttered.

Will carefully reached over and let the puppy sniff his hand.

"You've got a gift," he said.

I chuckled, "I had treats."

"I had treats," he corrected. "You performed a miracle."

"Will Graham believes in miracles," I pretended to be shocked. "Learn new things every day."

He chuckled and looked down.

"I think the other dogs are making him nervous."

"Yeah, I set up the little laundry room for him for the night," Will pointed over to it. "Puppy pads, food, water, and a few towels as a bed. I was just going to keep checking on him every now and then."

"All night?"

"I don't sleep much anyway," he shrugged.

Will helped me stand up without putting down the puppy.

Once we got the dog situated, Will offered me something to drink.

"I'm alright," I shook my head.

"Please," he said. "I dragged you out here. Let me make sure you didn't waste the drive."

"Fine, fine," I nodded. "Tea, please. I've gotta drive."

"The only reason I keep tea in the house is for you," he explained, walking over to his cabinet.

"Oh? You don't drink it?"

"No," he shook his head. "But I know you like it, so I keep it around."

I grinned at his back, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he turned back to me and leaned against the counter.

We both fell silent. I looked around the kitchen. This house always felt too big for Will. The dogs owned the main lounge area, but the rest of it just felt like it was waiting for Will to be comfortable there.

"You're worrying about me," Will noted.

"When am I not," I asked. "You due to try and avoid all my questions."

"I'm fine."

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, I wouldn't believe me either," he sighed, looking down for a moment.

"Anything you wanna talk about," I pushed. "Work? Your therapy with Hannibal? Anything?"

He shook his head as he looked at me. Something seemed to shift. Something in his eyes was just different. I tried to pretend I didn't notice it.

"Are you sure?"

There was something. I could almost sense it.

He started taking steps toward me, "No..."

"What," I asked.

"I've... I've started having dissociative episodes," he explained. "I'm missing time, but apparently I look like I'm just fine."

"Any particular situations? Like is there something around you triggering it?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

He was standing directly in front of me. I chose to try to ignore it, as out of character as it seemed.

"Maybe you should find some kind of anchor," I continued, trying to ignore how close we were. "Something that you can do or have that'll kind of drag you back into the moment? Something grounding."

He nodded, seeming to half-listen as his eyes bounced to different parts of my face.

He leaned in, merely a few inches from me, "Maybe that can be you."

He went to close the gap between us. I stepped back as soon as his lips brushed mine. I looked around the room, wanting to focus on anything other than him.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

"No, no," I shook my head. "Don't apologize. Please don't apologize."

I ran my hands over my face. I had a million thoughts running through my head. Everything Alana and I had talked about and everything that had happened over the last few weeks.

"I... I can't be the thing that grounds you," I tried to find a way to explain this without sounding like a dick. "I just... I can't. Relying on me like that is only going to end up hurting you."

Will nodded, looking at the ground.

"I want to support you, but I can't be your only anchor, Will."

"I know," he replied.

"I... I really do like you, Will," I said. "A lot. I just don't want to put you in a place to be disappointed. I need you to understand that."

I stepped forward and cupped the sides of his face.

"I understand," he promised, holding my hands in place. "I just want you."

I let out a breath.

He moved my hands from his face so he could rest his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes.

"Please," he muttered.

I leaned in and gently kissed him. My hands moved to grab onto his shirt, pulling him closer. Any hesitation, any pause, any argument about why I should've avoided this was just gone. All that was there was us.

I grinned against his lips when his hands grabbed my sides.

I didn't pull away until I was running out of breath. Will slowly opened his eyes and grinned at me. I let out a breathy chuckle as I looked at my hands. I slowly let go of my grip on his shirt and fixed it, laughing a little at myself.

"I love you," Will said quietly.

I looked back at his face. His eyes were still trained on my face.

"I love you too, Will," I replied.

We stood in silence for a little while longer.

"Will you stay here tonight," he asked. "Please."

I nodded, kissing his cheek lightly, completely forgetting about my lack of any change of clothes.

It was all worth it. Everything that was happening, everything that could happen. It was all worth it. Because we were happy and that's what mattered.

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

Masterlist (Includes links to All Writing Challenges)

What I Write For

Some Original Characters

#hannibal x reader #hannibal fanfiction #hannibal imagine #will graham x reader #will graham fanfiction #will graham imagine #imagine #fanfiction #x reader

[twofrontteethstillcrooked]

Pumpkin patch: 2 Oct. Suptober

The source of the alarm seemed to be an attractive, wild-eyed woman pointing at Cas from the edge of the pumpkin patch. "You! It's you!" 

deancas ust, indeterminate s11 or s12 au

"We missed the turn," Sam repeated.

"How? Where?" Dean flicked his hands at the windshield. Baby listed slightly towards the narrow shoulder and he course-corrected before they wound up in a ditch. "Nothing out here but corn and soy for fifty miles."

"And sunflowers," Cas mentioned from the back seat.

Dean shivered, thinking of those big tall plants like slumbering scarecrows, their creepy, heavy heads bowed with rotted weight. "Something sinister as shit about those flowers," he muttered.

"There's a side street up ahead." Sam leaned forward to squint hard at something in the distance Dean couldn't see yet. "Hard right."

The sign for Daily Lane had taken some damage, like someone on a tractor joyride had sideswiped it. The road itself was somehow even narrower than the county road they'd been on, and threaded up another hill of corn and more corn and, for a change, corn.

Suddenly, though, there were pumpkins.

"Oh," Sam said, doing some fancy fast typing on his phone. "Starlight Farm and Family."

"You got service on that thing again?" Dean asked as they slowly passed row after row of jack o'lantern style pumpkins growing on snaky vines. 

"U-pick-it pumpkins, apples, cider donuts, coffee," Sam reeled off from whatever website he'd accessed.

"Coffee?" Cas piped up. He gave Dean a beseeching look and Dean sighed inwardly, knowing he was far too fond of that expression, and far too much a pushover in general, when it came to Cas, whom he was still looking at and needed to stop looking at and what had Sam just said about caramel apples?

"Legendary caramel apples," Sam repeated.

"If this place's so special, why weren't there signs for it way before now?" Dean steered them onto the farm's gravel driveway and into the last adjacent lot that seemed to have any empty parking spots. 

Sam shrugged. "Maybe the locals give 'em so much business they don't need anyone else's." He rolled down his window and a scent of popcorn and old leaves wafted in. "Plenty of people here today."

This, Dean felt, was a vast understatement. People were pouring into the pumpkin patches like small waves, kids running out ahead of their parents with happy screams as they pounced on whichever gourd they most wanted to procure. Near a barn a line of customers waited to buy corn dogs and sodas. On the other side of the parking lot, someone had created a small maze out of a seemingly endless number of hay bales. Inside the maze, more kids bounced around, many cheating by going up and over the bales to speed to the center, where someone dressed like a giant bat was handing out orange balloons.

"I don't see how this helps us find state road 7." Cas, as ever, walked as near to Dean as possible, and Dean tried not to think about how simple it would be to put an arm around Cas's waist, all casual like, as they strolled into the festivities.

"It doesn't," Sam called out, already pulling away towards a building clearly marked Restrooms, "but so what."

He had a point.

Dean cleared his throat as soon as Sam was out of earshot. "So." He knocked his arm against Cas's. "Buy ya a cup of coffee?"

Cas opened his mouth, surely to say thank you, and was interrupted by a loud shriek and a small splatting noise, both of which passed through Dean like a ghost.

The source of the alarm seemed to be an attractive, wild-eyed woman pointing at Cas from the edge of the pumpkin patch. "You! It's you!" 

Her expression, a combination of delight and astoundment, was only half matched by Cas, who'd paused to tip his head and study her, long enough Dean started to feel envious of the scrutiny.

"Mama, you smashed my pumpkin." A sweet-faced girl of maybe four or five, wearing pigtails and a Hey Ghoulfriend t-shirt, had crossed over to the woman as well, to inspect the cracked-open fruit at her mother's feet. The pumpkin had coughed up some guts in the fall. The girl pulled some out of the stringy viscera. 

As Cas approached, she held out one disgusting, but very cute, hand and told him, "See, there are seeds in there and you plant the seeds in the field and then it rains and the pumpkins grow real big and then you cut them free with a biiiiig knife and then you take them home and you cut off the tops and you scoooooop out the brains and you make a, like, you make the pumpkins smile and then you put, uh, the candles in there and then all the bad monsters are frighted, um, frightened away."

All in one breath. The kid grinned at Cas like they were old friends, rubbed her goopy hands on the grass, and made a beeline for the hay maze.

"You saved her," the woman said to Cas in a hushed, awed voice. "She was just a baby." Her eyes were bright but no longer deranged.

Cas remembered something; Dean could tell by the way he took a breath of surprise.

"I'm glad I could help." Cas's voice was a little rough with emotion, Dean thought. It made Dean's chest ache.

The woman nodded, a bit tearily. When she looked down at the ruined pumpkin, she snorted a laugh. "At least the deer will have a snack tonight." 

"We'd be happy to buy you another," Dean found himself saying. 

The woman shook her head. "No, no, not necessary. My husband and son are hellbent on buying at least five others. I should catch up with them before they fill up the whole trunk." She bit her lip and smiled at Cas. "Was great to see you again, though." She picked up the biggest chunks of pumpkin and stacked them in the crook of her arm. 

