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teamatsumu · 3 months

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the best bad decision. (iwaizumi hajime x reader)

summary: “wrote a confession for character A, accidentally gave it to character B instead” - for my valentine’s day event - theme: confessions

word count: 2.3k

warnings: fem!reader, swearing, oikawa is insensitive sometimes, fluff

tags: @nishayuro @kitas-tapioca @kakashineedstotouchgrass @amisuh @avis-writeshq @samanthaa-leanne @akaashi-todorki @keiva1000 @kindnessspreads @msbyomimi

event masterlist

You liked to think you weren’t one to fall into stereotypes. But every once in a while you did something that reminded you that you weren’t different from everyone around you. Like right now, standing hidden behind the corner of this building, clutching an obvious red envelope in your hands, waiting for the volleyball team to shuffle out of their club room so you could sneak in and slip the envelope into a certain boy’s locker.

So you had a tiny little crush on everyone’s favorite boy, Oikawa Tooru. Sue you.

Your ears were on high alert, staying as still as possible so you could focus on the voices drifting out of the room. You were a bit farther away, since you wanted to be hidden, but if you strained yourself enough, you could make out the sounds. You tried not to make yourself tense, afraid you would wrinkle the envelope. You had been so careful with it. Making sure you didn’t smudge any words as you wrote, perfuming the paper afterward. You even used that expensive wax and seal that you bought only for journaling purposes. You wanted it to be known that you made an effort.

All for him.

It was hard not to fall for someone as charming as Oikawa. He was tall and handsome, he was always so nice, always welcoming to anyone who wanted to speak to him. He was beyond talented. You could watch him play for hours. You did watch him play for hours. At the end of the day, you were just like all the other giggling, blushing girls who admired him.

The only difference is that you had never gone farther than admiration until now. You had never spoken to him, never greeted him in the hallways, never made him anything to eat like girls often did. You had watched from afar and basked in the warm, bubbly feeling that comes with having crushes.

But now here you were, slipping him a letter with all your feelings written on it. You were going into this not expecting him to accept the confession. You hadn’t even put your name on it. It was anonymous. God knows how many of these he got on a daily basis. And with Valentine’s Day approaching, you were sure his locker was overflowing. What was one more, right? You were doing this for yourself more than anything else. You needed to get these feelings out because they were overflowing in your head.

You were shaken from your thoughts when you realized the locker room was completely silent by now. You listened closely, giving it another few minutes. No shuffling, no humming, not even a peep. The coast was clear.

You could feel your entire body shake as you turned the corner and stealthily hurried to the club room door. You couldn’t let anyone see you going inside, so you quickly opened the door, slipping in and sliding the door shut behind you. You let out a sigh of relief.

Then you turned around, and your eyes met wide chestnut ones.

Oikawa was standing next to an open locker, a half folded shirt in his hand. He had probably been mid fold when you had barged in, staring at you with those big browns, mouth slightly open. Thick silence stretched over you both as you stood frozen, not even blinking.

Oikawa’s eyes drifted down to your hand, the very obvious, deep red envelope. His lips twitched before a smile took over them.

“Hello there.” His voice was lively. “Is that for me?”

You tensed at the sound of his voice, your panic finally catching up to your brain as you gulped around the knot in your throat. “No!”

He raised an eyebrow at that, tilting his head a bit. A lock of his hair fell over his forehead. “No?”

“No.”

Another silence, awkward as anything. You couldn’t move at all. You felt like you were frozen in place. Every muscle in your body was pulled tight. You had never anticipated that of all the people who could catch you in the locker room, it would be Oikawa himself.

“So who’s it for?” He then asked, eyes darting between your face and the envelope. You felt your face burn, heating up so much it made you dizzy.

“It’s-” Your mouth was so dry. You had no saliva. None. Not a drop. It felt like you were incomprehensible. Could you even speak? Or was it all gibberish? Were you spiraling now?

Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god-

“It’s for Iwaizumi-san.”

Oikawa blinked at that, and you realized you had caught him off guard. Well, he wasn’t the only one. You had caught yourself off guard too. It seemed that, in the midst of your panic and staring at Oikawa, the only other person you could name was Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi Hajime. Oikawa’s best friend. Seijoh’s ace. Someone you saw just as much as Oikawa considering they were attached at the hip. No wonder when you had to think of someone, you thought of him.

“Well now I’m truly shocked!” Oikawa sounded jovial, placing a hand on his hip, his half folded shirt crumpled in his other hand. “A confession for Iwa-chan? I never thought this day would come!”

Your mind raced and you tried to scramble your thoughts together into somewhat understandable sentences. But you had just dug this fresh hole for yourself and you didn’t know what to do to get out of it. In fact, at this moment, there was no getting out of it. You had to go along.

“Y-yes.” You managed to blurt out, not knowing what else to say, looking anywhere but at him, who was steadily growing more and more amused by the second.

“You have to give it to him!”

Your head snapped up, and that’s when you realised what true panic was. What you had felt so far was nothing compared to the shitstorm your brain was experiencing after what he had just said.

“Come on.” Oikawa threw the shirt carelessly into his locker, slamming it shut and fast walking to you. With one grip on your forearm, he tugged open the club room door and proceeded to speed out of it, dragging you with him.

“W-wait!” Your voice trembled, and you doubt he even heard you. You felt like your whole mouth was stuffed with cotton. You tried to lock your legs into place and break Oikawa’s momentum. It was not happening. He was way stronger than you. You tried to pry his hand off your arm, but his grip was vice-like.

“Oikawa-san!” You basically shrieked like a hyena, finally breaking through right outside the Seijoh gym. You snatched your hand away.

“I can’t!”

Oikawa stared down at you, blinking owlishly. You bit your lip.

“Oh.” He breathed, and you saw realization wash over his face. You froze. Had he figured it out?

“I get it.” Did he?

Then he promptly turned around and cupped his mouth with his hands, leaning in through the open gym doors.

“Iwa-chan!” He shouted.

You gaped at him, struggling to even comprehend what was going on in his head. But that was the least of your worries, because trudging footsteps sounded and then the boy in question was standing in the gym entrance, scowling down at his friend.

Oh no. Oh, this is bad. This is so bad, I’m so screwed-

“Look!” Oikawa pointed at you, or more accurately, he pointed at the envelope in your hand. Iwaizumi followed his gaze, and you saw his scowl drop as shock colored his features.

“It’s for you! Can you believe it?” Oikawa let out a cackle, leaning an arm against the gym door. You wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow you whole.

Iwaizumi looked genuinely incredulous, like this was something he hadn’t dreamt of in his wildest dreams. Later when you looked back on what happened, you would be surprised that despite being friends with the most popular guy on campus, Iwaizumi did not get much attention. He lived in Oikawa’s shadow, and he liked it that way.

Right now, his feelings were the least of your concerns though.

Finally free from Oikawa’s grasp, you lunged forward, slamming the envelope against his chest before turning on your heel and absolutely booking it. There was no other option. You couldn’t give that shit to Iwaizumi. You also couldn’t give it to Oikawa and say you had lied. It couldn’t get any more humiliating than it already was, so you might as well run away.

Very active fight or flight response, one might say.

Oikawa watched your back as you ran full speed, one hand holding the envelope he was so unceremoniously handed. He turned his attention down to it when the flowery scent hit his nose, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Aw, she perfumed it too! How romantic.”

He grinned up at Iwaizumi, whose ears had turned red. Iwaizumi’s scowl deepened as he stared at the shiteating grin on Oikawa’s face. But he didn’t stop himself from taking the envelope Oikawa handed to him, his heart doing jumping jacks in his chest.

………………..

When you tried to convince your mom that you didn’t really need high school when homeschooling was a perfectly viable option, she told you to suck it up and there was no way you were dropping out. You didn’t know how to tell her that your life in high school was pretty much over. How could you show your face in any place where you might run into Oikawa or Iwaizumi?

But alas, you could only take one sick day before throwing yourself back to the wolves.

You were jumpy the whole day, paranoid that somehow everyone knew what had happened two days ago. But your day went by as normal, unaffected by the storm in your head. You should’ve known your peace wouldn’t last. At lunchtime, the one person you had been dreading the most was standing before your desk, looking down at you expectantly.

“I was hoping we could talk.”

Well. This was it. The one thing you were hoping and praying you could somehow avoid.

Iwaizumi led you outside for some privacy, finding an empty bench overlooking the school’s running track. You sat stiffly by his side, waiting for him to speak.

“I read the letter.”

You closed your eyes and nodded, coaxing him to continue. You knew the contents of the letter. You had mulled them over in your head ten thousand times yesterday. You had not written Oikawa’s name. You had talked only about how you felt about him and the thoughts plaguing your head. You knew how easily Iwaizumi could have thought it was about him and not Oikawa.

“I’m sorry.” You blurted out.

“For the confession?”

You hesitated. “For how it all played out.”

That was vague enough.

Iwaizumi let out a breathy chuckle, and you looked up at him. “I think I should apologize instead. Oikawa can be a bit of an insensitive jerk.”

You felt your lips twitch into a smile, shrugging. “He kinda steamrolled all over me.”

Iwaizumi groaned, running a hand through his spiky hair. You followed the movement with your eyes, gaze pausing on how his bicep flexed. Something in your heart stuttered.

Up close, he was extremely attractive. His skin was smooth and clean, and his hair looked soft despite being so short. His jaw was defined and his eyes were striking. When he looked at you for longer than a beat, it made your insides squirm.

“I’m sorry about him. He told me he found you in the club room. I’m sure you wanted to do it anonymously. He shouldn’t have dragged you here. That wasn’t cool.”

You smiled at how considerate he was being. “It- It’s okay.”

“And I’ll make him apologize to you too. Promise.”

His lip ticked up in a crooked smile. You couldn’t help but stare. You watched him grow a bit nervous, rubbing the back of his neck. A little habit?

“I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me sometime?”

The question caught you off guard. You knew how Iwaizumi perceived you after the contents of that confession. You had just not anticipated that he would want anything to do with you. In your slurry of thoughts, you realized you had still not told him that the confession wasn’t for him. You stared at him, wide-eyed.

The sun beat down on your heads, casting harsh shadows on his face. High cheekbones. Strong jaw. And those same captivating eyes. You couldn’t remember ever appreciating him the way you were right now. Oikawa’s light was so bright it made Iwaizumi almost invisible. But here and now, it was just him. No distractions, no takeaways. Just Iwaizumi in all his glory. And it was making your heart skip.

“Okay.” You breathed.

Iwaizumi positively lit up at your words, straightening his back. His features smoothed, his eyes widened and a smile took over his face.

“Cool!” He blurted out, before clearing his throat. “That’s uh, I mean. Great. That’s great.”

You giggled as he stumbled over his words, endeared by his reaction. Your heart and mind both told you this was the right decision. With Oikawa, it was a puppy crush. With Iwaizumi, something told you it could be so much more.

Years later, when you told Iwaizumi about the exact intentions of that letter, and how you were beyond grateful you hadn’t given it to Oikawa, all he did was cackle while the Argentinian setter whined about how he had missed his chance.

He was joking, of course. He was the proudest best man ever at your wedding. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

#iwaizumi hajime #iwaizumi x reader #iwaizumi hajime x reader #iwaizumi hajime fluff #hq x reader #hq fluff #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu x reader #iwaizumi hajime x you #iwaizumi hajime x y/n #oikawa tooru #iwaizumi x you #iwaizumi x y/n #iwaizumi fanfiction

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fanta2y · 4 months

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Nightmares

YAWL i love a good nightmare, late night comfort fic. so here is one, but with the loml himself, Itadori Yuuji. >0<

hope you guys enjoyyy !!

cw: panic attack, nightmares, talk of sleep medicine, sukuna being a canon asshole :(

word count: 1.1k

1:37 A.M is the time the small alarm clock next to the bed in your dorm read. You were scrolling mindlessly through your phone, sleep evading you like it always seems to. Ever since you were young, sleep wasn’t something that came easy to you. It wasn’t anything sinister like nightmares or sleep paralysis. Sleep just didn’t seem to like you all that much.

You had went to Shoko about it when you first arrived at Jujustu Tech, hoping maybe with all this new cursed technique mumbo jumbo that you still knew very little about. Something might be able to help you with your sleep issues. But unfortunately, she looked at you with a dull pity in her eyes as she handed you a familiar bottle of melatonin.

“Sorry kid, but this is all I can do for you.” A small smile tugged on her lips as she shooed you from her office, another sorry called out to you before shutting the door.

You sighed, rolling over to stare at the long forgotten bottle now collecting dust on your dresser. Melatonin had never worked for you, it use to when you were in middle school. But somewhere along the years the effectiveness it once had simply wore off. And now you were too scared of taking too many and not waking up to even try to dosage yourself properly to actually get some rest.

A faint knock sounding at your door jolted you from your thoughts, your eyebrows furrowing as you stood from your bed. ‘Who else would be up this late?’ You questioned in your head, as you opened the door slightly.

In front of you stood a clearly shaken Itadori, his pink hair was stuck to his forehead due to the sweat glistening off his skin. He was trembling where he stood, and his eyes were glued to his feet.

“Itadori? Is everything okay?” You reached out slowly, attempting to rest the back of your hand onto his forehead. Maybe he was sick? Deliriously wandering around the dorms, but as your hand brushed his sweaty forehead he flinched back.

His head jerked up to you, his eyes clearly unseeing as his chest began rising and falling rapidly. Panic shot through your system, your mind settling on one thing.

Nightmare.

“Hey. It’s okay, It’s just me.” You said, trying to even your voice to a calming tone and volume. You held your hands up infront of you, hoping to come off as unthreatening as possible. “Just try and follow my breathing, okay?” Over-exaggerating your breaths in hopes he would follow. He tried, his first breath coming in stuttery and he huffed out all to quickly. But it was a start.

“You're doing great, Itadori. Keep matching me.” You smiled, gentle and kind. Patient. He felt himself calming down just at your kind nature.

But the guilt began slowly crawling back into his mind. He almost heard the familiar voice of the curse forever lurking just under his skin.

It was almost enough to bring him right back into the thralls of panic that had even brought him to your door in the first place. But, just as he began to spiral again.

“I’m just going to hold your hand, is that okay?”

Your soft voice rang out and your hands reached out to grasp his. Grounding him into the present, into the now. It made it easier to focus on his breathing as your thumb messaged small circles into the back of his hand. Your comforting warmth soothing over his achy bones.

You had a sister who suffered from nightmares. You remember her always standing in your doorway, shaky and teary eyed as she dissolved into sobs in your lap. This routine was one you knew well, something that brought a comforting smile on your face as it reminded you almost sickeningly of home.

