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tip-top-cloud-surfer · 1 year

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Endings and Beginnings (Part 2) - Rooster

Pairing: Rooster / Fem!Reader (Wife!Reader)

Word Count: 2.6k

Warnings: Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery (Nothing Explicit, Fade-to-Black Magic), Hospitals, Stressful Situations, Use of "You" (Second Person POV), No Y/N, No Physical Description of Reader

This work, all of my other works, and my entire blog are 18+ Only.

Summary: Rooster gets you to the hospital to welcome Baby Bradshaw into the world.

A.N. Thank you so much for all of your support with the last one! I had no idea that it would get so much attention, so thank you and please enjoy Part 2!

Here's Part 1 if you missed it.

Master List

“Babe!?”

“What?” you called back, reaching the top of the stairs.

Rooster rushed up the stairs behind you, acting like a chicken with his head cut off, and followed you as you waddled into your shared bedroom.

“You’re in labor!?” Rooster asked, failing at not freaking out.

“It seems like it,” you replied, pulling out some new underwear from the drawer.

“We have to get you to the hospital!”

“I know,” you assured him, turning towards your closet.

“Let’s get you to the car,” Rooster insisted, following right behind you. “I left the go bag in the trunk, so all we have to do is call the hospital. And your parents. And Mav. And probably Phoenix and everyone else and—”

“—Bradley, honey,” you interjected, holding a hand to his mouth to get him to stop talking. “Can you just help me shower first? I’ve got stuff all over me right now.”

Rooster hurriedly nodded before leading you to your shared bathroom. He quickly undressed you and turned the shower on to a mild temperature. You stepped inside and started to wash away any of the residual fluid and leftovers from a long day at the beach and Hard Deck. Rooster washed your ruined clothes and hung them up to dry before quickly calling the hospital and your doctor.

“Okay, okay, the hospital said that they have a room available for you, so all we have to do is get you there. I called your parents and they said that they were going to try and move up their tickets. And I called Penny and she said that she would take care of everything at the Hard Deck,” Rooster listed off in quick succession as he strode back into the bathroom. “How are you doing?”

“Fine,” you grunted out as a contraction hit you. “Just peachy.”

You leaned on the shower wall a bit and let out a groan, which instantly had Rooster concerned. Shutting off the water, he quickly grabbed a towel and stepped into the shower with you. Carefully drying you off, Rooster got you to rest your weight on him.

“It’s okay, just breathe,” he coached, just like you practiced.

You rocked your hips a bit as Rooster supported your weight and dried you off. When the contraction passed, you let out a breath and slowly straightened up.

“I’m fine,” you repeated, like you weren’t just doubled over in pain.

“Are you sure?” Rooster asked, helping you out of the shower.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you assured your husband as he grabbed your new clothes. “Just a contraction.”

“You’re in labor,” Rooster reminded you, helping you into a new pair of underwear. “It’s okay if you’re in pain and you’re not fine.”

“Just the early stages. We’ve still got time.”

Rooster got you dressed and brushed your damp hair before you two headed down the stairs. You held the railing and Rooster was suction cupped to your other side with his arm wrapped around your waist and his hand holding your free one.

“Bradley, I’m not dainty. I can walk down the stairs,” you reminded him gently.

“You’re in labor.”

“Yeah, I’m aware,” you replied dryly. When he started to pull you towards the car, you pulled against him. “Wait, we need to clean up the kitchen.”

Bradley stared at you like you had grown two heads in the span of three seconds. He blinked rapidly and was very clearly trying to pick out his words carefully before responding to you.

“Honey,” he began softly, “the kitchen floor will be fine. We need to get you to the hospital.”

“But it’ll stain and get all gross if we leave it.”

“Then I’ll call someone to stop by and clean it up. While we’re at the hospital.”

“Oh, Bradley, the baby isn’t going to fall out of me. We have some time.”

You swore that Bradley twitched in place, but he acquiesced to your ‘ridiculous’ request. Leaving you by the stairs, Bradley hurried to clean up the fluid on the ground. He mopped furiously with the Swiffer, reminding you of Olympic curlers. You thought about taking a video of it for shits and giggles when you felt another contraction hit you.

Checking your phone for the time, you sucked in a breath when you realized the proximity of the contractions to each other. You let out a grunt and leaned heavily on the railing, rocking your hips again. Rooster, noticing your distress, practically tossed the Swiffer into the closet and sprinted over to you. Resting a hand on your back, he transferred your weight from the railing to him.

“We need to get you to the hospital, okay?”

You nodded, leaning against your husband as a soft whimper escaped your lips. After your contraction passed, Rooster led you down to the car and rushed back to lock up the house.

This wasn’t a drill. He was going to graduate from father-to-be to dad today. Tonight. Whenever the baby decided to actually join the world properly. There would be a little baby with you two for the rest of your lives.

And part of him was scared. No, absolutely terrified at that realization. But he couldn’t focus on that. He needed to be a rock, a pillar of strength for you right now. Even if you denied the fact that you were in need of support, he needed to be there for you. So, Rooster quickly locked up the house and hurried back to the car where you were rubbing your bump.

“How are you doing?” he asked, starting up the car.

“I’m fine,” you breathed out, cradling your large bump. “I’m fine, really.”

“Okay,” Rooster replied, even though he didn’t believe you. “I’m going to get you to the hospital. And if you need anything or want to hold my hand to squeeze, you just let me know. I’m here for you and the baby and I’m going to get you to the hospital as quick as I can. Okay?”

“Yes, okay,” you agreed, nodding along as you sunk a bit in your seat.

The drive to the hospital was not supposed to be too long but given the fact that you were driving at a rather traffic-heavy time, it took longer than it should have. Rooster was torn between driving erratically and thereby getting you to the hospital faster or driving safely and making sure that he didn’t get the both of you in the hospital for another reason.

“Oh, fuck,” you groaned, curling in on yourself.

“I know, honey, I know,” Bradley stated, clearly frazzled. You were sitting at the fifth red light of the drive and Rooster was really starting to lose his patience with it. “Just breathe. We’ll be there in about five minutes.”

“I’m. Fine,” you grunted out, squeezing the life out of his hand. You let out a half-scream that absolutely terrified Rooster to his core.

“Breathe. Just breathe,” Rooster coached, driving through the intersection. “We’re almost there.”

“It’s okay,” you whimpered out, taking a shaky breath. “I’m fine.”

As soon as you reached the hospital, Rooster got you into a wheel chair and hurried towards the labor and delivery wing. You were immediately admitted to the wing and Rooster could not hide the fact that he was relieved that a doctor was looking over you.

“Alright, Mrs. Bradshaw, you’re moving along quickly here,” the obstetrician stated, pulling off her gloves. “Your cervix is already dilated five centimeters and based on the current rate of progression of your contractions it looks like your baby is very eager to join us.”

“What?” you replied, somewhat dumbly. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, quite sure,” the obstetrician replied calmly.

“But this is my first pregnancy. Shouldn’t it go slower than that?” you insisted, wrapping your arms around your bump.

“That’s a general rule, yes, but every mother, baby, and labor is different. You’re just progressing quicker than most.”

“Oh . . .” you trailed off, anxiety clear in your features.

“I’ll come back to check on you in a little bit, but press the button if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” Rooster stated on your behalf when you simply stared into space. The obstetrician left the room and Rooster immediately turned back to you. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine,” you replied quietly, slowly stroking your bump.

“It’s okay to not be fine,” Rooster assured you softly, stroking the back of your hand with his thumb. “Don’t feel like you can’t be honest with me. Or the medical staff.”

“I’m fine,” you insisted, though you looked on the edge of tears.

“Babe,” Rooster called, causing you to turn to face him.

You kept up a brave face—mask, really—so far during this process. But when Rooster gave you that look that screamed that he knew that you weren’t actually okay, you finally broke down a little bit. And by a little bit, you really meant a lot.

Rooster quickly sat up and gathered you in his arms, rubbing your back soothingly as you let out a tide of emotions that you held back. Pressing a kiss to the top of your head, Rooster quietly took a moment to compose himself before turning back to you.

“I’m here,” Rooster assured you, resting his head on top of your own. “I’m here and I love you and I love our baby so much and it’s okay if you’re not fine or you’re scared or anything like that. I’m here to help you. Just tell me what you need or what you feel and I’ll help you.”

“I just thought that we would have more time,” you croaked out, burying your face into his neck. “Why are they coming so fast?”

“Because they’re just so eager to meet you.”

You let out a half-laugh before latching onto your husband again. Rooster pressed a kiss to the top of your head once again and drew circles on your hip with his thumb.

“I just thought that we had more time,” you repeated quietly. “I’m not ready, Roo.”

“That’s okay,” Rooster stated softly. “It’s okay to not be ready.”

“We didn’t even pick a name.”

“I know, but maybe we’ll think up a perfect one once the baby’s here, okay?”

“Yeah . . . that’s a good idea,” you conceded, sniffling a bit.

“Thank you, I thought of it myself.”

“You’re going to be the worst with dad humor, aren’t you?” you sighed, shaking your head.

Rooster smiled down at you and pressed a series of kisses to your face. Pressing one final kiss to your lips, he rested his forehead against your own.

“You’re going to be okay. The baby is going to be okay. And I’m right here.”

“I know. Just . . . don’t leave me . . . please,” you requested, still clinging to your husband.

“I wouldn’t dare,” he assured you, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “I’m here. I’m here. And I love you and I love our baby so much.”

“I love you too,” you returned softly.

And just as the obstetrician predicted, you delivered Baby Bradshaw a few short hours later. Baby Bradshaw weighed in at eight pounds and six ounces, with ten fingers and ten toes, and a large set of working lungs. After checking you and your baby over, the medical staff gave the three of you some personal space to bond with your baby.

“I can’t believe that I was wrong,” you murmured quietly.

You stroked your daughter’s head carefully with your finger. She laid against your bare chest for some skin-to-skin contact and was peacefully sleeping. For now, anyway. You leaned back against Bradley, who climbed up into the hospital bed with you and held the both of you in his arms as you sat in between his ridiculously long legs.

“Just blame Hangman for it,” Rooster replied, pressing a kiss to your shoulder.

“I like that option,” you agreed, chuckling softly to not wake up your baby.

Rubbing her back soothingly, you leaned back against your husband’s chest. He pressed a kiss to your cheek and rested his head against your own as the two of you watched your daughter peacefully sleep against your chest.

“Thank you,” Rooster whispered to you, causing you to turn to him.

“For what?”

“For her,” Rooster stated, pressing a soft, loving kiss to your forehead. “For all of it. For giving me a family of my own.”

“Thank you for not passing out on me,” you mused, earning a chuckle from Rooster.

“I also won us fifty bucks with that.”

“What?”

“There was a bet that I would pass out during your delivery,” Rooster explained to you. “So, how about I treat you to some good takeout when we get home?”

“Sounds good to me,” you mused, leaning back against him.

Though you tried to fight it, the exhaustion of your last day was quickly catching up with you. And Rooster, the attentive husband and father that he was, quickly picked up on it. Carefully sliding out for behind you, Rooster settled you back against the pillows and gently took your daughter into his arms. Pressing a kiss to your lips, Rooster adjusted your blanket.

“Get some rest, honey. I’ve got her.”

“You sure?” you whispered out, already half-asleep.

“I’m sure. Get some sleep. I love you.”

“I love you too,” you murmured out, falling asleep about thirty seconds later.

Rooster walked over to the coach that he planned to sleep on for the night. He temporarily placed your daughter down in her hospital bed before pulling off his shirt to get some skin-to-skin contact of his own with her. Laying down with your daughter carefully resting against his chest, Rooster smiled down at her as he stroked her back.

