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#packing these were A Task but I love how much the wrapping was appreciated <3
carlottawllms · 7 months
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Til Forever Falls Apart
Mason Mount x Reader Fluff Word Count: 2.8K
Enjoy <3 And as always, feedback is very much appreciated.
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Lately, the stress with the transfer, moving up to Manchester, settling into a new team and finding a permanent home had prevented you and Mason from spending lots of time together. Obviously, you’d been out strolling through shops to get groceries, necessities for the house and décor, but as much as you both enjoyed doing these everyday tasks together, you missed the quality time. Simply being with each other without planning anything or thinking of what had to be done next; just cooking, cuddling and loving one another.
You and Mason were what people liked to call homebodies. It wasn’t that you never went out as you of course did meet up with others occasionally, went to fun fairs or other events, but during the week or after a game, when some of his teammates took their wives for fancy dinners, you and Mason went home to cook or order in and cuddle up in bed with Netflix.
There was no better feeling than being wrapped up in his arms, head on his chest with his evenly beating heart right under your ear, the duvet and his arms wrapped tightly around your shoulders and the occasional chuckles that made his chest rumble.
And for Mason, having you in his arms and feeling at home was just everything he wanted. He didn’t need dinners in fancy restaurants, suits and ball gowns, he didn’t need overpriced food and overhyped places, he didn’t need hundreds of people around and paps taking photos. He just needed you. You and only you.
And that was, why he’d whisked you away on this random Saturday morning.
You’d been completely surprised when Mason had woken you up this morning and kissed you softly before he’d told you to get dressed comfortably. You’d asked what he was up to, but he’d only said that the bags were packed, and you should hurry up.
Throughout the drive, you’d constantly tried to figure out what he’d planned, but his lips had been sealed, so you’d given up. Instead, you’d sang along to the songs in your shared playlist, laughed a lot and just genuinely enjoyed the time with him and the longer it had taken, the more your suspicions of what the destination could be had grown.
And then, you’d passed the city limit of Portsmouth.
Both of you had swapped your joggers and hoodie against jeans and t-shirts at Jaz’ and then Mason had taken you out for lunch to your favourite restaurant. One you’d discovered very early on in your relationship when he’d taken you to Portsmouth for the very first time. It was an Italian who made the 2nd best pasta in the world – only topped by Mason’s self-made one.
You remembered vividly how he’d blushed when you’d told him that. He’d chuckled shyly, but his eyes had shown brightly.
Now right after lunch, you and Mason were walking around the town, his hand firmly clasped around yours, fingers locked and your head against his shoulder.
“When you told me to get dressed comfortably this morning, I didn’t think you’d take me all the way down to Portsmouth.”, you mentioned. “It feels good to be here, though. It’s like a place far away from all the football business.”
Mason squeezed your hand gently. “It is. I mean, yeah people still recognise me, but it’s different. It feels like all the pressure from Manchester is simply washed away and I can be a normal person here. Just someone spending time with his girl, you know?”
“I can imagine.”, you nodded, knowing just how much pressure he put himself under. “This will always be home, the place where you can feel like just Mason.”
“No, y/n.” Mason shook his head as he came to a halt before he tipped your head back. “You’re home to me and you are where I can be just Mason. Yes, it’s special to be here and it’s easier to blend in here, but no matter where we are, I can always be just Mason when I’m with you.”
When you looked up at him in surprise, Mason leaned down and kissed you softly. “I mean it, y/n. I know it sounds cheesy, but you’re everything I need to be okay.”
“I love you, Mase.”
“I love you more.”, he smiled before leaning back down to kiss you again. Softly, as you were still out in the open and didn’t want to attract too much attention, but it was still enough to make your tummy flip.
You spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach, just sitting cuddled up with each other, talking about everything and nothing and simply staring at the waves breaking on the sand, as the gentle breeze continued to brush through your hair.
“You know, a couple of days after we had our first date, I came down here to talk to Jaz about you. We sat on the pier after she’d talked me into getting ice cream and just talked. I was terrified of letting you in because of everything that had happened before, although deep down I already knew that you were different, and Jaz just looked at me and told me to take you to Portsmouth and do all my favourite things with you.”, Mason explained with a soft smile on his face as the tips of his fingers danced up and down your arm.
It was a story he’d never shared with anyone yet, but as this place was so special to him, he just wanted you to know.
“When we were here, I was scared you’d hate all the silly little things I love doing here, but you actually ended up enjoying them and making your own suggestions and that’s when I realised that you were truly the person I’d been looking for.”
“So you tested me?”, you laughed quietly.
“Hey, it was Jaz’ idea. I didn’t even realise that it was some sort of test until Jaz pointed it out when I called her later that evening.”
You shook your head, laughter still spilling from your lips. “That’s okay, Mase. I’m glad I passed and we’ve made it this far.”
“Oh trust me, so am I.”, he said, a cheeky smile on his lips. “And you’re not allowed to leave ever again.”
“You Mason Mount, are way too special to be left behind.” You leaned up a little in his hold, warm hand on the side of his neck, and pressed your lips gently against his.
You stayed at the beach for another hour, watching the waves and the kids playing in the shallow water until Mason pulled you up.
“There’s one more thing for tonight.”, he smiled as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders and walked you up to the street. Back at the car, Mason grabbed two hoodies and a picknick blanket from the trunk and you half expected him to grab a basket too, but instead, he closed the trunk and held a hoodie out for you to take. It was actually your favourite one of his.
“A picknick without food?”, you questioned, but he just shook his head laughing.  
“Nope, no picknick, sorry.” He was quick in leaning down and pressing his lips to yours before he grabbed your hand and pulled you along, fingers threading through yours. “But you’ll still like it, don’t worry. And yes, they have food there.”
You rolled your eyes, pretending to be offended by his statement, but you both knew just how right he was. When there was one thing you were always worried about was whether or not they had food where you were going – that and whether parking would be easy.
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop asking questions.”, you grinned as you leaned your head against Mason’s arm.
It wasn’t long before you reached Portsmouth City Park, a place you went to every time you came to Mason’s hometown as taking walks and watching animals was an incredibly peaceful thing to do, but today instead of the wide greener, there were barriers, tents and security guards.  
Once your boyfriend had steered the two of you towards some sort of entrance, he showed the guard something on the phone. You tried to catch a glimpse over his shoulder, but Mason knew you well enough and managed to shield his phone with his body.
“Have fun.”, the security guard smiled as he let you through.
Fun with what? You were dying to ask, but you knew Mason wouldn’t answer anyway, so you kept quiet and simply followed along. The both of you passed some more gates until you eventually came face to face with the wide space of the centre of the park. People were gathered everywhere, many with blankets just like you, chatting amongst each other and you let your gaze wander across the space, taking it all in.
“A stage? Mase what’s going on? What’s all this?”
“Let’s sit down and then I’ll show you, okay?”, he smiled down at you, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead and when you nodded, he pulled you along towards a less crowded section sideways of the stage, trying to avoid people recognising him as he wanted today to be just the two of you.
Once the blanket was placed on the grass, Mason sat down with the back against a tree, reaching his hand out for you to flop down next to him.
“You know, we haven’t been able to spend much time together lately because of the transfer and all that.”, he started, pulling you a little closer into his side. “And you’ve been so amazing and supportive through all of it and I know you don’t think of it as a big deal, but to me it was. You’ve put me and my baggage, my fears and doubts first, helping me to fight them all and I wouldn’t have made it without you. That’s why I wanted to give you something back.”
“Mase, you don’t-“ With a soft kiss against your lips, he shut you up in the most gentle way possible.
“I know you’ve missed spending time just us two and so have I, you know? Cuddling on the sofa, doing nothing, all of it and I know this isn’t just us two and neither is it our sofa, but I think it was a very nice day so far.”
“It was perfect.”, you whispered as you smiled up at him, taking in the way his warm brown eyes were settled on you.
“Well, it’ll just get even better now.” With a bright smile Mason pulled his phone out again, unlocked it and turned it so you could see what he’d been hiding until now.
“Mase!”, you gasped when you realised that it was tickets for one of your favourite artists. “What? How? I mean…” It was a rare occurrence that you were at a loss for words, but Mason’s surprise had just left you speechless.
“A couple of weeks back, I saw that she was coming to Portsmouth, but I didn’t want to tell you right away cause I wasn’t sure I could make it and when I eventually knew I could take you, I just wanted to make it special and surprise you with today.”
You dropped your head with a chuckle, not believing he’d done all of this just to make your day. “I can’t believe this.”, you breathed as you looked back up.
Mason’s heart swelled in his chest at the bright smile stretching your lips and the pure excitement shining in your eyes. He was just happy he could finally give you something back. A relationship wasn’t about payback, he knew that, but it was about taking and giving and he felt like he’d taken a bit more than he’d given lately.
“You’re crazy.”, you whispered, unable to believe he’d whisked you away to his hometown to see ASHE. “I can’t believe it. Thank you so much.”
You pulled him down by his neck and pressed your lips against his in a loving kiss, fingers reaching up to brush through the short hair on the back of his head. “Thank you for the whole day, it was perfect.”, you mumbled, lips brushing against his with every word and when he nudged his nose against yours and smiled, your heart stumbled in your chest. “I love you so much, Mase.”
“I love you too, y/n.”
Mindful of all the people around you, he only pecked your lips again before pulling back fully.
Until ASHE came on stage, Mason and you kept talking a little about the fun things you wanted to do once everything had settled properly. There was a big holiday he’d planned for the two of you, day trips around the UK to the places he wanted to see with you. He always talked about getting a dog which made you laugh a little, but after giving it a thought, the idea of having someone at home with you when Mason wasn’t made you smile.
And then ASHE came on stage. Both of you cheered and smile, but just like most of the people in your sector you didn’t feel like getting up and dancing. Missing your touch, Mason pulled you in between his legs, back against his warm chest and wrapped his arms around your middle. It had gotten a bit chilly a while ago and you’d put on the hoodie, but now with the warmth radiating off of him, you felt even better.
“If you want to get up and dance, just say it.”, Mason offered but you just shook your head and cuddled closer into his embrace, hands holding onto his arms.
“No, just wanna stay here with you and enjoy the night.”
From the way he’d propped his chin on your shoulder, you could feel his soft smile on your cheek as he kissed your jaw softly. “Perfect.”
Mason swayed you both from side to side a little as he hummed to the music, he’d grown to love through you. Music was a powerful thing and the soft music you loved to listen to never failed to calm him – especially as it reminded him of you.
He kissed your cheek once his favourite song came on and although he would’ve loved for you to hear the song from her as she very obviously was the better singer, he couldn’t stop himself from singing the lyrics quietly into your ear, hoping that despite the song being about friendship, you’d understand how much you meant to him.
If the tide takes California I’m so glad I got to hold ya And if the sky falls from heaven above Oh, I know I had the best time falling into love
When you wiped a tear from your cheek, Mason tightened his arms around you. His heart squeezed in his chest as he felt like this was the most perfect moment, he’d ever had with you. You’d had many perfect moments, he was aware, but sitting in a park in his hometown, listening to music with the most precious person right there in his arms made him realise that he didn’t need anything else to be happy.
I’ve spent a lifetime giving you my heart I swear that I’ll be yours forever Til forever falls apart
And when the song was over and the crowd broke into loud cheering, Mason and you just sat there quietly, trying to keep the magical atmosphere the song had created alive.
“I love you so much.”, he whispered before pressing a kiss to your cheek. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me and even though I still don’t understand that you keep choosing me every day, I will do everything to keep you by my side.”
“Stop making me cry, Mase.”, you sniffed, once again wiping the tears from your cheeks, but the fond smile on your lips told him everything he needed to know. Mason turned you in his hold until you could sink sideways into his embrace, head right on his chest as his arms kept you wrapped up against him. “As if I’d ever not choose you, you muppet. I’ll never let you go. You’re mine you know? Just as much as I’m yours.”
With his finger under your chin, Mason tipped your head back until your eyes met his and with the start of the new song, his lips met yours in a loving kiss.
__________
I genuinely hope you enjoyed reading this. You would make my day if you left a little feedback so I can see what you liked and what I can improve on 🩷
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Hi!! Hope you're having a great day! 💕
Can I request fem! Reader × akutagawa with fluff 9 and 10? Like, y/n is back from long and tiring overseas business trip or something and Aku (this poor boi😭) is being clingy cause he missed her so much🥺??(even though he never admits it lol he's too proud for that) ty❤️and stay hydrated!!
Thank you so much for requesting! I hope you enjoy what I've written!
Akutagawa misses his s/o <3
Fem!Reader
Word Count: 0.7k
Fluff prompts: "Let's stay in bed a little longer." ; "I've missed you so much."
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Akutagawa, your coworker, as well as your boyfriend, wasn't enthusiastic when he heard that you've received a long and difficult mission. Not only that, but it was overseas, which meant that he wouldn't be able to see you at all for days, possibly weeks. How could he know if you were safe and sound? You yourself weren't sure how long it would take for you to finish the task, but knew you'd be able to handle it.
Upon leaving, Akutagawa helped you pack any luggage you needed and sent you off. He hugged you briefly, and the both of you exchanged goodbyes. Nothing more, nothing less.
He thought that he'd be able to endure it, and that was the case for the first few days. What he didn't expect was how much he would miss you by the end and how progressively harder it would get. The more days that passed, the more worried he'd get. He hadn't heard any news about the mission. How could he be sure that you were alright? What if you got yourself hurt? What if your means of transportation were somehow cut off or you got in an accident?
It was day nineteen since your leave. He made sure to keep count. Akutagawa was laying in bed, hugging a pillow and silently cursing himself for being so pathetic in that very moment. The room was quiet. Suddenly, the unlocking of a door was heard. He arose from his position on the bed and moved towards the front door. There you were, dragging your suitcase inside. He greeted you as per usual. It was hard for him to admit how much he had missed you, and he'd feel too embarrassed to jump into your embrace too quickly. However, he couldn't deny you when you ran to hug him as soon as you saw him. In fact, he couldn't help but silently utter the words "I've missed you."
You could barely hear him, and you asked him to repeat himself. You looked at him as he attempted to avoid eye contact with you, a light pink blush began to cover his pale face.
"I've missed you so much," he repeated, this time louder. His calm and collected facade was almost lost.
You giggled at his coy attitude.
Fast forward to the morning of the following day, the two of you were off duty. You woke up to find Akutagawa's arm wrapped around your waist. Usually, he'd be more distant and, at most, hold your hand while asleep. You couldn't complain. After all, it was always a pleasure to cuddle with him.
Soon enough, he opened his dark eyes and whispered, "Good morning" to you. This time, he chose to act as if being so clingy was completely normal for him. He didn't pull away from you, nor did he comment anything about it. Your boyfriend just snuggled closer to you, closing his eyes again and even planting a few soft kisses on the back of your head.
"I'm glad you've returned home unharmed," he commented, breaking the temporary silence.
You got shivers down your spine from his breath hitting the back of your neck. You smiled, your chest feeling warm and fuzzy. You knew that despite his aloofness, deep down, he cared a lot for you. Moments like those would remind you of his true love for you.
"You said that yesterday," you reminded him.
"I can recall that. I just want to make sure you know how much you mean to me." As his sentence progressed, his words got quieter and quieter. He spoke softly, a bit shy to admit that, yet he didn't fail in making you feel loved and appreciated.
"Would you like me to make you breakfast? I'm sure you've also missed the meals I make you, no?" you proposed this idea to him.
"You're right, my dear. However, I do not wish to end this pleasant morning just now. Let's stay in bed a little longer," he requested.
Closing your eyes, you let Akutagawa continue to shower you with his affection.
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sweetpickolwarrior · 3 years
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The Three Times You Didn’t Want Them To Hear You, The One Time You Did (Part 3)
Established fic
Small!Brown!Female!Reader
Not too apparent but just letting you know in case.
Fic summary: You have been travelling with geralt and Jaskier for quite some time, you had always been told that your voice would take you places before you had no choice but to abandon your previous life. You still loved it though. This fic explores the times you let go and let yourself sing. We also explore your backstory and the developing relationship with your older and protective companions :)
PART 1 HERE PART 2 HERE
Chapter summary: Bit of a filler chapter, the wait was more so to plan out the rest of the story clearly. Y/N wants to repay geralt for his kindness and show Jaskier that she does not hate him, but has trouble with words and such. Further apologies for the wait... enjoy!
The fact that you had not been sober enough to truly appreciate the room that Geralt had decided to treat you with left you with a pang of guilt, but a wavering reluctance to bring up anything about that night lest he unnecessarily recall the sound of your voice. You don’t suppose he cared much, as far as you could pick out from that night, it wasn't something that mattered very much to him… but then why the room? The situation slightly baffled you. You much preferred going from contract to contract, tavern to tavern, losing yourself in the endeavours of your companions. You roamed the streets of this new, unusually pleasant town, the bustle of the morning bubbling through. Your mind turned to the small sack you had swaddled at the very bottom of your pack buried beneath your myriad of gatherings from your travels. A small, worn leather sack with a drawstring through the top, wrapped in an old sock that had outlived its original duty a few winters ago sat almost full, the weight of the coin inside at most an apple or two. You had kept it for emergencies, a few loaves of bread and some meat if rations had become sparse, a promise payment for a healer or mage, should one or more of you fall incapacitated while coin was low, an emergency room should the cold threaten to settle in someones bones too cosily, and should you feel the need to express gratitude to a generous but stoic witcher, apparently.
You wandered past a bakers stall, sweet pastries dusted with sugar beckoned, small honey dipped loaves with specks of lavender peeking through the golden slopes glinted in the morning light, puffy buns that had been baked with a clever twist in the top to result in a soft swirl sat in a neat row identical to the sweet fresh bread Jaskier had pressed into your palm earlier. You cringed at the thought of leaving so abruptly and didn't like all this coaxing going on, and hoped he would drop the subject so you could shove the topic down your tunic and carry on your simple shenanigans with the bard.
You strolled through, eyes on the dry dirt of the worn path through the centre, ladies walking with shawls wrapped tight around their shoulders gave you curt, tight-lipped greeting smiles as you passed through looking thoroughly disheveled. You had given up on dresses, petticoats, stockings and other such extraneous garments when tripping up on hems or sweating through layers upon layers had become more trouble than your chagrin had been worth. A tunic and breeches were sported now, along with unkempt, thick jet black hair. You tended to forget what a sight you would be to normal folks, constantly surrounded by the bard in his gaudy and intricate clothing (you still didn't know how he survived on the path) and a burly witcher clad almost always in armour and under that, similar garments to yourself. you supposed the three of you stuck out like an arrow between the eyes. Your mind flashed to what your mother may have said should she see you like this. It confused you for a moment, these memories suddenly deciding they were welcome in your conscious thoughts over the past few days. you stuffed the sudden pang of guilt and shame back into oblivion as your hands moved to your tangled mop, carding roughly through so you may find some semblance of being put together.
~~~~~~~~~~~
You tried hard not to cast your eyes down to your fingers, out of practice as they were. You tried to feel the sections, pick up more as you went, comb through soft with your fingers lest the ends get tangled, keep hold of the ribbon. Roach was being very patient with you. The fire warmed your back as you sat on your knees, tending to a horse who had decided to sit for you. You didn't know much of equine tendencies, but had heard that horses do not sit save for when it was going to rain. Your mind moved to days where your little troop had no choice but to trudge through hail, rain and thunder. She did not object and kept on wonderfully through these times and was rewarded with kisses and slips of dried fruit from you later on.
She had decided to understand what coaxing her to the floor with a brushing, soft words and rubs on her neck had meant that night and folded her legs, coming down with an impressive and somehow graceful thud. You supposed you couldn't know everything about everything and the clearest answer was that she’s just a very good girl. You relaxed as your fingers fell into a rhythm - right strand, left strand, ribbon, taking care to adjust the material so the nicer side was showing. “Expensive.” Geralt stated simply from behind. He was checking through his own pack, counting off vials of witcher potions and such. “Yes, well - an extra room must have cost.. and the food I didn’t touch” you focused on your hands, knowing Geralt was probably trying to avoid eye contact, too. After hearing a somewhat soft “hmm”, your attention returned to your fingers, having now grown a mind of their own. Roach’s auburn mane turned a dark coal in your minds eye, her soft huffs to small complaints of tugging too hard “hush now, or it won’t look nice” you barely whispered as her head jerked, it was an impossible task to try tie the hair of any child into a neat row, your sisters no exception. Your breath slowed as your mothers lullaby sat in between your lips, you tried to grasp the first note of the soft song.
Sisters? Here?
Your knees were cold and sore, kneeling on the ground so long, knobs of grass settling aches into your muscles; your hair unkempt and hastily scraped back, with a small leather tie, bumps hilling over your scalp that you had no care of. Your hands were dirty, grubby from foraging scraps of dry wood to keep warm through the night. Calloused from the past few years of plucking the string of your bow with arrows that reminded you with every swift hit that death was something permanent, immediate, inescapable. These hands were not the same ones that softly put braids in your sisters’ hair. These calluses were not the same ones that came from making music.
The first note of that bloody lullaby froze on your toungue.Best to stop trying to live in the past. Not that you were, trying that is. You wanted nothing more than those memories to keep sitting in the little box in your mind where they were meant to be. Happy, silent, unbothering. Instead they kept feeling the need to rise up, to pester you and drag you away, remind you that those days would never come back, that your whole life had vanished.
Well, this was your life now and different as it was, you needed to live in it. You pushed away the offending memories for the second time that day, focusing on finishing Roach’s mane.