As his breaths had almost evened out, he looked up at you sheepishly. A light pink dusted his cheeks. “I’m sorry about that…” He shook his head, chuckling dryly, “I initially just needed some company and remembered you mentioning your sleep problems so figured you’d be the only one awake.” His hand scratched at the back of his neck awkwardly, his eyes avoiding yours.

You smiled, “Don’t be sorry, its okay. You wanna come inside?” He nodded, and you pulled on your still entangled hands and brought him inside your room. Thankful you had the freetime earlier to do some cleaning, or else this would’ve been a very embarrassing encounter.

Motioning for him to join you on the bed, you felt around the darkness for your TV remote. Hoping to turn on some fun cartoons or something to take Itadori’s mind off of whatever was plaguing it. You didn’t know if you should ask, would that be pushing it? Would you just be reminding him of it? Before you could think much longer, his voice pulled you out of your thoughts once again.

“Sukuna…uh he,” He cleared his throat, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “He sometimes gives me bad night terrors, I guess he has some sort of control over my dreams since we share a mind? Kind of?” His voice tapered off into a mumble, and he brought his forehead down to his knees. Hiding his face, you couldn’t even begin to imagine the horrors that monster of a man could think up for poor Itadori.

“I’m sorry, that must really suck.” He nodded at that, his head still nestled into his legs. You hadn’t known the boy for long, just shy of a few months you think. But he had always been charming to you. Something about his easygoing nature, his boldness, even a bit of his impulsiveness was endearing. He had made the already jarring transition a lot easier for you, understanding better than Fushiguro or Kugisaki could. Having been forced into the world without any prior knowledge just like you.

“Welllll…” You pulled out the syllables, hoping to finally repay him for all the kindness he showed you. “We could go make some popcorn and grab some sodas from the kitchen and watch a movie?”

“Human Earthworm 4?” His speech muddled through the fabric of his jeans as you chuckled.

“Sure, we can watch Human Earthworm 4.” You sighed, a little too fondly. He squeezed your hand and your cheeks brightened at the realization that you had never let go of him. He looked up at you, his smile almost blinding.

“Thank you,” His words sincere, more sincere than you think you’ve ever heard them. “Now let go get some popcorn!” He jumps up from the bed, pulling a squeal from your lips as he drags you from your dorm towards the kitchen. His smile was too infectious for it to not tug on your own lips and force your smile to show, giggling along with him as you both went forward.

Sleep long forgotten about.

authors note: i actually really enjoyed writing this fic, i love the way it turned out. hopefully im writing all these 'in character' its one of my biggest things like, idk i just wanna do the characters justice and hopefully i am! anyways, thanks for reading !! reblogs and comments are always appreciated <33

#itadori yuuji #yuuji itadori #itadori x reader #yuuji itadori x reader #itadori yuuji x reader #itadori yuuji fanfiction #jjk #jujustu kaisen x reader #x reader #fanfiction #jujustu kaisen #itadori has nightmares :(#my sweet baby boy #human earthworm 4 #thanks for reading !!#hope you enjoy <3 #🪷 fantas flowers

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riderwrites · 2 months

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questions

Six pages of post-episode Unruhe where Scully tells everyone she's fine and thinks of some questions that no one ever asks her about her experience, that she would want them to anyway.

not rated/ 3,862 words/ expert below, read full on ao3

Scully’s wrists still burned where they had been bound. It had been duct tape this time, something new this time, and the sticky residue was still on her skin. She picked at it as she watched EMS workers and local FBI agents flutter around like a flock of disturbed birds. She should feel shaken, like the first time, when her hands were shackled to a radiator, but if anything, she felt a disturbing amount of normality. Her breathing was heavy, and she felt her shoulders shaking but she knew these things were happening, and that in of itself was a comfort. She was able to respond to the questions asked by EMS and other agents with a steady voice, afterall, she knew them so well.

What day is it? Your name? What about his? Can you look to the left for me? Look to the right now. Good, any pain? You were outside your rental car when he injected you with the chemicals, correct? Do you remember any of the ride to where you were found or were you unconscious? Did he mention anything of his other victims to you? Could you lead me step by step of what happened? Any accomplices? We want to prevent copycats. Do you still feel groggy from the drug? Any other aftereffects you feel?

Yes, he was underneath the car, I didn’t see him. It is the third of February. My full name is Dana Katherine Scully. The man who looks as if he swallowed a frog is Agent Fox Mulder. I woke up in the RV. Yes, I’m sure, I can’t recall anything else. He didn’t mention anything else to me beyond what I have already told you. He talked about the Howlers, he insisted his father was good, he never gave me any details on his sister’s suicide. Yes, I asked him. I already told you that.

With the soft sound of their notebooks closing, the conversation was over and already being replaced with their later than usual lunch. Scully looked back down at her hands, at the red marks the tape left. He must have taken off part of the epidermis. She lightly ran her finger over it as she tried to force herself into a calm demeanor. The epidermis comprises five layers, basal, prickle cell, granular, clear and cornified. She ran over the definitions in her mind, trying to focus on fact over the mimicking voices in her brain.

What did the cotton that covered your mouth taste like? How did it feel looking into the delighted eyes of manic men who had you where they fantasized you? How dirty did you feel when their eyes ran up and down your body? Where did the restraints cut into your wrists? Did they draw blood? Do you still feel the sting, even at night in your own bed? Tell me the locks you use, how the move to an upper-level apartment strained your back, how many times do you look across the street before crossing it?

Her body shot forward suddenly at the sudden warm, solid presence of something on her shoulder. Scully turned her head around to find Mulder’s hand retreating, his eyes widening and his mouth beginning to form a question. Scully focused on drifting her eyes without a care to keep that question down. She was getting tired of having to say that she was fine.

It was the only answer anyone would take without question or follow-up. An honest one would make the room uncomfortable and would have questions regarding her ability to succeed in this type of position raised. Scully didn’t want to be doubted, not any more than she usually was. A great, looking forward to not sleeping the next three days would only be met with her being called a bitch. She was a little tired of that too. So fine, because it was the only one that the police officers and agents around would take without question.

Apart from Mulder who would only take it as an answer so far and become her self-appointed guard dog whenever she said it. He stood suffocatingly close to her the entire time after she had been freed from that RV. Scully could feel his body heat on her back, taste the carbon monoxide he exhaled, and hear the slight grinding of his teeth. It made her skin prickle, her own anxiety she had been trying to push away feeding on Mulder’s. He stood by when the EMTs checked her out. He watched their hands suspiciously as if an ice pick would appear out of them to finish the job from before. He watched Scully give her report on what happened, butting in when he thought details would be too much for her. Scully leaned back when he did. From the back, she couldn’t distinguish him from the rest of the agents around them.

#the x files #dana scully #fox mulder #x files fanfic #txf #txf season 4 #s4e4 unruhe #scully going through it fr fr

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fandomsaligninstories · 3 months

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Year Two: Astronomy

Chapter List

WC: 1,506

A/N: posting from my phone so I apologize if formatting is kinda weird. Didn’t plan to post today but I figured I should post with it being Valentines and the enemies are turning to… something 😈

3rd November, 1992

"Oi, wait up!"

If Violet was about to do anything, it was not that. She considered taking off running, as she was only a few metres from the Hufflepuff common room entrance, but she really didn't want to risk this boy finding out the code to get it.

"Wait!"

Violet squared her shoulders and turned around, "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"What was that?" He stopped in front of her, so close that she could touch him if she so wished.

"What?" She was confused, but kept her guard up, "What was what?"

"That!" Draco threw his hand out to the side, gesturing to the Great Hall, "With that- boy!"

"With- Wait, Cedric?" Violet was getting more confused by the moment, "What about him?"

Draco huffed and narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything else for a moment, then, "Your friends were staring at me. Why?"

"Who? Caroline and Susan? They were talking about this Heir business, and then they caught you staring at me!" Violet's voice ticked up, confusion turning to frustration at his riddles, "What do you want?"

Whatever she'd expected him to say, it wasn't, "Do you think it's me? The Heir?"

Violet reeled back, her bag dropped off her shoulder at the sudden movement, "Why could you possibly care what I think?"

"I don't!" He argued. His voice had shown a sliver of vulnerability, but was now harsh, "The last thing I care about is the opinion of a mudblood."

Violet knew she should be afraid. This boy could do anything to her, and he'd face no consequences. He was from one of the most powerful wizarding families to ever exist, and yet, she couldn't help but not be afraid. A small part of her was concerned for her safety, but only subconsciously.

She stepped forward, leaving barely a breath of space between them. She lowered her voice to a whisper, "Don't you, Malfoy? Why else are you here? Better yet, why haven't you come after me yet?"

It was his turn to be confused, his voice lowering to match hers, "What?"

"I know you saw what happened in the hallway that night. You could've done anything to me, could've spread it around the school, but you didn't. Why?"

"I've no idea what you're talking about." And yet he wasn't moving away, he wasn't denying that he'd heard it. He was staring at her, his brows furrowed and bottom lip between his teeth.

Violet couldn't decide if this was a game to him, just another way to torment her, or if he was trying to be genuine about something, though she wasn't sure what.

Violet finally broke the eye contact, moving back to collect her fallen bag. He watched her as she walked by, stopping beside him for a moment. She leaned towards him and he froze, staring ahead at the far wall. Her lips nearly brushed his ear as she whispered, "I don't think you're the Heir."

Then she was gone, leaving him in his frozen state as she made her way to the Astronomy tower. She was over an hour early, but she didn't care. She couldn’t go into the common room now, and she surely couldn't go back to the Great Hall. She just needed to escape for a little while, to figure out what had just happened, and what it meant.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

Violet sat at the top of the astronomy tower for the entire hour between dinner and class. She sat leaning against the iron railing that surrounded the room, her head leaned back and eyes closed.

She had spent the first few minutes writing a letter to her parents, then reading a book, then getting frustrated at her lack of focus on said book. She was too preoccupied with thoughts of Draco Malfoy.

She couldn't get a good read on him; did he hate her, a simple muggle-born witch? Or was there something else, something deeper? There must be, why else would he care to ask her what she thought?

Her head felt like someone had grabbed her and shaken her silly. There was a dull ache behind her eyes, and she found it difficult to focus on much. Which proved to be a problem when class finally started.

All the Hufflepuff and Slytherin students entered at once, their footsteps loud against the metal spiral staircase. Violet stood up as quick as she could, turned to lean over the railing and act as if she hadn't been there for so long.

"There you are!" She turned to see Hannah, Aimee trailing behind her, "Where'd you go?"

"Sorry, wasn't feeling well." It wasn't a total lie, "Went to see Madam Pomfrey. Sorry."

"It's alright, feeling better now?" Hannah asked, her brow creasing in concern.

"Yeah, a bit. Ready for the quiz?"

It was easy enough to change the subject, especially when Aimee started rambling on about how she wished she'd had more time to study. She would, of course, pass the quiz easily.

It only took an hour for everyone to finish the quiz, so Professor Sinistra insisted they all take the extra time to get a head start on their homework- finding and charting the Andromeda.

With the help of Aimee, Hannah and Violet were able to complete the work quickly. They were some of the first students to gather their things and leave, but not before collecting their graded quizzes. The three girls made their way down the spiral staircase slowly, exhausted, as it was nearing midnight. They barely made it to bed before they collapsed.

━━━━━━⊱༻ ༺⊰━━━━━━

Violet elected to sleep in the next morning, as she had a free period after breakfast. None of her friends dared to wake her, as they knew she could be grumpy when woken up. And so she slept through breakfast.

It was almost nine when she finally woke up. She was surprised she'd managed to sleep so late, as she usually woke up before eight any other day. A habit she'd formed the previous year, so that she wouldn't miss breakfast.

She knew that, even if she rushed, she'd never make it to the Great Hall on time, so she took her time getting ready. Despite having a full nights sleep, she was still exhausted and could barely focus. No matter how hard she rubbed her eyes, they simply wouldn't stay open. She wondered if she really was coming down with something.

She threw her bag over her shoulder as she trudged out of the girls dorms, hoping someone might have saved her something to eat. Just as she got to the bottom of the steps in the common room, Cedric rounded the corner, nearly knocking into her.

"Woah! Sorry, you alright?" He asked.

Violet barely reacted, "Yeah, 'm fine."

"I brought you something, since you slept through breakfast..." Cedric handed her the plate, which held toast with jam, fresh fruit, and eggs, "You sure you're alright? You don't look so good."

"Astronomy," was the only answer she gave before taking the plate, "thank you."

She moved to sit on one of the couches, most of which she realized were empty.

"I've got to get to class. I'll see you at lunch?" Cedric leaned over the back of the couch, reaching around to feel Violets forehead. When he decided she didn't have a temperature, he pulled away.

Violet had already eaten half the plate when she finally looked back at Cedric, already feeling better, "See you at lunch. Thanks again, Ced."

He nodded before taking off, the warning bell ringing in the distance.

"That was sweet of him." Violet nearly jumped out of her skin when she realized someone was sitting on the other end of the couch.

"Caroline!" She gasped, "How long've you been there?"

"The entire time," she laughed, "You and Cedric, huh?"

"What?" Violet choked on the toast she'd been chewing, "No! He's just..."

"Sweet on you? Fancies you?" Caroline rolled her eyes, "Why not put the boy out of his misery and admit you like him?"

"I don't. At least, I don't think I do." Violet hesitated, but Caroline gestured for her to continue, "Everyone says I should, so I should, right?"

"Ah," Caroline's eyes softened, "Cedric's smart, funny, and cute. But Vi, just because others say so, doesn't make it true."

Violet was trying not to get upset, but she couldn't help it, "Yeah.. It's just, everyone says he fancies me, so why don't I fancy him back?"

"We can't control our hearts." Caroline replied, and Violet could hear longing in her voice, "We can't help who we do, or don't, love..."

She trailed off, her eyes turning glassy before she blinked back into focus.

"Caroline..." Violet reached out, but the blonde stood up and moved out of reach.

"I'm going to go get my things. Transfiguration starts soon."

It didn't start for another half hour, but Violet decided not to push her friend. If Caroline wanted to talk about whatever was going on, she would. She probably just needed some space.

━⊱༻ ༺⊰━

TAGLIST:

@stellarlune-love

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witch-hazels-musings · 2 years

Text

aroma: tea (wholistic) | symbols: fox (betrayal), coffin (death)

:: diluc x gn reader | angst (mention of major character death, sudden confessions, misunderstandings (reader to diluc), major character injury) / comfort (he lives!) | tasseography event

-- comfort ending*

“W-what do you mean?” Your voice trembled, your grip on their arm tightened as they held you. It was their strength keeping you standing and you were using all of it.

