#she says ‘fox. i’m going to get out of the car. i’m alone. alright?’

[carefulfears]

what do you think mulder thinks of diana fowley after biogenesis through amor fati? i don't think we really see anything on screen/in text (though i think it says a lot that he didn't have much of a reaction when scully came to his apartment & instead focuses on scully & their relationship lol)

yeah there’s basically NOTHING in the text but tbh i think finding out for certain that she was working with CSM really kindaaaa snapped him out of some things…mulder doesn’t give a fuck what people do to him, obviously, but it’s a different thing entirely to find out that your ex is involved in something like that. like there are MILES from “my partner makes me feel like shit and is maybe pretty abusive” and “my partner is like 3rd on the call list of a eugenics group that treats women like test subjects”

like, scully was right, diana was monitoring MUFON women and collecting data on them. she was heading up the tests on cassandra. she probably knew the truth about samantha the whole time. just nasty nasty shit.

she’s the villain in the amor fati dream: the dismissive symbol of abandonment that offers another path.

one of the most interesting scenes of diana’s character to me, is in the sixth extinction, when she comes to see mulder in the hospital. and she knows what the effects of the artifact are, that he can hear what she’s thinking. that, therefore, he knows who she works for and what she’s doing. (imagine your ex-husband/wannabe boyfriend/obsession finds out you’re lying to him because he can read your mind….shit is crazy!)

and she tells him that she knows he knows. but that he also knows that she loves him.

and she does love him. there’s no reason to lie about that then, she knows he would be able to tell.

scully knows it without hearing it, that’s how she gets diana to save mulder’s life, ultimately. she comes to her and begs. tells her to please just think of him, who he is, who he was when she met him, who he is now. in the end, because of scully weaponizing how diana feels, diana can’t go through with it. she gives her life to help him.

diana seems to be one of those influences on mulder that’s only really all that significant when she’s close by. it’s like how all the tension in the beginning builds up to him getting in her car when she tells him to, leaving scully, when diana is there instructing him.

i think being able to know who she truly was and her true intentions and allegiances, prior to her death, really goes a long way in the way he responds to losing her.

don’t get me wrong, i think he’s upset. you can kind of see the shock cross his face when scully tells him. but he stays focused on his goal, which is to express to scully how important she is to him, in the wake of how discarded diana always made her feel.

mulder loved diana and grieves that she was killed, he doesn’t have it in him not to, but mostly he…wanted something from her, right? he wanted that approval and “affection” and to please her. he wanted her to believe him. the first thing that she says to disarm him (in the end) when she can tell he’s uneasy, is, “hey. i’m on your side.”

learning who she really is, it’s easier not to crave her approval so badly.

(this is the crux of amor fati’s “last temptation.” it’s diana saying: you’re childish. you are going to fail. your path is not your own. “you have to let go, fox.” and it’s scully countering: we need you. this is who you are.)

(it’s why he responds in the end by telling scully that it’s her that’s the voice of truth.)

and then in death, diana’s not…there for him to want anything from!! so it’s like, again, yeah he obviously feels the loss, this was someone who meant a lot to him for over a decade. but also it’s likeeeeee freeing in a way? it makes things simpler in a way? (he’s able to communicate all of that to scully instantly after hearing diana is gone, after over a year of the tension hanging around it)

if you asked him about diana now, or even a year later, i think he’d be like…damn that’s crazy! 😭😭 mulder doesn’t have an awful lot of object permanence you guys sjdjsjfj

when scully comes to tell mulder that diana was killed, and he says to her, “you were my friend, and you told me the truth,” the language matters so much. that’s what scully called diana, “i know she was your friend,” and he turns it back onto her. you were my friend. you told me the truth.

in my opinion, it’s not that he doesn’t love and grieve diana, but that there’s a freedom in knowing the truth. knowing who someone is, and their intentions. knowing who has your best interest at heart. knowing where you stand in the world, what you want to do.

that’s really what allows for the openness and lightness of s7, in the wake of diana’s absence. mulder’s always seeking, always learning.

#in a lot of ways diana knows mulder sooo well #like her mannerisms and every little word and phrase are so carefully chosen #like that moment in ‘the end’ when she says she’s on his side and takes his hand #her VERY first line on the show is telling a room full of people that she thinks mulder is right. that she believes him. #something she continues to enforce when she needs to #i was just looking at ‘the beginning’ and the way that when he kinda doesn’t trust her after she took over the x-files #and they find her outside #she says ‘fox. i’m going to get out of the car. i’m alone. alright?’ #like she communicates with him in a way where like….if she had good intentions it would be exactly how to help/calm him #but because she DOESNT it’s EXACTLY how to have him eating out of the palm of her hand #very interesting character very vile woman #anyway idk i think there’s something very ‘good for him!’ esque about how quickly he moves on from her 💀 #i think he’s able to for all the reasons i cited here about knowing what she’s doing and who she is #but mulder is sooooo easily wrapped up in trying to please someone or trying to help someone and getting in a shit situation #and that controls so much of their lives for so long #and i was trying to think about it and i feel like diana’s death kinda is the last time that he’s so trapped in that! #he still does it on a smaller extent ofc but it’s less about the person more the situation after diana if i recall #asks #amor fati #diana

[specialagentlokitty]

Lucifer (fox) x reader - worth more

Sitting down at your desk, you pulled your phone out of your pocket and sighed heavily as you set it down on your desk.

“Still nothing?” Dan asked.

“Nope, I mean usually he would’ve messaged me by now at least…” you mumbled.

Dan gave you a sympathetic smile.

“Just give him so more time, you know what he’s like. I’m sure he’s just busy with work.” Chloe smiled.

You nodded your head, knowing that was usually the case your boyfriend usually just got so caught up in work he’d forget to reply.

“You’re still wasting your time with that low life?” Lucifer asked.

You glared at him a little bit.

“He’s my boyfriend lucifer, don’t be such an ass.”

“Well clearly he’s got you wrapped around his finger because you can’t see that he’s cheating on you.”

“Lucifer!” Chloe hissed.

“He’s not.” You snapped.

Getting up, you walked away with some files, going to find somewhere else to work.

You decided to sit in the lab while you waited for Ella to get back so you could go to lunch with her, and lucifer would most likely stay near Chloe

You managed to work in peace for a little while until your phone began to ring, and you answered it, putting it on speaker.

“Hey, is everything alright?” You asked.

“Hey, yeah it’s fine. Look I’m going to have to cancel our date night. I have to work late.”

“Oh, again? We’ve not had a date night for weeks, and it was really hard to get reservations to this place.”

“Yeah, well work is work so.”

You glanced up as the door was opened and chose to ignore lucifer as he entered.

“No I know that, I just don’t want you to overwork yourself. You’re always working late.”

“Yeah I know.”

Lucifer padded over and looked over your shoulder.

“Oh is that the douche you call your boyfriend?”

“Who the fuck is that?”

“It’s my colleague, apparently he doesn’t know when to mind his own business.”

You heard your boyfriend scoff on the other end of the line.

“Seriously? I told you I don’t want you working with that prick.”

“I’m sorry, you know I don’t get a choice in this.” You sighed.

“Yeah. Right. Bet that’s what you say when he’s at your apartment right? You got no choice.”

“Come on, don’t be like that. You know I wouldn’t cheat on you.”

“Fuck off.”

Your boyfriend hung up and you sighed, locking your phone and you ran a hand down your face, taking a small breath.

“Seriously, what do you see in that idiot? Clearly he’s beneath you, I don’t even see why you waste your time with somebody like him, for someone so smart you sure can be stupid.”

You spun around to lucifer and you punched him, shaking your hand as you hissed in pain.

He looked at you in pure shock.

“What the hell is your problem lucifer!?”

“You hit me!”

“I mean with my boyfriend asshole! Why the fuck do you keep trying to break us up?!”

Lucifer scoffed.

“Trust me if you stopped being so blind you would end this relationship rather quickly.”

“Just because you go sleeping around with everything with a pulse doesn’t mean he does!”

“Well, I have two eyes and a memory that say differently.”

You clenched your jaw.

“You know what, stay away from me. Your job is to work with Chloe, not me.”

“Oh come on, don’t be like that!”

You grabbed your things, making your way to the door and lucifer trailed after you.

“(Y/N), come on!”

“Leave me alone! I don’t want to look at you anymore!”

You dropped everything on the desk, and you grabbed your car keys, deciding it would be a nice way to get away from him.

Lucifer went to follow you, but Chloe grabbed his arm and shoved him into one of the interrogation rooms.

“What the hell did you do?!” She hissed.

“I don’t know! (Y/N) punched me in the face and just stormed away!”

You spent a few hours driving around, just trying to get out of your head, and you decided to go home to grab your shopping list.

Jogging up into the apartment you let yourself in and walked towards the kitchen.

Grabbing the paper on the fridge, you looked over the list, taking the pen from your pocket to add a few more things.

That’s when you heard the sound of something being knocked over.

Furrowing your brows, you set the pen and paper down, hand reaching towards your gun as you started to go around the apartment, checking everywhere somebody could hide.

The only place you hadn’t checked was the bathroom, so you walked over and reached out for the handle.

You could heard somebody inside, and you threw the door open, gun raised and ready.

“LAPD!”

The two people inside stopped and you blinked a few times.

“(Y/N) I.. I thought..”

You calmly put your gun away, and stepped aside, gesturing for them to get out of the bathroom and they did, both scrambling for their clothes.

“Get out.”

“You can’t kick me out of my own apartment!”

“My apartment James, and I said get the fuck out! Both of you before I find something to arrest you both for!”

The woman looked at your boyfriend, and then looked at you.

“Asshole! You said you were single!”

She smacked him, and pulled her shirt over her head, shooting you an apologetic look.

“I’m so sorry!”

With that she ran out, and you looked at your partner.

“Get the fuck out James! This is my apartment in my name!”

“You’re the one who started this!”

“I just caught you in the bathroom cheating on me!”

“So what?! You’re clearly doing that lucifer dude!”

You rolled your eyes, gesturing to the front door.

“I’m done. This is done. We’re through James, get out.”

“Or what?”

“I’ll charge you with trespassing.” You shrugged.

He sneered a little bit.

Storming forward he backed you into a wall, and your hand went for your gun out of reflex.

James grabbed your hand, gripping it so tightly you were sure he was going to break it.

“Nobody will ever love you anyways…” he snarled.

James threw you to the ground, and you hit your head off the corner of the wall.

With that he left, and you sat there, heart in your through, trembling out of pure fear because never had James raised a hand to you before.

You stayed sat in shock for minutes before you reached into your pocket, calling for your best friend.

She was over so fast you were sure that Ella had managed to break more than one traffic law.

She knelt in front of you, touching your forehead where it was bleeding slightly.

“Chloe and Dan have put a bolo out on James, they said you can come in when you’re ready to say what happened.” She said softly.

You slowly nodded your head, and she helped you up, taking you to your room where she cleaned your wound and stitched it up for you.

“I.. I don’t know… he’s never…”

“I know…”

Ella sat on the bed with you, holding you in her arms as tears burned your eyes.

“Why would he do this…?” You sniffled.

“Because he’s a horrible man and when I get my hands on him I swear I’ll.. I’ll… ugh!”

“Ella don’t, please. I don’t know what he’ll do to you…”

Ella looked at you, and she rested her head on yours.

“They’ll find him…”

You just nodded your head.

“How about some ice cream, and some really crazy action films? You love action films?”

“No.. no I uh.. I just.. I’m going to get changed…”

“Alright, I’ll wait in the living room.”

Ella gave you a little squeeze, and she left the room, closing the door behind her.

You changed into a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt, hanging around your room for a few minutes before you made your way out.

Ella was already sat on your couch with a tub of ice cream and two spoons, and she grinned a little.

“Come on, I know you love ice cream.”

You smiled weakly, making your way over and you sat down next to her.

“Here, eat ice cream.”

She handed you a spoon and held the tub out for you.

Ella stayed for a little while until she was called away for a crime scene, and you went to get changed.

“Ah! No!”

“Ella if there’s a crime scene I need to be there.”

“Nope! Absolutely not! You’re going to stay right here and I’ll be right back over.”

Ella hugged you, and she rushed away, and you carried on eating ice cream.

You finished the tub and you went to the kitchen to get another, only to hear your front door open and you went to reach for a knife.

“Well, if I knew you were going to stab me I would have definitely thought twice about coming here.”

You sighed, setting the knife back down.

“This is breaking and entering.”

“Only if I broke the lock, it so happens Miss Lopaz gave me her key.”

“Well.. go away…”

Grabbing your tub of ice cream, you went to walk past him but he grabbed your elbow.

Because of earlier events you immediately recoiled from his touch, shuffling away from him, keeping your face turned away.

Lucifer frowned a little bit.

“(Y/N)?” He asked.

You ignored him, making your way back to the couch, sitting down and you set your ice cream on the table.

Lucifer walked over, keeping his distance from you as he crouched down at the other side of the table.

You glanced at him, and you saw he was looking disheveled, his hair wasn’t as neat as it usually was, and there was spots of blood on his shirt.

“Oh, it’s not my blood if that’s what you’re concerned about.”

“What happened?”

“Well, it would appear your ex took a rather… let’s say nasty fall down the stairs of the precinct.”

You slowly nodded your head, and he slowly held out his hand, gesturing to where you were sat.

“May I?”

You nodded.

Lucifer got up, making his way back around the table to sit in front of you, and he reached up.

You flinched a little, and he hesitated.

“You know I would never hurt you..” lucifer whispered.

He moved his hand upwards, trailing his fingers along your cheek, moving some of the hair from your head.

He ran his fingers over the bandaid that covered the cut on your head, and he could see the slight blood that had came through it.

“I should have done more than throw him down those stairs…” he growled.

You locked eyes with him, and he smiled softly at you.

“You deserve so much more..” he said softly.

You shrugged a little bit.

“Hey, come on. Don’t do that to yourself, you know you deserve more, everybody knows that you deserve so much more… the whole world..”

“Don’t lie..”

Lucifer chuckled a little bit.

“I would never lie to you, you know that. Everything I’ve said is the truth.”

You sniffled a little bit.

“I.. I just don’t get it.. I don’t understand why he’d do it…”

“Because he was a prick, and he never deserved somebody with such a kind soul as yours (Y/N), and believe me there will be a special spot in hell reserved just for him after what he did to you.”

Lucifer wiped away a few of your tears that had falling from your eyes.

“Come now, don’t waste your tears for somebody so unworthy.”

Lucifer shuffled forward so he was sat on the edge of the table, and you held your arms out to him.

He moved over, sitting on the couch with you, letting you rest your head on his chest, and he placed his hand on your head, wrapping his other arm around you.

“You should never have to cry…” he whispered.

Lucifer held you as you quietly sobbed, sometimes his hand absentmindedly going to covered the wound on your head as if he could just take it away.

He couldn’t.

He knew that.

But he could sit here with you, hold you when you needed it the most, make sure that you weren’t alone right now and just remind you that you were worth so much more

#lucifer fox #lucifer x reader #lucifer x you #lucifer imagine #lucifer morningstar #lucifer Morningstar x reader #lucifer Morningstar x you #lucifer Morningstar imagine

[socksonvideo]

Hi hi hello!! Tell me a bit about whoever you wanna talk about most!!!!! (or both, if you want!!)

💧🌟🔫👖

u know what... i will do both.... under the cut though bc it might be long lmao

aspen .

💧 - u know for such an angsty little guy im having a hard time with this LMAO. i bring a different one... so i don’t mention survivors guilt again bc catherine stole that one

obviously! there has been a lot of near death soul rider experiences and adding that to the previous near death trauma aspen had you get. more trauma!! and nightmares. this is about nightmares.

aspen has frequent nightmares about actual death (eg. Moss’ wings not forming in time / Sabine actually getting their ass (not in a good way) in Dino Valley / Being stuck in that in between area after Elizabeth Died / Car Crash / I’m sure there is more I could be here all day)

what if they hadn’t done that? what if in the future they don’t make the right move? its so easy for them to make a mistake and it does not help aspen’s paranoia. 

obviously this is added on to their moon circle issues because once aspen started having Those dreams it was another issue of “was that a nightmare or a vision” and so really. big mess. so fun!

🌟 - stargazing is kind of a quiet bonding activity for aspen. yeah, sure they’re alone most of the time out of their own preference but sometimes they want to hang out! just not mostly in loud crowded places. they try to just think about the peace and quiet because honestly there is way too much going on for them.

since aspen lives in the countryside (though right outside of jorvik city) they see the stars pretty often. most times they prefer to do it with someone though. sometimes its their abuela (who... i hc was a moon sister from the gen b4 elizabeth’s so really its a mild venting session sometimes)

other times it could be one or both of their sisters. most of the time though, they actually stargaze with maya !! actual best friends. one of the few people that aspen has actually talked to that isn’t their family. maya in general is just a very nice and funny person and aspen respects that.

misc people for stargazing though are the flying foxes (has only been a one/two time thing so far but the vibes (and smores) were amazing)

obviously the soul riders too but like !! mainly linda ..... gotta roll out the heavy ass telescope though. 

i imagine their first hang out with anne was a split thing (”alright we can hang out where u would like to hang out w me and then vice versa”) so after they did whatever, aspen took her to the usual hill and they just talked about whatever. bonding over fleeting quiet moments. and then aspen proceeded to point out every constellation.

(this is so long LMAO im projecting my love for stargazing rlly badly rn)

🔫 - aspen is the least likely person to go “yeah i trust you sure” right off the bat because they are so skeptical. of everyone and everything.

like, obviously, if you’re just being really open about being an ass or something, its a no brainer at that point. sabine at the manor was so very obvious and aspen, internally, was laughing, up until she took justin in which aspen was not laughing and was like “damn.” it takes a while before aspen can trust you (even if you show genuine kindness it takes them like. a week or two before they’re like alright)

aspen isn’t one to turn their back on you without reason. going off “friendship betrayals” for this one, but aspen will show and give verbal distaste for something if you’re just being an annoying or pissy person. if you decide to ignore it, your loss. aspen can deal with you saying that they betrayed you. becaue sure. 

will say that it has happened to aspen before so the first hand experience is strong.

in terms of betraying someone, it depends ig? if its something of turning evil and betraying the ‘good side’ friends, then probably not. unless there was a Very Good Reason and the evil side wasn’t actually evil, then yes. if it was a fake out thing, then probably and very quickly. aspen can deal with the shock and betrayal if it means saving someone from something. life or death situation, and aspen chooses life.

👖 - tbh aspen wears like the same thing... maybe they'll switch it up sometimes (depends on weather like 99% of the time) but its mainly their little trucker hat, a sweater, baggy pants, and the same fingerless gloves and boots.

sometimes in the winter aspen will wear the shortest (modest) clothes possible. just to flex the alaska genes. its hilarious to them. others just think they are insane and maybe they are.

catherine .

💧 - slaps her little head. this character can hold so much survivors guilt inside it.

anyway she has a Ton and I mean a Ton of guilt from Elizabeth's death because she felt like she should've (and honestly could've....) prevented it but she was just so. shocked that she really couldn't do anything in the moment.

honestly there are a ton of other moments where she has watched past generations die in front of her and she has felt purely guilt from those events but elizabeths is the most recent and so she was beating herself up over it for a while.

plus they were literally in a sisterhood together even if catherine was different. that was her long time friend and she just? stood there? like hell she is gonna feel bad.

🌟 - catherine is constantly thinking about stuff to keep herself from spiraling so! every time she goes star gazing, she’s constantly trying to point out different stuff. where’s this constellation? is that a new one?

they mostly prefer to do it with wren. she only used to star gaze bc of a star circle rider from one of the very first generations but obviously she’s. not around to do it with her anymore.

🔫 - somewhere in between.

catherine can just? sort of tell if you’re a good person or not. it makes it easier to trust you if she can tell. of course some people are Extremely open about their true personality but others. hm.

she is well aware of the possibility that someone is faking their goodness or what not but sometimes. very few times she can also sniff that out.

catherine is quick to trust people just bc of the above LMAO. not the type to betray or turn your back on you without reason though bc she is just Not like that. the only time she’d ever ‘betray’ someone is if she was doing a fake-out trust thing bc ur just a little evil person and she needed to do so for her own gain. 

👖 - definitely has no go to outfit lmao that wardrobe is changing every day but. mostly airy clothes. like her sweater + cardigan on her ref are pretty thin in reality. i guess if we wanna consider something a go-to then probably whatever is like? a fashion trend at the time? lmao catherine is an enigma

#im so sorry this took me like a WEEK i take forever thinking about my characters #as much as they bounce around in my head they have to hit the corner right like the windows icon before the thought comes #dont know if i interpreted the asks rights tbh most of there were written at.... 2 am #thank u 4 da asks though #aspen southfield #catherine pinehome

[paisley-print]

Near The Water’s Edge:   Chapter Four

After fleeing your abusive husband, you find yourself in the small coastal town of July, North Carolina. Soon you meet Frankie Morales, Air Force Veteran and single dad. As the two of you grow closer, you begin to let go of your past and learn to love again. That is until a strange man shows up in town, and you ’re forced to choose between your safety or the safety of the people that you love.

Inspired by the novel “Safe Haven” written by Nicolas Sparks.

Series Master List

Frankie Morales x Female Reader Rating: 18+ / Heavy adult themes eventual smut. Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Mentions of death, PTSD, anxiety, mentions of police case, police.  Word Count: 

Note: Another heavy chapter, but things will let lighter as the chapters go on. Enjoy the first half of the beach day. 

Tag List:@qytyy @winter-fox-queen​​​​ @sherala007​​​​@inkededucatednnerdy @quica-quica-quica​​​ @hnt-escape​​​ @giizhkens-cedar​​​@heythere-mel​​​ @toomanystoriessolittletime​​

The ride passed in comfortable silence, the three of you listening to the radio and Lucy looking out the window at the cars in the next lane. All Frankie could think about was how nice it was to have someone else there to spend the day. He knew Lucy must have been feeling the same way, since he hadn’t seen her so excited about a beach trip in a long while. 

He appreciated how patient you were with her; it was something he noticed even on that first day. The way you refused help until you knew she was alright. That moment had stuck with him more than anything else. 

The memory of what Will said earlier surfaced in his mind. He shifted in his seat and glanced at you. Yes, you were beautiful. Strikingly so. A woman who could walk into a room and turn every head in the place; both men and women alike. Of course Frankie had been taken with you. He tried to suppress it, scolding himself whenever he was alone in bed at night and found his thoughts wandering.... 

His only goal right now was to be your friend because he cared for you and knew that you needed help. He wasn’t sure what kind of help, but he sensed that you were alone and at some point in your life something very bad had happened to you. He wouldn’t pry though, he would wait until you were ready to share. 

-

The beach wasn’t too packed; it was still early in the season and  the tourists hadn’t moved into their summer homes yet. The boys had done an oddly efficient job at setting everything up. When Ben and Will got into a little spat about how to sink the umbrella into the sand , Frankie simply rolled his eyes and continued to spray Lucy with sunblock. It made you laugh, they all seemed so comfortable with one another. 

The day was hot and everybody seemed eager to get into the water, everyone except you and Frankie.  You had bought a bathing suit at the store, intending on going in... but somewhere during the car ride you changed your mind. 

“You can go in if you want,” you told Frankie “I don’t mind just watching.”

He shrugged, “I don’t normally go in either.”

Then just like that the two of you were suddenly alone, both woefully unprepared for any sort of conversation.

You thought of something quickly, filling the silence “the marina was packed today.”

“Yeah, It’s always like that on memorial day. Most of the summer too, be prepared for the restaurant to start getting busy.”

“I prefer it that way. It makes the shifts go faster. So I’ve been meaning to ask, what exactly do you do? I assumed you owned the marina?”

He paused for a moment. “Uh, technically I do. It was a wedding gift from my parents. An uncle had died and left it to them. I think they just wanted to get rid of it, but I have an office manager that does all the upfront stuff….. normally I just work on repairs.”

Married. That wasn’t what you were expecting, but still no ring. “Did you go to school for that?”

“Kind of. I had training for planes, but you would be surprised just how similar the two are.” You gave him a look. He glanced at you and laughed sheepishly. “What?”

“I’m sorry, did you say planes?”

“Yeah”

“You fix planes?”

He smiled and crossed his arms, trying to seem much cooler than he actually was. “I fly them too.”

“You fly pl-....do you take constructive criticism?”

He laughed, “Of course.”

“Lead with that next time.”

He looked at you skeptically. “How am I supposed to lead with that, exactly?”