Impeccable timing as always, Jaskier came strolling through after having washed everyone’s clothes in a nearby stream, no doubt a vein of the river you had found yourself in those few days ago. “Honestly, why do I bother? They're bound by fate to stink of ash and dirt anyway- I know! I could write a shanty about the smoked Witcher’s shirt - a real pub sway! Sometimes he smells of heroics and adventure! The whiff of a lady’s perfume often, but will always return to the ash of a trusty campfire” he leaned to put the folded pile down neatly. You were in awe of how these thoughts came running from your musical friend, you were convinced that he could write a song about watching clothes dry and still make it magnificent.
Ah. Exactly.
A dramatic gasp came from the bard, no doubt with a soft hand upon his chest. Your fingers tensed as you pat roach and tried to seem as nonchalant as possible.
"Now! Which one of you has been able to tie a bow so pretty all this time?”
You had laced the ribbon, as careful as you could to not disturb the strings, behind where they were pulled taut to the tuning pegs of Jaskier's lute, taking care that the tails would not brush against the front or impair his hands while playing. The ribbon you had bought was a soft lavender colour, embroidered with a deep violet, floral and feathery motifs weaving through the sleek fabric. You turned to see Jaskier caressing the fine fabric “I shall have to have an outfit made to go with this! Oh what a look that could be for the bardic competition this autumn! Simply revolutionary, a great stride forward in musical fashion! Bows woven through lutes, gods-” a theatrical palm to the forehead “How had I not thought of this before- and Roach! Oh! Exquisite, Y/N,” it seemed he had finally clocked onto the fact that this was your doing, both you and Geralt huffing amusedly as he was practically flying with excitement “I daresay Roach could be a fine show horse! Beautifully healthy and muscular, a shining coat, those deep glistening eyes- “She’s not a show horse” Geralt grumbled "I said could or rather might've been, had the twines of fate been wound a little looser.." You chuckled softly as your trusty bard rambled on into the night about how he knew a thing or two about show horses (being one in a past life, most likely) and you prepared your bedroll, smoothed it out with your hands and checked how close your damp clothes were to drying. When you reflected on Jaskier's words, you thought about how the warm and bitter smell of ash and smoke and fire made from Witcher magic was comforting to you. As you settled, you tried to smell other things, maybe someday you could smell half as well as a witcher if you trained hard enough. Ash, smoke.. the small burnt remnants of a meagre fish dinner, the distinctly horsey smell of Roach, the faintest traces of lavender lingering in your hair. You supposed you could try to hone in your hearing, too. You got comfortable, wriggling a little further in, catching a glimpse of the fine ribbon you had bought before closing your eyes...it was nice to see the splashes of the bright colour woven through your little group. You could first hear Jaskier mumbling on, the scratch of his quill onto the notebook he carried, the pops and snaps of the fire, the wind breathing contentedly through the leaves above, the last clinks of Geralt's potion bottles, then the slight crunch of careful steps in leather boots, his hands patting roach and hushed, almost inaudible whispers of him calling Roach his "pretty girl".
A/N : Hello, dears! I hope you've all been well and taking care of yourselves - I know it has been a tremendous wait. i've been planning the rest of the story out (i'm rly annoyingly particular about it) and lots of things have been a bit crazy the past two months. I hope this chapter isnt dissapointing given the wait but get ready for big angst, hurt/comfort and further progression of the story and characters in the next two chapters. I feel this filler was needed to transition into the next part of the story. I might change the description some as this story is not only about the fact that Y/N can sing, but also focuses on the way that changes her relationship with the boys.
More on the interactions of this night for the boys' POV in the next chapter probably x
I'm hoping the story is well fleshed out and flowing, and that its clear that singing is a great comfort and big part of Y/N's character. I hope its easy to immerse yourself and such. Again, its such a pleasure to receive likes and comments, and i'm very grateful to anyone who has read so far... be ready for great developments! As always, constructive criticism is welcome xxx Thanks gang!
Also yall thank my lil sister for helping me write this, she doesnt have an tumblr account so I cant tag her or anything but she super cool and rambling to her rly helps me organise my writing.
stay blessed!
tagged people:
@ladylizzieofdarbyshire i cannot find @sihxm i did try xxx
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therealvinelle · 3 years
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Vinelle (and muffin since I know they'll see this too~!), I don't know if you guys have made a post ranking the Twilight books and why (including Bree and L&D if applicable) but I'd love to hear your opinions! (also if you could rank the Twi movies from least worst to most worst and why that'd be awesome too! 030 hi key love your rants on the movies and would love to hear y'alls thoughts more on them)-Sw
You’ve caught us out, anon.
And thanks to you, we spent last night watching Breaking Dawn Part 2 so we could rank it. @theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin hadn’t seen it at all, while I half-remembered it from years ago. A terrible time was had because that movie was unwatchably bad.
Since this ask was sent jointly, our answer was co-written.
So, without further ado, movies first:
1. Twilight
This is a bad movie, but it’s recognizably a movie. The scenes are connected, there are things it did well, and we could tell you what the plot is. The awkwardness, for instance, is very well done. The weaknesses are glaring, the main one being that the film never sells us on the characters of Bella and Edward, nor on their relationship, relying instead on the audience knowing they’re in love because- well, they’re in love.
Diving deeper into Edward and Bella, there’s an understandable explanation for this. Edward of the books is terrifying, and I don’t think there’s a translation to screen that could have kept the romantic atmosphere surrounding him that we see from Bella’s point of view.
Bella can listen to Edward eating Biology and how he explains that it means how much he loves her and not blink. An actual audience hearing that dialogue will have second thoughts.
Right out of the gate, Twilight has a very difficult task: Salvage Edward Cullen while still producing a somewhat recognizable character who will take the same actions (or near the same actions) that Edward Cullen did in the book.
In the effort to make Edward palatable but save some of his original character he loses his more terrifying lines (as well as his hilarious ego) but becomes weird, awkward, and vaguely creepy. Edward Cullen of the films is that weird, friendless guy in your high school who you feel kind of bad for but don’t want to eat lunch with.
Bella faces a similar transformation. Bella’s insecurity is completely removed (or else the screenwriters somehow failed to notice it). As a result, we get this strange antisocial girl who is too cool for school because she’s a stuck up bitch.
Between Edward, this creepy guy who sits next to her in Biology, and Bella, this girl who enters school too good for everyone else, we see no reason why they would ever be interested in one another.
In an attempt to make these characters likeable they made them both unlikeable and boring. The film series as a whole never recovers from this (indeed, the quest to make Edward look good keeps leading to stranger and stranger places). 
It also forgets to explain why the Cullens live among humans, they’re attending high school… because. It’s a movie that explained to us all those terrible 2010 era memes and “still a better love story than Twilight”. And frankly, those memes were great, better than the movie. Case in point.
Everything is weirdly blue, which is atmospheric but also makes everything and everyone washed out. Everyone is super pale, so you have Mike looking just as vampire-y as Edward. However, it’s recognizably a movie. It introduces the characters, recognizes that the audience needs to be informed of things that are important to the plot, and most scenes are in some way connected to the plot. This is more than can be said for the other films, which is why it lands the top slot.
2. Eclipse
Eclipse earns its second place by process of elimination. The remaining three were worse. Eclipse also features Edward being cuckolded mercilessly, which is hilarious. Oh, and Victoria playing Riley, that was another beautiful scene.
Apart from that it’s just a deeply boring, borderline unwatchable movie.
Special shoutouts go to:
The opening scene of Riley getting turned, a ridiculous and poorly executed scene that served no purpose for the movie whatsoever.
Rosalie dropping her backstory without any context, Bella walks up to her and Rosalie launches into this horrific story for no particular reason. Both her and Jasper’s backstories could have been cut, as they served no purpose to the story and felt really thrown in there.
The many, many redundant scenes. The Victoria chase that ends with the Cullens and Quileutes squabbling could have been cut entirely. So too could the Seattle subplot with the newborns and Bree.
It’s a movie that isn’t about anything in particular, so it throws subplot spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. It dutifully regurgitates the Jacob/Bella/Edward love triangle while also trying to convey that Bella’s about to lose her mortality, while also trying to introduce suspense and excitement with the newborns. It fails to execute either of these, and it also fails to tie them together.
3. New Moon
The movie that wanted to skip itself.
This movie had two jobs, show that Bella is depressed when Edward leaves and convince the audience of Bella and Jacob’s strong friendship. And apart the rotating shots and the occasional Stewart voiceover, the former becomes one of those “just stay with us on this one, guys” failures, and the second is failed on every level. Jake and Bella are much closer at the beginning of this movie than they were in canon, and a montage of Bella hanging out with her buddy is just that, it’s a montage of Bella hanging out with her buddy. It speaks volumes that Stewart’s voiceover has to remind us she’s depressed and Jacob is helping her heal, because there’s no indicator on screen that this is happening.
This, in turn, makes Bella/Jake as weak and unconvincing as Bella/Edward was in the previous movie. We just have to take on faith that these people are important to each other because that’s what we’re told.
There’s also the wolves, who are completely butchered. In the books, there’s this great mystery with bears in the woods, there’s Bella wondering why Laurent ran off, there’s build-up, then when we find out what’s actually been happening it’s a satisfying explanation, all the pieces come together really nicely. This is not the case in the movie. Meeting the pack is just weird in this context, because we never wondered who they were. Bella is randomly invited to breakfast, we meet Emily with the scarred face who won’t ever have a line again, and that’s it, these characters don’t become important to the movie in any way. It’s a pointless scene that could have been cut, much like so many other scenes in these movies.
Apart from that, the Volturi scene from the books is butchered so I hardly recognize it, and Alice, Carlisle, and Edward’s characters are assassinated to an impressive degree considering they were barely in the movie.
It was hard to watch.
It lands third place because somehow, Breaking Dawn was worse.
4. Breaking Dawn Part Two
I’ll just list the positives: the intro was very pretty and promised a better movie. It was also long, which we appreciated because it took away from the movie’s runtime. (This is not at all an exaggeration, a lot of the time watching all five movies was spent looking at the remaining runtime and groaning.) The Tommy Wiseau sex scene in the sex cabin was uncomfortable, but the fact that it would have fit perfectly in The Room made it funny. The Romanians were genuinely, unironically, great, because of all of Carlisle’s trashy friends, these were the only ones the movie didn’t try to convince us weren’t trashy.
This movie ranks above Breaking Dawn Part One because of the things listed above.
Apart from that, something all of these movies, but especially the last four, suffer from is that they don’t have plots so much as they have a check list of things to put in the movie before they can call it a wrap. This movie is the worst offender of that, and it’s made worse by the film’s expectation that the people are fans who already know what’s happening, and therefore don’t need anything explained. I’ll explain what we mean by that.
We get Bella waking up a vampire, and absolutely nothing is explained. If you don’t know what happened in the last movie then fuck you. Bella then goes hunting, we get the hiker, we get the mountain lion, she goes back to meet Renesmée, finds out Jake imprinted on her daughter, we get the sex cabin, the handwrestling with Emmett. The Charlie problem is introduced (poorly), only to be solved a scene later with emotional payoff that had absolutely no buildup. All of these things, and the rest of the movie as well for that matter, feels like we’re just crossing items off a list.
Since the audience is expected to already know the story, the story only bothers to explain about half of what’s happening, if half. Who’s the lady living with Charlie? If you don’t know, don’t worry because it’s not important anyway. When did Kate and Garrett fall in love? If you don’t care, that's understandable, because they’ve barely interacted in the movie. Who are the Amazonian women? Do they have names? Don’t worry about it. Did Alistair actually leave, if so did that have an impact? Well, Bella stared at a window for a few seconds.
Every so often the characters will start quoting the books, and it’ll be completely out of place because these movies veered off course long ago. Carlisle references his great friendship with Aro, a friendship that was only briefly mentioned at the beginning of the second movie. Aro randomly starts talking about how scary human technology is.
All of these scenes feel like Marcus is telling the story, he’s just listing events waiting for the story to be over, and forgets a lot of pertinent details because he doesn’t care enough to remember them. There’s no effort to tie these scenes together, no effort to build up to anything.
There’s also one significant failure, and this is a failure shared by all five films, but it affects the plot (I use the term “plot” loosely) of this movie which is why it gets a special shoutout here. Vampires in these movies look human. The fact that Bella has to ask Edward is Gianna the secretary is human says it all, because in the books you know instantly, there’s not even a question. This makes the Charlie subplot ridiculous, because Bella looks and acts the same as ever. She had a trashy makeover, maybe, but she’s still Bella. Watching her get human acting classes after we watched her act perfectly human is just silly. Now, we’re all for suspension of belief, but this movie just pencil drew a moustache on her and the audience is supposed to go “My god, Bella, I didn’t recognize you!”
We then get to the atrocious fight scene, which was somehow worse than I remembered. It was also oddly long for a giant fake out. This scene took significant run time and it turns out to have 0 effect on the plot. And when we get back to the real world, the tonal shift is extreme. You can’t go from Jane being choked, dragged across the snow and face eaten by a wolf to her standing around chilling. We could have skipped it entirely, just had Alice touch Aro’s hand, and he goes “Ah, I see, cheerio.”
The end credits were pretty funny, “here are these random characters with bit parts in previous movies, isn’t this nostalgic?”. Nice try, movie. The fact this came after an extended clip show of the great romance of Edward and Bella, through blurry montage images that failed to be convincing in their original films let alone this one, just made it even more hilarious. Hope you didn’t completely ruin the director’s career, though honestly you should a bit.
5. Breaking Dawn Part One
As you can probably tell by the above entries, the fact that this is the worst one is really saying something. All the movies were hard to watch, but this one required pure strength of will to power through.
The big issue is that Breaking Dawn shouldn’t have been split in the first place. However, it was, and that meant that we got a movie that was almost entirely filler. (Followed, somehow, by a movie that was also largely filler.)
We get everybody preparing for the wedding. What do Mike and Jessica think of Bella and Edward getting married? What’s that, you don’t care? Well, now you know anyway. We get the full wedding, as in the whole fucking thing, including the afterparty. We get Bella and Edward traveling to their island, and there’s filler in the filler where they go clubbing in Rio. We then get every minute detail of the wedding night followed by every minute detail of the honeymoon.
There’s fanservice, and then there’s this. This was live action fanfiction.
NOTHING that in any way is relevant to the story happens, the closest we get is Irina looking stoned. Too bad the Denali’ refusal to help out in Eclipse was cut from the last movie, in fact I’m not sure they were mentioned at all previously in these movies (I think maybe Edward had a one-line reference in Twilight?) so this means nothing to people who haven’t read the books.
We then get to the pregnancy arc, which could have been Rosemary’s Baby but is instead as outrageously boring as the first half of the movie was. The director must have realized as much, because he gives us Jacob’s alpha plot that should have been cut from the movie (yes, I know it was in the books, but the thing about adaptations is that things have to go. For the record, I think Meyer should have cut it too). That subplot was straight out of an anime, by the way. Jacob claiming his ancestral rights as alpha while listing off his titles and the soaring music, was… every shounen anime, ever. Complete with the shitty voice acting.
It was a soul-crushingly boring movie.
-
Something that screws over the last four movies is that they were made to feed the fangirls, and generate revenue because the producers knew the fans were coming to watch the books they liked come to life, so they just had to throw scenes from the books and into the movies and let the magic happen. This is a terrible way to adapt something.
Special shoutout too to having to watch Taylor Lautner run around shirtless in four out of five movies. That was very uncomfortable and none of us needed that in our lives, Lautner included.
Super special shoutout to the fact that we disagree with nearly all the casting.
And this isn’t the post for that, but all of the characters were butchered. Some more than others, and some more insidiously than others. It’s the big things, like Carlisle’s character being turned on its head since he thinks all vampires are damned, exactly the opposite of what he thinks in the books, and the little things, like Jasper and Bella being buddies who bicker fondly in New Moon. 
Then the books:
1. Midnight Sun
HANDS DOWN. This is easily our favorite thing to come out of the entire Twilight franchise.
Edward is every kind of crazy at the same time, all the time, and it makes every single sentence packed with delirious entertainment. Reading this book is having a stroke, a psychotic episode, and watching five different true crime shows all at once. We adore every letter of it. (That’s no exaggeration, we even laughed about Edward capitalizing “Son” when Carlisle refers to him as “son” in conversation.)
The book was more than we’d dared to hope for, one of those rare books that makes you go “This was written just for me.”
2. Twilight
The one that started it all.
Vampires are wonderfully creepy. Things like Bella staring at Carlisle acting like the mundane town doctor shortly after learning just how old he is, Alice explaining how vampires kill all, and the uncanny valley perfection of the Cullens all add to the otherness of these vampires, and the general atmosphere of the book.
The love story is convincing. Edward seen through the eyes of Bella is wonderful, the red flags are there but if it weren’t for the books that followed we wouldn’t have decried the ship the way we do.
3. Eclipse
Breaking Dawn is the more interesting book, but Eclipse has less things we outright don’t like. We get to know all the characters better, Edward and Bella are their usual beautiful selves, and it’s overall peak Twilight.
4. Breaking Dawn
Would have ranked much higher, we like what it did. Without it we wouldn’t be in this fandom now, as it brought so much amazing content. The baby plot is fine by us, Carlisle’s friends are great, the Volturi confrontation is a beautiful, if bleak culmination of preventable events. There’s a lot of great stuff in this book.
Unfortunately, and there’s just no diplomatic way to put this, so I’ll just come out with it: there’s too much Jacob.
He no longer had a reason to be in the story, given the way Eclipse ended he had every reason not to be in it. In spite of that we get an entire third of the book from his point of view, and then damned if he’s not shoehorned into the last third as well. He added absolutely nothing to the story, he was just there taking up space and being possessive of a toddler. His POV section was tough to get through, and his presence in book three was just painful. He should have been cut.
5. New Moon
This was the book we had to power through. There are some very good things in it, most notably the Volturi scene, but the Muffin and I enjoy Twilight for the vampires, and that makes Laurent and Hallucination!Edward the highlights of the part of the book where Edward is gone.
There’s also the fact that Jacob isn’t a very compelling character. He has to carry the book now that the Cullens aren’t doing it, and he simply isn’t up for it.
-
Yes, we’re aware that these books are ranked according to how much Jacob is in them. We don’t even hate him, not at all, it’s just that he’s boring.
(That being said, the books at their worst are better than the movies at their best. Jacob narrating his perfect playdate with Renesmée would still be preferable to… I’m trying to think of a good scene from the movies. Hm, nevermind.)
As for The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner and Life and Death, only I have read Bree Tanner and I don’t remember it well enough to give a proper assessment. I was bored with the OCs, though, bored to tears, throughout that book I was itching for Victoria and the Cullens. We have not read Life and Death, but we’re offended by its existence so it ranks bottom.
106 notes · View notes
mysmegrace · 3 years
Note
omg hc of how jaehee would act on a date😟🙏
omg ofc~
How Jaehee Would Act On A Date
---
after opening the cafe with you, you watched as she lightened up in all ways.
she was no longer under the constant professional pressure of the office environment, and it made her grow happier by the day.
you had a major part to play in her new attitude.
it didn't take long for her to gather up all her courage and ask you out once you began working together.
she couldn't see a future without you, and she realize her feelings were more than platonic.
and without hesitation, you accepted.
leading you to this moment on a saturday evening, hand in hand, walking along the shore of naksan beach on the outskirts of the inner city.
with a tote bag on one arm and you on the other, she lead you to a spot she had noticed earlier.
it was fit with a picnic table and some cover from the sun.
sitting you down on one side, she left to the other, placing her bag in the middle of the table you shared.
once seated, she reached to reveal the contents.
some delicious food ranging from sweet to savoury, along with a neatly wrapped gift box, one that she was quick to hide from you.
although you had already noticed it, you would let it slide for now.
"here" she said, handing you a box with a mini red velvet cake, "have a bite, it's your favourite".
the date had hardly started, but you couldn't stop the blushing that had already crept up your cheeks so early in.
"ah, thank you" you responded, going to taste a piece.
it was delicious, almost an exact replica of your favourite bakeries recipe, except more fulfilling.
"this is delicious, did you make this?" you asked in amazement.
she smiled, saying "yes, i did! i looked up the recipe of the bakeries red velvet cake and made a few adjustments to make it unique".
your heart was full of not only cake, but of appreciation.
you couldn't believe she had remembered your favourite cake, and took the time and effort to remake it in a special way.
"i, thank you so much" you responded in awe.
"of course, i want to make sure you feel loved, now let's eat up together" she said.
though you wouldn't be able to see it, she was bubbling with nerves and excitement.
your date continued for the next little bit, speaking about the future and bitching about the past like working under jumin.
seeing how the table was soon left with nothing but garbage, she quickly packed it away.
"jaehee, i can help you" you spoke, to be quickly hushed by her occupied figure.
"i don't want you to lift a finger, i can handle this" she replied, glancing at you to pass a smile before returning to the task at hand.
not wanting to bug her any further, you simply sat back down, waiting for her finish.
no longer than 3 minutes later, she took your hand to lead you on a walk back to the beach sand.
through the walk, she could be seen reaching for your hand, tangling her fingers in yours.
you saw as she inhaled, before speaking "you know, i thought i would be caught in the cooperate life forever".
she made eye contact, continuing "of course the stable income and position was nice, but i was overworked to the core. i wanted something more, but it felt impossible. until you showed up".
strengthening her hold on you, she let it all out once more, "you gave me hope, and i found a new life, one that i can't wait to share with you".
she paused, handing you the gift she had previously placed in her pocket.
you stopped for a second, untying the red ribbon it was sealed with, to be looking directly at a ring.
a ring that didn't signify an engagement, a marriage, nor a friendship.
rather one that signified a promise.