“You really scared your mama back there. And you sure as heck tired her out,” Rooster mused quietly, glancing over at where you were sleeping. “But we’re really happy that you’re here, sweetheart. And we love you so much.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before leaning back to simply observe the perfect little baby that you and him made together.

~~~~~

The next morning, your recovery room was flooded with visitors, since your daughter was conveniently born after visitor hours the day previous.

“Ha, I was right. You were wrong,” Phoenix whisper yelled at Hangman, who rolled his eyes in response.

“She’s so precious,” Maverick breathed out, cradling your daughter in his arms.

“Just make sure that you support her head,” Rooster reminded Maverick softly.

Bradley held his hand against your daughter’s head to make sure that it was properly supported. And maybe they should have made his callsign ‘Hawk’ based on the way that he was watching over your daughter. He was overprotective over you, especially when you were pregnant. But now that your daughter was born, he was overprotective over her as well.

“He’s holding just her fine, Brad,” you assured your husband supportively.

“Here we go,” Hangman huffed, shaking his head. “Mother Hen is here to stay.”

“And don’t you forget it,” Rooster warned him, half-joking, but really deadly serious.

“I think that she looks more like her mom,” Penny commented, standing to Maverick’s right.

“That’s why she’s so beautiful,” Rooster replied softly, keeping a close eye on your daughter.

“Aw, thanks Roo,” you called back.

“Kiss up,” Hangman coughed under his breath, earning a smack to his arm from Phoenix.

A.N. I decided to leave the baby's name up to you guys to avoid repeating anyone's name. I hope that you enjoyed this little sequel! I don't think that there will be a Part 3 to this little series, but if there is, I'll tag from the replies on this one. Thanks!

Tags: @cherrycola27

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genshinluvr · 11 months

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Double Whammy

Pairings: Various Honkai Star Rail Men x Isekai'd!Reader

Summary: You wake up one day feeling unwell. You discover you have started your period, and not only are you menstruating, but you also have a fever. You're sick, you're menstruating, and you have awful cramps. It's a double whammy you didn't think you would have to deal with in the men's universe, but alas, Lady Luck is not on your side.

Note: This is for my AFAB people who get sick when their periods start! I'm not that person, but I know a few people who get really sick when they're on their periods, and it's awful. So, this is the fic for my girlies and female-bodied people who have to deal with something as awful as getting sick while menstruating. This week is my vacation, and therefore this week and next week, I will be posting mini-fics instead of the typical lengthy fics.

Warnings: Mentions of blood and vomiting

Word Count: 8.4k

The first thing you notice when you wake up is the temperature of your body. You’re burning up, and you’re sweating. Not only are you burning up, but you have this massive headache, and you feel like you got hit by a train at full speed. You groan, tossing around in bed, kicking the blanket off your body. Nanook, who was sleeping beside you, stirs and cracks his eyes open, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles.

“Little one? Are you alright?” Nanook asks, turning on his side to look at you.

You didn’t reply. Only you roll off the bed and to the ground, groaning in pain. You’re not sure if you’re groaning because of the pain from falling to the ground or if it’s because of this familiar cramp in your lower abdomen. Nanook is immediately at your side, helping you stand up. You clutch onto your lower abdomen, groaning softly.

You go limp in Nanook’s arms, closing your eyes and leaning against his body. Nanook nearly flinches when your bare skin touches his. Nanook helps you lay on your bed and presses his hand against your forehead, frowning.

“Nanook,” you whimper, tugging on his shirt. “Everything hurts.”

Nanook runs his hands through his hair. “You’re burning up, Starlight. Are you feeling unwell?” Nanook murmurs.

You groan and sniffle, covering your eyes with your arm. Nanook jogs to the bathroom to turn on the faucet and soak the small face towel in cold water. Your lower abdomen feels like they’re being squeezed and twisted into knots. You don’t feel too good. You felt fine the day before, and you’re sure you didn’t do anything to get yourself sick. So, why are you feeling this way out of nowhere?

Nanook returns to the room with a damp towel in his hands. He brushes the strands of hair away from your face and places the damp cloth over your burning forehead. You sigh in relief, your body visibly relaxing. Nanook looks around your room, his eyes landing on the small fan in the corner. Nanook leaves your side to turn on the fan, hoping it’ll make the room cool enough to prevent you from overheating.

The small fan chimes and begins to slowly rotate, blowing cool air into your room. Your throat feels strange when you swallow your saliva. It feels dry, scratchy, and almost swollen. You force yourself to sit up and stare at the Aeon, who turns around to see you sitting. The Aeon stares at you with worry while you stare off into space, your eyes glazed over.

You shudder, feeling something gush out from you and onto your underwear. Your eyes widen, and you rush to the bathroom, the damp face towel plopping on the ground. Poor Nanook stands there, feeling lost and unsure of what to do. Nanook walks to where the towel fell and picks the towel off the floor. A faint color on the bed catches his attention.

You’re sitting on the toilet, staring at your bloodstained underwear with an exasperated sigh. For some reason, it didn’t occur to you that you can have periods in another universe. You tear the toilet paper into a temporary pad, place it over the blood stain, and flush the toilet.

You pull your pants up and walk out of the bathroom (technically, you waddled out of the bathroom) and see Nanook standing next to the bed, looking at something. You stand beside Nanook and look down to see the white bedsheets stained with blood. You groan internally and cover your face with your hands.

You cursed, rubbing your temples. "Great, now I have another thing to worry about," you grumble.

"You should rest. I'll handle it," Nanook murmurs, stripping the mattress of the bedsheets.

You grab Nanook's hands and shake your head. "No, it's alright. I'll handle it since I made the mess," you sigh.

Nanook reluctantly hands the bedsheets to you. You walk out of the room and toss your bedsheets into the washer before searching for extra bedsheets. After a few minutes of searching for a spare bedsheet, you finally find light blue bedsheets that you can temporarily use. You return to your room to see Nanook emerge from the bathroom with another damp towel in his hands.

You didn't question Nanook and continued to put the new sheets on your bed and reorganize the blanket and pillows with the help of Nanook. You collapse onto your bed and close your eyes. Nanook places the cold towel over your burning forehead and presses a kiss on the side of your head.

"Nanook," You whisper, cracking your eyes open to look at Nanook, whose towering over you. Nanook hums, burying his face into your neck, rubbing your bicep with his thumb. "Can you maybe stop by March's room or Himeko's room and ask them if they have pads or tampons by any chance? I don't want to bleed out on the sheets again."

Nanook pauses and slowly gets off your bed. Nanook certainly did not want to leave your room and stop by March's and Himeko's bedroom to ask for pads and tampons, but because he sees the pain on your face, Nanook complies. Nanook slides your door open and walks a few doors down the hallway, lightly tapping on the door. Nanook hears faint grumbling and footsteps approaching the door. The door slides open to reveal March with a bedhead. Oh, right. Nanook forgot it was in the middle of the night.

March glares at Nanook, rubbing her eyes. "What do you need, Nanook?" March grumbles.

Nanook clears his throat. "Do you have any spare pads or tampons for [Y/N] to use? Their menstrual cycle has begun," says Nanook.

March's eyes widen, and she nods. She rushes off before returning with two boxes of pads and tampons in her hands. One box contains pads, and the other box contains tampons. She hands the boxes to Nanook. Nanook sighs in relief and gives March a grateful smile before rushing back to your (and his shared) bedroom. Nanook enters the room and sees that you have already passed out asleep on the bed. Nanook chuckles, placing the boxes of pads and tampons on the nightstand and walking over to the bed.

Nanook nudges you. "Starlight, wake up," Nanook whispers.

You groan softly and open your eyes. Nanook smiles and caresses your face. "Why aren't you sleeping, Nana?" you mumble, reaching up and wrapping your burning arms around his neck.

"I returned with the pads and tampons from your pink-haired friend," Nanook says, kissing your burning cheek.

You grumble, take the cold towel off your forehead, and hand it to Nanook. You roll off your bed, walk to your dresser, pull out clean shorts and underwear, and grab the boxes before retreating to the bathroom. You made sure to wipe and wash the blood off the lower half of your body. And by the lower half of your body, you mean your butt and the inside of your thighs.

After washing yourself and sticking the pads on your clean underwear, you pull your underwear and pants up, sighing in relief. At least you're protected for the next few hours until you wake up. You feel like you got hit by a train. You flush the toilet and toss your bloodstained shorts and underwear into the laundry basket before leaving the bathroom.

You collapse on the bed beside Nanook and close your eyes. Nanook places the semi-damp cloth over your forehead. You sigh in relief. As much as you want to snuggle up against Nanook under the blankets, you can't get yourself to do it. You're really hot, and even if the fan is running and blowing cool air around the room, your body can't handle any more heat.

"Night, Nanook," you whisper.

You're not sure what happened first. You weren't sure if your period started first, which led to you getting a fever, or if it was the other way around. Either way, waking up in the middle of the night with a fever and staining your bed with blood was something you wish you didn't wake up to, but alas, fate was not on your side this time.

Hours later, you're shaken awake. The voices around you are muffled as you try to move your arm, but they feel heavy, like lead. You turn your head to the side and cough, groaning when pain shoots up your throat. You slowly open your eyes to see Nanook peering down at you with worry. Nanook sighs in relief and helps you sit up. You lean against Nanook and blink at the four faces with bleary eyes.

Dan Heng sighs. "It looks worse than we thought," Dan Heng grumbles.

"Is that normal? March, you're a girl. Is it normal for female-bodied people to have periods this bad that it makes them sick?" Caelus asks, poking the pink-haired girl beside him.

March shakes her head. "It all depends from person to person, Caelus. People experience periods differently," March replies.

You rub your eyes and wipe the sweat from your neck. You feel unbelievably sweaty and sticky. It's so discomforting, and you're tempted to tell your traveling companions to bury you in snow like how Sampo did it to himself when he was hiding from the Silvermane Guards. You sniffle, only to realize your nose is clogged, but they're also runny.

Mr. Yang walks through the door with a bottle of water and medication in his hands. "Here, take these every eight hours." Mr, Yang hands you the medication.

Nanook helps you sit up, opens the medicine bottle, and hands you two pills. You toss two pills into your mouth, uncap the water bottle, and chug the water, washing the medication down. You drink the entire water bottle and place it on the nightstand, sniffling. Nanook cradles you in his arms and lays you on the bed.

"I feel like I got hit by a train," you rasp, clearing your throat.

March chuckles. "No offense, but you look like you got hit by a train, too," March interjects.

Nanook ignores March's comment and brushes your hair from your face. You're sweating so much that your hair is sticking to your skin. You want to go back to sleep, but you can't because of the unbearable heat in your room, and you're incredibly hot. It's not too late to ask the others to bury you in the snow on Jarilo-VI, is it?

"Can you guys do me a favor?" You rasp.

Caelus and Dan Heng sit at the edge of your bed, nodding. You look at March and Mr. Yang. The two nod their heads in response, waiting for you to tell them what the favor was. You swallow the lump in your throat, wincing when you feel phlegm at the back of your throat. Nanook grabs your hands, squeezing gently.

You clear your throat for the umpteenth time. "Can you guys bury me in the snow on Jarilo-VI? I'm burning up, and I desperately need something to cool me down," you mumble.

"Absolutely not," Mr. Yang replies instantly, shaking his head.

Dan Heng sighs, closing his eyes. "Burying you in snow will give you hypothermia. It won't do you any good," Dan Heng deadpans.

You frown at Dan Heng and Mr. Yang's response to your request. It's not like you wanted them to literally bury you in the snow. At least waist down should do it, but not your entire body! Kind of. Would showering be a better option since you won’t be giving yourself hypothermia?

"Okay, if I can't bury myself in the snow to lower my body temperature, then can I take a cold shower to lower my body temperature? I feel sticky and disgusting," you plead.

Caelus purses his lips and props his hands on his hips. "I don't see why not. But again, I don't think taking a shower while you're sick is a good idea. Maybe a bath should do,"

You hum and close your eyes. Your eyelids feel so heavy, and you can't do anything about it. Nanook sighs and lays beside you, propping himself up with his arms while watching you closely. He reaches forward and presses the back of his hands against your cheeks. Your fever has gotten worse overnight after you cleaned up and put on pads.

This was the first time you have gotten sick since arriving in their universe. It's hard seeing you suffer, and they can't do much about it aside from calling for help and assistance from others on the Xianzhou Luofu and Jarilo-VI. Mr. Yang gets up and excuses himself before walking out of your bedroom to make a phone call.

Gosh, you feel so sweaty and sticky. You just want to take a shower and change into clothes that aren't soaked in sweat. Even if your clothes aren't soaked in sweat, it sure feels like it. It'll be a quick shower. One shower won't hurt, right? You slowly roll out of bed and grab a change of clothes and clean underwear. You waddle to the bathroom but stop abruptly. You visibly shudder when you feel your uterine lining shed and spill out of your insides and onto the pad. You squeeze your eyes shut and continue walking to the bathroom, ignoring the questioning look Nanook, Caelus, and Dan Heng shoot in your direction.

March sighs, shaking her head. "Don't ask [Y/N] about it," March says,

Caelus raises his eyebrows at March. "Oh? And you know what [Y/N] dealt with just a second ago?"

She turns to look at Caelus and Dan Heng, nodding. Just thinking about it makes March shudder. It's not a pleasant feeling, no matter the size of the uterine lining shedding. In the bathroom, you stare at the bloody pad with horror. You can't tell if it's a blood clot, a uterine lining, or a miscarriage. You shudder again, rolling the used pad up into the wrapping before tossing it into the trash can.

You made sure to shower at a warm temperature instead of freezing or boiling hot water. You stand in the shower, watching the blood get washed down the drain. Another wave of painful cramps kicks in, nearly knocking you off your feet. You hug your abdomen, squeezing your eyes shut. You quickly rinse the shampoo and conditioner out of your hair, scrub your body down with apple blossom body wash, and wash the inside of your thighs and groin with unscented soap.

Your legs start to feel like gelatin. You sit on the ground and hug your knees to your chest, letting the water rain down on you as you contemplate why this is happening all of a sudden and if the fever was caused by your period. You rest your head against the tile walls, closing your eyes and sighing. You blindly turn the shower off before peeking your hand from the curtains, searching for the towel to wrap yourself in.

Now that you finished showering, you have a small time window to dry your body before blood starts gushing from your groin. You're not in the mood to clean the blood off the ground, and you certainly do not want to deal with any more bloodstains. You quickly dry your body and put your underwear on, making sure the pad is secured in place so it wouldn't slide around. You put your clothes on, wrap the towel around your head, and exit the bathroom.

"Gumdrop! I heard what happened and rushed to the Astral Express as fast as I could!" Sampo cries out, barreling toward you and tackling you into a hug.

You grunt and squeeze your eyes shut when you feel blood gush onto the pad. You wince and open one eye to look at the indigo-haired man with a strained smile, patting his back. Sampo releases you and holds you at a distance, both hands on your shoulders, while looking at you closely.

Sampo squints. "You look a little bit different today, Gumdrop," Sampo says, cupping your face with both hands. "Wow, Mr. Yang wasn't kidding when he said you're burning up."

Mr. Yang sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose with annoyance. "Sampo, please don't overwhelm them. They're not feeling well. Let them dry their hair and let them rest after."

You weren't exactly in the mood to dry your hair. You prefer to let your hair air dry, but knowing Mr. Yang, Jing Yuan, Luocha, Blade, Nanook, and Dan Heng, they would disapprove of that. You have an inkling feeling that Mr. Yang will tell you that not drying your hair will cause headaches and is the possibility of why you're sick. Everyone on the Astral Express knows you don't dry your hair with a hairdryer and that you prefer to let it dry on its own.

You reluctantly take the towel off your head before returning to the bathroom to dry your hair with medium heat while trying not to fall asleep while standing up. A knock at the door pulls you out of your daze. You turn to see Blade standing there, leaning against the door frame, gazing at you with scrutiny. You blink at him, letting the warm air caress your face. Blade sighs, walks into the bathroom, takes the hairdryer from your hands, and begins combing his fingers through your hair wordlessly. You close your eyes and let Blade comb his fingers through your semi-damp hair.

"I don't think it's a good idea to take a shower while having a fever," Blade murmurs, making sure to dry the areas that are still cold and damp.

You purse your lips. "I was sweating a lot, Blade. I didn't want to lay in bed all day in sweaty clothes," you reply.

Blade scrunches his nose up with disgust. "I wouldn't come anywhere near you if you were wearing clothes soaked in sweat," Blade mutters, poking your back lightly.

"Ha! As if Nanook would let you get anywhere near me in the first place! Speaking of Nanook, where is he?" You murmur, turning to search for the Aeon of Destruction.

Blade smacks his lips with annoyance and turns your head to face the mirror so he can continue to dry your hair.

While drying your hair, Blade accidentally knocks the barrel of the hair dryer against your forehead. You groan and cover the area with your hand while Blade rushes to turn the hair dryer off. Blade grabs your face and makes you take your hand away from the area where he accidentally hit your head with the barrel.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hit you," Blade murmurs, pressing a kiss on the throbbing spot.

You pout and let Blade soothe the aching spot with a kiss while lightly rubbing it with his index and middle finger. Dan Heng pops up at the entrance of the bathroom, narrowing his eyes at Blade. Blade ignores Dan Heng's presence and continues to massage the spot.

Dan Heng crosses his arms over his chest, stepping into the bathroom. "What happened, and why is [Y/N]'s face pinching with pain?" Dan Heng raises his eyebrows at you and Blade. The stair and eyebrow-raising are mainly directed toward Blade, who continues to ignore Dan Heng's presence and questions.

"It's nothing! Don't worry about it!" You squeak, waving Dan Heng off while Blade continues to massage the area where he accidentally hit you.