“You say, hi my name is pilot Frankie …..” 

He shook his head, grinning. “Morales,” he informed you. 

“Hi my name is pilot Frankie Morales, nice to meet you.”

He played along, “but how will I know if people actually like me for me, or they just want me to take them for a ride in a plane?”

You shrugged “it's tough being a celebrity, I don’t make the rules.”

“Oh yeah, celebrity, that’s me,” he said sarcastically. 

You kicked at the sand with your foot. “Also I liked you before I knew you had the coolest hobby in the world. So, you know that you can trust me.”

He glanced over at you and immediately noticed your smile. He had seen you smile before, but they would never quite reach your eyes. This one, he could tell, was real. He opened his mouth to speak when, in the distance, a wave crashed and Lucy squealed with laughter. Both of you turned your heads to look.

“Will Lucy be okay out there?” you asked. She had on a life vest and was being supervised in the shallows by the rest of the adults. Santi was holding onto a boogie board Lucy used to keep herself up. 

“Yeah, I know they seem like idiots but they are good men.” Frankie reached into the cooler to grab a bee and popped the cap off with the bottle opener. “Do you want one?”

You shook your head, “No thank you, but I’ll take a water bottle if you have it.” He set his beer down in his cup holder and reached into the cooler again. The bottle was freezing cold when he handed it to you. Perfect for a sunny day.

You wiped the condensation off on your dress. “Can I ask you something? It’s okay if you don’t want to answer.”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, taking a sip of beer. 

“Lucy’s mom is she….? Are you two still….? I don’t mean to pry, I guess I’m just a little confused.”

“You and I both,” he said with a sigh. “I’m married but we are not together anymore, haven’t been for a few years.”

“Oh,” you said simply, not finding any clarification in what he told you. If anything, you had more questions, but you didn’t want to push. Besides, it didn’t matter anyway…. you couldn’t, you were married as well. “Does your family live in the area?”

“Nope, they live up north. Katie never really knew her family. She grew up in the foster system and was bounced around until she enlisted at eighteen. It’s just me and Lulu now, and the guys when they find the time to travel here.”

“I’m sorry,” you said honestly. “It must be hard not having your parents support.”

He shook his head and took another sip. “I expected it, even when I was younger, it seemed as though they were only interested in keeping me alive.” He looked down and started to peel off the sticker on the bottle as he spoke. “They are both doctors, mom is an archaeologist and dad an engineer. He actually helped design parts of the international space station…. I think they valued their careers more than anything else... they still do. The only time they ever came down to see Lucy was right after she was born, aside from that it’s usually a phone call on a holiday and a card with money in the mail.”

Although he tried to play it off as if it were just another part of life, you could see that it still affected him deeply. For a moment you thought about reaching out to take his hand, but you stopped yourself. “It really is their loss, they are missing out on two wonderful people.”

Frankie adjusted the baseball cap on his head, a sheepish little smile playing on his lips at the compliment. “Well, thank you. Lucy and I could say the same thing about you. You’re great with her.”

You glanced back at the little girl. She was smiling happily as Ben pulled her along on the boogie board. “I think little girls need to be protected, but not only that - they need to be seen and heard. She is already so independent and fierce. I can see how you encourage her to be her own person and not fit into any one mold. That’s important for little girls to learn.”

He laughed, “Yeah, she definitely gives me a run for my money, that's for sure. She can already repair an engine better than most men I know.”

A large gust of wind came through and took hold of the multi-colored beach ball beside you. Both you and Frankie sprang from your seats to race after it. The thing was fast, and you could not stop it from crashing into the waves. You noticed just how much cooler it was near the water’s edge. Although the temperature outside was sweltering, the Atlantic still held that winter chill. Both of you stared at the ball as it bobbed up and down with the tide. 

Frankie waved it away with his hand and squinted in the sunlight. “It’s fine, it’ll probably just float down the beach to another family or something.”

You smirked at him “or choke a poor dimwitted sea turtle to death.”

He paused and shot you a pretend glare, then took off his hat, dropped it in the sand and reached for his shirt. 

You giggled “no, no I’m joking. I got it.” You said, starting to strip down to your bathing suit also.

“Well, you gotta be faster than that,” he said, half jogging to the water.

You slipped off your dress easily and ran straight past him into the waves. Frankie was not far behind. You two were pushing against the tide as you reached for the ball. Fingertips just barely brushed against the plastic before it slipped a couple more inches away. This left just enough time for Frankie to swoop in and grab it.

Your stomach hurt from laughing so hard “hey!”

He shrugged, “I’m sorry that I care more about the environment than you.”

You splashed him with water playfully.

-

The two of you swam for another fifteen minutes, chatting about the town and volleying the ball back and forth. Frankie pretended not to see the way the droplets of water clung to your skin and sparkled under the sunlight. When he noticed the little lace pattern on the bottom of your swimsuit, he knew he had been staring for too long and forced himself to look away. The very last thing he wanted to do was scare you away, or make you believe he had some sort of ulterior motives to helping you. 

You both dressed again before walking back up to the chairs. When the two of you returned, the group had already come back from swimming. They were passing around Tupperware full of fruit while Santi was starting up the tiny little grill he had brought. 

“You guys really don’t play around for beach days,” you mentioned to Frankie. 

“I tried to warn you,” he said with a smirk. 

Will had Lucy thrown over his shoulder, carrying her easily with one arm. “Has anyone seen Fry?”

“I’m right here!” Lucy’s little voice drifted out from behind him.

Will started turning, pretending to look for her “Fry! Fry! Where are you!”

Lucy was hardly able to speak through her fit of giggles, “I’m behind you!”

He put her down on the sand, pretending as if he had seen her for the first time. “Jesus Fry! You scared me!”

“Lulu,” Frankie said, “come here so I can put more sunscreen on you.” Frankie took the bottle from the bag and sprayed her again, making sure to get her ears and the tops of her feet as well. He sprayed some in his hands, and Lucy scrunched up her nose as he applied it to her face.

Watching the two of them together made you smile. You were reminded again just how different Frankie was from your husband. David would have felt emasculated by having to take care of a child. If he had attended today, you would be sitting beside him silently the entire time, only getting up to fetch him a beer.

“Do you want some?” Frankie asked, and you were suddenly snapped right back to reality.  

Even though you weren’t threatened by a burn yet, you figured it would be a good idea. “Yeah, thank you.” You offered him your arms, then the front of your legs.

“I used to be terrible with remembering sunblock until I got sun poisoning in Iraq, god never again.”

“Iraq?” you asked, and turned so he could get the backs of your legs.

“Yeah, with the air force” he told you, assuming you already knew. 

Breath hitched in your throat as he brushed your hair over your shoulder. You cringed at the feeling of the warm sunscreen hitting the back of your neck and jerked away. It was enough for the others to notice. You laughed and lied quickly “damn horse flies hurt when they bite. They say you should wash off the bite with soap to get it to stop the swelling. Is there a bathroom here?”

You sounded believable. Becoming an expert liar had been the only thing keeping you alive for so long. 

Frankie felt horrible. He didn’t quite know what he had done to trigger you, but he knew it was something. “It’s pretty far, I can walk with you-”

You shook your head, a wide smile still plastered across your lips. “Nope, I just need a direction.”

Santi jumped in quickly. “That building when we first came in, near the tennis courts.”

You nodded and started forward, tears stinging at the corners of your eyes. Why was this happening right now? You were fine a moment ago and now you felt as though you couldn’t catch your breath. You shivered, remembering the feeling again and putting your hand on the back of your neck to stop it.

A soldier…. it made sense. You were too stupid to have seen it, the nicknames and the holiday...... 

Thankfully, they were single stall restrooms; you pulled the door shut and locked it behind you. The bottom of the floor was disgusting and filled with wet sand. You lifted yourself up onto the counter and sat, trying to calm down. A soldier, a soldier, you kept repeating to yourself. It was too similar. The anger, the potential for violence…. just like your husband. 

You placed your head in your hands, and suddenly you were back in New Jersey. It was a bitter February, snow still on the ground. You were in your bathroom hiding as David raged in the living room and screamed at his coworker on the phone. A little boy had been killed by his father weeks ago. David was assigned to the case. When the trial came, the jury found the man innocent and let him walk free, even though all the evidence pointed to him as the killer. It was an embarrassment to David and the entire homicide unit

“God fucking dammit, y/n! y/n!”

You pulled yourself up on shaking legs, straightened your dress and walked out. David was red in the face waiting for you. “I thought I told you to call Comcast, did I not?”

“They said that they could get someone out here Wednesday because of the snow-”

He took the television remote and threw it at you as hard as he could; he aimed for your face but it hit your shoulder instead. The plastic connected straight with your collarbone. You doubled over in pain, holding it as it throbbed. He stalked up to you and you moved back, the fear evident in your eyes.

His voice was teetering on the edge of lunacy as he screamed at you.

“I give you a simple fucking job to do and you can’t even get it done. You’re a lazy fat fucking bitch.” he shoved you hard but you manged to keep standing. “Spend all day sitting on your fucking ass while I have to go to work for the both of us! I need the television because I need to see the news coverage of the fucking case! You knew this! Or would you like me to get fired and the both of us live on the fucking streets!” He shoved you again, and you fell against the stone fireplace. Your hands came up to shield your face as he picked up the remote and hit you with it repeatedly. It caught your lip, busting it open. 

You didn’t care about the blood, all you could think about was the gun still holstered in his belt. You got the television fixed the next day-

“Summer?” 

You stood quickly and wiped away the tears from your cheeks, pretending like nothing was wrong. “Yeah?”

“Are you alright?” 

It was Frankie. 

You shook your head and smiled in the dingy plastic mirror in front of you. “Yeah, why?”

He could hear that you had been crying. He pushed on the door but it was locked. 

You didn’t like that at all; you slipped off the counter and sat on the floor, against the door. Bracing it closed with your body “I’m fine-”

“You’re crying-”

“No, I’m not I- I get allergies and that horsefly hurt. I am such a baby I’ve always had a low pain tolerance-”

“If it’s something that I did -”

“Nope, it’s nothing that you did. I’m fine, I’m really, really fine I promise. I just got overwhelmed and needed some air. I’ll be back in a few minutes, and you guys can eat without me. Don’t let me hold you up.”

Frankie wasn’t convinced, but he didn’t want to force anything. “Would you like me to save you a plate?”

“Yes, please.”

You could hear his footsteps start to retreat and relaxed a little. 

“Summer?”

“Yeah?”

Frankie was about to say something, but he thought better of it. He figured it was better to let you have your space now.

#ntwewy #nearthewater'sedge #pedro fanfiction #pedro fanfic #Frankie Morales fanfiction #Frankie Morales fanfic #frankie morales #Frankie fanfiction #triple frontier #triple frontier fanfic #triple frontier fanfiction #pedro pascal fanfic #pedro pascal fanfiction

[youarejesting]

Sly like a... ? Part 6

[Master list] [Sly Master List] Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating: All Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story. Words: 1.8k

Summary: Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.

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There had been a moment when Taehyung seemed almost reluctant to leave, as if he was having fun with the hybrids around his age and you couldn’t blame him. He had spent his life with older people who didn’t really do anything particularly thrilling. 

But the night ended without any fights from any of the hybrids so you considered that a bonus. They were slowly becoming more accustomed to the other presence and though there were a few small shoves, hisses or choice words, all in all they were being polite.

Sitting at the dining table talking with Jimin about your plan tomorrow at the shopping centre, he was very close, you knew it was a dominance thing, that he knew you the longest and he was unintentionally rubbing it in the other hybrid’s faces. Seeing Jungkook’s eyes barely staying awake you wished him good night with a hug and told him to get some sleep. 

Yoongi was slinking around looking like he wanted to say or ask something but waiting for you to be alone. Seokjin and Namjoon both headed off to bed and Jimin reached over taking your hand. “How are you feeling?” he asked, his brows creasing in the same concern that laced his words, “you keep making sure we are okay, that no one has asked you?”

“I’m good,” you admitted with a smile, “how are you taking this?”

“You know I am used to it, we grew up in hybrid homes just like this one,” Jimin laughed, “gives me a bit of nostalgia.”

“The only thing that is unsettling at the moment is the smell of the carpet, it is driving me mental?” you laughed, “that bleach not only burns it just makes the place feel empty.”

“I know what you mean, but if you would like I can scent the house?” he wiggled his eyebrows. “like we used to?”

“Jimin we were children running around naked was okay back then now it would be weird,” you scoffed, pushing him away, “go to bed.”

“You want to sleep in my room?” he pouted, “there is no need to be a martyr”

“Thanks but, I am going to stay up a little later and work out some things.” Jimin walked into the hall eyeing the older hybrid and gave a deliberate, let me know if you need anything spiel.

“Hey Yoongi, is something wrong?” you smiled patting the seat beside you, he hesitantly sat on the seat keeping his distance. He seemed to mull over his thoughts and choose his words carefully before he attempted to speak.

“When I was in University the first time, I was studying psychology, I wanted to help young hybrids,” you repressed a squeal he was opening up and you were so proud, “I was wondering, if there is a chance I could continue that course? I still want to help other hybrids like myself.”

“Of course, that is perfect, I can get you ready I will get your folders and work transferred over and we can have you started in no time, they might ask you to do an entrance exam so if you don’t mind I can give you a little refresher with the other boys and then you will be all set, all the Uni classes are online, so you don’t have to worry about transport and it’s all paid for so money isn’t an option either.”

“I don’t like free things” he played with his sleeves, “I much rather get things on my own”

“Well, if you would like I can give you pocket money everyday and you can save it so that you don’t feel helpless. Let’s say accompanying me grocery shopping, I could wash up the dishes and you could dry and little things like that and I can give you... uh, fifty dollars a week,” 

“That is too much,” He said, shaking his head, “not when you are also paying room and board. That is way too much and I don’t want to take more of your money”

“It’s not my money, you forget, I am living free here as well,” you laughed, standing up and holding out your hand. He took it and you walked him to his room, “please don’t stress Yoongi, I promise you I am not as scary as I look, you are safe and I want you to feel safe and if that means you have a little money box under your bed than let’s do it”

Yoongi laughed, “You aren’t scary at all”

“I don’t know if you had seen her dancing this evening, that was scary,” Hoseok called from his room. He was a very easy going guy, he liked to hear the others better so he left the door open. It must be hard coming from the country with night noises and lots of hybrids snoring to a place that is genuinely quiet with the occasional sound of a car and his own room.

“Alright Yoongi time for bed, I am here now so I hope you like being tucked in?” you walked him to his bed and pulled the blankets up to his chin and you could hear the purs as you pet his head.

“I want to be tucked in too,” Jungkook wined down the end of the hall, and you froze as the chorus of me too filled the hall. Rolling your eyes you stood up pressing a kiss to Yoongi’s forehead and stepping out.

“Fine, let me start with Jin, you want to be tucked in?” You grinned and the oldest hybrid nodded vigorously from his bed. You made the rounds and visited every room, Namjoon announced he was already tucked in and would accept a good night. He was acting proud but you thought to try anyway. “your blankets are askew, let me help, you can’t be tucked in if your blanket is all wonky”

The excuse worked and he purred deep in his chest as you pet his head and kissed his forehead. Hoseok made you laugh and requested multiple kisses but received a “Don’t be greedy,” from his neighbor Jimin.

Jimin gave you his signature eye smile that you just knew was there even without your superior night vision. You thought about it and a lot of the hybrids in the house were nocturnal giving reason to their late bedtimes and keen senses in the dark. You weren’t too sure about Hoseok and Taehyung so that would be something to google before bed.

Stepping up to Jimin’s bed he grinned, “Tuck me in,” he declared his arms out as if he was getting a hug. 

“Okay but you have to lay down and stop squirming,” you reprimanded, making him still long enough to tuck him in placing a kiss on his forehead with a pat, his hands holding his tail as he always did when he slept. “You still hold your tail when you sleep”

He blushed and turned away, “I dunno it’s comfy”

“It’s cute, have a good night” you walked on to the last room where Jungkook was standing at his door obviously having gotten impatient. You walked him to his bed and sat beside him as he got comfortable.

“y/n, I love being here and I don’t want you to give me up but, I miss my family, I barely remember anything about my mother I can’t even remember what she looked like, all I remember is she smelt like clean cotton and sunny days” He said a few tears in his eyes. 

Wiping his eyes he sniffed, “I wanted to be cool for you, but I am just a big baby” he whined, “Can you stay with me until I fall asleep, sing me a song or tell me a story?”

“Alright, get comfortable and I will tell you a story koo” tucking him in you opened your mouth when he grabbed your hand, “Is something wrong?”

“You have to give me a goodnight kiss too, while I am awake or I won’t feel it” he gave a big cheeky grin and you laughed brushing his bangs to the side and pressing a small kiss on his forehead. “Alright I am ready”

“This was a story that I was told when I was young,” you shuffled onto the bed more, “in japan there are monsters and mythical creatures called yokai…”

“Yokai were sometimes even gods they could be good and they could be bad, the kitsune was a yokai, they said when a fox grew to a certain age they would be able to transform into humans” Felix spoke cleaning some of the toys off your bed.

“Like Hybrids!” You giggled, jumping on your bed, your stuffed toy under your arm, Felix tackled you onto your pillow and grinned, tucking you in and switching off the light. He reached over to turn on a small night light. “Or like the other story where they peel off their skin?”

“Alright, I admit it was a mistake to tell you that, are you still having nightmares?” he sighed rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I still haven’t been let off babysitting duty because of that, the earful Astrid gave me”

You laughed at his dramatic shiver, she wasn’t that scary, but Felix always seemed to think so. “If you know so many stories about fox hybrids then why did they make me, if they were already out there?”

“That is the thing little Kit, they aren’t hybrids” his smile was big and his eyes gleamed mischievously. “They are huli jing, kitsune and kumiho, they aren’t hybrids. These are special beings; foxes with the ability to transform into humans, they are special.” 

“If they can disguise themselves as humans how do you know they exist, have you seen one?” you were ever curious to know more about fox related things it made you feel like you were getting to know more about yourself and why you did the things you do”

“Humans can’t see them unless they wish to show themselves to them first, but they can see each other, they can’t hide from one another,” he hummed

“Are you a fox person Felix?” the memory of the other night in your head when you thought you saw two tails and some ears attached to him.

“I am just Felix and you young lady are up past your bedtime. So lay still so I can tell the story.”

“The fox breathed fire burning the forest and when their emotions calmed they saw the town destroyed and the woman the fox man had loved had died from the flames along with her new husband” you whispered, Jungkook’s little snores were cute and you readjusted the blanket and gave him another kiss on the forehead before retreating to the living room couch.

A thought passed by about perhaps using Taehyung’s room but you thought it was best to not invade his privacy, that was his safe place and your scent would ruin that. The thought didn’t last long as you were soon out cold from exhaustion.

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#bts #bangtan sonyeondan #btscreatorscorner #castlebangtan #bts imagines #bts reactions #bts scenarios #bts fluff #bts hybrid au #bts hybrid x reader #bts hybrid series #bts x reader #BTSsly #bts smut #bts x reader smut #kim namjoon #kim seokjin #min yoongi #jung hoseok #park jimin #kim taehyung #jeon jungkook #jin x reader #suga x reader #jhope x reader #namjoon x reader #taehyung x reader #jimin x reader #jungkook x reader #bts fic

[her-world-on-fire]

Public Eye {Jason Todd x Reader}

MASTERLIST

REQUEST HERE

Word Count: 2,933    

A/N: Sorry I meant to have this out weeks ago, but I ended up rewriting it entirely. <3

Request:  Hi!!!!! I just started reading all your fics and i love them so much. if  it’s not too much to ask can you write one where jason and like a  rockstar or actress meet and have a thing, but hes not sure whether it  will work out because of how much attention she gets from the media?  Thank you so much and i hope you are doing well and staying safe❤️✨

JASON ADJUSTED the buttons of his shirt once more. His hands trailed to his collar bone, he undid another button. He hated wearing dress shirts. He knew Bruce would throw a fit if he didn’t. He had to try to blend in. He always hated going to these benefits. There was always a chance he could be recognized. That was the last thing he needed. Every time someone made eye contact with him, he tensed up. His face was scarred, there was no hiding it. His hands were calloused and full of cuts and bruises. He kept his hands crossed over his chest or inside the pockets of his slacks.

Bruce had asked him to come to his office, there was nothing good about that. He knocked on the door before entering. Bruce, Tim, Dick an Damien were already there. Each of them dressed for the occasion. Tim had finally ran a comb through his hair. Dick had shaved. Even Damian looked presentable. Bruce gave Jason a short nod. “I have assignments for each of you. We have several high profile targets all in one room.” Bruce was hosting his annual gala. He was raising money for charities by auctioning off several intricate gadgets produced by Lucius Fox. Some of the richest people in Gotham were to be in attendance.

“I’m giving you each a sector. I assigned tables with consideration. Make sure your guests stay where they are supposed to. Keep an eye on any suspicious guests.” The boys all nodded and Bruce showed a map on the screen. He had the room divided into 5 quadrants. He assigned the quadrants, “Tim sent the file to your phones. Do not loose your guests. They start arriving in 5 minutes. I suggest you get down there.”

The boys exited the room. All of them looking at their phones to see their guests. All but Jason. The last thing he wanted to do was babysit rich brats for the night. He knew most of them didn’t care about the charity. They were there to show off their money. They wanted the tech. Most of them were corrupt species of shit. They were born into old money and never worked a day in their life. A silver spoon in their mouth. They made him just as sick as the criminals he fought every night.

“Holy shit, look at Jason’s table.”

“Y/N and--” Jason didn’t hear the second name. He stopped in his tracks. He pulled out his phone, he had to be sure. He looked over the table. Y/N L/N. Dick looked back at Jason. The two boys went ahead. “Do you need me to talk to Bruce-” Jason shook his head. “It’s fine.”

“Well you don’t look fine.”

Y/N was a family friend. They grew up together and were very close. That was until Jason took on the role of Robin. He became obsessed. He spent all of his time training, and he neglected his friend. Y/N had moved away to pursue a career in music. He read about his childhood friend in the papers. 

Y/N donates 5 million for displaced youth.

The lists went on and on. Y/N wanted to help and make a difference. They spoke now and again when Y/N came back home. But they had been touring for the past 2 years.

He had never gotten a chance to formally apologize. He sighed. It was going to be a long night.

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

I opened the door, and the flashes of cameras bombarded me. It was difficult to navigate. The flashes were extremely bright, trying to capture any imperfection. I kept my head forward and walked quickly inside the building. I tried to get out of the benefit. I left a generous donation and planned on staying in for the night.

Bruce insisted I attend. I caved. I still had jet lag from the trip back. I had just left Spain after wrapping up a tour. I didn’t anticipate I would be flying back home. The door man helped me in. Reporters were hollering over each other like vultures. I thanked the man and he handed me a card. Table B3. I walked down the corridor, my eyes still adjusting to the light.

The walls were covered in intricate art. Bruce always had an appreciation for the arts. I decided to admire it as I braced myself for a long night. Most just walked right by, not even giving a glance at the art before them. I took a closer look and admired the seamless blend. I noticed at the top of the stairs there was a group of men. I recognized all three. Dick Grayson, the eldest of Bruce’s adopted children. Tim Drake, the 19 year CEO and second youngest son. And Jason Todd. His eyes had been fixed somewhere else. Dick nudged him, and his eyes met mine. He stood up straight.

I looked back at the art work. We hadn’t had a formal conversation on years. We had just made passing conversations. Nothing intricate.

“Hey.” Jason called, and I looked at the bottom of the stairs where he was standing. I approached him. “Hey.” I replied.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here.” I shrugged laughing a little, “I didn’t either. I was going to stay in but Bruce insisted I come. I couldn’t say no.” He chuckled. It was definitely something he would do. Jason was sure he had his reasons. But more importantly, he knew that Jason needed to resolve a few things.

“You look great.” He pointed out. I smiled, as I felt the blood rush to my face. “You’re not so bad yourself.” Jason paused. He looked like he was in deep thought. Just as he was about to say something, Bruce’s voice came over the intercom. He requested that everyone be seated. Jason extended his elbow, and escorted me to my table.

“You’re not going to sit here?”

“I would love to, but Bruce has us working.”

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

We were 3 hours in and I was just on my last legs. My chin rested on my hand. The man at my side had been trying to talk to me. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but the jet lag was really effecting me. I didn’t have a chance to acclimate to the new time zone. The alcohol didn’t help much either.