"i don't want to move too quickly, and i know odds can be against us, but will you promise to stay beside me as we figure out our futures together?" she proposed.
you looked in shock, before your expression changed to excitement, as you were ecstatic.
without taking to long to answer, you happily said yes.
she smiled, watching as you put the ring on your finger, seeing it fit perfectly.
"thank you" you let out.
seeing her loosen up and let out her feelings towards you made your heart flutter and gave you hope.
the rest of the day continued in the comfort of your new girlfriends apartment.
watching zens new musical on dvd, drinking cocktails without worry for the first time in ages.
things went well, and when the rfa found out, they supported you both as the years would go by.
---
14:54 AST - 09/06/21
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Note
hi again omg! im getting into the feral boys and i was hoping you could do some headcanons for them with a reader that has their period (but could you make it gender neutral if possible?) - ⚙️ anon
⚙️ anon ! hi ! i can absolutely do this , im sorry it took a long time . i genuinely ended up LOVING these , and i hope you do too ! 
AYO LOOK AT THESE : reader who gets a period , mentions of cramps , usage of tylenol / painkillers of that sort , very very very fluffy feral boys content . i luv them .
reblogs are always appreciated ! <3
dream : 
would be incredibly worried :(
and unbelievably empathetic
he’s such a good fkn person in general ugh
“i don't know how it feels but i would imagine its … not good”
he would just want to keep you comfortable
“stay in bed, baby, i’ll bring [whatever] to you”
would go on pad/tampon runs for you
and wouldn’t be a pussy about it
“what size ? how heavy is your flow ?”
would call you while he was in the aisle to double check
and would get more than one box
“i know it fluctuates”
while he was out he would pick up some little gifts for you
just things to keep you comfortable
a blanket because “it looked soft”
some of your favorite chocolate
“did you know that chocolate produces endorphins ? which can help with cramps ?”
a little teddy bear
and would pick up some junk food for you
he’d move his stream to comfort you all night
“can i hold you ? will you still be comfortable ?”
would end up laying your head in his lap and running his hands through your hair
he’d do small , soothing actions until you fell asleep
and would be so still while you napped on him
clay would die if he woke you up
you’re his number one priority , and you need your rest
george :
sweet gogs would be . so concerned .
“... are you alright , my love ?”
would get pouty because you were irritated 
but would understand
he tries his best to help you in anyway possible
brings you water and tylenol
and would make you a snack to go with it
“you have to take it with food so your body can process it , darling .”
purchases a heating pack to keep at his house
and genuinely just tries to keep you as comfortable as possible
picks you up bridal style
to transfer you from couch to bed
and would be SO upset when you whimpered in pain
“did i hurt you , baby ? are you okay ?”
you’d try to explain that it wasn’t him at all
just your body working against you
but would insist on nursing you 
going as far to lift your water cup to your lips for you
“wanna make sure you’re taken care of , sweet thing .”
would bring you desserts and comfort foods
and would eat half
gogy would try to get you to nap
“your body is working so hard ! you need rest !”
and would be elATED when you fell asleep tucked against him
he’d run a hand up and down your back while you slept
trying to comfort you even in unconsciousness
sapnap :
trying his best
bless his little heart
would be incredibly concerned but very scared
not necessarily of you
but of you
wouldn't want to make you mad in any way , shape , or form
is worried that you’ll rip him to shreds
but is also v soft for you
doesn’t like seeing his s/o in pain :(
so he’d be very careful with you
won't give up his cuddles tho
would jump 10 feet into the air when you said “ow!” after he wrapped an arm around your lower tummy
apologizes incessantly
feels bad for the next week
would make you tea and warm drinks to help
and would diy a heat pack out of rice and a sock 😭
nick would NOT want to leave you alone
so he’d try to cook
and would do pretty well !!
would make you mac and cheese from the box
but it was so good
and would feed you oreos
he’d make you both milkshakes, too
karl : 
nurse karl™ is on the case
he would be the BEST at taking care of you
would have an entire period kit at his place
and would carry tampons/pads in a bag in his backpack just in case
karl knows you inside and out 
and has taken notes on what to do while you're on your cycle
stocks up on all your comfort foods the week before
makes sure you have plenty of supplies
he would make a movie lineup for the two of you to watch together
all cheesy rom coms and disney flicks
he’d sing all the songs to you
would make jokes about being your prince charming
karl would try to make you smile in any way he could
he would make you a comfy spot on the couch
with lots of pillows and blankets
“is it okay if i hold you ?”
would be s o gentle
barely touching you
“baby , i'm not made of glass”
“but i don't want to hurt you !”
would end up spooning
and karl would smother you with kisses
“gotta kiss it better >:(“
he’d keep you clothed in his big hoodies and sweatpants
and would make sure that you always had a warm towel when you got out of the shower
karl would run all the errands you usually did
and would bring flowers back from the store
quackity :
loml big q
god he would be so so so tender with u
he would go completley soft
because seeing you in pain just rips his heart to shreds
has the whole phantom pain thing
because yall are so fkn close w each other
wouldn’t leave you alone like ,,, ever
is so worried that you’re going to lose too much blood
you’ve tried to explain that your body regulates it to an extent
but he doesn’t care
he’d call your mom to ask for tips
and would follow all of them to a t , PLUS everything that he’d picked up on already
would make sure to keep you hydrated
gets gatorade “because you need electrolytes !”
he’d run you warm showers
and get you clean , soft clothes
would give you back and neck rubs to help with your muscles
alex would lay in bed with you all day 
he’d love when you napped on his chest
would set timers on his phone for giving you ibuprofen
“every six hours , my love .”
alex would 100% get midol and be so proud that he found it
finally makes a trip to the store on like ,,,,,, day 3/4
would take a picture the pads/tampons you use so he gets the correct ones
and would buy multiple boxes so you’d never run out
is incredibly comforting
does small tasks for you
brushes your hair and tries his best to braid it back
would make you foods that are high in iron
“you need it , baby , it’s for your blood”
but would follow it up with hot chocolates for the both of you
he’d sing softly to you until you fell asleep in his arms
and would press little kisses to your head
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dershloop · 3 years
Text
Breakfast In Bed
“Snowball! Happy Valentine’s day!” Cole yelled, kicking open Zane’s bedroom door, “I made you breakfast like the amazing, loving and caring boyfriend I am!” He said, walking over to his bed and standing over him.
“Cole, it’s 8 am,” Zane said plainly, rubbing his eyes with a yawn, looking up at his boyfriend and back at the clock next to his bed, that clearly stated it was too early to be awake, especially when it was a Sunday.
“Z, man, bro, dude, I’m begging you. Please eat the breakfast I made you,” Cole said, trying his best to mimic the expression of a kicked puppy.
“I never said I wouldn’t eat it, it’s just that it’s 8 am and you look like you’ve barely slept,” Zane said, sitting up and stretching out his arms out, rolling his shoulders back, listening as the sprockets and joints in his shoulders pop satisfyingly.
“So you will eat it?” Cole said excitedly, looking down nervously at the very full looking tray in his arms. Zane laughed endearingly and moved over in bed, patting the space he’d just been lay in as in indicator that Cole could get in with him and he’d eat breakfast. His eyes lit up and he dashed over, careful not to spill any of the food or coffee onto his white sheets. He lifted the tray off his own lap and placed it on Zane’s carefully. His eyes scanned over the tray, a proud smile growing on his face.
“You never answered the second part of the statement Cole. How much did you sleep last night?” Zane said, looking from the plate of very thick pancakes to the cup of jet black tea. The bowl of strawberries, blueberries and other assorted berries was overflowing, a few toppling out onto the tray itself. He had a feeling there wouldn’t be much fruit left in the monastery until the next big shop from the looks of things. There was however a pot of Zane’s favourite yoghurt. It was a thick greek style yoghurt in the flavour strawberry, with a spoon next to it. That was a nice touch, he thought.
“Not really, I couldn’t sleep,” Cole answered plainly with a shrug.
“Why not?”
“I didn’t have my teddy bear with me,” Cole said, smiling sweetly, resting his head on Zane’s shoulder. Zane laughed, heat beginning to rise to his face. He knew full well Cole was referring to him.
“Why didn’t you just get in bed with me?” Zane said, confused. The nindroid wouldn’t lie, he had had trouble getting to sleep too. He was so used to Cole coming and climbing in bed with him and filling half of his bed, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close that the lack of that last night almost made him sad. Needless to say, his bed had been very, undeniably cold.
“I didn’t want to get out of bed early tomorrow and disturb you! This was supposed to be a complete surprise and an alarm going off at 7 wouldn’t exactly help me.” “Fair, fair. What do you want me to try first then? Tea or the pancakes?” Zane asked, his hand hovering over the fork and knife on the side of the tray.
“Pancakes! You’d be surprised how long it takes to make them, the fuckers never cook evenly it’s so annoying. I only made 3 because they were pretty big so I didn’t want to make you puke or something. Wouldn’t be the best valentines day gift ever if you did,” Cole said with a yawn, pulling the covers up a bit to keep himself warm, not moving his head from Zane’s shoulder.
“Ok, pancakes it is,” Zane said enthusiastically, picking up the fork and pushing them through the small but thick stack, then grabbing some strawberry pieces and eating them with the pancakes. Nice… wasn’t exactly the word he’d use to describe them. Somewhere along the line, he’d forgotten an ingredient or a step but Zane couldn’t pinpoint where. How exactly did one mess up pancakes? However, Zane loved Cole a hell of a lot more than he disliked the taste of them, so powered on.
“And? What do you think?” Cole said, practically beaming that Zane had gone in so quickly for another bight.
“Delicious C,” Zane said, quickly swallowing down his third mouthful, “They’re amazing, so fluffy and uh… tasty!” Zane ate some more fruit with his next forkful, not wanting to subject himself to the taste for any longer than necessary.
“Are you sure? You don’t look as if you’re enjoying them that much,” Cole said hesitantly, raising his head to look at the nindroids face suspiciously.
“I promise you, Cole, they’re delicious. I’m just tired is all. I’ll have some of the tea, that might help wash it down and wake me up,” Zane said quickly, putting down the fork onto his plate and lifting up the tea, hesitantly bringing the cup to his mouth and drinking some. It wasn’t scolding hot, much to Zane’s surprise, and it didn’t taste too bad. A little sweet for his liking but he didn’t mind. Cole had a habit of zoning out and forgetting what he was doing halfway through a task, so he assumed that’s just what happened.
“How do you like the tea?” Cole asked, still not buying into the facade that his pancakes were any good.
“It’s lovely, rocky, I promise. All of this is. I really appreciate it,” Zane said with a smile, leaning towards Cole and pressing a small kiss onto his lips in an attempt to reassure him. Naturally, because this was Cole, it worked and he lay back happily, resting his head back on his shoulder.
Zane ate a few more mouthfuls, packed with fruit of course, before he decided to stop. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep up the facade of ‘Don’t worry, Love, they’re amazing’, so he ultimately decided to quit while he was ahead. He picked up the spoon and begun eating his yoghurt, savouring the taste of something that wasn’t whatever was in those pancakes. “Did I make too much? You didn’t finish them,” Cole said, looking at the plate with now significantly less pancake than there was a few minutes ago.
“Maybe. But that’s ok gumdrop, I still loved them,” Zane said, putting the now-empty pot down and finishing his tea.
“Popsicle? Snowball? Snowflake?” Cole said with pleading puppy dog eyes, looking at Zane as if he’d never eaten anything in his life.
“Yes, you can eat my leftovers,” Zane said with a laugh, handing him the tray. Cole’s eyes lit up and he picked up the fork, digging into the remained of the pancakes. Zane couldn’t help but think it was a bold move to go without any fruit, but he had to find out they were borderline uneatable somehow, and Zane knew for a fact it wouldn’t be from him breaking the unfortunate news.
Cole put the forkful of pancakes into his mouth, chewing them slowly, pulling a disgusted face before quickly swallowing and grabbing a few strawberries and raspberries to cleanse his mouth.
“That was genuinely disgusting, Z, what the fuck,” Cole said in disdain, looking at the half-empty plate, “Why didn’t you tell me?” Zane gulped and picked up the tray, moving it to the floor next to his bed so it wouldn’t get knocked over and spill over his white sheets.
“You were so excited and you barely slept because of it? I didn’t want to hurt your feelings,” Zane said with a sigh, looking at Cole in his peripheral vision.
“Oh Snowball you, dummy,” Cole said with a laugh, wrapping his arms around Zane’s neck and throwing himself at him, causing Zane to fall so he was now lying horizontally across his bed. He laughed and wrapped his arms around Cole’s waist. “Move around Z, I want to hug you properly this isn’t comfortable,” He complained. Zane laughed.
“You sir, are a little shit. You threw yourself at me!”
“Silence! I won’t listen to this hearsay!” Cole declared.
“What would you do if I, for instance, didn’t shut up and just kept on talking?” Zane said, pushing himself up and spinning them both around so his back was now to his wall. He smirked, absentmindedly rubbing his hands up and down Cole’s back, merely anticipating what was about to happen.
“I would… do this!” Cole said, pulling himself up and beginning to plant kisses all over Zane’s face and neck. Zane laughed, more and more heat rising to his face.
“Cole you little shit, stop it!” Zane laughed, grabbing Cole’s face between his hands and holding it in front of his own, glaring playfully at him. Cole smiled sweetly as if he didn’t know exactly what he’d just done. “Come here you,” Zane muttered, pulling Cole’s face towards his own and pushed their lips together kissing him softly. Cole quickly sunk into the kiss, smiling and resting his hands on Zane’s waist softly as if he were holding some kind of priceless artefact. Which, in fairness, he was.
Zane pulled away with a smile, running his hands through Cole’s long, messy hair, bringing them to rest over his shoulders.
“Get back in bed, you feel cold and you look exhausted,” Zane said, raising his eyebrows at Cole.
“Wow, thank you for noticing,” Cole said with a yawn, climbing off of Zane’s lap and crawling under the covers. Zane lay back down too, pulling the covers up as to cover his own torso. Cole quickly snuggled up to his boyfriend, resting his head on his chest and listening to the mechanisms Wizz and whurr beneath his skin. Cole wrapped his arms around Zane’s torso and closed his eyes, already falling asleep. Zane rested a hand on his head, gently playing with his hair.
“Good night Snowflake,” Cole muttered wearily, melting under Zane’s fingers as they twirled and fiddled with his hair.
“Goodnight gumball,” Zane said with a small laugh, eventually even falling back to sleep himself.
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graceloveswolves · 4 years
Note
I'm back *cue evil laugh* but can I request a Paul x reader: (Paul and reader are older—20 at least) A story where Paul goes from being a hothead to the level-minded one. His imprint being feisty, independent, and protective (not jealous—they solid in the relationship) and HE has to save other people from HER—his mini-she wolf demon. She’s fight-on-sight, and he’s pick-her-up-and-get-the-fuck-out-of-there type.
Paul Lahote Oneshot
Y/n - your name
Y/g - her, him, your preferred gender
__________________________________
The story of Paul and Y/N...       Now this is a great one. It all started with two people, the first one, Paul. He was your average hot headed high schooler x10. Very tall, wide broaded shoulders and muscles very noticeable and bulging, with very good looking facial traits, making a lot of the high school girls drool over him. This guy was the force to be wrecking with, the guy fathers tell their daughters to stay away from, the guy that steals other guy’s girlfriends. The one people bet on during fights, and trust me he was always in fights. Paul was the guy that teachers dread seeing every day in their class, a lot might label him as the trouble maker.
However, Paul didn’t really care much about anything, except his pack. The pack was his number one priority, it was his duty to protect, and he gave it all he got. He was very protective of his other pack mates, especially the not so buff ones like Quil and Seth. He was always down to throw hands with anyone who showed them any disrespect, knowing the consequences, though that never stopped him. Paul always had his pack mate’s back, even if they insisted otherwise.
But away from the pack, Paul was very independent. He focused on him, and his ego. He refused to rely on anyone but himself. Never liked the thought of owing someone or needing something from someone. As if that would taint his ego, his bad boy rep. Which he was well aware of his reputation and fully intended on keeping it all throughout his school years. After all he had worked very hard for it, all those bruises and cuts, detentions, fights with his parents when they found out, his reputation was well deserved in his eyes.
It was.
But something or someone, had flipped his entire life and built up reputation, upside down within seconds.
Seconds.
All it took was one gaze straight into Y/n’s eyes and it was over. He hadn’t meant to make eye contact, it was an accident, he had just managed to look at the right place at the right time. Half listening to what Jared, his comrade, during a conversation at lunch with his girlfriend/imprintee Kim, looking over Jared’s shoulder then boom, he had found his soulmate. He had found his imprint.
Paul couldn’t take his eyes off of Y/N even if he had tried. His entire world had been shifted towards the human sitting a table down from them, casually listening to y/g friends talk amongst each other. Y/n had kept eye contact with Paul, waving towards him, knowing all about him, from his ego and his reputation. He smiled warmly at Y/n, hiding the panic that was rising inside of him.
Once Jared and Kim were filled in on the situation, they spent the entire rest of lunch coming up with ideas for Paul to say to Y/n. Paul however, wasn’t listening to a word they were saying, he was too focused on studying his imprint from afar, occasionally glancing away from y/n whenever y/g attention shifted in his direction, praying y/g didn’t catch him staring each time he did so.
This went on for 3 weeks.
Paul had questioned every thing he did, or said for 3 weeks. Trying to wrap his head around the fact that he had found the love of his life and had found the person he’d be spending the rest of his life with. He came up with dozens of scenarios of how to approach Y/n, how to tell y/g about his pack secret, if he would tell y/g, which he soon realized he rather tell y/n that he was a wolf then have y/g question his loyalty every night when he went on patrol.
He spent every day studying Y/n, trying to find out as much about Y/g as he possibly could before approaching Y/n. Ignoring the packs teasing remarks and words, he started becoming better tempered. He focused more on his grades, less on fighting and landing himself in detention. Everyone was shocked at his actions, he had immediately switched his personality in a way, he slowly became less and less invested in his reputation, and watched as his ego started to mean less and less to him.
The only thing that mattered to him anymore was Y/n.
Who, shockingly, was the first one to make a move. Y/n had suspected Paul’s feelings for y/g within days of the lunch room encounter. I mean the guy wasn’t very sneaky at his gazes and stares every day. At least not when it came to Y/n. Y/g caught up with what Paul was doing and one day slipped a piece of paper with y/g number and signature on it, and slipped it into his locker while he wasn’t looking.
That’s where their relationship really began...
Soon texting became talking, and talking became walking and walking became hanging out and hanging out became multiple dates.
He had learned a lot about his imprint. For one, Y/n was very smart, perfect grades, and was even in a sport. Y/n loved the beach and always had a thing for nature and animals. Also, Y/n was a hot head as well, never taking crap off of no one. Paul was secretly proud of Y/n for that. Then one day, Paul had it all planned.
He had Y/n’s favorite flowers and picked a spot on the beach where they had their first date and had candles lined up around the blanket where a picnic basket and some fancy drinks were laying on. He had some help from the pack members, and had planned on asking Y/n out officially.
He had never been so nervous in his life. Out of all the trouble and fights he’s been into, had nothing on what he was feeling that night. However as Y/n saw the setting and was over the moon about Paul’s planning, he felt more and more confident in himself. Then while she was staring off into the sunset that was lingering right above the crashing waves of the beach, he had popped the question.
“Will you go out with me?”
To which Y/n had happily said yes. And ever since then, those two had been the it couple. Every one had envied their relationship. Paul had turned into a level headed guy, who ended up being very successful in school, with a beautiful companion by his side.
Many people had told Paul that he had met his match with Y/n.
Whenever it was y/n threatening to bust someone’s jaw open whenever they threatened to steal Paul, or when it was Paul yanking his imprint off of another high schooler and throwing his fiesty imprint over his broad shoulder and hauling them into their next class. He had suddenly felt for his friends who had not long ago, been doing the exact thing he was doing back when he was the one getting into fights.
Once he met his imprint he had quickly became everything that Y/n needed. He had dropped his reputation and ego within a heartbeat and started being the rational one in the relationship. Whenever Y/n had gotten in trouble or was about to be in trouble, he was always there to snatch y/g up and take y/n away from the situation before his imprint was in harms way. Although the task could be very tiring at times he still appreciated that he had been lucky enough to have found Y/n.
At the end of the day he was proud of his imprint, and would have had it any other way. Because he too, knows the feeling of needing to protect. Their relationship was every thing they both have ever wanted, and you bet your ass if either one of them sees or hears anyone trying to mess it up or come between it, they will fight for it. Not necessarily because of jealously, but because they have a strong, and reassuring relationship with each other, and they will do anything it takes for the other one to know that.
Although it was mainly Y/n fighting anyone within sight that may have a problem with their relationship, Paul always has his little demons back and will always protect Y/n. Because y/n was his everything, and they were soulmates. And they had lived a happy and exciting life together.
That’s the story of Y/n and Paul.
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barsformars · 4 years
Text
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With You
//
g - comfort, fluff
p - yunho × reader; established relationship!
w.c - 1.1k
t.w - none
c - reader is burnt out from work
a.n - a little something for @jungyunhoed while i work on their request, bby hope you're doing alright <3
//
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With your fifth yawn in the short span of seven minutes, you finally allow your fingers to break away from the keyboard to rub the tears forming at your eyes away. The words on the screen become a blur when you open your eyes again, causing you to groan disgruntledly. You blink repeatedly in an attempt to clear your vision, only to realise just how heavy your eyelids have gotten from staying up so late.