“It’s too late ...”

“What does that mean?!” you screamed, the tears cascading down your cheeks, legs giving way, eyes focused on the healers who were working on him but whose faces looked solemn and heads hung low.

You were frantic, head snapping back and forth between the lifeless hand hanging off the edge and the unfortunate human who had to relay the news to you. This was all a bad dream, this wasn’t real - this couldn’t be real - Diluc wasnt ...

"Seriously, it’s fine,” you reassured him, cup smacking the bar top while you watched him steadily restock the glasses.

“I find that hard to believe,” he huffed, an eye roll threatening to appear in those radiant eyes. You chuckled, unsure why the sound of his annoyance made your chest warm.

“Listen, if I let people help me out on every little thing, then I’m simply a burden for others.” Sighing, you waited for him to turn around before continuing, “besides, you have things on your plate. I certainly don’t want to add more.”

Diluc didn’t look impressed by your logic, in fact, he looked unimpressed. This wasn’t new considering he rarely showed any other expression than indifference, but you could tell there was something else there, “Did I not say I’d lend you my support?”

“You did - but -”

“Then it is not a burden for me to handle this.”

Shaking your head, you let out another sigh into your drink. Diluc was stubborn, but so were you. “I really don’t know why you won’t let me just handle this. It’s like you don’t trust me.”

Before you could take a drink from your glass, warm fingers curled around your own, “Trust is not the issue.”

“Then why are you so persistent?” You held his gaze and he held yours. The pounding in your chest misunderstood as adrenaline and nothing else.

“I have my reasons.”

Frustrated, you pulled against his arm but he didn’t budge, “For Archons sake, that’s not an answer-”

“I love you.”

Everything stopped. The world stopped, sound beyond the bubble the two of you created stopped. You gazed at him searching for some sign of a joke you didn’t know the punchline of but the longer you looked and the richer his cheeks became, the more you knew he was telling you the truth.

You were shaken, confused. He never - you never suspected that he was even capable of feelings like that so why were you so over the moon that they were directed at you.

“I’m sorry.” It was the only thing you knew how to say. Was it an apology for him or for you, to buy you some time, to figure out why your heart beat so painfully or understand why this revelation made you so happy. It was a shit reply, but you needed to sort this out -- so you ran.

The next morning you learned that Diluc had taken the commission even though you said you had it covered. In your anger, you found yourself stomping toward Angels Share to give him a piece of your mind but you never made it.

Instead, you felt your world crash around you at the sight of a Knight of Favonius carrying Diluc’s lifeless body toward the chapel. The color red cascading in placed it normally shouldn’t.

From that moment, your heart stalled for an eternity.

“Please, please keep trying,” you begged, screamed at the final healer who examined him. The curtain was drawn so you could only see a fraction of what was going on. Rags the shade of the richest wine, aprons stained with it, exhausted faces rushing to and fro while you stood there, helpless.

You watched on the sidelines unable to do anything. Arms of strangers keeping you at bay. If you had the strength to breathe, had the focus to crawl your way toward him, what would you see, what was on the other side of that curtain and why did it hold your entire life in it’s hands?

One of the healers rushed back in, their hands loaded with items you didn’t recognize, their face twisted with worried. Quickly, they whispered to their partner who hadn’t left Diluc’s side since you entered the room. They were rushing. Was something changing?

“What are they saying? What’s happening!?” No one would tell you anything and why would they? You weren’t his family, you weren’t his lover, you were just an outsider to them.

“Get them out of here!” One of them shouted, probably for the tenth time, but you couldn’t bare to leave the room. Not now, not when you swore you saw him open his eyes and find you in the chaos of the room.

“No - Stop!” You shoved free from the person who restrained you, hand stretching to reach him, “Diluc - wait!!” An additional pair of arms lifted you from the ground and tried to escort you from the room but you fought back. “Please, he has to live! You have to save him -- he --” Your cry shook the room, it shook your heart as all the feelings you kept locked away came crashing through you, “he can’t die thinking I don’t love him!!”

It was the truth and you hated yourself for not saying when he gave you the chance.

When you were dragged from the room, you felt numb. The lies you told yourself, the dismissals you made at feeling like you weren’t worthy to love him. It all started to get clearer, but you betrayed him, you weren’t honest with him, and now you were about to lose your chance to ever tell him how wrong you were.

“y/n?” A familiar voice called to you as you stood frozen in the waiting area. A pair of cold hands touched your arm and when you looked to their owner you saw Kaeya gazing at you with an expression you were far too familiar with.

“It’s m-my fault. This is my fault.”

“Stop-”

“Kaeya, it should have been me -” Kaeya’s grip on your shoulders increased as shook his head, a tear rolling down his cheek. “What did I do? --K-Kae - what did I...” you broke, bits and pieces of the person you were began to tear themselves from your soul and while you crumbled to the floor, wailing at the thought of Diluc not making it, Kaeya did his best to catch you.

Days went by but nothing changed. You waited. Whispered in his ear, over his heart, next to him as you clung to the bed like it was your lifeline. The words you were too afraid to say before poured from you until your voice grew hoarse and your body ran out of tears. Until you stopped eating because food had no taste. Until your dreams started to become more enjoyable than the life you were about to lead without him.

“Please, wake up.” You gripped his hand as tightly as your weak body could. If he could hear you, if he was still in there, maybe he would come back if you held on. You swore, vowed it, that as long as his heart beat, you wouldn’t give up on him. Never.

A squeeze drew your attention, a tightness around your lifeless hand made you stand. Your heart skipped a beat, you felt like you could catch your breath for the first time in days, eyes straining from dried tears. You watched, waited, trembled.

“Diluc?” you whimpered, and he opened his eyes.

all works & ideas created by Hazel, recreations, reposts not allowed even with credit provided

#witch hazels event #hazels event - tasseography #tasseography event #genshin impact #genshin impact X reader #genshin impact musings #genshin angst #diluc X reader #diluc #genshin diluc #diluc ragnvindr

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sagesolsticewrites · 2 years

Text

Rebirth (Reunion Part 3) | Austin!Elvis x fem!reader

A wedding. Oh, and a lil thing called the ‘68 special ;)

a/n: surprise! Here’s part 3 y’all! I hope you enjoy, let me know your thoughts!!

Word count: 1.5k

Warnings: a couple swear words, mentions of a shooting/death, I think that's it? As always, please let me know if I missed anything!

Hugest of shoutouts to @austin-butlers-gf for her help with this!🤍

Please like/rb if you enjoyed! 🤍

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

Masterlist | add yourself to my taglist!

1967

After the proposal, the two of you throw yourselves into wedding planning between Elvis’s filming schedule, and decide to have a small ceremony: a simple— or as close to simple as Elvis can get— backyard wedding at your place in Palm Springs. No crowds of screaming fans or press, just the two of you, your families, and a couple friends. Your close friends and parents are flown out for the occasion, and of course Vernon and the Colonel are there to help celebrate as well.

When the day comes, you’re sure that it really wouldn’t have mattered to either of you how many people were there. As you make your way down the aisle, your gazes lock and from that second until the moment you’re pronounced husband and wife, everything else melts away, and it’s as if you and Elvis are the only two people on the planet.

The resounding joy you feel as you and Elvis are pronounced husband and wife wanes just the tiniest bit as the Colonel announces that he organized a press conference for the two of you to attend after the reception. But Elvis seems excited about it (“I can’t wait to show off my girl— my wife,” he amends, beaming), so you put on a smile for the reporters and try to focus on your husband— husband!— sitting next to you.

•••

Life goes on. There’s not as much time for domestic bliss as you’d like, with Elvis’s rigorous filming schedule, but he’s constantly marking you as his in his own way, calling you “my love,” “my angel,” “my darling,” pretty much any pet name he can think of that marks you as his and his alone. The possessiveness is honestly kind of sweet; it reminds you that no matter how many screaming girls gather outside your home, you’re the one he comes home to.

Elvis continues to make more films, at the prompting of the Colonel and becomes the highest-paid actor in Hollywood. He gets to make a few appearances in dramatic roles like he’d always wanted, but to his disappointment, they didn’t do nearly as well as the movie musicals the Colonel was having him churn out. It hurts you to see it, but eventually, the public starts to lose interest in his films altogether.

In the midst of all this, you and Elvis bring a daughter into the world in 1968: Evelyn Gladys Presley. Your husband is absolutely head over heels for her from the moment he sees her, and you know she’ll have him wrapped around her finger her entire life. It warms your heart to no end to see how much he cares for the two of you. Where originally he would’ve been basking in the spotlight for as long as possible, he tends to only answer a couple questions and maybe give a wave to the cameras as he arrives home from filming, telling the interviewers “I’m sorry, I don’t have time to talk at the moment, my girls are waitin’ for me,” before coming home to tell you all about the antics on set that day.

•••

You’d think that with his movie career coming to an end Elvis would have at least a little down time, but no; the Colonel had organized a Christmas special for NBC sponsored by some sewing machine company and he had his hands full preparing for that, though you could tell that his heart wasn’t truly in it.

Then one day, the news came of Dr. King’s death. Everyone was shaken by it, but Elvis particularly so. There was a crowd of people watching the news coverage on the small television you had set up outside the bus on the MGM lot, practically everyone of the crew you had assembled during your time in Hollywood.

Everyone, that is, except for the Colonel, who was still prattling on about the Christmas special sponsored by “the Singer Sewing Machine Company!” You try to ignore him, turning up the volume on the TV set. You turn as Elvis approaches, Evelyn in his arms.

“Memphis is burning,” you lament as he passes Evelyn to you, his attention mostly on the television. He squeezes your arm as he steps away, turning his attention to the still-rambling Colonel.

“A Christmas special. Is this really the best we can do, Admiral?” you hear him ask as you set Evelyn down for her nap and go to stand by his side.

The Colonel mumbles something about “taking the Hollywood phonys for everything they had” and “moving on to greener pastures.”

“We’ve seen Elvis the rebel, we’ve seen Elvis the movie star… now we will see Elvis, the family entertainer!” he explains.

“And appliance salesman?” Jerry Schilling, Elvis’s producer (and close friend after all the time he’s spent here) scoffs from his seat nearby.

“What did you say?” Elvis turns, his tone taking on a dangerous edge. When the only response is silence, he continues, “Listen, Jerry. I don’t need you to question me about how I support my family and every goddamn person here, you understand me? You don’t like it, you can go back to Memphis.” He turns and storms back into the trailer, slamming the door behind him.

Later that night, you find your husband sat on the couch in your trailer, engrossed in the television.

“Hey,” you say softly, leaning against the doorframe.

He looks up, muting the television without a word.

“Can I watch the memorial with you?”

“Yeah, baby,” he nods, holding out his hand to you, and you make your way over to sit in his lap.

His arm wraps around your waist as he turns the volume up and mumbles exhaustedly, “I’m so tired of playing Elvis Presley. Too many people rely on me.”

“I love you,” you intertwine your fingers with his, squeezing three times, and look over at him, saying quietly, “and your daughter loves you. We don’t care about the money or anything else, we just want you to be happy. You’re only really happy when you sing the music you love.”

You press a kiss to his forehead as he furrows his brow, taking in your words, and looks back up to the television set where a woman is singing gospel.

“Mahalia Jackson,” he drawls, “I used to hear her records in church.”

He points to the television, saying almost to himself, “That’s the music that I love.”

A small smile crosses your face as you see the determined glint come back to his eye. You know that whatever he’s planning, it’ll be exactly what he needs after years of cheap movie musicals and soundtracks.

•••

You’re absolutely ecstatic when Elvis tells you he’s planning on enlisting Steve Binder and Bones Howe for his NBC special.

“I don’t wanna do some silly Christmas special, darlin’” he tells you over dinner that night, “I need to get back to myself. And I feel like these fellas… They can help me do that.” He sees the question in your eyes, and adds with a smirk, “And I don’t give a damn what the Colonel thinks about it.”

•••

So here you were, standing just out of view of the cameras as the Colonel ran around backstage talking to the people from Singer Sewing Company, prattling on about the Christmas sweater your husband was going to wear.

Well. Supposed to wear.

You smirk as Elvis enters wearing the leather jumpsuit that had been designed just for the special, looking the exact opposite of a “family entertainer.” He pulls you in for a kiss as he passes you on the way to the stage. You smile against his lips and step off to the side, eager for him to take the spotlight as himself again.

You hide a grin as you take your seat next to Jerry, imagining the look on the Colonel’s face as a leather-wrapped Elvis jumps into a growly rendition of “Heartbreak Hotel”. Throughout the performance, you see your husband as himself for the first time in far too long, and the audience is clearly enjoying it far more than they would have a couple of silly Christmas songs.

“And that’s one thing about this TV special that I’m doing,” he explains during a quiet moment in the show, “they’re gonna let me do what I wanna do. Sing the music that I want.” He looks up, finding your eyes among the crowd, and you smile as he continues, “Music that I love. Music that makes me happy.”

•••

The live audience portion of the show is spectacular, and you can see how Elvis thrives off of an audience’s attention. But everything changes as you watch him filming his other performances for the special.

It’s when you’re in the middle of imagining the scandalized look on the Colonel’s face as whorehouse dancers and kung-fu fighters grace the stage alongside your husband that someone runs in with the news.

“Bobby Kennedy’s been shot!”

Part 4

Taglist: @queenslandlover-93 @anangelwhodidntfall @austin-butlers-gf @butlersluvbot @killerqueenfan @kittenlittle24 @beauvibaby @kingelviscreole @justjacesstuff @sweetheartlizzie07 @coldonexx @londonalozzy @kaycinema @annamarie16 @adoreyouusugar @djconde58 @mirandastuckinthe80s @luke-my-skywalker @tubble-wubble

#austin butler #austin butler x reader #austin!elvis x reader #elvis x reader #austin butler fic #austin butler imagine #austin butler fanfiction #elvis (2022)#elvis 2022 #elvis biopic #elvis baz luhrmann

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myfriendcallsmeasickwoman19 · 11 months

Text

Role Reversal

@smellofsnoww for you, ma'am

@irathgo

This was inspired by another post, which I'll tag after I find it.

****

Keir was shaken awake by the loud banging at his door. He had fallen asleep on the couch again. Evie meowed at him, taking a scared stance behind his table.

"It's ok girl, I'll see who it is." He said, trying to reassure her as he looked for his keys.

He caught a glimpse of his clock, it was 02am.