After massaging your head for a few minutes, Blade grabs your brush and starts brushing your hair. You look in the mirror to see Dan Heng at the doorway with Sampo standing there, pouting at you like a lost puppy. You clear your throat, rubbing your throat. Blade puts the brush down on the counter and pats your head. You quietly thanked Blade before leaving your bathroom with Sampo trotting after you.

"[Y/N], are you sure you're okay?" Gepard asks.

You slowly kneel on your bed before plopping face down. Dear Aeons, you're so tired. Your cramps are killing you, and your uterine lining is shedding, and plopping onto the once-white pad is making you feel so gross and out of it. Well, gross isn't the right word to describe it. Just feeling it oozes onto the pad makes you shudder and get goosebumps.

Your voice is muffled against your pillow, "Yeah, I should be okay, Gepard. It's something I've been dealing with for years now."

You flip over on your back and close your eyes, fanning yourself with your hands. The fan blowing cool air into your bedroom isn't working, and your body continues to feel overheated. You huff, sitting up and rubbing your face with annoyance. Everyone is wearing their daily clothes while you're wearing the thinnest clothing you have and the shortest clothing you own. None of them was heating up, and you're over here about to break into a sweat again despite taking a shower not long ago.

"Is burying me in the snow on Jarilo-VI still out of the options?" You ask, frowning at March, Dan Heng, Caelus, and Mr. Yang.

March snorts. "Of course it is! You're going to get yourself even more sick than you already are! Now, lay back and enjoy being pampered by these lovesick fools," March says, gesturing over to the men behind her.

The men behind March all rub their necks while looking around your room, avoiding your gaze. On the other hand, Nanook did not look too pleased with March's comment and the reaction from the nine men. You plop back on your bed and close your eyes, a wave of dizziness hitting you hard. You groan and squeeze your eyes as tightly as you can. Your stomach starts to churn, making you freeze with fear and worry. You slowly open your eyes and stare into space.

Luocha gazes at you, worried. "Are you alright? You don't look too good," Luocha says, taking a step toward your bed.

"I think you forgot they're sick, Luocha. For someone who's great at healing those around him, you're not the brightest today, are you?" Luka teases, earning a glare and an elbow to the rib from the man with long blond hair,

You suddenly leave your bed in a hurry, running to the bathroom and slamming the door behind you before anyone can follow you. You lock the door, open the toilet lid, and vomit into the toilet. You vomited and vomited until there was nothing left inside. You flush the toilet and crawl to the sink to brush your teeth to rid of the aftertaste. After brushing your teeth, you step out of the bathroom and wipe the bead of sweat from your forehead.

"Oh, sweetheart, this is worse than we thought," Jing Yuan whispers.

Your knees buckle underneath you, sending you tumbling to the ground. Jing Yuan grabs you before your head can touch the ground, and he cradles you in his arms. You grip his shirt, eyebrows pinching together with discomfort. Jing Yuan sighs and carries you over to your bed. Nanook steps forward and takes you out of Jing Yuan's arms, making the General of the Xianzhou Luofu huff with annoyance.

"From now on, until you feel one hundred percent better, you're not permitted to leave your bed," Luocha instructs, standing at the foot of your bed with his arms over his chest. "As restricting as that sounds, this is for the sake of your health."

Luka clears his throat. "But they are allowed to leave their bed to go to the bathroom?" Luka asks.

You grip Nanook's shirt and pull him down to lie beside you. Nanook chuckles and scoots you over on your bed before getting comfortable beside you. Sampop huffs loudly, narrowing his eyes at Nanook as the Aeon of Destruction wraps his arms around your waist and plants a kiss on your burning cheeks.

"I'm sure they're allowed to leave their bed for basic things," Gepard sighs, shaking his head.

You bury your face into Nanook's chest and close your eyes, the sound of Nanook's steady heartbeat lulling you to sleep. After you have fallen asleep, Jing Yuan starts assigning each person duties around the Astral Express. From getting you food to getting you medicine to adjusting the temperature on the Astral Express to fit your needs and to making sure you're comfortable.

Everyone is well aware that your sudden sickness is caused by your menstrual cycle, and they wish they could do something to ease your pain (aside from giving you pain medications for your cramps). But they can do only so much, and not even Luocha can ease your pain. Luocha sits at the edge of the bed, and Nanook tenses up, glaring at the blond man that dares to be close to you. Luocha sighs and rolls his eyes, holding his hands up.

Jing Yuan smiles at Nanook, trying not to show his annoyance. "Nanook, I understand you worry about [Y/N] and are protective of them, but you need to let Luocha check [Y/N]'s condition," says Jing Yuan.

Nanook bites the inside of his lips before nodding hesitantly, sitting up, and adjusting you in his arms. You mumble in your sleep, burrowing your face into Nanook's chest and wrapping your arms and legs around him like a koala. March giggles and turns to look at the others, but her smile fades away when she sees how tense everyone in the room is. March clears her throat and slowly steps out of your room. If anything, she would rather not be caught in the crossfire. Poor unconscious you, lying in the middle of the tension between ten men who has deep feelings for you.

Luka crosses his arms over his chest. "I want [Y/N] to cuddle with me. Are we allowed to do that?" Luka asks, looking around.

Gepard raises his eyebrows at Luka. "What do you mean? Can you clarify that?" asks Gepard, propping his hands on his hips.

Before Luka can reply, a soft sneeze can be heard from your, Luocha, and Nanook’s direction. You sneezed into your arms, making sure not to sneeze on Nanook’s chest. You peek and look at everyone sleepily.

“Excuse me,” you whisper before burying your face into Nanook’s chest to continue your sleep.

Nanook caresses your head as you snuggle into his arms. Nanook chuckles and runs his fingers through your hair, ignoring the stares you and Nanook receive from the others in the room. Even in your sleep, your cramps continue to squeeze and twist your uterine muscle. While it's the muscle contracting, it feels like you're being put through the wringer. You whimper in your sleep and roll on your side away from Nanook.

"Did they take the pain medication?" Jing Yuan asks, turning to look at Mr. Yang.

Mr. Yang sighs, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Yes, they took their medication before you arrived at the Astral Express. Because they vomited, the medication did not absorb into their body properly," replies Mr. Yang.

You open your eyes and sit on your bed, sniffling and staring into space. Nanook props himself up on your bed and stares at you, wondering why you're awake all of a sudden. You frown and close your eyes before falling over face-first on the bed. Nanook shoots up and pulls you into his arms, glaring at any person that dares to come close. Caelus turns to look at Jing Yuan, propping his hands on his hips.

"If we're assigning duties, can Nanook be involved too? I don't think cuddling [Y/N] should be one of the duties as it does exclude others from joining in on the cuddle session," Caelus says.

Sampo raises his hands. "What if cuddling helps [Y/N]? I know it's hard to believe, but I think cuddling is the best thing to do while sick and menstruating," Sampo interjects.

You wrap your arms around Nanook, staring at the nine men and March with bleary eyes. You want to sleep the cramps away, but you're in so much pain that it's keeping you awake. At least you're not feeling nauseous anymore. Even if you were feeling nauseous, what's there to throw up when you vomited everything up already? Quite Frankly, you're not opposed to cuddling with every person. However, you're more worried about getting each person sick just by being around them and being in the same room as them.

Oh, and Nanook wouldn't like to see you cuddle with someone that isn't him. You look at Nanook, who's gazing at you worriedly. You reach up and pat his cheek before running your hands through his hair. Nanook smiles, grabs your hand, and kisses your knuckle.

"As amazing as that sounds, I don't think someone would be too pleased about sharing their little shooting star with any of you buffoons," March comments, propping her hands on her hips and leaning on one leg.

Everyone looks over at Nanook, who quickly looks up and glares at them briefly before looking down at you. You stare at Nanook quizzically. Nanook shakes his head before leaning down to kiss your head. Nanook scrunched his face and wiped his lips after feeling his lips make contact with your sweaty forehead. You gasp softly and look at Nanook with your mouth agape. You pout and roll from Nanook's arms.

"Starlight, I was teasing you," Nanook chuckles.

You sit at the edge of the bed and close your eyes, shaking your head stubbornly. Nanook sighs in defeat, pushing himself up from the bed, and crawls toward you. You refuse to look at Nanook as he sits behind you and wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you onto his lap and resting his chin on your head. You crack one eye open and look at the others, shaking your head.

You sigh dramatically. "I'm willing to cuddle with someone new! Someone who doesn't mind kissing my sweaty forehead because I have a fever!" You announce, looking at Nanook.

Luka steps forward, clearing his throat. "I volunteer as tribute! After all, I don't mind cuddling with you while you're sick. You can see it as me making it up to you after the incident," says Luka, nodding his head.

Nanook raises his eyebrows at Luka, crossing his arms over his chest. Luka looks away from Nanook, rubbing his prosthetic arm. Nanook stares at the prosthetic arm before connecting two and two together. The Aeon of Destruction wants to lash out and give Luka a piece of his mind. Still, since the incident happened a while ago, and you're sick and menstruating, Nanook decides to let it roll off his shoulders.

You shrug your shoulders and gesture for Luka to approach. Nanook exhales deeply through his nostrils, trying his best not to show his annoyance with watching other men cuddle with you. Luka perks up and struts over to you happily while ignoring the murderous glares given to him as he walks by the other men.

You get off Nanook's lap, crawl back onto the bed, and lie down while waiting for Luka to lay beside you. Nanook and Luka have a stare-down, none of them moving from their spot. You adjust, fluff the pillow underneath your head, and peek over your shoulders to see Nanook and Luka glaring at one another.

"This is getting awkward," Gepard whispers, refusing to take his eyes off the scene before him and the others.

Jing Yuan steps forward, smiling at Luka and Nanook stiffly. "Gentlemen, let's not let [Y/N] wait any longer, shall we? They need to get plenty of rest, and the longer we keep them waiting, the more fatigue they will be," says Jing Yuan.

Nanook clenches his jaws as he gets off your bed, stepping to the side to let Luka crawl onto your bed. The man plops in front of you, smiling at you as he holds his arms out. You scoot into his arms and bury your face into his neck. Luka's face turns almost as dark as his hair, wrapping his arms around you and kissing the top of your head. You sigh with contentment, letting your body relax in Luka's arms. Luka smells like detergent, shampoo, and cologne. You can't help but feel comforted by the smell.

Luocha chuckles. "Well, after your cuddling session with [Y/N] is over, I will be conducting a check-up on [Y/N] to make sure they're okay. It's better to be safe than sorry," says Luocha.

Luka nods and watches everyone leave your room to do what they were tasked with. Once every person left your room, Nanook remained. Nanook stands where the fan is blowing. His arms crossed over his chest while he stared at you and Luka with scrutiny. Luka likes cuddling with you. This is the first time he's been able to get this close to you without Nanook charging at him like an angry bull.

You crack your eyes open to look at Luka, watching the man before you stare at the Aeon of Destruction with wary. You wrap your arms around his waist and stare at the distracted man. Luka notices the way Nanook tenses up when he sees you wrap your arms around Luka's waist. Your bodies are touching, faces so close that Nanook swears that if Luka were to turn his head to look at you, your noses would be touching.

Your body is so hot that Luka swears it can melt his prosthetic arm. Okay, maybe he was exaggerating about your body temperature, but your body is pretty hot, and he can feel the heat through his clothes. You search for the tissue box, feeling the snot beginning to roll down your nostrils. You poke Luka's chest and point at the box of tissues on your nightstand. Without getting off the bed, Luka leans over and reaches for the tissue box.

You smile at Luka and grab the tissue from the tissue box he handed to you. You struggle to sit up, prompting Luka to help you. You lean against the man and wipe your nose, head tucked into the crook of Luka's neck. You sniffle and yawn, squeezing the tissue in your hands and closing your eyes,

"You're really warm," you murmur.

Luka kisses your forehead, ignoring the bristling Nanook from a distance. "And you're hot," Luka replies.

Nanook's head snapped toward Luka's direction, his gold eyes turning crimson red with anger and jealousy. You pout and press the back of your head to your forehead, not feeling a difference in temperature. Luka chuckles and kisses your cheek while brushing the hairs from your face.

"Hey, hey, hey! We're back! Luka, it's time for you to swap out with the next person," Sampo says, entering the room with plushies in his arms while Gepard has a thin throw blanket draped over his arms.

Luka sighs in defeat and reluctantly leaves your side, passing a fuming Nanook on his way toward the door. You turn to look at Sampo and Gepard as the two approach your bed and sit on the edge of your bed on each side. You're too tired to question why you're going to be sandwiched between Gepard and Sampo, but you're not complaining. Sampo hands you a plushie, and you hug the plush to your chest, plopping on the bed and closing your eyes.

When Gepard lays on your bed, something catches his attention—the flower he bought for you at the Eversummer Florist in Belobog. The beautiful flower is sitting near your desk, full of life. Gepard smiles and rolls on his side, propping himself up on his right arm and running his hands through your hair.

"You still have the flower," Gepard murmurs, rubbing the apples of your cheeks with his thumb.

You clear your throat, nodding. "Of course, I still have the flower. It's beautiful, and I've been making sure to take care of it well," you reply, clearing your throat.

The two men sandwich you between them. You're debating who you're going to snuggle up against aside from the plushie you're cradling. Noticing your inner turmoil, Sampo turns you to face him, having you throw one leg over his waist while your head is resting on his bicep. Gepard then spoons you from behind, wrapping his arms around your waist and closing his eyes.

The murderous glare Nanook is giving Sampop and Gepard would have sent them running for the hills. Still, since everyone is allowed to snuggle with you (because you said so and you wanted a new cuddling partner that won't recoil with disgust after kissing your sweaty forehead), Sampo and Gepard decide to enjoy this moment while it lasts. A few seconds later, Nanook decides to leave your bedroom, anger, and jealousy bubbling in his chest.

Gepard and Sampo look at one another over your head, tiny smirks appearing on their faces. It wasn't that Sampo and Gepard are joyful that Nanook is angry and storms out of your bedroom. They're just glad that they didn't have to deal with the Aeon of Destruction's wrath. Yet. Sampo rubs your arms when you shiver, burrowing your face into his neck. Sampo kisses your forehead and closes his eyes. You soon drift to sleep in between Sampo and Gepard. The last thing you felt before you drifted to sleep was Gepard kissing your flushed cheeks, murmuring a soft goodnight (even though it's not nighttime).

The first thing you notice when you wake up is that Sampo and Gepard are no longer by your side. You pout and groan softly, sniffling and hugging the plushie to your chest with an iron grip. Something (or someone) beneath you shifts. You blink and look around sleepily, slowly looking up to see Mr. Yang gazing at you intently. You blink at the older man and rub your eyes. How in the world did you end up on top of Mr. Yang?

"You're a heavy sleeper. Did you know that?" Dan Heng asks.

The more awake you become, the more you're aware that Dan Heng, Mr. Yang, and Caelus are sitting up. You're the only one that's lying down on top of Mr. Yang. You look around your room to see Nanook standing where he was prior to leaving your room when Sampo and Gepard were sandwiching you, frowning at the three men. How long have Dan Heng, Caelus, and Mr. Yang been in your bedroom?

You clear your throat. "How long have I been asleep?"

"I would say almost two hours now. After we told Sampo and Gepard their time was up, you dragged us to your bed and had Mr. Yang become your body pillow," Caelus replies, giving you a teasing smile.

You blink at Caelus. You didn't recall being awake when Sampo and Gepard's time was up. Your face heats up, imagining your sick, sleepy self grabbing Mr. Yang by his wrist and pulling him toward your bed so he can be your body pillow as you snuggle with the plushie Sampo gifted you. You look at Nanook for confirmation. The Aeon of Destruction has a deep frown, nodding stiffly when you give him a questioning look. You bury your face into the plushie, continuing to lie on Mr. Yang. He's very comfortable to lay on and makes a perfect body pillow to snuggle up against or to lay on.

"I hope you didn't mind me laying on top of you while I slept. I don't remember waking up," you murmur, peeking at the brown-haired man from your plushie.

Mr. Yang smiles, brushing your hair behind your ear. "I don't mind it. As long as you're comfortable, that's all that matters to me," Mr. Yang murmurs, kissing the top of your head.

Dan Heng hums with amusement. "Who knew Mr. Yang is very affectionate," Dan Heng comments nonchalantly.

Mr. Yang ignores Dan Heng's comment, stroking your hair while you stretch your limbs and yawn. You continue to lay on Mr. Yang's chest but eventually migrate to Caelus, lying on the silver-haired man's chest while he plays with your fingers. Dan Heng, Mr. Yang, and Caelus murmur to each other while you stare into space, not realizing you're staring at the pouting Nanook. You blink and wave at Nanook, who huffs and crosses his arms over his chest.

Caelus's chest rumbles beneath you. You pout and look up at Caelus, who gazes at you with amusement. "I don't think he's happy with me at the moment," you mumble, continuing to lie on Caelus' chest.

"Don't take it the hard way, Starlight. You know how possessive the Aeon of Destruction can get when it comes to you," Luocha interjects, leaning against the doorway with Blade and Jing Yuan standing beside him.

You roll over to face the entrance of your room and wave at the three men. You yawn, hug the plushie to your chest, and cough into your elbows. You still feel like the Astral Express ran over you. Your head hurts so much, and you feel like you have the urge to vomit again, even though you still haven't eaten anything. You sniffle and slowly sit up, crawling over to Dan Heng. Dan Heng opens his arms, and you plop onto his chest, resting your head in the crook of his neck.

Luocha walks to you with medication in his hands. "I can't heal you from your menstrual cycle, but I do have medication that should ease the cramps and body aches," Luocha says, sitting at the edge of the bed and opening the medicine bottle.

Luocha takes two large pills from the bottle and hands them to you. You stare at the pills and look at Luocha. The blond man nods, gesturing for you to take the medicine while grabbing a cup of water from your nightstand. You nearly did a double take, wondering where the cup of water came from. You continue to stare at the large pill tablets in your hands, unsure of wanting to take them.

Jing Yuan raises his eyebrows at you. "Are you going to take your medication? If you don't take them, it won't ease the cramps and body aches," Jing Yuan comments, crossing his arms over his chest.

You shake your head, handing the pills back to Luocha, hugging the plush tight to your chest and burying your face into Dan Heng's chest. There's no way in hell you can swallow pills that are almost as long as Nanook's fingers (he has pretty hands and long fingers). Blade snorts, entering the room with Jing Yuan following behind. Nanook narrows his eyes at Blade, watching the red-eyed man stand at the foot of your bed.