Just twenty seconds, you thought, letting your eyes fall shut as you stay seated at your work desk. If you were to take a nap now you would surely wake up long after you were supposed to, but hopefully with just enough time to get you to work in time if you rush. You couldn't risk that, there was still so much undone work that had built up over the past week. You wished you had completed them the day they were assigned to you but there was already an overwhelming amount of tasks you had to prioritize. And honestly? You were feeling so burnt out, you couldn't bring yourself to be productive.
Twenty, nineteen, eighteen…. You begin counting down in your head, not noticing Yunho coming out from his room. He had been playing games with San all night long, only coming out for a quick break now. Twelve, eleven, te-
Your eyes flew open when your body jolted forward having fallen asleep, and you're welcomed by the sight of Yunho's pout, his hands hovering right in front of you. He had noticed that you were dozing off but was a step too late to save you from your shock.
"You should go to bed if you're tired," Yunho says as he retracts his hands, placing them on his knees as he bent down to your eye level. "I can accompany you to sleep if you want, I'll just let San know I'm done for the night," Yunho offered. A faint smile appears on your face in appreciation for the boy.
More often than not, the both of you go to sleep separately due to differing work schedules. The only reason Yunho and San were up so late playing games was because they had both woken up in the evening. So when Yunho offered to go to bed with you, you know he's aware of just how exhausted and burnt out you were from work even without the both of you saying a thing. It was just kind of a thing between you two.
You appreciate it, but work was a priority at this moment. "It's okay, I'll stay up a little more," you rejected reluctantly, tugging on his shirt to get him to come closer. Yunho gets the hint so he straightens his back and towers right above you, an arm already slinging over your shoulders. "Thank you," you mumbled softly. You opted to rest your head on his toned stomach instead of going to bed, your arms wrapped around his hips.
"Alright-" Yunho combs through your hair gently-"I'll check on you in about...forty minutes?"
"Just go and play your match," you laughed, prodding his abdomen with your chin as you lifted your head up to look at him. "Don't worry about me."
"Tell me, how can I not?" But Yunho doesn't say anything else because he knows from experience that nagging at you only adds more to your stress.
And really, how could he not worry? Because the next time Yunho comes out to check up on you, your cheek was already pressed onto the cold metal surface of your laptop, a pool of saliva forming under that spot. He let out a deep sigh as he pulled your torso back up, one hand holding you against his chest as the other cleaned up your laptop and closed it shut. Yunho's heart ached to see you so exhausted and he felt sorry that he couldn't do much to help you. All he could do now was to tuck you into your bed before he packed your work bag for tomorrow, making sure to charge all your electronic devices.
Once he was done with all that, he slid himself into bed beside you, cradling you in his arms as he scrolled through his phone mindlessly. You had to wake up in 2 hours and Yunho wants to make sure you don't oversleep, knowing that it would cause your whole day to start off wrong. He would suggest skipping work for the day but that would just mean more things you had to catch up on. Yunho can't fault you for that, he had pushed himself very hard too back when he was still a trainee. It was much better to just endure through the day than to skip it. He understands.
The moment your alarm started ringing, Yunho reached out to turn it off, not wanting you to wake up all annoyed and irritated. Waking up so early in the morning was already dreadful enough. "Rise and shine," Yunho said softly as he lovingly caressed your face. Barely awake, you shifted closer to him, following his deep soothing voice.
"Five more minutes," you mumbled, nuzzling your nose into his shirt. It made Yunho chuckle a little.
"Okay, but just five minutes, no more than that. Otherwise your breakfast is going to be all gross." Yunho pressed a kiss to your forehead before leaving you to sleep for a little more while he went to pack your charged laptop.
When you finally got yourself to get out of bed to go to the dining table, you were touched when you were greeted by the sight of your favourite breakfast foods and a properly packed work bag. You shouldn't even be surprised since it was what Yunho always does when you were burnt out from work, but somehow you couldn't stop the fluttering feeling in your stomach. "Thank you." You walked up behind him to give him a back hug, a way to express how grateful you were because words could never be enough.
"You're very welcome," Yunho says as he turns around to give you a heartwarming smile, taking hold of one of your hands to press a kiss onto the back of it.
"One more week to payday," you informed him, causing him to raise an eyebrow at you in confusion. "Let's go to that place when I get paid...you know, your favourite burger place? I'll treat you."
"You should treat yourself for working so hard, not me," Yunho laughs before a pout replaces his smile.
"Going out on a date with you instead of staying at home doing more work is the best treat I could give myself."
"Urgh, I'm so in love with you," Yunho says as he stares at you like you were his whole universe. And you were.
"Urgh, you're an idiot," you teased, your smile stretching from ear to ear. You couldn't help it.
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thenewlarislynn · 4 years
Text
No Time For Regret
Pairing: Sokka x Reader
Request: Can you do prompts 18 and 33 with Sokka, from list #1
Prompts: “You’re freezing, Jesus!” and "Sometimes I just want to cuddle, okay? Is that so bad?”
Word Count: Approx. 1.6k
~~~
Sitting on the bank of the river, you sighed wearily. It was your turn to keep an eye out for the Fire Nation Navy and there had been no activity so far. You knew your job was important in keeping the others safe, but it became so tedious after a while. 
Absentmindedly, you began playing with some pebbles that were laying on the shore. Using your earthbending, you tossed them up and watched them careen back to the ground. It wasn’t much, but it helped to pass the time. As you sat there, you began to think back on the last few months. 
When you started travelling with the group, you never expected to become this close with all of them. Least of all a certain water tribe boy who you couldn’t seem to keep out of your thoughts. You knew you couldn’t say anything about it, all that would do is create needless drama. Besides, even if he felt the same way, starting a relationship during a war wasn’t exactly the best idea. Losing a friend would be hard enough, losing a partner was enough to break someone.
Shaking the thoughts away, you returned to your task. Standing up, you walked along the embankment, looking for the tell-tale signs of smoke. When you were satisfied there was no threat, you turned and walked back towards camp. 
The others were still busy with their tasks when you arrived. Sokka was helping Katara prepare dinner while Toph went over training routines with Aang. Walking over to the fire, you warmed your hands. Night was setting quickly and it was growing chilly. 
Sokka joined you, smiling as he sat down. “Any news from your watch?”
“Well there were two intruders,” you replied seriously.
He leaned forward, waiting to hear about the threat. “What did you do? Were they Fire Nation?”
“No,” you said shaking your head, “I don’t believe they were with them. And all I did was give them some bread.”
“Why would you give intruders bread,” he exclaimed.
You finally cracked a grin, “They were just turtleducks,” you said with a laugh. 
“Oh very funny,” Sokka replied, rolling his eyes.
“I mean, it is kind of funny,” Katara said, joining you next to the fire. She turned towards Aang, who was now reaching the fire with Toph following close behind. “So, how was training?”
“It’s going well,” Aang answered. “I’m still learning, but I’m doing a lot better than before.”
“That’s great,” you replied encouragingly. “I patrolled the river today, no sign of Fire Nation troops.”
“We still need to be on the lookout for land patrol,” Sokka reminded you. “They could always launch a sneak attack against us.”
“Right,” Katara answered sarcastically, “I’m sure the Fire Nation is going to hike through the dense forest to track us down.”
“Well, you’ve seen the lengths Zuko has gone to,” you pointed out, “so I don’t think it’s that unlikely.” 
“See, I’m not paranoid. I just want to be cautious,” Sokka said with a smug smirk.
Katara shook her head, “Alright, well let’s hope these determined soldiers don’t interrupt us during dinner.” Using her waterbending, she poured soup into each of your bowls. 
Toph took a slurp from her dish. “Are we planning to stay here? Or are we moving on in the morning?”
“I think we could stay one more night,” Aang shrugged. “It would be difficult to travel tomorrow anyways.” He looked up at the clouds gathering overhead. “We could always waterbend the rain, but if there’s lightning it would be too dangerous.” 
“Although I hate to stay in one place for too long, Aang has a point.” Sokka glanced around at the group, his gaze lingering on you for a second before looking back at the fire. “Flying during a storm is risky, and nobody is getting hurt on my watch.”  
Once dinner was finished you helped set up the tents. The plan had been to sleep under the stars, but the impending storm ruled that option out. As you put the tarp over your tent, you sensed someone walk up behind you. 
Turning, you saw Sokka leaning against a tree waiting to talk to you. “What’s up?”
“Well,” he began, “I have this bad feeling. I can’t explain it, but I feel like something bad is about to happen. I know you patrolled the river earlier, but it’s been a while since then. The navy could have shown up since then.”
“Do you want me to go check it out with you? That way we’ll know for sure.”
He looked relieved, “You don’t mind?”
“Not at all. Besides, it isn’t safe to go alone at night. Let’s head out.” 
Walking along the muddy shore, you shivered. The night kept growing colder, and standing near the river did nothing to help. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” you answered with a shaky smile. “Just a bit cold is all.” 
He reached out to touch your exposed arm and immediately recoiled his hand. “You’re freezing, Jesus!” Shrugging off his jacket, he handed it to you. “Here, put this on, it’ll warm you up.”
“No,” you shook your head, “you keep it. You need it more.”
“I grew up in the South Pole,” he said with a smile. “Trust me, I’m used to the cold.”
Finally accepting the jacket, you smiled. “Thank you.” A strong gust of wind almost knocked you over, and you began to lose your footing, sliding towards the river. Sokka reached out, grabbing your hand and pulling you towards him. You fell into his arms and blushed as his arms wrapped around your waist to steady you. 
“Sorry,” you blushed, “I’m such a mess.” you said with a laugh.” Making an effort to smooth out your hair, you glanced over at him. “Does my hair look okay? It always gets so unruly.”
“It looks fine. Besides, you always look beautiful.” He paused, having a moment of realization. “I mean, you know, you’re um, very cute and,” he stuttered, trying to gloss over what he just said. “You’re very pretty.”
“Oh,” you replied. You weren’t sure if it was possible to die from blushing too much, but you were sure you were about to find out. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” he said, not looking in your direction. Instead he pretended to be very interested in the nearby trees.
Before you had a chance to say anything, Toph ran up behind you. “There’s heavy vibrations coming from the forest,” she explained breathlessly. “It’s the army.” 
You ran back towards camp, lungs burning, Katara greeted you, “We already have everything packed up, all we have to do now is leave.”
Aang was saddling up Appa, and you all stood nervously, ready for takeoff. A loud crash came from the forest and you glanced over, seeing a group of Fire Nation soldiers burst through the treeline. 
Stomping your foot, you sent a wave of rocks hurling towards the enemy. It gave you just enough time to climb on Appa’s back. With a quick “Yip Yip,” you were off. 
As you climbed in altitude rain began to fall. A boom of thunder shook the skies and you stiffened. “Oh no,” you whispered. “This is bad. Very bad.” Something bright caught your eye and you glanced over to see a fireball fly past. “They’re firing at us,” you called to Aang.
“I noticed,” he responded. “Everyone hold on, we’re going to have to do a zig zag to dodge them.” As he turned, a loud cracking sound startled you. Turning to look, a bolt of lightning struck right next to Appa’s head. The sky bison turned abruptly to avoid it, causing you to lose your gripping. 
You cried out as you plummeted towards the ground. Someone called your name and you could barely make out Sokka leaning over the edge of the saddle, hand outreached as if to catch you. But it seemed he was too late this time. 
It seemed as if time slowed. The ground was growing ever closer. Fifty feet away. You took a deep breath, letting a tear slip out of the corner of your eye. Forty feet. You braced for impact, knowing it wouldn’t matter anyways. Thirty feet. You tried to bend the ground so it would be softer, but to no avail. Instead, you whispered a silent prayer to the spirits. Twenty feet. You whispered a farewell to the others and closed your eyes. But instead of falling, you felt someone grab your wrist. 
Your eyes shot open, and you saw Sokka latched onto your wrist. He yanked you up over the saddle and pulled you into a hug. “I thought I lost you,” he whispered. You could tell he was crying, and you curled into him, your own tears falling. 
“It’s alright, I’m here. I’m here.” You looked into his eyes, now rimmed red from the tears, and knew it was now or never. Not being in a relationship didn’t stop any of the pain, it just caused more. You leaned in and pressed your lips to his.
He was shocked for only a second before kissing you back. When you finally broke apart he smiled. “I never knew you felt the same way.”
“I have for a while now, but I never wanted to say anything. I always thought that being in a relationship would make fighting this war harder. But when I almost died just now, I realized that regret is what causes the most pain.”
With that, he pulled you closer for another kiss. You wiped the tears from his cheek and smiled. Fear had held you back, but you were done being controlled by it. Life had no time for regret, and as you kissed Sokka you knew, regret was the furthest thing from your mind. 
Toph cleared her throat, “Look guys, I know you’re having a moment, but it’s a bit awkward for the rest of us.”
You chuckled and Sokka shook his head, “Sometimes I just want to cuddle, okay? Is that so bad?”
Laughing, Toph answered, “When the rest of us have to be present for it, yes.Yes it is.”
~~~
Requested By: anon
A:TLA Taglist:
@coldlilheart
@samsmultifandomblogs
Do I have a headache? Yes. Is it because I wanted to relive my childhood and stayed up until 3 AM watching Barbie movies? Maybe. Let me know if you want to be added to my taglist and as always, likes and reblogs are appreciated! Love you all! <3
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colorfullfalls · 4 years
Text
Worst to best night
Reader x Embry Call
(In this Jake never imprints on Nessie, he ends up imprinting on a girl his age named Callie)
Black mechanics had a busy day. Three customers showed up without calling in, and Jacob was livid. Hot sun beating down on the garage only made it ten times hotter inside. A quileute wolf's blood ran naturally warm without humidity blasting them. Garages usually stayed open for 8 hours in the area, but Jake was usually willing to work however long until he was exhausted.
Today was different. His sweet Callie was waiting for him and he had to miss seeing her. Jake's temper was slowly slipping out of grasp. Quil and Embry, hired as mechanics, noticed his anger and were giving eachother annoyed looks as Jake kept snapping at them.
To progress, each man worked on a different vehicle. Embry and Quil liked to joke around while they worked, but this day Jake was not a fan. Embry smiled as Quil tripped over a wire. The two shared a look and busted out laughing. Jake rolled his eyes and bit his tongue from saying anything.
"Quil, hand me the light dude." Jake said ten minutes later.
"I don't know where it is. Em had it last." Quil retorted, his long frame coming out from under the truck he had been working under. Motor oil smeared on his face as he rubbed it sheepishly from Jake's hard stare.
"It's a big fucking light, how do you not know where it is?" Jake stone voice pierced the air.
Embry rolled his eyes. Jake was being irritating. None of them were in a peachy mood and he wasn't making it any better. Hostile environments also weren't Embry's thing. He just wanted to defuse the situation.
"Here."
Jake nodded his head in acknowledgement as he took the light. Embry flipped him off when he wasn't looking before returning to his task. For a while work was carried out silently, only old 80's songs playing lightly could be heard. Although the atmosphere was calm, inside Jake wasn't. His veins were pulsating as he fumbled to still work. God, he wanted to be home. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.
Embry's imprint and wife, Y/N, and Callie pulled into the parking lot of the shop and parker up as close as she could to avoid getting drenched by the rain on her way in. La Push was rain 70% of the time. Either adapt or hate life.
Embry called his wife an hour earlier to tell her to not make dinner for him and Quil because they wouldn't be home for a long time. His tone held guilt and sorry as he explained it, but his lovely woman assured him that it was fine. Nothing to fret over.
Y/N was annoyed at whoever dropped off their vehicles without calling in because it set the boys back. Why the boys agreed to work on them was beyond her. Good men, the three of them were.
She knew that the mechanics wouldn't go get food if so much was left to do, so she bought Chinese food and decided to surprise them. Ordering 5 containers of general tsos, 3 containers of orange chicken and 4 boxes of fried rice was embarrassing, but she still did it out of love.
She called Callie to come with her because Jake was taking a tantrum about his soiled evening, and she wanted to put him in a better mood. Not only for his sake, but the guys too. Y/N didn't appreciate Jake's pissy attitude towards Embry and Quil, but she understood how wolves get antsy when they're away from their imprint for too long. Hell, she even got cranky when she didn't see Em for a while.
Together they grabbed the food, plates, cups and drinks and ran for the door. Before they could open it, Quil pulled it open and stepped aside.
"Ooh, ladies.." his eyes wandered across the bags and his nose picked up on the smell, "Yes! Ladies with food! It's as if you heard our grumbling stomachs. Have I ever said how much I love you guys?"
Y/N kissed his cheek as he took some of the bags from you to help, "love you too, kid."
Jake stood up and ran to Callie, kissing her face all over and spinning her around. The couple's intimate moment was alike every time a wolf saw their imprint after being apart. Y/N grinned, happy to have helped.
Embry wiped his hands off on a rag before coming to take the rest of the bags from Y/N while giving her a peck on the lips. She hummed in pure bliss at his close proximity. They set the food down on the back table and we're grabbing benches and random chairs to sit.
"You're my savior, like always. Missed you so much today." Embry whispered into Y/N's ear from behind as he wrapped his arms around her.
She laughed, body naturally melting back into him, "I missed you too, lover boy. C'mon, let's eat guys. You must be starved."
Five adults chewed, laughed, and talked happily as they enjoyed their well deserved dinner. The chemistry between the group was buzzing as they shared stories about how their day went.
"Jake was a dick all day. If it weren't for you guys showing up, we may have killed him." Quil exaggerated, winking at Embry.
"I was a dick. M' sorry about that, didn't mean to take it out on you guys because it wasn't fair. But God damn, how do people not have the common courtesy to not just drop their shit off?" Jake ranted, shaking his head in utter disbelief.
Callie patted his arm, "People are half wits, Jacob. Dealing with them comes with running a business," she turned to the boys with a beautiful smile on her cheerful face, "thank you for dealing with the grumpy guy all day."
"His anger was reasonable cuz we were frustrated too- I had been itching to get home to Y/N." Embry confessed, looking at his wife that was showing orange chicken in her mouth.
She caught his eyes and shrugged with a blush as she shoved the rest of it in, "good food.." she mumbled.
Embry chuckled, admiring how goofy the love of his life was. Y/N was just so refreshing to see after the shitty day he had and her showing up washed his bad attitude away. Now he was all smiles. They all were.
"Tomorrow I say we have a fun day at the beach and later have a fire or something. Relax and unwind a bit, yanno?" Quil brought up, his tongue poking out to lick the sauce at the side of his mouth. A chorus of yes came from the group.
Y/N wiped her face with the back of her hand before picking up her fortune cookie. Her nimble fingers tore off the wrapper. She cracked the cookie and took out the little slip of paper.
"A new love is around the corner. Open your heart and it shall arrive..." She read out loud. Her face looked deep in thought as she set it down. Embry grinned at the cliche fortune, pulling her close for a second to kiss her forehead.
"Lame. Your man is right there. Let's hope my fortune is better." Callie said, grabbing hers.
"Actually... It's kind of right. I was going to tell you in a more thought out way but now is good... Embry, I'm pregnant." Y/N softly said, her eyes staring deep into his.
Everyone's mouth dropped in surprise at the news. Embry quickly grabbed her face in his large hands and kissed her passionately, the warmth of his hands seeping into her skin. Callie, Jake, and Quil clapped as he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers for a moment. He smiled smittenly and shook his head, pulling her into his lap to hold her close.
"There goes my wine drinking buddy.." Callie teased, nudging Y/N's foot with hers.
"Got that right, Y/N will not be drinking. Or doing anything remotely dangerous." Embry sternly said, pulling her closer to him with a kiss to her hair.
Quil snorted, "This will be a fun 9 months of Y/N living in bubble wrap.."
"Uh huh" she protested. The group laughed as they all set into a comfortable silence. The couple would be the first out of the pack to have a kid, even before Sam and Emily.
"Happy for you man" Jake said with a nod of his head.
"Thanks Jake... Wow, this day really went from shit to one of the best days of my entire life." Embry beamed.
Rest of the evening was spent talking about potential baby names. Some silly ones were thrown out there, but it was nice to get ideas. Y/N and Embry shared a look and knew immediately that their baby would be loved by their aunts and uncles. But of course, not more than he or she was loved by their parents.
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ficsnroses · 4 years
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Friends With Benefits Chapter 6 - Keanu Reeves x Reader
Chapter VI ~ Things Untouched.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4  Part 5
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Word Count : 3.5k
Warnings : Smut, Contraception Talk, General Fluff, Angst. Some Swearing.
Series Summary :  What happens when two, lonely friends start seeing and confiding in each other for sex? A tricky friends with benefits love story, when feelings get in the way.
A/N : Alright. I’m not super proud of this chapter because I kinda wrote it really quick. I’m sorry If it feels like it moved a bit too fast. But I really wanted to finally get some angst in here, before y’all lose interest.  I’m going to try to update this fic every week from now on, so it won’t drag on too long! Enjoy 🖤 Feed back is so so so appreciated.
To the tedious sound of his menacing phone alarm clock, Keanu blinks his groggy eyes open, greeted by the dimly lit light of a somber, rainy morning. The rain hadn’t ceased to fall all night, although he couldn’t quite complain.
His slumber had been rather cozy, with Y/N tucked in secure beside him, limbs tangling all night long, her steady breaths lulling him serenely. Extending his arm, he slaps the alarm off, feeling Y/N shift. She’s got an arm wrapped around his waist as she’s curled into his side, he holds her enveloped, close as can be. She moans, half awoken, disturbed by the early morning commotion.
“Shhhh,” Keanu rubs her arms up and down as she tucks herself closer into his side, resting her head on his chest. “Sorry, baby. Forgot it was set to 6:00am.” He yawns, eyes fluttering shut again.