I smiley politely, “Excuse me.” I got up from the table and walked back to the entrance. I had stayed 3 hours, that had to be enough for Bruce. I moved into the bathroom. I sighed as I leaned against the sink. The lack of sleep was starting to show. I had a hectic schedule back in Spain. Early morning shoots that lasted until late hours of the night. Publicity events and meetings with managers. I wanted nothing more than to just be in my bed for the rest of the night.

I decided I was leaving. I didn’t call my personal driver. I didn’t want to bother him. He deserved a night off. I exited the bathroom and pulled out my phone. I looked up, and saw Jason. The door opening turned his head in my direction.

“Everything alright?” He asked. I nodded, “I just needed a break from that table.” I joked, he nodded a small chuckle coming from his lips.

“These just aren’t really for me. I was just about to head out. It was nice to see you again.” I moved to the stairs. The few drinks I had were starting to take effect. Or perhaps it was the lack of sleep, but the stairs looked wobbly. “Do you have a car coming for you?” He asked, and I turned back slowly. I looked at him and nodded slowly. Judging by the look in his eyes, not very convincingly. Somehow, he knew I was lying. “I could take you.”

I shook my head, “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

He walked over and raised an eyebrow, “I don’t think you should go out by yourself tonight.”

“I’m completely fine.” I turned to walk back down the stairs, and I hovered over the next step. I could feel myself loose balance. I left a strong arm pull me back. “What was that?”

I lost track of time. When I came to I was inside a car. I inhaled deeply and looked to my left. Jason looked over. “Look who’s awake.” I ran my hands through my hair. I could feel the headache in the back of my head starting to form. “I guess this isn’t how you imagined spending your night.” I looked over and he shook his head. “Those aren’t my thing either. You gave me an out.”

It brought a smile to my lips. I looked outside of the window. I had missed it. “Every time I come back, I forget how beautiful it is.” Jason turned to me, curiosity glimmered in his eyes. “What brought you back?”

“I have a project I need to oversee.” I tried to stay away. I had lived in a few different places, but none of them ever felt like home. I always found myself longing for Gotham’s skyline. Something just kept bringing me back.

We arrived not long after. I moved to get out by myself but Jason rushed to my side of the door. He helped me out. I leaned against him and held me up. I stumbled inside. “Do you think you can make it okay?” I nodded, and once again he saw right through it. He helped me up the stairs. “I’m so tired of all these goddamn stairs.” Jason laughed, he was handling this very well. He didn’t struggle supporting me against him. His breath didn’t falter as he walked up all the steps to my bedroom.

He opened the door and helped me sit on the bed. “I swear I’m not always like this. Jet lag and alcohol, but never again.” His blue eyes glimmered with fascination. “Get some sleep.”

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

I woke up to my head pounding. I began to regret those drinks.  When I looked at my phone I saw I had a missed call from Jason. I called back and he informed me I had left a few things in his car.

I arrived at Jason’s apartment. I tried my best to be as inconspicuous as possible. I came alone, and wore dark sunglasses and a baseball cap. Jason greeted me at his doorstep. I walked in and he closed the door behind me. I hadn’t seen any press. It seemed we were in the clear.

He invited me to sit down. “How’s that headache?” I laughed, “I’m hanging in. I’m not sure if I thanked you in my drunken haze. But thank you for getting me home last night, I really appreciate it.”

“It was nothing, really.”

A silence washed over us. All the unresolved feelings that had been festering for years, rose to the surface. Jason sat up. “Listen, I want to apologize-”

“Jason, it was ages ago. You have nothing to apologize for.” He shook his head. “But I do. I just disappeared, without any explanation. I’m sorry.”

In truth it broke my heart. My best friend was gone. I didn’t know if he was okay, or even where he was. But he didn’t know any better. He had the chance to live a better life, and he took that opportunity. It would be selfish to expect him not to. “I understand, really I do.”

He was the reason why I did so much outreach work. I saw firsthand how much he struggled after loosing his parents. “Actually, would you want to help me with this project?” He knitted his eyebrows together. “Tell me about it.”

I explained my ideas to him, and he was in.

We spent the next few months trying to get through all the red tape. With Bruce’s influence, it went a lot faster. As expected, we spent a lot of time together. I thought I was being careful. Until I woke up to frantic calls from my manager.

"Jason. I am so sorry.” The voice cried out, he immediately sat up recognizing this wasn’t Bruce. He leaned his back against his bed frame and rubbed his face. “Woah, what are you talking about?” He asked, completely in the dark about whatever was going on. He heard a sigh on the other end of the line. His heart rate sped up as he waited for the news in anticipation. “The papers, they took photos of us and they’re spinning some kind of narrative.”

The blood in his face drained. His eyes opened wide and he held the bridge of his nose in frustration. He was quiet as he tried to think. He got up from his bed and took his computer. He opened up his browser and started typing.

Y/N spotted with unidentified man, sources suggest they may be together

He clicked on the article. He could see the pictures of them. One from the night they met. He held onto Y/N as they walked up inside together. He continued to scroll down. A source had claimed they were “all over each other” since the benefit. He scowled, did they have nothing better to do then micromanage every aspect of someones life?

“I can arrange an interview and clear it up-”

“You don’t have to do that, it’s not your fault.” He sighed and slammed the computer shut. “We can talk about it later.” He briefly said goodbye and then hung up.

He tried to calm the unease he felt deep down. His worst fears beginning to come true. He was always cautious. He never took photographs like the rest of the family. He tried his best not to give his name out. But he threw every bit of common sense out of the way the moment he met Y/N. He used his real name. He had gotten his picture taken. All of his own rules he had adhered to for 2 years were broken in one night. He never looked back.

He was thirteen when he died. He spent 5 years training and operating in Gotham before Bruce found him. He had changed a lot since then. His adoption wasn’t as publicized as Dick’s was. Jason’s name had hardly even been mentioned in the papers. It was going to take a lot of detective work to try and piece everything together.

Who was going to believe that he came back from the dead?

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

As soon as I opened my door I was met by Jason. I planned on sneaking away and meeting him. It would be easier to get away then to hide in my own home. The press frequented the streets, everyone hoping to make the next headline. “Please, come in. I’m so sorry-”

“Do you want this?” He asked quickly. I blinked in shock as I tried to get an answer out. I knew exactly what he was asking. He wanted to know if I had feelings for him.

Growing up I always thought we were going to be inseparable. I took it hard after he left. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out why. People will come and go, that’s just the way it is. I just never expected him to go because I loved him. And I thought he loved me too.

I tried hard to push away my feelings until they finally went away. But some nights, I laid awake thinking about what could’ve been. What if I told him how I felt, would he have stayed? My biggest regret was never telling him how I felt. Now he was standing in front of me asking if I had feelings for him.

But now, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. He hated being in the spotlight. but that was my entire life. Every move I made was put on public display. I traveled a lot, and my schedule was spastic. I would be in different times zones for months at a time.

Jason looked at me pleading. His blue eyes never broke contact with mine. “You don’t want to come in?” I offered, as I looked past him to assure there were no reporters. He stayed in place. I realized he wanted to answer here and now. I sighed, and closed my eyes.

“Of course I do, Jason.” I whispered. My eyes were still closed. I was too afraid to open them. What if I had just ruined everything? Jason placed his hands on either side of my face. I slowly opened my eyes.

“I do too.” He continued, “And I’m going to stop letting other people dictate how I live my life.” He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine.

“We’re going to figure this out. I promise.” He whispered against my lips.

“Come on, we’re giving the neighbors a show.” I said, making Jason chuckle. I took his hand and we walked inside, ready to handle whatever came next.

#jason todd reader insert #jason todd imagine #jason todd x reader #Jason Todd #Jason Peter Todd #red hood imagine #red hood #red hood x reader #jason todd x y/n #jason todd x you #batboys #Red Hood X y/n #red hood x you #arkham knight #arkham knight x reader

[agustdakasuga]

A Place Called Home | Chapter 3

Genre: Hybrid!AU, Poly!AU?, Soulmate AU, romance, fluff, humour

Pairing: OT7 x Reader

Characters: vet!reader, Arcticfox!Seokjin, Panther!Yoongi, Goldenretriever!Hoseok, Wolf!Namjoon, Calicocat!Jimin, Tiger!Taehyung, Rabbit!Jungkook

Summary: Having saved your own injured hybrid, you were determined to try and help any other hybrid that crossed your path who needed saving. But being a vet in a small hospital wasn’t enough for you. You wanted to do more, you wanted to make a difference. You wanted to give them a home.

You bring Taehyung to the hospital for a check up and Yoongi insists on tagging along. Finally, you sit him down and find out why he has been acting weird the past few days.

“It’s your house, (y/n).” Yoongi crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. You sighed, rubbing your temples. 

“I told you to stop saying that. This is OUR house. You and Jin both have a say in this too. I want to hear your opinions on it.” You leaned back on your hands and stared back at both your hybrids. Jin had remained silent, the arctic fox mainly looking between you and his black panther brother. 

“We just got Jin hyung back. It’s a little unfair to suddenly be getting another hybrid here.” Yoongi spoke. 

“I know. I’m sorry, Jin.” You squeezed his hand. 

“It’s alright, (y/n). I know you just wanna help as many hybrids as possible. Honestly, I’m fine with whatever you choose. As long as you’re happy. But I think we should ask Taehyung what he wants to do.” Jin said. 

It’s true. The tiger hybrid didn’t leave the next morning, to your surprise. He continued to stay and it was his 5th day here. He mainly kept to himself, having small conversations with you and Jin but tried to avoid Yoongi as much as possible. Jin told you it could be a feline territory thing. Luckily, you could count on him when you were at work. 

“What if... I don’t want him here?” Yoongi asked cautiously. 

“Then I would respect that. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable in your own home, Yoongi. I would try to arrange for him to go to a sanctuary or hybrid shelter.” You nodded your head. 

“I don’t know, (y/n).” Yoongi looked away. 

“Let’s try fostering him. If he is open to it, that is. At the end of the fostering period, then we’ll make a decision.” Jin suggested. You gave Yoongi a hesitant look but the panther actually nodded his head to the older’s words. He stalked over and pulled you into his arms. 

“Alright, let’s talk to Taehyung. If he’s alright with it, I’ll bring him in with me for a check up.” You smiled, stroking the space between Yoongi’s ears. The three of you headed downstairs to see Taehyung sitting on the couch. 

“Tae?” You called and his head shot up, ears turning to your direction. The tiger blinked at you. 

“The boys and I have been talking. It has been a pleasure to have you here with us. And if you would like to, I would like to foster you.” You smiled. 

“R-Really? Foster me?” His eyes showed shock. 

“Yeah. I wouldn’t want to force you into adoption right away. At least with foster, I can give you medical care and house you without any legal issues. This will also give the 3 of you time to see if you’re comfortable with one another. Once the foster period is over, we can decide if you would like to permanently be part of our family.” You explained. 

Hearing you say ‘our family’ made Jin and Yoongi’s heart soar. This just constantly reaffirmed that they had the best owner any hybrid could ever ask for. You were a human that lived for the well being of hybrids. 

“Is that okay?” Taehyung turned to the two boys. Yoongi shrugged but nodded while Jin gave a thumbs up. 

“I would like that. Thank you.” Taehyung threw his arms around you to hug you. That caught you by surprise but you smiled softly and patted his back. 

“I’m going to head to the hospital. You’ll have to come with me for a check up and I’ll get your paper work.” You informed. 

“I’ll come with!” Jin raised his hand. 

“I... don’t have classes today.” Yoongi said and you knew that meant that Yoongi wanted to tag along as well. You nodded your head and all of you went to get ready. Yoongi always did a reminder check with you to make sure that you had all your things. He even (reluctantly) sprays your body with a scent mask, which was necessary since you didn’t want your hybrids’ scents to scare off your patients. 

“Let’s go.” Yoongi held your hand and led you to the car. 

“Hey Fran! I’m doing good. How are you?... Yeah, I’m going to be fostering, do you think you could help me pull up the file? I’ll be bringing him in for a check up today... Tiger hybrid, Kim Taehyung... Alright, thank you!” You spoke to your friend and hung up. 

Taehyung looked at you in amazement as you chatted animatedly with Yoongi, who was driving. He had only seen the cold panther smile around you. 

“You three follow Jin and get registered. I’m going to clock in.” You told them. Yoongi and Jin gave you pecks on the cheek. You ruffled Taehyung’s hair and he watched you disappear behind the staff doors. 

“(y/n)! I saw your boys in the waiting room.” Your colleague, Dr Yu, popped her head into your office. 

“Yeah. I’m gonna foster a tiger hybrid so he needs his check up.” You replied, opening the file that the hospital’s adoption agent had dropped off on your desk. 

“No one can beat your heart of gold, (y/n).” Dr Yu sat opposite you as you studied Taehyung’s file. You laughed at her words, not looking up. Taehyung’s file was quite clean. He had all his shots and no serious medical history. It says his old owner passed away. But nothing about how he became homeless. 

“Is Yoongi okay with another feline?” Dr Yu asked. 

“He’s... getting used to it.” You let out an awkward chuckle. One rule was that a doctor cannot conduct a check up on his/ her own hybrid because of a biased incident years ago. 

“Dr Yu, do you think you could...” You started. 

“Thought you’d never ask! Don’t worry, you can count on me.” She took Taehyung’s file, winking before leaving. You wore your coat and started your rounds, already running slightly late. As you walked with both your nurses, you ran into Jin and Taehyung. 

“Where’s Yoongi?” You asked. 

“He said he had to go to the bathroom. We’re heading for Taehyung’s x-ray now.” Jin said and you nodded your head. 

“Anything about the wolf hybrid in ICU 2?” You asked and your nurses shook their heads. 

“We couldn’t find any family in the system but someone comes to leave flowers every day. No one has seen who the mysterious flower sender is though.” Your nurse informed and you nodded your head. The 3 of you made your way to said hybrid’s ICU room. But you froze when you saw someone through the viewing glass. 

“Yoongi?” You whispered. 

“Dr (y/l/n), isn’t that your hybrid?” The other nurse asked. You nodded. With his sharp senses, Yoongi heard you and smelt you. His head whipped to you standing at the door with your nurses. You couldn’t even hide the shock on your face as you looked at him. 

“Kitt- (y/n).” Yoongi acknowledged but you cleared your throat. 

“Check all his vitals and get me an ECG. Take some blood and send it to the lab for the works. We’ll change his dressing as well.” You ignored him and walked to the unconscious wolf. 

“(y/n).” Yoongi called softly. 

“We’ll talk later. Please step outside.” You said, not turning to face him as you used your flashlight to test his reflexes. Yoongi’s ears dropped, flattening against his head before leaving the room. You cleaned the wolf’s wounds, happy to see no sign of infection and a speedy recovery. 

“I’ll send his blood to the lab.” One of the nurses bowed and left. After making sure everything was okay, you took the folder from the end of the bed and opened it. 

“Can you help me key these files in first? I’ll just update this and go to the nurses’ station.” You told the other nurse in the room. 

“Yes, doctor.” She grabbed the stack of folders of the other patients you saw and left. You were left alone in the room with the wolf hybrid. Sighing, you sat on the chair and took your pen out to begin scribbling today’s report on a fresh page. You heard the door open. 

“Kitten.” Yoongi called out to you. You hummed as a signal that you were listening to him. 

“Are you mad? I’m sorry.” He spoke. 

“I’m not mad. I’m hurt you didn’t trust me enough to tell me anything.” You replied. You weren’t lying. Yoongi could smell the disappointment and hurt from your being. 

“You know I have been wrecking my brain to find out whatever I can about him. Where he comes from, how he ended up on the streets, how he was hurt. I don’t even know his name, Yoongi. You knew and you didn’t even think to mention it. You even come in everyday and leave flowers for him.” You let out a huff of frustration. 

“Is this why you have been acting off? You saw him the night we came in to see the lion right? That’s why you were in my office, looking so distraught.” 

“Yes. I saw him that night I was heading to your office. His name is Namjoon. We’re... from the same fighting ring. He was probably hurt by our ring master, the same person who hurt me.” Yoongi revealed. 

“The cut on his abdomen was meant to kill him. That’s how ring masters kill their fighters.” He continued. 

“When you found me 3 years ago, I should have went back to save him but I didn’t. He must have thought I was dead.” Yoongi cursed, guilt filling his system. 

“It’s not your fault, Yoongi. I don’t think Namjoon would blame you too.” You got up and wrapped your arms around him. Yoongi’s body slumped against yours as his tail curled around your waist. The beeper in your coat went off and for a moment, you forgot you were still working. 

“I need to go. Let Jin and Tae know you’re here, okay? Jin would worry that you are gone for so long.” You patted his head, making him purr. 

“(y/n), I know it’s too much to ask but... when Namjoon wakes up...” He stuttered, looking down. 

“Of course, Yoongi. He’s always welcomed to stay with us but bear in mind, that’s his decision to make. We can’t make others conform to our wants.” You smiled softly and squeezed his hand before you left. 

By the time you returned to your hybrids, it was close to midnight. You yawned and dropped onto the couch tiredly. You heard doors opening and footsteps down the stairs. 

“Oh, Taehyung.” You gave a tired smile. 

“Jin hyung’s heat came earlier and Yoongi hyung tried to help. They’re sleeping now.” Taehyung explained, a slightly blushed creeping up his cheeks. You nodded your head, not affected by it at all. It was a natural thing for hybrids to have heat and you were thankful your hybrids could cope with it on their own. There wasn’t anything awkward about it. 

“I have your file ready.” You said, holding up the folder. 

“C-Can I see?” He asked. 

“Of course, silly. It’s your file.” You giggled and patted the space next to you. Taehyung immediately gave you a boxy grin and tucked himself under your arm as you opened the file. He didn’t really understand all the medical words but you were quick to verbally explain things to him. 

“Although, we did find that one of your ribs was broken in a past injury. The x-ray showed a misalignment, which means it didn’t really heal properly.” You showed him the image in the light. 

“Oh...” Taehyung gulped.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” You patted his head. 

“I was disobedient and they would punish me. They said I deserved it for being bad.” He stuttered nervously, ears drooping down. 

“Oh, Tae. No wonder it didn’t heal properly.” You sighed. 

“B-But! I promise, I-I’m not disobedient anymore! Really! I’m a good boy.” He was quick to grab your hands. 

“Tae, listen to me. Listen to my voice. Calm down, breathe, baby. What those people did to you was horrible and illegal. I know you’re a good boy. No one is going to hurt you anymore, I promise. You’re safe here.” You hugged him and he wrapped his arms around your torso tightly, seeking comfort in your radiating warmth. His cries were reduced to small sniffles. 

“I’ll need to wrap your ribs to try and realign them. Is that okay?” You asked and he nodded his head. 

“Let me take a shower first. I probably smell like a thousand hybrids.” You chuckled and shuffled upstairs to shower. Before entering your room, you stopped by Jin’s room to check on him and Yoongi. The two were fast asleep under the covers, making you smile. 

“Come on, baby.” You called Taehyung to your room.

“Lift your shirt.” You instructed, taking the gauze and sports tape you took from the hospital, specifically for him. Turning around, you saw Taehyung fiddling with the hem of his shirt. 

“I... I... There are scars...” He kept his gaze down. 

“It’s alright, Taehyung. Everyone has their own scars.” You smiled, comforting him. Slowly, he removed his shirt. You tried not to gasp at the whip scars on his back. Taking a deep breath, you began to put the sports tape to hold everything in place as you wrapped him up. When you were done, you handed him his shirt and he quickly put it on. 

“I’ll tidy up.” Taehyung watched you put things away. You laid down beside him, yawning. 

“Goodnight Taehyung.” You closed your eyes. He held you in his arms, his orange tail curling itself around your ankle. He made a mental note to ask you about it tomorrow. 

The next morning, you were on call from home so you didn’t have to go into the hospital unless they were short staffed. The three hybrids sat by the kitchen island, eating their breakfast as you fixed yourself a coffee. 

“Iced Americano for Yoongi, hot latte for Jin and tea for Taehyung.” You placed all 3 cups down. 

“Do you usually get called in?” Taehyung asked. 

“Not really. But I do have some papers to go through and reports to update so I’m not completely free today even if I get to be at home.” You chuckled, drinking your iced black coffee. Yoongi placed his plate in the sink and wrapped his arms around you. 

“Unfortunately, I have classes today.” He kissed your cheek. You laughed and stroked his head. 

“Have a good day.” You wished and he gave you another kiss on the temple. He let Jin kiss him on the cheek and ruffled Taehyung’s hair before he left. His actions left you with raised eyebrows but nonetheless, your heart swelled. 

“Plans for today, Jin?” You asked as you washed up. 

“It’s my first day back at the nursery.” Jin reminded. Before Jin went to the institution, he actually worked at a plant nursery, tending to all the plants and learning all about plant care from the old man who owned it. You nodded, remembering he mentioned it to you recently. Jin came and gave you a kiss as well, heading to his room to get ready. 

“Looks like it’s just you and me then.” You grinned. 

“I don’t mind.” Taehyung flashed a boxy smile. With both older boys at their jobs, you were in your room, sitting at your desk with your laptop and report folders around you. 

Taehyung stayed by your side, sitting on the ground, his head in your lap. You would run your fingers through his hair as you were deep in thought. 

“Hmm...” You scratched your head, reading through the patient files. Suddenly, your phone rang, making both you and Taehyung jump. You quickly answered the phone. As you heard the person on the opposite line, you looked down at Taehyung uneasily. 

“I see... I understand.” You frowned and hung up.

“Tae, I don’t know how to tell you this but... They arrested your owner. He is in police custody and you will need to help with investigations.” You explained. Taehyung’s eyes widened in alarm. 

“Please! I don’t want to go back! I can’t! I promise I didn’t do anything, (y/n)! Please believe me!” He got on his knees to beg, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

“I won’t let them take you back, Tae. They just want to ask you some questions. I don’t want you going either but if I don’t bring you in, they’ll come to take you in by force.” You stroked his head. He hugged your torso, crying into the material of your shirt. 

“I’m sorry, Tae.” You didn’t know what to do. Taehyung cried as he changed and got ready. Even in the car, he cried in the passenger seat, his tail curled around your thigh as you drove to the police investigation headquarters. 

“Hi, I’m here to see Officer Kim Jooyeon?” You went to the receptionist, holding Taehyung’s hand. 

“Dr (y/n) (y/l/n)?” An officer headed to you. You had to force a smile and shake his hand. He cleared his throat, seeing Taehyung so distraught, his arms and tail wrapped around you tightly. You stroked the back of his head to try and comfort him. 

“This is his file. We just filed for foster care yesterday.” You handed the officer Taehyung’s paw printed file. 

“Right. Don’t worry, we just need to ask Taehyung some questions as a witness to lock up that man. He will return to your foster care the moment investigations are over.” He explained. 

“How long? He’s still injured and needs to be tended to.” You asked. 

“I can’t give you an exact answer now, I’m afraid. You can come see him as his doctor, I’ll let my boss know. But that’s the best I can do for you now.” Officer Kim said. You sighed and nodded your head. Taehyung had grown so attached to you over the week and he didn’t want to be separated for you so quickly. You cupped his face in your hands, wiping his tears. 

“Hey, baby. Breathe. It’s only gonna be a while. You’ll be home before you know it.” You comforted. 

“I don’t want to see him.” Taehyung cried. 

“You won’t. You will be separated from him.” Officer Kim assured. Kissing Taehyung on the forehead, you left him with Officer Kim and closed your eyes, using all your will power to turn and leave. 

#kpop #kpop series #kpop scenarios #bts #bts series #bts scenarios #bts hybrid series #bts hybrid au #hybrid!au #hybrid bts #bts hybrid #hybrid au #bts hybrid x reader #bts x reader #hybrid x reader #ot7 #ot7 x reader #ot7 hybrid

[sunaswife]

Summary: It’s been five years since you’ve seen your ex, Rin. He’s still not over you and you’re not over him. When he finds out you have children he thought he didn’t have a chance. Then he finds out they’re his? All of a sudden you’re teaching Suna how to be a single dad.

note from denise: To be added to the taglist please send an ask. Comments and dms will be unintentionally ignored/forgotten. Also if you have sent an ask to be on the taglist. I am not ignoring you I add people onto the taglist when I update a new chapter! <3 love youuu

Warnings: Fluff, angst I guess, drama, and cuteness twin overload

Previously Up Next Masterlist

Chapter six

Suna was completely in shock and he was overwhelmed. He just froze. What can a man do when his ex tells him he is a father, let alone the father of two toddlers.