Just as she passed Dean, she said, cheerfully, "Your husband is an actual godsend," and she went on her merry way before he had a chance to register anything except agreement with the godsend part, since whatever else Dean thought about Chuck – none of it particularly pleasant – he was, after all, Cas's dad. Well. Father in a manner of speaking. Creator? Toxic boss? Whatever.

"What's up?" Sam asked, having wandered back. 

"Dean and I got married while you were peeing," Cas said.

"Cool." Sam quirked an eyebrow at Dean. "You gonna get a donut or something to celebrate?"

Or at least, that was probably what he asked. Dean wasn't completely certain. The satellite linking his brain to his mouth was experiencing solar flare complications; his mental plane had definitely hit a pocket of turbulence. 

"He's buying me a coffee." Cas smiled at Dean at the corner of his mouth. His eyes were kind, and led Dean back to civilization. 

Dean, unable to look away, smiled too. "Sure am," he said.

#suptober23 #deancas #destiel #spn #snippetfic #fic #suptober

[loveroftoomanyfandoms]

Angel of God -- The St. Agnes Years - Chapter One

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Matt Murdock & F!Reader

Warnings/Tags: Pre-relationship, Slices of Life, Pining (oh, so much pining).

Word Count: ~1450 (for this chapter )

A/N: A look into AoG's Matt & Reader's lives together as children, from their first meeting until their eventual separation.

November 17, 1996

Dear God, please help me to be brave, Matthew Murdock prayed to himself as the taxi he was in pulled to a stop outside of St. Agnes Orphanage. 

"Alright," the cab driver said in a thick New York accent. "Here you are."

"Come along, Matthew," the nun who had gone to pick him up from his temporary foster home said as she got out of the cab. "Don't dawdle."

"Sorry, Sister," Matt mumbled, trailing behind her.

He gripped his cane tight and adjusted his sunglasses, taking a deep breath before following her towards the entrance.

He fumbled for the railing as his cane bumped into a set of steps, slowly and carefully making his way upwards towards his home for at least the next nine years.

"Your things will be brought to your room," Sister… (Bernadine? Beatrice? Bonaventure? Matt couldn't remember, but he knew it was something with a B) said as they headed inside and down a winding hallway. "In the meantime you'll join the other children outside for recreation. Dinner is at six, nighttime prayer at six-thirty. Don't be late for either."

She opened another door and led Matt out into what he assumed was a backyard area.

He could hear other children laughing and yelling as they chased each other around.

"Ah, Sister Maggie," Sister B-name said as they walked up to another nun. "This is our new ward, Matthew. I'm entrusting him into your care -- I have urgent business to attend to."

"Of course, Sister Bernadette," Sister Maggie replied.

Sister Bernadette! That was it.

"Matthew." With that, Sister Bernadette turned and walked away.

Matt stood near Sister Maggie, unsure of what to do.

Suddenly a timid voice said, "Hi. I like your glasses."

Matt turned towards the voice. It sounded female, maybe slightly younger than him? Matt wasn't quite sure. "Thanks," he said warily.

"Are you an orphan too?"

The sting of losing his father hit Matt all over again. "Yeah," he said quietly.

A small hand slipped into his. "It's okay, I'll be your friend. I'm Y/N."

"Matt."

"There's some tables over here. Come sit with me."

Matt allowed Y/N to lead him to the tables, somehow already trusting of the young girl.

"So how old are you?" Matt asked as they sat. 

"Eight," Y/N replied. "You?"

"I'm nine." Matt paused. "Have you lived here long?"

"Yeah, since I was two. It's not that bad here, you'll get used to it. Just don't make Sister Bernadette mad, 'cause she's really strict. The other nuns are pretty nice though, especially Sister Maggie. She lets me bring books to outdoor recreation, and if we have to stay inside because it's raining, she'll let me spend recreation time in the library."

"Is that what you were doing just now? Reading?"

"Mhmm. I just started ' Where the Red Fern Grows' , have you ever read it?"

Matt shook his head. "Oh, um, no. What's it about?"

"It's about a boy who goes hunting with his two dogs in the mountains. I can read it to you if you want. I'm not too far into it so I don't mind starting over."

Matt nodded, relieved that Y/N hadn't made a big deal about his visual impairment. Most people other than his father had either treated Matt like a pariah or as someone to be pitied, but she didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

"Okay. We'll have to start tomorrow though because recreation time is almost over."

Matt nodded again. "Okay."

As if on cue, the church bells began to ring. 

Y/N stood. "Come on, you can sit next to me at dinner."

Matt smiled, relieved to not have to sit by himself. "Yeah, okay."

Y/N took his hand once again. She led him inside and down a hall, then turned left and opened a door. "Okay, so this is the cafeteria. All you have to do is sit and wait and Sister Gertrude will bring your food, but we can't eat until we say grace."

Matt nodded. "Okay."

A few seconds later a tray was set in front of him.

Matt wrinkled his nose at the overwhelming smell of overcooked meat and dried-out tomato sauce. "What is it?"

"Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, a brownie, and milk."

"Alright, children, bow your heads for grace," a different voice interrupted.

Matt bowed his head and waited.

"Bless us, O Lord…" the voice began intoning. 

" And these thy gifts," Y/N and the other children joined in. "Which we are about to receive, in thy bounty, through Christ our Lord, amen."

"Amen," Matt echoed. He carefully reached out, feeling his way around the table in order to try to find his utensils without accidentally sticking his hand into his food.

Y/N took Matt's hand and placed it on top of his fork. "Here you go."

Matt smiled over at her as he picked it up. "Thank you."

He began eating in silence. There was something different about Y/N, something Matt couldn't quite put his finger on. He felt comfortable with her in a way he hadn't felt with anyone since his accident.

He wasn't able to think about it for too long, because Y/N began speaking again. "After dinner we all go to the chapel for evening prayer, then it's time to get ready for lights out. I can help you find your room if you want. Everyone's name is on their door."

Matt nodded. "Yeah, that'd be good. Thanks."

"And actually, um, I can come get you for breakfast in the morning too? Just until you learn your way around."

"Okay."

They continued eating their dinner in silence, and as soon as Matt was done Y/N stood. "Come on, we have to get to the chapel. Sister Bernadette doesn't like it if we're late."

She led Matt outside then through a courtyard to the chapel, slipping into a pew right before the church bells signaled 6:30.

A minute later Matt heard footsteps heading to the altar.

Y/N leaned towards Matt. "That's Father Reynolds," she whispered. "He's the priest here."

Matt nodded in acknowledgement.

"Good evening, children," Father Reynolds said in slightly accented English.

"Good evening, Father," Matt replied along with the other kids.

"Let us begin our evening prayer. 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'. "

Matt joined in on the Sign of the Cross. "Amen."

Father Reynolds said an opening prayer, then led them in reciting the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Hail Holy Queen, and the Doxology.

"How many more prayers are there?" Matt whispered to Y/N as everyone recited the Apostles' Creed.

"Just one more after this," Y/N whispered back. "Then we do a moment of silent intention, then Father Reynolds will say a blessing."

"Oh, okay." Matt was about to ask which one it was when everyone began reciting the final prayer.

"Angel of God, my guardian dear," they intoned, "to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen."

Matt sucked in a breath as a thought struck him. He had asked God to help him be brave, and not even 2 minutes later Y/N had come up to him and immediately made him feel comfortable. And not only that, but she had even offered to be his friend. Maybe He sent me a guardian angel.

He turned his head towards Y/N slightly, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her. He knew she was real, because she had held his hand, but he admittedly wasn't sure what exactly angels were supposed to be like in human form.

He was jarred out of his thoughts as Y/N took his hand again. "Okay, let's go find your room."

She led Matt back out through the courtyard and up the steps of the orphanage. "Girls are on the second floor and boys are on the third."

They went up a couple of flights of stairs and down another hallway, then Y/N stopped in front of a door. "Here's your room. Bathroom is right across the hall."

"Oh. Okay." Matt hesitated. "Um, thanks."

"You're welcome." Y/N paused. "We're not allowed in each other's rooms after lights out, so I'll see you tomorrow morning before breakfast?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah, okay."

"It's at 7, so I'll come get you around 6:45 if that's okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

To Matt's surprise, Y/N gave him a hug. "Good night, Matt."

Matt hugged her back, the last of his nerves fading away in her warm embrace. Maybe life as an orphan wasn't going to be so scary, especially with an angel by his side.

#lotmf writes #AoG The St. Agnes Years Masterlist #AoG Prequel #Matt Murdock & Reader

[harlot-of-oblivion]

The Devil's In The Details

The fiery attraction for your devilish partner still persists as you and Dante explore an abandoned subway for clues.

Took a lil while but it's here! Hope you enjoy! 🌹😘🌹

Chapter 10: Resisting the Devil's Temptations

The cracked concrete crunches beneath your feet as you approach the dilapidated subway entrance. You peer down at the crumbling stairs, accessing the best way to get down there without falling on your ass. The last thing I need is my partner swooping in to catch me, you thought as Dante sidles up beside you.

“Want me to carry you?” he asks with a playful smile.

You know he’s just fucking with you, but your lips still twist into an unamused grimace. “I’m not some damsel distress,” you retort while taking out a flashlight.

Dante chuckles softly as you move forward with a slow and cautious step. “No, you definitely aren’t,” he murmurs close behind you, making your skin tingle as you imagine that captivating flash of red glimmering in his blue eyes.

Focus, dammit! you berate yourself while carefully making your way down the ruined stairs.

The sunlight above grows dimmer the further down you go, shrouding the entryway in pitch blackness. You click your flashlight on and pause for a moment, surveying the surrounding area with its luminous light before pressing on through the entrance. Your flashlight reveals a broken turnstile up ahead as you slowly move forward, checking every corner of the derelict tunnel as you unholster your gun.