"Isn't it obvious? [Y/N] is scared of taking pills. They're afraid they'll choke on it," Blade comments, huffing with amusement.

You glare at Blade, snatch the pills from Luocha's hands, and hold them up for everyone to see. There's no guarantee you won't choke on the pills and suffocate. It's going to happen, and no amount of water you can down get those two large pills down your throat and into your stomach.

"I know what else [Y/N] can choke on," Sampo comments cheekily, smirking from the doorway.

Gepard's eyes widen, and his cheeks turn bright red. "Did you really have to say that, Sampo?! Now is not the right time to make a dirty joke," Gepard hisses, nudging the indigo-haired man with a glare.

Luka laughs, standing between the blond man and the indigo-haired man and propping his arms on their shoulders. "I think Sampo is referring to good," he holds up a bag of food to show everyone, "you, on the other hand, need to get your head out of the gutter."

Your eyes light up at the sight of food in Luka's hands. Finally! Something to fill your stomach before you're forced to take medication that's the length of Nanook's fingers. Luka puts the bag of food in front of you, and you open it to see comfort food, a small bowl of fried rice with a bottle of whale-tide water.

"I think you should take your medication first before eating. If you're worried about choking on the pills, I suggest you take the medication then eat after, or else you'll throw up again," Blade says.

You pucker your lips. "Can I skip the medicine?" You ask, batting your eyelashes at the men.

The men give you a look of disapproval. You frown and sigh, staring at the pills in your hand, not wanting to take them. While you hate taking medication, that's huge, you're also a people pleaser, and you love it when people praise you, unfortunately. You sniffle dramatically and take the cup from Luocha's hand before tossing the two abnormally large pills into your mouth and down the water like your life depended on it. It sort of does because if you don't drink enough water to wash the medicine down, it'll get stuck in your throat, and you'll choke and probably die.

You squeeze your eyes shut when the two large pills slide down your throat. Your worst fear comes true when the pills get lodged at the back of your throat. You chug the water faster, drinking as fast as you can to wash the pills down. After what felt like an eternity, the two pills dislodged from your throat, and you successfully swallowed the huge pills. You slam the cup of water on the nightstand and wipe your lips, panting.

"Man, I drank so much water. I'm not hungry anymore," you sigh, slumping against Dan Heng's chest. "Save it for later."

You return the food to the men and lay between Mr. Yang and Dan Heng on the bed. Dan Heng strokes your hair before getting up from the bed. Mr. Yang and Caelus soon follow after patting your head and kissing your head. You stare at them as the other three get on your bed.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat? You'll feel nauseous if you don't eat anything," Blade mutters, kneeling on the edge of your bed before lying beside you.

You open your mouth to reply, but the cramps kick in, making you freeze and tense up. You let out a low, strained groan and shake your head instead of giving a verbal response. Blade sighs, pulling you up toward his chest. You want to fight back and move from him, but you're too tired to be stubborn. Jing Yuan and Luocha sit beside Blade while you're being cradled.

Jing Yuan looks at Luocha. "Did you ever figure out what started first?' Jing Yuan asks.

Luocha sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Unfortunately, I did not. [Y/N] woke up, and they weren't feeling well. Their menstrual cycle has begun, and they also have a fever."

You sniffle and turn to look at Nanook, who continues to pout from the other side of the room. You gesture for him to come over, but the Aeon remains where he stands. You pout and sit up, staring at the Aeon. Nanook continues to stand where he's at, staring at you and the three men on your bed.

You sniffle and wipe your nose with the back of your hand. "Nanook is mad at me," you state.

"I don't think Nanook is mad at you. He's upset that he's not the only one that can cuddle you," Blade retorts, turning to look at the pouting Aeon of Destruction with a smirk.

Luocha and Jing Yuan chuckle.

"Before we let you and Nanook cuddle in peace, let us have some time with you," Luocha says.

The two men (Jing Yuan and Luocha) end up sandwiching you between them. You were lying on Blade, but you wanted to give the other two men a chance to cuddle with you. Plus, you're also still mad (not really) at Blade for teasing you. How dare he make a comment about not wanting to come close to you while you're wearing clothes soaked in sweat? That's a valid reason, but you're sick, you're menstruating, and you're sweating because of your fever.

You nearly drift off to sleep when Luocha, Jing Yuan, and Blade get off your bed. You lift your head to see the three men getting ready to leave your room. Of course, the men aren't going to leave without kissing your head and wishing you well. Wanting to piss Nanook even more, Blade leans down and makes sure to kiss your cheek close to your lips. Blade pulls away with a smirk and walks off with his head held high.

Once the three men left you and Nanook alone, Naook huffs and walks to your bed and flops beside you dramatically. Nanook hardly gives you any time to speak when he wraps his arms around you and pulls you to his chest. You squeak and watch helplessly as Nanook rips the plushie from your grasp and tosses it to the ground on the other side of the room.

"Nanook! That wasn't nice!" You scold.

The Aeon of Destruction pouts and rests his chin on your head, tightening his arms around your waist. You poke his cheek to grab his attention. Nanook looks down at you, continuing to pout.

You mumble, "I thought you didn't want to cuddle or kiss me because I was sweaty."

Nanook sighs and runs his hands through his hair. "I never said that, little one. I was merely teasing you," Nanook mutters. "I learned my lesson not to make you upset. I don't like seeing you cuddle with someone that isn't me."

You giggle and bury your face into his chest, wrapping your arms around his waist. "I'm not upset, Nana. You're so cute when you're jealous and pouting," you coo, poking his cheek.

Nanook grabs your hand and kisses your knuckle. "I wasn't pouting. Now, get some rest. When you wake up, make sure to eat."

"Oh! So you are jealous!" You laugh victoriously.

Nanook grabs you by the back of your neck and lightly shoves your face into his chest, playfully rolling his eyes. A faint hue of red dusts his cheeks. "Little one, sleep."

You huff like a petulant child. "Fine."

The last thing you feel before falling asleep is Nanook combing his fingers through your hair while pressing light kisses on your head. While it’s a shame to have little to no time with each man, you hope you’ll be able to spend time with them individually without a pouting Nanook glaring at you and your male companions from across the room.

Note: I am posting this fic first ahead of the Genshin fic because I need more time to type it out. Therefore the HSR fic is the first fic posted! I'm not sure how it'll turn out when I post on AO3 due to the DDOS attack, and I'm worried it won't show up for people. My vacation is coming up in a few days, and I won't be able to write the typical long fics. This week and next week will be mainly mini-fics instead of the fics that are close to 10k words. I haven't written a fic that's 10 words in so long omg. For those who want to be tagged in the HSR fics, here is the [HSR Taglist]. I will be writing the first smut for HSR very soon! Vote for who you want to be the first, and from there on, anyone can be next (the poll is mainly to see who's going to be the first one to get smut in the series). You can vote at the [HSR Smut Poll] before I close the poll soon. The previous week's discord link has now expired, so for those who want to pop into my discord and lurk or chat with other server members, here is a new (and temporary) server link to [Zhongli's Abode]. Please make sure to read the server rules closely before deciding whether you want to remain in the server or not. To my new and/or returning readers, please keep in mind that I ONLY post on my Tumblr (Genshinluvr) and my AO3 (Aaliah_exo)! Nowhere else except Tumblr and AO3!

Taglist for the HSR one-shot series: @ashwasherelol, @mompt2, @elegantnightblaze, @lunavixia, @jadedist, @pinksaiyans, @n8mareee, @aurelia-xyt, @ssunset0, @starrry-angel, @kaoyamamegami, @kodzuvk, @for3very0urs, @a-cosmicdawn, @g3n0dtt, @theblades, @wntrsblvd, @raaawwwr, @immahuman, @irisxiel, @siaracarroll, @crazydreamcat, @sagekun, @orichalcumthief, (Accounts that I was unable to tag are not tagged in this fic. Remember to check your settings if you're allowing people to mention you/tag you in posts or not)

Read more of my works on my Masterlist | Maybe support me by tipping me on Ko-Fi or by reblogging my fanfics! ^^ I will also be posting exclusive fanfics on Ko-Fi as well very soon! I might post all of my stories on there too, but who knows. You can also tip me on Tumblr if you'd like as a way to show support! ^^

#Honkai Star Rail x reader #Honkai Star Rail imagine #Honkai Star rail fanfiction #Honkai Star Rail fanfic #HSR x reader #HSR imagine #HSR fanfiction #HSR fanfic #Dan Heng x reader #Gepard Landau x reader #Sampo Koski x reader #Welt Yang x reader #Blade x reader #Jing Yuan x reader #Luocha x reader #Caelus x reader #Nanook x reader #Luka x reader #genshinluvr

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paintyoureyeswithavividmind · 1 year

Text

close to home | chapter five

plot: Daryl and the reader experience a bit of trouble on the road before arriving at the prison, where the reader gets quite a surprise

series masterlist

Pairing: Eventual Daryl Dixon x f!reader Word Count: 1,881 Warnings: violence, blood A/N: thanks for reading!

It was silent as you and Daryl drove through the old deserted neighborhood. The sun was steadily rising, and it was already warm; the day would be warmer than usual, and you wanted to die at the thought. You’d already moved your hair into a ponytail, and sweat was sticking your shirt under your arms.

You directed him to get onto the northbound extension and were soon flying down the road. The wind whipped around your hair, and every so often, you looked back to check on Tora. You wouldn’t hear her meowing over the wind, but you knew she was. You chuckled as you turned around, lifting your feet on the dash.

“What?” Daryl asked you.

“Nothing, it’s just been a really weird twenty-four hours.” You said, looking up at the clear blue sky. There was no sign of the storm last night.

Five minutes later, though, you believe that thought jinxed you. Half burnt from a lightning strike, a huge pine tree lay across the double-lane highway. Pine needles and debris from the storm covered the asphalt. You sighed loudly and unstrapped. “I don’t think we can move this ourselves,”

Daryl gave you a look that told you he didn’t get your sarcasm again and moved to get out of the car.

“Damn guard rails won’t let us drive on the grass,” He swore, spitting onto the ground.

“We can double back to the past exit,” You said, jumping down and walking towards the tree. “Poor guy,” You looked sadly at it.

“Poor us,” Daryl corrected you.

You rolled your eyes and were about to say something when those familiar groans caused your stomach to drop. You went to grab your machete, but you’d stupidly left it in the car.

“Your four o’clock!” Daryl yelled.

You turned around and saw about half a dozen dead ones roaming out of the forest. “Ah, shit,” You cursed, looking around for any weapon. There was a branch the size of your forearm on the right, and you grabbed it just as one of the dead ones reached you. You quickly dodged it, hitting the back of its knee with the branch and then ramming it into its head. When it dropped dead, you saw Daryl handling three alone and another two headed toward you.

You barely had time to react to the second dead one dropping to the ground, half its brain missing and dead on the ground, when the other one slammed right into you. Your head hit the ground with a smack as you held off the dead one with your forearm.

“(Y/N)!”

The branch had been knocked away, and you reached for it a few times before accepting that it was out of your reach. You groaned loudly and struggled against its strong arms. When it was alive, he must’ve towered over six feet.

“Daryl!” You yelled.

“I got ya,”

The head was pulled back, and a knife went through its skull. Blood dripped down on your face, and you winced, trying desperately to pull yourself out from underneath the heavy, decaying body.

Tora’s high-pitched wail caught your attention, and you looked up to see a walker bending into the car, reaching for the carrier.

“No!’ You screamed loudly, running towards the dead one. You collided with it and went flying down. With its attention on you, you quickly pinned down its arms with your legs and grabbed its head, pulling as hard as you could. With a sickening crunch, its head came clear off and went flying in the opposite direction.

With the body not a threat, you moved toward the car to check the carrier, which was completely undisturbed. You sighed with relief and then noticed the blood coating your hands. When you turned around, Daryl was staring at you.

“That was close,” You said, reaching into one of the bags to grab a water bottle and two of the only towels you have. After quickly washing away your face and hands, you handed the towel to Daryl, but he shook his head.

“Gotta hit the road,”

***

Turning back around added another twenty minutes onto your trip, but you quickly started to recognize where you were. Your stomach tightened in nervousness, and you picked at the dried blood in your fingernails.

Daryl seemed to pick up on your anxiety. “Don’ gotta worry. They’ll be cool with ya, might have to feel ya out first but it’ll be good. We need more people to help. We got a man who got bit the day before last. He might not wake up. We need more.”

You nodded but didn’t say anything. The sun was now high in the sky, beating down on you. Sweat was dripping on the bridge of your nose. The wind helped, but it was like blowing hot air on you.

“I trust you, Daryl,” You finally said, “It’s the others I’m worried about….” He nodded but didn’t say anything. “Next exit. You’ll probably know how to get there from here.”

You were right; once off the exit, Daryl knew how to return. Your stomach twisted in more anxiety, and you felt like you were going to throw up. As the prison tower came into view between the trees, you wanted, more than anything, to turn around and go back to the treehouse. But that was well over twenty miles away, and you and Tora nearly died getting here.

The gates appeared, and Daryl honked the horn a few times. You saw a kid at the gate who hesitated briefly before opening them up. Daryl slowed the car to a stop and glanced at you. “Be aight,”

You said nothing before slowly getting out of the car and looking at the kid. His gun was locked and loaded, but it wasn’t raised.

“Who’s this?”

“Your father back? Glenn and Maggie?” Daryl asked.

The kid hesitated briefly before nodding, “Got back early this morning. They are getting ready to go out looking for you. Who is this?”

“I’ll look the gates up. Go get your dad for me.” Daryl said.

The kid tossed Daryl the keys and eyed you carefully before taking off up the hill and toward the prison. You swallowed thickly and went to check on Tora in the back. She must be getting warm with the hot sun on her in the carrier. “I know, baby. I’m sorry.” You softly cooed to her.

A sudden commotion at the gate caused you to freeze, and you heard a few people yelling. You turned around to see guns raised at you. You took a step forward to block the carrier with your body.

“Aight, aight, everybod’ calm down,” Daryl said, moving to stand in front of you and the man with the gun. “Rick, this is (Y/N). She was in the town when we lit that fire, scavenging for supplies like us. Probably woulda run into her too. I saw her runnin’ out and thought she was you from a distance. We got pushed further and further away, damn walkers were everywhere,”

Rick didn’t say anything as he stared at you, clicking the gun. ��Why’d you bring her back, Daryl? You know what we gotta do.”

“Nah, not this time,” Daryl said, “She saved my life. She helped me. She a good person, Rick. She got supplies, medicine, man,l and she got food. She was gonn’ be a doctor before.”

You leaned against the car, watching two other guys with guns. They were following Rick’s lead. You looked back at Rick, who was still staring at you.

“This was her car. Her supplies. She brought me back,” Daryl said, lifting his hand to lower Rick’s weapon. “She’s aight, I wouldn’t bring her back if I didn’ think so.”

“Glenn?”

Everyone’s attention turned back toward the woman walking down the dirt hill. A rifle was squared on her shoulder, but when she saw you, her steps stilled. “(Y/N)?

Your eyes widened as you realized who was standing there. Your mouth opened but no words came out. Hot tears pricked your version and you wanted to take a step forward but there were too many guns on you. “Maggie.”

Maggie dropped her rifle and ran past Glenn and Rick, throwing her body onto yours and hugging you tightly. Her body shook with sobs, and your wall of anxiety fell, and you wrapped yours around hers.

“Can someone please tell me what’s going on here?” Rick said impatiently.

But you and Maggie ignored him, and she pulled away, looking at your tear-soaked face, and grabbed your shoulders. “I tried to call you guys a million times. Atlanta fell so quickly, and I couldn’t… I didn’t know how to… I thought you were…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” You said, “I did too,” You pulled her in for another hug before your eyes widened, and you looked back. “Beth, Uncle Hershel, Annette…” Your voice trailed off.

“The farm was overrun. Beth and Dad are here. We’re the only ones. What about you? Liam?”

Your eyes dropped, and you shook your head, “He died saving me, Mags,” You cried, “We were cornered. I couldn’t get to him… he got torn apart right in front of me,”

Maggie immediately wrapped her arms around you and tried to shush your sobs. “It’s okay, it’s okay. You’re here now.”

You took a deep breath, and it felt like you were alive again for the first time. Like you weren’t some animatronic that did all of its daily tasks because you were designed to, not because you wanted to.

“Maggie,”

At the sound of her name, Maggie took a step back and looked toward her family. “This is my cousin (Y/N). Her dad is the older brother of mine. She’s family. Lower your weapons.”

There was a bit of hesitation, but they finally did. With the commotion mostly over, Tora made her presence known and meowed loudly, demanding to be let out.

“Oh my God,” Maggie laughed, “Of course you got the cat.”

“Damn near died for it today, too,” Daryl said, the first to intrude on you and your cousin’s conversation. “It’s a good cat. Knows how to hunt.”

Rick approached the car and looked around skeptically, unsure what to think. He poked and prodded through a few things before opening a box with the baby supplies you’d brought. He pulled out a onesie and looked at you.

“Daryl told me you got a baby comin’,” You said, “I can’t imagine it’s easy finding stuff like that. I wanted to make sure I had a piece offering,”

Rick stared at you briefly before turning to Daryl and nodding once. “Let’s get these supplies inside. I’d like to hear more about how you and Daryl met if that’s alright with you,”

“Rick, she’s family,” Maggie said, “We grew up together, I trust her.”

“It’s okay,” You said, glancing between them. “I’ll answer anything you want to know. After I see my cousin and uncle.”

#daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl x y/n #daryl x reader #daryl dixon x reader #the walking dead daryl #daryl dixion x reader #daryl x you #daryl x female reader

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hometoursandotherstuff · 6 months

Text

Whoever designed this 1975, (reno'd in 1984 and stuck there), Morrison, Colorado estate was heavily into stairs, steps and levels. However, their forté was definitely bathrooms. Their creativity is unparalleled. 5bds, 5ba, $2.85M.

Off the main entrance is a living room with built-in shelving. I would be leery of that platform above, though. That piece of driftwood or whatever it is, won't stop a child from falling off.

There's a nice 2 story fireplace and a free-form artistic railing with a lovely mezzanine in the family room. Note the picket fences blocking off 2 of the stairs.