Keir shook his head, he found the keys already at the door, he unlocked it.

Theo stood at the door, well barely. He breathed heavily, hand to his rib, mostly beaten and chewed up.

He was obviously bleeding underneath his dark heavy coat.

"....can…I st…stay…th…the night…?" He asked, barely able to even talk.

Keir just moved to the side and Theo staggered inside. Keir quickly closed the door behind him.

He quickly rushed over to help Theo stay standing as he was looking close to keeling over.

Theo hissed, when he held his arm to keep him up, agitating the knife that might have punctured his lung.

Keir helped put the doctor on the couch.

Theo was holding back screams as every movement sent waves of pain around him. He tried to even his breathing so he wouldn't worsen the damage done by the knife.

Keir didn't say anything else, only rushing to get his first aid kit.

"What happened?" Keir finally spoke, while taking out the contents of the first aid box.

Theo shook his head, "first…" he motioned for the small knife.

"Be…rea…ready…pu…pull…it out." He huffed.

Keir nodded.

"Hands….wash…now…" Theo ordered, even though his voice was weaker it still had some strength to it.

Keir tsked but we to wash his hands as quickly as he could. He came back to Theo.

The young doctor was staying awake through sheer will but looked ready to pass out.

Theo nodded in approval. "... gloves…" he said again.

"I don't know if we have enough time for all this." Keir expressed, his monotone voice present even now. He still wore the gloves though. "You're bleeding on my couch."

"....go…od.." Theo continued, "now…clothes…"

Keir sighed shaking his head and moving over to slowly help Theo with his clothes.

First it was the large coat, it was supposed to be a lit brown but now was mixed with blood and mud.

Theo bit his lip, his body trembling from the pain.

"You know you're going to have to tell me who did this to you." Keir said, as he finished with the coat and put it to the side.

"....later…" Theo told him, he breathed a little heavy after that, but had to calm it when the pain spiked.

Keir shook his head, then helped Theo with his other layer. A simple dress shirt, that was now stained red from the blood, he carefully unbuttoned it and helped take it off him.

Keir could now see the obvious marks that showed what might have happened.

"ambush" Keir said,

"...focus…" Theo said, barely holding back his pain.

Keir listened, "what next?" He asked him.

"Painkillers?" Theo asked.

"I'd need to go find them," he looked outside.

Theo shook his head, "I'll…. have… to manage." He said.

Keir was unsure but didn't say anything, Theo knew better.

"Knife.." Theo said, "pull it out…. and stop any bleeding." His breaths were shallow.

Keir nodded, turning around to get a towel he had in the box.

Without hesitation Keir put his hand on the knife.

"Get ready." He warned Theo.

Theo gave a shaky thumbs up and readied himself.

Slowly Keir began to pull the knife out and Theo obviously wasn't enjoying it.

Theo wanted to get away from the pain that exploded but tried to keep himself still, K also held him back.

The young doctor held back screams, his mind getting muffled with nothing but pain. It felt like eternity as he pulled it out.

K kept a straight face though, when it was finally out Theo was thankful.

Keir placed the knife down then turned to Theo, he immediately dabbed some of the blood away.

Now came the hard part of stitches, Theo had a towel in his mouth, biting down as Keir stitched the wound closed.

In the end, Theo was still finding it hard to breathe, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Needle," he said, not very aware at the moment, looking just ready to pass out.

Keir looked at him, a worried expression on his usually blank face. But now he was also confused.

Theo tapped a part of his chest, "air." He said, finding it hard to breathe.

Keir understood, he got an empty syringe and placed it on the spot, Theo tapped.

He was careful as he put it in, just as careful when he pulled the excess air out of Theo's lung.

Theo gasped, his eyes going wide. He involuntarily took in a deep breath but it was alright cause he could breathe again.

It still hurts but it was better.

He gave K a slight nod of thanks, before finally giving in and letting his eyes close.

Keir brushed the sweat from his face and pulled back the hair that got stuck. Theo was looking pale and tired. Well it's what you'd expect.

He was definitely in a fight, Keir noted. He took Theo's bruised knuckles and began to clean them. Bandaging them up, he applied ointment to the places he got hit that were obviously discolored.

This wasn't a fair fight, Theo isn't the most skilled but it's obvious he was targeted. Not for money or belongings, that's for sure, if that was the case he wouldn't be here.

Keir continued with the wound care until everything was treated. He wanted to put him in bed but wasn't sure if he should move him yet.

Theo didn't look so comfortable anyway, it's hard to be when you got stabbed and got treated without painkillers. But it's nearly nothing new.

He covered the young doctor and tried to put him in a comfortable position.

Right after that he went to look for some other things they might need and figure out who did this.

****

Keir came back hours later. He found the painkillers and antibiotics he might need.

"Ok so where's the patient." James asked, yeah he went to get him.

Keir walked into the apartment, James followed behind.

"Here," he said, sitting back on a chair a few feet away, watching them.

James nodded, imm sitting close to check on him. "isn't this your doctor friend?" James asked, still focused on work though.

Keir nodded, "he was a target." He said, his voice monotone as usual. "they weren't trying to be deadly at least."

"How do you know?" James asked.

"He's still alive isn't he?" He asked, "plus just a gun is enough or a bigger knife."

James turned to see the tiny knife on the table. He nodded.

Theo's breathing was a little labored and painful but he was alright. No fluid or air build up in his lungs.

"He seems fine enough." James said, it didn't sound like it was good news still.

"Come on." James said, "the couch is no place to rest for someone stabbed in the chest."

Keir stood up, he and James picked Theo up. The young doctor would only whimper and moan in pain. Then slowly laid him down and James made sure he was breathing alright.

James began to attach the IV bag to his wrist. Antibiotics and painkillers. Luckily he didn't lose so much blood to need a transfusion.

With his job done, James stood up. "You did a good job," he told Keir.

Keir was rubbing his hand across his knuckle, he was worried.

He didn't respond to James just looking at Theo.

"Be careful." James warned, noticing that look in Keir's eyes.

Keir nodded.

James sighed, "I'll come check on him tomorrow." He said, then left.

****

Theo moaned weakly, his eyes opening slowly. It all felt so fuzzy in his mind, he got attacked when walking to the apartment, they knew him and he had a feeling he knew who sent them.

His vision cleared and he realized he didn't dream that last part, he did walk to K's place, somehow. With that realization, the pain hit, it wasn't as terrible as he expected.

He finally also felt the needle poking his wrist, ok so he was on some painkillers, hopefully some antibiotics too.

He took note of things, paying attention to how he felt as he took a breath. Of course it hurt but everything was in order and he wasn't dying.

He felt the bandages wrapped around his chest, he lifted his hand and lightly felt them, they were done right and not too tight.

There was a small weight by his side, Theo looked to the side to see a small ball of fur.

He smiled at the sleeping kitten, reaching over to pet her. She probably thought it was K in bed this whole time. How long has he been asleep anyway?

The door clicked open and K walked in. He put his keys down.

"Good, you're awake." He said, walking over to the kitchen.

He always has some sixth sense about things. Theo wanted to ask him but he was finding it hard to let the words out.

"About half a day." Keir answered, "that's how long you were out." He turned and walked over to Theo with a glass of water.

Keir helped Theo drink the water and Theo thanked him with a nod.

"..re'd…you…go?" Theo asked, finally able to speak.

"Getting information," Keir answered.

He probably knows about all of it already. They should talk about what to do about this.

"We'll figure it out another day for now, take it slow." K said, "you can lay low here."

Theo nodded, that was a better idea.

A small meow came from the bed, Evie woke up. She yawned, he small mouth stretching as well as her black body. She made her way to Keir, he pet her for a moment. Before she turned back to Theo, rubbing her head against his fingers.

Theo smiled, petting her as she wanted. She began to purr the more he did it.

#whump #whump community #whumpee #caretaker #caretaker turned whumpee #whumpee turned caretaker #ambushed #stab wound #stabbed #breathing through the pain #keir #Theo #Keir #Dr Theodore Cranes #James #comfort at the end #cute kitten too

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lamet00wn · 1 year

Text

Work life balance

Al’ haitham x GN!Reader (ft. Kaveh)

Warnings: Secret lovers, Rivals to lovers, suggestive language, private touching, unwanted touching (not by Al haitham), No NFSW, begging, pinning, public, protective Al haitham, jealous Al haitham, competitive.

“Please, be quiet. You’re giving me a head ache already”

Your hands rested over your ears, your face scrunching into a irritated expression. Your lips curled and your nose tilted upwards slightly as if you smelt something rancid. You continued to walk along side your academic rival, Al haitham and a equally annoying aquantance, Kaveh. The surrounding sounds consisted of a muffled chuckle and humph. You brought your arms down by your hips, they slightly sway when you step along side the two.

“Ooooh, that’s a first. Normally people complain how much he doesn’t speak”

Kaveh chirped. His loud introduction to speak up again made you wince. Al haitham noticed. He turned his attention to his blonde friend and landed his hand on the back of his head, swiping upwards to graze him.

“Maybe stop worrying about my speech and worry about your volume”

Al haitham rolled his eyes slyly, turning his gaze to side eye you as you all walked. Kaveh rubbed the back of his head, an eye shut for his dramatic effect.

“Owwww. Why do you always take their side, they’re always picking on you”

Kaveh whined to his taller friend. Al haitham didn’t respond, he was busy admiring his rival. He watched your arms take turns taking the lead when you walked, swinging back and forth slightly. He also watched as they reached up and crossed against your chest. Your chest became pressed and was made more visible. He hadn’t noticed you communicating with Kaveh now, he was awestruck silently.

“You’re a perv, Kaveh. Believe it or not women don’t want you to just watch them and grab them when you please”

You argued when you noticed him staring at a woman walking by, you can admit just how pretty she was. Her curves were perfect, and her hair flowed nicely, bumping her shoulders and chest when she stride.

Kaveh’s mouth curled into a smirk, your spine tensing. He walked in front of Al haitham to get to you. Al haitham paused and his focus snapped to you both now. Kaveh snaked his arms around your waist, forcing you against his body. You two were flushed together, so close being apart would look unnatural to an outside party.

“Awww, would you rather me grab you whenever I please?”

He was of course teasing you. He knew he was the least interesting man to you, you made that obvious time and time again. That still didn’t stop him from trying to make you flustered from time to time. It never worked. He just liked the slight bit of control he got whenever you pushed you into a vulnerable corner. You always escaped that corner before he was able to back you into it.

Your left top lip curled up in a disgusted expression.

“Ugh-“

Was all you spat before pushing his face away. That usually made him stop but this time was different. He had side eyed Al haitham, tightening his grip.

“What? You don’t like me even just a little bit? Or you don’t wanna admit it in front of your little boyfriend”

That statement from Kaveh earned a smack go his cheek. You glared at him. Your glare soon turned to concern when he didn’t let go. He backed you into the wall, holding your hips. What the fuck was he even doing? You couldn’t get out of the corner, he had pushed you back this time.

Before you could do anything else, a hand landed on the blondes shoulder.

“Is that how you treat you treat a new friend?”

Al haitham finally spoke. His grip tightened before he twisted his wrist. Kaveh let out a whined gasp, immediately letting go. Kaveh’s attempt to flirt with you gave you the biggest ick.

“Ow! I was just messing around! Cut it out! What? are you actually their boyfriend?”

He held his shoulder now, stepping back to create distance. You were a little shaken up but nothing you couldn’t handle. You took the lead in walking to your destination again only after giving Al haitham a thankful look.

“Hah. He wishes. Who wouldn’t want me”

You choked out a joke to lighten the mood. Al haitham quickly followed, bumping his roommates shoulder on purpose.

Kaveh rolled his eyes.

“Sorry you both can’t take a joke”

He lagged behind, embarrassed at his impulsive not funny joke. He didn’t really know what he was thinking. He was too embarrassed to hang out.

“I’ll catch you guys later”

He grumbled, turning to the left for a short cut

“What. You embarrassed now?”

You called out but earned no response. You shrugged, continuing to walk along side the silver haired sage. You noticed him looking around, as if he was looking for someone. Your questions were soon answered when he grabbed your upper arm, dragging you into a alleyway. It was a secluded area, an area between two houses so no one would really come back there.

“‘Haitham-“

You tried to blurt before he had you pinned to the wall, he kissed your neck immediately and just took you in with all his senses. His hands felt up your soft sides. his eyes watching your expression immediately relax. His nose getting a whiff of your artificial fragrance you coated on in the mornings, his favorite fragrance. His ears listening to the way your breathe hitched at his touch. His lips brushing against your fair and glistening skin, his tongue swiping across your collarbone for a moment.

“I.. missed.”

He paused, looking up to your lips before doen again. He always got flustered when expressing his emotions to you

“..you”

he finally huffed out. His eyes trailed down to your body, trying to touch all the spots Kaveh had forcefully grabbed onto. He knew Kaveh wouldn’t actually try anything. He knew Kaveh only did it to fuck with Al haitham. Kaveh knew about him. He remembered last week

“You’re really bad at hiding it, how could I not know?”

Kaveh spoke, standing across from Al haitham in their shared kitchen. He raised the glass in his hand and took in a long, exaggerated sip. Al haitham glared daggers at him. He didn’t think you two were obvious. Sure, you had been fooling around after you finally confessed to him. He was never going to confess, never. He thought you had hated him, for sure. You had been rivals since school. He’s so glad to realize that wasn’t the case. He went to respond to his roommate but was beat to it.

“Well, I wont tell them about your little crush. But you wouldn’t mind if I tried to steal them away first, right? You two are rivals after all. I would love to see the look on your face when I bring them home and into my room right in front of your eyes”

Kaveh challenged, wanting a reaction. Al haitham clenched his fists before releasing, letting out a low chuckle. He stared at the male, his expression emotionless once again

“I’d like to see you try”

He sighed softly, pressing his body up against you. He wanted to hold you. He wanted to never let go. He softly sank his teeth into the side of your neck, hoping to play with your skin and leave bruises. You quickly whined, pulling away.

“ Al haitham- no. You’re gonna leave a mark”

You protested. He looked up to you, puppy dog eyes forming. He was mostly emotionless at all times but you could tell he was getting ready to disagree

“That’s the point. What’s wrong with it?”

His sentence almost came out as a whine, he wasn’t that vulnerable with you yet though. Your heart melted.