“Looks like I’m not the only one ready for action!”

You look over your shoulder at Dante as his eager remark echoes around you. “Carmen wasn’t wrong about the danger we might find down here,” you explain, vaguely noting that his blue eyes almost seem to be glowing in the dark.

A trick of the light? Or just a perk of being half demon? you wonder while turning back to the path ahead. “Better safe than sorry,” you affirm while moving forward with a determined scowl.

Both of you pass through the shabby turnstile and walk ahead for a while until coming upon the derelict subway station. Piles of rubble and trash litter the ground, and a battered train rests against the wall, completely tilted off the gnarled and rusted tracks. You pause and slowly move your flashlight all around as Dante steps up beside you.

“So, what do you think we’ll find down here?” he asks with a curious tilt of his head.

“Some clue about where Mrs. Harmon disappeared off to if we’re lucky,” you admit while walking ahead slowly. “But seeing the state of this place…” you trail off, flashing your light on the surrounding destruction as bits of rubble and glass crunch beneath your boots. “I’m starting to think we might find her body instead.”

Dante sticks close as both of you move deeper into the station. “And that’ll be case closed, right?”

“Not by a long shot,” you murmur with a wry chuckle. “There’s still some things that just don’t add up, and Mrs. Harmon may have the answers.”

“The demon venom,” he suggests with an assured nod.

“Among other things,” you add while coming to a halt. “Let’s run through what we’ve learned so far while we search this area.”

“Ooh, so demanding!” he exclaims softly with a playful wiggle of his brow before backing away at the sight of your icy glare. “Alright, alright…you start,” he mutters with a disappointed sigh, but the small smirk on his lips tells you that he’s just messing with you again.

“First, the missing dog,” you begin while searching around a nearby pile of rubble. “You know, the one that you thought was a waste of time?”

“Hey, I said I don’t get why you were so hung up on it,” he replies while inspecting a toppled down vending machine. “And I saw the point, but I didn’t think that yappy lil puppy would lead us to the missing car!”

“Neither did I,” you admit before moving ahead towards some broken benches. “But what I don’t get is why Mrs. Harmon took the dog with her to begin with,” you murmur as this little piece of the puzzle turns over and over in your mind. 

“You said the Harmons lived in the rich suburbs, right?” he asks before continuing at your affirmative nod. “Well, that’s a lot of neighbors close by, and a loud barking pooch-”

“May have brought a lot of unwanted attention,” you finish with an impressed quirk of your brow. “Huh, so you’re not just a pretty face after all.”

“Oh, there’s a lot more to me than meets the eye, Honeybee.”

You roll your eyes at his flirty boast as your mind fits this piece of the puzzle into the bigger picture. So, she kills her husband and takes the dog to avoid suspicion from the neighbors…and if that’s the case, then it seems more like a crime of passion than a premeditated murder. It makes sense, but…

“Then there’s the murder weapon,” you move on while shining your flashlight deeper into the station. “Just out in the open and easy to find.”

Dante walks in the direction of your light. “Too easy, I guess?”

“Most people try a little harder to hide a key piece of evidence.”

“Yeah, I see what you’re saying,” he agrees, nonchalantly walking past your light into total darkness. Your brow furrows in concern as he continues. “She could’ve thrown it out in the rubble up there, and your people would’ve been looking for days or weeks to find it.”

“But instead, she just drops it in the minivan with her dog,” you murmur, warily moving towards the sound of his voice. “So, she has enough awareness to grab the dog and avoid attention but abandons it all like it’s no big deal once she gets here?” you wonder aloud while straining your eyes for any sign of your partner in the dark. “It doesn’t add up,” you mutter with a frustrated frown as your flashlight reveals your partner standing by a gigantic wall of rubble.

Dante’s eyes glow faintly in the dark as he turns to you. “Unless there’s something else at play here.”

“I had the exact same thought when we found the syringe,” you disclose while inspecting the giant blockade of rubble with your flashlight.

“Really?” he asks with an inquisitive quirk of his brow. “Do tell.”

You turn your flashlight towards the dilapidated train track. “I don’t know if you noticed, but there was an image etched into the barrel of the syringe,” you point out before heading that way.

“The hexagon?” he queries while following close behind.

You nod with an affirmative hum. “And where else have we seen it recently?”

“The safety deposit box.”

“Yes!” you confirm softly before turning towards your partner. “The card you found in that swingers magazine has a hexagon too.”

Dante scratches the back of his head with a perplexed frown. “But what does that mean, Detective?”

“What if the card you found wasn’t just a bookmark…but a business card?” you wonder while stepping over rubble towards the track. “I know that there’s a black market for everything demonic here in Red Grave. Weapons, armor, material, drugs…what if the demonic venom is a product from the black market?” you propose while looking back at your partner, his brows furrowing in thought as you continue. “And if that’s true…then that means-”

“Every single case in your investigation has a link to whoever is selling that demonic venom,” he finishes your theory with a tilt of his head.

You nod and shrug your shoulders. “It’s just a hunch, but that hexagon logo and the demon venom have to be connected somehow.”

“The Lieutenant did say that your hunches are never wrong.”

“Rarely wrong,” you correct. “I’m still capable of making mistakes…but my gut is telling me that I’m not wrong about this.”

“Then it looks like we have a new lead, Detective!”

Your lips curl into a pleased smirk at his enthusiasm as you continue towards the track. “You know,” you begin while searching the surroundings for any clues. “You’d make a pretty good detective if you ever get bored of demon hunting.”

Dante sidles up real close before leaning down over your shoulder with a mischievous grin. “A couple of days working together and you’re already thinking about making me your permanent partner?”

You glare up at him with an annoyed grimace. “I didn’t say that,” you grumble while giving his chest an exasperated shove with your shoulder. But Dante doesn’t budge from your personal space as he swings around to face you.

“So, those donuts this morning weren’t a bribe to keep me by your side?” he teases with a playful wiggle of his brow.

“First of all, bribery is illegal and I would never stoop that low,” you inform while shining your flashlight right at his smug face. Dante blinks at the sudden brightness and draws back a little with a soft curse as you continue. “Secondly, I gave you those donuts cause I was a raging bitch to you and I thought…”

Your words dry out as you look away, quickly composing yourself as a dull ache settles in your chest. I can’t believe I just almost… You can’t even finish your thought, too worried that even thinking about it will sting more.

Dante reaches over and covers your hand around the flashlight, gently moving it to the side so that his face isn’t bathed in its luminous beam anymore. The warmth of his hand sends tingles up your arm, but you don’t meet his eyes as he stares down at you quietly before coaxing you to continue with a soft whisper.

“You thought what?”

And just like that, you find yourself thinking about it again.

You’ve always taken pride in working alone, but it’s not like you had a choice. Most people can’t see behind the ice-cold façade you present to the world, and if they happen to get past that…then, the anger deep inside you scares them away.

“I’m not the easiest person to work with,” you begin softly. “Most of the partners assigned to me don’t last long, and I was never really good at making friends.” You try to meet his gaze, but your eyes lock on his gloved hand around your clenched fist. “We both know why.”

It always happens…everyone leaves me sooner or later.

Dante gently squeezes your hand. “I’m not leaving you anytime soon.”

Your eyes widen as you raise your head to meet his striking blue eyes. “Buy why?” you ask, a little surprised that he knew exactly what was going on in your head, but not totally convinced that he meant what he just said.

“Like I said in your office, we’re partners,” he murmurs as the genuine gleam in his eyes ease the dull ache in your chest. “We’ll solve the case or go down together. You don’t need donuts to keep me by your side.” The gleam in his eyes flash red for a moment before his lips twitch into a playful smirk. “But I will take pizza as a bribe any day.”

The tension wracking your body melts away as you laugh softly as his honest jest. “Noted,” you murmur with a relieved smile before meeting his eyes once more. “And thanks…for coming back.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easily, Honeybee.”

You roll your eyes at his annoying nickname for you, but the smile on your lips stays as you pull your hand from his soothing grasp. “Good to know that pulling a knife out on you twice didn’t scare you away.”

“Eh, I’m used to it by now.”

“Sounds like you get threatened with sharp objects all the time,” you note while walking past him towards the track.

“You have no idea,” he mutters while following close behind.

Both of you approach the abandoned railway and pause to inspect its crumbling remains. You swing your flashlight around slowly, highlighting the battered track and broken-down train car. The sight of graffiti all over the walls tells you that people have definitely been down here at some point, but you highly doubt that a suburban housewife came down here to brush up on her art skills.

Where the hell did she go? you thought while searching the area with your eyes.

“Wait…what’s that over there?”

You glance at your partner and move your flashlight in the area he indicates. Just a few feet away from the train car is something on the ground. “It doesn’t look like trash or rubble,” you murmur while squinting your eyes. “Let’s take a closer look.”

Before you can even jump down from the ledge, Dante swiftly steps over and holds his hand up to you with a helpful smile. Doesn’t he know that chivalry is dead? you thought wryly, but the gesture still touches some romantic part of you deeply buried beneath your stoic exterior. You ignore the warmth blooming in your chest as you holster your gun before taking his hand. And you definitely don’t think about how nice his fingers feel against your skin as he steps to the side, keeping you steady as you jump down and land on the ground.

You remove your hand quickly before taking out your gun again. Your eyes flicker from side to side as both of you approach the train car, letting the bright beam from your flashlight guide you to the mysterious object nearby. As you get closer, you think it might be a shoe, but your feet start to move faster as you realize exactly what it is.