4 steps lead up to the kitchen.

Sunny kitchen with interesting cabinetry and blue glass upper doors to match the style of the home. Love the stove.

The sink is blue, too. The dining room is right off the kitchen.

This is nice. It's such an interesting home with those high open ceilings. I wonder if the plants would convey. A door in the dining room opens to a deck.

The view is stunning. Part of the deck is covered for dining and the larger part is open.

This bath has a black toilet with a compliment of yellow. Interesting carpet or toweling.

Up on the mezzanine is another fireplace and an area used as an office.

Here we have a powder room with a high Victorian style water tank, peachy sink, and floral tile.

This bedroom has a round platform with a square mattress. Not sure it's actually a bed. There's a stepdown office area and doors to the yard.

Double brown sinks with coordinating tile.

And, this. What is the area above? Windows all around, and, levels in the tub. You can see a bit of the stairs at the bottom of the picture.

This is a cute bedroom. There's a little music area and doors to a terrace.

Next is a sauna with a ridiculously steep double shower.

This stair tower leads to the primary suite. This looks like a new addition or reno.

The primary suite is huge with nice rounded built-ins and many steps and levels.

It has 2 high steps to the tub.

And, I don't even see a way to get into this raised shower, except for just climbing.

Large dressing room/closet.

And, finally a romantic rooftop terrace.

There's also a log cabin on the property.

It has a living room, kitchen and one bedroom. Someone definitely lives here.

The property is huge- measures 79.3 acres.

#estates #unusual architecture #houses #house tours #home tour

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cumikering · 2 days

Text

Lifeguard Alex Keller x mermaid reader

6.1k | fluff, drowning, blood Alex hated storms. He was supposed to die in one

With the rapid swing of the boat, Alex lost his grip on the railing and lurched overboard.

He gasped, fighting for the surface with a mouthful of salt that made his tongue tingle from the potency, but the water didn’t let him. Fire roared in his lungs as his head pounded, limbs weighing more than he could lift. The cold his bones as he sunk into pure darkness where nothing began or ended.

The jolts of his body weakened. The world slowed as his eyes fluttered at the muted thunder and lightning above, dragged further and further from his grasp. The embrace of death was comforting as it enveloped him. But it was a figure, an eclipse against the crumbling sky, which drew him towards the surface.

Alex stirred under the pale blue sky to the squawks of seagulls in the distance, salt crusting on his skin. He wanted to believe it was someone, something, or maybe just the mercy of the sea, that he was dead one second, and wasn’t in the next. But he was right there on the golden sand breathing fresh air down his arid throat into his stinging lungs.

The rising sun had never been as beautiful. He was spared for the crime of being caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. It brought tears to his eyes.

So years later, when another midnight storm raged above the beach resort where he worked, he rolled over and pulled his blanket closer to himself. He was safe, he chanted to himself. He was not in the clutches of the unforgiving sea, but in his bed, dry and warm.

The next morning, as the sun peeked over the horizon, Alex left his quarters to tend to the pool. If the duration of the storm was of any indication, there was a lot of to clean up. He had to start early to finish in time for the festival that night.

The flood had poisoned the pool, leaving the water murky with pieces of wood and debris floating about. He started with the biggest pieces, hefting them out. When he tugged on a damaged signboard, he revealed a woman face down under it.

He ripped his shirt off and jumped in, hoisting her out of the pool. He laid her down and had to do a double take on her lower body. She had no legs, a tail instead which was bleeding, impaled by a fragmented wooden pole. Her blood had a metallic gleam to it as it combined with water onto the ground.

He shook off his surprise, reaching for her neck. Her body was stone cold, lips pale, and despite being weak, she still had a pulse. He promptly performed chest compressions, earning him a small cough, and another before the creature roused with a gasp. He sighed in relief.

You cowered away from Alex, scooting backwards and wincing from the wound where a human thigh would be.

“You’re… You’re a mermaid…” he whispered in disbelief. You must have washed up after the storm. “You probably don’t understand me, but I’m going to take you back to the sea, okay? Before anyone sees.”

When he stooped to hook his arm under your tail, you shook your head. “Please, you must help me. It… It hurts. Please.”

You speak English? “Okay. I can take you to my quarters. I’ll patch you up, but we need to hurry before anyone sees.”

It was a tall order. No one in this lifetime had seen a merfolk before, let alone tended to their wounds. Could he?

Alex slung his shirt over his shoulder before scooping you up carefully. You gritted your teeth as you wrapped your arms around his neck. The premises stood empty as the sun climbed up the sky. He rushed to his quarters and laid you gently on the shower floor.

“I’m going to wash the dirt off your le- uh tail.” He turned the water on, aiming the shower head at your waist where the lilac, iridescent scales started down to the flowy, translucent fins.

Your blood sparkled in the sunlight as it swirled with the water down the drain. He turned to turn the water off as you screamed.

Your tail was gone.

“You have legs?!” He tossed you the nearest towel.

You scrambled to cover yourself up. “I- I thought that was a myth.”

He huffed. “Okay, at least I know how to patch up human legs.” He knelt down next to you, cracking his emergency it open. “This is going to hurt, okay? But I promise to do it as fast as I can.”

You nodded, grinding your teeth as he pulled at the piece of wood. It had wedged itself deeper than he initially thought, and you let out a cry when he finally pulled it out with a grunt. A clink reverberated within the walls as a shiny black sphere rolled across the floor.

He looked up to meet your eyes, blown wide. He’d never seen such terror, you looked at him like he was death itself.

You shook your head. “Please, please. I beg you to not tell a soul.” More pearls rolled off your cheeks, darker now. “You may have them, as many as you desire.”

“No, no, I don’t want anything.” He raised his hands in surrender.

“Please don’t hurt me,” you squeaked.

“I’m not going to. I’m going to patch you up and send you back as soon as possible, okay?”

“No, please, I won’t survive if you send me back now,” you choked. “The sharks will smell my blood. Please, you may have all the pearls in return.”

“I’m a lifeguard. We help people and expect nothing in return. Just focus on getting better, okay? I’ll send you back when you’re ready.”

You avoided his gaze, like you didn’t believe him.

“May I?”

You nodded weakly and he continued cleaning your wound.

“You can call me Alex. Um- I’ve- I didn’t think mermaids were real.” He chuckled. “It’s an ignorant question, but don’t you have magic or healing powers?”

“I did,” you mumbled, almost inaudible.

You stayed still as he worked on you, wincing occasionally.

“All done now.” He packed his kit. “Let me get you something to wear.”

When he turned back from his wardrobe with the baggiest t-shirt he owned, you stood at the bathroom door with wobbly legs.

“Easy now,” he rushed to you, an arm around your waist, the towel hung low on your hips. “Probably shouldn’t be walking yet, and you need to keep the wound dry. You can wear this meanwhile and take the towel off.”

He handed you his shirt, and you pulled it on over your top - made of pearly shells intricately strung together that clinked melodically when you moved a certain way.

He helped you to the bed and fetched you a glass of water. “I don’t know if you can, but we drink this.”

You reached for the glass and took the smallest sip before your eyes softened. You emptied it in a few gulps before a gentle smile tugged on your lips.

“Are you hungry?”

You shook your head. “May I please have more? It’s so sweet.”

He smiled. “Yes, of course. As much as you’d like.” He poured you another glass and placed the pitcher back on the nightstand.

He watched as you savoured your second helping, letting out a content sigh when you held the glass on your lap. His smile brightened as yours did before you yelped at the series of impatient knocks at the door.

“Alex? Alex, are you in there?”

“Shh!” He pressed his fingers against your lips. “What is it, Laswell?” he called out, catching the way you flinch in his peripheral vision.

“The festival is still on tonight,” the woman answered. “I need you to start cleaning the pool. It’s such a mess out there.”

“I’ll be out in a sec!”

When her footsteps receded, he turned back to you, removing his fingers off you.

“Okay, I need to go, but I’ll come back to check on you as often as I can. Try to not touch the wound.” He placed a handful of granola bars next to the pitcher. “And if you’re hungry, you can have these.”

You grabbed his wrist. “Will you tell a soul?”

“Not if you don’t want me to.”

You placed a palm over his still bare chest. “I thank you.”

Alex tended to the pool as fast as he could before sprinting back to his quarters. You were sitting up in bed, knees to your chest under his blanket.

“I got you-“

“My tail is cold.”

“Tail?” he asked, alarmed. He knelt down and pulled the blanket off before chuckling in relief. “Legs… These are legs, for now.” He patted your knee. “Do they hurt, or feel weird at all?”

You shook your head.

“I’m going to check your wound, okay?”

You shifted, showing him his handiwork.

“Wow, that’s amazing. It’s drying up. You sure you don’t have magical powers?” He looked up at you, but you didn’t seem to find the humour in his comment. “Uh- I was worried, if you needed something so I got you seawater.” From his bag, he handed you a glass bottle, the water casting dancing waves on his bed.

“Merfolks say… Our tails are a gift from the sea.” You popped the bottle open and sprinkled a few drops onto your feet, and before his eyes, your legs turned back into a sparkling, violet tail.

“Woah…”

“So it is true. When you rid my tail of the sea, it disappeared.” You wiped the drops off and with it, your legs were back.

“You get to have the best of both worlds. That’s wonderful.”

You let out a small sigh.

“I didn’t get to have breakfast.” He ripped open a granola bar and offered it to you. “Want to try some? Just a bit?”

You plucked a tiny piece off and popped it in your mouth. A smile flickered on your lips. “Oh, that’s even sweeter than your water. Is everything always this sweet?”

“Not always, only the best ones.” He smiled, handing you the packet.

Alex returned on his next break, panting once more from rushing the whole way. He cracked open the door to find you napping peacefully on his bed. He approached as quietly as he could, noticing the empty pitcher.

He refilled it and paused at the way your hair shone in the warm sun, the colour back on your pretty lips. Your eyes flickered open as he knelt down next to you, and widened before you realised it was him. You visibly relaxed.

“Hey. I’m going to check your wound again, okay?”

“Okay.”

You rolled onto your side, revealing that the wound had closed up, leaving but a faint scar.

“It’s truly amazing how fast you’re healing. At this rate, I can send you back tomorrow night, when no one would see.”

You nodded and sat up.

“I got lunch. I figured you’d be hungry.” He pulled out boxes from the bag, revealing mild-tasting vegetables he thought wouldn’t overwhelm your palate.

“Thank you,” you said with a small smile before digging in just as he did.

“Do you think you can walk? We have a festival tonight. You’ve never been to one, have you?”

You shook your head.

“It will be fun. There will be music too, and dancing, and food.”

You looked up at him, the first time that lasted more than a glance. “With other humans?”

“Yes, but I’ll be there with you. And we can leave anytime.”

You smiled, at him finally. “Okay.”

Alex left for his stand again, and this time took longer to come back. You sat up when he knocked on the door.

“I got you this,” he said, kneeling next to the bed and pulled out a beach wrap and a pair of headphones. “You wear it around your hips. And these, you wear over your ears, if it gets too loud for you.”

You took a sharp breath, covering your mouth.

“And these,” he continued, producing a pair of mauve gumboots. They weren’t the same shade as your tail, but it was the closest he could find. “So you don’t have to worry about your feet getting wet.”

A pearl rolled off your cheek onto your lap. It was brilliant white.

“Thank you, Alex,” you whispered.

He beamed. “You’re welcome.”

You were more than beautiful in your seashell top that glinted in the light, with soft hair and the flowy wrap around your waist. Though the boots were adorable on you, he could tell you weren’t used to them at all.

“You can hold me here.” He pointed at the crook of his arm. “In case you need support.”

Your pretty fingers curled over his forearm. He could have sworn your nails didn’t have an iridescent sheen to them when he found you earlier. Your grip tightened whenever you passed people.

“You’re alright. I’m here,” he said as he leaned over.

On the beach, you sipped on vibrant drinks as you watched the sunset and how the soft shades drained from the sky. Alex grasped a handful of the white sand, still warm from the day, letting it trickle back where it belonged from between his fingers.

You didn’t budge even when the sea became pitch black. He shifted in his seat and turned to you, still with a faint smile as you looked ahead.

“Do you want to go yet? You can’t see anything anymore.”

“It’s beautiful.” You turned to him. “I never thought I’d be here, looking at home from up here.”

He forced a smile. The sky was clear. There was no storm even when he could taste the salt in the back of his throat.

“Oh, your top is gorgeous!”

You and Alex turned to the three women.

“Thank you. I made it myself.” You smiled proudly.

“I wish I was as talented. It’s so pretty.”

“Hey, come dance with us. The party’s starting,” another woman said.

You looked at him, and he gave you a reassuring nod, relieved to finally be away from the dark.

“I’ll be nearby.”

The other lady linked arms with you to the dancefloor, and as promised, Alex followed behind, noticing no wobble to your steps anymore. He ordered a drink and watched you from the bar as you danced and laughed with the group. You looked over your shoulder at him every so often until you didn’t anymore.

He didn’t take his eyes off you. You were ethereal.

After a few songs, you and the group piled to the bar for a refill. You approached him with a grin.

“Look at you, already making friends.”

You held your hands over your chest, face bright with awe. “They are all so nice, and so beautiful.”

Are they? He didn’t notice. “You want to get something to eat?”

Alex got you to try anything and everything you wanted at the festival, from skewers to wraps to bright desserts. He enjoyed witnessing your amusement, how that pretty smile bloomed on your lips as you looked at him with bright eyes.

Under the blanket of a starry night, the band played mellow songs as the crowd thinned.

“The stars are brighter out in the sea.”

He turned to you, your face tipped up to the sky. “I know. That’s why I love to sail.”

“It’s wonderful here, Alex. Thank you so much for taking me.”

“You can come back any time.”

He caught the falter of your smile before you turned back towards the band.

After the night died down, you returned to Alex’s quarters.

“I’m not supposed to have anyone here, so you need to be quiet, okay?” he said as the door clicked open.

He gave you a new set of clothes to wear before you cleaned up. Freshly showered, he flicked the bedside lamp off and let out a happy sigh when he lay on the ground next to the bed.

“Is it better there?” you whispered.

“No, but I figured you’d appreciate the bed more.”

“It’s so soft. There’s nothing like it where I’m from.”

He chuckled. “You can have it then.”

“We can share if you wish to. It is yours after all.”

The air hung before he sat up. You had scooted towards the wall to make room for him. The bed creaked under him as he climbed in and lay on his side to face you.

The light from outside was enough to make out the shape of your pretty face. Peaceful. Content.

“Could you tell me more about your world?”

“Of course. Ask away.”

“What was it that you said you do? You guard lives?”

“Yes, a lifeguard. I make sure people are safe in water and not drown.”

“We don’t have that in the sea.”

Alex smiled. “I imagine not.”

“How did you become one?”

“I owe the sea my life. It saved me many years ago, so I want to keep people safe in water too.”

“Are you my lifeguard?”

“I guess.” His heart racing as he ran his fingers through his blond hair, always lighter in the summer. “I guess we’re all lifeguards in our own ways, just trying to protect what we love.”

“Oh, what’s that?” You pointed at the nasty bruise on the inside of his upper arm.

“It’s nothing. I got it this morning when I was cleaning the pool.”

“My mum used to hum this little melody when I got hurt.” You hummed a gentle, low-pitched tune. You kissed your fingers and pressed them onto his arm before smiling at him. “All better now.”

“Thank you. Mine used to do that too. You’re making me miss her.”

“I miss mine too. It’s been too long.”

“You’ll see her again tomorrow, right?”

With a soft smile, you rolled onto your back.

“Alex. Alex, wake up.”

He squinted at you sitting back on your haunches next to him. “Are you alright?” he croaked.

“Yes!” With a grin, you barely masked the buzz in your voice as you tugged his hand to sit up. “I’ve got to show you something.”

He rubbed his eyes off the sleepiness. “What is it?”

Your hand extended towards for the glass of water on the nightstand. With a twirl of your finger, the water stirred to life, creating a vortex.

His eyes widen. “Holy f- Oh my God!

You smiled, flicking your hand up. The water followed your command out of the glass and swayed in a loose sphere between you and him.

“Wow, that’s… That’s amazing.”

You returned the water to its container. “Oh, I’m sorry for waking you.”

“Honestly, I’d rather look at that than sleeping.” He chuckled, reaching for the pitcher.

You beat him to it, letting a wave of water flow into his glass.

“If I could to that, I’ll be drinking hands-free,” he said before taking a sip.

You laughter rang sweet that early morning. This time you looked genuinely blissful.

When did your hair become so pretty? “Show me more.”

And you did. Alex had his hands behind his head as the both of you lie back, watching the water dance above you. It was magical, of course, he never thought he’d see such a spectacle in his lifetime, but you… With such a wide smile, your harmonious laughter filling his small room, you took his breath away.

Remembering he was sending you back at the end of the night weighed heavy in his chest, but two days were far better than none. It would be a secret he’d gladly take to his grave at least, that he met a mermaid, and such a sweet one at that.

He watched you until his alarm went off.

The hour of Alex’s lunch break was enough time to take you to the rooftop restaurant of the resort. When he picked you up from his quarters, you’d fashioned a dress out of the beach wrap from the night before, even did your hair differently.

“You look lovely,” he breathed.

The sweetest smile graced your lips as you placed your hand on his forearm. It was then he noticed his bruise had faded into the faintest yellow. He turned to his other arm, in case he misremembered where he hurt himself. It was the correct arm.

“The melody worked,” he said in disbelief, squeezing your hand.

“I’m glad.”

That day you didn’t tense up at the sight of people nearing, when kids laughed and zoomed past the both of you on the walk to the restaurant. He picked the table by the railing, front row seat to the soft horizon and the sparkling blue sea.

“It’s beautiful,” you said breathlessly.

It was brilliant cerulean as far as the eye could see with soft clouds gliding above. You revelled in the open view with a tender smile and a glint in your eye.

“Yeah? I thought you’d appreciate the view from further up.”

The breeze combed through your hair, lustrous under the gentle sun. You mindlessly put the strands back in place, eyes still transfixed on the faraway water.

With no thought, Alex reached for the stray hair on your forehead, making you turn to him. Surprise flashed in your eyes and you dropped your gaze to your hands in your lap. He pulled away, averting his eyes whilst chewing on his lip, pretending to scratch his neck.