He immediately thought about the trauma you must have faced, being pregnant and alone. He also thought about how much he’s missed already, he wasn’t there for their day of birth, their first steps, first words, he’s already missed so many birthdays.

All he ever wanted was to be a father, especially to be the father of the children he made with the woman he was in love with. Was it truly a blessing or a curse?

Surely you don’t want to get back together and live like a perfect family behind a white picket fence. He’d have to learn how to push his feelings aside for these kids and share custody of them somehow. Before he could even speak you were walking away and he quickly turned.

Why aren’t his legs moving? What’s pulling him back? Is he afraid of this responsibility and commitment? Of course he is. He doesn’t want to be a shitty dad, will he be able to raise them correctly? How if he’s always busy training and practicing. All his free time is dedicated to napping.

His heart truly broke the second time ever when he saw those grayish eyes looking back at him with such hurt and betrayal. They screamed that they needed him. He didn’t know how but he felt it. He decided that he was going to take a step and work things out with you. Maybe not romantically but he really wants to be in his kids life.

“After all this time and trouble I went through. You’re gonna let her walk away again?” Atsumu’s annoying voice filled the silent hallway. “Fucking bastard.” Suna seethed and turned with a glare. Osamu knew his brother fucked up and decided to be cautious in case Suna decided to land a few punches on his brother like the last time Atsumu has pissed off Suna.

But as Atsumu braced himself for a comeback or for a fist to meet his face he was met with Suna’s back as he ran to catch up with you. When Suna turned the corner he saw the staff parking lot and he began to run even faster.

If you leave it’ll be too late.

When he made it in the parking lot he stopped and used his height to his advantage and he looked around. He couldn’t see you anywhere. “Y/N!” He called outloud and his voice echoed. “Y/N!” He repeated. He was about to continue walking through when a car backed up and quickly breaked so that they wouldn’t run over the man. You looked through your mirror and saw Suna standing there and looking around like an idiot.

Your heart clenched yet you felt butterflies at the same time. He came, not for you but for the kids. You really hoped and prayed that he would come, and he did. You parked your car and you got out. He sighed in relief and neared you. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I want to be in their lives I really do.” He exclaimed.

“It’s fine, Rin. I’m glad you want that.” You smiled softly.

For a moment he got lost in your eyes, and yours in his. It probably lasted less than a minute yet it felt like a eternity. Neither of you could turn away or say something else. It was comfortable and warm.

All of a sudden your phone rang and your finally blinked and turned away to answer your phone. “Did suna find you?” Jamie immediately asked. “Uh we were talking just now....” you said awkwardly and he stood awkwardly as well. “Ok good if not I was going to give him your number.” She sighed in relief and you rolled your eyes. “Alright I got to go, the kids have school in the morning.” You said and you both hung up.

“So I would love to stay and chat..ya know about the kids but they’re asleep already and they have school.” You mumbled. “No it’s fine I completely get it. School is important...are you available tomorrow? It’s off season for me so I don’t have any rough practices, only gym. I want to talk with you before meeting the kids.” He said and you nodded. “I’ll text you when to come over when I get home.” You told him and he nodded. You both exchanged numbers but Suna didn’t really seem that satisfied.

“Be safe. Text me when you guys get home safe.” He said and his eyes widened. “Okay, I will.” You smiled softly and he saw as you entered your car. You slowly pulled out and you drove away.

“Tsumu has her social media in case you’re curious.” Osamu spoke up causing Suna to jump. “What the hell dude, don’t just scare me like that.” He placed his hand over his chest and Osamu laughed.

“Come on, let’s go.” Osamu said and Suna nodded and walked away.

“Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck.” You muttered and slapped yourself as you drove. Your kids were already asleep so they couldn’t hear you having a mental breakdown on your way home. “Mommy you said a bad word.” Akira pointed out and you glanced at the mirror. “Sorry about that. Don’t repeat it okay?” You asked and she nodded. “I know I know.” She mumbled and look at her signed volleyball with a bored expression. “Is daddy going to be in our lives, now?” She asked and you sighed softly.

“Well we talked and it sounds like he wants to be there for you and nii-chan..he’s going to come over tomorrow while you’re at school so we can talk like adults. Then when you come home he’ll be there to hang out with you guys and you guys can get to know eachother.” You said hopefully.“I don’t like him. Why couldn’t Sakusa or Atsumu be our dad. Even that guy you were with earlier with the suit is fine. But dad is a jerk. He made you cry.” Rini huffed and your eyes widened, were they awake the whole time?

“Hey, I know you don’t know him but your shouldn’t disrespect your father like that. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have had you guys. You two are the best things that has ever happened to me. You’re a Suna, once you get to know your dad I know you’ll be proud that I put your last name as Suna not Kageyama.” You told him and he scowled.

“Can you tell us more about dad?” Akira asked and you nodded. “What do you wanna know?” You asked. “Why did you fall in love with him.” Rini immediately asked, “Well he was sweet and funny, he loved anime and we were in the same class. He also taught me how to love volleyball again after my grandpa died.” You said smoothly. “What position did he play? Did he go pro?” They asked. “He was a middle blocker and he was really good. He still is a middle blocker and yes he is pro.” You said and Rini gasped. He’s more of a middle blocker type of fan. And Akira prefers setters. Even when you or Tobio teach them volleyball. They choose those positions.

The whole drive they asked about him and you answered the best you could, you can’t tell them everything but they were satisfied and they had a better understanding. They did get upset with you for not telling Rin that he was a father since the beginning but they understood that he broke your heart and you didn’t really want to see him.

When you got home you texted Rin that you arrived. You quickly bathed your kids. Dressed them in their pajamas and read them a script from the new anime you’re going to be on. (They liked listening to the scripts rather than bedtime stories)

After reading three pages they were already knocked out and you gave them a kiss. You fixed Akira’s fox plush in her arms and made you way to Rini’s bed. He was hugging a green piggy with a crown from the angry birds game and the moon made his face glow. You stood there in shock and you imagined second year Rin sleeping like that with the pig plush with the crown that reminded him of you.

You quickly rubbed your eyes to see second year rin turn back into five year old Rini. “I need some wine.” You muttered and kissed his cheek and fixed his blanket. You took out the phone from your pocket as you made your way to the bathroom to take off your makeup and start your nightly routine.

You chuckled but quickly slapped your hand over your mouth. Why was it so easy to text Rin again after all this time. Isn’t it supposed to be awkward? Why are you so comfortable?

You quickly typed an awkward goodbye and he scratched his head confused but replied goodbye as well. He really wanted to continue talking to you more.

After you changed into your pajamas and finished your nighttime routine you made your way to the kitchen and you grabbed the half full wine bottle.

You held it to your chest as you made your way to your office/studio and began reading the script and answering some emails involving the character you’ll be portraying for the new anime. You celebrated a few weeks back when you got the offer and sighed thinking about this certain character.

You’ve read the manga already but it wouldn’t hurt to re read it to get a better feel of the characater right? You took a sip from the wine bottle as you found the first book of the manga. In your endless shelves of books.

“Alright Emma let’s go on an adventure.” You sighed and began to read The Promised Neverland.

Also don’t forget that I love you and you’re worth it <3 Idk who needed to hear this today :)

🏷: @therealwalmartjesus @differentballooncollection @aaesuki @atsunflower @dope-squish @prettysetterboiss @june-phantom @tomo-uwu @austriasmariazelle @xrnia @katsulia @aprettyfruit @shut-your-eyes-kiss-me-goodbye @tvbiio @sun-daddy-yoriichi @kamenoyaki @ppangiiroo @loeyprivvv @kmskj92 @lovinnoya @sarahvvictoria @tris-does-stuff @mokkeguts @sunaluvr6969 @bara-rose-would @sempiternal-amour @volleybloop @leykyuu @bokutoichigo @stfucanunot @iloveanime691 @tpwkatsumu @ohshirabu @shoutosimp @mqrinqcele @bokutosdivineass @anngelllla @toworuu @hidden-otaku-stuff @seijohiselite @caxsthetic @aquariarose @hhwanggu @bakuhoetoedoroki @yoozuku @osamus-onigiri @akaashi-todorki @donica95 @kakaokenma @airheadpillar

#haikyuu suna #suna rintarou fluff #suna rintarō #miya atsumu #suna x reader #haikyuu x you #miya osamu #suna imagines #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu!! x reader #suna smau #suna au

[silhouetteofacedar]

Fox Mulder, Closet Romantic Ch. 5: Dana's Work Friend

Previous Chapter - AO3 - MSR, rated E

Friday, April 3rd, 1998. Scully comes into the office in a flurry of coat and red hair. She doesn’t greet him, just drops her briefcase on the desk and sinks into her seat across from him.

“Mulder, I have a favor to ask of you, and you’re probably going to hate it, so just bear in mind that I have exhausted all my other options,” she says, somewhat breathless.

“You’re really selling it,” he deadpans. “What is it?” he asks, settling into his chair and leaning his elbows on the desk.

“You remember Mark,” she prompts, and he nods. Ugh. If only he could forget.

“Well, it turns out that Mark is extremely - almost agonizingly - social, despite having a demanding job and a young child to raise.”

“Sounds awful,” Mulder comments.

“Hence my current predicament. He’s invited me and my friends out for drinks tonight, so his friends can meet me and I can meet his and he can meet mine… “ she rambles before refocusing herself. “He’s not aware that I’ve lost contact with most of my friends. You’re kind of the only one left.”

Mulder had suspected as much, but confirmation of her increasing social isolation is like a punch in the throat. “Are you sure there’s no one else?” he asks softly, not wanting to rub salt into any wounds.

She shakes her head, lips pressed together. “Unless the Lone Gunmen count as my friends,” she replies. “Which in this case is somehow worse than having none at all,” she muses, some humor in her voice.

“Good point,” he chuckles. “Sure, count me in.”

“Thank you,” she says sincerely, and he melts all over again. He’d do anything for her. Even if it means meeting Mark. Ugh.

“It’s worth mentioning,” Mulder says after a moment, “If you don’t want to go, you can always just not go.”

“Shockingly, I have thought of that,” she says dryly, opening her briefcase and pulling out a folder. “But I think it would be good for me to meet people and hold conversations that aren’t related to criminal or paranormal activity. Might be good for you, too,” she adds, glancing up at him.

He pulls a stack of files out of his inbox on the desk. “I’ll stick to ‘ghosties and ghoulies and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night’,” he says.

“‘Good Lord, deliver us',” Scully replies, finishing the old prayer.

Mulder looks up at her and finds her smiling at him, and his whole body flushes with heat and adoration.

“Let’s elope,” he says, and she rolls her eyes fondly before burying her nose in her work.

I’m not kidding, he yells inside the prison of his own thick skull.

After work he and Scully drive straight to the bar together, a yuppie place in Foggy Bottom near George Washington University Hospital.

“Have you ever been through their ER?” Scully asks, scanning the street for parking. “I imagine you’ve been through enough hospitals to warrant a map on the wall with little pins stuck in it.”

“I can’t possibly remember them all at this point,” he says absently, tugging at his seatbelt uncomfortably. Why is he nervous? He’s just here to show Scully’s man friend that she’s not entirely a basement-dwelling hermit.

And Mulder’s the best she could do? God, maybe she really does need to get out more.

She parks, and he feeds the meter while she touches up her lipstick in the rearview mirror. She looks sweet and and rosy, flushed with nerves and traffic, and he could so easily scoop her up and kiss her-

“Alright,” she says, climbing out of the car and closing the driver’s side door a little harder than necessary. She smooths her hair down. “I’m ready for battle.”

“I’m prepared to fall on my sword,” he assures her, guiding her onto the sidewalk with a hand on her lower back before realizing he probably shouldn’t touch her so familiarly when her… friend might see.

“It’ll be fine,” she says over her shoulder as she grasps the bar door’s handle. “Just behave,” she hisses, and they enter.

The onslaught is immediate.

“Dana!” a voice calls out through the bustling bar, and Mulder sees a man waving them over. He’s got neatly styled dishwater blond hair, broad shoulders, and dimples at the corners of his mouth as he smiles at them. Not bad, Mulder thinks, unsure of how to feel about this new information.

He barely has time to process it before they’re enveloped in a tight swarm of strangers. The blond man, presumably Mark, loops an arm around Scully’s shoulders and gives her a side-hug.

“So glad you could make it, Dana,” he says, and proceeds to go around the circle of people and rattle off names Mulder has no reason to remember. Instead, he watches Scully, the way she greets each person as they’re introduced. She’s cool and calm, smiling politely, shaking hands and saying ‘nice to meet you’ to each of the five - no, six - people in the group.

“I’ll grab you two some drinks,” Mark says, glancing at Mulder. “What’s your poison?”

“Shiner,” Mulder says.

“Same for me,” Scully says. “I’m going to freshen up-”

“Sure,” Mark says, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “Two Shiner Bocks coming up.”

That’s how Mulder and this exuberant, Golden Retriever of a man end up sitting at the bar together, nursing sweaty beers and waiting for Scully to return from the bathroom.

“So you’re a work friend of Dana’s?” Mark asks over the noise of the bar.

Mulder was about to set his drink down, but he reconsiders and takes another swig. “In a manner of speaking,” he replies.

Dr. Mark Whatever-the-fuck seems confused. “I don’t follow,” he says.

“I’m her partner,” Mulder says flatly. Since 1993. I’ve seen her naked, cradled her injured body my arms, saved her goddamn life. Have you?

“Oh!” Mark says, clearly making mental connections. “Oh. Sorry, I just- it’s nice to meet you… Fox?”

“Just Mulder’s fine,” he corrects him.

Mark laughs. “Sorry for the confusion on my end; I think Dana only said your name once and I went and assumed Fox Mulder was a woman. And you know what they say about assuming,” he adds with a nudge.

Once. Only once? Maybe that shouldn’t surprise him, but it does. Whenever he meets someone new in Scully’s life they always throw out the usual ‘I’ve heard a lot about you’ line, so he knows she talks about him to others. But not to this guy. Why not to this guy?

Mercifully, Scully returns from the restroom. Mark hands her her beer. “Thanks,” she says softly, giving him a small smile with her lips closed tightly, which strikes Mulder as odd. He knows she’s somewhat self-conscious about smiling with her teeth, but something he sees in her face doesn’t feel quite right.

Of course it doesn’t feel right to you, he thinks. She’s smiling at some other guy.

They’re swept along in a current of conversation, scrambled introductions, and drink orders. He’s introduced to a handful of people he’ll selectively erase from his eidetic memory, standing across from Scully in their little circle instead of by her side. He doesn’t like it. Another man has his hand on her back, although respectfully keeping it between her shoulder blades. Any lower and Mulder would have to excuse himself to have a panic attack in the alley behind the bar. Or throw up.

He’s glad Mark’s friends aren’t particularly interested in making conversation with him; he’s tired and ready to go home. Luckily, the Doctor himself calls the night early, at half-past eight.

“I promised the little one I’d be home to tuck her in,” he explains, and Mulder’s stomach turns from the purity and sweetness of it. “She gets to stay up a little later on Fridays.” He gives Scully another half of a hug and says his goodbyes.

The group disperses pretty quickly after Mark leaves, and Mulder and Scully are left alone outside the bar.

“So, you met Mark,” Scully says simply.

“I did, yeah.” He can sense that she wants him to say something more. “He seems... nice,” Mulder adds.

Scully nods. “Yeah, he’s nice.”

Mulder’s beginning to think ‘nice’ is the only word anyone’s capable of using to describe this guy.

“I’ll bet Bill’s gonna love him,” he comments, hoping he doesn’t sound as bitter as he feels.

Scully shakes her head, smiling. “I knew there had to be a flaw in him somewhere,” she jokes.

Mulder surprises himself with a huffed laugh. This moment with her is strangely precious, despite the circumstances. He doesn’t know how many moments like this he has left, if he’s being honest.

“I’m happy for you,” he says tenderly, and maybe if he says it enough it’ll be true. She deserves this, he reminds himself. It’s become almost a mantra, a lead weight that keeps him from drifting away.

“Are you?” she asks, catching him off guard. “I caught you staring holes into him more than once.”

“I wasn’t,” Mulder says defensively. “This is just my face.”

She gives him a look that clearly says ‘I call bullshit’, and he folds. “He didn’t know who I was,” he says, and it sounds monumentally stupid out loud. “He though Fox Mulder was a woman.”

“I-I don’t know why he would have thought that,” Scully says, pensive. “I never implied-”

“Fox is an unusual name,” Mulder interrupts. “It’s an honest mistake if you just hear it without any context.”

Scully looks down at her feet. “I’m sorry about that,” she says softly. “About all of this. I owe you one.”

Mulder reaches out and squeezes her shoulder, and it seems to have a grounding effect on both of them. “I’ll put it on your tab,” he says.

“Do you want me to drive you back to work?” she asks. They’d left his car in the garage at the Hoover building.

Mulder shakes his head. “You’re almost home,” he says. “I’ll get a cab.”

He ends up walking instead.

The night air cleanses his senses as he makes the half-hour trek back to the Bureau. Their time in the bar had felt sluggish and hazy, despite the fact that he only had a beer and a half. He spend the entire evening focused on Scully, the only sharp image amidst the blur of patrons.

Mark hadn’t kissed Scully goodbye, and Mulder’s relief at not having to witness it was overshadowed by a morbid curiosity. She and Mark had been dating for three weeks; he’s not sure how often they’ve actually gone out, due to the doctor’s shift schedule, but he assumes they’ve seen each other a few times at mass in addition to whatever outings they’ve gone on in the evenings. That was ample time to get to know each other physically on some level, wasn’t it? A peck on the cheek at least.

Mulder’s biased; he’s touch-starved and in love with her. He spends most of his nights on his couch in the dark, touching himself and thinking about Scully. Kissing her, taking her clothes off, tasting her; his mental catalogue of scenarios is robust and well-used. If given half the chance to love her…

Maybe that’s it, he thinks somberly, stepping over sidewalk cracks. Maybe chances are taken, not given.

That’s not how he wants to love her. He wants her to choose him all on her own, and yet he never let her know he was a choice. And now there’s Mark.

But Mark doesn’t kiss her.

#my fic #msr #txf fic #xfiles #fox mulder closet romantic #FMCR #in which mark and Mulder meet #oof #the pain

[lemonpeter]

Tempting and Teasing

Based off of this post by @im-a-goner-foryou I hope everyone enjoys 💕 this was so much fun to write

Warnings: parent/teacher relationship, age difference, mild daddy kink, smut, top Tony, bottom Peter, definitely nff

3.3K words (whoops)

————

Peter liked to be in contact with all his student’s parents.

But there were some who didn’t handle the school stuff, so he didn’t really get to know them. One of these was Tony Stark. Father of his favorite student (not that he’d admit to it.) And all he knew about the man was that he was an asshole.

But he’d never actually met him. It was just his reputation. Peter didn’t like to judge but he didn’t have reason to think any different.

Until the open house.

Apparently Morgan’s mom couldn’t attend like she typically did with these events. So there Tony was in all his glory.

He looked like the type of guy that would flirt with your wife in front of you. Snarky, acting all cool and mysterious. He wore thousand dollar sunglasses inside during the evening. That kind of guy. It was like he believed he was still the high school baddie in every teen movie.

It instantly annoyed Peter. He didn’t like phony people. And he didn’t like cocky people. And Tony Stark seemed like the best of both worlds.

Except...when he came to the classroom to talk to Peter about Morgan, he was like a completely different person.

They were alone in the room, so apparently he didn’t feel the need to put on his cool persona. He was sweet and dorky and seemed kinda like the best dad ever.

Morgan showed him around the classroom, proudly presenting her class work from the day to him.

And Tony just listened to her, encouraging her and letting her do whatever she wanted. He sat down in one of the tiny plastic chairs at the desks, clearly uncomfortable. But as soon as Morgan started talking again he was completely in tune with her and everything she was telling him.

Peter just watched in silent awe, smiling a little as he leaned against the counter. Maybe he shouldn’t have judged so quickly. Because Tony Stark was clearly just a big softie that didn’t want to be seen.

When Morgan was done with her presenting, Tony stood back up and walked over to Peter. He cleared his throat, raking a hand through his hair.

The teacher watched the action, biting his lip slightly before catching himself. That was highly inappropriate. He couldn’t help his attraction to a nice silver fox, but he could put off the swooning until later when he was home. Not in front of the man himself.

Tony caught the lip bite but didn’t comment, just smirking a little. “I just wanted to thank you for being such a good teacher to Mo. She never stops talking about you at home. She’s one of the only kids I’ve ever known to want to go to school.” He chuckled. “But I guess that’s all thanks to a wonderful teacher.”

Oh, the compliments instantly made Peter feel all warm and fuzzy, melting from the inside out as he listened. “It’s what I love to do, no need to thank me. And she’s a wonderful kid. Don’t tell the other parents, but she’s the best in the class,” he joked lightly.

A softer, more genuine laugh pulled itself from Tony and Peter could feel himself turning to mush. No, that was not how the night was supposed to go. Not at all. He couldn’t get attached.

“I think she’s pretty okay too,” Tony teased, looking down at the girl and ruffling her hair. “But again. Thank you. Don’t stop doing what you’re doing.”

“I don’t plan on it.” The teacher smiled, watching the father and daughter interact.

Tony picked Morgan up, looking back to the younger man after a moment. “Well, I’ll let you go. I’m sure you have other parents and gremlins to meet with. And I’ve gotta drop this little one off with her mom.” He grinned a little. “I hope I’ll see you again soon.”

And then, Peter could have sworn he dreamed it, the man quickly wet his bottom lip with his tongue as he looked over the teacher. Then he left with a wink and Morgan calling over his shoulder about seeing him tomorrow.

An interaction with a parent was not supposed to leave Peter weak at the knees. It was so inappropriate. He couldn’t have thoughts about Tony that were any more than how good of a dad he was.

But of course, that made Peter wonder how good of a daddy he could be as well.

God, what had he done.

———

Of course, the next day had to be the day that Tony began driving Morgan to school.

Pepper typically did it, and she would continue to, but she needed someone for that morning and Tony jumped at the opportunity to see the pretty teacher again.

He was only human, after all. Weak for pretty young men who were kind. Peter’s sweetness made Tony want to ruin him that much more.

So he drove up to the school in his high dollar car, smirking as he watched other parents gawk and mutter among themselves. He parked to take Morgan inside instead of just doing the car line. Made it sure that he would see her teacher.

He walked her to the classroom, hands tucked in his pockets as he walked.

Peter saw him instantly, breath catching in his throat. “H-hey, Mr. Stark.”

“Just call me Tony, it’s alright,” he told the young man with a slight smirk. He loved how instantly flustered Peter was. “Just wanted to make sure that Mo got where she needed to be. She tends to wander.”

The young man nodded quickly. “Of course. Everyone is just playing outside right now, you’re here a bit early. So.” He leaned down, gently taking Morgan’s bag and hanging it on her designated hook. “You, little miss, can go play with Ms. Stacy’s kids that are here so far and the couple from your class. No running, no rough play, be careful,” he told her, running down the rules quickly.

He could feel Tony’s eyes on him and it made him feel hot all over.

Morgan quickly walked to the open door that led to the playground, not even bothering to wave bye to her dad.

Tony chuckled. “I guess whatever is out there is way more interesting than her old man, huh?”

“Oh, she just loves to play. You can’t take it personally.” Peter laughed softly, brushing a hand through his hair shyly. He was suddenly worried about how he looked. Damn the effect Tony had on him.

The older man smiled a little, nodding. “I guess.”

A moment of silence passed before Peter cleared his throat. “So, uh, I guess you can go now. Since she’s settled in and all.”

“Oh, well, she wasn’t the only reason I came,” Tony said smoothly. “I also just couldn’t help myself from seeing a certain teacher again.”

Peter watched him for a moment, clearly trying to work out what he meant. He had been the valedictorian of his high school class but couldn’t figure out that Tony meant him and not another teacher. “Then I guess you’d better go...find them,” he mumbled, a little disappointed. His eyes dropped to the ground in embarrassment.

Tony snorted a laugh. “Already found him, honey.” He stepped a little closer, watching the man.

“Him? Oh!” The teacher looked back up, meeting Tony’s eyes. “So you- me? You wanted to see me?”

“Of course I did, Mr. Parker,” he teased lightly. “I’m not one to deprive myself of the beauties in life.”

The younger man’s cheeks colored. “I’m not- you’re- oh, shut up.”