A bedroom slipper.

You crouch down for a closer inspection. “Looks pretty clean,” you murmur as Dante looms over with an interested tilt of his head.

“Which means it was left here recently?” he suggests while crossing his arms.

“A white lacey slipper like this would look grody if it was down here for some time,” you note with a pleased smirk while shining your flashlight down on the delicate footwear.

“Why do you look like you’ve found the golden ticket?” he asks with a quirked brow.

“Because, my dear Dante, this slipper may have belonged to Mrs. Harmon,” you lightly jest before going into detail. “During my search through the Harmon residence, I noticed multiple pairs of shoes lined up on a mat by the garage. There was a gap in the middle of the mat empty of shoes, which told me that Mrs. Harmon grabbed a pair and put them on before fleeing the scene.”

Dante nods in understanding. “So, you think this slipper could be hers?”

“Possibly…won’t know ‘til we test it further in the lab,” you inform while holstering your gun. “Cover me while I secure the evidence,” you command before offering your flashlight to him.

“Whoa, moving a little bit fast there, Honeybee…at least buy me dinner first,” he jokes with a playful smirk while taking your flashlight.

“Technically, I already did,” you remind with a soft grumble under your breath.

“That was lunch, but close enough…does that mean we’re ready for-”

“Dante!” you hiss impatiently.

“Fine, fine,” he murmurs with a soft sigh, but his lips are still curled in an amused smirk.

Dante keeps the light on the bedroom slipper as you reach into your jacket and pull out a rubber glove. You slip it on with a decisive snap before taking an evidence bag out. Your gloved fingers grab the lacey slipper and slip it into the bag with a practiced flourish. Then, you tuck it inside your jacket before shedding the rubber glove from your hand.

“So, Mrs. Harmon books it after killing her husband, drives to the abandoned part of the city, and leaves behind her car, her dog, and the murder weapon before coming down here,” you recap while taking your flashlight back from your partner.

“Sounds about right,” Dante murmurs with a confirming nod of his head. “But where did she go?”

You slowly move your flashlight around the immediate area before focusing on the broken-down train. The bright beam highlights the sliding door, still open and locked in place by rust and decay.

“The rest of the station may be blocked by that wall of rubble back there,” you murmur as your flashlight moves down the train. “But the subway tunnel is still intact,” you note while circling said tunnel with the luminous beam of light before directing it back on the open sliding doors.

“Makes sense,” Dante concurs as you rise back up to your feet.

You nod your head in that direction. “Let’s go.”

You lead the way to the broken-down train, checking the area for any possible threat with a wary glare before looking through the sliding door. Looks clear, you note while accessing the tilted steps of the train. Dante comes forward and offers his hand as you lift your foot up onto the first step. You take it with an obliging nod and use his sturdy grip to hoist yourself up into the train before turning around and offering your hand in turn. He clasps it with a grateful smile, but you can tell that he didn’t need much help as he hops onto the train without much tugging on your part.

Your flashlight shines down the decrepit aisle of the train car as both of you regain some balance on the slanted floor. You stand still for a moment while taking in the dank and creepy atmosphere. Your eyes flicker around for any sudden movements while you listen for any suspicious sounds in this abandoned place. Then, you take a couple of steps forward, but a slight tugging around your hand gives you pause.

You glance down and realize that Dante is still holding your hand. Your jaw clenches into a scowl as your irritated glare meets the amused gaze of your partner. He blinks at you innocently as he tilts his head in question, but the gentle caress of his thumb on the back of your hand tells you that he’s definitely aware of why you’re so suddenly agitated.

“Knock it off!” you growl while ripping your hand out of his grasp.

“Not a fan of hand holding, huh?” he asks with a disappointed sigh.

“This is not the time nor the place, Dante,” you grumble, avoiding his playful gaze as he leans down closer to your face.

“Sooooo you’ll lemme hold your hand if the time and place is right?”

“What? No!” you vehemently deny as your head whips around to face him. “I’ll never let you hold my hand!”

Dante chuckles as his fingers brush the side of your palm. “A little too late for that, Honeybee.”

Your hand twitches angrily as the intense heat of his gentle caress seeps into your skin. His smug grin makes you want to punch it right off his ruggedly handsome face, but you resist that impulsive urge as you move your hand away.

“C’mon,” you mutter, ignoring the sudden craving for more of his searing hot touch. “We’ve got a job to do.”

You take out your gun and take the lead, treading carefully as both of you walk down the aisle. Your flashlight floats across the dirty floor, searching for more evidence until coming upon the cracked door that leads to the next train car. You examine it for a moment, mentally noting that the gap is just wide enough for someone to squeeze through without pushing it aside completely.

Your flashlight shines through the opening as you lean through the door. “The door to the other train car is cracked open as well,” you inform while looking back at your partner. “Think you can squeeze through?”

“I’ll manage,” he replies with a confident nod.

You turn back and step through the door, instantly keeping a look out as Dante follows suit. He wedges himself between the door and pushes against it with his shoulder, sliding it back a bit without much effort before making his way though. Your brow arches at his impressive strength as he approaches the other door.

“I guess those muscles of yours aren’t just for show,” you murmur as he pries the door open with a soft grunt.

“Oh, there’s a lot more where that came from,” he boasts while stepping aside with a flirty grin.

You roll your eyes as you enter the next train car, but your lips curl into a speculative smirk as soon as you know that he can’t see it. You go through the same routine of inspecting the train car, quietly looking for clues before moving on to the next. It’s the same as the other two previous train cars, nothing but debris and utter silence until coming upon the fourth car. This one is utterly wrecked, totally torn in half and nearly impossible to forge ahead without a lot of stumbling across tons of rubble. But your flashlight reveals a huge gaping hole among the wreckage, highlighting another part of the station just beyond its rusted and jagged edges.

Your feet rush forward, eager to find out if Mrs. Harmon escaped through there. But the floor is even more slanted than the other train cars, and you suddenly find yourself tilting backwards as your boot slips on the glass and debris covering the ground. Your arms flail out to regain your balance, but the steep slope of the off-kilter train pulls your body towards the adjacent wall. You squeeze your eyes shut and prepare yourself for a hard and painful impact…but the smoky scent of your partner hits your nose as your back lands on his warm and sturdy chest

“You alright?” he whispers in your ear.

“Yeah, I’m good,” you reply as your gut twists with embarrassment. “Sorry…I’m not usually this careless.”

“Don’t worry, Honeybee,” he assures with a comforting pat against your waist. “I’ve got your back.”

You glance up at his scruffy face and your body stiffens at the sight of the protective gleam in his warm gaze. The embarrassment of your actions fade away as your gut clenches with something more fiery. Your eyes hone in on his heated gaze, patiently waiting for…and there it is. The alluring flash of red within his striking blue eyes. It calls to you, begging you to come closer as the tension between you and your partner begins to stifle you with its all-consuming heat and desire…but a shuffling sound in the distance breaks you away from the intense moment.

“What the fuck was that?” you whisper as your eyes shift towards the wrecked opening of the train car.

Dante shifts around so that you’re behind him. “Let’s find out,” he murmurs, taking the lead while reaching behind to offer his hand.

You hesitate for a moment but still grasp his palm with a determined nod as your gut rejoices at the feel of his safe and warm touch again. Dante forges the way ahead without any jokes or flirty looks, totally focused on getting through the jagged opening of the train while ensuring your safety with a sudden seriousness that you’ve never seen in him before. He leaps through first before turning to help you down with his strong arms. You land on the ground and instantly raise up your flashlight with your gun, scanning the surrounding area with the comforting presence of your partner by your side.

“What the fuck?” you gasp at your flashlight reveals a shocking sight.

Your pulse quickens as your eyes flicker between a large mass of quivering golden yellow pustules scattered around the dark and gloomy station. They’re not threatening on the surface, but your gut tells you to not let your guard down as you move forward. Dante rushes ahead and jumps up to the platform before helping you up with an extended hand.

You climb up and point your flashlight and gun towards the numerous pustules around the station. They convulse erratically under your light as you focus on the yellow viscous liquid leaking from their porous surface. You take a step forward to investigate further, but the yellow pustules turn a sickly red as they start to shake violently before ripping open with a sickening squelch. Your eyes narrow as monstrous creatures burst through, shaking themselves before focusing on you and your partner.   

You’ve seen plenty of demons by now thanks to that demonic tree popping up in the city a while back, but these demons are unfamiliar. They kinda remind you of the Empusa you’ve shot down while searching for survivors, very bug-like and smell like blood. But these are slimmer, quicker, and have a wicked sharp barb sticking out from behind. They still reek of blood, but there’s a hint of something…sweet, almost floral wafting from their wildly buzzing wings as they regard both of you with a malicious screech.

Dante slowly approaches with a soft chuckle and excited grin. “Looks like we’re just in time for the party!”

You don’t move an inch and keep your gun up at the ready assessing the situation. There’s seven total, but one of them is bigger…the strongest one perhaps? you surmise as your partner snaps his hand to the side with a practiced flourish. Your eyes widen as a gigantic sword pops into his hand with a burst of red energy. He brandishes it with a well-practiced and daring flair before turning towards you.

“Here,” he murmurs while reaching behind his back and unholstering one of his guns. “Ebony has more firepower than your standard issue gun.”

You quirk your brow at the black gun in his hand. The portrait of a dark-haired lady embedded in the wooden grip is very classy, but your keen eyes note the power behind such a sleek and stylish design. You holster your own gun before taking Ebony with a grateful nod.