You bit down a smile. “That’s something you only let someone special do.”

“Oh. Oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“But you can touch, if you wish.”

“You don’t mind?”

You shook your head.

He hesitated, but rubbed the ends of your hair between his fingers. “You have the prettiest hair.”

“I like yours too. And…” You dragged a finger along your jaw. “No one at home has that.”

He laughed, grasping his own chin. “Facial hair? You like it?”

You nodded and turned back to the sea, the smile on your lips remained.

On the walk back to his quarters, he took a little detour to the pool.

“I spend a lot of time sitting there,” he said, pointing at his lifeguard stand at the end of the large pool surrounded by towering tropical trees.

“What’s in there?” You pointed at the gated garden at the far end of the area.

“It’s a small garden, very pretty. I’d love to take you there, but I need to clock in soon.“ He huffed. “Would you like to stay? You can have a look and lounge by the pool until I’m done?”

You took your time in the garden, and by the time you made your way back to the poolside, Alex was already at his stand. You took the sunbed closest to him, next to a family with a little girl. He lowered his shades, giving you a nod. In return, you smiled up at him, a hand shielding your eyes from the sun.

It didn’t take long for the girl to approach you with a shy smile, halfway hiding behind her mum as she grasped her beach wrap from the timidity. Alex chuckled to himself.

The next time he looked over, the girl sat in your lap as you braided her hair. Two other girls sat on your sunbed as they chatted animatedly, sipping on their juice boxes.

“See, Mr. Lifeguard keeps looking at you!” one of them screeched with excitement, pointing at him.

You smiled. “He’s my lifeguard,” he faintly made out.

The three girls giggled and cooed. “You and lifeguard sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”

He looked away, unable to wipe the grin off his face. He wished he could kiss you.

Would it be selfish if he pretended he didn’t promise to send you off that night? He’d grant your wish to leave in a heartbeat, but was he allowed to forget you had a home to return to a little longer? You were a ray of sunshine in his otherwise monotonous days.

The thought of the little trip he planned occupied his mind as he clocked out, but Kate emerging from her office interrupted it.

“Alex, we can’t have your girlfriend running around while you’re on the clock,” she began. “And I know she’s been staying with you. I let it go because I thought she was only staying for the festival.“

He held his breath. He was in deep trouble.

“Look, she needs to go tomorrow and we don’t have to talk about this again. I can’t risk my job, Keller. You understand.”

“Right, of course.”

He didn’t need another reminder that he only had a few hours left with you, when the dread in his throat kept swelling. When he turned back towards the pool, you stood there a few metres away with a small smile.

Alex took you to a nearby diner on his co-worker’s scooter. The way you held him close, your arms tight around his waist, almost made him forget that you had your loved ones waiting for you, probably worried sick too. He let out a long sigh as he helped you with your helmet.

“This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted,” you said after a sip of his strawberry milkshake.

You were never his to keep, he knew, yet it weighed heavy all the same. How was he going to say goodbye to such a lovely smile?

“It’s my favourite,” he said, sliding the glass closer to you.

He ordered another and later shared his strawberry pancakes with you too. The whipped cream was the best part according to you.

Above, the sky dimmed as clouds swirled. It was his cue to head back before you got stuck in the rain with him, although if he was honest it didn’t sound terrible at all.

It had started raining when you got back the resort, and you giggled as you hurried to his quarters, his hand in yours. This was how romance budded, wasn’t it? Sharing laughter under unfortunate circumstances that crystallised into charming memories you’d pull out of your pocket to reminisce later along the way.

But not in this life. In this life, each moment was another one to lose, and the faster your feet went, the sooner it was to a goodbye.

When Alex got out of the shower, you were toying with water again. It was irrational how he dreaded having you leave, but something ceaselessly drew him to you. In his shirt, in his bed, warm from the shower, you looked like you were more than just a visitor.

He leaned onto the doorframe, taking in the sight. Was it the way your smile lit up the room, the way you said his name in a gentle voice? Or the twinkle in your eye as you took in the world with such pureness.

You were a lungful of fresh air he wanted to remember longer. You weren’t supposed to be just a visitor.

“Alex, how often do you dance?”

He smiled. “Not enough.”

“You should dance more.” The globe of water sloshed back into your glass as you sat up. ”Come, I won’t have my feet forever.”

He tinkered with the radio and allowed soft music to fill the room. His breath stalled when you wrapped your arms around his neck. You swayed and he chewed on his lip as he gingerly placed his hands on your hips.

“I’m curious. You said you don’t have your powers anymore, but you’re doing all that with water, and you healed me.”

“I don’t know how that’s possible. I did something terrible and the sea cursed me for my sin and took my powers away,” you muttered. “It’s forbidden to be seen by humans. There’s a reason why we live in different worlds.”

“Is that why you’re so scared of me, of us?”

You averted your gaze. “Merfolks say humans are wicked. If you are captured, they shall make you cry black pearls for riches. And you know where black pearls are from.”

“I would never think of doing that.” He shook his head. “Ever.”

Your eyes flicked up to him. “I know. I can feel it here.” You leaned onto his shoulder, a hand over his chest.

Thunder struck, bright out the window for a blink of an eye, followed by the whip of lightning. Alex jumped and retracted his shaky hands off you before curling up in bed, pulling the comforter over himself.

Think of a nice place, a nice time, he repeated as he shut his eyes, his heart racing.

The bed dipped quietly as you came up behind him. Your touch was tentative, feather light at first before your confidence grew to stroke his hair.

He didn’t understand the déjà vu that cloaked him, like he’d been there before, like he’d been in your arms already.

Maybe in another life. One where you didn’t have to leave.

His breathing slowed. He still had a few hours to savour this, etch this into his mind. But if he could be so bold to daydream, he liked to imagine you wanted to stay as much as he wanted you to.

You caressed his bearded jaw. “Alex, if… If the storm doesn’t pass until sunrise, may I stay another day?”

“Of course,” he answered quickly, holding your hand against his face. “You can stay however long you want.”

“I’ve been selfish. I’m sorry for overstaying my welcome. Just another night, and I’ll promise I’ll leave.”

He turned to you. “Why are you saying that?”

“Earlier, Kate spoke to you. I know I’m not supposed to be here.”

He let out a deep sigh as guilt settled in him. “Your family must be worried too.”

Your gaze dropped, shaking your head. “I was banished for what I’ve done. It’s a fitting punishment for the shame I brought the people.”

“I’m sorry, that’s awful.”

“It’s just how it is. I knew full well and did it anyway. You’re the first person to speak to me ever since, let alone be kind to me.” You paused. “There’s something about this place. I can’t explain it, but it’s the best I’ve felt in forever, and for that I’d like to thank you.”

He pulled you close, pressing a kiss on your forehead. “You don’t need to thank me.”

In each other’s arms, despite the roaring storm outside, there was nowhere safer than right where he was.

The rumble of the sky jolted Alex awake from his peaceful sleep.

“Fuck,” he muttered in the dark, heart racing. He reached out to pull you to him, only to realise the bed was empty.

He got nothing back when he called out to you, discovering the bathroom vacant. It was then he noticed the glint on the floor next to your boots. A grey pearl.

Outside, the rain had slowed to a light drizzle. He followed the sparse trail to the beach where your wrap was stuck on a post of the beach divider, fluttering in the wind. In the dark, he almost missed your figure in the shallow water with your tail, looking ahead towards the horizon.

“What are you doing here? You forgot these.” He knelt down next to you, holding your boots out to you, not caring that his shorts were wet. “How were you going back to my room?”

“I must return, Alex.”

He knew this was coming. “But I’ll see you again, right?”

You shook your head. “I can’t see you anymore.”

He hugged you. “Why not?”

“You make it so hard to leave.“ You pried his arms away from you.

“Then don’t. I meant it. Stay as long as you want. I’ll figure something out.”

“Thank you for everything, Alex, truly. But I don’t belong here. Please don’t make this harder for me,” you choked. “Goodbye.”

Still on his knees, he froze as you swam away, your amethyst tail flicked one last time before disappearing into the darkness. You were gone from his life as fast as you came in it.

It took him another minute to get back to his feet, which he barely dragged a few steps away from the water before he froze.

Alex ripped his shirt off and dashed after you. His heart raced as he dove into the darkness, and he swam and swam.

“Come back!” he choked out between breaths, pushing himself further despite the sting in his lungs. “I don’t want to not see you again.”

He slowed when he realised the storm was coming his way. He turned back, but it was pitch black all around him as the rain pricked his skin. The ache of his whole body weighed heavy. He’d gone too far.

It was senseless for him to swim after you – reckless, moronic, especially not in the rain, not when the dark and open water paralysed him to the very core. Even if you didn’t have a head-start, he never would have caught up. But he wasn’t going to die this way. Not again.

He scrambled after the smallest glint of light, the general direction of where land was. Where he belonged, but you didn’t.

He threaded to even out his breath, pretending the thunder and lightning above didn’t exist. His eyes could barely stay open, but he forced his arms to propel, pushing himself every painstaking inch closer to home. Yet he couldn’t help but slow. His lungs wouldn’t stop burning.

Something- you. You reared yourself above the water in front of him.

Alex breathed a sigh of relief when you pulled his arms over your shoulders, his chest against your back.

“Hold on,” you said and headed for the shore.

Under the brightening sky, he stumbled on his feet. Water sloshed with each careless step before he plunged onto the sand. He coughed up a fit, the jagged rock he laid against digging onto his sore back, his throat like the desert. As you sat beside him, the blush of gold peeked over the horizon behind you.

You placed a hand on his shoulder. “Alex, you shouldn’t have-“

“Don’t go,” he croaked, holding your hand against him. “Please. I’ll take care of you.”

“It’s not about that,” you muttered, looking away. “I’m dying, Alex. I washed up was because of how weak I am.”

His heart dropped. “You’re sick?” he whispered.

You nodded. “When I saved that human from drowning, I lost the necklace of my first tear; a merfolk’s most prized possession as it holds our powers. I’ve been wasting away ever since, getting weaker every day.”

Chills ran down his spine.

“I don’t know how long I‘m allowed anymore, but I can’t thank you enough for giving me such a lovely memory. I shall cherish it until the very end.” You smiled, eyes closed as you held a hand over your chest. “Please don’t be sad for me. Life is a beautiful gift and I don’t regret saving one, even if it takes mine.”

He grasped your hands. “What does your necklace look like?”

You let out a gentle sigh, looking ahead at the rising sun. “A pearl, the shade of my tail.”

“There was a storm here many years ago, the worst I’ve ever seen. I fell off my boat.” He swallowed. “I saw shadows, but I thought I was hallucinating on the brink of death. The next thing I knew I was on the beach come morning, a purple pearl on a broken string next to me, the only evidence someone, something was there.” He paused. “Did you save me?”

You gasped, tears welling in your eyes as you covered your mouth.

Alex never sprinted so fast in his life to retrieve the box of mementos he kept under his bed and back to the little cove where you waited.

His chest heaved as he dropped to his knees next to you. He popped open the ring box to reveal the glossy lavender pendant nestled inside.

Your lip quivered. You held the dark velvet case against your chest as he pulled you to him. Silver pearls rolled off his shoulder onto the soft sand.

“You saved me, Alex.” you whispered.

“You saved me. You’re my lifeguard.”

The sun crept further up the vast sky as you lay on his chest, the tip of your tail brushing against his feet.

You hummed a melody – a different one. A happy one.

Masterlist

@tiredmetalenthusiast @sofasoap @two-gh0sts

#call of duty #cod #cod fanfic #call of duty x reader #call of duty x you #cod x reader #cod x you #call of duty fluff #cod fluff #female reader #alex keller #alex keller x reader #alex keller x you #alex keller fluff #mermaid au #mermay #mermaid reader #lifeguard au

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everlasting-elegy · 1 year

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Caelus Relationship Headcanons

Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers Word Count: 1k TRAILBLAZER FEELING IN THIS HOUSEHOLD RN - CAELUS, WHAT A PRETTY MAN <333 Also first Honkai Star Rail post WOWOWOWOWOWOW A/N: Of course, being the MC there are various interpretations of Caelus’ personality but this is just mine, please enjoy~

Everyone on the Astral Express knew you two were going to be together before you became official. March 7 is very vocal about how she thinks you two look good together, Dan Heng gives just the slightest side-eye when you and Caelus hang out and Pom-Pom will make random complaints that you’re neglecting them for Caelus. Welt and Himeko will also make you two pair up for missions if only a duo is needed - or even for simple errands that could really be done solo

Despite that, it was hard for you to tell that Caelus liked you. He didn’t seem to treat you any differently to March 7 or Dan Heng (save for his tinted cheeks), he had no problem approaching you or interacting with you and he always enjoyed teasing you like a good friend with the rest of the group. It was only when the two of you were alone where the cracks would show, and he just makes terrible small talk as his mind draws blanks and he internally panics

“So… uh, nice weather today, huh?” “Caelus, we’re in space.” “Oh. Yeah. Right.”

When Caelus confessed to you, it was nothing excessive, in fact, he was a little too casual about it. You would usually have dinner together and one evening he started stuttering, saying he knew a fancy place to eat and that it could double up as a date. You needed him to repeat himself because you didn’t see it coming

While Caelus isn’t excessively loud or boisterous, he still carries himself with confidence and can dish out some good banter. Your relationship is full of those sorts of antics but when it comes to more serious and intimate moments, he gets shy very quickly. He’s not experienced with relationships and he can’t imagine anything worse than accidentally upsetting you. He’s the type to ramble on when uncertain, narrating his stream of consciousness until not even he could remember what he was originally going to say. Wake him out of his stupor with a kiss and he’ll be back in the moment with you (he still can’t remember what he wanted to say, though)

Caelus is your #1 fan, that man is rooting for you for everything. You need him for support in a fight? His weapon is at the ready. You want him around to help you study? He’s not the best at staying quiet but he tries his damn hardest for you. Do you need a break from any activity? Caelus is running in with a towel and refreshments and asking if you need anything else as he gives you a shoulder massage

Despite Caelus being very protective, he will never stop you if you want to do something dangerous such as joining him in battle. He wants to see you flourish and grow, and if that means being in harm’s way, then at least let him join you as your shield so that you two can get through this challenge together. For you, he’s ride or die, and to be fair that strategy has worked perfectly for the two of you so far

“One man’s trash is a Trailblazer’s treasure”; Caelus will bring back many trinkets for you from his travels, so much so that one wall of your room is just covered in his gifts. If they are indeed fished out from a trash can you won’t be able to tell, he loves to tinker and polish items until they’re unique and personalised just for you - you only deserve the best

No matter how frequently he’s gifted you little items, Caelus acts as though it’s the first time. He tries to play it off as something casual, that you shouldn’t think about the gift too much and he doesn’t mind if you’re not keen on it, but his face is bright red, one hand is nervously scratching the back of his neck and he can’t look you in the eyes

Caelus isn’t excessive on the PDA, but he’s still always touching you. He’ll gladly walk around holding hands and swinging arms or linking arms, or having his arm draped across your shoulders, and you’re not safe from pecks on the face and lips. He also loves to give hugs as a greeting and goodbye. He has no problem initiating affection but whenever you do you can literally see him perk up like a meerkat and walk around with a hop in his step. If you ever flirt or compliment him he gives back the sweetest, beaming smile that seems to contain the light of an entire Stellaron

Caelus is a bit of a gacha - and just general mobile games - addict, but he’ll always wait on pulling on the banner or opening a loot box until you’re with him. You’ve become his lucky charm and even though he only games to pass the time when there’s nothing to do, it’s not as fun if you’re not playing with him or at least watching and commentating

Sometimes you can liken Caelus to a puppy. If he’s bored or has nothing to do he’ll just… follow you around as you do your thing. If you need to enter a building alone or talk personally with someone, you can first expect him to get pouty before relenting and loitering around where you are outside. Whenever you enter the same room as him, expect him to immediately gravitate towards you

He’s an absolute nightmare when you two are separated, you’re not going to be able to go for five minutes without your phone vibrating about updates on the Astral Express and how lonely he is without you around and how you need to hurry up and finish what you need to do and- oh, Himeko just gave him permission to join you, give him fifteen minutes and you guys can spend the day together~

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Honkai Star Rail Masterlist (TBA)

#caelus x reader #honkai star rail x reader #hsr x you #hsr caelus x reader #hsr x reader #hsr caelus #trailblazer x reader #gn!reader #honkai star rail imagines #everelegy writes #everelegy honkai

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mynamesaplant · 4 months

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Friendship Smells like Pizza and Laundry Detergent

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Just a little short story about @critterbitter's hc of Emmet, Ingo, and Elesa. Please go take a look at Critter's work, it is beautiful in every sense of the word.

Japanese is not my native language, so if I've made any errors please let me know. Also, I'm sorry for the phonetic spelling for Clay in advance.

Don't like to read on Tumblr? Read it here on AO3.

Enjoy!~

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Tonight was the night.

Elesa was coming over for a sleep over.

Drayden would have found it amusing that his nephews were running all around his house preparing for their friend’s arrival, but they were quite particular about how they wanted the house to look, and it was turning his house upside down. Already the linen cupboard and beds were ransacked for every sheet, blanket, comforter, and pillow that he owned. All around him, the boys meticulously constructed a pillow fort, and it took every ounce of willpower in his body to ask them not to make such a mess of his living room.

He sucked it up. They were excited their friend was coming over – their only friend.