Baby. It had quite literally just…slipped off his tongue. Felt natural.
Drowsily, a heavy eyed Y/N tucks her head into the crook of Keanu’s neck, allowing him to rest his chin on top her head. He’s big, warm, and comfortable, a dire contrast to the empty bed that accompanies her each night.
She could get used to this…
The sleet downpour on the roof doesn’t subside, however, it adds to the ease. Neither of them feel rushed, or in a scurry to get dressed for the day. This was nice, whatever it was. There’s something so uniquely special, about holding someone close in the early hours of the renewed daybreak. An intimacy that they perhaps needed more, than just physical.
Y/N sighs, trying to position herself comfortably after the unexpected awakening, positioning her head in all different nooks and cranny’s on Keanu’s chest, even going as far as to drape a leg over his waist, desperately hoping her sleep would return. With her eyes clasped shut, she focuses on nothing but the heat of his body and the steady rhythm of his chest underneath her, and the scent that lingers ever so slightly, of his cigarette smoked the night prior, paired with something….spicy & wooded. The traces were much more apparent while she was this close.
The subtle details, the fragrance, the cordiality of his touch, the way his hands were rough, yet had a soothing finish to them, the way his coffee locks fell over his tucked eyes faintly. They were details she hadn’t noticed while they had sex, no matter how frequent it really was.
With a chuckle, Keanu’s hoarse morning voice speaks. “What are you doing, Y/N?”
She huffs, with a shaky breath. 
“I’m trying to get comfy again so I can fall back sleep. It’s a Sunday, Keanu. Why on earth was your alarm set on a Sunday?” she drowns out the last word, a hint of annoyance in her tone. Although she was just tired, she couldn’t actually be upset with him.
He brings a hand to run through his raven head, sighing. “I don’t know; I wake up at 6:00am everyday. Habit, I guess.”
With a yawn, Y/N rests her arm on his chest, her chin taking place on top, staring up at him. 
“Why do you do that to yourself?” she giggles, his warm, hazel gaze instantly putting a smile on her lips. She usually never saw Keanu this way, completely undone, first thing in the day. He seemed relaxed and tranquil, a different type of ease from when they were intimate. Something a bit more…actual. Genuine, unadulterated.
He brings his arms to wrap around her waist, as half of her body rests on his, half lays adjacent on the bed. 
“I guess…I don’t know. I’ve always been scared I’m missing out on something, like I should be doing something, need to be doing something.” He looks out the window at the rain cascading, globes of rainwater down the speckled window frames. “If I’m up early, there’s more time for me to fill that void, I guess. Or else I just feel like I’m wasting…something.”
That stung.
His words stung. Because Y/N, had felt the same.
She’d always felt there was something missing in her life as well, and the more she tried to search for it, the farther it got away from her. She kept herself occupied with routine tasks and daily schedules filled to the brim with much to do. But none of it was able to deplete the sense of incompleteness.
“Do you feel like you’re wasting away something, today?” she asked quietly, connecting her gaze with his whiskey orbs. He rubs a sooth up and down her back, sincerely.
“No, because I’m with you. I’m not alone right now.”
Pit,
Pat,
Pit,
Pat,
The rain fills a comfortable silence, and Y/N lays her head back on his chest, assuring him she was really there. Of course, they both knew how alone they felt, it’s was the sole reason their relationship was what it was. But they hadn’t known just how alike they really had been, just how yearning they’d been for the same thing.
Whatever that same thing was.
The rain falls outside as delicate poetry, each drop a letter, a sound, a beat, drawing out a beautiful symphony of its own. The smell of the wet earth outside saunters through the barely open window, reminding of all the serene it brings. Each treetop, each leaf, each surface coated, united by the colourless waves. It shows us how truly equal each exterior, each thing the rain touches is.
It reminds us of how fragile we really are. How beautifully fragile, we really are.
Keanu kneads soothingly at her hips, her waist, coaxing her into a state of complete calm and surrender. It was different, and something so matchlessly inviting, being able to sulk in the mere company of someone else, sharing intimate touches.
Y/N moves her gaze up to connect with his again, bringing a hand to cup his cheek, earning his attention. 
“I didn’t get to wish you a good morning yet.” She smiles, moving to straddle him, as the duvet falls from her frame.
Keanu smirks, knowing what she had in mind. “I haven’t either…”
She places her hands on his chest, claiming his lips against hers. Cupping her cheek, with one hand falling tangled in her hair, Keanu pushes her closer, engulfing her lips in a kiss just as searing. Slowly, cautiously, she slips her hand down to his member, gently palming him over the fabric of his boxers.
Truth be told, Y/N had come overwhelmed with the need of him in that moment. This morning, the tenderness, the closeness, the feelings of it all, she wanted him right then and there. He looked beautiful in the natural, morning light, as if kissed by a thousand suns, perfectly crafted. She breaks the kiss briefly, snaking her hand fully into his boxers now to give him a few gentle strokes.
“No foreplay, okay? I want you inside, now.” She demands, connecting their lips again in a fervent kiss.
Keanu only nods, letting out a shaky breath at the way her fingers work his length, preparing him. Reciprocating, he slides her panties aside, rubbing up and down the folded seams of her cunt, her wetness coating his fingers instantly. His touch is pure liberation, but not nearly enough. She needed all of him.
Reaching over to the bedside table, he pulls out a condom.
She bites her lip in anticipation, watching him tear the silver packing, guiding it onto himself in a swift stroke. His cock is inches away from her, she aches wanting it. He pats his upper thigh, urging her to move onto him. “Come, sweetheart.” He communicates, holding the base of his cock steady as she lifts herself up, lining up with his length.
Sinking onto him, they both sigh in relief, a soft moan escapes Y/N lips at the feel of him fully inside her, hitting her end perfectly. The pressure of her body reducing on him paired with his generous length, could be described as a bliss of its own. Her body practically melts against his, their movements becoming one. He effortlessly glides in and out, their releases sidling down, coating her thighs already.
“Fuck, honey.” He breaths, pumping up into her as he watches her eyes clasp shut. She bites her bottom lip as short, shallow, gaspy moans tune out of her lips. He sets the pace, slow and sensual as they get used to each other, the sound of her wet slickness bobbing his cock flooding the room.
She grabs his hands, moving them to her hips, urging him to guide her. Beautifully, her breasts fall up and down, bouncing so effortlessly round and plump, the embodiment of femininity, the look of her sends his mind hazing with not just lust for her, but something so beautifully surreal. He wanted her not just physically in that moment, the connection they were sharing emotionally, lacked nonetheless.
“Ke…oh, fuck.” She lets out a low moan, unable to open her eyes to the feel of complete paradise taking her. “Ke, deeper, please.” She begs. He watches her hands slide over her chest as she fondles her breasts. His thrusts become deeper, and erratic as he pours himself all in, so intoxicated in making her feel good.
“That better, baby?” He asks, sucking in a sharp breath at the way she’s already begun to clench around him. She only nods in response, resting her hands on either of his shoulders now, as he thrusts up faster, picking up the pace. Slamming into her, the sound of his balls slapping against her core beat fast to the drizzle of the rain on the roof, both drumming incoherently.
She lets out a particularly loud moan as he angles his thrusts up higher, deeper, allowing her arms to wrap around his neck, clinging to him as his pumps become urgent. His cock throbs between her, fully buried with each thrust deep inside. His lips part as his jaw tenses, watching her meet him halfway with her bounces on his cock as he thrusts up.
“You feel…” he moans, “So fucking good, sweetheart.” His words cease as he lets out a groan when you clench around him harder, almost milking his orgasm out of him.
Whimpering, she finally opens her eyes to see him, beautiful, with a thin glisten of sweat on his forehead, twitching under her. He looked remarkably delightful in the moment, pleasing her. Moving his hair out of his face, she kisses his forehead, indulging in the moment, and his entirety.
This morning had made her feel an urge to shower him with love, it left her craving to make him feel better, no matter what it took. He was a good man. He deserved it. He deserved a whole lot.
He lets out shallow, breathy moans watching her move on top of him, nearing his edge. The bed creaks, loud and clear under the weight of their combined thrusts, she knew she wouldn’t hold off much longer.
“Come for me, baby.” He shudders, hand dipping between her thighs as he rubs her swollen nub, hearing her sob in pleasure, so close to completion.
His deep voice, paired with the feel of his girthy cock, each vein, each curve slamming against her, deep and profound, becomes too much. She lets out a wail, whimpering a moan as he brings her to climax. Burying her face in his neck for support, she practically collapses a top him, as he continues to thrust diligently. Her breasts cover his face, although, he can’t complain.
With a final few rapid thrusts, Keanu comes to his end, shuddering, as he spills himself deep inside her, into the condom. He moans her name countless times, holding her close to his chest as he rides out his own high, thankful for her. She truly was a goddess in her own right.
Still buried inside her as she lays on his chest, they catch their breaths together, Keanu holding her close as he rubs circles on her back, collecting each other.
“You alright, Y/N?” His dolce voice asks, only earning a nod from her in response. She was quite literally, fucked speechless.
Moving off of him, Keanu falls flaccid out of her, his cock against his stomach. Discarding the condom into the trashcan beside the bed, he lays beside Y/N, as she curls herself back into his side, subsequent to pulling her panties back over her self.
He positions his arm under her head, as she tucks herself in to him again, resting a hand on his chest. “Fuck, that was good.” She smiles. “I could get used to waking up like that.”
Keanu shoots a warm smile back. “Me too, sweetheart.” They have a moment as they stare at each other, lost for a moment in each other’s gleaming orbs. Y/N swallows, before glancing down.
“I was actually thinking, Ke…” she taps his chest, holding her thought for a moment.
“Yeah?” he encourages, taking hold of her hand.
She bites her lip, before portraying. 
“I was thinking of getting on the pill. So we don’t have to use protection each time. It could, yenno. Feel better, for you.” She hesitates.
Keanu ponders for a moment. “Hey, you make me feel amazing regardless. It’s your body, your decision, sweetheart. I’m okay with using either method.” He speaks compassionately.
Y/N sits up slightly, leaning on her elbow. “It’s more effective as well, so there’s less chances of an accident happening. I’m thinking to talk to my doctor about it. I’ll have to take the pills daily on and off.” She explains.
“Whatever you please, Y/N. Infact, you didn’t even have to ask me.” He presses a kiss to her shoulder, before sitting up, placing his feet on the cold, wooden floor beneath them. “In the meantime, I’ll get breakfast started while you freshen up?” he proposes, collecting her shirt off the floor to give it to her.
She smiles, pulling the duvet to cover her bare chest. “Thank you.”
-
To the smell of freshly pressed espresso flooding the four walls, Y/N finds Keanu browsing her fridge, a look of muddle apparent on his features. She pads towards him, smiling. “Why do you look so confused?” she giggles.
“Why is your fridge practically empty?” He questions, closing it shut. “Do you not eat anything?”
She takes hold of the cup he’s brewed for her, sipping in the earthy notes with a content sigh. “Haven’t went shopping recently. It’s alright, lets just order in.” She sits herself at the island counter, watching him sip on his mug as well.
The clock strikes 7:30am, and the rain outside only gets harder by the hour, gliding down the windows.
Keanu positions himself across the counter from her, placing his mug down. “What’s with this storm? It’s like it’s never gonna end.” He sighs, eyes glancing out.
“I kinda like it.” Y/N replies, smiling his way. “Nice n cozy. Plus you’re here today, which makes it cozier.” She chuckles, realizing she probably sounded incredibly dorky. Keanu only smiles back – for a moment, he feels this is completely natural. This felt so right. Being in her company, spending time with her, expect it felt…different today. Something was different.
Keanu coughs slightly, clearing his throat. Waving a nervous hand through his locks, he speaks. “Actually, Y/N, there was something I wanted to ask you too.”
She takes another drag from her cup, ears perking up. “Yeah?”
Keanu sits himself down across her, looking at her intently. From the peripherals of his eye, he can still see the falling rain through the window, cascading. It had a calmative affect for sure, allowing him the confidence he needed in this moment.
“There’s this event coming up, at this sorta, art museum gala thing.” He gestures, waving his hands, as he normally does when he expresses himself.
Y/N chuckles. “Oo, interesting. Are you about to ask me what you should wear? I though you have a stylist, Ke.” She giggles, opening her phone to check any missed calls.
“I do, Jeanne. She’s great…” Keanu stalls, watching Y/N casually browse her phone. “Y/N, I actually wanted to ask, if you wanted to accompany me. To the event?” he proposes, leaning on the counter.
Y/N pauses, eyes shooting up. Had Keanu just asked her to make…a public appearance? With him?
“It doesn’t even have to be as my date, typa thing. Just two friends going to an event together.” He nervously reiterates. When Y/N doesn’t respond, he feels himself spill a ramble. “You know how much I don’t really like going out, I just thought if you were there it would be a bit easier to endure…”
When she still stares at him, astonished, he asks. “Y/N?”
He couldn’t be serious. What would even make such a thought cross his mind?
Y/N shakes her head, confused. “Keanu, you know that’s not a good idea.” She states. “The second the media sees a girl with you at a gala, they’re automatically going to assume there’s something going on between us.” She sighs.
Keanu lets out a huffy chuckle, running another hand through his hair. “But…Y/N, technically…isn’t there?” he clears. “I know we’re not, you know. Romantically linked, but we’re still something, right?”
Y/N’s brows furrow. What did he mean?
Clasping her hands together, she speaks. “Yeah, lets tell the world that we’re fuck buddies, huh? That’ll be a great headline. Keanu Reeves Brings His Late Night Booty Call to Gala. That’ll be awesome, right?” She huffs, suddenly getting defensive.
“Y/N, you know that’s not what I meant.” He sighs, disappointed she’d taken it the wrong way.
They had touched almost what seemed as the tip of an ice berg. Things were beginning to get laid out on the table in front of them, the first acknowledgment of the reality of their relationship. It was all meant to come out eventually, it was bound to in fact. Perhaps, after the rather beautiful morning they had woken up to, the timing wasn’t ideal.
Y/N stays calm. “Keanu, why do we need to do all this extra stuff in between? Why can’t we just quite literally be friends with benefits? Like all other people who have a friends with benefits? Why do you need me to come to galas with you, or go on restaurant dates, or motorcycle rides, or any of it?” She says a bit louder than intended. “Isn’t it enough that I let you fuck me whenever you please? Can we please not be something that we aren’t?” She complaints, huffing.
Keanu’s frown turns into disappointment, or perhaps a mixture of hurt, maybe the slightest pinch of anger. She was clearly blowing it out of proportion.
“Fuck you whenever I please? As far a I’m aware, Y/N, I’ve never forced myself on you, or done anything you didn’t want. Way to make me sound like a fucking pig there.” He raises his voice a little, but remains collected.
Y/N becomes slightly annoyed, raising off the chair now. “That’s not what I meant, okay?”
Keanu walks towards her, towering over. “I meant as just friends, Y/N. Really good friends. Which if I’m not mistaken, I thought we are.” They stare each other in the eyes. Keanu feels a sudden burst of confidence, reeling to get some thoughts off this chest. “While we’re on the topic actually, Y/N…what…what are…” he ceases mid sentence.
“Honestly, forget it. Forget I said anything.” He turns his gaze towards his coat, which has stayed draped over the couch all night. “Call me when you want to ‘fuck’. Because apparently that’s all we’re good for anyway.” He says under his breath, barely audible, trekking to the door.
Y/N throws her hands up in defeat, disappointed she may have completely ruined the morning. “Keanu, wait.”
He stops by the door, shrugging his coat on. “No, it’s alright, Y/N. I get it, you’re right. We are what we are. You’re completely valid for not wanting to be more.” His eyes have grown sad, although he fakes a smile. “I’ll see you later, then? Maybe next week.” He opens the door, letting himself out.
“Keanu, you don’t have to go.”
He nods his head in return. “No, I have some work to finish at the Arch office today. I’ll see you around.”
I’ll see you around.
They really had come full circle. Just a week prior, Y/N had told him she’d “See him around,” leaving him completely uneasy. And now, a week later, she had been placed on the receiving end of that sentence, realizing the complete feel of uneasiness it truly brought. She had fucked up a little. Visibly.
“Oh, alright. See you around.” She responds, holding the door frame with a glint of sadness in her eyes.
Once again, the words that need to be spoken, go untouched. They’ve been pierced at, nonetheless, but remain positively untouched.
She knew she wanted more with him. She really did. But this was the Keanu Reeves. A man who was notoriously known for being a lone wolf, for having trouble committing to long term relationships. He could have any woman he wanted.
He saw her as just a really good friend, and he was just incredibly kind by nature. He didn’t want what she might have wanted with him, and before he could channel that rejection onto her, she declined him any opportunity she got.
The mind works in some real troublesome ways.
He gives her a final smile, before walking down the hallway.
She had really fucked up the morning. & Perhaps, their relationship.
Maybe the pitter patter of the rain, 
had only been the start.
➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴
>>Chapter 7>>
I promise promise promise next chapter will be a lot better put together!
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184 notes · View notes
hadestownmodern · 4 years
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The Fight (3/?)
My favorite moments are when Annika texts me and says “hey did you ever post that one fic?” and the answer is usually either no or oh, I forgot I even wrote that.
-that’s the content you’ll get after the fight. For now, enjoy. I promise a soft resolution is in your future.
-Danielle
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Persephone is quiet.
              Uncharacteristically so; she carries the weight of Orpheus’s departure the night before heavily on her chest. She hadn’t said much to Hades upon their return home, needing time to process what had happened much in the way Orpheus had.
              Eurydice had been different.
              She’d thought it from the beginning, that first day of the year when she’d stumbled into her classroom just a minute late and looking frazzled-slightly unkempt. She’d sat in the front row and immediately began following right along, keeping pace without the age-old excuses and what have I missed. She’d hopped in on their first debate; a warm-up, an introduction to the material they’d be discussing throughout the year. Persephone knew the short girl with the cropped haircut was different when she volleyed back not only opinions, but fact-based ideas. She’d impressed her from the beginning.
              And then she’d become a sort of friend.
              She’d sit with Persephone after class when she could, talking little details of her life. She had three jobs. She had no family. She lived alone, but she was contented with things for what they were worth. The more they talked, the more Persephone admired her character; quick-witted, intelligent, and more mature than the other kids in her classes. This girl with no family had become a constant in her life, a presence she’d looked forward to seeing.
              She’s not sure she wants to see Eurydice again.
              She carries the memories of those times-just she and Eurydice talking, laughing. Eurydice had talked so sweetly about Orpheus, too-in the beginning she’d let off a smile almost shy in nature, something Persephone never thought she’d see on the girl with the tough exterior. With Orpheus she was soft-hearted, gentle. He spoke countless monologues to Persephone of how much she meant to him-he still does.
              Persephone settles herself into class with the same sort of dissatisfaction she’d had the day before; Eurydice is in this lecture too, making the avoidance that much more difficult. A piece of her heart had twisted when she’d been so cold yesterday, but the separation between Eurydice as a friend and Eurydice as the girl who’d made her son cry had kept itself clear in her mind. As much as she loves Eurydice, the boundary of trust had been broken.
              She thinks of Calliope-young, like Eurydice. Headstrong like Eurydice. The unmentionable thought crosses her mind and she wishes she hadn’t thought about it at all-what if she decides to be just like Calliope? Persephone knows that they’d would be able to handle it-this time even better than before with the experience under their belts. Orpheus, however…there’s love at stake in this scenario, and his heart had shattered at the thought of one night away from Eurydice. She’s not sure he would be able to make it through much else without breaking completely.
              The clock ticks away and Persephone avoids starting the discussion; Eurydice’s usual seat-front row, right next to the door-is empty. Five minutes pass from the start of class, then ten, and she still hasn’t shown. Persephone struggles through writing her notes on the board, on answering questions that feel pointless within the scope of the situation at hand. Eurydice, firm in her determination to make a life for herself, had never missed a class before. Even while sick or exhausted from long shifts at work she’d come in, spend her breaks taking short naps on the small couch in Persephone’s office. Absence had never been an option.
              Her mind wanders to the conversation she’d had with Orpheus the night before; Orpheus, who had been so brokenhearted, still defending her without a second thought. While it killed her to see him so upset, his unwavering optimism brought her conflict she could not seem to shake. Eurydice had brought him lower than she’d ever seen him. She’d made him a mess and then hadn’t come home. She’d worried him sick, and yet he still said not one bad word about her.
              Eurydice stuck in her mind, too.
              Eurydice, who’s more to her than just an extension of Orpheus. She’d been her friend first-her favorite student-someone she’d felt the unshakable drive to nurture, to protect. Eurydice had first been the girl who’d spend time with her after class, the girl from the broken home, the girl who thanked her for seeing her as more than just someone to pity. She valued Eurydice. She still does.
              Persephone ends class with half an hour to spare, barely remembering the lecture she’d set out to teach. The students seem relieved as they go, scribbling down last minute details from the board before packing up and thanking her for the extra time. The sound of their appreciation is just muttering to her ears. Preoccupied, she packs up and quickly returns home-there’s only an hour until Junie is done at school, only an hour of privacy. On a typical day, she’d swing by and grab her early. Today, she needs the extra moment of clear headspace.
              Returning home she can hear Hades shuffling around in the office, an unusual occurrence for a weekday afternoon. She’d left him in there this morning with a fresh cup of black coffee and a kiss on his cheek, expecting a late night. He chose typically to work at his own high-rise office, where the distractions of being home aren’t a temptation. She tosses her keys in the bowl by the door, hangs her coat and calls his name. He answers with a muttered ‘in here’ and she can’t help but laugh to herself as she makes her way to the door.