“Let’s show them that we’re the life of the party, Dante,” you boast with a confident smile.

Dante grins and you don’t even try to fight the fluttering in your heart as you raise his gun at the ready. Then, he charges ahead and swipes at the nearest demon with a carefree holler. You hang back and set your sights on a demon creeping up on your partner from behind as he stabs and jabs them out of existence. Your fingers curl around the trigger before pulling it back as the demon crouches down in a vicious pounce.

You feel the tremors of the tremendously powerful shot surge through your entire body as the bullet bursts out of the barrel. Your precise aim leads the lethal bullet straight towards the back of its head, instantly stopping it in its tracks as a spray of blood stains the ground. Dante turns around and finishes off with a quick stab of his sword before bending down in a ready stance as you shift your aim to the next target.

Your heart races as you follow the ebb and flow of the battle unfolding before you, taking shots at any demon who dares to take your partner by surprise while he’s busy laying the rest of them to waste. But when there’s only three more demons left, the obviously bigger one steps into the fray and distracts Dante as the other two focus their attention on you. They approach at the same time, effectively flanking you so that no matter which one you target will give the other a chance to move in closer to attack.

You stand your ground and take a deep breath, waiting until they creep closer, closer, closer…before springing into action as both leap towards you with their claws and wickedly sharp teeth. Your head ducks down as you crouch and tuck yourself in a roll, letting the momentum of your body carry you away as both demons clash behind you in a whirl of claws and stabbing barbs. You raise Ebony and suddenly feel the urge to focus your shot, almost as if the weapon in your hand is aware and takes the lead while you aim at the mangled bodies of the demons before you.

Your eyes squint in focus before pulling the trigger. An enormous shockwave trembles through your arms as the bullet slides out of the barrel with an explosive burst towards the collapsed demons. They raise their heads in a defiant squeal, but the bullet lands between one of their eyes before blowing both of them to smithereens with a blast of incendiary power.

You swivel around and refocus your aim on the last remaining demon as it viciously swipes at your partner with its sharp barb. Your finger squeezes the trigger as Dante swiftly dodges the piercing attack before lunging forward with his sword. The demon is knocked back from the force of this blow, and your eyes widen in horror as your bullet hits your partner right in the chest. He groans in pain but still manages to finish the demon off with a lethal slice of his sword before tumbling down to the ground.

“DANTE!” you bellow, instantly sprinting towards your partner as the demon’s body splits apart in a spray of blood.

You step over his sword and take a quick glance at the demon to make sure it’s really dead before kneeling down by your partner. Your worried eyes hone in on his slightly scrunched up face before lowering your gaze to his chest. At least he’s still breathing, you note with relief as a sizable splotch of blood continues to ooze out of the torn hole of his grubby shirt with every rise and fall of his chest.

“Shit…I’m so fucking sorry, Dante,” you murmur with a grim scowl. “I didn’t mean…” you trail off as your mind begins to go into overdrive, flipping between self-doubt and loathing about being the worst partner anyone can ask for.

Great job…it only took two days to fuck this up so royally, you berate yourself while staring down at the bullet wound in his chest. That’s gotta be a new record!

“Oh, shut the fuck up!” you softly growl, mentally forcing your mind into silence with a vigorous shake of your head. You take a deep breath before focusing on your wounded partner. “Okay, gotta check to see if the bullet is still in there,” you murmur to yourself while placing Ebony down on the ground.

You reach over with steady hands and lift his shirt up, subtly eyeing his rippling abs and soft belly beneath the sprinkling of white body hair. Your fingers lightly graze his hot and sweaty skin as you push the shirt all the way up over his chest. You wince at the sight of the bullet wound but remain composed as you hold the shirt in place just below his chin with one hand while examining his chest with a gentle brush of your fingers.

Can’t really tell, but I think it’s still in there, you surmise with a remorseful grimace. Maybe I can dig it out before…wait, what the fuck?

Your brow furrows as the wound begins to twitch a bit. More blood trickles out as something…your eyes widen as the rim of the bullet peaks out. The shock of what you’re seeing alone freezes you in place as you continue to watch with a fascinated tilt of your head. There’s more spasms and the bullet begins to rise up, revealing its blood-soaked casing. Your fingers move without a thought to grab the bullet before pulling it out with a sharp tug.

You gasp softly as you bring the bullet up to your face for a closer look. Well, I’ll be damned…another perk of being half demon? you wonder before glancing back down at his chest. The bleeding stops as the wound begins to close, literally stitching itself back together before your very eyes.

Your transfixed gaze stays on his chest as you pocket the errant bullet before leaning in for a closer look. Besides the splatter of blood…it’s like he never got shot, you muse while bringing your hand up to his chest. You examine the area where the wound was moments ago with a gentle touch, noting the smoothness of his skin beneath the coarse white hair just above his left pec.

“Startin’ to think you’re not a fan of first base, Honeybee.”

Your head snaps up at the sound of your partner’s teasing words. A wave of relief washes over you as his mirthful gaze bores into you, but it quickly fades away at the sight of his enticing grin as he continues.

“Which is a shame cos I’d love to- Oof!”

A quick jab to his gut with your clenched fist cuts off whatever flirty come-on was about to slip from his mouth.

“Fucking really, Dante? How can you joke at a time like this?” you seethe with a frustrated shake of your head. “I fucking shot you and…” you trail off, mentally struggling to describe the torrent of guilt and shame at hurting your own partner as your lips twist into a humiliated scowl.

“You’re taking this pretty hard,” he notes while lifting himself up onto one of his elbows with a soft grunt. “Don’t worry, I’m fine,” he murmurs as his hand grasps your shoulder with a reassuring squeeze. Then, he tilts his head as his intense gaze lingers on your indignant face. “So you really do care, huh?”

“Of course I-” your words instantly dry up as you meet his eyes.

The tense air between you suddenly shifts into something more heated as that elusive red spark flashes fiercely behind those striking blue depths. You feel yourself being drawn closer to that irresistible flame in his desirous gaze. And you give in for a moment, letting the icy walls around you melt just a bit as you lean in closer towards his handsome face. But then, your eyes shift down to his scruffy lips as they curl into a secretive smug smirk.

Something about it irks you, almost as if he…

“You fucking sonuvabitch!”

You push him away with a hard punch to his chest before standing up with a harsh growl. “You got shot on purpose, didn’t you?”

Dante rubs his chest with a disappointed pout before sitting up fully. “Guilty as charged!” he admits with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. “So, you gonna arrest me?” he quips, playfully wiggling his brow while staring up at you with a suggestive grin.

“Un-fucking-believable!” you fume while swinging your arms out in frustration. “I should-” you cut yourself short with an angry growl as you stomp away.

“Should what?” he prods while getting back on his feet.

Your blood boils beneath your skin as you wheel around and close in on your partner in a flurry of furious steps. It takes all of your control to not lash out on him with one of your numerous hidden daggers as you close in, pressing  up against his body as you stare up at him in contempt. But Dante stands his ground, unrelenting before your barely contained rage as he looms over you with a suggestive smile.

“What do you wanna do to me, Honeybee?”

The unbridled desire in his voice shakes you to the core, making you want to throttle him for being so confident about pulling such a dirty trick on you. But another part of you admires that confidence as his smoky scent lures you even closer. Your body hums with arousal as the air crackles around you with a heady blast of heat. And that flaming red spark ignites in his striking blue eyes as you crane your neck up, meeting his alluring gaze as his warm breath caresses your eager lips…

But a sudden jerk from one of the pustules nearby breaks the moment. Both of you whip around and grab your respective weapons from the ground. You raise Ebony at the ready while Dante brandishes his sword with a wicked arc. The pustule convulses violently before breaking apart with an explosive burst. You take a step back in alarm as golden viscous liquid spills out on the ground. Then, the other pustules around you follow suit, each one exploding as the crumbling ceiling of the station begins to quake.

“Oh shit,” you murmur as dust falls from up above.

Dante looks around before grabbing your arm. “We should-“

“Get the fuck outta here,” you finish as before rushing towards the broken-down train car.

The fiery moment between you two fades away as you jump down to the track with your partner hot on your heels. But the anger is still there simmering in your gut as huge chunks of concrete and debris begin to fall from the ceiling. It melds with the adrenaline coursing through your body as both of you hop into the train car before making a mad dash down the aisle.

I’m gonna show him exactly what I wanna do to him, you seethe as your mind runs though many scenarios involving your clenched fists and daggers among the utter destruction ganging up on you.  

Oh, I’ll show him…if we fucking survive this.

🔪❤️‍🔥🔪

#dante x reader #dante #devil may cry #dmc #detective reader #murder mystery #the devil's in the details #oh these two... #so much tension you can cut it with a knife #harlot writes

[imaginedreamwrite]

Plus size coaches daughter and hockey captain Curtis. He's totally smitten and wants to be with her, and just has to show her that he's not the player that she's used to seeing out of other hockey players

Curtis ‘The Hatchet’ Everett, strikes out again — you can hear it now, see it now, as its splashed over the teams fan pages.

The infamous playboy had settled down, but who has he settled down for? — the surefire tag lines and captions on the picture of Everett standing outside the arena with his hands cupped at the back of his head and his lip tucked between his lips, are clear.

Curtis Everett has been enraptured by someone and they wanted to know who it was.

You stared at the picture, the moment captured wherein his plump bottom lip was nibbled on as he stared after a vehicle that was pulling away. His hat was on backward as it usually was, and his hair was still damp with sweat from the game but it was his eyes and lips that were the most captivating.