Listening to Ingo’s meandering request to have their friend over for a sleep over, Drayden could tell this meant a lot to them. Even Emmet, who was hard pressed to pipe up his opinions to him was bobbing his head along in time with his brother’s speech and offered stilted yeps to emphasize his brother’s points, eyes glittering with such hope that it physically pained the Dragon master to say no.

“Verrrrry good!”

Emmet chirped, crawling out by the tv, which also had a sheet over it. They had tried to put a quilt over it and Drayden pointedly told them no. Although not the newest model by a long shot (he hadn’t been able to be as frivolous with his money since his nephews had been dumped come to live with him), he didn’t want to risk the television falling over and breaking, or worse injuring one of the kids. Emmet and Ingo were exceedingly careful with everything in the house, they treated everything like glass with a steady mantra of ‘safety first’ that he was sure would be seared into his brain for the remainder of his days.

With this one exception, the twins frequently kept to themselves and their own possessions, either roaming his property, Anville Town, or in the woods just outside town. This brief and altogether understandable lapse of judgement Drayden could overlook – just this once.

“Ingo, are the snacks secured?”

“Affirmative!”

Ingo moved into his periphery with an armload of bags, ducking beneath the patchwork fort to deposit them, and the other was bouncing on the balls of his feet, working out his excitement through movement. Drayden watched this all go down from his armchair that he had dragged out of the way for them to build, steely eyes glancing over the top of his drooping newspaper every so often. The boys surveyed their work, beaming in their own ways at the admittedly impressive arrangement.

“Please try not to spill anything on to the carpet.”

Their uncle rumbled and they both assured him that that would not happen. They had already planned for any accidents by retrieving a towel and handheld vacuum to clean up any messes that were inadvertently created.

“We shan’t.”

Ingo promised and Drayden grumbled something unintelligible behind the rag, staring at the same article he’d been reading about the delays for the new rail lines out of Nimbasa. Something about permits and a minor scandal with the head of transportation using Pokémon laborers that weren’t native to Unova.

Warm weight settled against his legs and Drayden lowered the paper to his lap, narrowly avoiding Emmet and Ingo as they stared up at him. He braces himself because he knows this look – although it was not presented in this double whammy form – and it usually came with an out of the ordinary request.

“Yes?”

“We would like to request three pizzas tonight because we are not sure if Elesa will like the toppings we like.”

Drayden had to bite his tongue because nobody liked the toppings the twins liked. Most children didn’t like white pizza with broccoli or Alolan style – but Emmet and Ingo did.

“You’re not going to eat three pizzas worth of pizza. It’s bad for you.” Not to mention all the junk food that they bought in preparation for the sleepover. They’re kids Drayden, he told himself, they’re excited and their eyes are literally bigger than their stomachs in this case.

Compromise.

“I’ll get you some personal pizzas. How does that sound?”

They looked positively ecstatic.

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The bedraggled looking man who escorted his young daughter to his door had a glassy look to his eyes, waving to his daughter as she offered Drayden a polite bow and foreign greeting to Drayden before tearing over to Emmet and Ingo. Her Blitzle tottered in after her cautiously with a red backpack draped over the Pokémon’s back. If Drayden had to guess from the flared nostrils and the darting eyes, the small equine creature could smell the Druddigon lurking in his room on the second floor and was nervous. His Druddigon was too well trained to attack, but smaller Pokémon tended to get nervous around most dragons.

“Thank you for having my daughter over.”

Drayden had almost forgotten the man was there, so small and quiet as to be completely unnoticeable. His voice was flat, almost toneless, which reminded Drayden of Emmet, who had a hard time conveying his emotion through his words unlike his brother. This man sounded exhausted.

“Sure…”

There was an uncomfortable pause as the man blinked at him, Drayden almost thought he wouldn’t supply his name – instead, just pass out in his doorway.

“Rin Kamitsure.”

“Drayden Gray.”

Rin’s torso was already bending forward, clearly a reflex he had developed from a lifetime of practice before he jerked to a stop. His arm lurched up, perfectly straight to the point of looking uncomfortable, holding out his hand and staring expectantly for Drayden to take it.

The handshake was cold, absolutely nothing friendly to the stiff fingers, and went on for far too long, neither of them seemed capable of breaking the shake first.

“さようならお父さん.”

Rin’s daughter’s voice sounded flinty, almost as though she was annoyed that he was still there. If her father noticed the chill to her voice, he didn’t acknowledge it, although Drayden guessed he most certainly did not from the slow way he let go of the Dragon master’s hand.

“Bye Ellie.”

He nodded to Drayden and trudged back up the walkway and down the street. When he turned around to face the children, Emmet and Ingo were thumbing through some books while the girl scribbled feverishly on a whiteboard. With her tongue stuck between her teeth, she was scribbling symbols that were unfamiliar to Drayden with careful strokes of the marker before her hands moved in a flurry before her. That he recognized as sign. The boys had been practicing together. This girl must have been the reason.

The signing was actually helping his nephews a lot, each had their own unique challenges with how they communicated with the world around them, and signing was helping them bring a different option for verbalizing their thoughts and feelings. Emmet in particular was fast to pick it up, his lack of inflection was made up for by his expressive features, which helped emphasis his signing. Ingo’s language was emotional from the word go, but his face was like stone, that’s where his gesticulations and other body language helped him articulate his sign better.

Drayden never could read either unless they told him how they felt. It also didn’t help that the brothers were so in sync with one another that they often left their uncle metaphorically scrambling to catch up to understand them.

“Oh! Elesa, you must meet our uncle.” Ingo insisted, ushering her over to him where she bowed again. Her face scrunched and she glanced toward his nephews, Emmet silently mouthing the words ‘hello sir’ while Ingo announced that this was their goof friend Elesa. “She moved here recently with her father from Sinnoh.”

“Hello… sir?”

She said slowly, watching Emmet mouth the words one more time, before looking up at Drayden. Most children found him intimidating between his stature and inscrutable expression, but this little girl looked him in the eye with nothing short of fierce determination. She refused to be intimidated. That made him smile.

“Nice to meet you.”

Ingo frantically flipped through the pages of the book still in his hand and squinted at the page – dear Reshiram, was Ingo going to need glasses soon? Yet another thing to add to the ever-growing list of things he didn’t sign up for but found himself doing. The text was inches from his nose,

“はじめまして.”

It must have been a translation into Kantonese and Elesa gingerly corrected his pronunciation. Drayden had prepared to get virtually no sleep tonight because the kids would be loud, but it appeared he had nothing to worry about.

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

Their uncle said he would be in his study if they needed anything after ordering their pizzas for the kids and Bouffalant burger for himself. He handed Ingo some money to tip the driver and reiterated to be careful with any food and drinks on the carpet.

Ingo offered him a smile, something that made Drayden’s heart warm a little because that did not always sync up properly with his eyes to make the expression seem so genuine. He truly wished he felt that way more often, but that kernel of resentment he felt for Kaita and Lucielle – especially Kaita. His sister all but dumped her sons on him, their parents too elderly to look after them and Lucielle’s father rendered incapable of care due to dementia.

His burgeoning career nearly came to a screeching halt when Emmet and Ingo were unceremoniously dropped into his life, Drayden was lucky he had such good friends like Clay and Lenora who offered him endless support and advice.

------

“s’not their fault, ye can’t blame ‘em fer what their mas did.”

Clay had told him, taking a long pull on his cigar just as Drayden stamped out his half-smoked cigarette. A habit he had only recently picked up and was not trying too hard to quit. The clove scented smoke soothed his nerves like nothing else could these days.

“Be patient. Kids like them can have a hard time expressing themselves.”

Lenora advised when Drayden came to her with the twins’ charts, panicked because he wasn’t sure he would be able to sufficiently take care of children like Emmet and Ingo. Audiobook and podcast recommendations always arrived in his emails when he felt the weight of the situation suffocating him.

------

He was glad he listened to her because they had bloomed into such wonderful boys.

Although that bitterness was still rooted in his heart, he did his very best to never expose it to Emmet and Ingo, because they had done nothing to earn his ire. It shamed Drayden to no end that sometimes it did come out in the form of hands-off parenting, in his absence where his nephews needed a parent (one which he was never quite prepared to be).

Drayden did the unthinkable and lightly tousled Ingo’s hair, reminding him to get the door when the delivery driver came, and to give the driver their tip. When he removed his hands, Ingo’s eyes were round and shining, his mouth was slightly open as he looked up at his uncle. His nephew managed a nod, lifting his hands to pat his hair, and slowly made his way back to his brother and their friend.

About thirty minutes later their pizzas arrived and all three kids pelted toward the door, lurking just over Ingo’s shoulder like hungry Sharpedo in anticipation. A chorus of ‘thank yous’ sent the delivery driver on her way, grinning a little at the kids as the door closed. With the personal pizzas divvied up properly, the trio clambered into the fort and settled in for the preselected documentary.

Tynamo and Blitzle were under there, already snoozing as the kids ate and watched the screen transfixed with the visuals. Emmet and Ingo had selected a documentary about Unova, selecting Kantonese subtitles for Elesa so she didn’t have to rely on the audio. Although it wasn’t their preference – that was reserved for trains and professional battling – the boys chose this documentary to help acquaint Elesa to the unfamiliar region she found herself in. She didn’t really seem to have an interest in Unova at all, so they wanted to change that.

To them, Unova was the most beautiful place in the whole world, but admittedly, they hadn’t been to many places. Galar sounded amazing, but Emmet and Ingo had to acknowledge that they were biased because there were just so many trains there – so it had to be amazing, right?

They had come to love Unova through the pictures and trinkets that their mothers sent to them. Glass paperweights that contained stylized Frillish suspended in a permanent bubble from Humilau. Frayed ticket stubs from the sports arenas in Nimbasa. Luminous crystals that refracted a thousand tiny rainbows, and still contained a little bit of static hidden in their crystalline depths, from Chargestone Cavern. Pressed flowers and leaves that still smelled as fresh as the day they were picked from Pinwheel Forest. Vibrant, but uncomfortable t-shirts advertising the famous Casteliacone alongside the stand’s Vanilluxe mascot, Mochi.

But their most prized possession? Two slightly tarnished, golden subway tokens with a stamp of the front of Gear Station on one side and the NTA symbol on the other. The transit system operated on automated cards and scanners and digital tickets nowadays, but these? These things were ancient. Mom had found them and sent them back with burgundy lipstick smudged at the bottom by their names.

Found in an antique shop a few blocks from the station. A set soon to follow, my loves.

The train set had never come, so Emmet and Ingo learned to be satisfied with the tokens.

“エモンガ?”

Elesa jerked forward with her eyes wide while she gesticulated at the screen with a ferocity that made the Pokémon wake with a start. Blitzle nickered softly, stretching his neck to rest on Elesa’s knee and nuzzling her skirt until her hand came to stroke his flank absently. Tynamo flitted over to Emmet, tucking himself into the loose collar of his trainer’s sweater and buzzing Emmet with a faint electrical charge.

A pair of Emolga were skittering across the screen; chittering and squeaking while they darted through the trees of Lostlorn Forest without a care in the world at the humans filming them. The next shot cut to two males with their hackles raised and massive incisors displayed in their yawning maws, the smaller one was getting bullied out of the other male’s territory. Another shot took the documentary to a whole tree hollow full of feathery down, fur, leaves, and dry grass with small, glittering black Emolga eyes blinking back at the lens.

Elesa covered her mouth to stifle a little noise of adoration, unwittingly leaning forward with undisguised interest at the flying squirrels that plagued the whole of Unova. Emolga were few and far between in Anville Town compared to the rest of the region, they were more at home in the trees, which their hometown lacked to accommodate the rail yard and its acres of track.

“I… love…”

Elesa said the words slowly, feeling how the Galarian syllables felt in her mouth. It sounded like such a mouth full compared to 好きだ. The name of the Pokémon sat fresh in her mind as she watched them on the screen, so carefree and happy that it made her smile softly with a fondness she thought she only held for Pachirisu.

“エモンガ. Eh- what… is エモンガ?”

Emmet and Ingo exchanged looks, although they didn’t understand Kantonese, and they were at times hard pressed to understand other people’s thoughts and feelings, Elesa was telegraphing all they needed to know with how her blue eyes stared with longing at the screen.

“Emolga.”

Emmet said slowly and watched Elesa incline her head, acknowledging that she had heard him but not looking his way.

“Emolga…”

She repeated the word, drawing out each sound as she heard it from Emmet’s lips. They sat in silence for a moment, the documentary had moved on to Venipedes and their natural instinct to curl up when in danger.

“They’re delightful little scamps.”

Ingo finally said, putting down his slice of pizza on a neat square of paper towel and scratching his cheek, hesitating on even bringing it up when Emmet piped up.

“Mom has one. Her name is Daisy. She likes to groom mom’s Stoutland’s coat. Brutus likes that verrrrry much.”

Ingo pursed his lips, balling his hands up in his lap, waiting for the question that inevitably came up when anyone heard about their mothers. Uncle Drayden rarely spoke about them, only passing off the mail that one or both had sent to their sons. People were curious to say the least when Drayden suddenly had two boys in his home and when their guardian didn’t satisfy their curiosity, it meant Emmet and Ingo were often asked directly.

“Where are your mothers?”

Emmet would stare at the ground, twisting the hem of his shirt in his hands, and Ingo would go unusually quiet, fumbling for words because he didn’t know what to say. Their mothers dropped them off here one day and they hadn’t seen them since, plenty of letters and trinkets, but never their mothers.

They didn’t know why. They tried to be good kids. They tried to be the best kids. They got good grades. They never caused trouble. They always did their chores and took care of the Pokémon.

It must not have been enough for them to stay.

Emmet shifted on the spot, tapping his nails against the plastic cup to fill the silence, and wordlessly murmuring something under his breath. Ingo knew it was the train schedules in and out of the rail yard. Emmet recited them when he said or did something that he didn’t realize was uncomfortable.

If Elesa noticed the weird pause, she didn’t mention anything, but she did say,

“I… want… one. Emolga.”

The moment of tension passed, and the twins felt like they could breathe again. They didn’t know that Elesa felt those same things about parents and had just as hard of a time putting those feelings into words. For now, they didn’t have to talk about it. They didn’t have to do anything, but sit back, eat pizza, and go to sleep late into the night in a castle of blankets that smelled like fresh laundry detergent.

“Have no fear! We will locate a nest and you can catch as many Emolga as you want.”

“Yep yep! A whole team!”

Elesa caught maybe every other word, but her mouth curled and her eyes crinkled at the excited murmurings of her two friends.

#pokemon #submas #nimbasa trio #pkmn #fanfic #fan fic #fan fiction #fanfiction #i think this is the biggest departure i took from critter's work?#idk i was just thinking about drayden and the other adults #thanks for reading!

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udosystems · 1 year

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https://posts.gle/yY3Fcg

Invest in the best shelves for your bathroom with UDO Systems. Find our displays and choice of bathroom accessories in over 250 UDO System Retailers around Australia, including some of the biggest names in hardware and plumbing retailers like Mitre 10, Home Hardware, Dahlsens, Plumbtec, and Samios. Visit us!

#bathroom accessories #toilet roll #wall mount hook #towel #bathroom #double rails

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darkficsyouneveraskedfor · 1 year

Text

Unsolicited 18

Warnings: bad self-thought/talk, bullying, insults, low self-esteem, money problems, noncon, coercion, cum, some untagged sexual and dark elements.

Wouldn’t mind some feedback! Lloyd was driving me nuts so I had to do it. Thank you in advance 💜

Masterlist

With nothing else left on your list, you take the time to bask in the steam of a well-earned shower. You spent much of the last hour scrubbing the grout in the downstairs bathroom and now your hips ache in the heat of the water. You sigh and let the downpour trickle past your shoulders, lapping over the curves of your body.

Lloyd’s been AWOL much of the day. It isn’t much different from his previous absence but the threat of his appearance is always in the back of your mind. Your thighs tingle as you think of the day before, the smell of window cleaner and the sensation of prickly hair on soft skin.

You groan and crank off the faucet. With any luck, you’ll be able to wind down early and get some decent sleep. The longer you’re there, the less you think of your husband. It’s only what’s ahead that keeps you up. A divorce, of course, and then… when Lloyd’s done with humiliating you…

You wrap yourself in the soft towel, the water dripping off you onto the plush bath mat. You close the shower door and pat yourself dry lazily. You yawn and drag your feet across the tile, pausing at the slightly ajar door… didn’t you shut that?

You enter the bedroom. He was definitely in here. You near the bed, a red velvet dress speckled with tiny gems is spread out beneath a piece of stationary with the initials LH in the frame. “7pm.”

What now?

You check your phone. It’s only six. You have some time. You look over the dress, feeling the fabric with your fingertips as you stand in the towel. You know he’ll be looking for any reason to be disappointed so you better look good.

You get ready with some urgency. Being late would be the first of many gripes you don’t want to hear. You feel entirely unprepared as you try to wake yourself up from the afterglow of the shower. So much for a cozy bedtime.

The dress fits, if a little tight at the hips and a little too showy in the bust. You adjust your bra and check your profile in the mirror. Oh god, does the slit really go that high. You step into the heels and take a few steps to gain your balance. You look okay? Presentable.

You merge at quarter to. You’re on time. Ahead of time. That will make up for everything else. You get to the stairs and hold on tight to the railing as you descend, a step at the time as you fear falling on your face. It isn’t until you reach the bottom that you wonder what all this is for.

Then the anxiety hits. You pace, nearly bending your ankles, heels clicking in an echo around the airy foyer. You chew your thumb but stop yourself as you worry about messing up your lipstick. What if this is all just another ploy to embarrass you? What are you wearing? You look ridiculous…