“What’s wrong is we aren’t openly official yet and my shirt doesn’t cover that part of my neck. I’d like to keep my job and dignity, thank you”

You sighed out after some resentment. You would love to display every single mark he gave you on your neck. Let everyone know you were the acting grand sage’s. It wasn’t that simple though. He soon sighed in defeat, but it didn’t stop him from kissing your neck. You melted in his hands, becoming puddy whenever he was intimate with you. He smirked against your skin

He moved his hand down your body, breaking the contact of the lip of your pants. He dove his hand in between your underwear and outer garments, humming in satisfaction at your arousal already. You jumped slightly at the unexpected action, smacking his shoulder

“What’re you doing?!”

Your face flushed. He payed no attention to your question, leaning into your ear and sighing deeply on purpose.

“Let me fuck you”

He almost pleaded, earning a shiver from you. You shook your head, almost unable to speak. You were biting your lip to not give him the satisfaction of any noises you might make.

“I know you want me to. You’re already so excited.”

He began to play with your clothed sensitive spot unexpectedly. He watched you writhe in his touch, listening to your whine from his actions. You shook your head and grabbed his wrist

“N-no! We have a meeting, Al haitham! Ya know! The whole reason we are on this side of town!”

You rebuttal to him. As much as you wanted him to bend you over anywhere he felt like it, he couldn’t this time.

“I’ll be quick”

He had stopped his hand movement when you had said no. He didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.

“Please?”

He finally begged you. He kissed the corner of your mouth. You rolled your eyes, you weren’t seriously considering this?!

“We have 5 minutes to be at that meeting and still have 3 minutes to walk. You know better. You hate being late”

You seemed to snap him to his senses, only slightly. He sighed and pulled his hand out of your pants. He rested his hand on your shoulder, obviously pouting. He rested his head in the crook of your neck.

“Fine. But you’ll have to come home with me later. And make sure Kaveh sees you go into my room”

He said after long pause. You couldn’t help but giggle at his possessiveness.

“Deal. But why?”

You asked after he had stepped away to have you two walk to the street once more.

“No reason”

You couldn’t see the smirk he had displayed to himself. Looks like he was gonna beat Kaveh to taking you home.

#alhaitham #al haitam x reader #genshin impact #genshin x you #genshin smut #suggestive #jealosy #kaveh genshin

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mxgicthot · 2 months

Text

Chapter 0 - the fool

Haleth tries to investigate her cryptic nightmares and Asra knows more than he's letting on.

Tw : A brief mention of blood and gore

A/N : This was supposed to be Haleth's intro to Muriel's route rewrite but I don't think I will ever finish it so I'm just posting what I have here.

The atmosphere was darker than in my previous dream. Here in the Lazaret, under the black trees. A terrible place that holds so much mystery and dark energy, I feel drawn to it. As painful as these dreams are, I need to explore them to find answers.

I walked along the white sands, the straight path seemed longer this time. Further I come across a field of corpses, asprawl in pools of congealing blood. Some had lost limbs, even heads. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I need to do this, if I ever wanted to gain my memories back.

I carry on walking, trying to ignore the horrors before me, the deformed bodies scattered along the shore with red bugs crawling out of them. Tears began to run down my face, blinding me as I continued to pace through the endless amount of trees and brush, I tripped over a root that seemed to rise up by itself to stop my breathless run. I struggled to get back onto my feet.

It was getting harder to put one foot in front of the other. They were coming. I could feel the dark smokey energy that radiated from them, following and watching my every move. It would never stop chasing me. Whenever I get close to remembering something, they would come out of the shadows and block my way.

Faster and faster the visions came to me, one after the other, until it seemed as if the very air had come alive. Shadows whirled and danced around me, boneless and terrible. A little girl ran barefoot toward a big house with an arched door... A tiger ran through grass taller than a man. A woman with rotting flesh appeared in front of me, half of her hair was gone and the rest is white and brittle. She extended a hand reaching out to me.

"No stop…please make it stop!" I screamed, sobbing into the empty forest around me. Suddenly I felt as if I was being grabbed by both of my shoulders and shaken. Panicking, I tried to push away this new invisible threat. "Let go of me!''

Haleth opened her eyes to see Asra above her. Asra, her mentor - and friend, she reminded herself, as he always reminded her when she tried to call him anything else. His eyes were full of worry and distress. Blinking at the bright light and trying to focus. She sat up fast and felt a sharp pain against her temples, her migrans were returning.

"WAKE UP! " A loud and familiar voice broke though the darkness, bringing a stream of light to cover me. "Please, come back." The voice was much calmer and softer now. A hand seems to come from the light beckoning me to grab. Hesitantly I grabbed it. It pulled me towards the light and I woke up.

Asra's fluffy white hair stuck in every direction, which was usually a sign that he had just woken up. "Mmm, Asra?" she asked groggily as she met his gaze and stretched her arms, trying to lighten the stress of the situation.

His eyes narrowed as he sighed, shifting back a little so she could sit up, carefully watching her movements. "Hey!” Asra started, running his hand through his messy curls. “Are you alright?"

He reached out instinctively, his hands stopping just short of cradling Haleth's face “Your… your head. Is it…?”

Haleth gave a small, firm shake of her head "I'm fine. It's just a mild pain."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked so tired. She gently placed her hand on his arm, "I'm sorry master, I didn't mean to wake you… I had to try again."

Haleth's memories were lost three years ago in a terrible accident, — or at least that is what she was told. She remembers nothing of her past, but lately her dreams have been getting more vivid, more intense and cryptic, and when she woke she was plagued by intense migraines.

Asra features softened, "Oneiromancy is dangerous when done unsupervised, you know that."

"— It also allows you to gain deep insight into knowledge the dreams may possess…“ Haleth looked straight at him, forcing her gaze to not stray even the tiniest bit from his. ”And understand secrets that are kept consciously hidden." she continued, whispering the last part knowing well that what she was doing was risky.

As her dreams started to become clearer Haleth began to try and look for clues by revisiting her dreams via oneiromancy. It was difficult at first but it was the only way she could learn more without triggering bad headaches.

He sighed and gently brushed his hand over her cheek to wipe away her dried tears. "You have grown so much. I don't want you to get hurt."

“I always have nightmares, especially when you are gone”. She didn’t mean for it to come out as harsh as it did, but it was the truth. “They are not as frequent anymore, I need to know their meaning.” she sighed, avoiding Asra's gaze.

His hands fell from her face, and she heard the hurt in his voice. “Forcefully triggering them will only make them worse.”

Haleth felt something soft brushed her arm, and she glanced down to see Mau her familiar, the little tabby cat looked up at her. It put its paw on her arm, and slowly blinked. "Oh look, Mau's finally awake."

"Haleth, stop deflecting."

“I know what I'm doing. Trust me.” She kept petting Mau, and the cat eventually laid her head on Haleth's lap, huffing contentedly. “I feel like I'm getting closer to discovering something important.”

They both fell into silence, the sound of the cat purring filled the room. She has always been grateful to Asra for taking care of her when she was unable to care for herself, but she couldn’t not help the feeling that he was keeping secrets from her.

When it seemed like Mau was asleep in her lap, Haleth looked up at Asra. He was watching her with a distant look in his eyes.

“You're right, there is something on the horizon. I’m afraid that…” He trailed off, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

"What are you afraid of?" she asked, staring at him intently, silently hoping that this was the moment where he would open up.

"I didn't have my morning tea yet, would you like some?"

Haleth rolled her eyes at him, "Now you're deflecting."

The only answer Asra had to this direct, pointed jab was a sheepish half-smile and a shake of his head. “Or I’m trying to prevent another one of your headaches.”

"Come on, there's something l need to tell you."

#Ughh I'm cleaning out my doc's and found this #I didn't proofread this properly. Fuck it we ball #oc : Haleth

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fanficshiddles · 2 years

Text

Losing Control, Chapter 16

Emilia blushed when she walked into professor Loki’s class on Monday morning.

He winked at her slyly when he spotted her, then smirked at her cheeks going red.

She wasn’t sure why she felt on the giddy side… Then again, she had a strong feeling it was because the morning after she spent the night with him, without sex, she woke up and begged him to fuck her. She had been craving him.

When he did oblige, it was more on the gentle side. Though he did bite her neck, leaving quite a mark for her to display.

Whilst Loki did his job of teaching as usual, and subtle teasing of Emilia, his mind was on something else entirely.

Adam Johnson.

It took everything within Loki to not just storm out to find him right now. He had to focus and relax his jaw that he noticed kept clenching up whenever he thought about him.

After class was over, Emilia hovered at the end and waited until everyone else was out. Then she strolled up to the front with a smirk.

‘Well, Sir. Aren’t you impressed with my work today?’ She perched on his desk, still smirking as Loki raised an eyebrow at her.

‘You could say that. But I get the feeling it’s not going to last, or you’re up to something. Hmm?’ Loki said as he leaned back on his chair.

‘Moi? Up to something? Never!’ Emilia said mockingly.

Loki chuckled. ‘I’ll be keeping a very close eye on you, kitten.’ He purred low. ‘You better get off to your next class. I’ve got a few things to deal with myself. But I’ll see you later.’ He promised.

Emilia was a little confused that he wasn’t teasing a bit more today, but she shrugged it off and headed out of his class.

Loki had some free time before lunch, so he made good use of it and went to seek out Adam Johnson. He put on a sweet smile as he asked a fellow professor if he could have a word with him, taking him out of Biology.

‘Professor?’ Adam asked, confused as he didn’t have any classes with Laufeyson.

But Adam gasped in shock when he was suddenly pinned against the wall by the professor. Loki’s nose was scrunched up and jaw clenched as he held the guy in place by his shirt.

‘What do you think you’re playing at, hmm? Taking advantage of women, not stopping when they say no. Raping them.’ Loki snarled at him.

Adam’s eyes widened and he began sobbing in fear.

‘No… I… I didn’t mean to… I was just playing around… Georgie said she’d done it before. I didn’t mean to hurt her.’ Adam cried out like a baby. Loki found him rather pathetic, actually.

He narrowed his eyes at him. ‘Georgie? Are you telling me you’ve hurt more than just one?’ Loki snapped.

Adam looked shocked. ‘Wh… what? Who… who do you mean?’

Loki pulled him forward then slammed him into the wall once more. ‘Just how many girls have you abused? Hmm? TELL ME!’ He roared at him.

‘I’m sorry… I’m sorry…’ Adam continued sobbing.

The sound of Laufeyson shouting had drawn a bit of attention, especially when the bell rang signalling lunch time and people were leaving their class, seeing the commotion in the hall.

After Emilia’s following period, she was making her way to the cafeteria with a few of her friends when there was a big uproar coming from down one of the halls. Emilia and her friends decided to go take a look.

Her eyes widened when she saw Loki hauling Adam down the hall towards the front entrance, by the back of his collar. Adam looked incredibly shaken up.

Lots of girls were cheering and shouting profanity at Adam as the professor dragged him through the halls.

Emilia couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She felt a mixture of humiliation, relief and yet anger towards Loki, wishing she had never told him. But upon hearing some things being shouted at Adam, she did begin to wonder if she hadn’t been the only one he’d hurt…

When Laufeyson got Adam to the main entrance, the doors opened and two police officers walked in. Loki pushed Adam towards them.

‘This the guy?’ An officer asked.

Loki nodded. ‘It is.’

‘Adam Johnson, you’re under arrest for suspicion of sexual assault. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’ Then the policemen dragged his ass out of there.

Loki turned to face the crowd of people that had followed. ‘Anyone who has been victim of Johnson’s assault, come to my office after lunch.’ He said loudly so everyone could hear.

Then there was a small cheer as Loki headed off to his office. He passed by Emilia on his way, who just looked at him with shock, unsure how she felt about it all.

When the crowd dispersed, Emilia felt like she was going to be sick. She ended up telling her friends to say she was ill for her afternoon classes, and she went home early.

She was pissed off that Loki did that, she had told him in confidence. Yet at the same time, if there really was others Adam had hurt, then maybe it was a good thing. But getting the police involved too? She couldn’t believe it.

That evening, Loki went round to Emilia’s place and knocked. He only had to wait a few seconds before she answered, albeit with the chain on, peeking out.

Loki narrowed his eyes at the chain, then looked at her. ‘Are you going to let me in?’

Emilia just stared at him for a moment. ‘Why should I?’

‘Because we need to talk.’ Loki stated bluntly.

‘Do we really?’

‘Emilia.’ He growled.

‘Loki.’ She tried to growl deeply back at him in his voice, mocking him. But that earned her more glares from him.

‘Ugh. Fine.’ She huffed and closed the door again, then undid the chain and opened the door.

Loki pushed it open and stepped into her flat, she had already wandered back to the sofa, where she had a bowl of ice cream while watching TV. Loki sat down next to her and just watched her for a minute as she shovelled spoonful’s of ice cream into her mouth.

‘Ah, fuck. Brain freeze!’ She groaned and closed her eyes, hand over her forehead.

‘Well, that’ll teach you to eat so much in one go.’ Loki said, slight amusement in his voice.

‘You’re so mean. You’re supposed to be caring and ask if I’m alright.’ She said as she threw him a glare.

Loki smirked and slid closer to her, he put his arm around her and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. ‘Aww, poor baby. Will I kiss it better?’ He then kept kissing the side of her head and along her forehead.

‘Ok, ok, ok. No… that’s just creepy.’ She pushed at his chest, making him laugh.

‘You did just say I should be more caring.’ He teased.

‘I take it back.’ She said with a roll of her eyes. ‘What did you want to talk about then?’

Though she had a feeling she knew what it would be about.

‘You came home at lunch. Why?’

Emilia sighed and put her bowl down on the table beside her. ‘I told you in confidence who had hurt me. I didn’t want you to go acting all Alpha male and do what you did. And involving the police?’

‘He hurt you, Emilia. I was not going to just let that slide. Turns out he’s hurt a lot of people, maybe even more that haven’t come forward. I had six girls come to see me today, telling me similar to what happened to you.’

Emilia’s eyes widened as she looked at Loki. ‘Six? Seriously?’

‘Yep… And one guy.’ Loki said. Emilia looked really shocked at that. ‘He can’t get away with it anymore. They’re going to give statements to the police, the more the merrier.’

‘I’m not going to the police about it.’ Emilia said determinedly. ‘I told you about it, that took enough courage. I’m not humiliating myself further.’

Loki sighed softly and pulled her into him. With slight resistance, she gave in and allowed him to tuck her in against his side as he rubbed her upper arm.

‘It’s not something to be humiliated about, darling. I’m pleased you told me, and I am glad you did. I won’t push you into filing a statement. I’m sorry that I didn’t speak to you first about what I was going to do, but I do not regret it. Not if it stops him from doing it further.’

Emilia looked down, until Loki gently gripped her chin and had her face him.