Tony was a little taken aback by the comment, but laughed. “What, can’t take a compliment?”

“I don’t appreciate teasing, Mr. Stark.”

“Oh that? That isn’t teasing. That’s genuine compliments. But I can tease if you’d like me to. How much time do you have?”

Peter stared at him, cheeks pink. “Mr. Stark- this is highly-“

“You want me to back off, just tell me and I will,” Tony told him boldly. “Just say the word.”

When Peter didn’t say anything, he smirked. “That’s what I thought.” He stepped forward, moving one hand to possessively cup the other man’s cheek. “You can tell me no at any time, alright?”

Peter knew that wouldn’t be happening.

He leaned up, catching Tony in a quick and hard kiss.

The older man eagerly kissed back, using his free hand to pull the teacher flush against his body.

Peter deepened the kiss, nipping at Tony’s bottom lip until the other man parted his lips with a groan, allowing the younger man to slip his tongue inside.

By the time they broke the kiss they were both panting and half hard, clearly not ready to stop anything they were doing.

“Give me one moment,” Peter whispered with a quick kiss pressed to Tony’s lips.

He walked to and opened the door, ducking his head outside.

“Gwen,” he said quickly.

The other teacher was watching her kids closely, slowly tearing her eyes away to look at Peter. “Yes…?”

“I need you to watch my kids for a little bit. Please. It won’t-” he glanced to Tony. “Well, it probably won’t take too long.”

The woman finally focused on him, then turned her eyes to the other man. She immediately knew what was going on and gave her coworker a disapproving look. “Peter, no. You can’t do that.”

“Pleeeease, Gwen. I’ll buy you lunch if you just watch my class. Twenty minutes tops.”

Tony snorted. “You’re definitely lowballing it a bit,” he mumbled. He shut up when the teacher nudged him.

Gwen sighed heavily, but nodded. “Fine. But just this one time, okay?”

“Of course, don’t even worry.”

He slipped back into the classroom, pulling Tony with him and locking the door.

Before he knew what was going on, he was pressed to the wall and lifted into the air as he yelped. “Tony!”

The older man chuckled, hands gripping the teacher’s thighs in order to hold him up. “Yes, honey?”

“A little warning next time would be nice,” Peter breathed before pulling Tony in for a kiss.

“Ooh, next time,” he said teasingly, instantly kissing back. He pressed his hips to Peter’s, allowing the man to feel how hard he was under his dress slacks.

The younger man hummed, rocking his hips weakly from his difficult position. “Is that all for me, Mr. Stark?”

Tony chuckled against his mouth, trailing kisses from his lips down to the collar of his sweater. “All for you, sweetheart. And yours to choose what to do with.”

Peter moved his hips again, working to try and get friction to his clothed cock. “I need you to fuck me, Tony.”

“See, I knew you could have a dirty mouth on you if you wanted,” he teased, gently nipping at a spot on the man’s neck.

The young man keened, mouth falling open around a quiet moan. “That’s not even half of it, sir. Just need to feel you so badly. I’ve thought about it since I saw you last night. Since you winked at me,” he rambled.

“That’s what got you?” Tony murmured, amused. “You’re so cute. Desperate for my cock just because of a wink.”

“And you- you licked your lips. Looking at me,” Peter recalled. “God, that messed with me.”

Tony slowly set Peter down to work on getting his pants off, listening to him with a hum. “Tell me, Mr. Parker, did you get off thinking about me last night? Did my little bit of interest I showed get you all hot and bothered?”

“Y-yes, sir. I had to get off as soon as I got home.”

“Tell me how you did,” the older man murmured, pushing Peter’s pants and tight briefs off. “Tell me how you took care of yourself.”

Peter’s cheeks flushed darker. “I fingered myself first-“

“How many fingers?”

“Th-three. Had to prep myself for a bigger toy.”

Tony hummed softly, nodding as he slid his hands over the teacher’s hips. “Used a toy on yourself?”

“I did. It’s my favorite, nice and thick. Not too long,” he described. He shivered at the way that Tony touched him, leaning up for another quick kiss.

“That sounds good,” the other man murmured. “So you like thick cocks?”

Peter nodded, cheeks burning as he eyed the bulge in the man’s slacks. “I do. Do you have one for me?”

Tony chuckled, unbuckling his belt and leaving it loose around his hips. “I’ll let you decide that for yourself.”

He unbuttoned his pants and unzipped just enough, getting his cock out of his boxers until it was visible.

And oh, it was even better than Peter had hoped.

Even thicker than his favorite toy, just about as long. He couldn’t wait to feel it inside of him. Tony had a gorgeous cock.

Tony grinned a little as he watched the teacher nearly drool over just the sight of him. “Is this acceptable?”

“More than. Way more than. Please, I need that inside of me,” Peter breathed, his own cock twitching as he watched the man start to stroke himself.

“We haven’t even prepped you yet, honey. I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”

“Hurt me, Tony, fuck! I just need you,” he whined, hips bucking weakly into the air. “I’ll be fine.”

“Telling me to hurt you,” Tony mused. “That’s dangerous. Dangerous thing to tell me to do.”

“I want it so bad. Please hurt me,” Peter begged, chest rising and falling quickly with each heavy breath. He was so ready for Tony, no matter the discomfort he’d feel later.

The older man chuckled softly, picking Peter up again and pressing his back against the board. “Your wish is my command, honey.”

The teacher marveled at his strength as he used just one arm to hold him up. Then Tony used his free hand to guide his cock to Peter’s hole, pausing after a moment.

Wordlessly, he reached into his back pocket and grabbed a packet of lube that he quickly tore open and drizzled over his cock. “Almost forgot,” he murmured. “Although we both would have remembered quickly.”

Peter stared at him in disbelief for a moment before laughing. “You came prepared. You counted on this happening.”

“I did,” Tony confirmed. “I saw the way you looked at me yesterday. And...well, I was hoping you’d feel the same way as I did.” He grinned. “I just can’t wait sometimes.”

“Obviously.” The teacher laughed softly, hands feeling over the other man’s clothed arms and gripping gently to keep himself steady. And just feeling Tony up was nice too. Blame it on practicality and the sexy muscles he felt were just a bonus. Right. “Are we ready now?”

Tony slid the tip of his cock against Peter’s hole, feeling the tight muscle clench at the movement. “Relax,” he said gently. “Don’t want this to hurt you. Just relax.”

Peter nodded slowly, eyes staying on the man as he wrapped his legs around his waist. “I’m relaxed. Don’t stop, keep going. Please.”

He gasped when the head of Tony’s cock pushed in, the stretch burning slightly but nothing more than he could handle. “Fuck. Yeah, that’s it. Keep going, Tony!”

The older man smiled as he watched him, slowly pressing in until his balls were flush against the teacher’s ass. “Still feeling good?”

Peter’s high moan told him what words couldn’t. The sound told him to keep going. And so did the man’s fingers gently digging into his shoulders out of pleasure. Apparently the lack of preparation only affected him but so much.

So he started moving, hips thrusting forward at an even pace that quickly sped up.

Peter dropped his head back, eyes slipped shut as he groaned in obvious bliss.

The sight of his pale, unblemished neck was welcoming and Tony quickly attached his lips to a spot.

He kissed over the smooth skin at first, gentle in contrast to his harsh thrusts. But then he bit down, just hard enough that he knew there would be bruising later on.

He continued the cycle, kissing sweetly before biting or sucking marks into the teacher’s perfect skin. Peter’s skin had a garden of blooming bruises over his entire neck, more reds and purples showing than the creamy white it originally was.

Each mark pulled a new sound from him, pleasure he didn’t know was possible surging through his body at every dueling sensation.

Tony eventually just rested his lips in the junction of Peter’s shoulder, where his sweater had slipped slightly in their frantic activities. His hips kept up their bruising pace, fucking into the teacher quickly as they both felt their highs approaching.

“Tony,” Peter gasped out, opening his eyes once again to look at the other man. He clenched down hard around the cock inside of him, moaning louder. “Oh fuck, I’m gonna cum. Tony, I’m gonna cum,” he whimpered, breathing hard as his high rapidly got closer.

The only friction to his cock had been the way it had slapped against his stomach with every thrust Tony gave but that combined with the brutal fucking he was on the receiving end of was more than enough to get him to the edge. He felt his balls tightening with every continued movement and he knew it wouldn’t be much longer.

Tony nodded, weakly sucking one more mark onto his neck. “I’m close too,” he murmured, hips not faltering in their actions. “Cum for me, baby, come on. I know you need to, cum for daddy.”

Hearing Tony call himself that name was the last thing Peter needed to send him over the edge.

He cried out as his orgasm hit him, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes at the sheer intensity.

His cock jerked before spurting long ropes of cum in between his and Tony’s bodies. He was vaguely aware that they’d need to clean up but was too lost in his high to truly focus on it.

Tony wasn’t far behind him, thrusts finally stilling as he came. He held Peter close, pressed firmly against the other man as he spilled deep into him.

They came down from their highs together, holding each other more gently than before and working on evening out their breathing.

Peter was the first to speak, words coming out in between soft kisses he pressed to Tony’s jaw. “So this...uh...were you thinking this was like...a one time thing?”

Tony laughed softly, unable to help himself. He was still high on the feeling of everything going on that the event of it never happening again didn’t even occur to him. “No. This was...was way too good to just be once. If that’s alright with you.”

He slowly set the teacher down, softening cock slipping out of him. He grabbed a tissue from Peter’s desk and quickly cleaned himself up and got tucked away in his pants. Then he focused on cleaning up Peter.

As he worked, Peter talked. “I think this was...yes. Amazing.” He laughed a little. “But maybe...not here next time. Maybe my place? Somewhere I won’t get fired?”

Tony chuckled, gently dressing Peter again and nodding. “Somewhere else would be good. Your place, my place. Somewhere,” he agreed.

“Oh, good.”

They managed to get themselves mostly presentable just in time for the starting bell to ring.

Peter unlocked his door and let his students in, whispering a quick thank you to Gwen.

Tony left the building after kissing the teacher quickly, leaving him swooning and giggling. He was put together and smooth, like nothing at all had happened. The only indicator that something happened was the smug smirk on his face.

Peter on the other hand...the teacher looked like he’d been attacked by something. Where he was normally put together and perfect, he was a wreck. Curls wild and sticking up, bruises forming all over his neck, sore and limping, sweater still suspiciously stained (not that the kids would notice.)

But he was thrilled and had a huge smile on his face that wouldn’t leave.

And a certain parent’s number added to a new contact in his phone.

#starker #peter parker #tony stark #tony x peter #tony stark x peter parker #tw daddy kink #parent/teacher relationship #I don’t know what all to tag this #teacher!Peter Parker #parent!Tony Stark #my writing #let me know if i need to add any tags #too tired to tag lol #please don’t judge this too harshly #I like it #so #please don’t hate it lol

[carefulfears]

How do you think it played out between Mulder and Diana? I picture him as being very vulnerable after Phoebe, so to go into another relationship with someone who's also quite manipulative and actually trust them enough to get married... I'd be interested to know your thoughts on what that marriage was like, and the divorce

honestly i think the pipeline from phoebe to diana was just wideeee open like…i don’t see him as having been closed off after phoebe. even though he clearly recognizes things between them as having been bad (he jokes about her having “driven a stake” through him, he jokes about her cheating, he refers to her mind games and the way she just wants to hurt him as “classic phoebe greene”)

but he still….calls her “brilliant” and puts himself in a position of blame (“i got in over my head”) and helps her when she asks. he is still open to her. and he’s open to diana, when she comes back, after having left him. they’re kind and civil to each other. in the end, when she keeps pressing him about scully, he says “i’ve done okay without you,” and it’s not harsh. it’s a reassurance. i’m alright. it’s okay.

all to say that…i don’t think it was a matter of trust, or trusting someone again after phoebe. mulder never really struggles with trust, for all his talk. he’s always walking into the world with a hand out, no matter how many times it’s bitten. and no matter how aware he is of people’s true selves or behavior.

that’s what fucking kills me about mulder in relation to abuse, it’s that he knows. he doesn’t try to convince himself or anyone else that it’s not that bad, that it’s not on purpose, that they’re not hurting him. he knows. he knows that phoebe just wants to watch him walk through fire, and he walks. and for as much as he defends diana and doesn’t want to believe that she was involved in syndicate work, i think he knows that their relationship wasn’t healthy.

(children weaned on poison consider harm a comfort etc etc. children weaned on blame string themselves up on the cross)

so i think you’re right that he was vulnerable after phoebe, in the sense that he’s already been so burned, and is so aware, and he all but goes back for more. but…diana isn’t phoebe. phoebe was college affairs and trysts in graveyards and red hot fire. diana is established. diana is older. diana is…cold.

where phoebe would look away until he was apologizing and begging, diana stares him down. she never backs away. she never wavers, even in her most egregious lies.

i’m sure we’re all tired of me affirming freud, but diana is so much like his mother you guys. they both have that same quietly understated bite. they both know so much more than they let on. they both respond the exact same way to his questioning. (“fox, please. don’t do this.” / “nothing could be further from the truth, fox. nothing.”)

there’s a great post here on what draws mulder to diana, that touches on the difference between her and phoebe:

Mulder, who has never been loved properly by anyone since his little sister, flourishes in her company. She is evidently attracted to him, and he’s attracted to her, a slightly older, slow-moving woman. What does he have to compare her with? Phoebe, who belittled and gaslighted him? Compared to Phoebe, Diana is stable, level-headed, understanding, present, dedicated, encouraging, and admiring of his talents.

they’re both manipulative, and abusive, but diana knows what she’s doing. diana knows what moves to make.

the way she speaks to him is just so purposeful, you guys. her first line on the series is telling a room full of people that she thinks he’s right. that she believes him. she “takes his side” to scully. (and she belittles scully to him, like phoebe did. tells him that she just wonders how far he could go, with someone who really believed him). “fox, i’m going to get out of the car now. i’m alone, okay?”

she knows him. and he responds exactly as she knows he will: the very first script note about her character is that she’s anticipating mulder’s reactions. she addresses his fears and insecurities. (in the end when she tells him that she was impressed with him for his “good catch” on the videotape, he can’t even look at her. he turns his whole body away from her before shaking his head and responding: “oh. you would’ve caught it eventually.”)

a lot of this is learned over years (if they were together from when he graduated the academy, until the discovery of the x-files in 1991, that puts their relationship at around 5 years. from ‘86 to ‘91) but a lot of this is just…..them. just their dynamic.

i said this in my first post on the topic, but, he would’ve married her. if he’d walk through fire, he’d get married. if he’d search for family in extraterrestrial life, he’d get married. he’s a legacy government employee from martha’s vineyard. and he eats out of the palm of her hand, even a decade after she left him. (which isn’t even to say that she would’ve had to initiate marriage. but there’s also a certain level of….it’s just what you do. especially in upper class new england circles.)

he was young, and he was the FBI’s golden boy. he was “the best analyst in the violent crime section.” he was writing monographs that would catch the biggest serial killers. he was being talked about in the academy. that sort of thing matters to diana. even after she comes back, she speaks of following his work. having “an interest” in it. wanting him to be successful.

she looks genuinely concerned in one son, when he says that he feels like he should just give up. it seems like it throws her off, where she usually has the upper hand.

as far as how the marriage went, i think it was short, and cold, and lonely. in the flashbacks of travelers, it’s 1990, he’s wearing a ring, he tells arthur dales that he does not speak to his father.

as far as the divorce, i think she just left. i think it’s implied in her line: “sometimes i hear about you…and i think how it might’ve been if i’d stayed.”

1991: the x-files are discovered, diana gets a job in europe. i love that they worked cases together, in the beginning. she’s the original x-files partner, and she never lets go of that. there’s almost a threat in her voice, every time she throws it in both mulder and scully’s faces. (especially: “hey. you and i found the x-files together. don’t forget that.” …everything that he has, she helped build.)

i really love this fic that goes through mulder and diana’s relationship, it’s completely in line with how i view her character and their dynamic. but i especially come back to the chapter where mulder opens a file on samantha. and diana realizes, after all their adventures looking for psychics in hospitals, that this is going to be something very different, very quickly.

“spooky mulder” wasn’t always crazy and basement dwelling. he used to be the best analyst in the violent crime section. he used to be revered, and respected, for how “scary” quickly his mind works. that’s diana’s husband.

but so quickly, he becomes so enmeshed in so much trauma, and loss. the way he talks in the pilot, he tells scully that he just went to oxford and then went to the fbi, and when she asks what he did after samantha disappeared, he says that he was….good at profiling. that he was successful, and that allowed him room to pursue other interests. he finds the x-files. he spends 2 years trying to get the unit opened. and very quickly, he’s alone in the basement.

as far as the syndicate plays in, i go back and forth. sometimes i think they had hands in diana the whole time, and just pulled her out when the x-files were established. but mostly, i think they probably recruited her in ‘91. they wouldn’t really have much cause to have someone on mulder, before then.

so i think, most likely, the x-files are discovered. at first, it’s interesting, it’s in line with her own personal work in parapsychology, it’s something she’s into. something she believes in. but mulder is so myopic, and his obsessive tendencies are not progressing him anymore. he’s not advancing or respected anymore. things start to fall apart. the syndicate approach her, recruit her out to europe.

diana wants to be doing the work. i don’t think she perceives it as being opposite sides.

y’all remember that week where mulder could read minds? this is what diana says:

I know you know. I know you know about me... That my loyalties aren't just to you... but to a man you've grown to despise. You have your reasons but, as you look inside me now you know that I have mine. Fox... Fox, I love you. I've loved you for so long. You know that, too.

she has her reasons. and, the way she sees it, so does he. the way she sees it, she has loyalties to them both.

and diana does love him, she dies for him. “you know that, too.”

doesn’t it mean something, to know? to not be playing games? not be walking through fire? to be looked in the eye, even when it’s nothing but lies?

doesn’t it mean something, to be committed? i’ve said this before, but mulder and diana are grandfathered in. no one is allowed to speak on or to either of them, in the other’s eyes. even after nearly a decade apart, they still have a place with each other. they stand on each other’s ground. (everything he has, she built.)

there’s a lot of convoluted complexities between them that i could go on forever and ever about, and there’s so much purposeful maneuvering. it’s not just diana’s gaslighting and manipulation, it’s so much above and below her. ultimately, they are little more than pawns in a game. but mostly, i just think she was there, and she was knowledgeable and controlling and respectful in a time where he didn’t have much direction. and that goes a long way.

#? #asks #diana

[simonsrosebud]

what if kevin & dalton had been set up instead of meeting on their own?

(pls accept this as apology for not posting any kalton for MONTHS)

kevin doesn’t have a date to the banquet.

normally, it’s fine.  he’s taken allison or renee to the last few, as friends.  but this year, renee has something going on with gwen, their freshman dealer who is somehow only a year younger than himself.  and allison got scooped up by ricky, the other freshman dealer. 

“what happened to us being dates?  i thought it was unspoken?”

allison shrugs and pushes her hair behind her shoulder.  she has her arms crossed as she leans against the doorframe to kevin’s bedroom.  “sure, but ricky has a crush on me and it’s fun playing around with it.”

kevin sends her a look.  “ew, don’t look at me like that.  as if, he’s like a baby to me.”  kevin opens his mouth, but gets cut off.  “you could get a date easily, it’s fine, we’ll help.”

and she’s right.  later that afternoon she shoots a text to the team groupchat.

allison:  kevin needs a date, any and all genders welcome.  must be hot, good at socializing, and able to withstand his complete lack of care for them esp once he starts talking exy. 

allison:  i expect a nominee from each of you.  good luck soldiers.

and kevin’s going to kill that girl.

the freshmen don’t answer, of course.  all of their friends are freshmen, and they’re also just too scared to respond to the foxes sometimes.

aaron responds first, suggesting he just take one of the vixens.  neil chimes in by saying that marissa girl is fucking social alright.

kevin doesn’t get why allison can’t just set him up with one of her friends.  she has a strict rule against any of the foxes dating her non-exy friends, but it’s just an banquet. 

matt comes in last, but instead of the groupchat it’s just to kevin.

matt:  i have a friend named dalton.  he’s in his masters to become a professor but he’s chill. he’s nice and fun too, the best guy i know

kevin knows he shouldn’t be shallow, but...

kevin:  picture?

matt responds almost instantly.  a picture of his friend sitting across from him at starbucks on his laptop.  he looks caught off guard, like matt took the picture without warning.

is he with him right now?

kevin:  maybe.

he drops his head back and rubs his eyes.

an hour later, the door opens.  neil comes in first.  matt is on his heels, and someone else trails in behind him.  kevin sits up.

neil looks at him.  in french, he says, “i wasn’t a part of this.”

kevin stands, and responds back in french.  “you let him in.”  neil shrugs at that, and continues down to the bedroom.

matt nods at him with a smug smile.  “do you still have your psych 101 workbook?  i have to take it next semester and i don’t wanna buy it.”

kevin frowns.  is he not going to introduce his friend?  “uh, yeah.”  he turns to his desk and rummages through the drawers to pull it out.

“oh, this is dalton, by the way.  he’s a friend from sophomore year.”

there it is.  kevin turns back, book in hand, and nods at dalton.

dalton smiles, calm and charming, and tilts his head a bit.  “he’s lying.  i was his TA.”

kevin gives a smile.  it’s small and faint, and mostly fake.  he can’t help it.  he doesn’t care for small talk like this.  how old does that make dalton?

also, how did matt befriend his TA?  kevin’s never spoken a word to the majority of his own.

“can’t imagine having to deal with him in class,” he says, jokingly.

matt doesn’t defend it, just shrugs and moves on.  “hey, did you find a date to the banquet yet?”  he wiggles his eyebrows.  

kevin’s gonna kill him.  he stuffs his hands into his hoodie pocket so he can ball his fists.  “not yet, no.”

he nods, nudges dalton.  “kevin’s on the exy team, too.  he’s the only one without a date to the winter banquet this year,” he says.  “allison, remember allison?  she’s on a manhunt to find someone she approves of for him.”

dalton considers it.  “that sounds like allison.”

kevin refrains from frowning.  “have you met her?”

dalton has, just one time when he and matt went to a football game this fall and made a pit stop to matt’s room.  it’s also when he met neil, albeit very briefly.  neil had too much going on to give him the time of day.

“once, a month or so ago.”

when matt and dalton get into the car, dalton turns halfway in his seat to fully face matt.  “he doesn’t have a date?”  matt shakes his head.  “is he into guys at all?”

matt glances at him.  “yeah, he’s bisexual.”

dalton raises his eyebrows.  “um, hello?!  why didn’t you set him up with me?!”

matt frowns and shoots his friend a look.  “why do you think we just went over?!  i took psychology freshman year!”

dalton’s gonna kill him.  “but you didn’t say anything about me to him.”  matt rolls his eyes and waves him off, and dalton sits back in his seat.

“i know kevin, i know what i’m doing.”

he crosses his arms.  “you’re the worst wingman i’ve ever met.”

but low and behold, kevin texts matt a few hours after his visit.

kevin:  how do u know dalton would want to be my date to the banquet?

matt:  bc he literally told me so

kevin:  fine, ask him if he wants to go and i’ll take him.

when dalton climbs on the bus behind matt, it takes him only a moment to spot kevin and make his way over.

the banquet is five hours away, so the foxes and their dates are changing into their formalwear once they arrive.

dalton has joggers on, and a long sleeve henley that’s a size too big.  his collarbone hangs out as the collar hangs low.  he wears a soft smile, and pushes a hand back through his hair. 

he looks hot.

dalton looks even more hot dressed up in his suit.  he keeps at kevin’s side at first, and talks to both matt and dan from time to time.  allison even pops up once to inquire about him, since he wasn’t one of her picks.

dalton and matt seem to joke around like they’re best friends.  but he doesn’t ever remember matt mentioning him.

then again, if kevin had friends outside of exy, he may not introduce them to the foxes, either.

he finds his way back to kevin’s side at their table, where he’s talking to a trojan player.  after a while, kevin turns to him.  “you don’t have to stick by my side, if you don’t want.”  he almost feels bad.

dalton shrugs and smiles.  “what if i want to stick by your side?”  the way that kevin reacts shows that he wasn’t expecting that, and dalton’s smile turns shy.  “um, i don’t mind, really.  i’d feel bad leaving you alone.  i’m your date.”  he takes a sip of his drink.

“okay.”  it barely leaves kevin’s lips, but it’s enough to make dalton happy.