C.E. Whore — I would literally kill for him to look at me like that

JamietheKidd — he hasn’t been seen out with another groupie in weeks. SOMEONE has his attention

You scrolled past the picture and moved onto the next one, this one being posted from the official team’s page, and found a picture of yourself standing behind the penalty box.

You were wearing the team jacket, your hair haphazardly and messily pulled out of your face. You rather liked the picture until you had caught a glimmer of silver beneath the jacket, and a familiar charm on the necklace you wore.

“Oh shit…” you hissed and cursed yourself out, momentarily panic that had lit a kind of fire under your ass, making you nearly immediately bolt from the bed. “Oh no, oh no, oh no-“

“Baby, hey….baby what’s wrong?” The door opened and out he stepped from the shower, bare chested with water droplets rolling down his abdomen to the towel around his waist.

“This is not good, Everett!” You turned to face him, pausing to study the sculpted chest and abdomen that was glistening with water and the playful smirk on his face.

“What’s not good, baby? Hmm?” He walked toward you and cupped your chin, tilting your head up so he could look deep into your eyes. “Because from where I’m standing, things look just damn fine.”

“Horn-dog,” you giggled and smacked his chest lightly, forgetting for a moment your freak out, “you always think of sex?”

“With you? Sweetheart have you looked at yourself? If I were you, I’d jump my own bones.” He grinned again, and snaked a hand down your back to grab a handful of your ass, pulling you even further to his chest.

“Curtis,” you slowly pulled yourself out of the haze and lifted your phone to his face, “look.”

“I see my gorgeous girlfriend. Look at you, babe-“

“Curtis!” You whined, both from the feeling of his hands caressing your generous curves, and from annoyance. “You can see your chain, your charm.”

“Can you?” He took a second look, a better look, and then grinned crookedly. “You look good with that on.”

“People will recognize it, they’ll find out. My dad-“

“Come on baby.” Curtis gently led you to the bed and sat you down. “Take a breath, sweetie. Everything will be fine.”

“Fine? Curtis people will find out and you have fans, you have crazed fans.”

“I’m not scared of my crazed fans and you shouldn’t be either. They won’t do anything.”

“Oh? And who are you afraid of?” You leaned in and rest your cheek against his shoulder.

“Your dad. Fuck, your dads gonna kick my ass.” Curtis cursed and then laughed when you had, finding the same amusement as you did.

“Yeah,” you agreed, “I think he would.”

[yersina]

For your s class asks, au where Yoojin used to pet sit for his neighbours pets for some extra cash whenever he doesn’t have a job to do. When he awakens, he ended up with an animal taming ability, making him a legit monster tamer (would be funny if it worked with high ranked monsters as well)

When Yoojin sees the terrifying, pterodactyl-like monster heading for his boss’s van, he doesn’t stop to think. Without a single thought in his head other than desperate panic and an overwhelming desire for Lee Soojin and Im Namgi to stay alive, he whistles sharply, the way he does when he’s first starting to train a dog, and shouts, “Stop!” with as much confidence and sternness as he can muster.

Later, he’ll clutch his head and wonder why the fuck he thought this would work, because under any normal circumstances it shouldn’t have. The monster should’ve devoured them both. Yoojin should’ve died with them. But he stands there now, hands shaking with adrenaline and throat still aching with his yell, and watches the monster pause and turn around with a combination of terror and relief.

“B… back away from them,” he adds, since the monster doesn’t seem like it’s on the offensive anymore, and to his utter shock, it does. It climbs off of the car, ignoring the startled yelps of the people within, and instead walks towards Yoojin. “Oh, fuck.”

It slowly creeps forward, using claws on its wings and its short hind legs to unsettlingly and jerkily crawl along the ground, until its giant, sharp beak that was until only a second ago poised to dive into his boss’s car is only an arms-length away. At this distance, Yoojin can see its dark eyes, clear and focused on Yoojin, and how its head is covered in short, iridescent black feathers that almost look like scales. It’d be beautiful, if not for the needle-sharp teeth that poke out of its beak.

“What,” he croaks quietly, not daring to move. There’s a lesson about scaring away wildlife blaring in the back of his brain, but none of them hold a candle to the reality of being stared at by a creature that could undoubtedly kill him with half a thought.

It makes a strange noise in its throat, something between a chirp, click, and purr. It sounds… friendly, bizarrely enough, and the creature doesn’t look like it’s about to rip his head from his shoulders, but Yoojin doesn’t trust that for a single second. He doesn’t dare move.

The moment—if it could even be called a moment, rather than a pause before the creature could eat Yoojin for interrupting its previous meal—is shattered by the ear-piercing cry of another pterodactyl creature. His eyes instinctively go for the new threat, which is flying towards them with single-minded focus, before he remembers that he shouldn’t take his eyes off the thing that could kill him right now.

Instead of having a chunk taken out of him like he expects, though, the creature in front of him whips its head around and lets out one of those same ear-piercing cries and lunges for the other creature. Yoojin has to raise an arm against the dust and gravel that’s inadvertently flung into his face, but when he squints his eyes open again, the first flying creature has already tackled the second one full force and is obviously trying to gouge it in two.

Are they fighting over who gets to eat us…? Yoojin spends a moment staring in disbelief, before he remembers Lee Soojin and Im Namgi all at once and sprints towards the overturned van.

“Boss!” he yells, and is overwhelmingly thankful for the way Lee Soojin immediately pops her head out of the window and waves that she’s okay. “Do you need help?”

“I think we’ll be okay as long as nothing else comes at us!” True to word, she begins hauling herself out of the window and turns to grab her husband as soon as she’s free. Yoojin hurries over to help them both down, and they all duck for cover as soon as they can get their bearings.

“What do you think those are?” Im Namgi asks shakily, looking out at the scene of destruction laid before them through the window of the bank they’re taking cover in. There are other people in here too, but most of them are huddled as far from the windows as they can, apart from the security guard who’d let them through the doors. “They’re not like any animals I’ve ever seen.”

“They look like dinosaurs,” Yoojin offers, “but that doesn’t make sense either.”

“Who cares what they are,” Lee Soojin groans, sliding down the wall and staring up at the ceiling in despair. “They’re still wreaking havoc either way.”

Yoojin turns to join her, but a flash of blue in the corner of his eye catches his attention first. It’s a glowing blue screen hovering in the air, reminiscent of a game window.

[The Awakening of Han Yoojin has been registered.]

Once Yoojin reads that window, another pops up.

[Awakened Han Yoojin

Level 1

Stamina: 6 | Strength: 4 | Agility: 5 | Spirit: 4 | Mana: 2

Titles — Caregiver (S), Monster Tamer (A)

Caregiver additional skills…

Monster Tamer additional skills…

Skills

Strength Up (E): Strength of the target + 5% (Immediate effect, similar and/or identical skills cannot overlap), duration 30 minutes

Agility Up (E): Agility of target + 5% (Immediate effect, similarity and/or identical skills cannot overlap), duration 30 minutes]

Yoojin has to sit down.

“Hey,” he says to Lee Soojin once he’s taken a deep breath. “Is there anything strange in the air right now?”

She raises a sardonic eyebrow. “You mean other than the dinosaur creatures?”

“No, inside the bank.”

She gives him a concerned look, but she gamely gives the entire bank a passing glance. By the time her eyes settled back on Yoojin, she should’ve seen the window. “There’s nothing out of the ordinary here. Yoojin-ah, are you okay?”

“Other than the dinosaur creatures?” he jokes weakly and earns himself a snort. “I’m fine.”

So he’s the only one who can see the windows. He settles back against the wall and takes another look at… whatever the windows are supposed to be. As he scrolls through the information, careful not to be too obvious about his movements, he’s overwhelmingly reminded of video games and fantasy stories. Except—

Except.

This is real life. If his concentration wavers even a little, the screams of people outside are all too audible. There’s the sound of crunching glass, the shriek of metal, the frantic pounding of feet. This is not a video game, and yet somehow Yoojin is a player.

What is happening?

“Oh my god,” someone whimpers from across the room. “There—it’s here. Why is it looking at us? The rest of them have ignored the insides of buildings.”

Yoojin scrambles back from where his back was pressed against the front-facing wall, followed closely by Lee Soojin and Im Namgi and anyone else who’d taken shelter at the entrance. Right there, crouched over the space Yoojin had just been sitting, is one of the feathery flying monsters, peering intently through the glass.

“It’s not attacking us,” someone else whispers. “Maybe if we all stay quiet and still, it’ll go away?”

The creature doesn’t move, and neither does anyone else in the room. Yoojin’s eyes catch on a series of scratches down the creature’s flank, like something had turned a set of sharp claws against it. Like… like another one of those flying creatures.

[Current targets: Agile Devil Pterosaur (C-Rank)], the blue window had said when he’d clicked on the monster tamer title. Maybe that would explain why the first dinosaur that had attacked them had turned on its own kind? Maybe it was something Yoojin did? Is this what the taming skill does?

Without thinking, Yoojin takes a step forward and has his wrist caught by Lee Soojin before he can move any farther. “What are you doing?!” she hisses, eyes wide in fear. “Stay here!”

“I think it’ll be okay,” he reassures, and curses himself for the hesitation that’s audible in his voice. “I… I think it’s here for me.”

“What does that mean?” she demands. Yoojin tugs on her grip until she lets him go, and she curses. “Yoojin, you’re not allowed to sacrifice yourself for us or whatever harebrained scheme you’ve got cooked up! It’ll just come after us next!”