‘You won’t need to worry about him anymore though. If anyone ever gives you any kind of trouble, I hope you will come to me again.’

‘You… You just did it because it’s me. If it was someone else that you weren’t fooling around with, you probably wouldn’t have bothered.’ She blurted out.

Loki frowned. ‘Emilia. That is not true. I care about all my students. If I had known what was going on beforehand, you can be most certain I would’ve done the exact same thing.’ He said firmly. ‘The fact that he did this to someone I care deeply about, of course that’s made me angrier.’

Emilia’s eyes widened and she looked to him again.

‘You care deeply about me?’

‘Of course I do.’ Loki nodded and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

Emilia sighed and pulled back from him slightly. ‘I’m not going to give a statement. I just can’t. But you can tell the police you know of at least one other person he’s hurt.’

‘Alright, kitten. I won’t force you to do it. But please do come to me if there’s ever anyone or something hurting you, ok? And I promise not to sort it out in my own way, until I talk to you about it first… Deal?’

Emilia eyed him cautiously for a moment, then nodded in agreement. ‘Deal.’

‘I think we should seal it with a kiss.’ Loki said as he closed his eyes and puckered his lips, making her laugh.

Instead of kissing him though, she licked up the side of his face, making his eyes shoot open.

‘You minx!’ He growled and went to grab her, but she managed to rush off the sofa in time, then ran towards the bedroom. She glanced over her shoulder at him with a smirk, then he was off the sofa too and ran after her.

He chased her into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Giggles could then be heard from the bedroom, which soon turned into moans and screams.

#Loki #Tom Hiddleston #Loki x ofc #professor Loki #fan fiction #losing control

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sweetfirebird · 5 months

Text

Rose-red

Prompt for Lieselotte on Patreon who asked for Azar/Bernard. This is probably not what you wanted, like, at all, but this is where they are at in my head… in fact, they are still kind of here. Azar’s eventual attempt at directness (at the end of this summer) almost doesn’t matter because it was the outcome she kind of expected by then. Bernard is clueless but he was not actually the problem here. (He was the problem later when he kept trying to help Azar in a way that would only work if she hadn’t been controlled by her parents. Anyway.)

Content tags: age difference (but it’s one-sided at the moment). Think teen with a crush. Zazzie, my pet. You are a child. Uh. Also, Azar’s parents (offpage) consistently and constantly undermining her even when they aren’t there. Dramatic teen behavior but totally justified and valid feelings. Body issues. My poor little rich girl. :( uh. Spoilers for His Mossy Boy and Treasure for Treasure.

m/f, in case anyone didn’t know that going in.

Rose-red

“There you are, my gorgeous queen. You only had to ask.” Bernard’s low, warm voice was audible even on the landing, where Azar stopped to listen and quickly check to make sure the hair around her bun was smooth.

She took a step to peer down the stairs to where Bernard was dusting and speaking to the house. Of course, it was the house. She didn’t know why she’d thought anything else, no matter how briefly. Bernard loved the house. Azar’s family had a claim on it, stronger than anyone’s except the one who had built it, but to Bernard it was his house.

He never said that, not to them, anyway. But he said it to the house all the time.

Azar put a hand to the banister, which was smooth, well-polished wood that gleamed in the morning light. Probably preening for Bernard. If any house could preen, it would be this one, and it certainly wouldn’t do it for Azar.

“Going to have you looking exquisite.” Bernard was practically cooing. “There will be no complaints.”

Bernard didn’t use a feather duster to dust. He said it just spread dust around. He used soft, clean cloths and went through the house room by room on a regular schedule even when he was the only one there. He didn’t wear a uniform. He wore jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers, even when Azar’s parents were around, and after only one attempt, her parents had given up trying to make him. Azar wished she knew how he’d managed that.

He had somewhat wild hair at the moment, shining like the banister, and metal in his ears and leather cuffs at his wrists. Those were new or he didn’t normally wear them where Azar or Zarrin would see.

Azar continued down the stairs before he could look up and see her watching him, tugging one last time on the hem of her red shorts when it felt like it was riding higher than she would have liked. After the disaster of her arrival last night, she’d wanted to look better—more put together.

She didn’t like flying. Thankfully, no one in her family had caught on to that, but her fears plus turbulence had left her shaken. She’d had days of exams and studying before then, which she’d been grateful for at the time since they’d meant she’d had that to focus on and not her impending summer at the mansion. She never knew what to feel about the place where her parents sent her and Zarrin when they didn’t want to deal with them. She loved the woods. She liked the house. She loved her brother. She hated that she was sent there because her parents were not proud of her. And Bernard was there.

She’d seen him first thing as she’d gotten out of the car. Bernard had been on the porch with Zarrin, already home… well… home was what the mansion was to Zarrin. Like Bernard. Azar was merely there, but they were home.

She had been a sleepless disaster: hair in a drooping ponytail, tired eyes, hungry because she hadn’t eaten on the plane, her study materials in her arms while the hired driver got her bags. Bernard came forward to take them, in a band shirt with rolled up short sleeves that clung to his biceps.

The driver had been trying not to show his fear of dragons but Azar had smelled it most of the way, distracting and uncomfortable, and made worse when the driver stepped away from her before she could thank him.

Then Bernard had said, “Studying already?” with a disapproving glance down over Azar. “It’s your summer vacation.”

A cloud of something had taken over Azar for those to be his first words to her in months. She’d walked past Bernard to greet Zarrin, and told him she was tired and wanted to go to bed, then left them both there, staring after her.

She was no kind of valedictorian, she had reflected later. She’d been rude and stupid just because she was tired and Bernard had… it didn’t matter. She was determined to do better now, anyway.

She kept her book in one hand at her hip, because she did need to study to get a jump on next year and stay ahead and at the top, but she kept the title facing out in case Bernard happened to have read The Cherry Orchard and might want to talk about it.

She had a pencil case with her highlighters in her other hand, and tapped her rose-red fingernail on it before she controlled her nerves. Her polish matched her lipstick. She’d only done a hint of eye makeup, not wanting to seem too obvious, and chosen a simple necklace of small gold chain for the same reason. Her earrings—hoops as large as she dared—were less subtle but she thought they went with the twist of her bun.

Without her parents around to see, she’d put on clothes borrowed from her roommate, red shorts that rested high on her thighs, but her roommate insisted Azar had the legs for them. She’d almost put on a tank top, but then worried about her chest. Flat was fine for a dragon, but might not appeal to others, so she’d thrown on a loose, long-sleeved shirt with thumb holes at the cuffs that she’d cut in herself—another piece of clothing she never wore around her parents. She was casual and comfortable and elegant. Last night might not ever have happened.

The staircase gave her away and creaked beneath her tennis shoes.

Bernard looked up.

Azar’s heart pushed against her ribs and was nearly consumed by the fire inside her. A shock went through her all the way down to her toes and she worried she might trip, and then that she might blush. She could never seem to be cold-blooded how she was supposed to be, and wouldn’t forgive herself if it happened to her now, with Bernard gazing up at her as she came down the stairs.

“Oh, it’s you, Miss Azar,” he said, and Azar felt herself slow and then stop. Bernard hadn’t put down his dusting cloth. “I was expecting Zarrin to wake up first,” he went on. “He mentioned an early hike yesterday.” Bernard glanced over Azar much as he had done the night before. He frowned and then possibly smiled, but it was so quick Azar might have imagined it. “There’s no way your mother approved of those shorts.”

Azar glanced down without thinking. All of her tugging had not lowered the hem any. “I’m nearly eighteen,” she answered without thinking, louder than she’d meant to speak. “She doesn’t dress me.”

“Okay,” Bernard said, lifting his hands in a placating sort of way that he had no business using. “I take it from that, that you could use some breakfast.”

“Take it from what?” Azar asked in return, even louder before she caught herself and looked away from Bernard’s incredulous face. She realized a little too late what he meant and her voice crept higher again. “You think I’m upset because I haven’t eaten?”

“Don’t worry.” Bernard gave her a warm, crooked smile to go with his warm, friendly voice. Warm and friendly because he thought Azar was being irrational and ridiculous because she was hungry. “When I heard you were coming back this summer as well…”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Azar clutched her pencil case so hard it should have broken in two. “It’s as much my house as Zarrin’s.”

“Of course it is.” Bernard’s eyebrows came together. Then he bent down to set his dusting cloth aside before he straightened back up. He cleared his throat. “I was just letting you know that I made some Brioche for your French toast.” Her French toast, the recipe with the Brioche and orange peel, honey, and cinnamon that Bernard had discovered in his first years of figuring out how to be a housekeeper. Zarrin liked it but Azar had loved it. Bernard directed another brief smile her way, sending more lightning through Azar’s nervous system. “I got berries and cream too. I can make simple pancakes to satisfy Zarrin but you always did have a sweeter sweet tooth.”

Azar stared at him with eyes that almost felt like they were burning. “Yes, when I was a child.”

She was only one or two steps from the bottom of the stairs. One or two steps above him, and then another one or two steps from where he was standing. Close enough for her to see the quirk of his eyebrow and the way he pursed his lips.

Because he thought she still was a child. Or just childish.

Azar drew herself up, although she was not a large dragon. “I don’t eat that anymore. I’ll have oatmeal.”

“Oatmeal?” Bernard was absolutely astonished. “You loathe oatmeal.”

“No, I don’t,” Azar insisted. Then, uncomfortable with the lie, added, “I have it every day at school.”

“Because that’s what they serve.” Bernard stared at her while his eyebrows came together again. “That’s why you hate it. You said so last year.”

“I’m surprised you remember,” Azar returned immediately, crossing her arms and then uncrossing them because the pose gave away too much.

“Oh yes?” Bernard answered with a hint of the attitude that he gave to rude delivery people, or anyone in town who stared at him, or, occasionally, Azar’s parents. But she barely had time to notice it before Bernard sighed and gestured loosely at something. “Is this how it’s going to be this summer, Miss Azar? Just like winter break?”

Miss Azar. He never called Zarrin Mr. Zarrin. Azar was the only one who got that nickname. She’d used to think it was done out of fondness, but it clearly wasn’t. Bernard was mocking her.

And why shouldn’t he? Zarrin had hobbies and interests. Azar didn’t have anything but a room full of books hidden under her clothes so her parents wouldn’t worry about her wasting her time on novels. She didn’t know what Bernard thought of them, but he definitely knew about them. She shied away from the memory from a few years ago, and how she’d been heading outside to hike and read, and a novel had fallen from her bag and Bernard had been the one to pick it up; a thick paperback from the library, the cover red and pink, with a human woman with a large, heaving breasts in the arms of a tall, dark-haired human man. The title had been A Rake for the Duchess.

Azar would have to study all summer to stay at the top of her class. She wouldn’t go anywhere or do anything. She wasn’t permitted to travel during school breaks, and she had no license, so she couldn’t even drive into Everlasting. She’d half hoped Bernard might teach her if she could get a permit in time. But now she decided bitterly that he would probably think she’d needed a car seat.

“Is what how it’s going to be?” she demanded with all of that on her mind. “I can’t imagine we’ll have much interaction.” She raised her chin. “I don’t mingle with staff.”

Bernard’s mouth fell open and he took a step back. He swallowed, then narrowed his eyes. “Is that what you’ve learned at that boarding school they made you go to?”

“What do you care?” Azar nearly hissed it, and shook to think of what she must look and sound like. Probably flushed and loud enough to wake Zarrin. She was nearly eighteen. Her parents had already started to introduce her to other dragons, hoping for a match because they didn’t yet realize…. Azar took a deep breath and made herself quiet and haughty the way that other dragons liked. “Never mind. I won��t bother with breakfast. I’ll just have coffee.”

Bernard’s voice went flat. “You hate coffee.”

“Coffee is perfectly fine,” Azar the dragon said and descended the rest of the stairs. She went past Bernard without looking at him, although there was frustration in the air. She could taste it.

“I have the kitchen set up for your tea,” Bernard said, not evenly. “You want your tea.” He didn’t ask. He got that way sometimes. Certain. It was probably elf magic.

Azar briefly stopped but still could not look at him. “You don’t know me as well as you think you do. No coffee either then?” She raised her head but didn’t meet his eye. “I’ll prepare it myself.”

“That is my kitchen.” Bernard had no problem facing her, or in snapping at her, dragon or not.

But Azar wasn’t much of one. So she said what her mother would have said. “Then do your job.”

Of course, Bernard wasn’t intimidated by Azar’s mother. What he could be was hurt, and Azar had hurt him. She could not have done this worse.

She brought her gaze up to Bernard’s eyes, as warm as the rest of him, though a gentler heat than the fire inside Azar. “Sorry,” she said quietly and pulled her book to her chest. “I’m going out. I don’t know when I will be back.”

She had hurt him, but Bernard stopped her again. “You need to eat. You had no dinner either.”

Azar almost pulled her lower lip in between her teeth, but then remembered the rose-red she’d stupidly put on her mouth. A blush did nothing for the feeling in her chest. “You don’t tell me what I need.”

“Forgive me, your majesty,” Bernard said, tricking Azar’s heart into pounding even though Bernard had to be talking to the house. “If Miss Azar wants oatmeal, then I will prepare oatmeal.”

Azar was so hot she shivered.

He didn’t mean it. He was being condescending because he knew Azar really did loathe oatmeal.

“I’m not hungry,” she answered at last, as frostily as she could with her fire like this.

“Azar,” Bernard began, taking a moment before speaking again, “did you not want to come home?”

“Home?” Azar echoed softly, barely audible even to herself.

“Maybe,” Bernard was still halting, finally uncertain, “you got a boyfriend and didn’t want to leave him? A girlfriend? I suppose it’s about time you started doing that. I guess I just don’t think of you as old enough.” He laughed a little.

Azar looked up.

Bernard stared back at her, stunned silent. By what, Azar didn’t immediately understand. She just gazed back, wishing she’d never come here. Then she saw why Bernard was staring. There was gray smoke around her.

Gray, as if Azar hadn’t given enough away already.

“Azar….” Bernard tried. “Did I… do something?”

“No.” Azar was beyond blushing, beyond hot. She was about to explode, nearly out of control, like a child. “No, it’s nothing. Never mind.”

And Bernard only stared, a frown forming as he considered Azar’s childish display.

If it would have made a difference, Azar would have apologized, but there was no way to do that without telling him everything. How very silly he would find it. He would be embarrassed for her, the rude child. The dragon who could not even… her parents were right.

“I have to study,” she muttered, not allowing the word she wanted most to say to pass her rose-red lips. Then she turned and was out the front door and running for the safety of the trees.