“Ah, you got my message,” Lloyd enters behind you.

You turn and nearly double take. He’s in a sleek suit, a dark blue jacket with precisely tailored pants, a black shirt with a hint of matching navy under the collar. He has the usual gold ring on his pinky and a chain around his neck. Usually well-kempt, he looks immaculate as his silhouette takes the cut well.

“Uh, yeah,” you say awkwardly, folding your hands before you, “are we going somewhere?”

He scoffs and doesn’t answer you as he goes to the closet and pulls out his jacket. He shrugs it on and searches out an embroidered scarf. He wraps it once around his neck and reaches in again, pulling out an ivory curt trimmed in matching faux fur. He opens it to you as he turns on his heel.

You cross to him and poke your arms into the sleeve with a thank you. He is oddly laidback. There’s some trick. You know it. You face him as he buttons his coat and tucks in the scarf.

“Dinner,” he says curtly.

“Alright,” you agree, knowing you have any other choice.

“My treat,” he pokes your cheek playfully, “I don’t hear a thank you daddy.”

You curve your lips in an effort to hide your irritation, “thank you, daddy.”

“Mm,” he drags his finger down and keeps you from closing the coat as he takes in your figure, “if you’re wearing panties, take them off now.”

You flinch and follow his eyeline. You look down at yourself and sigh. You pull up your dress and hook your thumbs in your panties, pulling them down and stepping out of them. He snatches them and stretches them, letting them go so they fly across the room.

“You can take the bra off too,” he brings his hands up to frame your chest, “let’s not be late. I made a reservation.”

You huff and take off the coat. You hand it over and reach back to unhook your bra. You slip it off beneath the top of the dress and pull it from beneath the velvet. That you throw yourself before grabbing back the coat.

“Ready,” you declare breathily.

“You look good enough to eat,” he winks and passes you, opening the door as he waits for you to follow. His gallantry further dismantles you as you step outside. His hand swings down and he spanks you, groping you through the coat, “mmm, I don’t know if I’ll make it to dessert.”

He shuts the door and gestures you onward. You march down the walk and to the long driveway. He unlocks the flashy new red corvette as you round the hood. You get in on the passenger's side as he drops behind the wheel. He takes his time adjusting the mirrors and seat.

“You like the new wheels?” He asks.

“Um, sure, I don’t know much about cars.”

“Sits low,” he wiggles in his seat, pushing his legs wide as he turns the keys, “comfy, huh?”

“Yeah,” you lean back into the leather. It’s not as stiff as your old beater, or as cramped.

He flips the engine and rests his arm across the space between your seats as he backs out. You watch his estate as he rolls away and your eyes trail over the barren hedges. He stops at the end of his property line, peer back and forth along the street. He turns out and lets his hand fall down onto your thigh.

He steers with his other hand casually as his fingers walk along the velvet, gathering it until he touches bare skin. He pinches you and spreads his hand over your thighs, prodding between them.

“Spread em, baby cakes,” he shoves his hand down until you part your knees, “I need a little something to wet the appetite.”

Your eyes meet his in the rearview as he gives you a leer. His fingers delve between your folds and he tuts as he feels along you dry lips.

“Come on and get wet for daddy,” he twirls his fingers around your clit as you inhale sharply and squirm, “that’s it, baby.”

He rubs you harder, his other hand gripping the wheel until the leather squeaks. Your thighs quiver and you grasp the door as your nerves ping together. He slides his fingers down again, through the slicks sheen that’s risen. He drags his fingertips back up and flicks your clit so you spasm.

He clucks and draws his hand away. You watch him press his fingers to his mustache and spread the glisten across the short hair. It’s as revolting as it is disarming. You sit stunned, with your legs wide.

“Baby, you’re gonna wanna cover yourself up,” he stops at a sign, “anyone could see in here.”

#lloyd hansen #dark lloyd hansen #dark!lloyd hansen #lloyd hansen x reader #drabble #dark drabble #dark!drabble #the gray man #the grey man #unsolicited #series

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v3nusxsky · 1 year

Note

Hey!! Are are you?!?! Hope your having a great day/night whenever you are seeing this, I'm obsessed with your work and was wondering if I can request a lady lesso x fem reader where r is having really bad period cramps at school so she takes the day off, so lesso goes to comfort her but the lesso manspreads so r gets all shy and horny but she's on her period but lesso says she doesn't care then lots of smut ;) BUT then lots of aftercare and fluff.

If you decide to write it thank you so much!! I saw this with a larissa one and id just like to see it with lesso, have a good day :)♡♡

Cramps from hell| mixed

*Authors note~ ooo okay so this is a new take on the idea I'm hoping I can do it some justice*

a/n part 2~ only one fic tonight as a family member was in a car accident early hours yesterday so that’s kinda taken over today should be okay to post normally tomorrow I’m sorry guys

Trigger warnings~ period pains, period sex, mommy kink magical strap on bell rubs marking

Prompt~ see ask^^^^^

✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿

You always hated your period, the pain it had brought you over the years. You'd often had to take days off to rest and get over the worst of the pain. Despite how painful it was for you, you never really had heavy periods. It was like you went through all the pain for nothing. Leonora knew of your situation and it became a pattern during the months you'd been together. It was all that made sense, your periods were kicking your ass and she heard recently that sex could help elevate the horrid cramping.

You were miserable in bed, blankets wrapped around you as you withered around in pain. "How we doing little dove? Still sore darling?" Lesso's voice washed over you causing you to instantly reach out for the woman. "Mmm hurts Leo" you whimpered as your girlfriend came to sit with you. It must be lunch hour for her to be here. Her hands found your hair to soothingly scratching at your skull. You turned to nestle closer to the red head when you noticed her sitting with her legs spread wide open.

"Mommy?" You whimpered before you could even catch it. Clearly your hormones were on a wild ride due to the period. You were struggling with the urge to just beg for her to rail you. To help make the pain go away for a while. "Dove?" She mumbled to you before catching a glance of your flushed face. "Oh baby, do you need mommy?" Her teasing was certainly enough to have you ducking your head before nodding in admission. "Mommy, I know it's yucky there but you spread your legs like that, I just want you to take me" you explained before rolling away from the woman feeling truly embarrassed for even asking.

Leonora got up and you thought she was leaving. Only then did you hear the tale tale signs of the door to her bedside table opening and closing. Leonora happy slipped on the double ended strap, before coming back to the bed. Her lips instantly attaching themselves to yours in a loving passionate kiss. You were truly addicting and if Leonora could help you then she would. After all she could watch many suffer pain, but never you.

"Up dove, gotta put a towel down gorgeous" she murmured, using her finger glow to summon a red towel. "Now mommys gonna make it all better sweetheart, let's get that hoodie off" she muttered against your neck as she helped get rid of the clothing. It wasn't long before you were bare besides your underwear, covered in purple marks. "Are you sure mommy? You don't have to" you whispered feeling slightly insecure now. "It will help with the pain dove, toys can always be cleaned love" she moved her kisses down your stomach, with a quick glance to get some more confirmation it was okay before carfully riding you of your underwear. "Such a pretty pussy for mommy" she purred as she added lube to her shaft. "Ready darling?"

You could've cried when she entered your sensitive folds, "Mommy!" A smirk on her lips as she purred at you, "so good darling, so good for mommy. I'll make those cramps go away for you." It didn't take long to bring you over the edge due to your added sensitivity, she came for you at the same time. You couldn't help but cling to Lesso as she stilled her hips. "Let's clean you up precious girl" she murmured before helping you get clean, magicking the strap clean for coming to hold you, her hands rubbing slow and firm circles into your abdomen. "How's my girl feeling?" With a happy sigh you snuggled closer to the woman, "better thank you my mommy."

Word count ~ 787

#anon answered #v3nusxsky answers #fanfic #anon requested #lady lesso #sfgae #leonora lesso #lady lesso x reader #lesso x reader #lady lesso x you #lesso smutt #lady leonora lesso #lesso x reader smut #leonora lesso x reader #dean of evil x reader #dean of evil

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designerradiator19 · 2 years

Link

#Eucotherm designer radiators Designer radiator concepts Eucotherm Luxury Radiators & Towel Rails Eucotherm Modern Double Panel Radiator Doub

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stvharrngton · 2 years

Text

caramel

a/n: just a lil angsty prompt. i didn’t mean for it to be this long lol but oh well!!! i kinda wanna write a part 2 for this maybe? but i’m not sure

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

word count: 1.9k

warnings: angst, swearing, mentions of steve’s shitty dad

prompt: My roommate/ex/family kicked me out into the rain. I have nobody else to call but you - you and steve are broken up but he’s stuck in a storm as has nowhere else to go.

requests are open!

“Get out of my house.” the older man spat.

“My fuckin’ pleasure, Dad!” Steve retorted right back, voice dripping with sarcasm. The boy snatching his jacket and car keys from the dish on the table by the door.

He swung the front door of the house open, stepping out into the cold Hawkins air, “And don’t come back until you figure out how to be a real man!” his so-called father shouted after him.

Steve could only scoff before slamming the door behind him, “Fuck!” he screamed, voice hoarse before his fist collided with the solid brick of the house. Knuckles now bruised and bloody.

Wincing in pain as he cradled his injured hand to his chest, crouching down to sit against the wall, trying to think of some way to get outta this down and away from his Dad.

The faint patter of the rain began to hit the ground and then the heavens opened. It was pouring now - lashing down with violent thuds to the pavement and the cars that lined the street.

Shit. Steve was stuck. He sure as hell wasn’t going back inside to grovel to his Dad. His car with barely enough gas in the tank to get outside of town and his wallet in the confines of his bedroom. Double shit.

Maybe he could swing by Robin’s house? No, her Mom would kill her. He couldn’t go to Dustin’s - it was a school night, and that would be totally lame to seek shelter from a 14 year old.

Steve was left with one option and it was his least favourite option. He stepped out into the rain with a sigh, jogging across the drive to his car. The engine rumbled as the BMW pulled out, rain thrashing the roof of the car.

The TV crackled in the background of the room, the picture the only light illuminating your features. The thunder rumbled as the rain hit against the window of your living room. Your parents out of town allowing you to claim the comfiest couch and the softest blanket as you sprawled out.

Your brows furrowed as you noticed a pair of bright headlights turning down your street, absentmindedly throwing popcorn into your mouth. You turned your attention back to the TV until you were startled by a knock at your door.

Jumping up you padded over to the window, peaking behind the curtain to see who it could be. Your eyes wide when you saw the familiar burgundy BMW that belonged to your ex-boyfriend sat in your drive.

“What the fuck?” you whispered to yourself, wondering what on earth could be bringing Steve Harrington to your house at 12:38am, in the middle of a storm no less.

You sighed opening the front door, your mouth hanging agape at the sight of the boy before you. Hair drenched and sticking to his forehead, clothes sopping wet. Tired eyes and a glimpse of his bloody knuckles as his hand came to drag down his face.

“Steve? What are you-“ you cut yourself off, seeing his bloody and scraped hand, “are you okay?”

“I’m perfect.” voice dripping with sarcasm, “Look, I just- I’m sorry for just showing up, but I have nowhere else to go.”

You shot him a sympathetic look, lips downturned in a frown. You desperately just wanted to wrap your arms around him, to hold him and tell him it’ll all be okay - but that wasn’t how you acted around each other anymore.

Nodding, you stepped to the side to let the boy cross the threshold, shutting the door firmly behind him. “I’m gonna go grab you a towel and a change of clothes,” fingernails tapping against the railing of the staircase, “I still have some of your things… just- just wait here.”

“Oh, right. Yeah, thanks.” Steve muttered back, hand coming to scratch the back of his neck. He sighed as you disappeared up the stairs. Everything was so awkward between you, tension thick and atmosphere heavy.

You were gone no longer than a few minutes, appearing back in front of Steve towels and clean clothes in hand. “Here,” you spoke handing them over, “you still know where everything is?”

He nodded, how could he forget. Your home once his second, your home preferred to his own, “I do,” a soft smile sent your way - your stomach churning at the sight, pushing the butterflies back down.

“Right,” you nodded, eyes refusing to meet his own, choosing to linger on something else, anything else. “Well, I’ll leave you to it then.”

You busied yourself by making hot tea for the boy upstairs. Although Steve always ran hot like a furnace he would be sure to catch a cold standing in the wet material of his clothes for so long. You still cared for him, of course you did. No breakup could switch off your feelings for Steve.

His sock-clad feet padded back into the living room now, complete with an old pair of sweats you never gave back and a Hawkins Phys Ed t-shirt you kept. He sunk into the sofa, the opposite end to you, a hand raking through his still damp hair.

“I made some tea,” you muttered, gesturing to the steaming mug sat on the coffee table.

“Oh, thanks, ba- uh, shit,” he fumbled, “I mean, thanks. Thank you.” Steve cursed himself under his breath, cheeks flushed and neck hot. The heavy tension returned.

“So,” he cleared his throat now, “how’ve you been?” eyes burning into the side of your face. You refused to meet his gaze, eyes locked on the buzz of the TV.

“Steve,” you scoffed, “why’re you here? What happened?” you didn’t mean to come off so abrupt, but you weren’t in the mood for niceties with someone who broke your heart.

“Right,” he clicked his tongue, hand gesturing at the thin air before him, “right. Sorry.”

A deep breath. A sigh.

“Well, you know how my Dad is, right?” he asked. You nodded. A man with a cold heart and not an ounce of love or parenting know-how in his body.

“We, uh, got into a fight, again. A big one this time though,” Steve sniffled and you winced, “told me I was no good, doesn’t think my life choices are good enough, I guess.” he shrugged, “told me to get out and not come back so here I am.”

You reached out to rub your fingers up and down his back but stopped yourself short, fingers curling in on themselves, “I’m sorry, Steve.” you muttered. There was so much more you could’ve said, that you wanted to say. Refusing to toe that invisible line.

Steve shrugged then, “It’s whatever,” eyes drawn to the liquid in his mug, “nothin’ I haven’t heard before.”

Your heart shattered into pieces at that. Steve always thought so bad of himself, you knew that, and it clouded his judgment at times. But he was good. Steve was a good person. His father was just cruel.

His features twisted in a grimace, eyes a little sad, like he was thinking about what he was going to say next. You wished the awkward feeling in the room away.

“Hey,” Steve spoke, “what happened to us?”

Was he being serious? You couldn’t tell, his gaze lingering on you, eyes lacking their usual spark, a flint of hope glossing over. A hope for resolution for this situation you both found yourselves in.

“What?” you gawked, “What’re you talking about?”

He shrugged, “It used to be easy,” he said, “now you can’t even look me in the eye.”

Steve stared at you like you held all the answers, why his life seemed like it was caving in on itself. Why he broke up with you, why he let the best thing in his life go.

“Steve,” you blinked, baffled, “you broke up with me.” Your tone was accusatory, but you were simply stating a fact, “What do you want me to say?”

He sighed, fingers tugging at his hair, something you knew he did when he was on edge. He inched closer to you on the sofa now, “I don’t know, okay? Fuck,” Steve cried, “I messed up, I know that, got too caught up in my own head, but I’d do anything to make it right.”

Steve was insecure. So desperate to be loved and to have someone to look after and care for, it often made him push people away. Especially the people who cared about him most. Like you.

You looked at him now, properly. Tears prickling your lash line, threatening to spill over, “Steve,” you spoke softer now, tone hushed and cautious, “what are you trying to say?” you asked.

“That I want to start over,” he reached for your hand, taking it in his own and you let him. His voice almost a whisper, “Us. Tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it.” he spoke, dead cert.

Your eyes flitted down to where your hands were joined, then back to the boy’s face. His eyes boring into yours, gaze all warm honey and hoping, wanting.

Steve was all you wanted, all you ever wanted. He was warm hugs and soft kisses, boyish charm and addictive smile. Steve was sweet lemonade on a hot summer’s day, the smell of fresh coffee in the morning, the promise of forever. He was your soulmate, you were sure.

“Steve,” you sighed his name for what felt like the thousandth time tonight, “I…” you trailed off. Your head was a mess, you half wondered if the boy had come to your house for other reasons, not just because his Dad kicked him out in the dead of night during a storm.

Your hesitation was like kick to the stomach, Steve’s heart dropping to the pit of it. He gave your hand a squeeze before he dropped it, fingers coming to scratch at the back of his neck, “Maybe I should get going,” he mumbled, “I’m sorry- uh, for dropping in on you like this.”

You knew the apology was sincere but those words carried weight; sure he was sorry for showing up to your house unannounced, but you knew he meant he was sorry for breaking your heart, for pushing you away, for making you cry for days on end wondering what you did wrong.

He moved to stand then, making his way to the front door, “Hey, wait,” you reached after him, delicate fingers clasping around his wrist, stopping him in his tracks. “Don’t go,” you whimpered. Steve’s brow furrowed, concern lacing his features.

“Okay.” you spoke, nodding.

“Okay?” Steve’s eyebrows quirked, eyes scanning your face.

“It’s not a no, but I need time, Steve,” you hushed, fingers trailing down his hand until they were laced with his own, “and I can’t let you go back out in that storm.”

His lips turned up into a soft smile, sticky sweet and all fond. He wouldn’t mess it up this time, he could never, he swore to himself.

“We can go as fast or slow as you like,” his free hand came to brush your hair over your shoulder, fingers caressing the supple skin of your cheek, “you won’t regret this, sweetheart. I promise.”

You nodded, you knew there wasn’t an ounce of dishonesty behind Steve’s words. Glancing at the clock on the wall over his shoulder, the time reading 1:49am.

“I think you should get some sleep,” Steve’s eyes heavy, dark circles adoring the space above his cheeks, “guest room’s all yours, Harrington.”

Neither of you would sleep that night, itching to cross the invisible boundary you had set to crawl into bed with each other. To dream of what forever looked like.

#steve harrington #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington angst #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington fic #steve harrington fanfiction #stranger things fanfiction #k.fic #not sure what i think of this one #loved the idea when i first started writing it but now idk #also i took one line from a 5sos song and decided to make it the whole title fkshdjdk

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