              He’s slightly hunched over a stack of documents, written on with his frighteningly neat lettering in sharp black pen. There’s a discarded stack in the corner, marked up with red ink and notes she’s sure he’d made with his same sort of concentrated grumbling. Thankful for the distraction, Persephone wraps her arms gently around him from behind, resting her hands on his chest and her head on his shoulder.
              “What are you working on?” Hades sighs at the contact, leans back against her and pinches the bridge of his nose tiredly. With half of a grunt, he brings a stapled stack of papers to her hands. Reading the title she moves away from him, breezing through the pages with a wide-eyed look of horror.
              “What happened?” She paces briskly, unable to settle her body as she scans line after line of legal jargon written up neatly. “What the hell happened in the four hour block of time I was working? Is this why she wasn’t in class today?”
              Persephone holds the papers up with thin-lined lips and an angry brow, reading and re-reading. The word custody sticks out like a knife to the heart.
              “She’s really going to try and take this baby away from him? I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it. I don’t believe that she would try to…to…to swindle him like that. She’s not that kind of person. She wouldn’t do this to him. Who in their right minds has the fucking nerve to even try to,”
              “-Seph,” He has to repeat her name several times before she can hear him through her ranting, face growing red as the stapled papers rustle with the violent wave of her hands. “Seph, sit down.”
              “I’m not sitting down!”
              “Then just listen.” He sighs, running a hand through his hair. She stands next to the window, looking down at the street below. Her body slows with her breath as she concentrates, attempting to pull herself back from the dizzying anger. He leans back in his chair, folds his hands over his lap. “This is just a precaution.”
              “Why?”
              “She chose to run away, Persephone. She chose to run instead of talking it out. One bad thing and she was gone. She’s not us, love. She’s young, she lacks life experience…She’s headstrong and she refuses help. I don’t trust it. And when she does decide to run there’s a child involved. I’m not letting her take that child away from our son.”
He turns his attention back to the computer, back to the task at hand. Persephone lowers herself onto his lap, watching. He’s scrolling through files-her files. The more he reads the slower he scrolls, lips moving silently, Persephone pressing herself against him again. He can feel the hitch of her breath in her throat, her arms tightening around him. It’s a difficult read, even for a seasoned veteran in court. He’d become so used to representing wealthy businesses that he’d forgotten what it was like on this side, the side where Eurydice had spent most of her childhood testifying against foster parents who had failed her, against the father who willingly gave her up. She’d testified for herself, for the right to leave the system that had made her life a living hell of bouncing from one terrible home to another.
              There’d been hope in the first one, a hope that must’ve stung as the family moved away without her, chose a warmer climate over the child they’d sworn to give their love. He wonders briefly what they must have told her, only eight years old and living with them for a full year. He wonders briefly, and then Persephone ducks her head against his chest.
              “I can’t read it anymore,” He switches tasks while she moves herself to his lap, venturing into records which hold her address. Even Hades, hardened by the protection of his son, startles with the new information.
              “She didn’t come to class?” Persephone shakes her head against him. “Has Orpheus heard from Eurydice today?”
              Sensing the sudden urgency in her husband’s tone of voice, she casts a glance at the screen. She immediately knows the street name, the neighborhood clear in her mind. While she hadn’t grown up in the city as Hades had, college had taught her many things. One of those things was that the neighborhood address next to Eurydice’s name often spelled bad news; violence, an underground drug system, and a heavy rotation of cop cars and ambulances. Panic seeps through her, beginning in a light tingling of her fingers and toes, the mask of her face.
              Her mind begins recreating the scenarios she’d read about while in school.
              In each one of the scenarios, Eurydice is dead.
              She’s unaware of the phone being pulled from her hand until Hades brings her back to his lap, words of comfort attempting to quell each of the horrific scenes from her head. Persephone vividly recalls the way she’d acted in class the day before, how she’d shut her down so vehemently, so angrily. She’d been in pain-whether from the baby growing against her tiny frame or Persephone’s cold shoulder-and the responsibility of it all comes in crushing force.
              “I abandoned her.” She chokes out the words in a breathless realization. “I’m no better than her father-than those people…I’m no better than Calliope.”
              “Don’t say that.”              
              “What if she’s dead, Hades? You know that neighborhood.”
              “She’s not dead. She’s not dead, and she chose to leave. You chose to protect our son, that does not make you like Calliope. That makes you a mother. His mother, not hers.”
              “I have to call him.” She takes the phone back, but not before Hades can switch it over to speaker. They only have to wait one ring. Orpheus lets out a melancholy greeting over the sound of running water and clinking dishware. For a moment, Persephone isn’t sure what to say-how to broach the subject without coming off too strong. Then, the horrific images flash through her mind again; Eurydice, with her apartment broken into. Eurydice fighting. Eurydice, pregnant and defending herself alone-Eurydice losing.
              “Have you heard from her today?”
              “Not yet.”
              “Okay.” She repeats the word a few times, mulling over reality in her head. Things are fuzzy in a world where she longs to do nothing more than protect Orpheus, where Eurydice had been her friend first and the concept of custody moves in and out with armed robberies and gun fights. She leans forward again, re-reading the address on the screen. “I need you to go to her apartment then.”
              “She needs time, I want to give her what she needs. I miss her but…do you really think it’s a good idea?”
              “Orpheus, she didn’t come to class today.”
              “She didn’t have work-she didn’t have anything, I don’t think. But she wouldn’t just skip, that’s not her. You know her.”
              “Orpheus, go.”
              “I don’t-I don’t know where she lives.”
              “Okay.” Persephone sighs, Hades taking the phone from her hands. In all of the madness, it doesn’t shock Persephone that Orpheus had gone this long without knowing. Eurydice is receptive-intuitive. She’s sure she predicted the response that is currently happening, Orpheus’s hurried running around the apartment a surefire sign of panic.
              “She’s dead, isn’t she.”
              “She’s not dead, why are you both just assuming that she died? It’s okay, Orpheus. Just follow our directions and keep breathing.” He does so dutifully, narrating his hop from stop to stop on the subway just enough for Persephone to gather a clear mental picture of where he is.
              Orpheus speaks to soothe himself in the way he has since he was a boy; repeating small mantras over and over, talking through the situation at hand. Young Orpheus had repeated well wishes on spelling tests, had mumbled to himself during little league tee ball. Now, he repeats one phrase over out loud, hitting Persephone’s heart with his anxious, cracking voice each time.
              She’s alright. We’re alright. Eurydice’s okay.
37 notes · View notes
shardminds · 4 years
Text
fortune favours the brave
pairing: emma swan/killian jones rated: m (for language & depiction of injury & just to be safe) wc: 5189 pacific rim!au
She passes the pseudo-drift but Killian can’t quite meet her eyes afterwards and Emma catches herself wondering, with clenched fists, if it’s all worth it.
just a warning, this is an open-ended work, meaning the ending is up to your own interpretation and i most likely will not be writing anything else to clarify... unless i decide to have another crack at this au down the line and completely rewrite the whole thing but i am a lazy bitch above all else with too many things to do so please don't get your hopes up!
my initial tag for this was "dealing with the weight of a neurological bond that reveals a lot more about yourself than you’d like." but ao3 said it was too long
this was intended as a birthday present to myself but it's 12 days late and i won't apologise.
also available on ao3 ♠
@artistic-writer is my saviour and i love her.
As soon as the pincer hits her spine, the simulation is over. Quicker than death could ever have captured her, quicker than the pain she was expecting in her lower back, quicker than blinking past a fallen beast and thinking it long past dead. If it were real, she wouldn’t have to deal with the disappointment of her superiors as they marked another tally in the opposite column of their tablets.
Kaiju: 3, Swan: 0.
Pixels dissipate into the air, audios and visuals power down as the relay gel leaks from her display, Killian sighs over the comms and the four walls of the training centre scream failure. Unclasping the plug at her neck, she collapses to the floor. Defeated.
“If your intention was to get paralysed, love, congratulations.” He’s exasperated, words clipped, and she knows he’s probably running his hand through his hair in that way he does or rolling his eyes or praying for this to be over. She can picture it so well because she’s been there, supervising rangers through the same process. That had been her job, her safe space. Then Marshal Mills had coerced her into a compatibility trial with the promise of a bigger bunk and a night off with the last bottle of bourbon on deck. Suddenly, nowhere was safe anymore. “It’s just a simple test,” she’d said, rolling her eyes at Emma’s reluctance to even try. “What harm can it do?”
If he catches the curses under her breath as she stands, he doesn’t let on.
Killian had managed to pass her simulated drift space on the second attempt—eviscerating a CAT 3 with ease and ignoring the distractions along the way. He didn’t talk about what stopped him the first time. Neither did she.
She was not so lucky, struggling not to forget herself in the memories of his past. Each step deeper into the consciousness he’d moulded dragged her further away from the task at hand. Each step closer to finding out what keeps Killian Jones awake at night is a step away from truly knowing him. She felt it all. His pain, grief and loss coming in overwhelming waves, only serving to intensify her own. Each time she failed, she understood him a little bit better and lost herself a little bit more.
Robin said it’s the trauma that helps their compatibility and the resilience in light of such pain. Will said it’s because they’re both insufferable cunts.
You can’t choose your drift partner.
“Again.” Adjusting the helmet slightly, she pulls up her vitals on the inner screen. BP a little high, heart rate too, brainwaves stable. Good enough. If she could just get past the random-access brain impulse triggers, the lure of Killian’s fabricated conflicts, she’d be showering the fabricated city in fabricated Kaiju Blue.
(Of course, she’d never really do that. Regina doesn’t need a reason to resent her.)
“Swan, take five.” The comm in her inner ear buzzes. Killian, again. There’s a tension to his tone, as if he could snap at a moment's notice. It’s not easy, having someone else inside your head—even when it’s not real. It’s worse when every inch of it is projected in agonisingly high definition to your commanding officers. Emma’s been living through his trauma while he’s been forced to watch it back, time and time again. She’ll get it next time.
Next time.
Always next time.
“No, count me down.”
“Swan—”
“My vitals are fine! No bleeds, no dizziness, motor function all good.” The CNS link connects to the back of her neck with a twist of her wrist and a dull click. Power vibrates through the plug suit, humming like the anticipation Emma can feel beneath her own skin. “One more try, I’m almost there.”
There’s no response from Killian. No quip or complaint. He’s silent as Emma closes her eyes and opens them to the darkness of the drift. The next voice she hears is Robin’s.
“Five.”
Her world is blue. Warped. Memories zipping past her that she does and doesn’t remember. Emma recognises one woman’s face from her previous pseudo-drifts. She has a name somewhere.
“Four.”
The woman walks off to some kind of middle distance, between nothing and nowhere. She indicates for Emma to follow with the crook of her finger and a smile.
“Three.”
It’s not Emma she’s seeing.
“Stop chasing it, Emma. Two.”
Taking a breath, Emma wills away the apparition, tuning in to the pounding of her own heartbeat and that of someone else’s — Killian’s, strong and steady. It grounds her.
“Prepare for Neural Handshake.”
When the Kaiju pincer swings for her, she slices it clean off.
She passes the pseudo-drift but Killian can’t quite meet her eyes afterwards and Emma catches herself wondering, with clenched fists, if it’s all worth it.
//
A CAT 3 and two CAT 2’s attack what’s left of San Francisco a week later in the largest triple event in recorded history and yes, it’s definitely worth it.
Ruby and Graham are deployed in Lone Wolf, along with two Jaegers from Alaska. The fight, like all fights, is raw and too close. Always too close. They return half a day later, lucky to have made it out with their lives. The bags under Jefferson’s eyes carry the weight of the world as he reports back to the bridge with the news.
They’ll never pilot again.
Killian finds her later, sat atop Frozen Serenity with a half-empty hip flask and a cigarette. He doesn’t question her or the tears she wears. He holds her, one arm wrapping around Emma’s shoulders, pulling her into his chest. It’s too close, too much but not enough. It’s times like this—times of wordless understanding—that she’s glad of the bond they supposedly have.
Thankfully, he doesn’t waste his words with reassurance. Regina had spent the last thirty minutes on the comms for everyone to hear. The threat was eliminated; victory, but at what cost? Ruby and Graham had been wheeled in on gurneys, surrounded by medics and techs and escorted directly to isolation. Their Jaeger followed shortly after, complete with thick gashes to its middle and a viciously pierced conn-pod leaking rivulets of coolant and Kaiju blood. It didn’t take Emma long to see why they’d ushered the pilots away.
Sneaking off had been a non-issue.
“Next time,” The warmth of his body offers only slight comfort from the chill of the hangar but she’s grateful for it. “It’ll be us.”
“We might not even drift yet. The simulation is nothing like the real thing.” The lump in her throat has her choking around the words. The fragility of it all should frighten her, but it doesn’t. She’s not scared. There’s no time for fear.
“We will.”
“How do you know?”
“It’s called trust.” When he smiles, sad but hopeful, the tears come again.
It’s all worth it, even if she loses herself in the process.
//
Jolly Roger, a Mark 3 with a history of fallen pilots, had been in pretty bad shape when Emma had seen it come through the east coast bunker a year ago. With a compromised pod and basically no left side, it was a mess.
Will had already sized the wreck up for parts before it’d even docked in the hangar.
“There’s no way it’ll run again. Core to Wolf, pod fixed up for Snow’s Mark 4, shocks to whoever needs them most and the rest for scraps and refurbs.” He’d said, around a mouthful of instant mac and cheese. Emma rolled her eyes, grabbing a bite of her own meagre rations. “Bet as much as you want, you know I’m right.”
After six months, when Marshal Mills announced they needed a co-pilot for Jolly, Emma collected her prize with a smile and a disgruntled “Fuck off.” from the mechanic.
Seeing it now, all shiny and new, with a fresh core, updated weapon systems and a slick paint job was like looking at a different machine entirely. Killian has the same awestruck glaze to his expression that she has.
He says something under his breath that sounds like “I missed you.”
//
Three days later, atop the bunker looking out at the wasteland the eastern seaboard has become, Killian finds her again. The horizon is permanently tinged green these days, thick with smog rising from the polluted city that used to be Boston. It’s something else now, something new entirely. New York had really done a number on the east coast.
“So,” he starts, a six pack in his good hand and a thick file—her file—in his mechanical one. “It seems that the fate of the earth relies on us getting intimate, love.”
Emma shrugs his comment off with an eye roll. “In your dreams.”
“In my dreams, we wouldn’t be drinking this backwash,” she catches the bundle of cans as it falls to her lap and pulls two free of the casing. Killian slumps down beside her, a welcome warmth against her side. He’s always warm. “And you’d be wearing a lot less.”
“Pervert.” Her cheeks flush from the windchill and not because of the wink he sends her way as he takes a can from her lap.
He shrugs, gulping back his beer. “I’ve been called a lot worse.”
“Why does that not surprise me?”
“I doubt anything could, lass.”
He reads in relative silence, which Emma appreciates, only pausing to ask questions at the redacted statements in her story. There’s no point in hiding anything from him now—soon, he’ll see it all. There’s something about Killian Jones that she trusts and she’s not exactly sure why.
“You were there? In New York?” He thumbs the report sheet, filled with more censoring than words. She doesn’t remember much of it; being eighteen, the toils of pregnancy, wrongful imprisonment, the first Kaiju attack on the east coast, holding her child to her chest as the walls crumbled. The memories are all so distant, it almost feels like someone else lived them.
Emma nods. “Unfortunately.”
Killian doesn’t push for the details; all the relevant ones are written on the sheet he’s holding. How they’d found her bleeding beneath rubble and dust, clutching the bundle of blankets and the body within. There hadn’t been time for a funeral.
She’s shaking when he takes her hand.
“It was my first deployment. On a CAT 4, no less.” He traces circles around her knuckles as if they’re anything but strangers. She doesn’t have it in her heart to stop him. “Cataclysm, they called it. The ugliest bloody thing I’d ever seen. Liam, the comedian he is—was, spent the whole fight calling it all kinds of names as we tore it to pieces bit by bit.” He takes another sip of his can, eyes locked on the horizon. “I felt him die that day.”
His thumb doesn't stop tracing its pattern, but she grips his hand tighter—part shock, part understanding.
“Jewel never stood a chance. The emp left us wide open and the blasted thing used its last breath to launch at the conn-pod and—”
“You don’t have to, Killian.” She whispers, beer forgotten at their feet. “You don’t have to relive it.”
“But I do. Every time I step foot in the hangar, I relive it. Every time I drift, or spar or train. Every time I look in the mirror I see his face staring back at me.” He sighs, letting his posture slip further. He’s no longer a Ranger. He’s a lost boy. The grief he carries, the guilt, is something she recognises. “I miss him, Emma, and there’s nothing I can do about that.”
Wind blows, alarms ring, sun filters through the murky atmosphere and casts them both in its golden glow and Emma Swan pulls him in for a hug.
He stiffens in her embrace before leaning into it, letting the tension dissipate beneath her touch. It’s intimate in a way that doesn’t need words and her breath catches at the sight of a teardrop on his cheek.
Putting space between them again is hard, but necessary.
“I know you’ve probably heard this a thousand times, but you better be prepared to hear it a thousand more. It’s not your fault. It was never your fault. It will never be your fault. We’re Rangers. We’re disposable. The world is ending and we’re the first line of defence. If we fall—” He’s watching her so intently, hanging on her every word.
There’s no way to soften the blow of a death sentence.
“We’re going to die in a Jaeger, Killian, that much is inevitable. We won’t grow old. We won’t pass in our sleep. We’ll go screaming at the hands of a Kaiju and, I don’t know about you, but I plan on taking a fair share of those fuckers with me in the process.”
A nod.
A squeeze.
A gulp.
He’s still holding her hand when they return to the artificial warmth of the hangar.
//
He used to drink black coffee, dark and bitter. She hates it, preferring sweetness over caffeination in her warm beverages but getting her own would require a trip to the cafeteria earlier than she’d like to be awake. A few seconds of grimacing over the taste is worth it for the extra half hour of sleep. Killian’s an early riser—of course, he is. It’s a wonder they’re compatible at all.
Killian initially tried to put up a fight over it, hold it out of her reach like kids on the playground or finish it off before Emma could even think of crawling out of her quarters, but she wore him down, little by little.
They’re working on Jolly with Will when she takes a sip, stealing the travel mug from his hand and already half wincing for the unsweetened assault. When surprisingly palatable coffee hits her tongue, she almost chokes. It’s not half bad; no acrid punch of burnt grounds, no grainy aftertaste. Instead, it’s sweet. Creamy. Not what she was expecting at all.
“What’s this?” She takes a sniff at the lid incredulously. Is that… syrup?
“According to Ms Lucas, this is what poses as a caramel latte these days. Filled to the brim with sugar, spice and all things nice, just how you like it.” Will hands him a tablet, outlining the Jaeger’s current specifications. Emma understands enough of it to get by—she’s more attuned to reading neural charts, not the gibberish the engineers put out—but Killian revels in the details. He doesn’t even look her way as he speaks, fully engrossed in the graphs, comparisons and visuals. It also means he doesn’t notice Emma eyeing up how good he looks with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a grease stain on his left cheek. Just the right amount of dishevelled. “Is there any way we can drop a few tonnes to help increase speed and manoeuvrability?”
Will peers at the tablet, overseeing the stats with a critical eye. “No, mate. Not without losing vital armouring.”
“What about swapping out the nuclear core?” Killian hums, swiping to the next screen.
“Don’t be daft, Killian. It’s brand new.”
“The arc-whip?”
“I’m gonna cut in and say no on that one.” Emma interjects, surprised that she even managed to drag her attention away from the warm, sweet beverage in her hands or the enigma of a man that let her take it. The arc-whip is her preferred weapon—combining both distance and close combat, great for the CAT 2’s and smaller CAT 3’s that like to stay just out of reach or dragging back the larger beasts from getting further inland. She’s the one that suggested it be added to Jolly’s arsenal in the first place.
“Come on, love.” Handing her the tablet and tapping a few menus, Killian points out Jolly’s stats without it. Their speed would be improved and their power longevity, but they’d be sacrificing their range completely. “Having an arc-whip and a plasma cannon is overkill.”
The mechanic chuckles, coming to her other side and throwing an arm around their shoulders. “Technically, the plasma cannon is overkill anyway. Massive power drain.”
“Don’t you start.” Killian bats his arm away and Will cocks an eyebrow in challenge.
“Just because I’m right.”
Before either of them can respond, the hangar shudders as alarms blare. The alarm they all dread.
The Breach.
//
The CAT 2—Axefury—with armour piercing spines and nasty blade-like mandibles, emerges just off the coast of Florida, stalking towards the shore.
Frozen Serenity is deployed, piloted by sisters Anna and Elsa.
The fight takes an hour.
Killian brings her another coffee as they watch the battle from the command centre. He doesn’t say a word, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as she tenses against the cold realisation.
It could’ve been them.
Next time, it will be.
//
When he knocks her on her ass, straddling her waist with his sparring staff pressed to her throat, Killian’s eyes are the bluest she’s ever seen, and it takes her a second to remember where they are. He smirks, allowing her space to breathe while keeping her thoroughly pinned down.
“Normally, I’d prefer to do other more enjoyable activities with a woman on her back.” With a voice like that, velvet and grit, Emma’s not sure if she wants to push him away or pull him closer. The watchful eye of Marshal Mills keeps her straight. The last thing anyone needs is a show. She struggles just enough to make him cocky before retaliating, using his own weight against him.