#charity prompt #charity prompts 2023 #m/f #beings in love #his mossy boy #treasure for treasure #the dragons of everlasting #azar/bernard #prequel

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antihibikase2 · 10 months

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Another drabble of that little Exchange Student AU!

Descante arrives earlier than anyone else to Professor Achroma's class on Battle Tactics 101- not because he was particularly excited.

He just didn't have anywhere else to go, or anything else to do in the spaces in between his classes.

But today, he arrives at the usual time, even if he's accompanied by a friend.

"Slater," Descante glances at his companion, who was clutching tightly onto his tote bag. "Are you sure? You don't want to wait for me at the dorm?"

"It gets lonely, you know," Slater replies. "Plus, I'd love to see how Professor Achroma teaches! I don't have any subjects under him,"

Good. That was for the best.

It wasn't as if Colress was a bad professor- far from it. As a chatterbox, he's grown accustomed to simplifying all that he needs to say to his audience, in order to maximize the time spent on even a quick exchange.

But, his teaching methods were.. interesting.

Well, Descante was here- Slater was by no means delicate, but he was easily shaken like the Buneary he caught a week ago.

They had half an hour before Colress, and the rest of the class, were expected to come inside, so Descante opened his battle simulator and notes on his laptop as Slater took out two packed lunches he had made for them both.

"Look," He beams. "The hotdogs look like Frillish! ..well, if Frillish didn't have such bulbous heads, and were, um, brown,"

The rice had slightly cooled, but it was no issue- having a homemade meal was still miles better than grabbing whatever he could from the vending machines.

If he remembered to get something at all.

Slater was a nice friend to have around. Spending his lunch working with someone offering him quiet company was a pleasant change of pace.

He gets to work, switching tabs as he clicks away on his laptop, occasionally using his free hand to scoop some of the rice and sliced side dishes into his mouth.

Slater eats his own meal as he hums, clearly happy to have a chance to have lunch with Descante; their schedules were wildly different, so a chance like this was rare.

At some point, both lunch boxes had been emptied, and Slater opened a can of Lemonade for him to drink as he put the containers into his little eco bag.

Descante zones out a little; having a full stomach meant he could work with ease, pouring all of his focus into what he was doing.

By the time he's grounded again, there was only five minutes left before class started- he could already hear the murmuring of his classmates, the whispers, the giggling-

He realizes Slater's hands had made their way into his hair.

He switches to a darker window, one that shows his reflection- and he sees Slater had done a ponytail with a spiral shape, its form held together by numerous pins, clips, and bands.

"Ta-da!" He chirps like a songbird. "It's a popular hairstyle in Hoenn! It's called a Politail because it resembles the spiral on a Politoed's head!"

He takes a moment to assess the spiral atop his head; a little more jagged and stiff than what a real Politoed would have.

And with that little flat frown on his face, he was so close to looking like one.

"Slater," He glances away from the laptop, meeting the eyes of his roommate. "Haven't I told you about my feelings toward Politoeds?"

"Hm?"

"What they've brought to the competitive scene- irreversibly damaging the tier with their permanent rain; have you seen what they've allowed Pokemon like Manaphy to do?"

His voice is still completely unchanged as the little spiral on his head wobbles with his movements.

"The Politails cannot be separated from the source. This is the root of all aesthetic politics-"

Slater, having grown accustomed to hearing this spiel before, could only crack a rare, mischievous smile as he snorted. "Heh. Poli,"

"Slater-"

"Do you hate it though?" Despite the question, a gentle smile was still on his face. "I can style it to something else,"

He ponders for a moment.

Then he still tastes the hotdogs on his tongue, as well as freshly prepared vegetables.

He decides against it.

"No, it's fine,"

Slater smiles brightly. "I'll give you a pretty braid next time!"

Slater always gives him pretty braids- and the accompanying accessories that came with them.

He supposes this is fine. He's come to class in other kinds of hairstyles anyway.

Slater looks pleased with his work, and as he settles on the seat next to him, Descante runs his fingers through his hair.

He felt the bumps and shapes of the clips clasped onto his hair; some were shaped like hearts, others seemed to be stars, with their pointed edges.

The rest of the accessories with varying silhouettes, he could only assume were Pokemon or berries.

He should get a container for these- his collection was piling up on the corner of his desk.

But, he’ll think about that later; he hears the scurry of footsteps pouring into the room as Colress strides cheerfully with his laptop.

When he spots both Descante and Slater at the back, he stops in his tracks, his shit-eating grin only growing wider. “Oh, you’re sitting in, aren’t you? That’s great! You’ll love our lesson,”

Descante does not like the sound of this.

But, he forces himself to sit straight when Slater points out how his back is going to hurt later- and even offers his tote for him to lean on. Descante complies with his friend’s request, setting down his headphones on the desk, and prepares himself for the worst.

#others #drabbles

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koolkat9 · 2 years

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GerEng Week 2022: Day 8

@gereng-week

Prompt: Amnesia/Remembrance || Dream

Pairing: GerEng, but with GerIta in the beginning

Rating: T

Word Count: 2076

Ludwig

Author's Note: My last fic for GerEng week. I've had this idea rolling around in my mind since I started shipping these two almost 3 years ago and I finally got to writing it. Though I feel HRE and Germany are two characters who share a body but are internally different, I wanted to apply the HRE = Germany theory to a ship outside of GerIta,

It had been quite the month for Ludwig. All of it had started with strange dreams. He was younger, smaller, in a familiar house, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Sometimes Rodirech and Erzsebet were there, sometimes it was Gilbert, but most of the time it was a little girl in a green dress who looked scarily similar to Feliciano.

For weeks he tried to ignore them, but they all came to a head when Francis entered his dreams, staring down at him coldly, sword pressed against his chest. That night, he had awoken in a cold sweat.

These weren’t normal dreams Ludwig came to realize. In the end, he confided in Gilbert about them and everything was pieced together. He was the Holy Roman Empire, at least according to Gilbert. Gilbert had theorized this for a while since Ludwig apparently came from Holy Rome’s grave when he was born, but he had no memories of his time as Holy Rome until now, so Gilbert never said anything. It was a lot to process, but it did seem the most logical idea given the way the stories Gilbert shared aligned with the dreams Ludwig had been having. So there was his answer. But that answer still left so many questions. Who was he? What did this mean? So many relationships had been lost, so many memories still laying dormant. He didn’t feel like Holy Rome, but he no longer felt like himself either.

As if things weren’t difficult enough, it didn’t take long before the whole world was aware. There was celebration, and many happy tears, but Ludwig still felt lost.

Time went on, more memories came back in the form of dreams, and he even finally got together with Feliciano. He had always liked Feliciano, but it was unrequited for years as Feliciano waited for his lost love. But Ludwig ended up being that lost love. When he had confessed to the Italian the second time, as Holy Rome, he had never seen his friend happier. For a moment, Ludwig had believed that maybe this whole situation wasn’t so bad.

But that feeling didn’t last. Questions spun around Ludwig’s head, the hollow feeling from before returned, he couldn’t focus as his mind wandered to his past. Not even the affection of Feliciano seemed to put any of his anxieties to rest. If anything, it was making it worse.

He would babble on and on about their childhood, still holes in Ludwig’s memory. And even the ones he had seemed distant. Looking back it was as if watching someone else’s life flash before him. But he refused to admit that. Everyone was so much happier now. Gilbert, Ersebet, Feliciano. He couldn’t rip Holy Roman away from them again.

He found himself spacing out more often after these memories resurfaced. It was the only time he felt any semblance of peace from his loud mind.

It was that spaced-out state Arthur had found him in. “Ludwig,” he said seriously, “I need to talk to you.”

Ludwig was shaken out of his blank daydream. “Arthur?”

“In private.”

Arthur’s eyes were hard. He didn’t look angry, but something was searing hot in his gaze. Ludwig silently obeyed, rising to his feet, and letting Arthur lead him to a small conference room. The Brit pulled out a chair, gesturing for Ludwig to sit. Ludwig complied. Arthur sat beside him.

“Now…” Arthur began, “I’m not going to let you weasel your way out of this mate. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Ludwig replied automatically.

“Bullshit. You’re spacing out, you’re quiet, you barely react to anything anymore…Not to mention how paled and dead-eyed you’ve become. Something is eating at you. I know it is.”

Ludwig was about to go to his next programmed reply, but when he met Arthur’s eyes again, softer now, but full of concern, it was as if a rope had been tossed to him.

His jaw clenched, and he gripped his chair. “I…” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I-I…I don’t know who I am anymore.”

“Oh, Ludwig…”

Ludwig shut his eyes tightly. They burned with unshed tears, but he wouldn't let Arthur see. He'd already said too much.

“Is this about your memories?” Arthur asked.

Ludwig slowly nodded. He flinched when Arthur placed his hand over his.

Arthur let out a long sigh. “Even if you were the Holy Roman Empire, you’re Germany now. That hasn’t changed. You’ll always be Germany. You’ll always be Ludwig. Stubborn, strong, hard-working Ludwig who overworks himself. Who loves dogs, baking, vinyl records, and morning jogs at sunrise. You’re still you with just a little extra tacked on.” He squeezed Ludwig’s hand, guiding him by the chin to look at him. “Your supposed past shouldn’t dictate your future, and don’t let anyone else make you think it should.”

Ludwig let out a shuttered breath, wiping at his eyes, trying to keep his tears at bay. He had felt so heavy, but at Arthur’s words, it was as if some of that weight had been taken from him, the Brit helping him shoulder it.

“Shhhh, it’s alright Lud. It’s going to be alright.”

Then Arthur hugged him, guiding Ludwig’s face into his chest and letting his hands rest loosely around Ludwig’s neck. Ludwig sank into the embrace, too tired and worn to care about the embarrassment that would surely follow. They stayed like that for what felt like a long while to Ludwig.

“The meeting will start soon,” Arthur whispered, pulling away slightly to look down at Ludwig. “Will you be okay? You have a lot to think about. I could cover for–”

Ludwig smiled softly. He hadn’t in months and it felt good. “You’ve done enough.”

“Then postpone it. I’m not letting you go through with that hell after everything. You’re going to break if you keep pushing on like this.”

Ludwig thought for a moment. Arthur was right, he wasn’t going to be productive at this rate. Perhaps pushing it back at least a day would give him some time to properly sort himself out. “Okay,” he agreed.

Days went by and Arthur’s words echoed through Ludwig’s head. Up until now, Ludwig had been living as Holy Roman Empire for the sake of everyone, but in the process, he noticed he was losing himself. As much as he wanted to please everyone, he couldn’t keep going on like this. He couldn’t be Gilbert’s former little brother, he didn’t have feelings for Feliciano anymore, and he couldn’t be who he once was.

Luckily Gilbert was understanding when he finally confessed all his feelings. There were many hugs, a few tears, but Ludwig felt like he had regained a piece of himself by the end. But he wasn’t worried about telling Gilbert–at least compared to Feliciano.

Ludwig didn’t want to break his best friend’s heart. He had loved Feliciano once. First as Holy Rome and then as Ludwig. But that was almost a century ago. Those feelings had long since gone out, only returning for a brief moment when he was confused and the only thing he felt linked his past and present self was Feliciano. So he grabbed onto him. With a clearer mind, he knew he had to break up with Feliciano, for both their sakes. He loved the Italian dearly, but in every way other than romance. They both deserved someone who loved them romantically, for who they were now, and this “romance” between them was not providing that.

“Feliciano,” Ludwig called softly after everyone had left the meeting hall, “I need to talk to you.”

“Oh! Of course Luddy,” Feliciano cheered. “What is it, my love?”

Ludwig took a deep breath. “Feli…I care a lot about you and I love you very much.”

“I love you too.”

“But you don’t love me for me,” Ludwig blurted out.

Feliciano’s face fell. “What?”

“I’m sorry…That was harsh.” He took hold of Feliciano’s hand. “I don’t doubt you love me platonically…but…You love Holy Rome romantically, not me.”

“Ludwig…I don’t understand–”

“I confessed to you back in the 40s and you rejected me back then. But now with my memories, you accepted that confession. I wasn’t Ludwig when I did…I was…”

“Holy Rome…”

“I’m no longer that person Feli. Those memories are distant to me. And my feelings for you…They’ve been gone since the 50s. You deserve someone who can love you as you want and I deserve to have someone who loves me for all of me, not just who I used to be.”

Feliciano looked up at him with glassy eyes. “I should have seen this coming,” Feliciano said with a wet laugh, “I…I-I should have never accepted your confession. I was…He was finally home and I just…I had been waiting for you–him–for so long that I jumped on the chance not thinking you were different now.” The tears were streaming now and they punched Ludwig in the stomach. “I wasn’t thinking that maybe all of this had put you in a confused, vulnerable state, twisting what you really wanted. It’s complicated…Gilbert tried to explain that to me. But whatever this means for you…It’s clear your heart doesn’t belong to me and I’m sorry for feeling entitled to it because of the past.”

Ludwig swallowed hard. “Thank you,'' he whispered.

“Can I hug you?”

“Of course.” Ludwig opened his arms to Feliciano and the Italian rushed into him. He squeezed his friend tightly, relieved that he would still have him in his life.

Their hug was interrupted by the creaking of the door. The two pulled away, looking at each other and then at the door. Arthur stood, knuckles white against the door handle, eyes piercing, though softening as soon as he met Ludwig’s.

“Go to him,” Feliciano urged, a smile returning to his face.

Ludwig gave him a hesitant look before nodding. “Thank you.”

He squeezed Feliciano’s shoulder before heading towards Arthur.

“I broke up with Feli,” Ludwig said bluntly.

Arthur’s eyes went wide. “Uh…Good for you? Um…I-I mean…Is that good or bad?”

“Good I think? I mean…We’re still friends and I feel like a weight has been lifted so…”

The Brit smiled. “Good.”

They stood awkwardly, Ludwig stiff, Arthur bouncing his leg ever so slightly.

“Arthur…" Ludwig spoke up again, gaze falling to his feet. "I-I have something to tell you.” He looked away, cheeks flushing a faint pink.

“Yes?”

“I-I…um…I’ve been thinking a lot since we talked, and…Well we had all that time together following the World Wars despite everything that transpired in them…What I’m trying to say is, I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Arthur froze, his hand gripping onto Ludwigs. “Y-You don’t have to rush into anything Lud. You just went through a break up, you’re still going through a lot. You don’t–”

“I know. But these feelings have been festering long before all this memory shit. And… You were the one to finally bring me out of whatever I was in. Just like you did in the 50s. You make me calm and you make me feel loved. A-And I want to do the same for you."