Yoojin breathes out a laugh. “Don’t worry, I don’t think that’s what will happen.” And then, before he meets any other resistance, he strides to the door and slips outside.

It’s loud. Much louder than what he was able to hear inside the bank, and he’d barely been able to ignore it while he was in there. There’s a flying dinosaur creature perched on a car not far from where he’s standing, too far for it to notice him stepping outside but easily within swooping distance. He gulps.

The flying creature—Agile Devil Pterosaur, or whatever it’s called—stays shockingly docile as he closes the door behind him and they both size each other up. It cocks its head when Yoojin fails to do anything other than stare at it, and lets out one of those clicky chirp-purrs.

“Hi.” Yoojin’s voice cracks in the middle of the word and he has to cough awkwardly. “You… Do you understand me?” It clicks its teeth together at that, which would be encouraging if it weren’t so threatening. “Right…”

As if sensing his hesitation, the pterosaur slowly bows forward until it fits the tip of its beak under Yoojin’s hand. This time, the purr is more pronounced, and in combination with the gesture and the way Yoojin can spot its tail wagging slowly back and forth, he has a fairly good idea of what it means.

Oh god, he thinks faintly, I have a pet dinosaur?

“Okay,” he says, because there’s no amount of time in the world that would allow him to process all of this. “Okay.” Just—just pretend that it’s a dog. It’s a huge, feathery, murderous dog. Oh god.

The ground rumbles alarmingly, and Yoojin is forced to throw his arms forward for balance, inadvertently caught by the hulking form of the pterosaur. Further down the street, what looks to be a gigantic tree has split the road in two, cracking the pavement and throwing the sea of abandoned cars into disarray. When he looks more closely, there are people struggling in the branches, temporarily out of reach from the swarm of pterosaurs around the tree’s base but soon to be in danger once they figure it out.

Yoojin looks consideringly at his—his tamed monster? His pet? It looks back at him patiently, feathered tail snaking back and forth, and Yoojin makes a decision. “Let’s do this.”

He whistles, and the pterosaur visibly straightens to attention. “Let’s start by rescuing those people, okay?” He points at the people still clinging to the branches of the tree desperately. “Bring them back here when you’re done. Be gentle!”

The pterosaur lets out a shrill cry and takes off in the direction of the tree. Yoojin takes a moment to scan the street, looking for others that could use help. He doesn’t know what his stats mean, but until he can figure it out, he’ll be treating himself as the same squishy human he’s always been.

There’s a man to his right who’s punching the creatures with a speed and strength that can’t possibly be human, fist glowing red when he pauses to take a rest. There’s a teenager further down the street who weaves impossibly fast between the mess of wreckage around them, light and graceful on her feet as she escorts people to safety.

That’s who I can be, Yoojin thinks determinedly, and squares his shoulder as he spots the first two rescues dangling in the feet of his pterosaur, winging towards him slowly.

Come on, Han Yoojin. Let’s help people.

#robins-on-lea #sina writes #sctir #s classes that i raised #fanfiction #tamer au #hi I have so many thoughts abt this au #my brain completely hijacked this concept after I started writing #i think the monster taming skill/title is canon? i think yj mentions that there aren’t enough high rank tamers pre-reg iirc #which is why the caregiving title + skills are so valuable in comparison #but naturally yj makes it his mission to level it up as much as possible ((to keep up w yh shhh)) #speaking of yh #i think in this au yj and yh actually get along for much longer than canon pre-reg #but yj stays in dungeon break cleanup efforts bc he feels like that’s where he’ll be most useful #esp before organized dungeon clearing efforts become a thing #and he’s horrifically squishy if there isn’t anything protecting him #so yh is just constantly terrified that smth will go wrong and he doesn’t really trust any of yj’s tamed monsters #and yj interprets his hostility and reluctance as disapproval of what he’s choosing to do (instead of like clearing dungeons or smth) #so it’s more of an ideological split. maybe. #like I said I have a lot of thoughts akdndjendj #also yj names the pterosaur to be 공룡이 (공룡 = dinosaur) bc in this house we stan yj’s awful naming ability

[lyssahlyssah]

Obey Me! You Have No Power Over Me - Part 1

a/n: 100% intentional mashup of Obey Me and the movie The Labyrinth. I had this idea last year as a lead up to Kinktober/Halloween, to be released in several parts, but then ended up taking a long break from writing instead. I sometimes have a hard time writing for Satan, but the choice to use him here seemed very fun.

pairing: F!MC x Satan

category: creative fiction/smut 💓

description: f!reader, Luke, and Satan are transported to a fantastic world where they encounter some familiar characters.

"Give me the child...Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle, beyond the demon city...to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great. You have no power over me". 

Your words echo throughout the stone archways of Satan's room. 

"Oh boy..." Luke sighed with dreamy appreciation as you finished reading. "MC...that was so amazing! You really made me believe I was there in the demon lord's castle fighting the Demon King". The little angel gazed at you worshipfully from his pillow bed on the floor.

"Truly," Satan said from his purple armchair. "I've owned this book for over a thousand years and never heard a better reading". 

"And I've never had a better audience," you grin, giving them each a small bow and wink. Turning, you folded the book shut with a whomp, clouds of dust floating up around your ears, and balanced it atop the nearest chest-high pile. It sits benignly in the dark, cover shimmering softly.

"But you stopped before the ending!" Luke protested, with a pained expression. "What happens to the girl? Does she defeat the Demon King? How about her friends? What happens to them? And her dog, Merlin!"

"We'll just have to pick it up again next week," you tease, tugging gently at an errant piece of his hair.

 "Aww....", he complained. He flounced down into his pillow pile and stared into the fire gloomily.

"It's past all our bedtimes anyway," Satan broke in, standing up from his chair and moving closer. His eyes briefly meet yours before moving down towards Luke. "My library has been here for 500 years, it will still be here next time. And I have many more stories than just this one, " he pauses, hand on hip. 

"Well...ok," Luke grumbled. "But we're really doing it again next week! You better be ready!" He reluctantly gets to his feet.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," you solemnly promise, hand on your chest. You grin at him again and he rushes over, catching you in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, MC! This was SO MUCH fun!" He mumbles against your chest. You hold him close then release him, feeling an overwhelming affection. "See you tomorrow, tell Simeon hi for me".

He waves as he walks out the door, giving a neutral smile to Satan, never quite meeting his gaze.

"Do you think he'll ever give me a chance?" Satan quipped after the door closed. "I know he hates demons and all, but some of us are ok." He moves quickly, grabbing your arm, and pulls you hard against his chest. His room is lit by candles and in the low light he looks down into your face, green eyes hot. His voice gets low and husky. 

"Some of you are very ok..." you murmur. His lips slowly touch yours and you both let it linger. Your heart skips a beat.

"Mmm..." He murmured when you broke apart. "I would give anything in the world to steal you away and keep you here with me forever," Searching your face for a reaction, he brushes his lips across the knuckles of one of your hands. 

Chuckling, you lightly kiss the tip of his nose. "I know you're not serious, and besides, who'd take my exams for me?"

"Oh, not serious, am I? He said with a mocking grin. "Why don't we go upstairs, and I'll show you how serious I am," Your face warmed and for a second, you seriously considered taking him up on his offer. 

Knowing if you don't leave at that moment, you never will; you pull away and move towards the door, hips swaying enticingly, wanting nothing more than to tease him within an inch of his life as a parting gift. 

At the door, you turn and smile coyly. 

He stares back, to anyone else looking perfectly relaxed and at ease, but to your practiced eye, wound tight with want for you. 

"Stay with me," he says suddenly. "I'm not complete without you". Your eyes soften, but you know you have to go. 

"Tomorrow night, I promise," you tell him. "Lucifer will kill me if I fail another test," 

"Tomorrow" he agrees. He continues to watch you hungrily. 

Your hand on the door handle, you reluctantly push it open and walk through. 

Striding through the doorway to the hall, you're suddenly jolted as you stumble hard on a pair of jagged rocks.

"What the..." You utter, baffled, looking around at unfamiliar surroundings. The hallway has completely disappeared. Where it once was, is now the top of a grassy hill. Over in the hazy distance, you see an ancient and winding landscape, dominated as far as the eye can see by what appears to be a mossy stone maze. Disoriented, you turn back towards Satan's room, only to find the doorway has vanished. 

Suddenly, you remember Luke went through the doorway before you. Panicking, you call out for him, but your voice is lost in the wind. You wring your hands in desperation, clueless as to what to do next.

Then you feel a presence behind you. Whirling, long hair flying behind you in an arc, you turn. Satan is standing behind you, casually eased back against a lone tree that you're sure wasn't previously there. Only, this isn't the Satan you know and love. This Satan is smirking. His beautiful blond hair is longer, very long in places, falling around his shoulders. In other places, it's short, forming soft haphazard peaks. His cold eyes are narrowed at you, and they're ringed in an Egyptian cat eye fashion with silver and pink, tapering up at the ends. Sneering, he shifts against the wind, his form-fitting, high collared black jacket sparkles, catching your eye. Under the long jacket is a pair of tight-fitting riding pants. Taken together, his appearance is one of arrogance and power that sets your heart racing. You know something has happened, but you're not sure what. 

Then it clicks. Satan's magic book. You've all been sucked into it somehow. From the disdainful way he's looking at you, you guess he's not fully himself.

Thinking back to the book, you think you know who is standing before you.

"You're him, aren't you. You're the Demon King".