In a heartbeat, he’s the one on his back, head caught in a lock between Emma’s thighs. In the time it takes for him to realise what’s going on, eyes widening as he realises where he is, it’s too late. His weapon clatters to the edge of the crash mat, useless.
“For future reference,” She pants, squeezing her legs tighter until Killian taps out against the floor. “I prefer to be on top.”
He laughs and, despite the patrol alarm blaring down the hall and Regina’s eye roll, the world feels a little lighter.
//
When they drift in Jolly for the first time, the phantom woman from the pseudo-drift is nowhere to be seen. There’s a blip where Killian gets caught up in visions of destruction and earthquakes and rivers of blue eroding the streets of New York, but just as Emma feels the echoes of her memories in his mind, they’re gone. He’s in her head. An uncomfortable yet reassuring presence that she never thought she’d be able to endure again.
“Neural bridge initiated and holding strong. Well done, guys.” Robin chirps over the speakers, dragging them out of the initial drift space and back to their shared reality. She lifts her left arm as Killian lifts his right and they join the jaeger’s metallic palms in a salute that rumbles through the bowels of the hangar.
Cheers erupt from the comm lines as scientists and pilots and soldiers line the walkways and balconies to celebrate their achievement.
She can feel the haze of his irritation through the link.
“We’re another shot at hope for them.” Her uncalibrated right-hand takes his uncalibrated left wrist just above the brace of his prosthetic. He doesn’t flinch but his thoughts stutter, interlaced with images of her soft smile and memories of each time they’d sparred, each stolen hour on the rooftops, each close encounter, each moment that could’ve been an almost, or a maybe. Emma pauses just long enough to imagine What if?
She shakes them away. They owe each other that much.
“We’re a suicide mission.” He’s right and his voice buzzes in the back of her skull. If the comm deck picked up on his words, they don’t respond.
“Yeah,” she lets his arm fall back to his side, making sure her left side—the one that’s wired into the eight thousand tonne government-approved death machine—stays relatively still. “But it’s worth it.”
“Is it?”
She can’t tell the difference between his words and his thoughts right now.
Static crackles in the conn-pod before Robin’s voice calls out again. “Ready to take her for a spin?”
//
She kisses him, with trembling palms pressed to his chest. Because she wants to. Because she can. Because, more than anything else, she isn’t ready to die. Not now. He is slow to respond, one hand on her shoulder ready to put distance between them at a moment's notice, the other at her waist, pulling her closer. The corridor leading to their quarters is empty and, beneath the harsh light, he tastes like the coffee they’d shared for breakfast.
He doesn’t push her away. She’s grateful for that.
The absence of Killian in her head should be a relief but it isn’t. It feels… empty. The absence of a presence that had made itself at home. She’d worked with rangers for years, ever since the hangar took her in, learning the in’s and out’s of the neural bridge and working to better align pilots with an initial pseudo-drift before putting them through the real thing.
She’d never expected to like it.
It’s exhilarating.
The expiry date they have hanging over their heads is unavoidable now. They’re compatible, truly compatible, doubting that is no use to anyone and despite whatever lead them both to the corps, whatever it is she catches glimpses of when they drift, she trusts him.
Fingers still trembling and head thick with fog, Emma trusts him.
“That was—”
A mistake.
Long overdue.
A one-time thing.
Just the beginning.
“Worth it.”
//
“Emma—”
“Be quiet.”
She snakes a hand around his waist, using his surprise to yank him closer into the alcove, away from prying eyes. Their dark uniforms blend in the shadows. Chest to chest like this, Emma can barely catch her breath. The cold steel pipe against her back does nothing to dissuade the heat he’s putting out—seriously, how is he always warm? It’s impossible to avoid his gaze either, the intensity of it only magnified with their proximity.
There’s questions there—so many questions—but he doesn’t have to ask them. She knows.
Killian’s tongue darts out to wet his lips.
She knows.
David and Snow walk past none the wiser, caught up in a discussion about something or other. Emma can’t focus enough to listen in, too distracted by everything in her body that screams for her to pull Killian closer and slam their mouths together until they forget about the rest. She holds her breath until the other rangers round the corner at the end of the hall.
“Mills hasn’t cleared Humbert or Lucas for visitation. We���ll be turned away.” Killian whispers, mouth so close to her ear that she can feel his words better than hearing them. His cheek catches hers as he pulls back but he doesn’t get far, her hand still pressed to his side, holding him in place. His brows raise in surprise.
Her palm tingles against the empty air when she lets go.
“Let me do the talking.”
He nods, following as she exits into the corridor, only a half-step behind.
//
They don’t have clearance. The med bay doors beep dejectedly as Emma’s ID card fails to pass the security check. Will had promised it would work, he’d sworn. Either he lied, already ratted them out to the Marshal or—
Victor Whale.
“Mills already has her reports delivered to her directly every hour,” he sighs, tugging off his gloves, surgical mask and running a free hand through his hair. Emma can see the dark roots coming through. There’s no market for salon-quality peroxide at the end of the world, apparently. “With the intention of alleviating the need for rangers like yourselves to check in. Can’t you go be annoying somewhere else? I don’t have time to file insubordination paperwork, I’m already understaffed.”
Killian reaches out, pleading, his eyes wide and blue and honest. He grabs the doctor’s forearm with his mechanical hand.
“Please, mate. Just five minutes.”
Whale’s brow furrows focused on the prosthetic gripping his arm. The fear of disciplinary action outweighs a lot of things in the hangar.
//
She’s pale, too pale, and riddled with tubes and drips and monitors that beep along with the pace of her heart. The burns, blistered and seeping, are tinged blue with the toxic sludge that courses through Kaiju veins. Blue burns, as they’re colloquially referred, aren’t uncommon. There are ointments and salves to calm the low-level contact burns and sprays to neutralise the toxins in the acid. What’s left of the governments have put extensive measures in place to ensure that stuff like this doesn’t happen to the general public.
They don’t seem to care for rangers.
As Ruby’s skin sloughs from the slightest friction of the sterile sheets, Emma can feel the first clutches of fear curl around her throat.
Corpselike. That’s the only word that comes to mind. Ruby, once so full of life, has never looked so… not, and Emma can’t help but fall into step with the ventilator that’s currently breathing for her as if somehow it makes a difference. The steady whirr of the machine only working to wind up the anxieties simmering beneath the surface of her skin.
Next time, it’ll be them.
Next time, it’ll be her.
Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.
“We’re having to keep her under.” Someone —Victor? — hums, ignoring them both to look over the digitised chart at the foot of her bed. “There’s a lot of irrevocable damage that we’re still looking into while repairing what we can externally.”
Inhale.
“What about Gra— Ranger Humbert?” Killian's hand hasn’t left hers since they entered and, for what it’s worth, she’s thankful for the anchor and the ever-present warmth he offers. His presence is grounding and his words reflect her thoughts when she can’t quite reach her own.
Exhale.
It’s too much.
Inhale.
“More of the same”
Exhale.
They never should’ve come
//
His lips taste of salt.
The inevitability of death.
It burns.
“I don’t want to lose this.” she pants, soft against Killian’s lips as he smiles and steals it away. Like the future they don’t have. That she so painfully wished they could have. “I—”
His kisses trail to her ear, each one as gentle as the last. Too soft, too delicate. It terrifies and excites her how something as small as a kiss can melt her resolve to nothing. Any shadow of doubt disappearing with each step they take closer to the inevitable. After everything that had happened, from sneaking into the med bay, drowning the images with the last of that damn bottle of bourbon that started all this and sparring until they were both bruised and beaten and breathless, sex had been the last thing on her mind. It had crept up on her, crept up on them both, and it was impossible to deny.
That first rooftop rendezvous, first spar, first kiss, all those weeks ago, had cemented this. She can see that now.
Closing what little distance there is left between them, Killian walks her backwards until her thighs bump against the solid table behind them. “You won’t, love. I’ve got you.”
Each touch, each glance, each gasp is another goodbye.
His prosthetic rests on her waist as his other makes light work of the fastenings of her uniform, and she urges him on with a moan. She’s thankful they made it back to his quarters. They won’t make it to the bed.
Emma searches for answers as he pulls off his shirt, praying something in his eyes will reassure her that this—whatever this is—is okay, that they’re not terrible people for finding something worth fighting for at the end of the earth, anything to provide even a modicum of hope that maybe, just maybe, they’ll survive just long enough to have a chance at finding out if it is. She clutches at his shoulders, with nails biting into his skin, and breathes.
She doesn’t find the answers. Instead, she finds herself.
Scared and afraid, clinging to the last comfort she has left.
Three words bloom, fade and crumble in her mind, as fragile as a leaf on the wind and, before she can even speak them, Killian nods.
“I know.”
Somewhere deep inside her chest, behind broken walls and the rubble of a past life, something long since broken, beats.
//
Emma wakes up to warmth. An all encompassing warmth surrounding her so completely, an aura of heat welding together the cracks that had once debilitated her heart. So familiar, and pure and yet so foreign at the same time.
Each beat of her heart echoed by a shadow.
Each exhale mirrored by that of another, a soft caress against her nape.
The solid and comforting press of a body—his body—against her back, bringing forth memories of the night previous so slowly, like a crack in a dam; first a drip and then a flood. The synchronicity. The passion. The mutual need to just Be.
The absence of all thought except one.
Life is just too fucking short.
As if summoned by her mental recollection, Killian’s arm wraps around her waist. His lips ghost against the skin of her shoulder blade and the kiss he presses to her neck brings a smile to her face.
“Good morning, Swan.” He purrs, voice gravelly and wrapped in sleep. Damn, if Emma had only known he sounded like that first thing sooner—
The thought catches her off guard.
It’s so… normal. Domestic.
She could get used to it. She wants to get used to it.
“Mor—”
The spell shatters. The facade peels away to reveal the truth and the bliss that had wrapped her up in its glow is gone. Reality hits.
The blood-curdling scream of the one alarm they pray will never ring.
The Breach.
Robin’s voice screeches out over the comms in a panicked shout, followed by the calm and commanding call of Marshal Mills. Her own name and rank is called, along with Killian’s. Emma’s blood runs cold when the realisation hits.
A CAT 5.
All units to report.
Approaching New York.
Killian doesn’t move for what seems like an eternity, lips still pressed to her skin in an everlasting kiss, as if time has somehow warped around this very moment, stretching seconds into minutes, hours. Allowing them a chance to come to terms with what must happen next.
Their fates were sealed the second they stepped foot in the hangar.
Emma wrapped in a hospital gown. Killian in a battered, blood-stained plug suit.
“It’s okay.” He whispers, already drowned out by the blaring siren that fills every corner of the room. Emma can’t tell if he’s saying it for her sake or his own.
When she turns to him, pulling herself upright in the process and letting the cold of his quarters seep into her bare chest, he’s smiling. It’s by no means her favourite smile—wide and full of laughter—but it’s something and, for some crazy reason, she believes in it.
She believes in them.
“Fortune favours the brave.”
  ////
tagging a few of y’all!  @thisonesatellite​ @teamhook​ @kmomof4​ @superchocovian​ @itsfabianadocarmo​ @thisonesatellite @darkcolinodonorgasm @carpedzem @hollyethecurious 
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kchuarts · 3 years
Text
Flowers in Blood
A/N: BRUH I’M A MACHINE. I CAN’T STOP WRITING AND I’M JUST AS EXCITED AHHHHHH. Yeah, I’ve got a nice creative flow going right now 
Summary: Pine has to live with the choice he made, what else could possibly go wrong!? 
Warnings: Mention of drug usage 
ALSO!! There is a transgender woman in here that is a bad guy, but please please please please do not read this as that as “I hate trans people”. I don’t hate trans people!!! I myself am non binary and just decided to add this type of character in because trans people don’t often get represented as frankly anything in any sort of way. So if you read it as a negative opinion, please understand that it is most definitely not!! Also, Pine is respectful of ALL women because trans women are women! <3 
Taglist: @lucywrites02​ 
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Chapter 6: Poppy p.ii
The familiar and welcoming ambience of London filled Pine's senses as he stepped off the train. He couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact that once he gave Angela the thumb drive, he would be back to smaller tasks. A sob took him out of his slightly dazed state as he saw Katie dashing out of his sight, an arm covering her face as she was undoubtedly crying. It was more than too late to apologize at this point and even if he did, Pine's apology wouldn't make a lick of sense. The first thing he would do after dropping the information off was to get wasted. Tonight seemed like a good enough time to choose alcohol as a means to drown out sorrows. Honestly, Jonathan was surprised at how he wasn't an alcoholic at this point. He reached into his pocket and pulled his pack of cigarettes out along with his lighter. Perhaps the nicotine helped to ease some of the pain. 
Having gone through his third stick, Jonathan flicked the butt into the trash and exhaled the remnants of smoke as he made his way to Angela's office. It was awfully quiet going in and something occurred to Pine making him wonder if perhaps Katie already reported in. No, if that were the case then he would have gotten a text of sorts. He already knew his ass would be chewed for not calling back or giving a text to signal they made it safely to London. Pine crossed his fingers that would be the only issue he would be given grief over and not how he treated Katie. 
Angela's lips pursed as she saw her best agent walk in, looking dejected. "What in the absolute FUCK happened?" 
Pine held up his hand, grimacing "I can explain everything-" 
The Director did not give him time to explain as she turned the TV on. A live news report was playing in an area nearby filled with fires and anti-government flags waving in the air. Of course some of  the flags had the Poppy flower emblazoned onto the fabric proudly. Angela turned the TV off and turned to face Pine. "So am I to suspect that something went wrong? Because this should not be happening and I should have received news of Abbadon's arrest prior to the riots! Instead, I don’t hear a peep and the woman still walks free!" She shook her head, looking disappointed in Jonathan. 
The agent took a deep breath in and sighed, placing the drive and note on his boss's desk. "It isn't Abbadon who is in charge. She shoved these in my pocket when we attended the gala. She is a single branch of something much bigger and told me to remember these names." He held up his hand, using his fingers to count them down. "Belladonna, Bloodroot, Daphne and Wisteria. We are already aware of Poppy and Wolfsbane. I am hoping what may possibly be on that thumb drive is all the information on the branches that we need to take them down." He placed his hand in his pants pocket and looked at the ground. Some part of him wished that Katie was here to tell of how clever she was at befriending Abbadon. Not only that but how she listened to her heart and managed to convince Pine that Abbadon was not who she said she was. That was her place to tell, not his. 
"Where is Katie?" Angela set the paper and drive down. Her brow became laced with motherly concern and eyes shimmered at Jonathan. "Pine. Where is she?" Her tone turned angry. She knew something was off the minute Jonathan walked in without his assigned partner and she didn't like it one bit. 
Pine shifted uncomfortably, "She's going back to the US. If she's smart enough, I think she's packing her bags right now." 
SLAM!! 
The impact of Angela's fists on her desk caused everyone in the room to jump. "Damn it, Pine!! What the fuck happened and what did you do!? I do not want any short, bullshit answers so you had better sit your ass down and start talking!! I'm gonna try to give her a call." She huffed at the tall man, fishing her phone from her purse. Her gaze snapped back at Jonathan who just stood there, struggling to find an excuse of sorts. "Well?! Go on then! Maybe I was right, you men are garbage." She noticed Rob look at her in shock and sighed loudly, "Ok you're not garbage, sweetheart. I'm talking about ones who won't fucking give me an answer on what the hell happened to Katelyn O'Connor!!" 
"ALRIGHT!! I GET IT!!" Jonathan shouted from pent up guilt. "I-I… I told her to leave because I am afraid to lose her. Having a constant physical reminder of Cameron O'Connor and what happened to him at my damn side can do a real number. The last fucking thing I wanted was to start feeling something for her, come to terms with the past, earn her trust and forgiveness, only to have her killed!!" His tears that had built up betrayed him by slipping down his sharp cheeks. Pine leaned against a wall and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "Angela, I can't lose her like I did Sophie. I had to lie through my teeth and call her a stupid rookie that lived in fantasy land! I had to make her think I hate her!" He walked over and placed his hands on Angela's desk. Tears dripped onto some of the paper work as they fell from his cheeks. "She is so smart though. She managed to prove me wrong about Abbadon and reveal who the real person in charge is. It's Abbadon's brother, Daniel. Without Katie, I don't know how I would have seen the truth otherwise." He finally grabbed a chair and sat down, crying softly into his hand. “I could never hate her which is exactly the reason why I am scared.” 
Rob stared in shock at Pine as he witnessed his friend break down. Never before had he seen Jonathan Pine so distraught and defeated. He wanted to say something to perhaps lighten the mood, but could think of nothing. 
Angela tossed her phone onto her desk and clicked her tongue. "Well, your asinine move probably worked considering she isn't answering my calls." She snatched the drive and paper, turning around to face her laptop and began tapping away. "You can go home now, Pine. I'll contact you when I've got something." She dismissed him, her tone cold. 
Taking note of Angela's now toxic mood, Jonathan got up and left, slamming the door behind him. It wasn't the Director he was mad at, but himself. No matter how hard he tried to justify what he did was for Katie's safety, it just didn't sit right. He did it because he is afraid to fall in love and lose her like he did Sophie. That awful night still remained fresh in his mind, even after 7 years. He lost Cameron but due to war and it made him sick thinking of how disappointed his late friend would be knowing how his sister was treated. At last, Pine reached the building and was anxious to think of anything but his faults. He stops abruptly as he notices something on the ground; it's one of Katie's sneakers. Was she in that much of a hurry? Pine brushed it off and decided maybe he should stop by and drop it off in case she hadn't left. By the time he reached her floor, the atmosphere felt off. He didn't like it at all as it gave him the notion that something bad just happened. Could be the residual energy left from their fight three days ago, but it wasn't that. Jonathan's heart began to beat hard and was loud in his ears as he approached her door. With a shaken hand, he grabbed the handle and pushed it down. The door was unlocked, maybe she hadn't left yet? The only problem with this scenario was, not a rustle of frantic packing or footsteps could be heard. 
"Katie?" He called out, entering her flat and shutting the door behind him gently. "Katie are you here?" He called out again, receiving no answer. Before he carried onward, Jonathan stepped in something slippery. It was rather dark in the flat and the liquid had a sort of odor to it. When he turned the light on, his stomach dropped as there had been a struggle. Furniture knocked over, sheets torn apart and blood splattered here and there. He whipped around and noticed that a trail of blood had been made going outside. "KATIE!? KATIE ANSWER ME!!" he tossed her shoe aside and frantically looked around her flat, searching high and low. "FUCK!! KATIE!?" Pine noticed her phone on the floor, the screen shattered. Underneath it was a note with sloppy handwriting that definitely was not Katie's. 
If you find this, it may or may not be too late for the girl. We are certainly aware of what went on in Moscow and do not appreciate your interference. Consider this a warning and if you're smart enough, you'll pay a visit near London Bridge at 3PM sharp tomorrow. Perhaps Ms. O'Connor is still alive so this was our best shot at getting your attention. You will meet an associate of ours by the name of Joshua and we will know if you bring help. Let's say if we find you did bring back up, little Katie might have an accident that may or may not result in her accidental death. Do not keep us waiting, Pine. 
-Anonymous Poppy 
P.S. 
Roper sends his regards~ 
In a sudden burst of rage, Pine crumpled the paper and tossed it as hard as he could against the wall. To make matters worse, not only did his eyes land upon a single Poppy but another flower among the Poppy family; bloodroot. Carefully he knelt down, picking the flowers up and noticed some blood drip from the petals. “Katie-” He spoke breathlessly, horrible dread crushing inside of his chest and making it hard to breathe. Tears resided in his blue eyes once again as he stared at the flowers covered in what more than likely was her own blood. “Hold on.” His voice cracked as he stood to his full height, making his way out of her flat with the flowers held tightly in his grasp. He wasted no time in getting himself ready; finally washing away the chill of Russia, dressing in inconspicuous clothing, making sure that his gun was loaded, combat knife sheathed and hidden, and his determination strong. One thing he did wonder was how in the hell Richard Roper managed to squirm his way back into the limelight. He knew that the smarmy crime lord had his ways and his charismatic ways unmatched, but after such a huge blow it was difficult to think of why he’d show his face again. Whatever the case was, it didn’t look good at all. Pine’s jaw clenched at the memory of how Roper had nearly killed Jed and subjected her to horrendous torture. His blue gaze focused hard at the window to the outside, stashing his pistol on his belt in it’s holster. He couldn’t let Angela know what happened or she’d cut all ties and force him to live a life of complete shame. Eventually, she would find out but if Jonathan could get to Katie in time, that was all that mattered to him. Getting her back home safe and alive was all he wanted. Pine shuddered slightly as an icy, invisible touch came over his hand and caused him to pull away in alarm. He looked at his hand, flexing his fingers and shaking his head. That was rather odd and had the agent thinking just for a moment that it could have been something trying to make contact with him. 
"I wonder when he will show up!" A short and stocky man with shaggy black hair spun on his heel, getting irritated by the never ending rain. The time was 2:56PM the next day and the associate, Joshua, was already waiting with great impatience. He checked his watch and sighed through his large nose very aggressively, “Well this better not go all to pot. If he don’t show up within the next two seconds-” 
The sound of someone clearing their throat caught the grubby man off guard and Pine walked out of the shadows, fury blazin in his baby blues. “Where is she?” He growled, making Joshua very aware of the advantage he had over him in stature. Pine’s hand shot out, grabbing the collar of the associate and getting in his putrid face. “WHERE IS THE GIRL!?” He was letting his anger fly off the handle and get the better of him. 