“you can even talk exy to me, if you want.  i can pretend i know how it works.”

kevin’s heart seizes.  “you don’t know exy?”

dalton grins.  “i’ve never even seen a game.”  he leans closer.  “teach me?”

so he does.  for the next half hour, they sit and kevin blabbers on, and dalton listens and asks questions.  and then they sidetrack somehow to talking about marvel movies and what they suspect will happen in the next spiderman movie.

dalton swears to die on the grave that peter parker is a bisexual icon.

“you can take that title, instead, though.”  his grin is cheeky.  kevin lightly kicks his ankle and rolls his eyes, but he’s heavily amused.

“what about you?  what are you?”

“gay,” he shrugs.  “not much to it.”

“did you… when you told people, how did they react?”

dalton’s head tilts just a bit, and his smile starts to fade.  “some people don’t like it, but it was fine for the most part.”  and after a moment.  “why, are you okay?”

kevin nods.  

dalton doesn’t believe it.  and he supposes he doesn’t know kevin enough to say that, but there’s something about the way kevin doesn’t verbally respond to it that sits weird in his head.

he props his chin in his hand.  “i told my roommates i was gay the first week of freshman year.  my roommate knew, but we had two suitemates, and one of them kinda stopped talking to me after that if he could help it.”  he flicks his eyes up to meet kevin’s.  “my uncle asks me at every family function if i’ve got a girl yet.  he’s known for seven years, now,” he says.  “and thanksgiving is now hosted at my house because my grandmother told my mother that i was unwelcome in hers.”

harsh.  

“i’m sorry.”

he doesn’t know what else he’s supposed to say, really.  he barely has family as it is, but he can’t imagine losing them now because of something so small.

but dalton just shrugs a shoulder.  “it’s okay.  think about it this way, if i was still in the closet i wouldn’t be your date right now.”  he cracks a smile.  always smiling.

that’s when kevin notices just how close their faces are.  and how he keeps glancing at dalton’s mouth.  he sits back.  not here.

dalton goes to the bathroom, and matt takes his seat.  “how’s it going with dalton?”

kevin frowns.  “fine, why?  did he say something?”

matt’s face is indescribable.  “no, but i see you guys getting all close and stuff.  just flirt with him, dude!  he obviously likes you.”

yeah right.  “i-i don’t think so.  he’s just here because i didn’t have a date.”

matt drops his head for a second.  “kevin, after you first met him he scolded me for not setting you two up.  he doesn’t watch exy, and he’s not here for the famous kevin day, just give him a chance.”  kevin looks to the side, where dalton’s on his way back talking with dan at his side.  they’re getting closer, so he talks fast and quiet.  he stands.  “don’t fuck this up, he’s hot and nice,” he whispers, and grins when dan slides into his side.

“we wanna dance.  boys?”  she looks expectantly at both kevin and matt.  matt doesn’t have a choice, but he’d never say no anyway.

dan pulls kevin up and shoves him lightly into dalton, who catches a hand on his waist.  kevin wants to squirm out of it, but not because he doesn’t like dalton, or dalton’s touch.  just because the idea of liking dalton scares him a bit.

but dalton lets go when he finds his balance.

“i don’t- i can’t dance.”

“yeah right, i’ve seen you at eden’s before.”

when he was belligerently drunk.

“you don’t have to.” dalton’s voice is soft behind him.

matt slides his gaze to kevin.  don’t fuck this up.

he turns.  how has his life come to this?  “no.  i will, if you want to.”

dalton grins, lopsided and happy.  “yeah?”

he hopes he doesn’t regret it.  “yeah.” 

so dalton takes him by the hand and leads him after matt and dan.  the majority of the foxes are in the midst of the crowd as well, but they don’t pay them any mind.  there’s enough people that kevin can pretend he’s at eden’s.

kevin is a terrible dancer.  dalton notices it right away and laughs.  when kevin gives him a look he says, “follow my lead.  just sway a little.  nod your head to the music,” kevin looks up at him while he dances, but catches dalton’s eyes instead.

he looks away and falls out of rhythm.  “sorry,” he mumbles.

“it’s okay.”  dalton gently takes kevin’s hands and puts them on his waist.  it feels illegal.  his hands feel like dead weights, he doesn’t know what to do.

is he blacking out right now?

but then dalton’s moving his hips and dancing, and laughing.  he’s having fun and kevin wants to have fun too.

he moves his hands from dalton’s waist to around his neck, and dalton hesitates with his hands near kevin’s hips until kevin nods.

dalton’s fingers dip into his hips.  his one finger taps along the beat of whatever song is playing, while he lightly sings along and bounces back and forth.

it’s dark on this side of the court with the exception of some colored lights darting around.  the designated dancing spot.

kenna is kissing jack in the crowd.

kevin looks back to dalton, singing with a smile plastered on his face.

no one would notice.

kevin’s fingers twitch against dalton’s neck.  but someone could.

he’s already out, but that doesn’t mean he’s kissed a boy in public yet.

he drops his arms.  “i need some air.”

dalton let’s go, “are you okay?”  but he just nods and takes off, off of the court and down the hall to the locker rooms.  the foxes have their things in the away men’s locker room.

kevin sinks down on the bench.  he plays with the bracelet around his wrist, courtesy of betsy in case he needs something to fidget with.  opposed to panicking, that is.

that woman is never wrong.

kevin likes dalton, that’s not in question nor is it really the problem.  the problem is that he doesn’t know what his problem is.  if it’s what people will say when they see that he truly is into men.

being told something versus seeing proof that it’s real are two different things.  he’s learned that, dealt with it more than once.  the last time it was the proof of the raven’s bullying and abuse.  being told that kevin and riko’s relationship isn’t what the fans fantasize it is versus then seeing proof that it isn’t anything that they thought, for example.

kevin had to deal with backlash like that for months after the raven’s investigation post championship game.  him being bi isn’t the same, of course, but he doesn’t know how to predict the behaviors of his fans.  he doesn’t know what they’ll support or not.

but he likes dalton.

“hey.”

one of the freshmen, eva, stands in the doorway.  “stop running 

you don’t have to be scared of people seeing you dance, you know.”

kevin frowns.  “i don’t care about dancing.”

“yeah, but you care about dancing with your date.”  they cross their arms and lean against the doorframe.  “no one cares.  half this team is a little gay, anyway.”

once they’ve changed for the night in the hotel room, dalton hesitates from where he stands by the bed.  “are you okay?  you seemed a little jittery all night, i just... i wanna make sure everything’s fine, i guess.”

kevin looks up, but doesn’t answer. 

stop being so afraid of everything.

he opens his mouth to say something, but he doesn’t know what he can say.

he sighs.

dalton’s standing there, arms crossed, concerned.  kevin swallows his fears as he makes his way across the room until he’s standing right in front of dalton, and slides a hand behind his neck to kiss him.

dalton hums, surprised.  after a moment he brings a hand to kevin’s chest, and there’s a second where kevin thinks hes going to be pushed away.  instead his fingers dig into his hoodie and he pulls kevin closer.

dalton’s smiling as kevin pulls away.  “about time,” he mumbles, and kisses him again.

the back of dalton’s knees hit the bed by accident, but he drops down to sit and gently pulls kevin by the strings of his hoodie.

kevin isn’t new to sex, so to speak.  he’s not the most experienced, but he’s had his fun.  it’s the only reason he’s confident enough to scoot dalton further back and kiss him into the mattress.

dalton wraps an ankle around the back of kevin’s knee.  he curls his fingers into his hair and leans his head back when kevin kisses down his neck.

they wake up to kevin’s phone blaring.  matt’s calling.

kevin only acknowledges the fact that he has his arm around dalton for a second before he checks the time.

they’re late.

wymack’s gonna kill him.

kevin sits up and shakes dalton as he answers his phone.  “hey you guys are awake right?  coach is pulling the bus around then we’re loading up.”

kevin’s out of the bed and throwing his shirt on, tossing dalton’s hoodie to him.  “yeah, we’re coming.”  dalton’s eyes go wide and that kicks him into gear as he realizes the situation.

they look a mess as they run around.  they’ve really only got one pair of clothes and their suits to frantically shove into their bags.  kevin pulls his sneakers on without socks and dalton’s got his on with the laces all undone as they jog down the hall.

at least they brushed their teeth.

dalton drops down to tie his shoes in the elevator, and when he stands kevin takes the liberty of carding his fingers through his hair.

he shrugs.  “bed head.”

dalton can’t help but smile.  “might wanna pull this up a little,” he mumbles, and that’s when kevin realizes that he’d accidentally put on dalton’s long sleeve henley.  the shirt he’d been wearing last night before it got dropped to the floor.

dalton pushes the shirt up so it’s not hanging lower on kevin’s collarbone.  he’s got a nice hickey that needs hiding.

“they’re never going to let this go,” kevin says.

dalton leans back against the elevator wall.  “i’ve got some juice on matt if you ever need.”

kevin smiles, just a little.  despite him worrying all during the banquet, last night was so good.  he doesn’t want it to end as soon as they step off of the bus.  he doesn’t want dalton to be a one night stand, he doesn’t think.

he takes a step forward and kisses dalton against the wall once more.  he pulls away when the elevator dings.

matt smiles to himself as he watches them come around the corner.  he tries to tame it, at least.

kevin and dalton are the last on the bus.  kevin’s spot in the back is open, so they go back there.  dalton toes off his shoes as soon as he sits down.

kevin is on the aisle side.  his chest skips when dalton’s hand lands gently on his thigh.  he doesn’t hate it.

it’s dinner time when they get back to a rainy palmetto.  dalton had fallen asleep on kevin’s shoulder a half hour ago, and jolts awake when matt whoops and shouts to get out of his way so he can run off the bus for the bathroom.

“sorry,” dalton says quietly, scratching his head and yawning into the back of his hand.

“i didn’t mind.” kevin stretches his legs and pulls his shoes on.

dalton’s car is in the gated stadium parking lot.  kevin walks him to it, head ducked because all he’s got on is dalton’s henley.  no one anticipated rain.

dalton turns after unlocking his car, and sticks a ripped off folded note into kevin’s palm.  kevin puts it right into his pocket for safe keeping.  “so are you gonna call me after this?”  dalton’s hair is falling wet over his  forehead.

he nods, mouths the word yeah but nothing comes out.  and dalton can’t help himself, so he takes a step forward and kisses kevin one last time, gentle as he hesitates with his fingers hovering over his cheek.

kevin’s  got nothing to lose at this point, so he curls his hand alone dalton’s neck and steps closer.

he only pulls away because the team is most likely watching, and someone whistles.  “i’ll call you,” he nods.  he shoves his hands into his pockets and ignores the rain as he watches dalton drive out of the parking lot.

he turns towards the maserati and sees andrew shakes his head.  kevin looks down at himself.  he’s halfway to soaked.  not ideal for such an expensive car. which leaves one option.

kevin slides into the front seat of his father’s car.

wymack can’t wipe the smug look from his face.  “so-“

“no.”

#kevin day #bisexual kevin day #the one where someone doesn’t know who kevin day is #dalton miller #OC: dalton miller #kevin day x dalton miller #palmetto state university #Palmetto State Foxes #the foxes #the foxhole court #exy #matt boyd #dan wilds #Allison Reynolds #renee walker #neil josten #andrew minyard #aaron minyard #nicky hemmick #david wymack #abby winfield #kalton

[jamiemackenziefraser]

All That Was Fair 

Chapter 31: Counsel of a Witch

Summary: Jamie turns to the bookstore owner in search of help

Read on AO3

Read chapter 31 on tumblr below the cut

Previous, master list, next

Chapter 31

***

Jamie was at the end of his rope. With every passing hour, he watched Claire get worse and worse. She was pale, drawn, with dark circles stark under her eyes. Her ashen skin, so different from the soft gleam of its usual pearl, made him want to break down sobbing. She was so different from the vivacious faerie he’d come to know. It broke his heart to see her despondence, and he loved her far too much to endure her suffering in silence for even a moment more. 

So he decided to turn to the one place he might find help. 

The bookstore owner. 

It seemed foolish— bordering on mad— to go to a complete stranger for help on the love of his life. Only this Geillis seemed to be the only one besides Claire herself that knew anything about the Fair Folk. Jamie couldn’t simply take her to a hospital. Going to Geillis was the only thing he could think to do. He was out of options. 

He sat then on the couch, with Claire draped over his lap like a flesh and blood blanket, having just arrived at a decision. 

“Mo ghraidh?” he said quietly. 

He reached out a hand to tangle gently in her curls, his fingers delighting in the softness of it. 

“What is it, Jamie?” she asked. 

Even her voice came off weak, hard as she was trying to sound unaffected. There was a breathy tonality, as if she couldn’t quite draw in enough air. A chilling reflection of her exhaustion. 

“I’m goin’ tae go back to the bookstore,” he said simply. 

At that, Claire sat up, pushing her hands against his thighs to brace herself enough to get upright. Big whisky eyes regarded him with a bewildered expression. 

“To see the witch? Why?”

It took Jamie a second to realize what she had just said. He was opening his mouth to answer the “why” when the first part of her question finally sunk into his brain. His heart stopped beating for a solid second at the same time as his brain ground to a halt. 

“Did ye say ‘witch’?” he asked hollowly. 

Claire furrowed her brows and stated simply, “of course. The one who gave you her notes on traveling through the stones? That witch?” 

“I—” Jamie’s tongue was tied in knots as he struggled to get on board with this new reality-shattering revelation, “I didna ken witches were real,” he finished lamely. 

“Oh,” Claire said, with the same patience Jamie had when explaining something like toothbrushing to her, “she is. That just means she is a human who understands about our realm.”

Blinking, Jamie gave her a look. He was struck dumb for the moment, but as soon as he regained the ability to speak, he demanded, “ye kent she was a witch all this time and didna tell me?”

Claire blinked her weary eyes and gave a nonchalant shrug, looking a bit more like herself as she answered with a straightforward, “It didn’t seem all that important.” 

“Ehmm... so… how did ye know?” he asked, trying to keep up. 

“Sensed it. I just sort of… knew. Like how you know when someone is from a different place that you haven’t been. We both saw each other for who we are. Plus it makes sense, since she obviously knew I’m of the fair folk, that’s why she gave you the book.”

Jamie gave a hesitant nod. He was about to ask more questions about witches when he noticed Claire was raising a hand to her head and rubbing it wearily. His stomach turned over in sympathy. 

Overcome by the bittersweet tenderness, he reached out a hand to replace hers, cupping her face gently. 

“I’m goin’ tae ask her if she kens anythin’ that can help ye, lass,” he said gently, “Just because ye dinna ken what’s goin’ on doesna mean we canna find answers.” 

She leaned her face into his touch until his hand was the only thing keeping her head raised. 

“That’s not a bad idea, Jamie,” she said quietly, “let’s go.”

“‘Let’s’?” Jamie echoed, “nae, a nighean. Ye can barely stand on yer own two feet. I wouldna have ye do anything other than rest.” 

“And I would not have you go to a witch alone,” she countered. 

Jamie’s eyes widened and he felt his brain kick into overdrive. “Do you mean she might be dangerous?”

“No,” Claire said with a shake of her head, still leaving her face pressed into his hand, “I know she’s not. But I’m coming.” 

His stubborn lass. 

Jamie brought his other hand up to frame her face, fixing her with his best admonishing stare. 

“I said no, mo Sorcha. Ye’re stayin’ here.” 

He saw the spark of resistance flare in her eyes before she made the move. Pulling away from him, Claire stood abruptly to her feet. Weak as she was, she swayed for a second, thrusting out a hand to grab hold of the top of the couch and steady herself. Jamie popped up beside her, getting ready to reach out to grab hold of her waist, but she took a hasty step back. 

“I’m going,” she insisted. 

Jamie was left trailing after her as she began to walk stubbornly toward the door (her weakness only betrayed by the way her body shook with tiny tremors). She grabbed the bolt and slid it free with a clang before throwing open the door and walking outside. 

“Claire!” Jamie called, running out after her, barely snagging the car keys and his wallet from the table before he did, “wait!”

She whirled around— the most energetic thing she’d done in a long while, it hurt him to recognize— and placed her hands on her hips. As she did though, her eyes grew wide as if she was suddenly feeling dizzy, and her hand shot out instead to brace against her knee. 

Getting hold of herself, she straightened once again. “Like I said, I’m coming with you. Now, should I do it myself or are you going to help me?” 

Knowing he’d lost the battle and terrified that he’d be forced to watch her collapse as she stubbornly walked to the car if he refused, Jamie caught up to her. 

Gently taking her by the arm, he said quietly, “alright, a leannan, my stubborn lass, you win.”

***

Claire had laid her head down on his lap the moment they were both seated in the car. She spent the majority of the ride to Inverness slipping in and out of consciousness while Jamie worried over her. He prayed under his breath that God would send them answers in the form of this witch. She’d provided him with revelations once before, so Jamie could only dare to hope she’d have a solution just waiting for them. 

As he pulled into the public lot nearest the bookstore, he found himself daunted by the distance Claire would be forced to walk. She hadn’t seemed to have noticed that they weren’t moving anymore, and her breathing was shallow as she drifted in that odd state of half-consciousness. 

“Claire,” he said gently, his voice catching in his throat, “we’re here, a nighean.”

She raised her head, curls falling back behind her, and then dragged her body upright. She rubbed again at glassy eyes, trying to find the necessary strength. 

“Take yer time,” he said softly. 

When her hand fell away and her eyes connected with his, the desperate look inside of them sent him crumbling to pieces. 

“Do you really think she’ll know what’s happening?” she asked in a tiny voice. 

The air in his lungs was expelled with a whoosh. She wasn’t asking him that, not really. She knew he would have no idea— he’d only just learned about the existence of witches mere minutes ago. No, she was asking him to tell her everything would be okay. And that much he could do. 

“Aye, a nighean. I pray that she can gi’ us somethin’. It’ll be alright.”

She gave a shaky nod, and Jamie took that as her being ready. He went around to her side to take her hand and pull her out of the car. She got out easily enough, but once she was standing outside, she fell against Jamie’s chest. He quickly encircled her in his arms, holding on tight to keep her upright. 

“Woah,” he murmured, “take a second. Ye’re okay.” 

The words felt weak even in his own mouth. 

She took his advice, leaning against him for a drawn out moment before she raised her head just enough to say. “Okay, let’s go.” 

Of all the tortures Jamie’s brain had conjured in his life— speculations about how it might be to die by fire versus drowning or other such morbid games— the torture of the next few minutes of watching his very ill faerie struggle to walk down the street topped any agony he’d considered before (save maybe the time when he’d left her at the stones and thought he’d be facing a life without her). 

He kept one arm wrapped tightly around her waist the whole time. The weight of her leaning against him was obvious, and he worked to support her as much as possible. As she struggled to put one foot in front of the other, drained as she was, Jamie cursed himself for giving in so easily and allowing her to come along. 

But she pushed on, his stubborn lass. After a couple slow and shaky blocks, they arrived at the bookstore. There was only time for a single exchange of hopeful looks before Claire stepped away and took his hand instead. 

He pushed open the door with a jingle. 

*

Just like the last time, they were greeted by the air of other-worldliness. Knowing as he now did that Geillis was, in fact, partial to things not of this world, the odd atmosphere made more sense. It took a moment for Jamie’s eyes to adjust to the dim lighting and an even longer while for the goosebumps on his arms to ease. 

Claire must have sensed Geillis’ presence before Jamie did because there was a squeeze to his hand the second before a red head popped out from between two shelves in the back. 

“Ooh, the lovers, back again. Did ye read my wee notes, fox cub?” Geillis cooed. 

She emerged from between the shelves holding two old books to her chest, looking quite excited. 

“Yes, they were verra… informative. I thank ye for it. That’s actually why we’re here…”

Jamie was about to launch into his plea for help when Geillis suddenly stopped dead in her tracks a few feet before reaching them. Her eyes went wide as she looked at Claire, a frown slowly forming between her brows and on those cherry colored lips. 

“I see…” she said softly, “something is wrong wi’ yer fair one, aye?” 

Sensing something— maybe it was a laxness in her fingers or maybe it was just his intuition— Jamie glanced down at Claire just in time to see her face freeze and eyes go distant. He let go of her hand and whirled around to catch her just before she collapsed. Both of his arms went around her tightly and pulled her to him as her knees buckled. 

Looking down at her pale, scrunched features, Jamie was relieved to see that she wasn’t unconscious, but she certainly wasn’t doing well. Her eyes were glassy as she blinked hard, trying to keep herself aware. 

He looked up from his suffering love to give Geillis a pleading look. 

“We need yer help,” his voice broke on the word help. 

Geillis looked somber, studying him and the faerie in his arms. Then, she gave a nod. 

“Bring her back, and then tell me everything.” 

*

“Back” apparently was referring to a back room. Geillis had led them to the back of the bookstore as Jamie all but carried Claire, and then she pulled back a curtain to gesture them into another room. 

With Claire tucked tightly into his side, Jamie ducked through the doorway. 

On the other side was a whole second bookstore with the same crowded shelves and haphazard organization. Only this side also had shelves of all kinds of paraphernalia— vials of colorful liquids, bowls containing small animal bones, and all types of odd trinkets. Jamie tried to take everything in, but his mind was so fixated on Claire that he had trouble taking stock of all the things Geillis had in her secret stock. 

His survey was interrupted as Geillis gestured them toward a window on the far right. There was a bench seat built into the window, and Jamie brought Claire over to it and sat her down before joining her on the smooth, wooden surface. Geillis appeared a second later with a chair, setting it up in front of them before settling in and regarding him with raised brows. 

Claire was leaning against his side, quiet as a mouse and their fingers entangled where they rested together on Jamie’s thigh. Her head tilted down slowly to rest on his shoulder— too tired even to feign strength. 

Geillis looked at them for a long moment before saying, “tell me everything.” 

So Jamie explained. How he found her on the hill. Her story of wandering on the moors when she fell through the stones. How he’d taken her into his home before reading the book and trying to take her back. Her choice to stay. And finally, her deteriorating condition— the exhaustion that rendered her drained and lifeless. 

In the middle of his explanation, Claire had drifted down to lay her head in Jamie’s lap and curl her feet on the bench. It had made the lump in his throat grow, nearly choking off his words, but he’d pressed on to finish his story, knowing how important it was to get answers. 

Once he’d finally closed his mouth, Geillis gave a thoughtful hum, looking down at the faerie in his lap with a worried expression that was almost pitying. 

“I could tell the moment she walked in that somethin’ was wrong,” she said softly. 

“Anyone wi’ two eyes could see that, she can barely stand on her own two feet!” Jamie snapped. He regretted it instantly. Geillis was their greatest hope and her comment didn’t warrant that response, he was just so worried that he was strung nearly to breaking. 

He started to apologize when she cut him off. “Nae, I meant her aura is wrong. Worse than wrong it’s… barely there.” 

Jamie couldn’t help but ask, “that’s how ye kent she was a faerie the first time, aye?” 

Geillis nodded. She was quiet for another gut-wrenching moment, looking down at Claire. The lass in his lap was unconscious, and Geillis seemed to be longing to talk to her instead of him. Or maybe she was just studying her.  

“Do ye ken what’s wrong then?” Jamie couldn’t help but ask, “please? Any ideas at all. I—” he started to try to express how terrified he was, how he couldn’t bear for anything to happen to her, but the words clogged in his throat. He looked down at her as hot tears pricked in his eyes and brushed those beautiful curls back in a way that was probably more soothing for him than it even was for her— out of it as she was. 

When he looked back to meet the startling green eyes, there was sympathy there. 

“I have a theory…” she said, but trailed off. 

Jamie felt his entire body lift. His back straightened as he eagerly asked, “tell me?” 

Her eyes flicked down again to his hands stroking Claire. “Ye willna like it.” 

The hope that had begun forming in his chest popped with suddenly ferocity. He felt sick to his stomach, worse than he ever had on a boat or plane in the worst of his motion sickness bouts. He wished he could just refuse to hear the bad news that was about to come, but he had to face it, for Claire’s sake. No matter what, he would keep fighting. 

“Tell me,” he said. This time it wasn’t a question. 

Geillis settled back in her chair, folding her hands in her lap. 

“Ye said she came through the stones by accident, aye? I think…” for the first time ever, Geillis looked hesitant, “I dinna ken how else to say it…. I think she’s becomin’ human.” 

“What?!” Jamie burst out, loud enough to make Claire jerk in his lap. He quickly looked down, placing his hands on her again to settle her. She hadn’t fully woken, so his touch on her side and face was enough to soothe her back into tenuous sleep. He looked back up to Geillis and repeated, more quietly this time, “what?” 