Arthur's face reddened even more, but a small smile grew. "Who knew you could be such a romantic?"

"I picked up a few things from Feli I guess." Ludwig finally had enough courage to look back at Arthur.

Arthur smirked. “Well then, I’ll have to up my game then. I can’t promise fancy food or wine. But I’d like to take you out to dinner. Tonight if you’re available.”

Ludwig chuckled before realizing what Arthur had just asked him out. “I-I’d love that.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll swing by your room tonight and pick you up?”

Ludwig could only nod dumbfoundedly.

Arthur grinned and with a wave, he was on his way back to his hotel.

Ludwig’s heart was beating a mile a minute, his palms were sweaty and something fluttered in his stomach. It was nothing like how it had been with Feliciano.

“I never thought about you and Arthur,” Feliciano thought aloud, “But in a way, it's fitting.”

“Yeah…It feels right.”

Feliciano squeezed his arm. “I’m happy as long as you’re happy. All of us are.”

Ludwig nodded. It had been a rough couple of months, but in the end, he knew everything was turning out as it was supposed to. He was Ludwig, representation of Germany, dog dad, baker, leader of meetings (and hopefully Arthur's lover). And that was more than enough.

#hetalia #hws #gereng #engger #geruk #minor gerita #hws england #hws germany #hws italy #gereng week 2022 #gereng week #hre = germany theory

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jabbage · 2 years

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Some thoughts on being an adult

Sometimes if I’m feeling down about the trajectory of my life, I try to stop judging it by the standards of society (which would tend to focus on having a full bank account, a mortgage, a prestigious job etc) and try judging it by the standards I had when I was 11 years old.

When I was 11 I liked to ride my bike but I was scared to go too far from the house because there were bullies who would bother me. I used to fantasise about getting on buses and trains by myself, but I wasn't allowed.

When I was 11 I liked to mess around on computers and learn how to use new programs. One time I took a summer school at a local college. They had software that let you model things in 3D, but it was too expensive for my parents to buy me that software. I was obsessed with the idea of virtual reality goggles, but they didn’t exist.

When I was 11 I liked to draw comics on A4 printer paper and fold them into little booklets and staple them with a long arm stapler. They were intelligible to anyone who wasn’t me, and nobody else read them.

When I was 11 I got obsessed with things easily – sometimes I could encourage a friend or two to join me in my obsession, but often it was a solitary pursuit. I could tell you just about anything about Robot Wars, or Danger Mouse, or Horrible Histories.

When I was 11, sometimes, I’d cry and I wouldn’t know how to stop crying. My emotions felt so big, and I didn’t know what to do with them. I remember a teacher saying “you can’t act like this when you go to the big school,” and I thought, I know, you think I want to act this way? Just tell me how to stop and I’ll stop!

As a 30 year old, I have a bike and it has a basket in the front and a parp-parp horn, it is called Sybil. I ride it everywhere. At the weekends I’ll look at a map and pick somewhere I can get to on the train and I’ll go there and explore.

As a 30 year old I get paid to mess around with computers and learn how to use new programs. I have a VR headset. I can make 3D models with software available for free.

As a 30 year old I still draw comics but they look better now. Sometimes they get printed in actual books. Other people read and enjoy them.

As a 30 year old I still get obsessed with things. They're often the same kinds of things, wrapped up in different packaging. But now it’s as part of a joyful community. I go and watch those robot fighting competitions in person and talk to the people who take part. I have friends in the indie comics community throughout the world, and we visit each other. I think I may have recently accidentally made myself the head of a Sherlock Holmes fanclub?

As a 30 year old I don’t feel overwhelmed by my own feelings anymore. A few years ago I had a moment where I realised that I felt happy for no particular reason. I was used to the idea that you could feel sad for no particular reason, but I didn’t know it went the other way, and you could just feel mysteriously happy. I don't know whether it's a brain chemistry thing or a life experience thing or what, but I feel happy more and more lately.

People paint turning 30 as something awful, but for me it's ended up being the turning point where I've shaken off a lot of the pain which hurt me in my 20s, and I've embraced being an 11 year old who is infinitely better at everything.

It's pretty great.

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ijustwant2write · 3 years

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Runaway-Finn Shelby x Reader

(GIF credit to @dialnfornoir)

Masterlist

Summary: On her brisk walk home, (Y/N) witnesses a brutal Peaky Blinder attack, attempting to run away when Finn Shelby comes after her, only to sweep her off her feet.

Characters: Finn Shelby x Reader

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

(Y/L/N)=Your last name

Warnings: Violence, fighting, blood, fluff

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Come on (Y/N), not even one drink? We won't even make you stay, just the one!" my friend moaned as I denied their proposal of going to the Garrison.

"You said that last time, and I ended up staying until early hours." I laughed.

They all put their hands together as they started begging. I also laughed at this, embarrassed by the attention that was suddenly on us.

"No, seriously. I have to be good with money this month. Thanks to you lot, I'm having to be frugal for the rent."

They sighed."Fine, we won't make you come. But you will be missed. Just get home safe, OK?"

"I will. You too, please don't get too drunk and end up sleeping outside."

"That was one time!"

I shook my head as we giggled, waving goodbye when I turned to walk home. We had just finished work, so it was still relatively light out; I would say it was less dangerous to walk alone, but we did live in Small Heath. Yawning after the long, boring shift, I adjusted my coat around me, trying to keep warm. All I wanted was a good dinner, get cleaned up and snuggle into bed, maybe read a few chapters of the book I had if my eyelids could stay open. I was only in my early twenties and already feeling like an old woman.

Home wasn't far, a good twenty minute walk, which could be a bad thing if it was raining, a lovely stroll if not. I lived in the better part of Small Heath (if there even was one), walking home from work had never been an issue. Until I heard the unfamiliar sounds of desperate begging and crying, as well as thumps and slaps of skin of skin contact. My eyes widened, heart beat accelerating when I realised someone was begging for their life. There was no other way home for me, I had to take this route. What I should have done was turn around to join my friends for that drink, but the natural human tendency to be curious took over. As I cautiously continued my way home, I couldn't help but glance down the alleyway behind a row of houses, spotting four young boys surrounding an older man, who looked like he was being beaten to a pulp by one of them. I froze, having never seen a brawl like this up close. It was as if I were delayed, somehow taking ages to register that I had to leave before they spotted me.

Unfortunately one of their heads snapped up to look at me, tapping his friends on the shoulder, pointing at me as he shouted for them to stop. My legs still wouldn't move, staring at the man who's face was soaked red with his own blood. It wasn't until one of the young men started approaching me that I sprinted away, suddenly terrified about what could happen to me.

I cursed myself for being such a bad runner, as well as the shoes I was wearing. My lungs were working incredibly hard, my throat drying up whilst my mind panicked as it tried to remember which way was home. I let out a scream as the boy grabbed me, crying out in pain when they pushed me against the brick wall. Attempting to scramble out of their hold was useless, they were pushing their whole weight on me, I had no escape.

"(Y/N)?" he said my name.

My eyes widened, realising who had a hold of me. It was Finn Shelby.

"(Y/N) (Y/L/N)? We went to school together. You might not remember me, but we definitely did."

"Of course I remember you! You're Finn fucking Shelby.”

"Oh right."

"Please don't hurt me."

He looked confused."Hurt you? Why would I do that?"

"Well, you're currently pinning me against a wall, and I'm finding it a bit hard to breathe if I'm honest."

He glanced down, quickly pushing himself away from me. I tried to hide getting my breath back, letting out a quick cough. It seemed he wasn't going to hurt me, and he wasn't being sadistic about that phrase either.

"I'm sorry. You alright?"

I slowly nodded, still wanting to be on the safe side.

"I remember you from school. Obviously changed a lot, though I have seen you from time to time."

"Right."

"Look, uh, what you saw back there, I need you to forget it."

"Finn," I was scared to say his name but I did anyway,"you almost killed him."

"You know I'm a Peaky Blinder, right?"

"How could I not? And are you trying to justify what you did?"

"(Y/N), he ran a brothel using children."

"Oh."

"I mean, you couldn't have known that, so I can see how that looks from a different perspective."

"Well, I totally agree with your actions then."

"I still need you to keep quiet about the whole thing."

"Um, of course."

"Where were you headed?"

This was the longest conversation I had ever had with Finn, with a Peaky Blinder. I briefly remember him as a child, you never do have specific memories at such a young age, though I probably played with him during break time.

"Home."

"Let me walk you."

"No, honestly it's fine, it's not far."

"I insist. Part of my apology for scaring you earlier."

"Part of your apology?"

"Yeah, I'm taking you out for drinks tomorrow."

I started thinking I might have been in a dream."Sorry?"

"Do you always act this surprised at what people say? A catch up drink."

"That's alright, really, if you're trying to make it up to me-"

"Come on, just one?"

It was like deja vu.

"If you're busy tomorrow, we can always go tonight. Yeah, you know what? Let's do that instead!"

"No, Finn, really I'm fine."

"I won't take no. Please, it'll be nice, I promise all I'm asking for is a drink."

I felt obligated to go, still in a bit of shock from what happened. But my friends were at the Garrison, if they saw me with Finn they would think I was ditching them, and what would it look like for me to be walking in with a Shelby?! However, I felt bad when I saw how happy Finn was; and even if he tried anything later I would undoubtedly slap him, I wasn't afraid of that (I tried to convince myself). When I agreed, his smile grew even bigger, instantly heading towards the pub.

I was trying to focus on what he was babbling on about, only my mind was preoccupied with the dreaded stares of my friends. That was one fo the worst things you could do as a girl, ditch your friends for a boy. Then there would be questions about how I met him, why didn't I tell them, why didn't I bring him along to drinks etc. I'd look like any other desperate girl that tried to cling onto the arm of any Shelby, desperate for a taste of the dangerous, gangsta life, even if it was just for one night.

As we walked in, I felt sick, immediately spotting my friends on their usual table they always tried to grab. They hadn't seen me yet, so I attempted to hide behind Finn, keeping my head down as we stood at the bar.

Finn was served first before anyone else."Whiskey Harry, and you?"

"Um, wine please."

"Just put them through the window, yeah?"

I was confused when we walked to the private room, it felt like I was trespassing. Though this gave me a good hiding place from my friends, chancing to glance back at them before disappearing. They still hadn't seen me.

Finn casually sat down, looking relaxed. I stood, not sure whether to join him, which was a stupid thing to think when he had invited me.

"Are you going to stand there the whole time?" he chuckled.

I said nothing as I sat down opposite him, not wanting to become trapped in the booth with him. I still wasn't sure what to say once seated, hating that this could become awkward at any second.

"Are you OK? You seem a bit shaken up still." he asked.

"I'm fine." I squeaked out, knowing he could see right through me.

"You're all nervous, what's wrong?" he smirked.

I sighed."My friends are out there."

"Oh, well go tell them to join us."

"No!" I snapped too quickly."Look, I said no to drinks earlier, hence why I was on my way home, and I was scared what they would think or feel if they saw me waltz in with you."

"Don't want to be seen with a Blinder?"

"No, just didn't want them to think I chose a boy over my friends."

He gave me a pointed look.

"And I guess it would seem strange if I suddenly walked back in with a Blinder."

"Why did you say no in the first place?"

"Because money is tight. That was another reason I was hesitant to come, honest."

"You're not paying (Y/N)."

"Oh, Finn-"

"No, because I literally get this stuff for free." the small window into the room opened."Speaking of."

He reached over and grabbed our drinks, handing mine to me before clinking the glasses together. Unlike Finn, who threw the whole drink back, I sipped on my wine, and god was it good. He slammed the glass back down onto the table, letting out a satisfied breath.

"So what have you been up to since school?"

"Well, I've got a job at this clothes shop, you might have passed it but we only deal with women’s clothing, so I doubt you’ve been in. Uh, I actually started there as a shop assistant after I left school, you know, running errands and doing the little things no one else wanted to do. Then they started giving me proper jobs, I’m also a book keeper now and-” I glanced at Finn, realising that I was rambling,“-sorry, I’m talking too much.”

“No, no you’re not.” he chuckled, waving a hand in the air.

“Long story short, I work in a clothes shop. What about you?”

I closed my eyes as soon as I finished my sentence, wincing at my stupidity.

“I didn’t mean, I wasn’t trying to be smart or pry, obviously I know...no I don’t know...”

“You’re cute when you stumble over your words.”

I wasn’t expecting that.“E-excuse me?”

Before things could get any more awkward, the door opened, making us both jump. I felt my heart drop down into the pit of my stomach when I saw who it was, and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me; his brothers were here.

“What the fuck are you doing in here Finn boy?”Arthur asked (if you didn’t know all their names, you had to be incredibly simple).

“Failing to get another bird in your bed?” John smirked.

“Shut up John.” Finn spat.“This is (Y/N), she’s an old friend from school.”

They filtered in. John scoffed.“Surprised you remember anything about school. Have you asked him what five pus five is?”

John and Arthur laughed as they sat down opposite us, Thomas standing besides the window for the drinks. I clasped my hands together as they started to shake out of nerves. I was in a room with the Shelby brothers, the men who ran one of the most feared gangs in England, and I had no clue what to do with myself.

“Um, I think I should go.” I pathetically mumbled out.

“Don’t be rude Finn,” Thomas said,“show the lovely, young lady out.”

Finn was glaring at his brothers as we stood. I slowed down my steps so I didn’t appear to be running away from them. Finn opened the door for me, and I felt weightless as soon as I stepped out of that room. He followed me out, running a hand down his face.

“I’m sorry about them. They’re just being their usual stupid selves.” he apologised.

“It’s alright, really. Don’t tell them they bothered me or anything because they really didn’t.”

“You don’t have to worry. They won’t do anything to you because we had a drink together.”

“Sorry, just not used to...”

“Meeting a gangster?”

I hummed in agreement.“Yeah.”

“Look, I definitely need to go back in there. But I liked this. Apart from how we bumped into each other.”

“Yes, that could have been different.”

“I would like to do this again though.”

“You would?”

“There you go again, acting all surprised. How about this weekend?”

“I-I’m free this weekend.”

“Great. I’ll pick you up at six on Saturday.” he smiled at me, turning to go back into the private room before calling the bartender.“Oh, Harry, another wine for my friend.”

He winked at me, then disappeared into the room. I heard heckling and teasing from his brothers. I could feel that my cheeks were heating up from blushing, though I also couldn’t help but smile. Thanking the bartender for the wine, I quickly took it, freezing when I saw my friends staring at me. Sighing, I took a big gulp of the drink before making my way towards them. This was going to be a longer night than I thought.

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