Joshua held his hands up and grinned, “Tsk, tsk, tsk… I’d be smarter than that if I were you, Pine. Should anything happen to me” He tapped his ear piece, “All I have to do is say the magic word and your little friend will go POP just like the weasel!” He laughed, being shoved to the ground and scrambling back up, sneering at Pine. Black, malicious eyes darted from the gun holstered on Jonathan’s belt up to those rage driven blues. “I see you’ve got a little form of negotiation there. Too bad for you, that’s one of the terms you failed to recognize as help.” He waved two fingers and three goons appeared behind Jonathan, knocking him unconscious. “Such a pity this bloke is. Alright boys, take ‘em to the truck and get a move on. He’ll be seeing little Katie soon enough. Hope he likes the make over we’ve given ‘er!” He giggled heinously and rubbed his filthy hands together. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice cold water was dumped over Jonathan, waking him from his state of unconsciousness and making him gasp despite the gag in his mouth. He shivered violently as the dark room he was in did not help make matters any better. 
“Finally awake are we?” A woman… or man's voice spoke. 
Jonathan’s eyes shot up to see a bony, feminine and masculine figure standing before him in dim light. His brows scrunched in confusion as he couldn’t quite make out if this person was male or female. 
“What are you lookin’ at?” They frowned, kicking Jonathan across the face and scoffing. “How rude looking up a lady’s skirt! Haven’t you ever heard of someone who’s born in the wrong body? Of course not, you’re just another one of them transphobes! Why did I even bother to ask?” The woman huffed, her heels clacking on the concrete floor as she approached the bound agent. A pale, bony hand with long red nails snatched Jonathan’s jaw and deep brown eyes bore into his soul. “Mmm cute one you are. Too bad you ain’t my type and I hate men.” She smacked his cheek and stood back up, snapping her fingers. “Boys!! Hit the lights please!! I’d like to give our honored guest a look at his little girlfriend’s make over!” 
Blinding lights caused Jonathan to shut his eyes tightly for a moment before adjusting to his surroundings. He was in a warehouse of some sort that was stacked with all sorts of packages and crates containing illegal drugs and paraphernalia. Upon closer inspection the woman, who he mistakenly misgendered on accident, had sported a black eye with other signs of a struggle. It appeared that Katie had indeed put up some sort of fight and did a good bit of damage as the woman also had a limp and nasty bruised ankle. 
The woman scoffed and dropped her hands to her sides, “Bloody hell. Joshua can’t you hear a damn thing I tell you?! I said bring out the girl, not stand there and act like you’re stupid!!” She growled and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and raising a brow at Jonathan. “Oh my bad.” her heels clacked over to him and removed the gag but not the rope around his arms or legs. “Names Natalie Baylor, but you probably already knew that if you did your homework properly. Though, you know me by a different name, my dead name. Nathaniel Zayler? Remember that nasty little bloke? Army? No?” Natalie took a drag from her cigarette and shuddered, itching her dead veiny arm. 
Now that she mentioned it, Pine did come across Nathaniel before but never got to truly know him. All he remembered was that Nathaniel Zayler was dishonorably discharged for multiple drug offenses and other vile deeds. “Nice to see you haven’t changed in terms of attitude. Sorry about misgendering you earlier, Natalie. I’m actually not a complete arrogant bigot.” Jonathan frowned and groaned, his face sore from the kick. “Just tell me what you want and release Katie. Please.” He winced as a headache also began to make itself known. 
Natalie hummed in delight at Pine’s remembrance and apology. “You haven’t changed much either with your polite and respectable approach. Glad to see that some people at least show an ounce of consideration for a lady and NOT misgender her!!” Her hollow eyes widened around at the goons who cowered away in the shadows. “I’ll tell you what Pine, your little girlfriend showed the same amount of respect by putting on a show of agility.” Natalie took a drag from her stick and blew the smoke, looking around and noticing Joshua still standing against one of the crates, flirting with another man. “This is rubbish.” She growled and made her way over to her agent, putting her cigarette out on the back of his neck and grabbing him by the ear with her nails. “I thought I told you to get the god damn girl!! Do not make me remind you again or I’ll take away first dibs rights on the molly and Loveboat!!” She shoved the crony forward before turning her attention back to Pine. One thing that Natalie absolutely despised was being ignored and pretending as if she didn’t exist. “Anyway, as I was saying, little Katie showed that she wasn’t afraid to fight another woman and even begged to try her out. Feisty little fox she is.” The Mafia woman pulled out another stick and began to inhale the nicotine deeply. 
“I can see that.” Jonathan growled and squirmed, noticing his gun was of course gone but his knife still strapped under his pants. “So are we gonna get on with what you’re gonna tell me you want from me or no? As lovely as you are, I’d prefer to move along and have Katie home safe.” He grunted as he began to move his arm, attempting to pop it out of place so he could pull it out of the binding. It would hurt like an absolute bitch, but if it meant getting Katie out then he’d pop all of his joints out of place. 
Taking another inhale, Natalie sighed and took a seat on one of the crates. “You don’t want to reminisce about the time in the army? I mean, I can’t say I blame you entirely as we both have our reasons. Me with my ongoing issues and identity and you with… Oh wow! Katie O’Connor! Oh why didn’t I see it before!! That’s Cameron’s little sister isn’t she? I knew she looked familiar with those green eyes. Tsk, shame he had to go the way he did in chunks.” Natalie spoke nonchalantly and paid no mind to Jonathan’s reaction to how casually she spoke. “Anyways! So, here’s what’s gonna happen.” She slithered off the crate and clasped her hands together, grinning as Joshua finally brought a ghostly pale and beaten brunette girl out. 
Jonathan’s heart sank at how bruised and battered Katie was. A nasty gash ran from her collar bone to her left shoulder, her lip was busted, nose more than likely broken, a dark bruise garnishing her cheek, rope burns around her throat and wrists and other small cuts. “You sick fuck.” He echoed his words of the past from when Roper showed him what he had done to Jed. 
“Ah-ah!” Natalie scolded, waving her finger and grabbing the unconscious girl. “So. Because of your little stunt in Moscow, our business regulations have been heavily shifted over to our American branch and have caused a temporary shut down with our location. We are going to be without income from Belladonna for weeks because of the shit you pulled!! Because of this, Wisteria and Daphne will be livid with their lack of resources from us! All because you had to meddle in our affairs in Russia and cause us to lay low from authorities!” She hissed and tossed Katie to the ground in front of Pine. The skeletal woman grinned as she saw the ex soldier squirm towards Katie to the best of his ability. “She was fun to break and seems to carry a lot of hatred towards you. Wonder why that is? Oh right, you watched big brother blow to bits!!” Natalie laughed wickedly and stomped her feet excitedly like a child. Her shrill laughter ceased after a few moments and she leapt down from the small ledge she stood on. “Now, we’ve got a few options here. First one is that we kill you and the girl to get big bonuses from the higher ups. Second one is that you both walk out of here with your lives, but you help us get our end of the business rolling again. I can’t promise that Belladonna won’t come for your heads after that because they more than likely will, but at least you’ll be alive for a short while. Us Poppy seeds got business to do and Natalie Baylor needs her fix to keep her mind off her war crimes. I’m sure you of all people understand that, Pine.” She paced along, almost circling the pair like a vulture. “Third one is the least recommended but it’s the one where you permanently join us and we inform Belladonna AND Roper of your fidelity. If you go with this one and backstab us, then let’s just say I’ve got someone waiting outside sweet mother Angela’s building right now with something that’s more explosive than our riots.” Her rotted teeth gleamed in the flickering warehouse lights. Natalie snapped her fingers again, “Untie him but keep your guns on them. I’m going to give you five minutes to decide while I go get a fix of some smack. If you haven’t made up your mind by then, well I guess option number one is the automatic choice.” She shrugged and almost glided out like a ghost, shutting the door. 
Once the restraints were cut, Pine rushed over to Katie and scooped her into his arms. He made a quick assessment of how badly hurt she was, noting the gash and broken nose. “Katie, I’m so sorry… Fuck, this is all my fault.” He swallowed back tears, pressing his forehead to hers and holding onto her with a death grip. There was no way in hell he would let them take her from his arms again. Her faint breathing gave him a bit of relief to know that she was still alive. Pine’s brain raced through the ideas, dismissing the first option of death. While the second option was the most reasonable, that would still put the both of them on Belladonna’s hitlist. Jonathan assumed that Belladonna was Daniel’s branch and the very head of the organization. Now that Richard Roper had seemingly made a come back and joined forces with Daniel Hasapis, made things all the more problematic. He was not about to make an alliance with that monstrous man ever again and left the second option as their only way out. Jonathan looked back down at Katie, pushing her bangs from her face and staring at her resting state. He had promised her that he would never let anything happen to her. That promise was broken and it had him panicking over if she would even look at him. Pine’s heart ached at the possibility of those beautiful green eyes never turning his way again. There was so much of Cameron that he saw in her, and it brought him comfort in knowing a piece of his dear friend still walked the earth. He couldn’t lose Cameron a second time… No, Katie was not Cameron. She was not her brother or his dear friend but a woman who had stolen his heart within the short amount of time they spent together. Jonathan had made the decision that he would walk until the ends of the world to make up for what he had done. Even if she lost any sort of attraction, he would never want to let her go from his life. All he wanted was her trust, happiness, and to see her blossom into the agent she was meant to be. 
“Times up!!” Natalie came back in, her eyes black from the effects of the drug blowing her pupils out. She grinned as she saw Pine hold Katie closer to his body and found it endearing. “What’s your answer?” She walked down, squatting in front of them, that wicked smirk still plastered across her bony face. 
Pine looked away from Natalie and down at Katie, his eyes full of emotion. “We’ll get your business rolling again.” He stated, then turning his attention to the skeletal woman in front of him. “But swear to me that when this is all done, you leave her out of this. You can do whatever you want to me but do not touch her.” His nostrils flared. 
Natalie scratched her chin, musing over his words and then sticking her thin hand out. “You’ve got a deal, Pine. I’ll keep my word so long as you keep yours. Remember what I told you though, I cannot guarantee that Belladonna will leave either of you be once our arrangement has been said and done. You are free to go. Naturally, I suspected that you’d choose this option and have two of my men waiting outside your flat to deliver instructions on what is expected of you for the next three weeks or so. You also understand that you will not receive any benefit from this? That means no cash or any form of payment. Consider that I allowed you to walk with your lives as payment. Now get out.” Her smirk fell and she rose to her feet, waving her hand for the pair to be blind folded. “Oh, and one more thing before we depart! I will know if you make the choice to rat us out. I have eyes all over London so I recommend that you don’t try anything sticky. Toodles!” 
Once Jonathan and Katie were blindfolded and driven to an unknown location, they were unceremoniously thrown out of the truck. As soon as the sounds of the car’s engine grew more distant, Pine ripped his blindfold off and huffed as they were placed in the middle of the woods. “Shit.” He growled as they had also kept his gun. 
“OH HELL NO!!” Katie sat up right, eyes wide and wincing as she saw Jonathan Pine. 
Pine’s expression fell, “Give me a chance to explain-” his vision was now focused on the barrel end of a gun pointed at his face and saw that Katie’s finger was right on the trigger.
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holyfool-arcana · 4 years
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The Holy Fool: Chapter 3
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Hook, line, sinker
Word Count: 2.1k Warnings: Mentions of infant death and murder, implied sexual relationships,  Rating: M Description: An Arcana AU set in a Vesuvia that is half-noir and half-fantasy.
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Liuyin’s left ear had been both yelled off and pinched beyond sensation by the time Doctor Devorak returned, and they were pretty sure it was as red as a sunset by now. Luckily, Auntie Liya had grown weary of tormenting them for their impulsiveness and left to brew herself some tea in a huff, and Liuyin had retreated back into their own room, changing out of the funeral robes and veil, and into a casual set of clothing once more.
That extra layer of blazer made them feel better, like a suit of armor, and Liuyin had healed themselves up as well, a bit vexed by the lingering sting where their hair had hung over their ear.
Thus, Doctor Devorak was greeted by the sight of aunt and apprentice in the courtyard veranda, two cups of tea between them when he emerged from the autopsy and packed the baby back into its original bundle.
Liuyin smiles at him and gestures him to one of the stone benches-- Aunt Liya scoffed, rolled her eyes, and then begrudgingly produces a matching third teacup that had been tucked up her sleeve before pouring out some tea as well, Liuyin seemingly unperturbed by the judgemental airs as they steepled their fingers and turned to the auburn-haired man.
"The baby died in water. But it wasn't drowned this morning, and I also doubt it was drowned in the harbor," Liuyin says plainly.
The doctor blinked, frowned, and then stared at Liuyin, rather taken aback. "How did you figure out?"
Liuyin smirked internally-- they were only half-sure of their prognosis, with the rest being guesswork. "There's a certain smell to bodies found at sea, from the salt, and when I'd been holding onto it this morning, the body was already stiff as a board."
“And the drowning?” the doctor asks, admittedly with a bit too much excitement.
Liuyin had opened their mouth, most likely intending to tell them, before being cut off with a resounding smack to the table coming from the older woman.
"Liuyin," Aunt Liya interjected with a withering look between the two of them, knowing and probably resenting the fact her ward was enjoying the banter. "We don't speculate on the manner in which the bodies our clients bring to us died!" She admonishes.
Liuyin replied, nearly reflexively, “Sorry Auntie,” while not sounding very remorseful at all.
By clockwork, as if this were a dance they’d perfected by now, Aunt Liya had said in the vernacular dialect of Langya, “Silly child, we’ve seen so many dead, why the interest in this particular body?”
“You’re not curious at all, auntie?” Liuyin asked blithely, with that same sort of calculated shrewdness they’d exhibited at the docks. Be just vexing enough to get others to dismiss you, but not enough to want to harm you or arouse suspicion. It involved a fair amount of playing at stupidity in moderation, something that must have come by either years of practice or as instinctively as breathing.
When Julian tried his hand at it, it came wrapped in a bundle of cavalier flirtatiousness. For Liuyin, it was a calculated mix of ignorance and innocence projected onto a face with eyes far too clever for such a con.
Yet Julian Devorak watched in amazement as the very woman who raised Liuyin from an infant huffs and busies herself with chugging down the chrysanthemum tea in dismissal at their ward’s pretense of innocence, having seemingly bought the lead.
Hook, line, sinker.
“Our lack of curiosity is what has kept us alive and fed,” Aunt Liya replied pointedly. “Our clients are wealthy, or powerful, or both. What’s to stop them from believing we’ve outlived our uses? Especially if secrets were shared with,” and here, she levels a sharp gaze at the doctor, who’d at least had the good grace to look down at the steaming cup. “Outsiders with no regards for what we do, our customs and rituals.”
Liuyin was openly frowning now, and had been opening their mouth-- perhaps to argue, perhaps to agree, perhaps, and this was a ludicrous belief, Julian had thought to himself, to defend his own honor.
He cuts them off by standing with a flourish of his overcoat, having gauged by now that he had, as with most places, overstayed his welcome. “Ah, well Madam Zheng, Apprentice Mei. It’s been an honor, to be certain, but I must be off.”
No use driving a wedge in between Liuyin and their aunt, especially given the way they’d indicated their regard and appreciation for them on the way to the coffin-house.
The witchling looked as though they wanted to interject further but hadn’t the opportunity-- Julian readjusted his gloves, nodded sharply at them, and then made his way down the cobblestone path of the courtyard to the front door. He doesn’t wait to clarify Liuyin’s abrupt call for him to wait, nor Madam Zheng’s hiss for her apprentice to stop being so foolish and reckless to chase after such a man.
With a hint of ruefulness, he thinks that the old witch is right.
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“I suspect foul play,” Julian greets Asra with no other prelude as he sidles in from the back door to the shop, stooping before he hit his head on one of the lower ceiling beams.
“Mhm? That’s nice,” the white-haired magician replied absently, stooped over a table on which laid a prosthetic arm as well as a spread of cards.
Unbidden, that old longing returned to his chest like an instinct-- not really love, no, and even calling it a crush was pushing it, but that inclination to act like a foolish schoolboy and (metaphorically) tug at Asra’s curls or chatter his ear off till the other would just literally shut him up by crushing their mouths together, give his hands something better to do.
A flash and then the impulse was gone.
After a brief pause, Asra prompts, gesturing. “The arm and the missing fiancee? Or Liuyin’s baby?”
“Well,” Julian cleared his throat, deeming whatever Asra was doing safe enough to pull a seat up for, slinging his arms around the back of the chair. “I’ve only taken a look at one of those.”
“So the baby is a foul play case,” Asra murmurs as he reshuffles his deck of tarot cards and then flips one over, frowning at the horned figure on it.
“I think so. I think Liuyin would agree, but her aunt wants the case closed and baby buried,” he muses. Not in a suspicious manner, he had gauged-- Julian knew enough about that sort of thing, the wanting your secrets buried six feet deep where no one could hear even a whisper of it. It was almost… protective, in its own strange way, slightly overbearing or smothering, which reminded him of Pasha and the way she scolded him when she got too worried for his safety and recklessness. Idly, he wondered if Liuyin were the same.
Asra seemed to agree, flipping over another card-- a smiling youth who looked suspiciously like the person occupying a corner of the doctor’s thoughts, an orb with a star shining within it cupped in their hands. “The Old Witch doesn’t like asking questions. Says they’re bad for the business.”
“I can tell, dear,” Julian replied automatically, earning him a look of near-scorn from the magician. “But is it because she doesn’t like to or doesn’t want to?”
“What difference does it make, even?” Asra raised a brow. “A baby died. Case closed and over with.”
“Don’t tell me your cards aren’t saying there’s more to it than that,” Julian replied, reaching out a hand lightning-quick, laying it over Asra’s.
“I’ll take another avenue,” he responded firmly. “It’s not a matter I want to pry into. Liuyin’s business and mine remain separate for their sake.”
“So there is something more, you agree.”
Asra turns to him then, something like fire in his violet eyes as he carefully, using his free hand, encircled the wrist that Julian had caged his other hand with, extricating the offending appendage. “Ilya.”
He’d never heard him sound this dangerous before, truth be told. It was sending shivers down the hair on the back of his neck.
Asra continued. “Whatever happens, my affairs are my own, just as Liuyin has their own matters to attend to. I suggest you don’t try to reel them into this. Are we understood?”
What if they want answers, what if they want to be reeled in?
It was so silent that Julian could hear the soft rasp of his own breathing, the dull thud of blood in his ears. “Yeah,” he found himself nodding obediently.
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“Blessings for the rich, blessings for the poor!” Liuyin chanted listlessly, waving the stack of talismans in their hand as they assailed yet another group of unsuspecting tourists in the Temple District.
“You! Good sir over there! You look like you could use a little… magic in your life,” Liuyin said with as much charm as they could muster after staying up the previous night, chasing after a baby-corpse-snatcher in the dark, and then getting yelled at by their aunt for consorting with the likes of cads like Doctor Devorak who stuck their noses too far into other peoples’ businesses. As a result, they were made to hand out talismans as punishment to the tourists, which, between the tourist-wrangling and the general lack of success this endeavour turned out to be, was far worse a task than having to clean the cadavers brought in.
The tourist, probably not expecting to be beset by a figure who dressed like a religious fanatic and spoke like a particularly ambitious but dead-inside street vendor, had shaken off their grip and stalked away.
Other attempts bore similar fruit, with only one or two accepting their talismans-- Liuyin had checked the sigils inserted subtly into the charms for protections that had a persuasive air-- one that manifested as a small voice in the user’s head that suggested they visit a particular coffin-house on the edge of the Center City and the Temple District for any blessings, curses, exorcisms, and funerals they needed to undertake.
Their punishment, as per usual, ended at sundown. Liuyin gazed over at the setting sun and groaned, wiping a clammy hand down their face and slumping against a nearby wall. Finally, finally, their workday was over.
With great enthusiasm, they’d torn the veil and forehead ribbon from their head and balled it up, shoving them along with the talismans into the pouch slung from their shoulder, getting started on the white robe they wore atop their actual clothing as well, undoing the sash.
“You didn’t look the type to be into public indecency, but I suppose appearances are deceiving,” a voice said right next to their ear, and Liuyin jumped forward several feet before realizing who it was.
“Gods and devils,” Liuyin had blurted out, “Please don’t sneak up on me again, Doctor Devorak.”
“Call me Julian,” he grinned down at them.
“Julian, please don’t sneak up on me again,” they corrected, letting their robe hang loose, opening onto a pair of loose trousers and neck-high blouse, so much for public indecency.
“Won’t happen again, darling. ‘Pon my honor,” he’d said, holding three fingers up and clasping the other hand to his chest in a gesture like taking a vow.
They looked half-amused at that, softening the words, making them less suspicious than they were earlier. “What do you want?” Liuyin asked, query mirroring what they’d demanded from the doctor just earlier today-- heavens, it was only today that this entire fiasco had taken place. Not even twenty-four hours later, and they’d been bantering with the taller man as if they were old friends.
“Ever to the point as usual,” he’d said with a grin. “Come, walk with me. I was looking for you, but your aunt said you were out-- while chasing me off with a sword.”
“Ah, right, the peachwood sword. I believe she thinks you’re a wicked spirit,” Liuyin muttered, earning a hearty chuckle from Julian. Their aunt used it to banish wicked spirits, as was common in their line of spiritualism. Liuyin had their own, usually left in their room along with the rest of the charms and trinkets, unless they were going to perform some ritual or blessing or another, in which case they had it strapped to their back.
“Then, my dear,” Julian says, swivelling around to face them with a hint of mischief glinting in his eyes. “Would you be adverse to an evening of wickedness?”
Liuyin raised a brow expectantly. “Where did you have in mind?”
His answering smirk promised a world of trouble. “The Red Market.”
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