She looked uncomfortable as she looked at Claire like the theory was forming in her head. “Well, not exactly becomin’ human. Not really. She’s still fae. It’s jes— ye ken she’s from another plane, aye? Well now she’s separated from her realm, and things are different here. She canna draw energy in the same way. Going through the stones— being here in this realm— she’s cut off, and she canna eat and drink like the rest of us to sustain herself, her body isna capable. She’s likely been drawing on what energy she can, but it isna the same as in her realm.” 

Jamie came back to himself to find he was clutching the end of Claire’s hair in a balled-up fist. He felt like Geillis’ explanation had torn him open and ripped him inside-out. 

“So...” he spoke through the bile rising in his throat, “she’s essentially starvin’ to death? From lack of energy?”

She nodded solemnly. Her fixed gaze on him was so intense that he had to look away. He tried to look down, but the sight of Claire’s pale face as she slept in his lap made his eyes burn with tears. 

“Do ye—” Jamie tried to ask, choking back tears, “what can I do?” 

Geillis looked sympathetic but made no move. 

“Take her back to the stones,” she said simply. 

Jamie shook his head violently, his very body tense, as if it could expel the idea. “No, no, she doesna want that. There has to be another way. She could eat— or—”

“That won’t help her, that’s not what she needs. I’m sorry, fox, I… I don’t know of anything else,” her voice was so low and excruciatingly sympathetic that Jamie wanted to scream. 

He found himself still shaking his head in denial. There was a sharp ache in his stomach, as if his heart had shoved its way down there. 

“I dinna think I can—” he choked as the first tears began to fall. Trying to find the barest hint of comfort, he stroked Claire’s hair again, his fingers brushing her face. 

“There’s no choice,” Geillis said finally, “she’ll die.” 

*

Jamie wanted to leave the bookstore. He almost wished that he had never come— only he could never wish to be ignorant about such a thing, even if it was tempting. He glanced down at Claire in his lap. 

She was unconscious, her face nearly ashen in the light from the window. There was no hint of her usual golden warmth— only pallid skin and dark circles under her eyes. He could feel her shallow breathing, 

He wanted to break down completely. The allure of giving into his grief was so strong, but she didn't deserve to languish in this place any longer. He would see her home. 

The polite thing would have been to thank Geillis for her help. Only his throat was so clogged that the words never would have come out. He couldn’t even spare a glance up at her. 

A silent tear dripped down his cheek as he reached a hand down to gently shake Claire’s cheek. 

“Mo ghraidh?” he choked. 

He was suddenly overcome by the acute desire— no need— for her to wake up. He had to see those golden eyes or he’d die. He couldn’t draw breath, he couldn’t—

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking dazedly up at him from where her head rested in his lap between his hands. He expected her to murmur out “what’s wrong?’ as she usually would have upon finding him in such a state of extreme distress. But she didn’t say a word. She was likely too tired to sense his emotions, too tired to even bring herself to confront the reality that was showing on his face. She just breathed in shakily. 

Jamie somehow found a strength inside himself that he didn’t know he possessed. He gathered his composure— for her sake. 

“Let’s go home,” he said softly, his voice astoundingly even. 

He gathered Claire up in his arms with the utmost care, lifting her under back and knees until he was standing face to face with Geillis. 

“Take care of her, fox cub,” the witch said solemnly. 

Jamie swallowed hard. Unable to verbalize it out loud, he gave her a nod. 

A promise. 

He would send her back. He would do what needed to be done to save her. 

At that moment, Claire stirred in his arms. 

“We’re leaving?’ came her breathy question. 

“Yes, a leannan. We’re going home.”

To his surprise, her hand pushed against his chest— her touch weak and lacking any real force, but still insistent. 

“I don’t— they’ll—” she sounded distressed, which broke Jamie’s heart. But she was so incoherent he didn’t have any idea how to assuage her. 

“What is it, a nighean?” he asked, on the verge of tears. 

“Don’t want them to see,” she finally managed. 

That did him in. More tears leaked from his eyes to pour down his cheeks. He swallowed the sob in his throat.

She had always hated other people seeing her— accustomed as she was to being invisible to humans— and now she was embarrassed by the thought of Jamie carrying her through Inverness. 

“Dinna think about them,” Jamie answered, barely able to contain the heartache in his voice, “no one matters except you, mo ghraidh.” 

She still looked distressed. Her eyes were squeezed closed again, her brows furrowed, and she shook her head. 

“Jamie, I…” 

Her voice trailed off. Her head lolled on his shoulder, and he nearly broke down all over again. 

He turned his teary gaze to Geillis, giving her his best look of pleading. 

“Is there nothin’ ye can do tae ease her?” he asked brokenly. 

Geillis looked wrecked too, staring at Claire as if the sight of his wee faerie suffering was too terrible to look away from. “I’m sorry,” she said with a sad shake of her head, “there’s nothin’ I can do.” 

Jamie bit his lip, hard enough to draw blood, and then refocused on his love. 

“Damn the world,” he told her firmly, “we’re goin’ home.” 

***

IMPORTANT:

Hi, friends! I mentioned a few chapters ago that I will be going on hiatus for a short time. I've finished writing arc II now, and in the interest of leaving you all at a decent stopping point before I go on hiatus, I will be dropping a chapter a day. There are 3 more chapters after this one until arc II wraps up. BUT the story will be far from over, so I truly hope you stick around until I get back in a number of weeks. I love this story and these characters so much and I'm really excited for arc III.

With that being said... I will now be running off to hide in fear of my life. IknowIknowIknowI'msorry! SORRY!

Next

#next day update!! #all that was fair #claire x jamie #outlander fanfiction #fae claire

[writingpuddle]

The other night best friend and I (yes, that best friend) were riffing on trans Neil headcanons over the phone, but a realistic trans treatment of aftg gets dark real fast, so without further ado:

~The Mafia May Be Sexist (But It’s Not Transphobic!) AU ~

(tmmbsbintau, if you will)

Does this premise make sense? No, but if Nora can write about made up mafia sports, I can write a nonsense AU where transphobia doesn’t exist okay this is my party and ill be self-indulgent if i want to

We open with baby Neil, who was named after his maternal grandmother or smthg idk

Now lets say Neil is one of those “I always knew I was trans” kids

So even at a fairly young age he was like, nope this is wrong

For the most part his dad basically ignores him (what use is a girl to me???) but if he makes the mistake of getting in the way it’s the usual shit with knives and hot irons and basically Neil’s bog-standard Traumatic Childhood

His mom signs him up to play Exy to get him out of the house, and he loves it, because of course he does

Now tiny Neil may be terrified of his father

But remember transphobia isn’t real

So he when he’s about ten years old he tells his parents over dinner

His mom just puts her fork down and says that’s alright

But Nathan

Nathan

Nathan’s eyes start to glow

He has a son? Not a useless daughter?

He’s practically levitating with glee

And Neil, poor Neil, who has never had any positive reinforcement—from either parent, Mary, you’re not innocent in this—he soaks it up

Nathan puts both hands on his son’s—his son’s!—shoulders and dubs him Nathaniel

His son, his heir, his legacy

Mary takes one look at the possessive look in her husband’s eyes and thinks oh hell no

For the next few days Nathan absolutely showers Nathaniel with affection

He takes him to the hairdresser and buys him a whole new wardrobe, neglecting his mafia duties in order to dote upon his new son

It is possibly the happiest week of Nathaniel’s life

And then he wakes up in the night with his mother’s hand on his mouth and is given less than a minute to pack his things

Now he’s grown up in a criminal household; the notion of making a run for it isn’t exactly foreign to him

But it’s not until they’re in the car that Nathaniel realizes that his father is nowhere to be seen

Where’s dad? He asks

Shut up, his mother hisses, and slams the car into gear

From then on, he is never Nathaniel

His mother is 100% on board with his transition, but…not really anything beyond that

After all, people will be looking for a woman and a trans boy, which means Mary’s investment in Neil’s gender pretty much starts and ends with him passing as cis

She gets him all the medical treatments he needs (on the black market, since they’re on the run)—puberty blockers when he’s younger, testosterone when he’s older

But he’s never allowed to acknowledge being trans whatsoever

Not to his classmates, not to his teachers

He never gets the chance to have a queer community, or explore the nuances of his gender, because the only presentation they can afford for him to have is Masculine Cis Boy. The restriction is stifling. It’s suffocating.

Neil hates her for it

His life was, so briefly, perfect

He had his father’s love and approval for a day, a week, and he is both old enough to remember his father’s cruelty and young enough to believe that it could end

Nathan is incandescent

When he realizes what Mary has done he goes to the Moriyamas in a storm of fury

She stole my SON! He bellows

Now the Moriyama’s didn’t particularly care about Neil back when they thought he was a girl

Girls in the mafia are basically just for child-rearing, so he wasn’t a threat

So once they figure out what Nathan is talking about (this takes a sec, owing to Nathan having not previously gotten around to telling them about Nathaniel’s revelation), their first thought is that look, we might do the nepotism thing here in our family, but underlings don’t get to do the nepotism thing. Sorry, them’s the breaks

Obviously, Mary has to die—nobody’s disputing that, a woman who robbed her husband and stole his son? Only death will right that wrong—but Kengo tells Nathan that he’ll help find Nathaniel on the condition that he’s given to the Ravens upon capture

Nathan is utterly confident that his son—his son!—will perform admirably. He accepts the deal without a second thought

So they’re on the run for years and years, and Neil’s resentment towards his mother festers, but he never acts out too much, and he doesn’t contact his father

He almost does a couple times, but then he presses his hand to the iron scar on his shoulder and he can’t quite make himself go through with it

He’s sixteen when Nathan catches up with them in Seattle

There’s a shootout and Mary and Neil almost get away

But

Nathan arrives

Nathaniel! He shouts. My boy!

And Neil lurches to a stop

There is his father, walking towards him, his eyes still shining with the same fierce love and pride from when he was ten

Nathaniel, his father says. Hasn’t this gone on long enough?

Come home.

Mary is trying to drag Neil away, but he’s too fixated on his father

Can I? Neil asks. Can I really?

Of course, Nathan says. Everything is forgiven. I’ve even secured you a place on the Ravens. Didn’t you always love Exy? Come home with me, Nathaniel

Neil can barely believe it. His father is offering him everything he ever wanted. His mother has been keeping him from this, his whole life?

Why would they run?

And through this whole exchange Nathan has been getting closer, and Mary is pulling Neil back, and now he’s close enough to touch and the sound she makes is like something physical tears when she finally releases Neil and tries to flee

She isn’t fast enough

Nathan’s grin is as wide as the sun when his cleaver bites into Mary’s waist

Blood pours out

Neil screams

Mary clutches her side, staggering away, but it’s obvious she won’t make it far

Dad, no, Neil says. Don’t—

Shh, his father says. Don’t be afraid. She kept us apart all these years. She deserves to die.

And Neil—

Neil has hated his mother for most of his life

But he looks at the woman who has struggled so long to protect him—who has failed as often as she succeeded, but who fought anyway, everyday—and the man whose eyes are bright with glee at her pain

And he makes a choice

He only has a split second to see the betrayal in his father’s eyes before the pipe in his hand slams into his head and he pitches forward, unconscious

Neil does not wait to see if he survives

He grabs his mother and they run, her arm locked on his shoulder and her palm pressed to the wound on her side

Neil puts her in the passenger seat and jumps in, throwing the car in gear

You need a hospital, he says, frantic

No, she hisses, pinning a towel to her side. No hospitals

Guilt floods through him as he looks at her pale face

Sticky red handprints smear on everything she touches

I’m sorry, mom, he says, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry—

Enough, she says. Drive

He drives

He drives, and drives, and he follows her instructions, and later he wouldn’t have been able to say if he actually thought she would survive; he believed it, because he had to, because he had never been without her; he knew better, because gut wounds are slow, but they are inexorable

He parks on the beach and there are tears pushing at his eyelids but he chokes them down

I’m sorry, he said, I never should have believed him. I’m sorry—

You never would have been enough for him, she says, and Neil flinches

Her hand finds his chin and she yanks him down to meet her eyes, her gaze fierce.

He never loved you, she says. He would have made you in his image, and when you failed he would have torn you apart. I would not—I would not watch him try to make my son a monster. Don’t—don’t waste it

Mom, what are you saying—

Promise me, she says

Promise you won’t go back to him

She is dying

Neil can’t refuse

He promises

She releases his face and her red fingerprints on his face burn like brands. He can feel them hours after the tears wash the blood away.

Her last few breaths are jagged as broken stones before she rattles to a stop, and Neil is alone

He burns her body and staggers out onto the road and he keeps moving, he keeps moving, because he knows if he stops he’ll shatter

His hesitation has cost him his mother’s life

But his action costs him his fathers love

In one blow, Neil broke the golden image Nathan had of his perfect son, and now all Nathan wants is to destroy him

He finds his way to Millport almost on instinct alone

He finds one of Mary’s contacts who can supply him with the hormones he needs to continue passing and squats in an empty house and speaks to none of his classmates

When the Exy team tryouts are announced, he goes, intending to only watch from a distance

Perhaps it is inevitable he’s sucked in

There is so little light in his life

Can he be forgiven for wanting one little spark?

The Foxes come for him in May, and Kevin doesn’t recognize him, because how would he? Even if they met as kids, Kevin never saw Neil post-transition

Wymack ends up telling him something about Kevin’s past and the truth about the Ravens, and Neil pales a little bit, remembering how his father had said he’d gotten Neil a place on their line-up and finally understanding why

And sometimes he looks at Kevin with blinding jealousy for the life Neil didn’t get to have, and sometimes he sees him nearly comatose with fear and drinking vodka like it’s water, and his stomach hurts thinking how cheerfully his father would have consigned him to the same fate

So canon proceeds and Neil still bitches Riko out on live TV, and Riko still manages to acquire Neil’s fingerprints

And would you believe that? The Foxes mouthy new rookie is [deadname], Nathan Wesninski’s brat?

Well, well, well

At the banquet Riko pokes and prods until Neil finally snaps, and as Dan drags the team away from the wreckage Jean grabs Neil’s arm and says, low and fast in French, You’ll meet with us later

Why the fuck would I do that? Neil demands

Because otherwise everyone will find out that the Butcher is your father

Neil can’t hide his flinch and Kevin’s eyes go wide

They flee the scene, but before they even reach Coach, Kevin is already rounding on Neil

Is it true? He croaks

Not now, Neil says

But Kevin reads confirmation in Neil’s deflection

I didn’t know [deadname] had a brother, he says

Now here is the thing

Names are obviously a touchy subject with a lot of trans people, and certainly with Neil in particular

But with everything that just happened, Neil is a bit preoccupied, and it’s been a long time since he’s associated himself with that name

Since before he stopped using it, truthfully

And so his response is out of his mouth before he can even think twice

“Who?”

Kevin nods seriously, because he is wise to the ways of mafia bosses, and it’s not exactly shocking that Nathan Wesninski had a mistress and a secret second child, especially considering his first child had been a girl

It’s several moments before Neil puts two and two together and realizes that he has inadvertently slipped through a perfect loophole

He’s failed his mother so many times, but at least this secret is still safe, and he clings to that

Neil’s gender doesn’t really affect his interpersonal relationships with the Foxes—he’s already changing out separately, so this isn’t even a whole other thing

It’s harder to hide his testosterone when he’s living in shared dorms, but he has everything in the safe and figures out the safest schedule to open it up when he’s sure Matt will be in class

Andrew finds out when they start hooking up

But remember transphobia isn’t real so it’s sort of more like Andrew goes to undo his pants and is like wait your dick is removeable? Okay.

And then he just gets on with it

So Binghamton and Baltimore happen as canon, and if Neil had ever harboured hopes that his father would forgive him and love him again, they’re broken for good when his father stalks in and sees him shivering and just grins

It is the smile of someone who has torn someone off a pedestal and is going to enjoy reducing them to dust

Nevermind that Nathan had been the one to put him on that pedestal in the first place

Stuart deus-ex-machinas us out of the maws of death and we end up back in that classic Baltimore scene with the Foxes, and they still claim him, and they still take him home

He tells them all about his mafia father and life on the run, and it doesn’t really click until later that he forgot to mention the trans thing

Not like he, you know, has to tell them, and being trans is hardly an issue in Exy since it’s co-ed, but it would probably be nice to see a real doctor instead of keep buying his hormones illegally

And moreover, he wants the Foxes to know him

So they hit the cabin in the mountains and everyone knows Neil doesn’t drink, but when Andrew pours him a shot, he takes it

Ooh, Nicky says, Is Neil about to start spilling his secrets?

Allison snorts. What secrets does he have left?

Uh, Neil says

Wait, Allison says. There’s more secrets????

Yeah, he says. Um, I’m trans

There’s a pause

Well, that’s no good, Allison said. We didn’t have a bet going on that

Everyone laughs, and Neil smiles, and he looks at the sunset and remembers his mother, and he remembers a life filled with hiding, and secrets, and loneliness

Bats swoop in the twilight beyond the cabin, and he turns towards the warmth and light inside, and he does not look back

#self indulgent trans au is self indulgent #my writing #aftg #andreil #trans neil #trans headcanons #this is actually a bit angsty be warned #i was so high on the transphobia doesnt exist part #that i forgot neils whole life is a goddamn tragedy for a seconde #tmmbsbintau

[misslilli]

Felix Felicis

MSR. AU. PG-13. | tagging @today-in-fic | read on AO3

Chapter 21 - The Halloween Fair

[ DS ]

On the afternoon of the Halloween fair, I take out the costume that Miss Hannigan picked out for me from the closet. Ever since I’ve got it, I’m beyond excited to wear it. It’s a black low-cut shirt, a white, checkered suit with a blazer that ties at the waist and a flaring skirt. As I put on the blonde wig and the black beret, I turn to the mirror channeling my best inner Faye Dunaway and say to myself in a breathy, southern lilt: “My, my, don’t you just look dandy, Miss Bonnie Parker!”

My friends have been roped into manning the booths of the fair and somehow, I’ve slipped under the town people’s radars, which leaves me able to roam around the fair, albeit alone. Since I’ve known most people in this town ever since I was little, I’m never actually alone at these happenings, people tend to just pull me into their conversation as I walk by. But as luck will have it, as I’m rounding one of the booths of the fair, I find myself face to face with the one person I had secretly hoped to see.

He’s wearing a brown tweed suit with a matching waistcoat and over the white collared shirt he’s tied an emerald green tie. Perched on his head is a white fedora. ‘Shit. He’s Clyde. What the fuck?’

We stop in our tracks and stare at each other for a moment, taking in our respective costumes. He’s the first one to regain his ability to speak.

“Hey Bonnie, the laws are outside, they’re blockin’ the driveway!” His Warren Beatty impression is perfect right down to the Texan drawl. ‘God help me…’

“Gosh, I hope you’ve parked the getaway car around the corner, Clyde!” I’m putting on my best Faye Dunaway impression again as I add a wink to my statement and just continue to walk past him. My heart thumping hard against my chest betrays my cool exterior, but that’s my secret and my secret alone.

----------

[ FM ]

When we finally get to the Halloween fair that Felix has roped me into, dressed up in a costume I didn’t even pick myself. We trail the grounds together and we’re drawn to the candy apple booth. Well actually, Felix draws us to this exact booth, the little sneak, but I can’t resist his pout and pleading eyes, so we end up getting an apple each. Munching away happily, his mouth full, he asks the question I’ve been too scared to ask myself: “Hey dad, do you think Miss Scully is here too with her friends?” I hope she is, if only to see what kind of costume she has picked out for herself, but I can’t tell Felix that. Instead, I just shrug and we continue our stroll across the town square.

When we round another booth, we both stop in our tracks as we see a blonde woman appear before us , dressed in a checkered suit and a beret on her head. ‘Bonnie. She’s the freakin’ Bonnie to your Clyde. Your sidekick. No, your partner in crime. The woman you love. In the movie of course. Insert awkward cough.’.

Felix is oblivious of course, he hasn’t seen the movies and I doubt he even knows what my costume is, let alone Miss Scully’s. I scrape together the last braincells that are left in my head and a stupid movie quote is the only thing I can think of at this moment.

“Hey Bonnie, the laws are outside, they’re blockin’ the driveway!” The retort she gives me combined with her wink render me speechless until she’s well past me and Felix, mingling with the small crowd that welcomes her into their midst just a few feet away from us.

Felix does the thing I wish I could bring myself to do, staring at her retreating form in wonder and he also speaks the words that have sprung to my own mind.

“Wow!”

----------

[ DS ]

Countless conversations later and a little tipsy on the delicious apple cider they always serve at the Halloween fair, I wander along the booths when I hear a voice I haven’t heard in over a year. And could’ve gone forever not hearing again. It’s my ex-whatever Steve, talking to one of his friends.

I’m hidden pretty well in the crowd of people due to my shortness but I can still catch flashes of their conversation. When I hear my name, I stop, straining my ears.

“Dana? Oh God, no. She’s not even close to being a serious contender for a relationship.” I wince at his statement as well as the tone of his voice. “She’s just always there, you know? Like a well trained Golden Retriever, I say the word and she comes running. Such an easy lay!” When they share a laugh I can feel the flush of shame and anger crawl up my neck.

The situation he describes is exactly what I’ve spent countless hours in therapy getting over. But what he says next really drives a stake through my heart. “It’s so pathetic, but if it’s what I have to do to get laid, whatever. She’s even dirtier in bed than any hot teacher fantasy you could ever imagine and what they say about good Catholic girls is very, very accurate, if you know what I mean!”

If he weren’t the demon I have to face every time I try to get over my past, I would’ve revealed myself and give his ass a good kicking for talking about me the way he has. But not knowing how I’ll react to being face-to-face with him, I stay hidden behind a group of mummies and zombies like a fucking coward.

I’m so furious with him and myself for not being able to stand up to him. Where the hell are my friends when I need them? I haven’t seen them all evening and I could really use their company to talk some sense into me. Since they’re nowhere to be found, I head towards the bar set up in the back and slide onto a stool, ordering a shot of Tequila. ‘Fuck it! That low-life is not even worth your time of day!’

On the surface, I’m so angry I want to set this whole damn place on fire, but deep down, the past hurt resurfaces to join the hurt from his words I just heard.

By the time I’ve downed my second shot, I’ve repeated the mantra that I’m a strong woman who’s better off without men in my head about a thousand times. I see someone slide onto the stool next to me out of the corner of my eye as I order another shot of Tequila to keep the two empty glasses in front of me company.

“A third shot of Tequila is just asking for trouble, if you ask me.” I turn my head slowly towards my bar-mate to tell him exactly where to shove his smart-ass remark when I’m faced with my supposed partner in crime, the charming one with the disarmingly innocent smile on his stupid face. I’m staring him down defiantly, my eyes never leaving his while the bartender places my glass in front of me and I grab it, downing it in a swift motion, daring him in my mind to say anything else. He doesn’t comment, good for him, and orders a shot for himself, just raising his glass silently and I clink it with my empty one – I’m tipsy, not insane, chasing one shot with another.

We’re staring straight ahead during our conversation, turning our glasses over and over between our fingers.

“Which guy seems to be the problem and how many rounds of ammo do I need to take him out?,” he asks after minutes of silence. I want to lean into him for just assuming that it’s a man that has me sitting here seething, but unfortunately, he’s right. This one time.

“How many rounds you got?” He scoffs at that.

“Plenty. And I know of exactly eleven ways to get rid of a body without raising suspicion.”

“And here I was thinking the FBI frowned upon their employees giving out top-level secrets on how to hide away evidence of a crime committed.”

“I’m not going to tell you, I wouldn’t want you to be held in contempt of Congress when questioned.”

“How do you know I wouldn’t rat you out when questioned by Congress?”

“Just a hunch… Talk to me, Red. What happened tonight?” He turns towards me and I can feel his gaze dancing over the skin of my face.

“You really want to know? Well, turns out the asshole of an ex of mine decided that today might be the perfect time to make an encore appearance in my life and reminded me again why I should’ve kicked him to the curb a long time ago instead of hoping I could change him.” Looking down at the bar, I trace my finger through the condensation drops, my anger slowly dissipating and my voice growing more and more quiet. “I heard him say some pretty awful things about me tonight.”

I relax into his hand when he places it comfortingly on my back, right between my shoulder blades, and huff out a sigh. “I’m sorry.,” is the only thing he says, but doesn’t add anything else, giving me the choice if I wanted to elaborate or not.