<end of part 1>

a/n: Parts 2 through the end of the story will be released regularly up to Halloween, if there's interest in the story.

#obey me! #obey me #obey me reader insert #obey me smut #obey me shall we date #swd #obey me satan #omswd satan #satan x mc #swd satan #obey me fic #kinktober #halloween #fanfic #om fanfic #obey me fandom

[dearviper]

Certain Dark Things Chapter 22: Your Eyes Close

WARNINGS: 18+ (minors dni!); suicidal ideation, drugging

Table of Contents | My Masterlist

The last day of your life dawned with a bleak, white sky. Such weather was to be expected for a November day in Gotham, but your heart sank nonetheless.

Silly as it might be, you had hoped to see the sun one last time. But there would be no more sunny days for you, no more cloudless skies of blue.

The day you were taken was simply the first step in a long march toward death.

You had had a good enough life before this, you supposed. It wasn’t nearly as long as you expected, but you had made peace with the life you lived the moment you decided to die.

Pulling yourself from your thoughts, you regarded Edward as he hunched over his desk. Every few minutes, he jumped up and left the room as if suddenly remembering some forgotten task.

It was almost amusing, watching him dash about. Almost, if you ignored the fact that he was preparing to commit mass murder.

Even a week ago, your stomach would have turned at his giddiness, his lust for bloodshed. Now, however, you only watched him prepare with concealed distaste.

As if feeling your eyes on him, he finally glanced up and looked at you for the first time in hours.

“Bathroom break?”

You nodded, not bothering to shy away from his touch as he untied you and guided you down the hall.

After your suicide attempt, he had reinstated the rule of making you leave the door open. It was still degrading, of course, but you couldn’t force yourself to care anymore.

This would probably be the last time you ever used the bathroom, you mused. If he was to be in police custody by tonight, you were sure your own demise was mere hours away.

After you finished, you washed your hands and walked back with Edward to your chair. You were mute and patient as he began to bind your wrists again.

He stopped almost immediately and glanced up at you. After a few seconds of silent consideration, he spoke.

“I was thinking for our last meal together we could order some takeout from the diner. End things how we started them,” he suggested.

Your last meal together. Your last meal ever. You were surprised Edward hadn’t taken the opportunity to make an allusion to the Last Supper.

“Is there anything specific you would like?” he prompted.

You shrugged uncaringly. “Whatever you’re having is fine.”

“Alright.”

Standing up, Edward strode to the front door and reached toward the knob. As his hand closed around it, he paused and turned to you with stale, rehearsed distrust on his face.

“I don’t suppose I have to remind you not to do anything stupid?”

You shook your head perfunctorily. Edward pursed his lips, seemingly disappointed by your continuing apathy.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

For the final time in your life, you were alone. You wished you could think of something to do, some profound way to spend your last few hours.

But even with your hands free, there was little to do when the rest of your body was bound to a chair, and so you simply waited despondently for Edward to come back.

It was a short wait, as he soon returned with an armful of paper cups and bags stained by greasy food. Setting them down on the counter, he dragged a card table in front of you and transferred the food there.

Without speaking, you picked at the BLT and fries he laid before you. The food was like ash in your mouth, and you eventually settled for just sipping the milkshake he had brought.

“I used to dip french fries in my milkshakes,” Edward said suddenly, startling you with the sudden break in silence.

“What?”

“When I got my first job as a teenager, I used the first paycheck I earned to get fries and a shake from some cheap diner. It was the most decadent meal I could think of at the time, far better than the dog food we got in the orphanage. I bought it every time I was paid, and every time I would dip the fries in the shake.”

Uncertain of why he was telling you this, you slowly popped the plastic lid off your shake and swirled a fry in the thick beverage. Hesitantly, you pulled it out and popped it in your mouth.

“It’s good,” you offered after swallowing.

Edward smiled indulgently at you, as if charmed by how you were missing the point.

“When I first saw you that day at the diner, that’s what I was planning to order. But you caught me off guard with your kindness, your smile. You looked at me, you saw me. And I was so distracted, so startled that I forgot what I wanted and ordered a latte.”

He chuckled bashfully as he spoke, and your mouth went dry. Swallowing uncomfortably, you tried to think of a response.

“Edward…”

He held up a hand to stop you, and you trailed off.

“I don’t give off a very good first impression, I know that. I scare people, I disgust them. But you… you didn’t see that in me. You were kind. You were warm. And so every time after the first, I ordered lattes because I was afraid you might realize what had happened that first time. That you might think I was strange. I wanted to give a good first impression. I wanted to seem sure of myself. I wanted to be normal. For you.”

His voice was pleading, desperate for understanding, and you were surprised to find tears prickling at the corners of your eyes.

“I think… I think maybe if I had been raised in a good home, one with parents who loved me, I could have been better. I could be the kind of man who walks into a diner and orders exactly what he wants because he isn’t so pathetically dumbstruck by basic human decency. The kind of man who asks a girl on a date and doesn’t run away when she kisses him. The kind of man who doesn’t need your love to redeem him. To save him.”

“Edward, you can still have that,” you surprised yourself by saying. “You can stop this, all of it. You can have a normal life.”

That sad smile turned rueful and he shook his head. “It’s far too late for that now. There are people depending on me. I can’t let them down.”

“And what about what you want?”

With a slight laugh, Edward shook his head once more. “This is what I want.”

Edward glanced out the window. Following his gaze, you watched the final sunset of your life in silence. The sun sank slowly over the horizon, eventually plunging the city into blackness.

“It’s time,” he announced, voice dangerously quiet with anticipation.

You were prepared to die. After all you had gone through, you longed for it. Even so, a chill coursed through you as he stood and picked up a syringe off his desk.

“This is the end, then,” you murmured, wincing as you caught sight of the needle. “Will it hurt?”

He shook his head with a reassuring smile. “No more than last time. It’ll just last a bit longer.”

You nodded gratefully, exhaling a shaky breath as you readied yourself for death.

“When you wake up, stay in the hospital until it’s over.”

You froze at his words.

“Wait, what do you mean ‘when I wake up’?” you asked, eyes darting across Edward’s face frantically. “Are you just knocking me out?”

He pressed his lips together but didn’t reply.

“You promised,” you stammered. “I- you were supposed to kill me. You promised!”

Edward crouched down next to you and reached out a hand, brushing away the tears that were streaming down your cheeks.

“You promised!” you choked out with a betrayed whimper.

“I’m sorry,” Edward murmured. “But after everything, despite all of it, I still… well, you know.”

Furrowing your brows, you shook your head rapidly. The movement shook the tears off your cheeks, and they splashed onto Edward’s face and glasses.

“Please, don’t. Don’t leave me like this,” you begged, grasping at his shirt and staring at him with imploring eyes.

“You’re not coming on the ark, but I won’t leave you without a lifeboat. You’ll be safe at Gotham General,” he promised you softly, continuing to stroke your cheek.

“Edward, please-”

He cut you off by crashing his lips greedily against your own. The kiss was sorrowful and covetous, as if he finally realized he was taking something that would never belong to him.

You were so distracted by his touch that you almost didn’t feel the pinch when he plunged the syringe into your neck.

Almost.

Edward pulled away, and his misty eyes were the last thing you saw before your vision went black.

The Batman grappled up into the Riddler’s apartment, the gunshot that killed Carmine Falcone still ringing in his ears.

Skulking through the silent apartment, he surveyed the disarray. Lab equipment, prototypes, a sniper rifle (the sniper rifle), an overstuffed bookshelf, and notes. So many notes.

Cautiously, he turned the corner into the furthest room, catching sight of an army green flag decorated with the Riddler’s insignia.

Slowly, silently, Batman took a step into the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Whirling toward it, he took on a defensive position and readied himself for his fight.

It turned out to be an unnecessary precaution. Lying there in the center of the room was a woman. The movement he had seen was the labored rise and fall of her chest, which doubled as proof of life.

With the assurance that she was alive (at least for now), he made his way over to the nearby window and glanced out. The Riddler was nowhere to be seen.

Always a second behind him, the GCPD officers swarmed into the apartment in a clamor. They halted behind him as they caught sight of the woman.

Turning away from her, Batman spoke to Lieutenant Gordon as he pushed past the other officers.

“She’s alive. He’s gone.”

“He’s been here this whole time,” Gordon said with disbelief, following Batman to the window and staring ou.

“Lieutenant!” An officer jogged over to Gordon and held out his radio. “Martinez.”

Leaning into the radio, Gordon spoke. “Yeah?”

“Lieutenant, we got a witness here. Says she saw someone coming down the fire escape right after the shot. She said he went into the corner diner. The guy’s sitting by himself at the counter right now.”

“Stay with her,” Gordon ordered one of his officers, jerking his chin towards the unconscious woman in the center of the room.

As quickly as they had entered the apartment, they filed out and rushed across the street into the diner.

Edward Nashton sat at the counter, toying with his coffee cup as the lifespan of his freedom dwindled away.

Seconds later the front door banged open, accented by the tinkling bell hanging above it.

“Police! Hands up!”

Edward remained unmoving, staring into the latte he wouldn’t enjoy.

“He said put your goddamn hands up, you son of a bitch.”

Pausing for another moment, Edward finally complied, raising his arms and rotating on the diner stool to face his opponents.

With a smug, composed look, he spoke only to Gordon.

“I just ordered a slice of pumpkin pie.”

As the pigs slammed him against the counter, he flexed his lips manically. When the cool metal of the handcuffs snapped shut around his wrists, the last bit of warmth from the kiss you shared abandoned him.

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