“What I witnessed today was the way he’s always been but I just couldn’t see through the masquerade of the sweet guy, he was so kind and said all the right things and he quite literally wooed the pants off me from the get-go.”

“Love bombing.” ‘Oh yeah, I forgot, you’re a profiler. You probably already got one worked out for me, trust-issues, anxious attachment style, possibly daddy issues, in short, a hot mess. Avoid at all costs.’

“Pretty much, yeah. And I was stupid enough to believe it.” I raise my hand to call over the bartender for another round.

“You’re not stupid. It’s hard to tell the difference between genuine interest and love bombing in the beginning.” ‘Yeah, no shit Sherlock. It’s exactly why I’m sitting here torn between wanting you to make a pass at me and being absolutely terrified that you actually will.’

“How about we pass on the shots and get some water instead before calling it a night?”

“I think that’s probably a good idea, Mr. Mulder!”

“You know, after tonight, what do you say we just drop the Mister?” I nods slowly, pursing my lips.

“So just Fox?” He makes a pained face.

“No, please don’t. Just Mulder is fine.”

“Mh-hm. I guess since we’re dropping the titles, that that makes me Scully? Little odd, but alright!”

We get the check and argue back and forth about who gets to pay, him putting an end to it with a firm “Will you give it a rest, you’ll get to pick up the next check!”.

In my attempt to slide off the barstool gracefully despite three tequila shots, my heel catches onto the rail at the bottom and I stumble over the stool, knocking it over in the process. I have only his quick reflexes to thank that I don’t follow suit, his arms catching me around my waist and pulling me upright again.

He has the audacity to laugh, the bastard, and I’m beyond mortified. “Easy there, partner! Do you need a ride home? Felix is at a pajama party at his friend Suzie’s house, so I’m free to be your pumpkin carriage for tonight.” ‘NO! Yes? No. Get your hands off me. Don’t let go just yet.’

I’m so confused at the tug of war in my fuzzy head but I hate getting a cab alone and I’m in heels on top of being tipsy, I don’t want to walk home alone at night.

As we walk out, his hand finds his way to the small of my back guiding me through the crowds while making sure I don’t stumble again.

On the drive to the beach house, I manage not to fall asleep despite how tired I feel, too afraid of snoring or, God forbid, drooling onto myself. His hands find my back again guiding me up the stairs to the front door and I turn to face him at the top, even more nervous.

“Thanks for the ride, Mulder. And for listening.”

“Anytime, Scully. Good night!”

When he leans in, I start to panic that this is it and I think it shows on my face, because he only kisses my cheek, just like I did after the birthday party before getting back in the car and heading home. I can’t decide if I’m relieved or disappointed.

I can’t ignore the flutter of excitement every time his hands land anywhere on my body but what I will absolutely deny, even to myself, is the way my heart constricts in my chest when he gazes at me that way and the sense of comfort that settles over me when we’re together.

Bodily reactions I can deal with, it’s when it comes to emotions is where it gets scary.

I just don’t think my heart can survive another Steve.

#xf #the x files #xf fanfic #msr #felix felicis #🥺

[pascalscenarios]

YOU & I (Frankie Morales x Reader)

YOU & I (Prequel to The One)

High School/Military! Frankie Morales x High School/ College! Reader

Summary: You get invited to a back to school party by the quarterback. You run into Frankie who doesn’t want you to be there

Warning: 3 year age gap **Frankie and Reader do not date in high school**, swearing, body image, underage drinking, intoxication, sexual suggestiveness 

Words: 4344

Authors Note: I love Frankie. Also there's one part in this chapter that’s parallel to a part in The One...IYKYK... I cry. Enjoy - K

CHAPTER 2

It was three weeks into school. You were familiar with the layout of the campus, knowing where everything was and you memorized the schedule.

Frankie ended up talking to Santiago. He had apologized the next day when he picked you up for school. He invited you to sit with him and the swim team guys wherever you wanted to and promised if he couldn't take you home, he would let you know beforehand so you could get a ride with Frankie.

You had managed to make a new friend a couple of days into school. You were eating lunch outside alone. You sat on a picnic table under a tree. You were reading a novel for English class when a football lands on the ground beside you.

You look up from your book, seeing some of the guys who were messing around on the football field came jogging towards you. You set your book down on the table, standing up to pick the football.

“Sorry! I swear you weren’t trying to hit you” he apologized.

“It’s alright” You giggled, handing him the ball.

“I’m Micah Bradshaw” he extends his hand out.

You knew who he was. Micah Bradshaw was popular, a senior, and a quarterback of the football team. Definition of an All-American boy. He was legendary, or at least that’s what you heard. His freshman year of high school he made it onto varsity and has been there since, bringing the team to win the state championship every year, but you also knew him as the jock that sits next to you in history.

You thought he was super cute but didn’t dare to talk to him. Yet here he was talking to you.

You take his hand and introduce yourself.

“You sit beside me in Mr. Foxes...” He smiles.

“Yeah…” You were surprised he even noticed you. Mr. Fox slept through the class, usually, everyone would change seats and hang out with whatever friends they had in that class. Micah would always move to the back of the class to hang out with other football boys.

The bell rings signaling that lunch was over, and to start heading to the final period.

“I know we have history next, do you wanna walk together?”

“Okay,” You smile.

“Alright, just let me grab myself off the field, I’ll be right back” He jogs back over to the field to greet his friends goodbye and grab his bag. You pick up your plate of lunch and dump it into the trash can. You pick up your bag from the table and slip your arms through the straps. Holding your book in your hands.

He makes it back over to you, “Ready?”

You nod and you both start walking to the main building.

“You're a freshman right?” He says starting a conversation.

“God is it obvious?” you laughed.

“Well figured you were because I haven’t seen you around before. I kinda know everyone” he shrugged.

“This school is massive… How do you have time to know everyone?”

“I’m a pretty social guy, I like talking and getting to know people”

“Unlike me… I kinda just stick to myself.”

“Nah you gotta put yourself out there! The high school will be a lot of fun once you do!”

The two of you headed down the long hall and turned to the left, entering the classroom. Mr. Fox rolled out the TV and turned it on. He took a VHS tape and inserted it into the VHS slot in the tv.

You and Micah sat down in your seats.

Mr. Fox shut off the classroom lights, walking towards the back of the class to his desk. “Today you’ll watch a documentary about The Industrial revolution. Take notes”

You and Micah chatted the whole period. Each class, you two would talk, getting to know each other. He was charming and super funny. Eventually, as days passed, the two of you became good friends.

...

“Hey, there’s a party this weekend, you should come” Micah whispers as your history class was reading the textbook and taking down notes.

“A party?”.

“Yeah, it’s welcome back party, Navarro high school tradition. We wait a few weeks after school starts to throw it. It will be fun! There’s gonna be food, drinks, a pool out in the back”

“O-okay!” You whispered.

He takes a notebook and pen out of his bag, jotting down the address. He rips the paper and hands it to you.

You take the paper from his hands, smiling at him.

…

You stared down at the address and you walked to Santiago’s car. Santiago and Frankie were leaning against the jeep waiting for you.

“God, can you walk any slower?” Santiago yells at you. “What are you looking at?”

You quickly stuff the piece of paper in your pocket, “Nothing!...I’m coming!” you shout as you quickly jog.

Santiago rolls his eyes into the car, Frankie following. You reach the Jeep and get in the backseat.

“Hey, Smiles” Frankie looks back over his shoulder.

“Hi, Frankie”

“What? No “Hi” for your favorite cousin?”

“Hey, asshat” you give him a fake smile.

“Haha very funny” He rolls his eyes.

“Hey, do you guys wanna go to the mall?” If you were going to go to that party this weekend you needed an outfit. You knew whatever you had in your closet wasn’t going to cut it. You needed something that told people you were mature for your age and you wanted Micah to think you looked cute.

“What's it like right now?’ Santiago asks

“Yeah, been a while since we all did something together”

“I’m down” Frankie buds in.

…

The three of you walked around in the Mall. You were searching for a store that would have cute clothing. You wanted to look good at this party.

“Hey, can we go here?” You say stopping in front of a young woman’s store.

“No we’ll wait outside” Santi scoffs.

A group of girls around Santiagos and Frankie's age passed by and walked right into the store.

“On second thought, let's go to Francisco!” He says slapping his hand and races inside.

You rolled your eyes, Frankie laughs stuffing his hands in his letterman jacket, walking inside with you.

This store had all the latest fashion.

You picked something out from the rack that you thought was cute. You wanted to try it on, but you noticed one of the girls that entered the store, came out of the changing room wearing the exact outfit showing it off to all of her friends. They all complimented her saying how amazing she looked. And she did look great. The outfit fits her perfectly.

You hold up the outfit and look down at your body. There was a way you would be able to fill it out. Your body was still developing. You place it back on the rack.

“Ugh I’m going to fill out any of these,” you muttered under your breath.

“What are we doing here?” Frankie folds his arms, placing them on top of the rack on the positive side of you.

“I’m just looking at clothes”

“But none of this is you..you don’t wear this stuff. It’s like too girly.”

“Wow thank Frankie,”

“Come on, you know I don’t mean it like that, it’s just you never cared for dressing up like the girls in Beverly Hills 90210”

Maybe I wanna try something different,” you say as you look through the rack for another outfit.

“Is it because of a boy?”

“No” you lied.

“Who is it? What’s his name?”

You groan, leaving the rack to look somewhere else. Frankie follows you.

“There’s no boy, Frankie” You reassured him.

“I think there is, come on, tell me his name. Do I know him?”

“Even if there is a boy, which there isn’t, I wouldn’t tell you” You settle at a new rack, going through the clothes.

“Look at me,” he says in a serious tone.

You keep looking at the rack. He takes his fingers and places them under your chin for you to look at him.

“If there is a boy, just know that you shouldn’t change the way you are. Just be yourself, Smiles. If they can’t see how truly great you are, then it's their loss. They don’t deserve you, your time and energy.” His thumb rubs your chin.

“Sup guys” Santiago shows up wearing sunglasses and butterfly hair clips in his hair.

“How do I look?” Frankie drops his hand and turns to face

You and Frankie start laughing.

“Beautiful!” Frankie slings his arms around Santi’s shoulder, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Hey, those girls over there were asking about you”

Frankie looked over his shoulders at the girls who were still over by the dressing room. They were always looking over at him.

“Yeah, talked you up a big game” Santi smirked

“Santi-” Frankie sighed.

“Hurry up go!” Santi shoves Frankie in the direction of the girls.

Frankie looks at you shaking his head and rolling his eyes at Santiago trying to set him. He turns and walks over to them.

“Hey” he could hear him say. He was smiling sweetly at the girls. You couldn’t hear much, but you knew he must have said something funny or sweet because all the girls began to giggle.

You watch Frankie flirt with the one girl who tried on the outfit you wanted to try. She playfully touched his arm and flashed his smile.

“Jealous?” You snap out of their trance and look over to Santiago who raised his eyebrow at you.

“What?! No!” you quickly focused your attention back to looking through the clothes.

“Come on I’m not stupid. I know you like Frankie” he chuckled taking off the sunglasses and butterfly clips.

“I do not!”

“Pfff, please you’ve been following him around like a lovesick puppy since you were seven” he rolled his eyes.

“Whatever”

“See you’re not arguing with me now because you know it's true”

“What’s true?” Frankie comes back to both of you.

“Nothing!” you quickly say, grabbing a random outfit off the rack.”I’m getting this, let's go” You rush over to the cashier.

…

You stood outside the house where the party was taking place. Standing on the sidewalk, you could hear the loud booming of the music and people coming in and out of the house, hanging out in the front or walking to the backyard.

You lied to your Mom telling her you were sleeping over at your aunt and uncles and would be hanging out with Santiago. You caught the bus and walked several blocks to get here.

You walk up the path and head inside the house. You felt so small compared to everyone else. As you walked through the house you noticed some people you had classes with but you didn’t know anyone. You awkwardly stood off to the side, unsure of what to do.

“Hey!”

You see Micah making his way towards you.

“Hi, Micah!” You shouted over the loud music.

“You made it! Wow! You look great!”

“Thanks!” You felt your cheeks burn.

“Welcome to your first high school party! Foods and drinks in the kitchen, music, and dancing in the house, out back we got beer pong and a pool- make yourself at home!”

“Okay!” “I’ll catch you in a few I gotta go pick up more drinks!” With that, he leaves you standing alone. You decided to head to the kitchen to go get a soda.

You went into the kitchen heading over to the island table, grabbing a Coke off the counter.

“Damn, who is that?” You heard someone say. You felt eyes on you.

“Dude, come on stop staring-” Shit it was Frankie.

You quickly turn around. You and Frankie lock eyes, both of your eyes widening. You didn’t know Frankie was going to be here. Yet again, he was popular. If he was here that meant Santi was around here somewhere.

He says pushing himself off from leaning on the counter, and coming closer to you. “Smiles? What are you doing here?” He says with a confused look on his face. “How did you even know about this party?- How’d you even get to this side of town?”

“I got invited...I caught the bus and walked”

“Invited be who?” He seemed a little angry at whoever allowed you to be here.

“Does it matter?”

“Geez, what are you wearing?” You were wearing a midriff top that shows a bit of your stomach and a mini skirt.

It was a cute outfit, but something a young teenager your age shouldn’t be wearing. He clicked in his head that this is why you went into that store, to get an outfit for this party.

“Thanks...you really know how to compliment someone” you feel less confident now. Wrapping your arms around yourself. He realized that you probably thought he was judging your outfit, which wasn’t the case, he was just surprised at what you were wearing.

“No, I didn’t mean-” he quickly changes the subject “Look you shouldn’t be here”

“Why?”

“Because...Come on, I’ll take you home” he sets his drink on the counter, taking your hand, ready to lead you through the crowd.

“No!” you protested

“Smiles-”

“Come on Frankie, this is my first high school party let me live a little”

“No, If Santiago finds out you’re here, he’s gonna flip!”

“Frankie come on please, what he doesn’t know won’t kill him” you pleaded.

“He’s here if he sees you-”

“Then I’ll make sure I won’t be seen... I’ll be okay, I know you guys will be here” you try to reason.

“No smiles” he shakes his head

“Frankie please” you begged.

“No!”

“Please” you pouted, giving him your big pleading eyes, and looked at him sadly. He fell for it every time. Frankie could never tell you because of his soft spot for you. You had him wrapped around your finger. You used it to your advantage, and this was one of those times.

He sighs. “If I see you doing something you're not supposed to, that’s it. We’re going home”

“Thank you”

…

Frankie watched you like a hawk as the night progressed. Frankie stood across the room, hanging out with his swim team teammates. He made sure to look over at you every so often to make sure you were safe. He didn’t want anyone trying to take advantage of you.

Little did Frankie know that you had been downing beers left and right throughout the night. You were standing against the wall next to a random cooler full of canned beer. You and a random boy, Jack, a sophomore, who was also standing against the wall were cracking them all open, and even shotgunning a few.

You were feeling a little woozy. It was a different feeling, you’ve never experienced before.

“Hey? You wanna dance?!” Jack is holding a beer in his hand.

You hiccupped “Okayyyy” you drop the beer can on the ground. You grabbed his hand, dragging him to the middle of the living room where everyone was dancing. You were giggling and having fun dancing to the music with the random guy

Frankie looked away for once second and noticed you were gone from your spot on the wall. He quickly stands up straight from leaning against the wall and looks around the room.

His eyes landed on your dancing, you were okay, nothing bad was happening, until this kid placed his hands on your hips, running his hands up and down your sides, which sent Frankie into a frenzy.

One minute you were having fun, then the next minute someone yanks you away from the guy you were dancing with.

“Hey! Back the fuck off!” Frankie says angry, pulling you behind him. Everyone was still dancing but slightly quilted down as they watched the scene unravel.

“Frankie!” you grab his arm, but he pulls away.

Jack's eyes were widely looked up at Frankie who towered over him “W-We were just d-dancing!” He holds up his hands. “Keep your hands off and to yourself, understand me?!” He was angry.

Jack nods profusely and scurries away.

Frankie turns to face you. “Take a chill pill, Frank, we were just dancing” you giggled.

“That was not dancing! The stupid kid was feeling you up-”

“You’re overreacting gosh we’re just having some funnnn” you hiccup.

He observed you, noticing your tired eyes and giddy smile. You were slightly stumbling trying to keep yourself upright.

“Are you drunk?!” He asks you sternly giving you a hard look.

“Uhhhh maybe” you joked. You try your best to act like your normal self, but to Frankie, you were clearly drunk.

He groaned in frustration. “How much did you drink?” He says pulling you close to him.

You brought your hand up and started to coin on your fingers. “One...Two...five.. I don’t know!” You giggled hard.

“Come on,” he wraps his arms around you and starts to lead you through the house.

“Whatttt where are we going?” you pouted.

“We’re leaving” he opens the front door leading you outside, out to the sidewalk to walk a few houses down to get to his truck.

“But I don’t wanna leave” you whined “I wanna stayyyyy”

“You’re done”

“Nooo”

“We’re going, im taking you-”

“But I wanna stayyyy, let me stayyyy”

“Smiles, no”

“but-”

“I said you’re done! We’re going home!” He snapped at you.

You flinched hearing him yell and you quickly shut up. You swallowed the lump in your throat and tears began as you begin to cry.

He reaches his truck, opening the passenger door, helping you inside.

“Hey, don’t cry...”

“You’re mad at me…” you whimpered, your lip quivering.

“I’m not mad...I didn’t mean to yell at you. Look, I shouldn’t have let you stay at this party. You’re drunk, and if Santiago ever found out you were ever here, he would beat the shit out of me that I let get like this…”

“Y-you can take me home like this..My mom thinks I’m sleeping over Santi’s”

“I’m not taking you home, you’re crashing at my place…”

“I’m sorry”

“I know...No more tears okay” He pushes your hair behind your ear and kisses your forehead

“Okay”

...

Your eyes are slowly open. You were laying on your side, staring at movie and band posters that were plastered on the wall. You turn onto your back, slowly sitting up, groaning at the pounding in your head.

You look around the room. A typical teenage room, slightly messy with clothes laying here and there and random knick-knacks and miscellaneous items displays on the desk and bookshelves.

You hear snoring filling the silent room. Looking down to the side of the bed, laid a sleeping Frankie. He was laying face down, sprawled on the ground, a pillow supporting his head, and a blanket covering his body. His mouth hung open and he lightly snored. His disheveled hair covers his eyes.

You couldn’t help but admire how cute and peaceful he looked sleeping.

You didn’t remember him taking you to his house last night.

You get out of bed, noticing your clothing. He's given you a Nirvana smiley-face t-shirt and sweats to change into last night.

You travel around his room. It had been a while since you went to the Morales household or been in Frankie's room. You noticed a sitting on Frankie's bookshelf was a stuffed animal. It wasn’t just any stuffed animal. It was your favorite stuffed animal you had given to Frankie. Percy the bear. He was pretty raggedy. His stuffing was flat and his fur was matted. He had seen better days. You really put him through the wringer as a kid. You picked him up, holding his limp body in your hands.

You had given Percy to Frankie when he had to get surgery to fix his fractured arm when he fell out of the tree one summer. You didn’t want him to be alone when he went into the operation room.

“Hey” he groggily greets you.

You turn to find Frankie standing, tossing his pillow and extra blanket onto his bed. He rubs his face and moves his hair out of his face.

“Hey” you greet him back. “You kept Percy?” you hold up the bear.

He chuckles moving over to you. “Of course! You gave him to me.”

“I can’t believe you still have him.”

“He sits upon my shelf and watches over me when I sleep.” He jokes.

You chuckle, setting Percy back on the shelf. “You know you didn’t have to sleep on the floor...You could have slept next to me, or better yet put me on the floor”

“I know, but either that would be rude of me either way”

“Thanks… and I’m sorry about last night. I was being stupid-”

“I get it. I was your age once. You just want people to like you and fit in, but you’re young. You have the rest of your adult life to drink...don’t focus on growing up so fast” He sits down on his desk chair, and you face him, sitting at the foot of his bed.

“Are you going to tell Santiago?”

“I should...but I’m not... it’s between us-”

“Frankie!” you hear someone yelling. You could hear them coming up the stairs.

“Santiago!” You both say it at the same time.

“He’s going to flip if he knows I’m here!”

Frankie quickly grabs you and opens his cluttered closet.

“Frankie! You know how I feel about tight spac-” You gasp as he shoves you in there and slides the door partially. Frankie sits back at his desk chair, cracking open a textbook to make it look like he was in the middle of doing homework.

“Frankie!” Santiago says busting through the door.

“Dude, what are you doing here?” Frankie asks.

“Your mom let me in. Where the hell did you go last night? I went looking for you, but everyone was telling me you left some party with a girl” he says teasingly and sits on Frankie's bed.

“Get some action?” he wiggles his eyebrows

“Oh god” you whisper to yourself, your hand covers your face.

“Knock it off, it wasn’t like that, Santi” Frankie rolls his eyes

“Come on, who was it? Why are you being all shy?” Santiago laughs.

“I’m not being shy! Nothing happened! I just gave her a ride home. Even if something happened, I wouldn’t tell you. That’s none of your business. Have some respect man”

You try to hide further in the closet when you accidentally, bump into the box, making it tip over. You let out a gasp because it startled you, put quickly, slap your hand over your mouth, preventing yourself from making any other noise.

Santiago stares at the closet, to Frankie, the back to the closet. He gets ups walking over to pull the door open,

“Santi No-” Frankie stands up trying to stop him, but it was too late. Santiago opens the door finding you standing there. His eyes stare at you in confusion.

“Smiles what are you-” his eyes widen. He looks at you and Frankie. You see a switch that goes off in the head. You knew exactly what he was thinking. He had the wrong idea.

“You son of a bitch!” He lunges at Frankie, grabbing a hold of his shirt.

“Santiago, I didn’t do anything! Nothing happened!” Frankie tries pushing Santiago off but struggles.

“Santi!” You yell running out from the closet, pulling him by the arms.

Santi and Frankie tussle, Santi gets rough with him. “You piece of shit! You were with my cousin?! what the FUCK man?! What kind of best friend are you?! I’m going to fucking KILL YOU! Sleeping with my cousin are you FUCKING INSANE- I TRUSTED YOU!”

“You really think I would do something like that?! You honestly think I would sleep with Smiles?!”

“It fucking looks like it! Why are they here then?! Smiles is wearing your clothes-“

“Let me explain!”

“No I’m not gonna let you explain, I’m gonna kick your fucking ass that’s what I’m gonna-”

“ENOUGH” You shouted.

Both of them stop and look at you. “Frankie and I didn’t do ANYTHING...he slept on the floor. Look, I went to that party last night and I got drunk. I couldn’t go home because I lied to my Mom saying I was sleeping at your house. Frankie saw me there and took me to crash at his place… that’s all that happened.”

Santiago let go of Frankie.

“What the hell were you doing here?”

“I got invited”

“By who?!”

“-The important thing is that I’m fine! Frankie knew I was there the whole-” you stop, eyes widening realizing what you just said. You weren’t meant to say that. You just got Frankie into more trouble with Santi.

“Frankie knew- You knew they were there?” Santiago angrily stares at Frankie.

Frankie sighs, owning up to what happened. “Smiles begged me-”

“You fucking let them get to you! You don’t know how to tell them no! How many times have I told you, learn to put your foot down when it comes to Smiles man!” He shouts.

“Santi, it's not his fault-” you stick up for Frankie, feeling terrible you put him in this position.

“Stay out of this!” He points a figure and shouts at you.

“You let my cousin stay at a party where she could have easily been taking advantage of, get drunk-”

“I was watching Smiles the whole time, they never left my sight-”

“That’s beside the point! Anything could have happened to them, And you the two of you weren’t going to tell me about this huh? You were just going to keep it between the two of you..”

You and Frankie said stay silent.

“Unbelievable- Fuck you, Frankie. Smiles, let’s go. I’m taking you home”

“Santi, please just-” You look over to Frankie giving him an apologetic look. Santi grabs you by the arm, dragging you out of Frankie's house.

MT // @wifeofdindjarin @icanbeyourjedi @sara-alonso @greeneyedblondie44 @hb8301 @alberta-sunrise @spacenerdpascal @ryleyrooroo @reader-s-cantina

#triple frontier #frankie morales x reader #frankie catfish morales #frankie morales #frankie #francisco morales #pedro pascal #the mentalist